ght have done himself a
good turn by such a decision. But Hastings was not so endowed, and he
would have done far better in {277} following the example of Clive and
of Rumbold. He committed the one fault which the House of Commons
never forgives, he wearied it. Such dramatic effect as he might have
got out of his position as a proconsul arraigned before a senate he
spoiled by the length and tedium of his harangue. He took two days to
read a long and wordy defence, two days which he considered all too
short, and which the House of Commons found all too long. It yawned
while Hastings prosed. Accustomed to an average of eloquence of which
the art has long been lost, it found Hastings's paper insufferably
wearisome.

Although he was the target for the eloquence of Burke, of Fox, and of
Sheridan, still Hastings's hopes were high, and they mounted higher
when the Rohilla war charge was rejected by a large majority. But they
were only raised so high to be dashed to earth again in the most
unexpected manner. The friends of Hastings were convinced that he
would have the unfailing support of Pitt in his defence. He was now to
learn that he was mistaken.

[Sidenote: 1787--Pitt and the impeachment]

Hastings had one very zealous champion in the House of Commons. This
was a young member, Sir James Bland-Burges. He rose not merely with
the approval of Pitt, but actually at Pitt's instigation, to defend
Warren Hastings on the question of the treatment of the Rajah of
Benares. It is scarcely surprising that the House did not pay him any
great attention. Having just come under "the spell of the enchanter,"
it would hardly have listened with attention to an old and well-known
member, and Bland-Burges was a young and unknown man. He could not
command a hearing, so, whispering to Pitt that he would leave the
remainder of the defence to him, he sat down, and the debate, on Pitt's
suggestion, was adjourned.

On the following day the young defender came to the House hot to hear
Pitt deliver to an attentive senate that defence which he had striven
unsuccessfully to make. He has recorded the astonishment, indignation,
and despair when Pitt rose to make his declaration concerning the
charge against Hastings. The minister in whom Hastings trusted to find
an ally offered some cold condemnation of {278} the intemperance of the
attack, proffered some lukewarm praise to Hastings, and then announced
that he would agree to the moti