Irish oak resounded--"Therefore," said he, "hath it with all confidence
been ordered by the Commons of Great Britain, that I impeach Warren
Hastings of high crimes and misdemeanors. I impeach him in the name of the
Commons House of Parliament, whose trust he has betrayed. I impeach him in
the name of the English nation, whose ancient honor he has sullied. I
impeach him in the name of the people of India, whose rights he has
trodden under foot, and whose country he has turned into a desert. Lastly,
in the name of human nature itself, in the name of both sexes, in the name
of every age, in the name of every rank, I impeach the common enemy and
oppressor of all."

NOTES.--Warren Hastings (b. 1732, d. 1818) was Governor-general of British
India. He was impeached for maladministration, but, after a trial which
extended from Feb. 13th, 1788, to April 23d, 1795, and occupied one
hundred and forty-eight days, he was acquitted by a large majority on each
separate count of the impeachment.

William Rufus, or William II. (b. 1056, d. 1100), built Westminster Hall
in which the trial was held. Bacon; see biographical notice, pages 332 and
333. Somers, John (b. 1651. d. 1716) was impeached for maladministration
while holding the office of lord chamberlain. Strafford, Thomas Wentworth,
earl of, (b. 1593, d. 1641,) was impeached for his mismanagement while
governor of Ireland. He conducted his own defense with such eloquence that
the original impeachment was abandoned, although he was immediately
condemned for high treason and executed. Charles I. (b. 1600, d. 1649),
after a war with Parliament, in which the rights of the people were at
issue, was captured, tried, and condemned to death.

The House of Brunswick is one of the oldest families of Germany. A branch
of this family occupies the British throne. Siddons, Sarah (b. 1755, d.
1831), was a famous English actress. Gibbon, Edward (b. 1737, d. 1794),
was a celebrated English historian. Cicero; see note on page 156. Tacitus
(b. about 55, d. after 117 A. D.) was a Roman orator and historian, who
conducted the prosecution of Marius, proconsul of Africa. Reynolds, Sir
Joshua (b. 1723, d. 1792), an English portrait painter of note. Parr,
Samuel (b. 1747, d. 1825), was an English author. Burke, Edmund; see
biographical sketch accompanying the following lesson.

CVIII. DESTRUCTION OF THE CARNATIC.

Edmund Burke, 1730-1797, one of the most able and brilliant of England's
essayist