February, 1787, Sheridan brought forward the third charge, relating
to the treatment of the begams of Oudh in a speech held by all who heard
it to be a marvellous display of oratory. He described Hastings as "by
turns a Dionysius and a Scapin," a tyrant and a trickster, with a mind
in which "all was shuffling, ambiguous, dark, insidious, and
little".[210] Indeed throughout the proceedings against Hastings his
accusers constantly disregarded moderation and even decency of language.
The third charge and other articles having been accepted by the commons,
Burke, on May 11, impeached Hastings of high crimes and misdemeanours.
An attempt was also made to bring an impeachment against Sir Elijah
Impey, lately chief-justice of Bengal, on the ground of the execution of
Nanda-Kumar and on other charges, but the commons, having heard his
defence, refused to agree to the articles. The trial of Warren Hastings
before the lords was opened in Westminster hall on February 13, 1788,
with circumstances of dignity and splendour worthy of so great an
occasion. Burke's speech on the case for the prosecution lasted for four
days; it remains a magnificent specimen of rhetoric, though its vehement
denunciations founded on occurrences in which the accused was not
directly concerned, and its attempts to create prejudice were not likely
to affect the opinions of men conscious of their responsibility as
judges. The court sat during that session of parliament for thirty-five,
and in 1789 for seventeen days. It became evident that the trial would
last a long time and public interest in it soon flagged.

[Sidenote: _CORNWALLIS GOVERNOR-GENERAL._]

Cornwallis was chosen by Pitt in 1786 as governor-general of India under
the new act, and assumed the government in 1788. Unfettered by his
council, he was in a far better position than Hastings, and, in spite of
many difficulties arising from abuses of long standing, he effected
numerous reforms both in the civil and military services of the company
during the first three years of his administration. Meanwhile Tipu,
encouraged by his success in the late war and by the negligence of the
Madras government, was preparing for another attempt to drive the
English out of the Karnatic. He attacked their ally, the raja of
Travancore, in 1789. Cornwallis secured the alliance of the nizam and
the Marathas in 1790, and General Medows, the new governor of Madras,
successfully invaded Mysore. As, however, no further p