to reflect on his situation. He
avoided all amusements and dissipation, but availed himself of the
resources of the governor's library, which was liberally opened to him
in his hours of leisure. He, however, felt himself unhappy, for his
occupations were unsuited to his tastes, and he longed for an
opportunity of finding a mode of life more congenial to his
disposition.

The war of the Austrian Succession, in which George II. took the side
of the empress, while the French king supported her competitor,
extended to the Eastern World. Labourdonnais, the governor of the
French colony in the Mauritius, suddenly appeared before Madras, and,
as the town and fort were not prepared for defence, both were
surrendered on honorable terms. But Dupleix, the French governor of
Pondicherry, denying the right of Labourdonnais to grant any terms,
refused to ratify the capitulation, and directed Madras to be razed to
the ground. With still greater disregard for public faith, he led the
English who had capitulated through the town of Pondicherry, as
captives gracing his triumphal procession, in the presence of 50,000
spectators. Clive escaped this outrage by flying from Madras in
disguise; he took refuge at Fort St. David, a settlement subordinate
to Madras, where he obtained from Major Lawrence, one of the best
officers then in India, an ensign's commission in the service of the
company.

Peace between England and France having been established, Madras was
restored to its former owners. Clive, however, did not return to his
civil pursuits; he occasionally acted as a writer, but he was more
frequently employed as a soldier in the petty hostilities which arose
between the English and the natives. Events, however, were now in
progress, which made the French and English East India companies
competitors for an empire, though neither understood the value of the
prize for which they contended; and Clive, fortunately for his country
and himself, was almost forced to take the position of a military
commander.

To explain fully the position of India, at this period, would take far
more pages than we can afford lines; a very brief sketch, may,
however, help our readers to comprehend the course of events. India,
in its entire extent, was nominally governed by the Emperor of Delhi,
or, as he was generally, though absurdly, called in Europe, "the Great
Mogul." Under him were several viceroys, each of whom ruled over as
many subjects as any of th