to the same amount was to be paid
to his associate, Mr. Middleton. As it was proved at Calcutta, so it
will be proved at your Lordships' bar to your entire satisfaction by
records and living testimony now in England. It was, indeed, obliquely
admitted by Mr. Hastings himself.

The excuse for this bribe, fabricated by Mr. Hastings, and taught to
Munny Begum, when he found that she was obliged to prove it against him,
was, that it was given to him for his entertainment, according to some
pretended custom, at the rate of 200_l._ sterling a day, whilst he
remained at Moorshedabad. My Lords, this leads me to a few reflections
on the apology or defence of this bribe. We shall certainly, I hope,
render it clear to your Lordships that it was not paid in this manner as
a daily allowance, but given in a gross sum. But take it in his own way,
it was no less illegal, and no less contrary to his covenant; but if
true under the circumstances, it was an horrible aggravation of his
crime. The first thing that strikes is, that visits from Mr. Hastings
are pretty severe things, and hospitality at Moorshedabad is an
expensive virtue, though for provision it is one of the cheapest
countries in the universe. No wonder that Mr. Hastings lengthened his
visit, and made it extend near three months. Such hosts and such guests
cannot be soon parted. Two hundred pounds a day for a visit! It is at
the rate of 78,000_l._ a year for himself; and as I find his companion
was put on the same allowance, it will be 146,000_l._ a year for
hospitality to two English gentlemen. I believe that there is not a
prince in Europe who goes to such expensive hospitality of splendor.

But that you may judge of the true nature of this hospitality of
corruption, I must bring before you the business of the visitor and the
condition of the host, as stated by Mr. Hastings himself, who best knows
what he was doing. He was, then, at the old capital of Bengal at the
time of this expensive entertainment, on a business of retrenchment, and
for the establishment of a most harsh, rigorous, and oppressive economy.
He wishes the task were assigned to spirits of a less gentle kind. By
Mr. Hastings's account, he was giving daily and hourly wounds to his
humanity in depriving of their sustenance hundreds of persons of the
ancient nobility of a great fallen kingdom. Yet it was in the midst of
this galling duty, it was at that very moment of his tender sensibility,
that, from the coll