III.]

WARREN HASTINGS AND HALHED

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the public as the translator of the Gentoo code of law. His dedication of this work to Warren Hastings is in a different strain from his letters to Sheridan ; a marvellous change had been wrought. The dedication, which was written in 1776, explains his relation to Hastings: "By the publication of the collection of Gentoo laws, made under your immediate authority, I find myself involuntarily held forth to the public as an author, almost as soon as I have commenced to be a man. It is therefore with some propriety that I claim to this work the continuation of your patronage, which, as it at first selected me from a number of more worthy competitors to undertake the task, so it has by constant assistance and encouragement been the entire instrument of its completion. Indeed, if all the lights which, at different periods, have been thrown upon this subject, by your happy suggestions, had been withheld there would have remained for my share of the performance nothing but a mass of obscurity and confusion; so that in your own right, the whole result of the execution is yours, as well as the entire merit of the original plan. It is my earnest wish that you may long be the prime administrator of an establishment to which you have excellently paved the way; as I am sure your extensive general knowledge, joined to your particular experience in the affairs of India, give you advantages which can scarcely fall to the share of any other subject of the British Empire."

Halhed returned to England in 1785. When he and Sheridan met again it was in the position of strangers, and as antagonists in the proceedings con

cerning Warren Hastings. They sat in Parliament; but on opposite sides of the House. Halhed spoke three times only during the five years that he was a member of the House of Commons. His maiden speech was delivered on the 31st of March, 1796; he stated at the outset that he had "preserved a uniform and respectful silence" since entering the House in 1791 as member for Lymington. Though listened to, he could not get a seconder for a motion to the effect that "The books of Richard Brothers, entitled 'A Revealed Knowledge,' etc., be laid upon the table." Three weeks afterwards he made a second speech and a motion which also fell to the ground for lack of a seconder; it was to the effect that "a copy of the warrant for apprehending Richard Brothers be laid before the House." This man was a fanatic who, after living for a time on vegetables, announced that he was commissioned by the Almighty to take the place of George the Third. On the 10th of November, 1795, Halhed spoke against the Seditious Meetings Bill. Sheridan opposed the Bill also, and both Halhed and he voted with the minority against it. Halhed then returned to private life. He had written to Sheridan in 1770: "My reflections end in a consciousness that I want common sense." His conduct in Parliament demonstrated how correctly he had judged himself.

Halhed left India with a competence; but, after arriving at home, he was impoverished by injudicious speculation in French assignats. However, the appointment of Secretary to the East India Company, which he obtained in 1809, made his life easy again.

III.

HALHED'S LAST DAYS

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He collected oriental manuscripts, wrote on oriental topics, and he penned epigrams in imitation of Martial. His life ended on the 18th of February, 1830, fourteen years after that of the schoolfellow whose career I am narrating. As the story of Halhed's early days is still incomplete, as regards the relation between him and Sheridan, further particulars concerning it will be given in the next chapter.

IV.

LITERARY SCHEMES.

WHILE Halhed and Sheridan were preparing the farce of Jupiter for the stage and a versified translation of the Epistles of Aristanetus for publication, Sheridan was revolving other literary ventures in his mind. In a letter to him from Halhed on the 16th of April [1771] it is said :-"Whatever your new plan is (of which I have not the most distant idea) I shall be glad to coincide in it, and do whatever service may be in my power.' This may

refer to a projected comedy, of which the following fragment in Sheridan's handwriting has been preserved :

"M[anager?]. Sir, I have read your Comedy, and I think it has infinite merit, but, pray, don't you think it rather grave?

"S[andy?]. Sir, you say true; it is grave comedy. I follow the opinion of Longinus, who says comedy ought always to be sentimental. Sir, I value a sentiment of six lines in my piece no more than a Nabob does a rupee. I hate those dirty, paltry equivocations which go by the name of puns, and pieces of wit. No, Sir, it ever was my opinion that the stage

should be a place of rational entertainment; instead of which, I am very sorry to say, most people go there for their diversion: accordingly, I have formed my comedy so that it is no laughing, giggling piece of work. He must be a very light man that shall discompose his muscles from beginning to the end. "M. But don't you think it may be too grave ?

"S. O never fear; and as for hissing, mon, they might as well hiss the Common Prayer-Book; for there is the viciousness of vice and the virtuousness [of virtue] in every third line.

"M. I confess there is a great deal of moral in it; but, Sir, I should imagine if you tried your hand at a tragedy

"S. No, mon, there you are out, and I'll relate to you what put me first on writing a comedy. You must know I had composed a very fine tragedy about the valiant Bruce. I showed it to my Laird of Mackintosh, and he was a very candid mon, and he said my genius did not lie in tragedy: I took the hint, and, as soon as I got home, began my comedy." Sheridan was popular favour.

prolific in projects for earning He thought of writing a dissertation on ancient and modern pastoral poetry, and his friend wrote: "I like very much your idea." He had written epigrams and crazy tales, and Halhed told him: “I admire your epigrams, a collection of them would do great things "; and asked, “Are the Crazy Tales never to quit their confinement ?" Sheridan had proposed that a periodical should be founded, to be called Hernan's Miscellany, and