“No; but I see them all determined to acquit Mr. Hastings.”
“Determined?—nay, that indeed is doing him very little honour.”
“O, for honour!—if he is acquitted—” He stopped,—as if that were sufficient.
I ventured to ask why the judges and the lords-should make such a determination.
“From the general knavery and villainy of mankind.” was his hard answer, “which always wishes to abet successful guilt.”
“Well!” cried I, shaking my head, “you have not, relinquished your speech from having nothing to say. But I am glad you have relinquished it, for I have always been most afraid of you; and the reason is, those who know how to hold back will not for nothing come forward. There is one down there, who, if he knew how ever to hold back, would be great indeed!”
He could not deny this, but would not affirm it. Poor Mr. Burke!—so near to being wholly right, while yet wholly wrong!
When Mr. Burke mounted the rostrum, Mr. Windham stopped short, saying, “I won’t interrupt you-” and, in a moment, glided back to the managers’ box; where he stood behind Mr. Burke, evidently at hand to assist in any difficulty. His affection for him seems to amount to fondness. This is not for me to wonder at. Who was so captivated as myself by that extraordinary man, till he would no longer suffer me to reverence the talents I must still ever admire?