SAXONICUS.
Pope's "honest Factor" (Vol. iv., pp. 6. 244.).
—In the European Magazine for September, 1791, under the head of "Anecdotes of the Pitt Family," there is a memoir given of Governor Pitt, from which I extract the following passages as illustrative of the Queries of your correspondents J. SWAN and C.:—
"The most extraordinary incident in this gentleman's life was, his obtaining and disposing of the celebrated diamond which is still called by his name. It was purchased by him during the time he was Governor of Fort St. George, for 48,000 pagodas, i.e. 20,400l. sterling, instead of 200,000, which the seller first asked for it. It was consigned to Sir Stephen Evance, Knt., in London, in the ship Bedford, Captain John Hudson, Commander, by a bill of lading dated March 8, 1701-2, and charged to the Captain at 6,500 pagodas only. It was reckoned the largest jewel in Europe, and weighed one hundred and twenty-seven carats. When polished it was as big as a pullet's egg. The cuttings amounted to eight or ten thousand pounds."
"It appears, that the acquisition of this diamond occasioned many reflections injurious to the honour of Governor Pitt; and Mr. Pope has been thought to have had the insinuations, then floating in the world, in his mind when he wrote the following lines:
'Asleep and naked as an Indian lay,
An honest factor stole a gem away:
He pledg'd it to the Knight; the Knight had wit;
So kept the di'mond, and the rogue was bit.'
"These reports, however, never obtained much credit; though they were loud enough to reach the ears of the person against whom they were directed, who condescended to vindicate himself against the aspersions thrown out upon him."