He soon informed Mr. Hastings that his expectations were erroneous, and
that he had overrated the country. What, then, are we to think of his
persevering in this error? Mr. Hastings might have formed extravagant
and wild expectations, when he was going up the country to plunder; for
we allow that avarice may often overcalculate the hoards that it is
going to rob. If a thief is going to plunder a banker's shop, his
avarice, when running the risk of his life, may lead him to imagine
there is more money in the shop than there really is. But when this man
was in possession of the country, how came he not to know and understand
the condition of it better? In fact, he was well acquainted with it; for
he has declared it to be his opinion that forty lacs was an overrated
calculation, and that the country could not continue to pay this tribute
at the very time he was imposing it. You have this admission in page 294
of the printed Minutes; but in the very face of it he says, if the Rajah
will exert himself, and continue for some years the regular payment, he
will then grant him a remission. Thus the Rajah was told, what he well
knew, that he was overrated, but that at some time or another he was to
expect a remission. And what, my Lords, was the condition upon which he
was to obtain this promised indulgence? The punctual payment of that
which Mr.
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