Chap. XII.] OLIVE'S RECEPTION IN ENGLAND. G83
employers. The fact is undeniable ; for at the very time when Mr. Spencer, who ad. itoj
liad succeeded Mr. Vartsittart as governor, and his council shared among them so-called presents to the amount of £139,357 for raising Nujum-ud-Dowluh to sordid oon the musnud, new covenants interdicting the servants of the Company from re- "comi.;uiy'» ceiving presents had been sent out by the court of directors, and were l}ing '^'■■'*"^- unexecuted on the council table. Private trade also had been interdicted ; but in regard to it the authority of the directors was in like manner defied, and the new nabob was expressly taken bound to leave the private trade on its old footing. In the other arrangements, the interests of the Company not running counter to those of their servants were more carefullj' attended to, and the v^hole powers of government, civil and military, were transferred to them. They were to undertake the whole defence of the country, employing for that purpose the revenues of the assigned districts of Burdwan, Midnapore, and Chittagong, together with five lacs of inipees to be paid monthly by the nabob from other sources ; and were to have a complete control over the whole civil administration by means of a deputy nabob, or naib-subah, whom the nabob bound himself to appoint by their advice, and not to dismiss without their sanction. This deputy, invested with the whole executive authority, was in fact the real nabob. Nujum-ud-Dowlah, aware of this, was extremely anxious to appoint Nuncomar, a Hindoo, whom we have already seen supplanting iiis patron Roydullub by i series of intrigues. He had possessed and abused the confidence of Meer Jaffier, and acquired an unbounded influence over Nujum-ud-Dowlah, whom he hoped to employ as the instniment of his villainy ; but the presidency, thoroughly acquainted with his character, refused to ratify his appointment, and succeeded in securing it for Mahomed Reza Khan, who was in every respect far better entitled to it.
The leading events which took place after Clive's departure from India having ciive'g re been traced, it will now be necessary to follow him to England, and attend to EugUnd. the transactions in which he was there taking a prominent part. The time of his arrival was most opportune for his fame. Disaster had everywhere been following the British arms, and India wjis the only quai-ter in which the national pride could find any gratification. His achievements there were consequently magnified even beyond their deserts, and all classes vied in doing him honour. He was not indisposed to turn this tide of favour to account, but an attack of illness so severe that " for twelve months," to use his own language, " it was difficult to pronounce whether he was to live or die," frustrated many of his intentions, and even deprived him of a part of the reward which he thought due to his merit. In a letter to Major Carnac he says, " If health had not deserted me on my first arrival in England, in all probability I had been an Englisii peer, instead of an Irish one, with the promise of a red riband. I know I could have bought the title (which is usual), but that I was above, and the honoui-s I have obtained are free and voluntary. My wishes may hereafter be accomplished."
