Indeed I was now most eager to depart, from a circ.u.mstance that made me feel infinitely awkward. Mr. Burke himself was just come forward, to speak to a lady a little below me; Mr. Windham had instantly turned towards me, with a look of congratulation that seemed rejoicing for me, that the orator
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of the day, and of the cause, was approaching,; but I retreated involuntarily back, and shirked meeting his eyes. He perceived in an instant the mistake he was making, and went on with his discourse as if Mr. Burke was out of the Hall. In a minute, however, Mr. Burke himself saw me, and he bowed with the most marked civility of manner; my courtesy was the most ungrateful, distant, and cold ; I could not do otherwise ; so hurt I felt to see him the head of such a cause, so impossible I found it to t.i.tter one word of admiration for a performance whose n.o.bleness was so disgraced by its tenour, and so conscious was I the whole time that at such a moment to say nothing must seem almost an affront, that I hardly knew which way to look, or what to do with myself.(267) "
In coming downstairs I met Lord Walsingham and Sir Lucas Pepys.
"Well, Miss Burney," cried the first, "what say you to a governor-general of India now?"
"Only this," cried I, "that I do not dwell much upon any question till I have heard its answer!"
Sir Lucas then attacked me too. All the world against poor Mr.
Hastings, though without yet knowing what his materials may be for clearing away these aspersions!
Miss FUZILIER LIKELY TO PECONIE MRS, FAIRLY, February.-Her majesty at this time was a little indisposed, and we missed going to Windsor for a fortnight, during which I received visits of inquiry from divers of her ladies--Mrs.
Brudenell, bed-chamber woman; Miss Brudenell, her daughter, and a maid of honour elect, would but one of that cla.s.s please to marry or die; Miss Tryon and Miss Beauclerk, maids of honour, neither of them in a firm way to oblige Miss Brudenell, being nothing approaching to death, though far advanced from marriage; and various others.
Miss Brudenell"s only present hope is said to be in Miss Fuzilier,(268) who is reported, with what foundation I know not,
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to be likely to become Mrs. Fairly. She is pretty, learned, and accomplished ; yet, from the very little I have seen of her, I should not think she had heart enough to satisfy Mr. Fairly, in whose character the leading trait is the most acute sensibility, However, I have heard he has disclaimed all such intention, with high indignation at the report, as equally injurious to the delicacy both of Miss Fuzilier and himself, so recently after his loss.
THE HASTINGS TRIAL AGAIN: MR. FOX IN A RAGE.
And now for my third Westminster Hall, which, by the queen"s own indulgent order, was with dear Charlott and Sarah. It was also to hear Mr. Fox, and I was very glad to let Mr. Windham see a "dispensation" was attainable, though the cause was accidental, since the queen"s cold prevented the Drawing-room.(269)
We went early, yet did not get very good places. The managers at this time were all in great wrath at a decision made the night before by the Lords, upon a dispute between them and the counsel for Mr. Hastings, which turned entirely in favour of the latter.(270) When they entered their committee-box, led on as usual by Mr. Burke, they all appeared in the extremest and most angry emotion.
When they had caballed together some time, Mr. Windham came up among the Commons, to bow to some ladies of his acquaintance, and then to speak to me ; but he was so agitated and so disconcerted, he could name nothing but their recent provocation from the Lords. He seemed quite enraged, and broke forth with a vehemence I should not much have liked to have excited. They had experienced, he said, in the late decision, the Most injurious treatment that could be offered them: the Lords had resolved upon saving Mr. Hastings, and the chancellor had taken him under the grossest protection.
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"In short," said he, "the whole business is taken out of our hands, and they have all determined to save him."
"Have they indeed?" cried I, with Involuntary eagerness.
"Yes," answered he, perceiving how little I was shocked for him, "it is now all going your way."
I could not pretend to be sorry, and only inquired if Mr. Fox was to speak.
"I know not," cried he, hastily, "what is to be done, who will speak, or what will be resolved. Fox is in a rage! Oh, a rage!"
"But yet I hope he will speak. I have never heard him."
"No? not the other day?"
"No; I was then at Windsor."
"Oh yes, I remember you told me you were going. You have lost every thing by it! To-day will be nothing, he is all rage! On Tuesday he was great indeed. You should have heard him then.
And Burke, You should have heard the conclusion of Burke"s speech; "twas the n.o.blest ever uttered by man!"
"So I have been told."
"To-day you will hear nothing--know nothing,--there will be no opportunity,- Fox is all fury."
I told him he almost frightened me; for he spoke in a tremor himself that was really unpleasant.
"Oh!" cried he, looking at me half reproachfully, half goodhumouredly, "Fox"s fury is with the Lords--not there!"
pointing to Mr. Hastings.
I saw by this he entered into my feelings in the midst of his irritability, and that gave me courage to cry out, "I am glad of that at least!:
Mr. Fox spoke five hours, and with a violence that did not make me forget what I had heard of his being in such a fury but I shall never give any account of these speeches, as they will all be printed. I shall only say a word of the speakers as far as relates to my own feelings about them, and that briefly will be to say that I adhere to Mr. Burke, whose oratorical powers appear to me far more gentleman-like, scholar-like, and fraught with true genius than those of Mr. Fox. it may be I am prejudiced by old kindnesses of Mr. Burke, and it may be that the countenance of Mr. Fox may have turned me against him, for it struck me to have a boldness in it quite hard and callous. However, it is little matter how much my judgment in this point may err. With you, my dear friends, I have Page 129
nothing further to do than simply to give it ; and even should it be wrong, it will not very essentially injure you in your politics.
MRS. CREWE, MR. BURKE, AND MR. WINDHAM.
Again, on the fourth time of my attendance at Westminster Hall, honest James was my esquire.
We were so late from divers accidents that we did not enter till the same moment with the prisoner. In descending the steps I heard my name exclaimed with surprise, and looking before me, I saw myself recognised by Mrs. Crewe. "Miss Burney," she cried, "who could have thought of seeing you here!"
Very obligingly she made me join her immediately, which, as I was with no lady, was a very desirable circ.u.mstance; and though her political principles are well known, and, of course, lead her to side with the enemies of Mr. Hastings, she had the good sense to conclude me on the other side, and the delicacy never once to distress me by any discussion of the prosecution.
I was much disappointed to find nothing intended for this day"s trial but hearing evidence; no speaker was preparing; all the attention was devoted to the witnesses.
Mr. Adam, Mr. Dudley Long, and others that I know not, Came from the committee to chat with Mrs. Crewe; but soon after one came not so unknown to me--Mr. Burke; and Mrs. Crewe, seeing him ascend, named him to me, but was herself a little surprised to see it was his purpose to name himself, for he immediately made up to me, and with an air of such frank kindness that, could I have forgot his errand in that Hall, would have made me receive him as formerly, when I was almost fascinated with him. But far other were my sensations. I trembled as he approached me, with conscious change of sentiments, and with a dread of his pressing from me a disapprobation he might resent, but which I knew not how to disguise.
"Near-sighted as I am," cried he, "I knew you immediately. I knew you from our box the moment I looked up; yet how long it is, except for an instant here, since I have seen you!"
"Yes," I hesitatingly answered, "I live in a monastery now."
He said nothing to this. He felt, perhaps, it was meant to express my inaccessibility.
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I inquired after Mrs. Burke. He recounted to me the particulars of his sudden seizure when he spoke last, from the cramp in his stomach, owing to a draught of cold water which he drank in the midst of the heat of his oration.
I could not even wear a semblance of being sorry for him on this occasion; and my cold answers made him soon bend down to speak with Mrs. Crewe.
I was seated in the next row to her, just above.
Mr. Windham was now talking with her. My whole curiosity and desire being to hear him, which had induced me to make a point of coming this time, I was eager to know if my chance was wholly gone. "You are aware," I cried, when he spoke to me, "what brings me here this morning