THE

CALCUTTA REVIEW.

ART. I.- Lives of the Lindsays; or, A Memoir of the House of Crawford and Balcarres, by Lord Lindsay; to which are added Extracts from the Official Correspondence of Alexander, Sixth Earl of Balcarres, during the Maroon War; together with personal narratives by his brothers, the Hon. Robert, Colin, James, John and Hugh Lindsay, and by his sister, Lady Anne Barnard. 3 vols. London. Murray. 1849.

THESE Volumes were written, printed, and reviewed by one influential periodical, so long ago, that, although they were only published last year, they have already a flavour of antiquity about them. We do not address ourselves to their consideration with less relish for that. It may be doubted whether the work, being bulky and costly, has found its way into extensive circulation in this part of the world. A large proportion of our readers are probably unacquainted with its contents. And it is just one of those lively, gossiping, anecdotical books, which the Indian reviewer, who is compelled (for the most part) to base his articles on somewhat weighty reports and solid parliamentary papers, seizes with avidity in the expectation of discovering, in its contents, some lighter matter, wherewith to enliven the learned dulness of his pages.

The Lives of the Lindsays is a book abounding in incident, and overflowing with personal anecdote. The greater part of the work lies far away beyond our reach. We have nothing to do with the home-staying Lindsays. It is permitted to us only to gossip with those who have qualified for the Oriental. have fortunately, in the first line, a civilian and two soldiers on our list to say nothing of a ship-captain, who, in due time, became a member of the Court of Directors; and some distant cousins whom, perhaps, we may leave to themselves. Robert Lindsay went out to India as a writer; James and John fought against Tippú. Their own narratives are contained in the third volume of the Lives of the Lindsays, and some incidental notices of them may be collected from the preceding volume. We are not quite sure that, in every instance, these different narratives completely harmonize; but we must not expect too

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much from senile garrulity. It is something, when the talk of old people about themselves and their families is never by any means dull.

The family of the Lindsays, with which we have to do, is that of James, Earl of Balcarres, who commenced the family. memoirs. Eleven children were born to the Earl. Of these, Lady Anne Lindsay, afterwards Lady Anne Barnard, the authoress of the touching ballad of "Auld Robin Gray," was the eldest, the ablest, and the most interesting. For the liveliest portion of these volumes, we are indebted to her never-failing animal spirits, her pleasant humour, and her graphic style. After recording the event of her own birth, she says:" My father's patience was happily rewarded next year by the birth of a son and heir, my dear Cummerland; a twelve-month after came my beloved Margaret; Robert and Colin followed them as soon as possible; James, William, Charles, and John did not lag long behind; my dear little sister Elizabeth ' almost closed the procession, though not entirely; Hugh, though last, not least beloved, finishes my list." list." Here was a family of eight sons and three daughters; a wild and rebellious. party, whom Lady Balcarres was obliged to keep under controul with a strong hand. Perhaps, there was a little too much of the "iron rule." "Odsfish, madam," cried the Earl sometimes, when he found little misdemeanours punished as great crimes, you will break the spirits of my young troops. I will not have it so." No fear of that. The young troops grew up with spirit enough for all purposes; Lady Anne never lost hers to the latest day of her life. The house was turned into a sort of Bastille; and there was a culprit sobbing in every closet.

O my Lady, my Lady," cried little Robert from his dark prison," whip me and let me go, if you please." "Excellent Robert!" exclaims Lady Anne-it is a touching apostrophelet me be pardoned for a digression quite out of date; but can a better time ever arrive to prove how thoroughly good minds pardon severity arising from right meanings, when I ' mention that it is now, at the chateau of Balcarres, inhabited by Robert, who well remembers the closet of his imprisonment, that our dear old mother, encompassed by her grand-children, derives from him and his excellent wife all the solaces of her ' extreme old age-eighty-five? It is wrong to tell this so soon; but I may die;—so it shall be told now."

We are now fairly introduced to Robert. We see him crying, as a baby, in the closet, and solacing his old mother, almost an old man himself. We must do something to fill up this interval of more than half-a-century. "Robert and Colin," writes Lady

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Anne Barnard, "were light and shade to each other. Though we talk of them as children, their characters will do for life. Robert was less handsome than his younger brother, but his countenance had much of the bon ami in it. He possessed sound sense without quick abilities, kind attachments and benevolence without parade, bluntness and sweetness, with a natural mercantile genius for improving the two-pence per week, which was allowed him for his menus plaisirs; but, when improved, it was at any body's service, who needed it more than him6 self. Colin, on the other hand, had an elegant person and accomplished mind; he had oratory, dignity, and prodigality. Robert bought a knife for six-pence, used it for three months, and sold it to Colin for a shilling:-Colin discovered this, and complained of his brother in terms so judicious and pathetic, that the whole family pronounced that Robert must be a merchant, and Colin my Lord Chancellor. Robert was forthwith destined to go to India, as a writer to the Company, and Colin was bred to the Bar. 'Tis by trifles such as this, that the destinies of mankind are generally decided."

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Colin, however, entered the army, became a soldier, and a good one too; and died a general officer. As for Robert, it does not appear, from his own account of the matter, that he was forthwith destined for India on the strength of the mercantile transaction above recorded, and the premature development of commercial cleverness that it indicated. He seems rather to have been designed for an European mercantile career. At least, at the age of fourteen, he was carried off to Cadiz by a maternal uncle, and there settled for a time in a mercantile house-from which he was removed to another commercial establishment at Xeres, under the superintendence of Mr. (afterwards Sir James) Duff, a cousin of the Lindsays, "with directions to have him improved in the Spanish language without delay." To accomplish this, he was entrusted to the tutorship of some Franciscan monks, who treated him very kindly, and tried hard to convert him to Papacy. Had I remained much longer there," says Robert Lindsay, "they might have succeeded. Fortunately, in four months, I was recalled to Cadiz, where the gaieties of the town soon made me forget the mys" teries of the convent."

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nearly

Some months had passed away, and young Robert had" • made up his mind to continue in the house, when a circumstance occurred to change his destination to a distant part of the globe." What this circumstance was, we are not informed. The distant part of the globe, however, was Bengal. In the spring of the year 1772, Robert Lindsay embarked for

Calcutta on board the Prince of Wales, East Indiaman"commanded by Captain Court, a peppery Welchman with only one arm; the other he had lost in a duel with one of his passengers, on a former voyage, regarding a young lady to whom they were both attached." The first move of the young writer was an excellent one. In these times, the boy-civilian goes on board, with a capital cabin on the upper-deck, secured for him by Messrs. Grindlay or Barber, and elaborately fitted up by Maynard or Silver. He has not to struggle for a place, or to rub shoulders with his associates. His patrician sensibilities are not disturbed by any dread of gregarious publicity. He enjoys the privacy of his twelve-feet-by-ten. It is his castle; his domain. He is "like a star, and dwells apart." He can shed tears or disgorge his dinner in absolute exclusiveness-may write sonnets to Albion, practise on the flute, study Hindústáni, or revel in the midshipman's holiday of overhauling his kit, without an intrusive eye to mark his doings or interrupt his meditations. Three-quarters-of-a-century ago, a very different state of things obtained on board our Indiamen. The young writers and cadets had to fight for their berths in the steerage. First come, first served. Ever with his eye to the main chance, Robert Lindsay determined to be first in the field. Whilst the other young men were staring about them, he quietly slipped below decks with a piece of chalk in his hand, selected the best berth in the writers' quarters, and wrote his name upon it. The other passengers remonstrated, and proposed to draw lots; but possession was nine points of the law; and Robert Lindsay kept his berth throughout his voyage, which was a slow and not a very pleasant one. The passengers were badly fed; aud there was a pack of hounds on board, who drank the water, and nearly brought on a mutiny. When the party disembarked, the chief officer told them that they "would stow away better homeward bound,"-"and too truly," adds Robert Lindsay, "was this verified; for, upon embarking for Europe eighteen years afterwards, and on looking over the melancholy list, I could only trace the names of five of my fellow-passengers in existence." Robert Lindsay "landed in Calcutta, in September 1772, in perfect health," and was soon appointed to do duty in the Accountant-General's office. Warren Hastings was GovernorGeneral. "He was beloved and respected," says Mr. Lindsay, by Natives as well as Europeans;" and this is the testimony of one who belonged to the ranks of the enemy. "I had resided for nearly two years in Sir John Clavering's society; I was 'therefore marked as a party-man, and passed over in the general promotion." The Provincial Council system was then in force;

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and Robert Lindsay was before long appointed to a situation under the Dacca Council. Whilst thus employed, he cast his eyes longingly on Sylhet, and determined to make a bold move to get the management of the province into his hands. We will tell the story in the narrator's own words :—

This district had for some years fallen under the superintendence of the Dacca Council: and, two years previous to my appointment, my friend, Mr. W. Holland, as one of the members of that Council, had been deputed to effect a settlement with the Sylhet landholders, with power to cess with revenue, or levy a rent from those lands held on military tenure. Such a transaction is seldom accomplished without much difficulty.

Mr. Holland having finished his business in that troublesome settlement, returned to Dacca, and presented his rent-roll to the Council, amounting to no less than £25,000 per annum; but said at the same time, that they were a most turbulent people, and that it would require much trouble to realize it. The other members held the settlement in derision.

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My intimacy with Mr. Holland continued to increase. He was a man of high honour and principle, possessing a considerable fortune, which he inherited from his father. In a confidential conversation with me, he regretted that his health did not permit him to return to Sylhet, to complete the work he had so prosperously commenced. "I am sensible," said he, "it will prove an arduous undertaking; and none but a man possessed of a sound constitution, with great energy and determination, is fit for it." I thought for some time, and, turning quickly round, I said, I know a man who will suit you exactly." "And where is he to be found?" said Mr. Holland. I answered, "I am the man!" Upon which, my friend threw himself back in his chair, and, with a loud laugh, replied, " Lindsay! you are the most impudent fellow alive! Our establishment is more than twenty in number, eighteen of whom would jump at the appointment; and here are you, the youngest of the whole, aspiring to it yourself!" "And can you blame me, my friend," said I, "for looking to the top of the tree?" 66 By no means, said he; "but how can the thing be accomplished?" "The thing is difficult I allow; but, with such a friend as you, much may be effected; may I look for your support at a future day, should I be proposed by the other members in Council ?" "You shall have it," said he. All I then asked was, that he should not retire until I saw a little daylight in the business, and that, in the meanwhile, our conversation should remain a secret; to this he willingly consented.

I had now taken my ground, having left a favourable impression on Mr. Holland; and I well knew the high opinion the other members of the Council had of his judgment; but to advance farther, without carefully probing my way, was dangerous.

Among the numerous articles of commerce, carried on in the interior of the Dacca district, salt is not the least considerable; it is manufactured by the agents of Government on the sea-coast, and preserved as a monopoly for the benefit of the Company. At certain periods, it is brought up in large boats to Dacca, and there exposed to public sale. My commercial education at Cadiz was now beginning to show itself of use to me. In the mode of exposing the lots to sale, I could perceive no small intrigue was carrying on; for I saw that the natives had not that free access to the public sale, to which they were entitled, and that the lots fell, as they were put up, to the dependants of the members in Council, who, by this means, gained