About the Hastings Diamond and Its Ballad

THE HASTINGS.

In the Early Days of our Eastern Empire--National Ingratitude--A Georgian Scandal--Cruel Caricature--The Power of Diamonds.

In the year 1786 the "Hastings" diamond, (which cannot now be identified in the crown jewels), was sent by the Nizam of the Deccan to King George III., whose favour Mr. Hastings was about that time anxious to secure. He was on his trial for having endowed the nation with an eastern empire. Commissioned to deliver the jewel to the king, this circumstance brought both himself and the royal family into great trouble. The report was soon spread that in order to prevent an adverse sentence, Hastings had bribed the king with a valuable diamond, and as Queen Charlotte had the reputation of being very avaricious, it was added that her mediation had also been purchased by similar means. This gave rise to numerous scurrilous writings and caricatures, which were publicly hawked about the streets and exhibited in the shop windows. In one of these advantage was taken of a notorious mountebank, who professed that he could eat and digest stones like an ostrich, and whose performances were advertised on posters under the heading of "The Great Stone Eater." For the juggler the caricaturists substituted the king, who was represented as "The Greatest Stone Eater." He was depicted with a diamond in his mouth, and a heap of others ready for mastication. Amongst the numerous street ballads that appeared on the occasion was the following, reprinted with some slight but necessary modifications by Thomas Wright in his Caricature History of the Georges:--

I'll sing you a song of a diamond so fine,

That soon in the Crown of our Monarch will shine;

Of its size and its value the whole country rings,

By Hastings bestowed on the best of all kings.

Derry down, &c.

From India this jewel was lately brought o'er,

Though sunk in the sea, it was found on the shore,

And just in the nick to St. James's it got,

Conveyed in a bag by the brave Major Scott,

Derry down, &c.

Lord Sydney stepped forth when the tidings were known,

It's his office to carry such news to the throne,

Though quite out of breath to the closet he ran,

And stammered with joy, 'ere his tale he began.

Derry down, &c.

Here's a jewel, my liege, there's none such in the land,

Major Scott with three bows, put it into my hand,

And he swore, when he gave it, the wise ones were bit,

For it never was shown to Dundas or to Pitt.

Derry down, &c.

"For Dundas," cried our Sovereign, "unpolished and rough

Give him a Scotch pebble--'tis more than enough--

And jewels to Pitt, Hastings justly refuses,

For he has already more gifts than he uses."

Derry down, &c.

"But run, Jenky, run!" adds the king in delight,

"Bring the queen and the princesses here for a sight;

They never would pardon the negligence shown,

If we kept from their knowledge so glorious a stone."

Derry down, &c.

"But guard the door, Jenky! No credit we'll win

If the prince, in a frolic, should chance to step in;

The boy to such secrets of State we'll ne'er call,

Let him wait till he gets our crown, jewels, and all!"

Derry down, &c.

In the princesses run, and surprised, cry "O, la!

"Tis as big as the egg of a pigeon, papa!"

"And a pigeon of plumage worth plucking is he,"

Replies our good monarch, "who sent it to me!"

Derry down, &c.

Madam Schwellenberg peep'd thro' the door at a chink,

And tipped on the diamond a sly German wink,

As much as to say, "Can we ever be cruel

To him who has sent us so glorious a jewel?"

Derry down, &c.

Now God save the queen! while the people I teach,

How the king may grow rich, while the Commons impeach,

Then let nabobs go plunder, and rob as they will,

And throw in their diamonds as grist to his mill.

Derry down, &c.

This is no doubt the stone of which Mawe wrote: "A fine stone, weighing 101 carats, called the 'Nizam' diamond, was brought from India by governor Hastings; it made a most perfect brilliant, and was presented to our late gracious queen Charlotte."

In this sentence we have a characteristic instance of the extreme carelessness displayed by most writers on precious stones. For, short as it is, it contains no less than three mistakes, all of which might have been avoided by a little attention to the facts of the case. In the first place the stone was never "called the 'Nizam' diamond." Secondly, it was not "brought from India by governor Hastings," but sent from India by the Nizam to governor Hastings. Lastly, it was not "presented to our late gracious Queen Charlotte," but to King George III. by Hastings at the request of the Nizam. It is, however, likely enough that it afterwards passed into Queen Charlotte's possession, although of this there can be no certainty. It is also quite possible that, for his own purposes, Hastings may have made the most of the part played by him in the transaction. He was fully aware that his enemies were both numerous and powerful, and great efforts were needed to command sufficient influence to obtain a favourable verdict. One of the means which he freely employed to secure this object was a lavish distribution of his funds amongst influential members of society. Hence he was not particularly interested at the time in refuting the popular impression, that the great diamond was his personal gift to royalty. A certain amount of interest could not fail to be felt in the fate of a man who could afford to solicit the favour of his sovereign by such princely means. Society at the time was not immaculate, and in any case it was as true then as ever that "every woman had her price," and that when all else failed, diamonds ever commanded success. If he did not possess an unlimited store of these treasures, the impression that there were more where this gift to the king came from, might equally well serve his purpose.