Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. FRANCIS IN INDIA. [1777-1781.] Better Prospects?Hopes of the Governor-Generalship?Character of Hastings by Francis?Indian Journal?Hastings refuses to resign? Decision of the Supreme Court between him and Clavering?Mahratta War?Death of Clavering?Arrival of Wheler?Burke on the Revenue Settlement?Affair of the Grands?Arrival of Sir Eyre Coote? Temporary accommodation with Hastings?Rupture?Duel between Francis and Hastings?Return to England. The year 1777 found Francis in a position by no means such as his sanguine temper had anticipated: condemned to a permanent minority in the council by the casting- vote of his rival Hastings, his plans discountenanced, his friends neglected, and maintaining his ground only in combination with Clavering, whom in his heart he regarded, as we have seen, with as much aversion as he did Hastings himself, and with far less respect for his abilities. Nevertheless, we see him recovered, to a considerable extent, from the state of fierce discontent in which he has hitherto exhibited himself. His health was established. After some slight attacks of illness, his admirable constitution, which had resisted the utmost strain of intellectual occupation, seemed equally proof against the climate of Bengal, which was claiming its victims all around him. The following little memorandum, headed ‘Dates of Facts, ’ inscribed by Francis himself in one of his journals, gives the melancholy record of the mortality which took place in his circle. Dates Of Facts. 1776, Feb. 17.?Lady Anne Monson died at Calcutta. Sept. 25.?Colonel Monson at Hughley. Nov. 29.?Mr. Alexander Macrabie at Ganjam. 1777, Aug. 1.?Mr. Hastings marries Mrs. Imhoff. Aug. 30.?Sir John Clavering dies at Calcutta. Dec. 11.?Mr. Wheler lands at Calcutta. 1778, Jul…