He knew
not the resources of vindictive genius or the powers of a
malignant imagination. Burke owed the Nabob a turn for the
vote which had gained him a baronetcy. The orator seized the
opportunity and alarmed the secret conscience of the Indian
adventurer by his dark allusions, and his fatal familiarity
with the subject.
Another estate however and another borough were some
consolation for this little misadventure; and in time the
French Revolution, to Sir John's great relief, turned the
public attention for ever from Indian affairs. The Nabob from
the faithful adherent of Mr Pitt had become even his personal
friend. The wits indeed had discovered that he had been a
waiter; and endless were the epigrams of Fitzpatrick and the
jokes of Hare; but Mr Pitt cared nothing about the origin of
his supporters. On the contrary, Sir John was exactly the
individual from whom the minister meant to carve out his
plebeian aristocracy; and using his friend as a feeler before
he ventured on his greater operations, the Nabob one morning
was transformed into an Irish baron.
The new Baron figured in his patent as Lord Fitz-Warene, his
Norman origin and descent from the old barons of this name
having been discovered at Herald's college.
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