There were seen，side by side，the greatest painter and the greatest scholar of the age.The spectacle had allured Reynolds from that easel which has preserved to us the thoughtful foreheads of so many writers and statesmen，and the sweet smiles of so many noble matrons.It had induced Parr to suspend his labours in that dark and profound mine from which he had extracted a vast treasure of eruditiona treasure too often buried in the earth，too often paraded with injudicious and inelegant ostentation；but still precious，massive，and splendid.There appeared the voluptuous charms of her to whom the heir of the throne had in secret plighted his faith.There too was she，the beautiful mother of a beautiful race，the Saint Cecilia，whose delicate features，lighted up by love and music，art has rescued from the common decay.There were the members of that brilliant societywhich quoted，criticised，and exchanged repartees under the rich peacock hangings of Mrs.Montague.And there the ladies，whose lips.more persuasive than those of Fox himself，had carried the Westminster election against palace and treasury，shone round Georgiana，Duchess of Devonshire.
The Serjeants made proclamation.Hastings advancedto the bar and bent his knee.The culprit was indeed not unworthy of that great presence.He had ruled an extensive and populous countr y，had made laws and treaties，had sent forth armies，had set up and pulled down princes.And in his high place he had so borne himself that all had feared him，that most had loved him，and that hatred itself could deny him no title to glory except virtue.He looked like a great man and not like a bad man.A person small and emaciated，yet deriving dignity from a carriage which，while it indicated deference to the court，indicated also habitual selfpossession and selfrespect；a high and intellectual forehead；a brow pensive，but not gloomy；a mouth of inflexible decision；a face pale and worn，but serene，on which was written，as legibly as under the picture in the councilchamber at Calcutta，Mens aequa in arduis ，such was the aspect with which the great Proconsul presented himself to his judges.
His counsel accompanied him，men all of whom were afterwards raised by their talents and learning to the highest posts in their professionthe bold and strongminded Law，afterwards ChiefJustice of the King’s Bench；the more humane and eloquent Dallas，afterwards ChiefJustice of the Common Pleas；and Plomer，who，near twenty years later，successfully conducted in the same high court the defence of Lord Melville，and subsequently became Vicechancellor and Master of the Rolls.
But neither the culprit nor his advocates attracted somuch notice as the accusers.In the midst of the blaze of red drapery，a space had been fitted up with green benches and tables for the Commons.The managers，with Burke at their head，appeared in full dress.The collectors of gossip did not fail to remark that even Fox，generally so regardless of his appearance，had paid to the illustrious tribunal the compliment of wearing a bag and sword.Pitt had refused to be one of the conductors of the impeachment；and his commanding，copious，and sonorous eloquence was wanting to that great muster of various talents.Age and blindness had unfitted Lord North for the duties of a public prosecutor；and his friends were left without the help of his excellent sense，his tact，and his urbanity.