Trial of Warren Hastings: Classical Oratory and Reception in Eighteenth-Century England

The impeachment trial of Warren Hastings, the first Governor-General of Bengal, lasted from 1788 to 1795. Chiara Rolli's book shows that the trial was influenced by antique views of rhetoric and imperial governance, with Prosecutor Edmund Burke and Richard Brinsley Sheridan employing coups de théâtre and Cicero's style of spectacular justice. Burkes defence of natural rights and passion for extirpating vice in the colonies reflected an admiration for Cicero, while Hastings preference to rule the conquered by means of their own traditions recalled models of Roman provincial administration. The book reconstructs the public's grasp of these parallels and illuminates new aspects of early British discourse around the Empire.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 13 June 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The impeachment trial of Warren Hastings, which took place from 1788 to 1795, was a significant event in the history of the British Empire. Hastings, who served as the first Governor-General of Bengal, faced charges of corruption and misconduct during his tenure. The trial had a profound impact on British education, as it revealed the influence of antique views of rhetoric and imperial governance on the legal proceedings.

Prosecutor Edmund Burke, known for his advocacy of natural rights and his passion for eradicating vice in the colonies, was portrayed as a modern-day Cicero. Burke's defense of these principles drew inspiration from Cicero's writings, and his use of dramatic techniques, such as fainting for emphasis, was influenced by the Roman rhetorician Quintilian.

On the other hand, Hastings was compared to Verres, the corrupt propraetor of Sicily in the first century BC. Hastings' preference to rule the conquered by means of their own traditions was reminiscent of Roman provincial administration models. The trial also employed certain coups de théâtre, such as fainting for emphasis, which were advised by Cicero and Quintilian.

Chiara Rolli's book reconstructs the public's understanding of these parallels by using contemporary journalism, satire, and other ephemera. It illuminates new aspects of early British discourse around the Empire and demonstrates how deeply classical precedents influenced the cultural and political imaginations of eighteenth-century Britain. The trial of Warren Hastings marked a turning point in the history of the British Empire, as it exposed the influence of antique views on imperial governance and highlighted the importance of modernizing legal procedures.

Weight: 464g
Dimension: 227 x 163 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781784539221