Thus far your Committee are of opinion,
that the conclusion corresponds with the premises; for, supposing the
fact to be established or admitted, that the Nabob, in point of age,
capacity, and judgment, was qualified to act for himself, it seems
reasonable that the management of his domestic affairs should not be
withheld from him. On this part of the proceeding your Committee will
only observe, that, if it were strictly true that the Nabob's
understanding had been much improved _of late_ by an attention to his
education, (which seems an extraordinary way of describing the
qualifications of a man of six-and-twenty, the father of many children,)
the merit of such improvement must be attributed to Mahomed Reza Khan,
who was the only person of rank and character connected with him, or who
could be supposed to have any influence over him. Mr. Hastings himself
reproaches the Nabob with _raising mean men to be his companions_, and
tells him plainly, _that some persons, both of bad character and base
origin, had found the means of insinuating themselves into his company
and constant fellowship_.
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