The materials which were here available were, of necessity, less abundant, less original, and less authentic than those from which the earlier part of the Memoirs had been composed. After Lord Clive reached England, he filled no public situation, and had the means of settling his most important affairs directly by personal communication. The incidents of his English life were to be drawn chiefly from a limited and occasional correspondence with his more intimate friends, and the parliamentary proceedings from the reports in the periodical works of the day; in which the details of contemporary occurrences are infinitely less ample than are now afforded by similar publications. The writer, therefore, by whose pen the concluding chapters were contributed, laboured under a difficulty which would have discouraged any person less influenced by friendship for the deceased, and by kindness for those on whom the publication devolved; but it has been surmounted in a manner which, it is hoped, will enable the reader to pursue the subject to its close, without any feeling of unsatisfied curiosity. The family of Sir John Malcolm cannot close this brief notice, without expressing to the continuator of the work their warmest gratitude for the pains his affection has bestowed upon the last labours of his friend. CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME. INTRODUCTION. General View of the State of India in 1746 Page 1 CHAPTER I. Clive's Family--his Boyhood.--Events of his early Life in India.--History of the Carnatic to 1750 29 CHAP. II. Wars in the Carnatic.--Siege of Arcot, and subsequent Operations of Clive till 1752 67 CHAP. III. Clive returns to England, 1753.--Again sent to India in 1755.--Capture of Gheriah.--Operations in Bengal.--Calcutta retaken, and Sujah-u-Dowlah forced to make Peace 128 CHAP. IV. Surrender of Chandernagore.--Quarrel with Sujah-u-Dowlah 183 CHAP. V. Conduct of Sujah-u-Dowlah.--Intrigues at his Court.--Battle of Plassey.--He is deposed, and Meer Jaffier raised to the Musnud.--Treaty 219 CHAP. VI. Transactions subsequent to the Battle of Plassey 273 CHAP. VII. State of Parties in Bengal, and in the Court of Meer Jaffier.--Clive proceeds to Patna.--Accepts the Government of Bengal 316 CHAP. VIII. Clive projects an Expedition to occupy the northern Circars.--Intrigues at the Court of Moorshedabad.--The Shahzada's Invasion of Bahar.--Repelled by Clive--who receives a Jaghire 364 [Illustration: MAP OF INDIA] INTRODUCTION. GENERAL VIEW OF THE STATE OF INDIA IN 1746.