THE SECRET MOTIVES OF THE RIVALS. 161 the sole motive which influenced him. We even c ^ p - conceive it possible that La Bourdonnais himself did not fully realise the consequence of his actions. Even 1746. great men are very often unconsciously acted upon. More especially was this likely to be the case with a man who chafed so fretfully against superior control as did La Bourdonnais. Determined not to subordinate his will to the will of Dupleix, he may have been himself unaware of that secret influence, which, notwithstanding, most powerfully moved him. What can be more probable than that the two motives, powerfully assisting one another, so worked upon and mastered his reasoning powers, that he was but faintly, if at all, aware of the real moving and guiding power within him, but persuaded himself that he was influenced by considerations of duty — the selfish and sordid views which lay at the root of his conduct being kept entirely out of sight? However that may be, we have in this place to judge of the man by his acts. And in looking at those acts, we cannot but take advantage to the full of any circumstances which tend to throw light on the motives that prompted them. Hitherto, no con- sideration has been paid to those motives. In the contest between Dupleix and La Bourdonnais, the former has been ruthlessly condemned — condemned, we are satis- fied, without a full and fair inquiry — without having been heard by means of public documents in his own defence. Yet, it is surely something in the question between them to inquire, whether there were any secret motives besides those that have been assigned, which might have tempted either of them to overstep his powers. In the case of Dupleix, we see the avowed reason — the determination to root out the English at any cost from the Koromandel coast — based upon the powers which as Governor-General of French India he believed himself to possess — but we can find no trace of any other. He had no personal objects to gain by refusing to ransom Madras. It appeared to him so plain that the restora- M
