_Pope's "honest Factor"_ (Vol. iv., pp. 6. 244.).--In the _European
Magazine_ for September, 1791, under the head of "Anecdotes of the Pitt
Family," there is a memoir given of Governor Pitt, from which I extract
the following passages as illustrative of the Queries of your
correspondents J. SWAN and C.:--
"The most extraordinary incident in this gentleman's life was, his
obtaining and disposing of the celebrated diamond which is still
called by his name. It was purchased by him during the time he was
Governor of Fort St. George, for 48,000 pagodas, _i.e._ 20,400_l._
sterling, instead of 200,000, which the seller first asked for it.
It was consigned to Sir Stephen Evance, Knt., in London, in the
ship Bedford, Captain John Hudson, Commander, by a bill of lading
dated March 8, 1701-2, and charged to the Captain at 6,500 pagodas
only. It was reckoned the largest jewel in Europe, and weighed one
hundred and twenty-seven carats. When polished it was as big as a
pullet's egg. The cuttings amounted to eight or ten thousand
pounds."
"It appears, that the acquisition of this diamond occasioned many
reflections injurious to the honour of Governor Pitt; and Mr. Pope
has been thought to have had the insinuations, then floating in
the world, in his mind when he wrote the following lines:
"'Asleep and naked as an Indian lay,
An honest factor stole a gem away:
He pledg'd it to the Knight; the Knight had wit;
So kept the di'mond, and the rogue was bit.'
"These reports, however, never obtained much credit; though they
were loud enough to reach the ears of the person against whom they
were directed, who condescended to vindicate himself against the
aspersions thrown out upon him."