Thequestionwascertainlyverycomplicated。Thatclaimwhich，accordingtotheordinaryrulesofinheritance，wasthestrongest，hadbeenbarredbyacontractexecutedinthemostbindingform。TheclaimoftheElectoralPrinceofBavariawasweaker。Butsoalsowasthecontractwhichboundhimnottoprosecutehisclaim。Theonlypartyagainstwhomnoinstrumentofrenunciationcouldbeproducedwasthepartywho，inrespectofblood，hadtheweakestclaimofall。
AsitwasclearthatgreatalarmwouldbeexcitedthroughoutEuropeifeithertheEmperorortheDauphinshouldbecomeKingofSpain，eachofthosePrincesofferedtowaivehispretensionsinfavourofhissecondson，theEmperor，infavouroftheArchdukeCharles，theDauphin，infavourofPhilipDukeofAnjou。
SoonafterthepeaceofRyswick，WilliamtheThirdandLewistheFourteenthdeterminedtosettlethequestionofthesuccessionwithoutconsultingeitherCharlesortheEmperor。France，England，andHolland，becamepartiestoatreatybywhichitwasstipulatedthattheElectoralPrinceofBavariashouldsucceedtoSpain，theIndies，andtheNetherlands。TheImperialfamilyweretobeboughtoffwiththeMilanese;andtheDauphinwastohavetheTwoSicilies。
ThegreatobjectoftheKingofSpainandofallhiscounsellorswastoavertthedismembermentofthemonarchy。Inthehopeofattainingthisend，Charlesdeterminedtonameasuccessor。A
willwasaccordinglyframedbywhichthecrownwasbequeathedtotheBavarianPrince。Unhappily，thiswillhadscarcelybeensignedwhenthePrincedied。Thequestionwasagainunsettled，andpresentedgreaterdifficultiesthanbefore。
AnewTreatyofPartitionwasconcludedbetweenFrance，England，andHolland。ItwasagreedthatSpain，theIndies，andtheNetherlands，shoulddescendtotheArchdukeCharles。InreturnforthisgreatconcessionmadebytheBourbonstoarivalhouse，itwasagreedthatFranceshouldhavetheMilanese，oranequivalentinamorecommodioussituation，TheequivalentinviewwastheprovinceofLorraine。
Arbuthnot，someyearslater，ridiculedthePartitionTreatywithexquisitehumourandingenuity。EverybodymustrememberhisdescriptionoftheparoxysmofrageintowhichpooroldLordStruttfell，onhearingthathisrunawayservantNickFrog，hisclothierJohnBull，andhisoldenemyLewisBaboon，hadcomewithquadrants，poles，andinkhorns，tosurveyhisestate，andtodrawhiswillforhim。LordMahonspeaksofthearrangementwithgraveseverity。Hecallsit"aniniquitouscompact，concludedwithouttheslightestreferencetothewelfareofthestatessoreadilyparcelledandallotted;insultingtotheprideofSpain，andtendingtostripthatcountryofitshard—wonconquests。"ThemostseriouspartofthischargewouldapplytohalfthetreatieswhichhavebeenconcludedinEuropequiteasstronglyastothePartitionTreaty。WhatregardwasshownintheTreatyofthePyreneestothewelfareofthepeopleofDunkirkandRoussillon，intheTreatyofNimeguentothewelfareofthepeopleofFrancheComte，intheTreatyofUtrechttothewelfareofthepeopleofFlanders，inthetreatyof1735tothewelfareofthepeopleofTuscany？AllEuroperemembers，andourlatestposteritywill，wefear，havereasontorememberhowcoolly，atthelastgreatpacificationofChristendom，thepeopleofPoland，ofNorway，ofBelgium，andofLombardy，wereallottedtomasterswhomtheyabhorred。ThestatesmenwhonegotiatedthePartitionTreatywerenotsofarbeyondtheirageandoursinwisdomandvirtueastotroublethemselvesmuchaboutthehappinessofthepeoplewhomtheywereapportioningamongforeignrulers。ButitwillbedifficulttoprovethatthestipulationswhichLordMahoncondemnswereinanyrespectunfavourabletothehappinessofthosewhoweretobetransferredtonewsovereigns。TheNeapolitanswouldcertainlyhavelostnothingbybeinggiventotheDauphin，ortotheGreatTurk。Addison，whovisitedNaplesaboutthetimeatwhichthePartitionTreatywassigned，hasleftusafrightfuldescriptionofthemisgovernmentunderwhichthatpartoftheSpanishEmpiregroaned。AstothepeopleofLorraine，anunionwithFrancewouldhavebeenthehappiesteventwhichcouldhavebefallenthem。Lewiswasalreadytheirsovereignforallpurposesofcrueltyandexaction。Hehadkepttheircountryduringmanyyearsinhisownhands。AtthepeaceofRyswick，indeed，theirDukehadbeenallowedtoreturn。ButtheconditionswhichhadbeenimposedonhimmadehimamerevassalofFrance。
WecannotadmitthattheTreatyofPartitionwasobjectionablebecauseit"tendedtostripSpainofhard—wonconquests。"Theinheritancewassovast，andtheclaimantssomighty，thatwithoutsomedismembermentitwasscarcelypossibletomakeapeaceablearrangement。Ifanydismembermentwastotakeplace，thebestwayofeffectingitsurelywastoseparatefromthemonarchythoseprovinceswhichwereatagreatdistancefromSpain，whichwerenotSpanishinmanners，inlanguage，orinfeelings，whichwerebothworsegovernedandlessvaluablethantheoldkingdomsofCastileandArragon，andwhich，havingalwaysbeengovernedbyforeigners，wouldnotbelikelytofeelacutelythehumiliationofbeingturnedoverfromonemastertoanother。
ThatEnglandandHollandhadarighttointerfereisplain。ThequestionoftheSpanishsuccessionwasnotaninternalquestion，butanEuropeanquestion。AndthisLordMahonadmits。Hethinksthatwhentheevilhadbeendone，andaFrenchprincewasreigningattheEscurial，EnglandandHollandwerejustifiedinattempting，notmerelytostripSpainofitsremotedependencies，buttoconquerSpainitself;thattheywerejustifiedinattemptingtoput，notmerelythepassiveFlemingsandItalians，butthereluctantCastiliansandAsturians，underthedominionofastranger。ThedangeragainstwhichthePartitionTreatywasintendedtoguardwaspreciselythesamedangerwhichafterwardswasmadethegroundofwar。Itwillbedifficulttoprovethatadangerwhichwassufficienttojustifythewarwasinsufficienttojustifytheprovisionsofthetreaty。If，asLordMahoncontends，itwasbetterthatSpainshouldbesubjugatedbymainforcethanthatsheshouldbegovernedbyaBourbon，itwassurelybetterthatsheshouldbedeprivedofSicilyandtheMilanesethanthatsheshouldbegovernedbyaBourbon。
Whetherthetreatywasjudiciouslyframedisquiteanotherquestion。Wedisapproveofthestipulations。Butwedisapproveofthem，notbecausewethinkthembad，butbecausewethinkthattherewasnochanceoftheirbeingexecuted。Lewiswasthemostfaithlessofpoliticians。HehatedtheDutch。HehatedtheGovernmentwhichtheRevolutionhadestablishedinEngland。Hehadeverydispositiontoquarrelwithhisnewallies。Itwasquitecertainthathewouldnotobservehisengagements，ifitshouldbeforhisinteresttoviolatethem。Evenifitshouldbeforhisinteresttoobservethem，itmightwellbedoubtedwhetherthestrongestandclearestinterestwouldinduceamansohaughtyandself—willedtoco—operateheartilywithtwogovernmentswhichhadalwaysbeentheobjectsofhisscornandaversion。
WhenintelligenceofthesecondPartitionTreatyarrivedatMadrid，itrousedtomomentaryenergythelanguishingrulerofalanguishingstate。TheSpanishambassadorattheCourtofLondonwasdirectedtoremonstratewiththeGovernmentofWilliam;andhisremonstrancesweresoinsolentthathewascommandedtoleaveEngland。CharlesretaliatedbydismissingtheEnglishandDutchambassadors。TheFrenchKing，thoughthechiefauthorofthePartitionTreaty，succeededinturningthewholewrathofCharlesandoftheSpanishpeoplefromhimself，andindirectingitagainstthetwomaritimepowers。ThosepowershadnownoagentatMadrid。Theirperfidiousallywasatlibertytocarryonhisintriguesunchecked;andhefullyavailedhimselfofthisadvantage。
AlongcontestwasmaintainedwithvaryingsuccessbythefactionswhichsurroundedthemiserableKing。OnthesideoftheImperialfamilywastheQueen，herselfaPrincessofthatfamily。
WithherwerealliedtheconfessoroftheKing，andmostoftheministers。Ontheothersideweretwoofthemostdexterouspoliticiansofthatage，CardinalPortoCarrero，ArchbishopofToledo，andHarcourt，theambassadorofLewis。
HarcourtwasanoblespecimenoftheFrencharistocracyinthedaysofitshighestsplendour，afinishedgentleman，abravesoldier，andaskilfuldiplomatist。Hiscourteousandinsinuatingmanners，hisParisianvivacitytemperedwithCastiliangravity，madehimthefavouriteofthewholeCourt。Hebecameintimatewiththegrandees。Hecaressedtheclergy。Hedazzledthemultitudebyhismagnificentstyleofliving。TheprejudiceswhichthepeopleofMadridhadconceivedagainsttheFrenchcharacter，thevindictivefeelingsgeneratedduringcenturiesofnationalrivalry，graduallyyieldedtohisarts;whiletheAustrianambassador，asurly，pompous，niggardlyGerman，madehimselfandhiscountrymoreandmoreunpopulareveryday。
HarcourtwonovertheCourtandthecity:PortoCarreromanagedtheKing。Neverwereknaveanddupebettersuitedtoeachother。
Charleswassick，nervous，andextravagantlysuperstitious。PortoCarrerohadlearnedintheexerciseofhisprofessiontheartofexcitingandsoothingsuchminds;andheemployedthatartwiththecalmanddemurecrueltywhichisthecharacteristicofwickedandambitiouspriests。
Hefirstsupplantedtheconfessor。ThestateofthepoorKing，duringtheconflictbetweenhistwospiritualadvisers，washorrible。AtonetimehewasinducedtobelievethathismaladywasthesamewiththatofthewretchesdescribedintheNewTestament，whodweltamongthetombs，whomnochainscouldbind，andwhomnomandaredtoapproach。AtanothertimeasorceresswholivedinthemountainsoftheAsturiaswasconsultedabouthismalady。Severalpersonswereaccusedofhavingbewitchedhim。
PortoCarrerorecommendedtheappallingriteofexorcism，whichwasactuallyperformed。TheceremonymadethepoorKingmorenervousandmiserablethanever。ButitservedtheturnoftheCardinal，who，aftermuchsecrettrickery，succeededincastingout，notthedevil，buttheconfessor。
Thenextobjectwastogetridoftheministers。Madridwassuppliedwithprovisionsbyamonopoly。TheGovernmentlookedafterthismostdelicateconcernasitlookedaftereverythingelse。ThepartisansoftheHouseofBourbontookadvantageofthenegligenceoftheadministration。Onasuddenthesupplyoffoodfailed。Exorbitantpricesweredemanded。Thepeoplerose。Theroyalresidencewassurroundedbyanimmensemultitude。TheQueenharanguedthem。Thepriestsexhibitedthehost。Allwasinvain。
ItwasnecessarytoawakentheKingfromhisuneasysleep，andtocarryhimtothebalcony。ThereasolemnpromisewasgiventhattheunpopularadvisersoftheCrownshouldbeforthwithdismissed。Themobleftthepalaceandproceededtopulldownthehousesoftheministers。TheadherentsoftheAustrianlinewerethusdrivenfrompower，andthegovernmentwasintrustedtothecreaturesofPortoCarrero。TheKingleftthecityinwhichhehadsufferedsocruelaninsultforthemagnificentretreatoftheEscurial。Herehishypochondriacfancytookanewturn。LikehisancestorCharlestheFifth，hewashauntedbythestrangecuriositytopryintothesecretsofthatgravetowhichhewashastening。InthecemeterywhichPhiliptheSecondhadformedbeneaththepavementofthechurchofSt。Lawrence，reposedthreegenerationsofCastilianprinces。Intothesedarkvaultstheunhappymonarchdescendedbytorchlight，andpenetratedtothatsuperbandgloomychamberwhere，roundthegreatblackcrucifix，wererangedthecoffinsofthekingsandqueensofSpain。Therehecommandedhisattendantstoopenthemassychestsofbronzeinwhichtherelicsofhispredecessorsdecayed。Helookedontheghastlyspectaclewithlittleemotiontillthecoffinofhisfirstwifewasunclosed，andsheappearedbeforehim——suchwastheskilloftheembalmer——inallherwell—rememberedbeauty。Hecastoneglanceonthosebelovedfeatures，unseenforeighteenyears，thosefeaturesoverwhichcorruptionseemedtohavenopower，andrushedfromthevault，exclaiming，"SheiswithGod;
andIshallsoonbewithher。"Theawfulsightcompletedtheruinofhisbodyandmind。TheEscurialbecamehatefultohim;andhehastenedtoAranjuez。Buttheshadesandwatersofthatdeliciousisland—garden，sofondlycelebratedinthesparklingverseofCalderon，broughtnosolacetotheirunfortunatemaster。Havingtriedmedicine，exercise，andamusementin，vain，hereturnedtoMadridtodie。
HewasnowbesetoneverysidebytheboldandskilfulagentsoftheHouseofBourbon。TheleadingpoliticiansofhisCourtassuredhimthatLewis，andLewisalone，wassufficientlypowerfultopreservetheSpanishmonarchyundivided，andthatAustriawouldbeutterlyunabletopreventtheTreatyofPartitionfrombeingcarriedintoeffect。SomecelebratedlawyersgaveitastheiropinionthattheactofrenunciationexecutedbythelateQueenofFranceoughttobeconstruedaccordingtothespirit，andnotaccordingtotheletter。TheletterundoubtedlyexcludedtheFrenchprinces。Thespiritwasmerelythis，thatamplesecurityshouldbetakenagainsttheunionoftheFrenchandSpanishCrownsononehead。
Inallprobability，neitherpoliticalnorlegalreasoningswouldhavesufficedtoovercomethepartialitywhichCharlesfeltfortheHouseofAustria。TherehadalwaysbeenacloseconnectionbetweenthetwogreatroyallineswhichsprangfromthemarriageofPhilipandJuana。BothhadalwaysregardedtheFrenchastheirnaturalenemies。Itwasnecessarytohaverecoursetoreligiousterrors;andPortoCarreroemployedthoseterrorswithtrueprofessionalskill。TheKing’slifewasdrawingtoaclose。WouldthemostCatholicprincecommitagreatsinonthebrinkofthegrave？Andwhatcouldbeagreatersinthan，fromanunreasonableattachmenttoafamilyname，fromanunchristianantipathytoarivalhouse，tosetasidetherightfulheirofanimmensemonarchy？ThetenderconscienceandthefeebleintellectofCharleswerestronglywroughtuponbytheseappeals。AtlengthPortoCarreroventuredonamaster—stroke。HeadvisedCharlestoapplyforcounseltothePope。TheKing，who，inthesimplicityofhisheart，consideredthesuccessorofSt。Peterasaninfallibleguideinspiritualmatters，adoptedthesuggestion;
andPortoCarrero，whoknewthathisHolinesswasameretoolofFrance，awaitedwithperfectconfidencetheresultoftheapplication。IntheanswerwhicharrivedfromRome，theKingwassolemnlyremindedofthegreataccountwhichhewassoontorender，andcautionedagainsttheflagrantinjusticewhichhewastemptedtocommit。HewasassuredthattherightwaswiththeHouseofBourbon，andremindedthathisownsalvationoughttobedearertohimthantheHouseofAustria。Yethestillcontinuedirresolute。Hisattachmenttohisfamily，hisaversiontoFrance，werenottobeovercomeevenbyPapalauthority。Atlengthhethoughthimselfactuallydying。Thenthecardinalredoubledhisefforts。Divineafterdivine，welltutoredfortheoccasion，wasbroughttothebedofthetremblingpenitent。Hewasdyinginthecommissionofknownsin。Hewasdefraudinghisrelatives。Hewasbequeathingcivilwartohispeople。Heyielded，andsignedthatmemorabletestament，thecauseofmanycalamitiestoEurope。Asheaffixedhisnametotheinstrument，heburstintotears。
"God，"hesaid，"giveskingdomsandtakesthemaway。Iamalreadyoneofthedead。"
Thewillwaskeptsecretduringtheshortremainderofhislife。
OnthethirdofNovember1700heexpired。AllMadridcrowdedtothepalace。Thegateswerethronged。Theantechamberwasfilledwithambassadorsandgrandees，eagertolearnwhatdispositionsthedeceasedsovereignhadmade。Atlengththefoldingdoorswereflungopen。TheDukeofAbrantescameforth，andannounc...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：