Hecametobesuchafterwards；butatthetimespokenof，hecouldnottakesogreatapartuponhim。Nootherprinceorgeneralwasequaltoit：
　　andtheconsequencesofthisdefectappearedalmostineveryoperation。Francewassurroundedbyamultitudeofenemies，allintenttodemolishherpower。
　　But，likethebuildersofBabel，theyspokedifferentlanguages：andasthosecouldnotbuild，thesecouldnotdemolish，forwantofunderstandingoneanother。Franceimprovedthisadvantagebyherarms，andmorebyhernegotiations。
　　Nimeguenwas，afterCologne，thesceneofthese。Englandwasthemediatingpower，andIknownotwhetherourCharlestheSeconddidnotserveherpurposesmoreusefullyinthelatter，andunderthecharacterofmediator，thanhedidorcouldhavedonebyjoininghisarmstohers，andactingasherally，TheDutchwereinducedtosignatreatywithhim，thatbroketheconfederacy，andgavegreatadvantagetoFrance：forthepurportofitwastoobligeSpaintomakepeaceonaplantobeproposedtothem，andnomentionwasmadeinitoftheotheralliesthatIremember。TheDutchweregladtogetoutofanexpensivewar。FrancepromisedtorestoreMaestrichttothem，andMaestrichtwastheonlyplacethatremainedunrecoveredofalltheyhadlost。TheydroppedSpainatNimeguen，astheyhaddroppedFranceatMunster；butmanycircumstancesconcurredtogiveamuchworsegracetotheirabandoningofSpain，thantotheirabandoningofFrance。Ineednotspecifythem。ThisonlyIwouldobserve：
　　whentheymadeaseparatepeaceatMunster，theyleftanallywhowasinconditiontocarryonthewaralonewithadvantage，andtheypresumedtoimposenotermsuponhim：whentheymadeaseparatepeaceatNimeguen，theyabandonedanallywhowasinnoconditiontocarryonthewaralone，andwhowasreducedtoacceptwhatevertermsthecommonenemyprescribed。Intheirgreatdistressinonethousandsixhundredandseventy-three，theyengagedtorestoreMaestrichttotheSpaniardsassoonasitshouldberetaken：
　　itwasnotretaken，andtheyaccepteditforthemselvesasthepriceoftheseparatepeacetheymadewithFrance，TheDutchhadengagedfarther，tomakeneitherpeacenortrucewiththekingofFrance，tillthatprinceconsentedtorestoretoSpainallhehadconqueredsincethePyreneantreaty。Butfarfromkeepingthispromiseinanytolerabledegree，LouistheFourteenthacquired，bytheplanimposedonSpainatNimeguen，besidesthecountyofBurgundy，somanyothercountriesandtownsonthesideofthetenSpanishprovinces，thatthese，addedtotheplaceshekeptofthosewhichhadbeenyieldedtohimbythetreatyofAixlaChapelleforsomeoflittleconsequenceherestored
　　putintohishandstheprincipalstrengthofthatbarrier，againstwhichwegoadedourselvesalmosttodeathinthelastgreatwar；andmadegoodthesayingoftheMarshalofSchomberg，thattoattackthisbarrierwastotakethebeastbyhishorns。IknowverywellwhatmaybesaidtoexcusetheDutch。Theemperorwasmoreintenttotyrannisehissubjectsononeside，thantodefendthemontheother。HeattemptedlittleagainstFrance，andthelittlehedidattemptwasill-ordered，andworseexecuted。TheassistanceoftheprincesofGermanywasoftenuncertain，andalwaysexpensive。SpainwasalreadyindebtedtoHollandforgreatsums；greaterstillmustbeadvancestoherifthewarcontinued：andexperienceshowedthatFrancewasable，andwouldcontinue，toprevailagainstherpresentenemies。Thetripleleaguehadstoppedherprogress，andobligedhertoabandonthecountyofBurgundy；
　　butSwedenwasnowengagedinthewaronthesideofFrance，asEnglandhadbeeninthebeginningofit：andEnglandwasnowprivatelyfavorabletoherinterests，asSwedenhadbeeninthebeginningofit。Thewholetenprovinceswouldhavebeensubduedinthecourseofafewcampaignsmore：anditwasbetterforSpainandtheDutchtoo，thatpartshouldbesavedbyacceptingasortofcomposition，thanthewholeberiskedbyrefusingit。ThismightbeallegedtoexcusetheconductoftheStatesGeneral，inimposinghardtermsonSpain；inmakingnonefortheirotherallies；andinsigningalone：
　　bywhichstepstheygaveFranceanopportunitythatsheimprovedwithgreatdexterityofmanagement，theopportunityoftreatingwiththeconfederatesonebyone，andofbeatingthembydetailinthecabinet，ifImaysosay，asshehadoftendoneinthefield。Ishallnotcomparethesereasons，whichwerebuttoowellfoundedinfact，andmustappearplausibleatleast，withotherconsiderationsthatmightbe，andwereatthetime，insistedupon。
　　Iconfinemyselftoafewobservations，whicheveryknowingandimpartialmanmustadmit。Yourlordshipwillobserve，first，thatthefatalprincipleofcompoundingwithLouistheFourteenth，fromthetimethathispretensions，hispower，andtheusehemadeofit，begantothreatenEurope，prevailedstillmoreatNimeguenthanithadprevailedatAix：sothatalthoughhedidnotobtaintothefullallheattempted，yetthedominionsofFrancewerebycommonconsent，oneverytreaty，moreandmoreextended；herbarriersonallsidesweremoreandmorestrengthened；thoseofherneighborsweremoreandmoreweakened；andthatpower，whichwastoassertoneday，againsttherestofEurope，thepretendedrightsofthehouseofBourbontotheSpanishmonarchy，wasmoreandmoreestablished，andrenderedtrulyformidableinsuchhandsatleast，duringthecourseofthefirsteighteenyearsoftheperiod。Yourlordshipwillpleasetoobserve，inthesecondplace，thattheextremeweaknessofonebranchofAustria，andthemiserableconductofboth；
　　thepovertyofsomeoftheprincesoftheempire，andthedisunion，andtospeakplainly，themercenarypolicyofallofthem；inshort，theconfinedviews，thefalsenotions，and，tospeakasplainlyofmyownasofothernations，theiniquityofthecouncilsofEngland，notonlyhinderedthegrowthofthispowerfrombeingstoppedintime，butnurseditupintostrengthalmostinsuperablebyanyfutureconfederacy。Athirdobservationisthis：
　　IftheexcusesmadefortheconductoftheDutchatNimeguenarenotsufficient，theytoomustcomeinfortheirshareinthiscondemnation，evenafterthedeathoftheDeWits；astheyweretobecondemnedmostjustly，duringtheadministration，forabettingandfavoringFrance。Iftheseexcuses，groundedontheirinabilitytopursueanylongerawar，theprincipalprofitofwhichwastoaccruetotheirconfederates，forthatwasthecaseaftertheyearonethousandsixhundredandseventy-three，oronethousandsixhundredandseventy-four，andtheprincipalburdenofwhichwasthrownonthembytheirconfederates；ifthesearesufficient，theyshouldnothaveacted，fordecency’ssakeaswellasoutofgoodpolicy，theparttheydidactinonethousandsevenhundredandeleven，andonethousandsevenhundredandtwelve，towardsthelatequeen，whohadcomplaintsofthesamekind，inamuchhigherdegreeandwithcircumstancesmuchmoreaggravating，tomakeofthem，oftheemperor，andofalltheprincesofGermany；andwhowasfarfromtreatingthemandtheirotherallies，atthattime，astheytreatedSpainandtheirotheralliesinonethousandsixhundredandseventy-eight。ImmediatelyaftertheDutchhadmadetheirpeace，thatofSpainwassignedwithFrance。Theemperor’streatywiththiscrownandthatofSwedenwasconcludedinthefollowingyear：andLouistheFourteenthbeingnowatlibertytoassisthisallywhilsthehadtiedupthepowerswithwhomhehadtreatedfromassistingtheirs，hesoonforcedthekingofDenmarkindtheelectorofBrandenburgtorestorealltheyhadtakenfromtheSwedes，andtoconcludethepeaceofthenorth。
　　Inallthesetreatieshegavethelaw，andhewasnowatthehighestpointofhisgrandeur。Hecontinuedatthispointforseveralyears，andinthisheightofhispowerhepreparedthosealliancesagainstit，undertheweightofwhichhewasatlastwellnighoppressed；andmighthavebeenreducedaslowasthegeneralinterestofEuroperequired，ifsomeofthecauses，whichworkednow，hadnotcontinuedtoworkinhisfavor，andifhisenemieshadnotproved，intheirturnoffortune，asinsatiableasprosperityhadrenderedhim。
　　Afterhehadmadepeacewithallthepowerswithwhomhehadbeeninwar，hecontinuedtovexbothSpainandtheempire，andtoextendhisconquestsintheLowCountries，andontheRhine，bothbythepenandthesword。HeerectedthechambersofMetzandofBrisach，wherehisownsubjectswereprosecutors，witnesses，andjudgesallatonce。Uponthedecisionsofthesetribunals，heseizedintohisownhands，underthenotionofdependenciesandthepretenceofreunions，whatevertownsordistrictsofcountrytemptedhisambition，orsuitedhisconveniency。andadded，bytheseandbyothermeans，inthemidstofpeace，moreterritoriestothosethelatetreatieshadyieldedtohim，thanhecouldhavegotbycontinuingthewar。Heactedafterwards，inthesupportofallthis，withoutanyboundsorlimits。HisglorywasareasonforattackingHollandinonethousandsixhundredandseventy-two，andhisconveniencyareasonformanyoftheattackshemadeonothersafterwards。HetookLuxemburgbyforce；hestoleStrasburg；heboughtCasal：and，whilsthewaitedtheopportunityofacquiringtohisfamilythecrownofSpain，hewasnotwithoutthoughts，norhopesperhaps，ofbringingintoittheimperialcrownlikewise。Someofthecrueltiesheexercisedintheempiremaybeascribedtohisdisappointmentinthisview：Isaysomeofthem，becauseinthewarthatendedbythetreatyofNimeguen，hehadalreadyexercisedmany。ThoughtheFrenchwritersendeavortoslideoverthem，topalliatethem，andtoimputethemparticularlytotheEnglishthatwereintheirservice；foreventhisoneoftheirwritershasthefronttoadvance：letthesecruelties，unheardofamongcivilisednations，mustbegrantedtohavebeenorderedbythecounsels，andexecutedbythearmsofFrance，inthePalatinate，andinotherparts。
　　IfLouistheFourteenthcouldhavecontentedhimselfwiththeacquisitionsthatwereconfirmedtohimbythetreatiesofonethousandsixhundredandseventy-eight，andonethousandsixhundredandseventy-nine，andwiththeauthorityandreputationwhichhethengained；itisplainthathewouldhavepreventedthealliancesthatwereafterwardsformedagainsthim，andthathemighthaveregainedhiscreditamongsttheprincesoftheempire，wherehehadonefamilyalliancebythemarriageofhisbrothertothedaughteroftheelectorPalatine，andanotherbythatofhissoiltothesisteroftheelectorofBavaria；whereSwedenwascloselyattachedtohim，andwherethesameprinciplesofprivateinterestwouldhavesoonattachedothersasclosely。Hemighthaveremainednotonlytheprincipal，butthedirectingpowerofEurope，andhaveheldthisrankwithallthegloryimaginable，tillthedeathofthekingofSpain，orsomeotherobjectofgreatambition，haddeterminedhimtoactanotherpart。Butinsteadofthis，hecontinuedtovexandprovokeallthosewhowere，unhappilyforthem，hisneighbors，and，thatinmanyinstances，fortrifles。Allexampleofthiskindoccurstome。
　　OnthedeathoftheDukeofDeuxPonts，heseizedthatlittleinconsiderableduchy，withoutanyregardtotheindisputablerightofthekingofSweden，totheservicesthatcrownhadrenderedhim，ortothewanthemighthaveofthatalliancehereafter。Theconsequencewas，thatSwedenenteredwiththeemperor，thekingofSpain，theelectorofBavaria，andtheStatesGeneral，intotheallianceofguaranty，asitwascalled，abouttheyearonethousandsixhundredandeighty-three，andintothefamousleagueofAugsburg，inonethousandsixhundredandeighty-six。
　　SinceIhavementionedthisleague，andsincewemaydatefromitamoregeneral，andmoreconcertedoppositiontoFrance，thantherehadbeenbefore；
　　givemeleavetorecallsomeofthereflectionsthathavepresentedthemselvestomymind，inconsideringwhatIhaveread，andwhatIhaveheardrelated，concerningthepassagesofthattime。Theywillbeofusetoformourjudgmentconcerninglaterpassages。IfthekingofFrancebecameanobjectofaversiononaccountofanyinvasionshemade，anydeviationsfrompublicfaith，anybarbaritiesexercisedwherehisarmsprevailed，orthepersecutionofhisprotestantsubjects；theemperordeservedtobesuchanobject，atleastasmuchashe，onthesameaccounts。Theemperorwassotoobutwiththisdifferencerelativelytothepoliticalsystemofthewest：theAustrianambitionandbigotryexertedthemselvesindistantcountries，whoseinterestswerenotconsideredasapartofthissystem；forotherwisetherewouldhavebeenasmuchreasonforassistingthepeopleofHungaryandofTransylvaniaagainsttheemperor，astherehadbeenformerlyforassistingthepeopleofthesevenunitedprovincesagainstSpain，orastherehadbeenlatelyforassistingthemagainstFrance；buttheambitionandbigotryofLouistheFourteenthwereexertedintheLowCountries，ontheRhine，inItaly，andinSpain，intheverymidstifthissystem，ifImaysayso，andwithsuccessthatcouldnotfailtosubvertitintime。ThepowerofthehouseofAustria，thathadbeenfearedtoolong，wasfearednolonger：andthatofthehouseofBourbon，byhavingbeenfearedtoolate，wasnowgrownterrible。TheemperorwassointentontheestablishmentofhisabsolutepowerinHungary，thatheexposedtheempire