nothingremainedforthemtodouponthisprinciple，buttodetachFrancefromtheengagementsofthepartitiontreaties，bygivingtheirwholemonarchytoaprinceofthehouseofBourbon。AsmuchasmayhavebeensaidconcerningthenegotiationsofFrancetoobtainawillinherfavor，andyettokeepinreservetheadvantagesstipulatedforherbythepartitiontreatiesifsuchawillcouldnotbeobtained，andthoughIampersuadedthatthemarshalofHarcourt，whohelpedtoprocurethiswill，madehiscourttoLouistheFourteenthasmuchasthemarshalofTallard，whonegotiatedthepartitions；
　　yetitiscertainthattheacceptationofthewillwasnotameasuredefinitivelytakenatVersailleswhenthekingofSpaindied。Thealternativedividedthosecouncils，and，withoutenteringatthistimeintotheargumentsurgedoneachside，adheringtothepartitionsseemedthecauseofFrance，acceptingthewillthatofthehouseofBourbon。
　　IthasbeensaidbymenofgreatweightinthecouncilsofSpain，andwassaidatthattimebymenaslittlefondofthehouseofBourbon，oroftheFrenchnation，astheirfathershadbeen，thatifEnglandandHollandhadnotformedaconfederacyandbegunawar，theywouldhavemadePhiliptheFifthasSpaniardasanyoftheprecedingPhilips，andnothavegoodaenduredtheinfluenceofFrenchcouncilsintheadministrationoftheirgovernment：butthatwethrewthementirelyintothehandsofFrancewhenwebeganthewar，becausethefleetsandarmiesofthiscrownbeingnecessarytotheirdefence，theycouldnotavoidsubmittingtothisinfluenceaslongasthesamenecessitycontinued；and，infact，wehaveseenthattheinfluencelastednolonger。Butnotwithstandingthis，itmustbeconfessed，thatawarwasunavoidable。Theimmediatesecuringofcommerceandofbarriers，thepreventinganunionofthetwomonarchiesinsomefuturetime，andthepreservationofacertaindegreeatleastofequalityinthescalesofpower，werepointstooimportanttoEngland，Holland，andtherestofEurope，toberestedonthemoderationofFrench，andthevigorofSpanishcouncils，underaprinceofthehouseofFrance。IfsatisfactiontothehouseofAustria，towhoserightsEnglandandHollandshowednogreatregardwhilsttheywerebetterfoundedthantheyweresincethewill，hadbeenaloneconcerned；adropofbloodspilt，orfiveshillingsspentinthequarrel，wouldhavebeentonmuchprofusion。ButthiswaspropertythesaleintowhichitbecamethecommoninteresttothrowalltheweightthatcouldbetakenoutofthatofBourbon。Andthereforeyourlordshipwillfind，thatwhennegotiationswithd’AvauxweresetonfootinHollandtopreventawar，orratheronourparttogaintimetoprepareforit，inwhichviewtheDutchwehadbothacknowledgedPhilipkingofSpain；thegreatarticleweinsistedonwas，thatreasonablesatisfactionshouldbegiventheemperor，uponhispretensionsfoundedonthetreatyofpartition。Wecoulddonootherwise；andFrancewhoofferedtomakethetreatyofRyswicthefoundationofthattreaty，coulddonootherwisethanrefusetoconsentthatthetreatyofpartitionshouldbeso，afteracceptingthewill，andtherebyengagingtoopposeallpartitionordismembermentoftheSpanishmonarchy。IshouldmentionnoneoftheotherdemandsofEnglandandHolland，ifIcouldneglecttopointouttoyourlordship’sobservation，thatthesameartificewasemployedatthistime，toperplexthemoreanegotiationthatcouldnotsucceedonotheraccounts，aswesawemployedinthecourseofthewar，bytheEnglishandDutchministers，topreventthesuccessofnegotiationsthatmight，andoughttohavesucceeded。ThedemandImeanisthatof“alibertynotonlytoexplainthetermsproposed，buttoincreaseoramplifythem，inthecourseofthenegotiation。“Idonotrememberthewords，butthisisthesense，andthiswasthemeaningoftheconfederatesinbothcases。
　　Iftheformer，kingWilliamwasdeterminedtobeginthewarbyalltherulesofgoodpolicy；sincebecouldnotobtain，naysinceFrancecouldnotgrantinthatconjuncture，norwithoutbeingforcedtoitbyawar，whathewasobligedbytheseveryrulestodemand。Heintendedthereforenothingbythisnegotiation，ifitmaybecalledsuch，buttopreserveformsandappearances，andperhaps，whichmanyhavesuspected，tohavetimetoprepare，asIhintedjustnow，bothabroadandathome。Manythingsconcurredtofavorhispreparationsabroad。Thealarm，thathadbeengivenbytheacceptationofthewill，wasincreasedbyeverystepthatFrancemadetosecuretheeffectofit。Thus，forinstance，thesurprisingandseizingtheDutchtroops，inthesamenight，andatthesamehour，thatweredispersedinthegarrisonsoftheSpanishNetherlands，wasnotexcusedbythenecessityofsecuringthoseplacestotheobedienceofPhilip，norsoftenedbytheimmediatedismissionofthosetroops。TheimpressionitmadewasmuchthesameasthoseofthesurprisesandseizuresofFranceinformerusurpations。Nooneknewthen，thatthesovereigntyofthetenprovinceswastobeyieldeduptotheelectorofBavaria；andeveryonesawthatthereremainednolongeranybarrierbetweenFranceandthesevenprovinces。Athome，thedispositionofthenationwasabsolutelyturnedtoawarwithFrance，onthedeathofkingJamestheSecond，bytheacknowledgmentLouistheFourteenthmadeofhissonaskingofEngland。
　　Iknowwhatwasbeensaidinexcuseofthismeasure，taken，asIbelieve，onfemaleimportunity；butcertainlywithoutanyregardtopublicfaith，tothetrueinterestofFranceinthosecircumstances，ortothetrueinterestoftheprincethusacknowledged，inany。itwassaid，thatthetreatyofRyswicobligedhismostChristianmajestyonlynottodisturbkingWilliaminhispossession，heslight，withoutanyviolationofit，haveacknowledgedthisprinceaskingofEngland；accordingtothepoliticalcasuistryoftheFrench，andtheexampleofFrance，whofindsnofaultwiththepowersthattreatwiththekingsofEngland，althoughthekingsofEnglandretainthetitleofkingsofFrance；aswellastheexampleofSpain，whomakesnocomplaintsthatotherstatestreatwiththekingsofFrance，althoughthekingsofFranceretainthetitleofNavarre。Butbesidesthattheexamplesarenotapposite，becausenootherpowersacknowledgeinformthekingofEnglandtobekingofFrance，northekingofFrancetobekingofNavarre；withwhatfacecouldtheFrenchexcusethismeasure？CouldtheyexcuseitbyurgingthattheyadheredtothestrictletterofonearticleofthetreatyofRyswic，againsttheplainmeaningofthatveryarticle，andagainstthewholetenorofthattreaty；inthesamebreathwithwhichtheyjustifiedtheacceptationofthewill，bypretendingtheyadheredtothesupposedspiritandgeneralintentionofthetreatiesofpartition，incontradictiontotheletter，tothespecificengagements，andtothewholepurportofthosetreaties？ThispartoftheconductofLouistheFourteenthmayappearjustlythemoresurprising，becauseinmostotherpartsofhisconductatthesametime，andinsometohisdisadvantage，heactedcautiously，endeavoredtocalmthemindsofhisneighbors，toreconcileEuropetohisgrandson’selevation，andtoavoidallshowofbeginninghostilities。
　　ThoughkingWilliamwasdeterminedtoengageinawarwithFranceandSpain，yetthesamegoodpolicy，thatdeterminedhimtoengage，determinedhimnottoengagetoodeeply。Theengagementtakeninthegrandallianceofonethousandsevenhundredandoneis，“ToprocureanequitableandreasonablesatisfactiontohisimperialmajestyforhispretensiontotheSpanishsuccession；andsufficientsecuritytothekingofEngland，andtheStatesGeneral，fortheirdominions，andforthenavigationandcommerceoftheirsubjects，andtopreventtheunionofthetwomonarchiesofFranceandSpain。“AskingofEngland，asstadtholderofHolland，heneithercould，nordidengageanyfurther。Itmaybedisputedperhapsamongspeculativepoliticians，whetherthebalanceofpowerinEuropewouldhavebeenbetterpreservedbythatschemeofpartition，whichthetreaties，andparticularlythelastofthem，proposed，orbythatwhichthegrandallianceproposedtobetheobjectofthewar？Ithinkthereislittleroomforsuchadispute，asIshallhaveoccasiontosayhereaftermoreexpressly。InthisplaceI
　　shallonlysay，thattheobjectofthiswar，whichkingWilliammeditated，andqueenAnnewaged，wasapartition，bywhichaprinceofthehouseofBourbon，alreadyacknowledgedbyitsandtheDutchaskingofSpain，wastobeleftonthethroneofthatdismemberedmonarchy。ThewisdomofthosecouncilssawthatthepeaceofEuropemightberestoredandsecuredonthisfoot，andthatthelibertiesofEuropewouldbeinnodanger。
　　Thescalesofthebalanceofpowerwillneverbeexactlypoised，norintheprecisepointofequalityeitherdiscernibleornecessarytobediscerned。
　　Itissufficientinthis，asinotherhumanaffairs，thatthedeviationbenottoogreat。Sometherewillalwaysbe。Aconstantattentiontothesedeviationsisthereforenecessary。Whentheyarelittle，theirincreasemaybeeasilypreventedbyearlycareandtheprecautionsthatgoodpolicysuggests。Butwhentheybecomegreatforwantofthiscareandtheseprecautions，orbytheforceofunforeseenevents，morevigoristobeexerted，andgreatereffortstobemade。Buteveninsuchcases，muchreflectionisnecessaryonallthecircumstancesthatformtheconjuncture；lest，byattackingwithillsuccess，thedeviationbeconfirmed，andthepowerthatisdeemedalreadyexorbitantbecomemoreso；andlest，byattackingwithgoodsuccess，whilstonescaleispillaged，toomuchweightofpowerbethrownintotheother。
　　Insuchcases，hewhohasconsidered，inthehistoriesofformerages，thestrangerevolutionsthattimeproduces，andtheperpetualfluxandrefluxofpublicaswellasprivatefortunes，ofkingdomsandstatesaswellasofthosewhogovernoraregovernedinthem，willinclinetothink，thatifthescalescanbebroughtbackbyawar，nearly，thoughnotexactly，tothepointtheywereatbeforethisgreatdeviationfromit，therestmaybelefttoaccidents，andtotheusethatgoodpolicyisabletomakeofthem。
　　WhenCharlestheFifthwasattheheightofhispower，andinthezenithofhisglory，whenakingofFranceandapopewereatoncehisprisoners；
　　itmustbeallowed，that，hissituationandthatofhisneighborscompared，theyhadasmuchatleasttofearfromhimandfromthehouseofAustria，astheneighborsofLouistheFourteenthhadtofearfromhimandfromthehouseofBourbon，when，afterallhisothersuccess，oneofhisgrandchildrenwasplacedontheSpanishthrone。AndyetamongalltheconditionsoftheseveralleaguesagainstCharlestheFifth，Idonotrememberthatitwaseverstipulated，that“nopeaceshouldbemadewithhimaslongashecontinuedtobeemperorandkingofSpain；noraslongasanyAustrianprincecontinuedcapableofunitingonhisheadtheimperialandSpanishcrowns。“
　　Ifyourlordshipmakestheapplication，youwillfindthatthedifferenceofsomecircumstancesdoesnothinderthisexamplefrombeingveryappositeandstrongtothepresentpurpose。CharlestheFifthwasemperorandkingofSpain；butneitherwasLouistheFourteenthkingofSpain，norPhiliptheFifthkingofFrance。Thathadhappenedinoneinstance，whichitwasapprehendedmighthappenintheother。Ithadhappened，anditwasreasonablytobeapprehendedthatitmighthappenagain，andthattheImperialandSpanishcrownsmightcontinue，notonlyinthesamefamily，butonthesameheads；
　　formeasuresweretakentosecurethesuccessionofbothtoPhilipthesonofCharles。Wedonotfindhoweverthatanyconfederacywasformed，anyengagementtaken，noranywarmade，toremoveorpreventthisgreatevil。TheprincesandstatesofEuropecontentedthemselvestoopposethedesignsofCharlestheFifth，andtocheckthegrowthofhispoweroccasionally，andasinterestinvited，ornecessityforcedthemtodo；notconstantly。Theydidperhapstoolittleagainsthim，andsometimestoomuchforhim；butiftheydidtoolittleofonekind，timeandaccidentdidtherest。Distinctdominions，anddifferentpretensions，createdcontraryinterestsinthehouseofAustria：
　　andontheabdicationofCharlestheFifth，hisbrothersucceeded，nothisson，totheempire。ThehouseofAustriadividedintoaGermanandaSpanishbranch：andifthetwobranchescametohaveamutualinfluenceononeanother，andfrequentlyacommoninterest，itwasnottilloneofthemhadfallenfromgrandeur，andtilltheotherwasratheraimingatit，thaninpossessionofit。Inshort，Philipwasexcludedfromtheimperialthronebysonaturalaprogressionofcausesandeffects，arisingnotonlyinGermanybutinhisownfamily，thatifatreatyhadbeenmadetoexcludehimfromitinfavorofFerdinand，suchatreatymighthavebeensaidveryprobablytohaveexecuteditself。
　　TheprecautionIhavementioned，andthatwasneglectedinthiscasewithoutanydetrimenttothecommoncauseofEurope，wasnotneglectedinthegrandallianceofonethousandsevenhundredandone。Forinthat，oneoftheendsproposedbythewaris，toobtainaneffectualsecurityagainstthecontingentunionofthecrownsofFranceandSpain。ThewillofCharlestheSecondprovidesagainstthesamecontingency。andthisgreatprinciple，ofpreventingtoomuchdominionandpowerfromfallingtothelotofeitherofthefamiliesofBourbonorAustria，seemedtobeagreedonallsides；sinceinthepartition-treatythesameprecautionwastakenagainstaunionoftheImperialandSpanishcrowns。KingWilliamwasenoughpiquedagainstFrance。Hisancientprejudiceswerestrongandwellfounded。Hehadbeenworstedinwar，