theseconddauphin，hisgrandson，andthewifeandtheeldestsonofthisprince，died，soonafteritbegan，ofthesameunknowndistemper，andwereburiedtogetherinthesamegrave。Suchfamilymisfortunes，followingalongseriesofnationalmisfortunes，madetheoldking，thoughheborethemwithmuchseemingmagnanimity，desiroustogetoutofthewaratanytolerablerate，thathemightnotruntheriskofleavingachildoffiveyearsold，thepresentking，engagedinit。Thequeendidallthatwasmorallypossible，exceptgivingupherhonorinthenegotiation，andtheinterestsofhersubjectsintheconditionsofpeace，toprocurethisunionwiththeStatesGeneral。
　　Butallshecoulddowasvain；andthesamephrensythathadhinderedtheDutchfromimprovingtotheirandtothecommonadvantagethepublicmisfortunesofFrance，hinderedthemfromimprovingtothesamepurposestheprivatemisfortunesofthehouseofBourbon。Theycontinuedtoflatterthemselvesthattheyshouldforcethequeenoutofhermeasures，bytheirintrigueswiththepartyinBritainwhoopposedthesemeasures，andevenraiseaninsurrectionagainsther。Buttheseintrigues，andthoseofprinceEugene，wereknownanddisappointed；andMonsieurBuyshadthemortificationtobereproachedwiththempublicly，whenhecametotakeleaveofthelordsofthecouncil，bytheEarlofOxford；whoenteredintomanyparticularsthatcouldnotbedenied，oftheprivatetransactionsofthissort，towhichBuyshadbeenaparty，incompliancewithhisinstructions，and，asIbelieve，muchagainsthisownsenseandinclinations。Astheseasonfortakingthefieldadvanced，theleagueproposedtodefeatthesuccessofthecongressbytheeventsofthecampaign。Butinsteadofdefeatingthesuccessofthecongress，theeventsofthecampaignservedonlytoturnthissuccessinfavorofFrance。Atthebeginningoftheyear，thequeen，andtheStates，inconcert，mighthavegiventhelawtofriendandfoe，withgreatadvantagetotheformer；andwithsuchadetrimenttothelater，asthecausesofthewarrenderedjust，theeventsofitreasonable，andtheobjectsofitnecessary。Attheendoftheyear，theallieswerenolongerinastateofgiving，northeFrenchofreceivingthelaw；andtheDutchhadrecoursetothequeen’sgoodoffices，whentheycouldopposeanddurstinsulthernolonger。Eventhen，theseofficeswereemployedwithzeal，andwithsomeeffect，forthem。
　　Thusthewarended，muchmorefavorablytoFrancethansheexpected，ortheywhoputanendtoitdesigned。Thequeenwouldhavehumbledandweakenedthispower。Theallieswhoopposedherwouldhavecrushedit，andhaveraisedanotherasexorbitantontheruinsofit。Neitheronenortheothersucceeded，andtheywhomeanttoruintheFrenchpower，preservedit，byopposingthosewhomeanttoreduceit。
　　SinceIhavementionedtheeventsoftheyearonethousandsevenhundredandtwelve，andthedecisiveturntheygavetothenegotiationsinfavorofFrance，givemeleavetosaysomethingmoreonthissubject。YouwillfindthatIshalldosowithmuchimpartiality。ThedisastrouseventsofthiscampaignintheLowCountries，andtheconsequencesofthemhavebeenimputedtotheseparationoftheBritishtroopsfromthearmyoftheallies。
　　Theclamoragainstthismeasurewasgreatatthattime，andtheprejudiceswhichthisclamorraisedaregreatstillamongsomemen。Butasclamorraisedtheseprejudices，otherprejudicesgavebirthtothisclamor：anditisnowondertheyshoulddosoamongpersonsbentoncontinuingthewar；sinceIownveryfreely，thatwhenthefirststepthatledtothisseparationcametomyknowledge，whichwasnotanhour，bytheway，beforeIwrotebythequeen’sordertotheDukeofOrmond，intheverywordsinwhichtheorderwasadvisedandgiven，“thatheshouldnotengageinanysiege，norhazardabattle，tillfurtherorder，“Iwassurprisedandhurt。Somuch，thatifIhadhadanopportunityofspeakinginprivatetothequeen，afterIhadreceivedMonsieurDeTorcy’slettertomeonthesubject，andbeforeshewentintothecouncil，Ishouldhavespokentoher，Ithink，inthefirstheat，againstit。Thetruthis，however，thatthestepwasjustifiableatthatpointoftimeineveryrespect，andthereforethattheconsequencesaretobechargedtotheaccountofthosewhodrewthemonthemselves，nottotheaccountofthequeen，noroftheministerwhoadvisedher。Thestepwasjustifiabletothealliessurely，sincethequeentooknomoreuponher，nonotsomuch，byfar，inmakingit，asmanyofthemhaddonebysuspending，orendangering，ordefeatingoperationsintheheatofthewar，whentheydeclinedtosendtheirtroops，ordelayedthemarchofthem，orneglectedthepreparationstheywereobligedtomake，onthemostfrivolouspretences。
　　Yourlordshipwillfindinthecourseofyourinquiriesmanyparticularinstancesofwhatisherepointedoutingeneral。ButIcannothelpdescendingintosomefewofthosethatregardtheemperorandtheStatesGeneral，whocriedtheloudestandwiththemosteffect，thoughtheyhadtheleastreason，onaccountoftheirownconduct，tocomplainofthequeen’s。Withwhatfacecouldtheemperor，forinstance，presumetocomplainoftheorderssenttotheDukeofOrmond？Isaynothingofhisdeficiencies，whichweresogreat，thathehadatthisverytimelittlemorethanoneregimentthatcouldbesaidproperlytoactagainstFranceandSpainathissolecharge；asIaffirmedtoprinceEugenebeforethelordsofthecouncil，anddemonstrateduponpaperthenextday。Isaynothingofallthatprecededtheyearonethousandsevenhundredandseven，onwhichIshouldhavemuchtosay。ButIdesireyourlordshiponlytoconsider，whatyouwillfindtohavepassedafterthefamousyearonethousandsevenhundredandsix。Wasitwiththequeen’sapprobation，oragainstherwill，thattheemperormadethetreatyfortheevacuationofLombardy，andletoutsogreatanumberofFrenchregimentstimeenoughtorecruitthemselvesathome，tomarchintoSpain，andtodestroytheBritishforcesatAlmanza？Wasitwithherapprobation，oragainstherwill，that，insteadofemployingallhisforcesandallhisendeavors，tomakethegreatestdesignofthewholewar，theenterpriseonToulon，succeed，hedetachedtwelvethousandmentoreducethekingdomofNaples，thatmusthavefallenofcourse？
　　andthatanopportunityofruiningthewholemaritimeforceofFrance，andofruiningorsubduingherprovincesonthatside，waslost，merelybythisunnecessarydiversion，andbytheconductofprinceEugene，whichleftnoroomtodoubtthathegaveoccasiontothisfataldisappointmentonpurpose，andinconcertwiththecourtofVienna？
　　Turnyoureyes，mylord，ontheconductoftheStates，andyouwillfindreasontobeastonishedatthearroganceofthemenwhogovernedinthematthistime，andwhopresumedtoexclaimagainstaqueenofGreatBritain，fordoingwhattheirdeputieshaddonemorethanonceinthatverycountry，andinthecourseofthatverywar。Intheyearonethousandsevenhundredandtwelve，atthelatterendofawar，whenconferencesfortreatingapeacewereopened，whentheleastsinistereventinthefieldwouldtakeofffromthatsuperioritywhichtheallieshadinthecongress，andwhenthepastsuccessofthewarhadalreadygiventhemasmuchofthissuperiorityastheywanted，toobtainasafe，advantageous，honorable，andlastingpeace，thequeendirectedhergeneraltosuspendtillfurtherordertheoperationsofhertroops。Inonethousandsevenhundredandthree，inthebeginningofawar，whensomethingwastoberiskedornosuccesstobeexpected，andwhenthebadsituationofaffairsinGermanyandItalyrequired，inaparticularmanner，thateffortsshouldbemadeintheLowCountries，andthatthewarshouldnotlanguishtherewhilstitwasunsuccessfuleverywhereelse；theDukeofMarlboroughdeterminedtoattacktheFrench，buttheDutchdeputieswouldnotsuffertheirtroopstogoon；defeatedhisdesignintheverymomentofitsexecution，ifIrememberwell，andgavenootherreasonfortheirproceedingthanthatwhichisareasonagainsteverybattle，thepossibilityofbeingbeaten。Thecircumstanceofproximitytotheirfrontierwasurged，Iknow，anditwassaid，thattheirprovinceswouldbeexposedtotheincursionsoftheFrenchiftheylostthebattle。Butbesidesotheranswerstothisvainpretence，itwasobviousthattheyhadventuredbattlesasnearhomeasthiswouldhavebeenfought，andthatthewaytoremovetheenemyfartheroffwasbyaction，notinaction。Uponthewholematter，theDutchdeputiesstoppedtheprogressoftheconfederatearmyatthistime，byexercisinganarbitraryandindependentauthorityoverthetroopsoftheStates。Inonethousandsevenhundredandfive，whenthesuccessoftheprecedingcampaignshouldhavegiventhemanentireconfidenceintheDukeofMarlborough’sconduct，whenreturningfromtheMoselletotheLowCountries，hebegantomakehimselfandthecommoncauseamends，forthedisappointmentwhichpiqueandjealousyinthePrinceofBaden，orusualslothandnegligenceintheGermans，hadoccasionedjustbefore，byforcingtheFrenchlines；whenhewasinthefullpursuitofthisadvantage，andwhenhewasmarchingtoattackanenemyhalfdefeated，andmorethanhalfdispirited；naywhenhehadmadehisdispositionsforattacking，andpartofhistroopshadpassedtheDylethedeputiesoftheStatesoncemoretieduphishands，tookfromhimanopportunitytoofairtobelost；forthese，Ithink，weresomeofthetermsofhiscomplaint：andinshorttheconfederacyreceivedanaffrontatleast；
　　wherewemighthaveobtainedavictory。Letthisthathasbeensaidserveasaspecimenoftheindependencyonthequeen，hercouncils，andhergenerals，withwhichthesepowersactedinthecourseofthewar；whowerenotashamedtofindfaultthatthequeen，once，andatthelatterendofit，presumedtosuspendtheoperationsofhertroopstillfartherorder。Butbeitthattheyforesawwhatthisfartherendwouldbe。Theyforesawthen，thatassoonasDunkirkshouldbeputintothequeen’shands，shewouldconsenttoasuspensionofarmsfortwomonths，andinvitethemtodothesame。Neitherthisforesight，northestrongdeclarationwhichtheBishopofBristolmadebythequeen’sorderatUtrecht，andwhichshowedthemthatherresolutionwastakennottosubmittotheleagueintowhichtheyhadenteredagainsther，couldprevailonthemtomakearightuseofthesetwomonths，byendeavoringtorenewtheirunionandgoodunderstandingwiththequeen；thoughIcansaywiththegreatesttruth，andtheycouldnotdoubtofitatthetime，thatshewouldhavegonemorethanhalf-waytomeetthem，andthatherministerswouldhavedonetheirutmosttobringitabout。Eventhenwemighthaveresumedthesuperioritywebegantoloseinthecongress；for，thequeenandtheStatesuniting，theprincipalallieswouldhaveunitedwiththem：and，inthiscase，itwouldhavebeensomuchtheinterestofFrancetoavoidanychanceofseeingthewarrenewed，thatshemust，andshewould，havemadesureofpeace，duringthesuspension，onmuchworsetermsforherselfandforSpain，thanshemadeitafterwards。Buttheprudentandsoberstatescontinuedtoactlikeforwardchildren，orlikemendrunkwithresentmentandpassion；andsuchwilltheconductbeofthewisestgovernmentsineverycircumstance，whereaspiritoffactionandofprivateinterestprevails，amongthosewhoareatthehead，overreasonofstate。Afterlayingasidealldecencyintheirbehaviortowardsthequeen，theylaidasideallcautionforthemselves。Theydeclared“theywouldcarryonthewarwithouther。“
　　Landrecyseemed，intheiresteem，ofmoreimportancethanDunkirk；andtheopportunityofwastingsomeFrenchprovinces，orofputtingthewholeeventofthewaronthedecisionofanotherbattle，preferabletotheothermeasurethatlayopentothem；that，Imean，oftrying，ingoodearnest，andinanhonestconcertwiththequeen，duringthesuspensionofarms，whethersuchtermsofpeace，assoughttosatisfythemandtheotherallies，mightnotbeimposedonFrance。
　　IftheconfederatearmyhadbrokeintoFrance，thecampaignbeforethis，orinanyformercampaign；andiftheGermansandtheDutchhadexercisedthenthesameinhumanity，astheFrenchhadexercisedintheirprovincesinformerwars；iftheyhadburntVersailles，andevenParis，andiftheyhaddisturbedtheashesofthedeadprincesthatreposeatSt。Denis，everygoodmanwouldhavefeltthehorror，thatsuchcrueltiesinspire：nomancouldhavesaidthattheretaliationwasunjust。Butinonethousandsevenhundredandtwelve，itwastoolate，ineveryrespect，tomeditatesuchprojects。
　　IftheFrenchhadbeenunpreparedtodefendtheirfrontier，eitherforwantofmeans，orinavainconfidencethatthepeacewouldbemade，asourkingCharlestheSecondwasunpreparedtodefendhiscoastatthelatterendofhisfirstwarwithHolland，thealliesmighthaveplayedasuregameinsatisfyingtheirvengeanceontheFrench，astheDutchdidonusinonethousandsixhundredandsixty-seven；andimposinghardertermsonthem，thanthosetheyoffered，orwouldhaveaccepted。Butthiswasnotthecase。TheFrencharmywas，Ibelieve，morenumerousthanthearmyoftheallies，evenbefore