Affairs of Europe so much embaraffed, that private Gentlemen will prove but very indifferent Judges to determine this Queftion, viz. Whether it be only Knight-Errantry, or neceffary Justice in this Kingdom at fuch or fuch a Time to be at the Expence of protecting the Electorate? or to know what is the true Foundation of the prefent-Quarrel?

We should remember that notwithstanding all our Precautions on this Head, the Power of makeing War and Peace will still refide in the Crown. It is true the Right of giving Money is in the Commons, and they may refufe to provide for the Wantonnefs of Ambition. I fhall not prefume to call the Separation of these Powers, of raifing Armies and of raifing Money, a Solecifm in our Conftitution; nor fay where I would have them refide, if to be repofed in one Constituent-part of the Legislature; but thus much I may obferve (becaufe Charles II. tho' an indolent Prince, gave us a flagrant Proof of it in the Dutch Fleet at Chatham) that if our King makes War without Money; not he, but we are to be the Sufferers, and shall then find this Truth, delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi. I must make one further Obfervation of an Hardship the Electorate might endure for the Sake of Great-Britain. Contrary to the Decifions of all the Schoolmen and Cafuifts, it is fettled as a Principle in the Law of Nations by the Practice of modern Politicians and their Mafters; that, if your Neighbour is too powerful, it is a juft Caufe of making War upon him. Now perhaps there is hardly at this Day a little Prince in 'all Germany, who would not exert himself in Defence of the Electorate as it ftands alone: But for the Reafon given, the Question would be widely

different

different if the fame Territory were only a fmall Part of the Dominions of an English King; they would then perhaps confider the Balance of Power in a new Light; and the more jealous our Neighbours were grown of the Conjunction, the more fhould we be concerned in Honour and common Senfe to defend fo near an Ally, and to fupply the Want of all other Confederates.

I would not be understood on the whole to fay, that England would be the happier for fuch an Accefs of Dominion on the Continent under the fame Prince. I think quite otherwife; and heartily wish that we would, in Time, attempt the only Means to obviate all Difficulties. We might try to get it established by a Law in the Empire, and certainly make it Part of the Act of Succeffion here, that this Crown devolving on the Duke of Brunfwick, his Duchy and Electorate fhould, co inftante, diveft out of him in Favour of fome Proteftant of his Family. I am not at all apprehenfive of his rejecting the Crown on these Terms; but if they be not previously made a Condition of the Succeffion, it will be idle and unreasonable to expect a Compliment of that Importance afterwards. Now is our Time while we have in our own Hands a Value abundantly more than equivalent to give for it. It will be too late to make Bargains after we have made a Present of that Equivalent.

But perhaps the Miftakes of this Age may be cured by Defign or Chance in fome future Generation. A Prince may leave only Female Iffue to inherit the Throne, and then the German Dominion would go to collateral Males, or it may be conquered And in the then fubfequent Generation. this Kingdom will regret the Lofs of it, as little

as

3

as we now do that of Bohemia an hundred Years ago, and of better Countries on the Continent which formerly paid Obedience to our Kings, and which were but ill defended at the fevere Expence of Deluges of English Blood and Treafure.

These remote Speculations will probably be Realities with our Grand-Children, they will be in earnest about them, and to their Care I leave them: For perhaps it is a general Happiness that many of us cannot have our Turns in the Difpofal of the World. Tho' I might mean very well, and might fancy myfelf a Judge of Affairs, yet to the Coft of my Fellow-Creatures I might in the Event be found as miferable a Bungler as or the Farmer in the Fable, who obtained of Jupiter Leave to regulate the Weather within his own Grounds, but had not Knowledge enough of the fecret Springs of Action in the vegetable World to balance the Powers committed to his Care: Heat and Cold, Moift and Dry, were too many for him. The politick World, like the natural, is compofed of Difcordia femina rerum; and it requires great Penetration, fuccefsfully to obferve their Operations.

LETTER XIII.

LAST Sunday the great Soul of our Sovereign quitted its decayed Tenement. Had it been lodged in a Manfion firm as itself, the World would have quickly feen new Inftances of its Vigour. He continued his ufual Hunting till within

four

four or five Days before his Death: His Enemies give out that he died of an Hurt received by a Fall from his Horfe; the Horfe is of a Sorrel Colour, and the Jacobites drink his Health devoutly, under that Denomination. *

It is true, the King had a Fall, and broke his Collar-Bone: But this was not the Caufe of his Death. His Exit about this Time was unavoidable, had he not fallen at all; his Lungs were emaciated and inflamed, and nothing but Medea's Kettle could have been of Service to him.

He has left us under the Conduct of a Woman, at the Beginning of a War, probably the most raging and extenfive that Europe has felt within thefe hundred Years: And under the Protection of a Woman, about a Century ago, we happily fuftained the most dangerous Shock that has been attempted to our Prejudice within thefe fix hundred Years.

I wish the Dutch and Germans would make good their Frontiers, with the Affiftance of the other Allies on the Continent, and that we might

*The following Satire is handed about:

Illuftrious Steed! who should the Zodiac grace :
To Thee the Lyon and the Bull give Place:
Bleft be the Dam that fed Thee, bleft the Earth
Which first receiv'd Thee, and first gave Thee Birth:
Did wrong'd Hibernia, to revenge her Slain,
Produce Thee; or, unhappy Fenwick's Strain,
Or Glencoe's barbarously butcher'd Clan?
Where'er Thou art, be Thou for ever bleft,
And Spend the Remnant of thy Days in Reft;
No fervile Ufe thy noble Limbs profane,

No Weight thy Back,, no Curb thy Mouth refrain;
No more be Thou, no more Mankind a Slave,

But Both enjoy that Liberty You gave.

}

furnish

furnish our whole Quota in Value upon the Seas, where our most natural Strength lies, and where we fhall, I doubt not, be more than an Overmatch for France, if our Friends behave as they ought to do upon Terra Firma. Thefe would in Confequence leave us in full Poffeffion of the Maritime Empire; for we being at the Pains of deftroying the French Naval Force, would at the fame time have the Satisfaction to see the Dutch Ships of War neglected, and go to Ruin.

But it is too probable we fhall partake in the Glory or Shame of what is to be executed by Land; the military Men, and the young Nobility and Gentry, who defire to be fo, will all make their strongest Intereft to have a great Army, and to carry on this War upon the Plan of the laft ; and if we prove victorious, we (I mean the Nation in general) fhall get Glory and Poverty by it, while a few great Officers, and Perfons concerned in Cloathing, &c. make their Fortunes.

There is no need of the Spirit of Prophecy, to foretel that the Nation must in this Cafe be beggared, in Favour of Holland, and of thofe very Parts of Flanders, France, or Germany, which may become the Seat of War. This was our Cafe in the last Irish War; which, however, was unavoidable. We poured in more Money upon them than ever that Nation faw before, which is now comeing back by the Sale of the Forfeitures. It was not indeed of very long Continuance, therefore we did not greatly feel it, till we added a Flemish Account to it; and then, with the Affiftance alfo of Dutch Clippers of our Coin, we found ourselves almoft in a Condition to fhut up Shop. The King has left a motley Miniftry; a Change is expected