would have, instead of it, a defensive league between us and Spain. Now, if this be all that you call his project, we are still in the dark what to make of it; at least, I am, for I confess I differ from my
Prince of Orange; that all was submitted to his authority, and united in desiring such an alliance with us; that it would necessarily be accepted as soon as offered; that the French, who had made the peace for fear of us, would, by a parity of reason, more exactly keep it, when it appeared that we were of the party against them; and that it would make the government as popular at home as formidable abroad.
"No pains, it seems, were spared to convince Lord Sunderland that this was no better than a political dream, but to no purpose. The pursuit was pleasing, and therefore it was followed; but neither he that gave the advice nor those that followed it had any reason to plume themselves on the success: for no sooner had Mr. Sidney opened his commission, and the States had taken it into consideration, than Monsieur D'Avaux, the French minister at the Hague, set all his engines to work to render the whole proceeding abortive. The States were not only told with much freedom in a letter anonymous, that the ill posture of affairs had laid them open to the menaces of Spain, Denmark, and Brandenburgh, and that the only way to recover their former significancy was, to return to their former adherence to France, &c, but Monsieur D'Avaux, in person, delivered in a memorial demanding a renewal of the alliance in 1672, and containing a representation of all the inconveniences that would in all probability attend their refusal.
"These counter-projects revived the war of parties in Holland. The Lowestein as greedily fastened on this of France as the Orange did on that of England. Each in turn was so warmly opposed, that neither could be accepted; they were not, however, immediately rejected. Such a proceeding would
