and more unreasonable than I think them at this time, not to come into a temperament upon a matter unnecessarily started. You must begin by making monsieur de Torcy not only to understand, but own he understands, the proposition which I am sure he remembers I more than once repeated to him, when I was in France, upon various occasions, and which I have again stated as clearly as I am able. The queen can never do any thing, which shall look like a direct restraint on her allies from demanding what they judge necessary; but, as long as they act the part which they now do, she can very justly be passive and neuter as to their interests: and if her peace be made before theirs, which she will not delay for them, she can with the same justice leave them to make their own bargain. This is advantage enough for France; and such a one, fairly speaking, as a year ago they would have given more than Tournay to have been sure of: they must not therefore press us to go farther than this; nor do any thing which may seem contradictory to what the queen delivered from the throne. That speech they have always owned as the plan they submitted to; and it varies but little from that brought hither by Gualtier. In a word, the use which the French will make of the unaccountable obstinacy of the Dutch, and other allies, may, in several respects, and particularly for aught I know in this instance of Tournay, give them an opportunity of saving and gaining more than they could have hoped for; and the queen may in the present circumstances contribute passively to this end, but actively she never can in any circumstances.
I think in my own opinion, and I believe speak
