Let. 8.

and State of Euh ope.

2o3

kttijvebfg°s à

of mItlicV;

g *îidrnjons, ;> taieìtc/iy

thcfc

à,d as;teatìbIM kmajin tais

dwò

ntœ:

gora

■;ar

un

P

»

n or so powerful, as they hâve been fìncè. Themoneyed interest was not yet a rival able to copewith the landed interest, either in the nation orin parliament. The gréât corporations that hadbeen erected more to serve the turn of party, thanfor any real national use, aimed ìruleed even tlienat the strength and influence vvhich they hâvefìnceacquired in the législature; but they hat notmade the famé progrefs by promoting nationalcorruption, as they and the court hâve madefìnce. In short, the other extreme prevailed Thegenerality of people grew as fond of getring outof the war, as they had been of entering into it:and thus far perhaps, considering how it had beenconducted, they were not much to be blamed.But this was not ail; for when king Williamhad made the peace, our martial spirit became atonce so pacifie, that we seemed refoived to meddleno more in the affairs of the conrinen*, at least toemploy our arms no more in the quarrels thatmightarife there: and accordingly we reduced ourtroops in England to feven thons md men.

I hâve fometimes considered, in reflecting onthefe passages, w ha t I fhould hâve doue, if 1 hadfat in parliament at that time; and hâve been forcedto own myfelf, that 1 fliould hâve voîed fordiíbmding the army then, as I voted in the follow-ing p irliament for censuring the partition - treáties.I am forced to own this becaufe 1 remember howimperfect my notions were of the situation ofEurope in that extraordinary crisis, and how muchIsa w the true interest of my own country in a

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