Let. 81

ánd State of E tr r o p e.

209

Sfiain. For among ail the parties into whtch thatcourt vvas dìvided in one thousand six hundredand ninety eight, 'wlien this treaty vvas made,that of Austria vvas grovvn the vveakest, hy thedifgust taken at a German queen, and at therapacity and insolence of her favorites. TheFrench vvere looked upon with esteem and kind-ness at Madrid; but the Germans vvere bécome,or grovving to be, objects of contempt to theministers, and of aversion to the people. Theélectoral prince died in one thousand íìx hundredand ninety-nine. The star of Austria so fatal toail those who were obstacles to the ambition ofthat houle, prevailed; as the elector expreffedhimíelf in the fìrst pangs of his grief. The stateof things changed very much by his death. Thearchduke vvas to hâve Spain and the Indies,áccording to a second partition; and theSpaniards,who had expreffed gréât resentment at the fìrst, ^were puflied beyond their bearing by this. Theyfoon appeared to be so; for the second treaty ofpartition vvas signed in March one thousand sevenhundred; and the will vvas made, to the best ofmy remembrance, in the October followíng. Iíhall not enter here into many particulars concern-ing thefe gréât events They will be relatedfaitlifully, and I hope fully explained, in a woikwhieh your lorddiíp may take the trouble veryprobably of perusing lomé time or other. andwhich l íhall rather leave, than give to thepublic. Something however must be said more,

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