Let. 8.

and State of E u r o p e.

287

if the présent king of France had died, whenhis falher, mother, and eldest brotlier did :. fortliey ail had thè famé distemper. But Lewiswould use no violent means to force his grandfon ;the Queen would not continue the war to forcehim ; Philip was too obstinate, and his wife toc»ambitions, to quit the crown of Spain , whenthey had difcovered our weaknefs, and felt theirown strength in that country, by their fuccefs inthe campaign of one thoufand feven hundred andten: aster which my lord Stanhope himfelf wasconvinced that Spain could not be conquered, n orkept, if it was conquered, without a much greaterarmy, than it was possible for us to fend thither.I 11 that íituation it was wild to imagine, as theearlof Oxford imaginer!, or'pretended to imagine,that they would quit the crown of Spain , for aretnote and uncertain prospect of succeeding tothat of France , and content themselves to be , inthe mean time, princes of very small dominions.Philip therefore, aster struggling long that hemight not be obliged to make his option till thesuccession of France lay open to him, was obligedto make it, and made it, for Spain . Now this,my lord, was the very cri fis of the négociation :and to this point I apply what 1 laid above ofthe effect ot more décisive résolutions on the partof the Queen. It was plain, that, il slie made thecampaign in concert with her allies, fhe could beno longer miítress of the négociations, nor hâvealmost a chance for conducting them to the iílue.fhe proposed. Our ill fuccefs m the sield would