Let 8. and State of E u R O p e, 295

and on the comparison ofthemeasure pursued bythe Queen with that which fhe might hâve pursued,because the gréât beneht we ought to reap fromthe study of history, can n ot be reaped unîeís weaccustom ourselves to compare the conduct ofdiffèrent governments, and diffèrent parties, inthe famé conjonctures, and to observe the measuresthey did pursue, and the measures they mighthâve puríued, with the actual conséquences thatfollowed one, and the possible, or probable consé-quences, that might hâve followed the other. Bythis exercise of the mind, the study of historyanticipâtes, as it were, expérience, as 1 hâveobserved in one of the first of these setters, andpréparés us for action. Sf this considération íhouldnot plead a sufsicient excuse for my prolixiîy onthis head, I hâve one more to add that may. Arage of warring poste sied a party in our nationtill the death of the late Queen: a rage of nego-ciating has poffeffed the famé party of men, eversince. You hâve feen the conséquences of one:you fee actually thofe of the other. The rage ofwarring cansirmed the beggary of our nation,which began as early as the révolution ; but thenit gave, in the last war, réputation to our arms,and our councils too. For though I think, andmust always think, that the principle, on whichwe acted aster departing from that laid clown inthe grand alliance of one thoufand feven hundredand one, was wrong: yet must we confefs that itwas pursued wisely ; as well as boîdly. í he rageof negociating has been a chargeable rage likewise,