i^4 A Sketch of the History Let. 7.

of Auftria fue, in our days, for dominion at thegate of every palace in furope. bitANCls the firftwas the principal in his own quarrels, paid hisown armies, fought his own battles; and thoughhis valor alone did not hinder Charles the filthfrom fubduing all Europe , as Bayle, a betterphilologer than politician, fomewhere afferts, buta multitude of other circumffances eahly to betraced in hiftory; yet he contributed by his vic-tories, and even by his defeats, to wafte the ftrengthand check the courfe of that growing power. Lewisthe fourteenth had no rival of this kind in the houfeof Auftria, nor indeed any enemy of this import-ance to combat, till the prince of Orange becameking of Great Britain : and he had great advan-tages in many other refpeCls, which it is neceffaryto confider in order to make a true judgment onthe' affairs of Europe from the year one thoufandfix hundred and fixty. A on will difcover the firftof thefe advantages, and fuch as were productiveof all the reft, in the conduct of Richelieu andof Mazarin. Richelieu formed the great defign,and laid the foundations; Mazarin purfued thedefign, and raifed the fuperftru&ure. If I do notdeceive myfelf extremely, there are few paffagesin hiftory that deferve your lordfhip’s attentionmore than the conduCt that the firft and greateftof thefe minifters held, in laying the foundationsI fpeak of. You will obferve how he helped toembroil affairs on every fide, and to keep thehoufe of Auftria at bay as it were, how he enter-ed into the quarrels of Italy againft Spain , into