of ambition , into which they had entered withmore reafonable and more moderate views.

As the private interefts of the two De Witshindered that commonwealth from being on herguard, as early as Ihe ought to have been, againftFrance ; fo the miftaken policy of the court ofEngland, and the fhort views, and the profufetemper of the prince who governed, gave greatadvantages to Lewis the fourteenth in the purfuitof his defigns. He bought Dunkirk : and yourlordfhip knows how great a clamor was raifed onthat occafion againft your noble anceftor; as if healone had been anfwerahle for the meafure, and hisinterefl had been concerned in it. I have heard ourlate friend, Mr. George Clark, quote a witnefs,who was quite unexceptionable, but I cannot recaihis name at prefent, who, many years after allthefe tranfaduons, and the death of my lord Cla-rendon, affirmed, that the earl of Sandwichhad owned to him, that he himfelf gave his opi-nion, among many others, officers, and minifters,for felling Dunkirk. Their reafons could not begood , I prefume to fay; but feveral, that mightbe plaufible at that time, are eafily guefled. Aprince like king Charles, who would have madeas many bad bargains as any young fpendthrift,for money, finding himfelf thus backed , we mayaflure ourfelves, was peremptorily determined tofell: and whatever your great-grand-father’s opinionwas, this I am able to pronounce upon my ownexperience, that his treaty for the fale is no proofhe was of opinion to fell, When the refolution of

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