of France , and even thofe who were her rivalsfor the fame fucceflion, having either affifted her,or engaged to remain neuter , a ftrange fatalityprevailed, and produced fuch a conjundure ascan hardly be paralleled in hiftory. Your lordlhipwill obferve with aftonifihment even in thebeginning of the year one thoufand fix hundredand feventy-two, all the neighbours of France aiding as if they had nothing to fear from her,and fome as if they had much to hope, by helpingher to opprefs the Dutch and fharing with herthe fpoils of that commonwealth. “ Delenda eft“ Carthago,” was the cry in England, and feemedtoo a maxim on the continent.

In the courfe of the fame year, you will obfervethat all thefe powers took the alarm, and beganto unite in oppofition to France : Even Englandthought it time to interpofe in favor of the Dutch .The confequences of this alarm , of this fuddenturn in the policy of Europe , and of that whichhappened by the malfacre of the De Wits, andthe elevation of the prince of Orange , in thegovernment of the feven provinces, faved thefeprovinces , and flopped the rapid progrefs of thearms of France . Lewis the fourteenth indeedfurprifed the feven provinces in this war, as hehad furprifed the ten in that of one thoufand fixhundred and fixty-feven, and ravaged defencelefscountries with armies fufficient to conquer them,if they had been prepared to refill. In the warof one thoufand fix hundred and feventy-two, hehad little lefs than one hundred and fifty thoufand

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