180 A Sketch of the History. Let. 7.

and loft more battles, it was faid, than any generalof his age had done. Be it fo. But his defeatswere manifeftly due in great meafure to circura-ftances independent on him : and that fpirit, whicheven thefe defeats could not deprefs, was all hisown. He had difficulties in his own commonwealth ;the governors of the Spanifh Low Countries croftedhis meafures fometimes: the German allies difap-pointed and broke them often: and it is not im-probable that he was frequently betrayed. Hewas fo perhaps even by Souches, the imperialgeneral: a Frenchman according to Bayle , and apenfionerof Louvois according to common report,and very ftrong appearances. He had not yet creditand authority fufficient to make him a centre ofunion to a whole confederacy, the foul that animat-ed and directed fo great a body. He came to befuch afterwards; but at the time fpoken of hecould not take fo great a part upon him. No otherprince or general was equal to it: and the confe-quences of this defect appeared almoft in everyoperation. France was furrounded by a multitudeof enemies, all intent to demolilh her power.But, like the builders of Babel, they fpoke dif-ferent languages: and as thofc could not build,thefe could not demolilh , for want of undeiftand-ing one another. France improved this advantageby her arms, and more by her negotiations.Nimeghen was, after Cologn, the feene of thefe.England was the mediating power, and I knownot whether our Charles the fecond did notferve her purpofes more ufefully in the latter, and