LETTER

VIII.

The fame fubjedt continued from the year onethoufand fix hundred and eighty-eight.

Your lordfhip will find, that the objects pro-pofed by the alliance of one thoufand fix hundredand eighty-nine between the emperor and theStates , to which England acceded, and whichwas the foundation of the whole confederacy thenformed, were no lefs than to reftore all things tothe terms of the Weftphalian and Pyrenean treaties,by the war; and to preferve them in that ftate ,after the war, by a defenfive alliance and guarantyof the fame confederate powers againft France .The particular as well as general meaning of thisengagement was plain enough : and if it had notbeen fo, the fenfe of it would have been fufficientlydetermined, by that feparate article, in whichEngland and Holland obliged themfelves to affiftthe “ houfe of Auftria , in taking and keeping“ poffeffion of the Spanilh monarchy, whenever“ the cafe fhould happen of the death of Charles“ the fecond, without lawful heirs. ” This engage-ment was double , and thereby relative to thewhole political fyftem of Europe , alike affedled bythe power and pretenfions of France . Hitherto the

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