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Let. 8 . and State of Europe . 21*

■were two points that king William, at the headof the Britilh and Dutch commonwealths and ofthe greateft confederacy Europe had feen, wasobliged to give up. All the acquifitions thatFrance cared to keep for the maintenance of herpower were confirmed to her by the treaty ofRyfwic : and king William allowed, indiredtlyat leaft, the pretenfions of the houfe of Bourbonto the Spanifh fucceffion, as Lewis the fourteenth.allowed, in the fame manner, thofe of the houfeof Auftria, by the treaties of partition. StrangeSituation ! in which no expedient remained toprepare for an event, vifibly fo near, and of fuchvaft importance as the death of the king of Spain ,but a partition of his monarchy , without hisconfent, or his knowledge ! If king William hadnot made this partition , the emperor would havemade one, and with as little regard to trade, tothe barrier of the feven provinces , or to the.general fyltem of Europe , as had been fhowed by• him when he made the private treaty with Prancealready mentioned, in one thoufend fix hundredand fixty - eight. The minifters of Vienna werenot wanting to infinuate to thofe of France .overtures of a feparate treaty, as more conduciveto their common interefts than the acceffion ofhis imperial majefty to that of partition. But thecouncils of Verfailles judged very reafonably, thata partition made with England and Holland wouldbe more effectual than any other , if a partitionwas to take place : and that fuch a partition would. be juft as effe&ual as one made with the emperor,

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