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icR HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

chat. for it, was frank , open, sincere, superior to thelxiv. little tricks of vulgar politicians: And meeting inj««8. de Wit with a man of the fame generous andenlarged sentiments, he immediately opened hismaster’s intentions, and pressed a speedy conclu-sion. A treaty was from the first negociatedbetween these two statesmen with the same cor-diality, as if it were a private transaction betweenintimate companions. Deeming the interests oftheir country the fame , they gave full scope tothat sympathy of character, which disposed themto an entire reliance on each other’s professionsand engagements. And though jealousy againstthe house of Orange might inspire de Wit withan aversion to a strict union with Kngland , hegenerously resolved to sacrifice all private con-siderations to the public service.

Temple insisted on an offensive league betweenEngland and Holland , in order to oblige Franceto relinquish all her conquests: But de Wit toldhim, that this measure was too hold and preci-pitate to be agreed to by the States. He said ,that the French were the old and constant alliesof the republic; and till matters came to extre-mities , she never would deem it prudent toabandon a friendship so well established, and relyentirely on a treaty with England, which hadlately waged so cruel a war against her : 1 hat

ever since the reign of Elizabeth, there had beensuch a fluctuation in the English councils, thatit was not possible , for two years together , to' take any sure or certain measures with that king-