Herefusedtobeneuter，andthreatenedtotakepartwithSpain，iftheFrenchpursuedthedesignofbesiegingDunkirkandGraveline，accordingtoaconcerttakenbetweenthemandtheDutch，andinpursuanceofatreatyfordividingtheSpanishLowCountries，whichRichelieuhadnegotiated。Cromwelleitherdidnotdiscernthisturnofthebalanceofpower，longafterwardswhenitwasmuchmorevisible；or，discerningit，hewasinducedbyreasonsofprivateinteresttoactagainstthegeneralinterestofEurope。CromwelljoinedwithFranceagainstSpain，andthoughhegotJamaicaandDunkirk，hedrovetheSpaniardsintoanecessityofmakingapeacewithFrance，thathasdisturbedthepeaceoftheworldalmostfourscoreyears，andtheconsequencesofwhichhavewellnighbeggaredinourtimesthenationheenslavedinhis。Thereisatradition，Ihavehearditfrompersonswholivedinthosedays，andIbelieveitcamefromThurloe，thatCromwellwasintreatywithSpain，andreadytoturnhisarmsagainstFrancewhenhedied。Ifthisfactwascertain，aslittleasIhonorhismemory，Ishouldhavesomeregretthathediedsosoon。Butwhateverhisintentionswere，wemustcharge，thePyreneantreaty，andthefatalconsequencesofit，ingreatmeasuretohisaccount。TheSpaniardsabhorredthethoughtofmarryingtheirInfantatoLouistheFourteenth。ItwasonthispointthattheybrokethenegotiationLionnehadbegun：andyourlordshipwillperceive，thatiftheyresulteditafterwards，andofferedthemarriagetheyhadbeforerejected，Cromwell’sleaguewithFrancewasaprincipalinducementtothisalterationoftheirresolutions。
Theprecisepointatwhichthescalesofpowerturn，likethatofthesolsticeineithertropic，isimperceptibletocommonobservation：and，inonecaseasintheother，someprogressmustbemakeinthenewdirection，beforethechangeisperceived。Theywhoareinthesinkingscale，forinthepoliticalbalanceofpower，unliketoallothers，thescalethatisemptysinks，andthatwhichisfillrises；theywhoareinthesinkingscaledonoteasilycomeofffromthehabitualprejudicesofsuperiorwealth，ofpower，orskill，orcourage，norfromtheconfidencethattheseprejudicesinspire。
Theywhoareintherisingscaledonotimmediatelyfeeltheirstrength，norassumethatconfidenceinitwhichsuccessfulexperiencegivesthemafterwards。
Theywhoarethemostconcernedtowatchthevariationsofthisbalance，misjudgeofteninthesamemanner，andfromthesameprejudices。Theycontinuetodreadapowernolongerabletohurtthem，ortheycontinuetohavenoapprehensionsofapowerthatgrowsdailymoreformidable。Spainverifiedthefirstobservationattheendofthesecondperiod，when，proudandpoor，andenterprisingandfeeble，shestillthoughtherselfamatchforFrance。
Franceverifiedthesecondobservationatthebeginningofthethirdperiod，whenthetriplealliancestoppedtheprogressofprogressofherarms，whichalliancesmuchmoreconsiderablewerenotabletoeffectafterwards。TheotherprincipalpowersofEurope，intheirturns，haveverifiedthethirdobservationinbothitsparts，throughthewholecourseofthisperiod。