renunciationsofallrightswhatsoevertothewholeSpanishmonarchy，andtoeverypartofit。TheprovincesclaimedbyFranceatthistimewerepartsofit。Toclaimthem，wasthereforetoclaimthewhole；foriftherenunciationswerenobartotherightsaccruingtoMaryTheresaonthedeathofherfatherPhiliptheFourth，neithercouldtheybeanytotherightsthatwouldaccruetoherandherchildren，onthedeathofherbrotherCharlestheSecond：anunhealthfulyouth，andwhoatthisinstantwasinimmediatedangerofdying；fortoallthecomplicateddistempershebroughtintotheworldwithhim，thesmall-poxwasadded。YourlordshipseeshowthefatalcontingencyofunitingthetwomonarchiesofFranceandSpainstaredmankindintheface；andyetnothing，thatIcanremember，wasdonetopreventit：notsomuchasaguarantygiven，oradeclarationmadetoassertthevalidityoftheserenunciations，andforsecuringtheeffectofthem。ThetripleallianceindeedstoppedtheprogressoftheFrencharms，andproducedthetreatyofAixlaChapelle。ButEngland，Sweden，andHolland，thecontractingpowersinthisalliance，seemedtolook，andprobablydidlook，nofarther。Francekeptagreatandimportantpartofwhatshehadsurprisedorravished，orpurchased；forwecannotsaywithanyproprietythatsheconquered：andtheSpaniardswereobligedtosetalltheysavedtotheaccountofgain。TheGermanbranchofAustriahadbeenreducedverylowinpowerandincreditunderFerdinandtheThird，bythetreatiesofWestphalia，asIhavesaidalready。LouistheFourteenthmaintained，duringmanyyears，theinfluencethesetreatieshadgivenhimamongtheprincesandstatesoftheempire。ThefamouscapitulationmadeatFrankfortontheelectionofLeopold，whosucceededFerdinandabouttheyearonethousandsixhundredandfifty-seven，wasencouragedbytheintriguesofFrance：andthepowerofFrancewaslookeduponasthesolepowerthatcouldratifyandsecureeffectuallytheobservationoftheconditionsthenmade。TheleagueoftheRhinewasnotrenewed，Ibelieve，aftertheyearonethousandsixhundredandsixty-six；butthoughthisleaguewasnotrenewed，yetsomeoftheseprincesandstatescontinuedintheiroldengagementswithFrance：
whilstotherstooknewengagementsonparticularoccasions，accordingasprivateandsometimesverypaltryinterests，andtheemissariesofFranceinalltheirlittlecourts，disposedthem。Inshort，theprincesofGermanyshowednoalarmatthegrowingambitionandpowerofLouistheFourteenth，butcontributedtoencourageone，andtoconfirmtheother。InsuchastateofthingstheGermanbranchwaslittleabletoassisttheSpanishbranchagainstFrance，eitherinthewarthateludedbythePyreneantreaty，orinthatwearespeakingofhere，theshortwarthatbeganinonethousandsixhundredandsixty-seven，andwasendedbythetreatyofAixlaChapelleinonethousandsixhundredandsixty-eight。Butitwasnotthisalonethatdisabledtheemperorfromactingwithvigorinthecauseofhisfamilythen，northathasrenderedthehouseofAustriaadeadweightuponallherallieseversince。Bigotry，anditsinseparablecompanion，cruelty，aswellasthetyrannyandavariceofthecourtofVienna，createdinthosedays，andhasmaintainedinours，almostaperpetualdiversionoftheimperialarmsfromaneffectualoppositiontoFrance。ImeantospeakofthetroublesinHungary。
Whatevertheybecameintheirprogress，theywerecausedoriginallybytheusurpationsandpersecutionsoftheemperor：andwhentheHungarianswerecalledrebelsfirst，theywerecalledsofornootherreasonthanthis，thattheywouldnotbeslaves。ThedominionoftheemperorbeinglesssupportablethanthatoftheTurks，thisunhappypeopleopenedadoortothelattertoinfesttheempire，insteadofmakingtheircountrywhatithadbeenbefore，abarrieragainsttheOttomanpower。Francebecameasure，thoughsecretallyoftheTurks，aswellastheHungarians，andhasfoundheraccountinit，bykeepingtheemperorinperpetualalarmsonthatside，whileshewasravagedtheempireandtheLowcountriesontheother。Thuswesaw，thirty-twoyearsago，thearmsofFranceandBavariainpossessionofPassau，andthemalcontentsofHungaryinthesuburbsofVienna。Inaword，whenLouistheFourteenthmadethefirstessayofhispower，bythewarofonethousandsixhundredandsixty-seven，andsounded，asitwere，thecouncilsofEuropeconcerninghispretensionsontheSpanishsuccession，hefoundhispowertobegreatbeyondwhathisneighbors，orevenheperhapsthoughtit：greatbythewealth，andgreaterbytheunitedspiritofhispeople；greaterstillbytheillpolicyanddividedintereststhatgovernedthosewhohadasuperiorcommoninteresttoopposehim。Hefoundthatthemembersofthetriplealliancedidnotsee，orseeingdidnotthinkpropertoownthattheysaw，theinjustice，andtheconsequenceofhispretensions。TheycontentedthemselvestogivetoSpainanactofguarantyforsecuringtheexecutionofthetreatyofAixlaChapelle。Hekneweventhenhowintheguarantywouldbeobservedbytwoofthematleast，byEnglandandbySweden。Thetreatyitselfwasnothingmorethanacompositionbetweenthebullyandthebullied。Tournay，andLisle，andDoway，andotherplacesthatIhaveforgot，wereyieldedtohim：andherestoredthecountyofBurgundy，accordingtotheoptionthatSpainmadeagainsttheinterestandtheexpectationtoooftheDutch，whenanoptionwasforceduponher。ThekingofSpaincompoundedforhispossession：buttheemperorcompoundedatthesametimeforhissuccession，byaprivateeventualtreatyofpartition，whichthecommanderofGremonvilleandthecountofAversbergsignedatVienna。ThesameLeopold，whoexclaimedsoloudly，inonethousandsixhundredandninety-eight，againstanypartitionoftheSpanishmonarchy，andrefusedtosubmittothatwhichEnglandandHollandhadthenmade，madeonehimselfinonethousandsixhundredandsixty-eight，withsolittleregardtothesetwopowers，thatthewholetenprovinceswerethrownintothelotofFrance。
ThereisnoroomtowonderifsuchexperienceasLouistheFourteenthhaduponthisoccasion，andsuchafaceofaffairsinEurope，raisinghishopes，raisedhisambition：andif，inmakingpeaceatAixlaChapelle，hemeditatedanewwar，thewarofonethousandsixhundredandseventy-two；
thepreparationshemadeforit，bynegotiationsinallparts，byallianceswhereverhefoundingression，andbytheincreaseofhisforces，wereequallyproofsofability，industry，andpower。Ishallnotdescendintotheseparticulars：