Unhappilythiszealwasneitherwellconducted，norwellseconded。Itwaszealwithoutsuccessinthefirstofthetwowarsthatfollowedtheyearonethousandsixhundredandeighty-eight；andzealwithoutknowledge，inbothofthem。Ienterintonodetailconcerningtheeventsofthesetwowars。
ThisonlyIobserveonthefirstofthem，thatthetreatiesofRyswicwerefarfromansweringtheendsproposedandtheengagementstakenbythefirstgrandalliance。ThepowerofFrance，withrespecttoextentofdominionsandstrengthofbarrier，wasnotreducedtothetermsofthePyreneantreaty，nonottothoseofthetreatyofNimeguen。Lorrainwasrestoredindeedwithveryconsiderablereserves，andtheplacestakenorusurpedontheothersideoftheRhine：butthenStrasburgwasyieldedupabsolutelytoFrancebytheemperor，andbytheempire。TheconcessionstoSpainweregreat，butsoweretheconquestsandtheencroachmentsmadeuponherbyFrance，sincethetreatyofNimeguen：andshegotlittleatRyswic，IbelievenothingmorethanshehadsavedatNimeguenbefore。Alltheseconcessions，however，aswellastheacknowledgmentofkingWilliam，andothersmadebyLouistheFourteenthafterhehadtakenAthandBarcelona，evenduringthecourseofthenegotiations，comparedwiththelossesandrepeateddefeatsofthealliesandtheillstateoftheconfederacy，surprisedthegeneralityofmankind，whohadnotbeenaccustomedtosomuchmoderationandgenerosityonthepartofthisprince。ButthepretensionsofthehouseofBourbonontheSpanishsuccessionremainedthesame。Nothinghadbeendonetoweakenthem；nothingwaspreparedtoopposethem：andtheopeningofthissuccessionwasvisiblyathand；forCharlestheSecondhadbeeninimmediatedangerofdyingaboutthistime。Hisdeathcouldnotbearemoteevent：andallthegoodqueen’sendeavorstobegotwithchildhadprovedineffectual。Theleaguedissolved，alltheforcesoftheconfederatesdispersed，andmanydisbanded；Francecontinuingarmed，herforcesbyseaandlandincreasedandheldinreadinesstoactonalsides，itwasplainthattheconfederateshadfailedinthefirstobjectofthegrandalliance，thatofreducingthepowerofFrance；
bysucceedinginwhichalonetheycouldhavebeenabletokeepthesecondagreement，thatofsecuringthesuccessionofSpaintothehouseofAustria。
Afterthepeace，whatremainedtobedone；inthewholenatureofthingsthereremainedbutthree。ToabandonallcareoftheSpanishsuccessionwasone；tocompoundwithFranceuponthissuccessionwasanother；andtoprepare，likeher，duringtheintervalofpeace，tomakeanadvantageouswarwheneverCharlestheSecondshoulddie，wasathird。NowthefirstofthesewastoleaveSpain，and，inleavingSpain，toleaveallEuropeinsomesortatthemercyofFrance；sincewhateverdispositiontheSpaniardsshouldmakeoftheircrown，theywerequiteunabletosupportitagainstFrance；sincetheemperorcoulddolittlewithouthisallies；andsinceBavaria，thethirdpretender，coulddostillless，andmightfind，insuchacase，hisaccountperhapsbetterintreatingwiththehouseofBourbonthanwiththatofAustria。
Moreneedsnotbesaidonthishead；butontheothertwo，whichIshallconsidertogether，severalfactsarepropertobementioned，andseveralreflectionsnecessarytobemade。