intended project towards the Saar, but will likewise alarm the powers of the north; and who can tell whether the king of Prussia may not take a fancy to interfere in the war of Poland, as we have certain information that he has opened a negotiation with Sweden, as well as with the czar and the king of Poland?

"This messenger is dispatched to Holland to quicken the resolution of the maritime powers, in forwarding the succours of money and troops for Italy. Prince Eugene, I know, has notified to your highness the state of his troops, their sufferings, and the absolute necessity of succouring him, or withdrawing from Italy. This being done by prince Eugene, his imperial majesty ordered me to refer you to his statement, and to conjure you to write to him without delay, as a man of honour, and in virtue of your promise, on which we confidently rely. For after the relation given by count Guido Stahremberg, who is just arrived here, it is true that we require realities, and not merely hopes, without which, in conformity with the opinion of all the generals, we must recall the troops, to prevent their future destruction.

"You cannot imagine the concern of his imperial majesty at finding that the first 300,000 crowns are not yet supplied either by England or Holland, on the confidence of which payment we wholly relied. We marched our troops from the empire during winter, when they could not be supported without magazines. This delay alarms us much, and fills us with apprehensions, that the negotiations for peace are in forwardness, and proves what little reliance we can place on the succours promised by the two powers, when the advance of such a trifling sum, which has been so often promised, and which ought to have been already transmitted to Frankfort, is not made.

"These alarms so well founded, and the absolute impossibility of maintaining the war in Italy without your aid, compel the emperor and prince Eugene to draw the army towards the Tyrol, and to suspend, till we receive your answer, the march of the recruits; for to speak frankly to you, we foresee that we shall be obliged by misery to recall our troops. I well know the inconveniencies which must result from such a measure; but what can

we do, when we have no other resource than to trust to Providence, and to bear the cruel fate, to which our own inability and the negligence of our friends condemn us.

"The conduct of the hungarian chiefs in pillaging Austria, and delaying to give an answer to the proposal of either an armistice or of peace, sufficiently proves that they have no thoughts of peace; but are only intent to unite themselves by continuing the war, and to retire from that country as soon as they can no longer pillage. We have positive assurances that our troops have defeated them on the frontiers of Transylvania, and have cffected a junction with Rabutin; and in my opinion, in the ensuing campaign, either by force or by an accommodation, we shall pacify the troubles if we can but hold out till the spring; for as soon as the troops arrive from Transylvania, and the fortresses, particularly Great Waradin, are supplied with provisions, we shall direct our attacks against them in a more vulnerable point.

"Do not judge by what I have said that we are not inclined to peace; for I pledge my honour, that we are sincerely desirous of it, and on conditions highly advantageous to the hungarians; and I would only infer from what I have said, that if we are supported one year longer in Italy, we shall be in a situation to support ourselves. To return to the negotiation in Holland, I cannot sufficiently express our concern and surprise in observing, that the emissaries of France are freely permitted to appear at the Hague. Your highness will recollect that you assured us they would be dismissed, and we gave full credit to your assertion, on which account we have not made any pressing remonstrances. But now, when we see them appearing in public, and that they no longer are concealed as before, what other opinion can we form, except that the negotiations are far advanced?. We are not surprised at the silence of England; and what the queen said to her parliament may be as much intended to press France to finish the treaty, as to induce the States General to continue the war, and terminate the unfortunate negotiation which alarms the prince's allies, because each of them deems himself in a situation to imitate Holland in opening the door to negotiation; and we already are

acquainted with various intrigues of the german princes, who have followed the example of the dutch. Permit me then to observe, that if England is not admitted into the secret, and does not connive at the negotiation, I must hope that the queen will take some public steps against those measures, which will be so injurious to us, will alienate all the minor princes of the empire, and will be followed by repentance when too late.

"Our alliances declare, and our reciprocal interests require, that we should do nothing without general participation; nevertheless nothing is communicated to us. Certainly this period is not fit for negotiation; but if it must be entered into right or wrong, why are we not permitted to bring forward our own interests, as each person is better acquainted with his own particular interest, than with those of others? and if we do not combine particular interests with the general system of Europe, the great power of France will swallow us up one after the other.

"The abominable Treaty of Partition has sufficiently proved how much the dutch politicians were deceived, and how dearly Europe has suffered for their false principles. That private negotiation is the cause of all our present inconveniencies. The house of Austria was thrown into a fatal despondency, and she will fall into a still greater, if the same conduct is pursued. I will say no more on this subject, because your highness is fully sensible of its injurious consequences.

"I will only add, that his imperial majesty has enjoined me to assure you of his esteem and friendship, solely relying on you to relieve us, by your communications, from this state of doubt and uncertainty."

After mentioning the refusal of the margrave of Baden to repair to Vienna, at the emperor's request, and expressing the concern of his imperial majesty and the prince of Salm at this disrespectful conduct,

He adds in a postscript-“ I cannot conclude without frankly observing to your highness, that a prompt succour in men and money is necessary for Italy, or at least we must entreat you to be so kind as to tell us plainly that it cannot be granted; for we

are in that case reduced to the necessity of withdrawing our troops from Italy."

These letters from Eugene and Wratislaw deeply affected the honour and verity of the duke of Marlborough, because they contained reflections on the conduct of the maritime powers, as if they had failed in the performance of what he had solemnly pledged himself to obtain, and as if the dutch were still engaged in open negotiations with France.

Marlborough accordingly exerted himself with more than his usual energy, in carrying into effect the arrangements which he had concluded at Vienna and Berlin, and in counteracting the insidious overtures of France.

Fortunately for the honour of England, and the credit of the duke, the queen and parliament had given evident proofs of their zeal and sincerity in the cause of the emperor. Besides liberal grants for the war in the Low Countries, supplies were voted for the augmentation of 10,000 men to be employed in Italy; for the same number in Portugal, and for 5,000 in Catalonia. In the course of a few days, additional succours in men and money were also voted, as the proportion of England for prosecuting the successes of king Charles in the eastern parts of Spain. The addresses of both houses also breathed the most ardent zeal for the prosecution of the war, and expressed a hope that the allies would follow the great and noble example set by the queen.

Notwithstanding the animating effect of this example, the british negotiator had, as usual, to struggle against numerous obstacles, arising from the tardiness and complicated forms of the dutch government, as well as from the machinations of the french party. He had also experienced great difficulty in arranging with the States the measures for augmenting the confederate army, in obtaining the payment of the loan to the court of Vienna, and in raising funds for the troops in Catalonia. We refer to his correspondence for an account of his embarrassments, and the means by which they were overcome.

To LORD GODOLPHIN.

66

Hague, Dec. 15, 1705. "I came here last night, and do assure you that I have not been idle one minute, so that I might be ready to take the first opportunity of a fair wind, which makes me very much wish for the convoy. It is a great pleasure to me to see by your letters the good resolutions the parliament takes for carrying on the war with vigour. But I am sorry at the same time to tell you, that these people are so far from advancing their proportion of the 250,000 crowns for Catalonia, that they say it will be impossible for them to comply with what they are already engaged for. I have very much of the spleen upon this subject, so that I could say a great deal, but shall not trouble you till I have the happiness of seeing you, which I hope will be by the middle of next week.

"I send you the inclosed letter that you may see prince Eugene's opinion as to the war in Italy. If we cannot help them, that army will certainly return, which I think would be a very fatal thing."

"Hague, Dec. 25, 1705. "The States of Holland seeing that there was no likelihood of my having the convoy before the next week, at soonest, the wind being at east, they are separated till Tuesday, without coming to such resolutions as are absolutely necessary to be done, before I leave this place, among which is that of the state of the war, which for the good of the service should have been done above a month ago. But the truth is, that every thing here is in that distraction, that there is no government. However, you may be assured they will go on with the war for this year; but as they pretend to want every thing, it will not be with that vigour it ought. I am assured that at their meeting on Tuesday they will adopt a resolution of taking some pretext for the sending one of their members to the queen, but the true business of his embassy will be to represent to her majesty their sad condition. If I should