rtunate, contrived to hint, very intelligibly, what they
wished and expected. In the French ambassador they had a dexterous, a
zealous, and perhaps, not a disinterested intercessor. Lewis made some
difficulties, probably with the design of enhancing the value of his
gifts. In a very few weeks, however, Barillon received from Versailles
fifteen hundred thousand livres more. This sum, equivalent to about a
hundred and twelve thousand pounds sterling, he was instructed to dole
out cautiously. He was authorised to furnish the English government with
thirty thousand pounds, for the purpose of corrupting members of the New
House of Commons. The rest he was directed to keep in reserve for some
extraordinary emergency, such as a dissolution or an insurrection. [244]

The turpitude of these transactions is universally acknowledged: but
their real nature seems to be often misunderstood: for though the
foreign policy of the last two Kings of the House of Stuart has never,
since the correspondence of Barillon was exposed to the public eye,
found an apologist among us, there is still a party which labours to
excuse their domestic policy. Yet it is certain that between their
domestic policy and their foreign policy there was a necessary and
indissoluble connection. If they had upheld, during a single year, the
honour of the country abroad, they would have been compelled to change
the whole system of their administration at home. To praise them for
refusing to govern in conformity with the sense of Parliament, and yet
to blame them for submitting to the dictation of Lewis, is inconsistent.
For they had only one choice, to be dependent on Lewis, or to be
dependent on Parliament.

James, to do him justice, would gladly have found out a third way: but
there was none. He became the slave of France: but it would be incorrect
to represent him as a contented slave. He had spirit enough to be at
times angry with himself for submitting to such thraldom, and impatient
to break loose from it; and this disposition was studiously encouraged
by the agents of many foreign powers.

His accession had excited hopes and fears in every continental court:
and the commencement of his administration was watched by strangers
with interest scarcely less deep than that which was felt by his own
subjects. One government alone wished that the troubles which had,
during three generations, distracted England, might be eternal. All
other governments, whether repu