no son to inherit Kaiser Karl. Under which circumstances
Kaiser Karl produced now, in the Year 1724, a Document which he had
executed privately as long ago as 1713, only his Privy Councillors and
other Official witnesses knowing of it then; [19th April, 1713 (Stenzel,
iii. 5222).] and solemnly publishes it to the world, as a thing all men
are to take notice of. All men had notice enough of this Imperial bit
of Sheepskin, before they got done with it, five-and-twenty years hence.
[Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1748.] A very famous Pragmatic Sanction; now
published for the world's comfort!

By which Document, Kaiser Karl had formally settled, and fixed according
to the power he has, in the shape of what they call a Pragmatic
Sanction, or unalterable Ordinance in his Imperial House, "That, failing
Heirs-male, his Daughters, his Eldest Daughter, should succeed him;
failing Daughters, his Nieces; and in short, that Heirs-female ranking
from their kinship to Kaiser Karl, and not to any prior Kaiser, should
be as good as Heirs-male of Karl's body would have been." A Pragmatic
Sanction is the high name he gives this document, or the Act it
represents; "Pragmatic Sanction" being, in the Imperial Chancery and
some others, the received title for Ordinances of a very irrevocable
nature, which a sovereign makes, in affairs that belong wholly to
himself, or what he reckons his own rights. [A rare kind of Deed, it
would seem; and all the more solemn. In 1438, Charles VI. of France,
conceding the Gallican Church its Liberties, does, it by "SANCTION
PRAGMATIQUE;" Carlos III. of Spain (in 1759, "settling the Kingdom of
the Two Sicilies on his third son") does the like,--which is the last
instance of "PRAGMATIC SANCTION" in this world.]

This Pragmatic Sanction of Kaiser Karl's, executed 19th April, 1713,
was promulgated, "gradually," now here now there, from 1720 to 1724,
[Stenzel, pp. 522, 523.]--in which later year it became universally
public; and was transmitted to all Courts and Sovereignties, as an
unalterable law of Things Imperial. Thereby the good man hopes his
beautiful little Theresa, now seven years old, may succeed him, all as
a son would have done, in the Austrian States and Dignities; and
incalculable damages, wars, and chances of war, be prevented, for his
House and for all the world.

The world, incredulous of to-morrow, in its lazy way, was not
sufficiently attentive to this new law of things. Some who were
personally in