story, at this period, will derive instruction
from a narrative of the connexion which once existed between Spain and
the Netherlands and its fatal rupture.

After the fall of the duke of Burgundy in 1477, his daughter Mary
brought the low countries to Austria by her marriage with the Emperor
Maximilian; and his grandson, Charles V, united these provinces with
Spain. During the reign of Charles, their ancient liberties were
carefully respected, and the country prospered whilst the Protestant
religion spread throughout it in spite of stern opposition. But when
his successor, Philip II, mounted the throne, all prudence in the
government of the Belgic and Batavian provinces seems to have been
abandoned, and unbridled persecution was let loose on the civil and
religious rights of the people. Granvella and the bloody duke of Alva
were the monarch's instruments in this sad misgovernment, which resulted
in a total renunciation of allegiance to the king of Spain. Long and
bitter was the rebellion,--continuing from the middle of the sixteenth
century to the year 1609,--when the Spanish claim to the sovereignty of
the new republic of Holland was virtually resigned under the form of a
truce for twelve years between the belligerents.[30]

The independence of the united provinces was thus, in fact achieved, and
it was recognized by all the great powers of Europe except Spain; still
Holland went through the thirty years war, before her nationality was
secured by the peace of Westphalia.

From this sketch it will be perceived that Spain, although willing to
forego the continuance of war, and to save the point of honor between
herself and the rebellious provinces when it was impossible to recover
her dominion over them, nevertheless, clung with stupid pride to her
abstract right of reconquest for a long period after she had
substantially acknowledged their freedom. The dismemberment of Spain
was, of course, an event which the monarch could not behold without
regret, for it was natural that he should seek to transmit his dominions
to posterity uncurtailed of their fair proportions. Yet, in the adoption
of a diplomatic _ruse_,--in the truce of twelve years,--there was a
degree of wisdom which it would have been well for Spain to recollect
when it became evident that the revolt of her American colonies was
about to terminate in their independence. The passions between the
belligerents would have had time to cool. The common ties of bloo