hall
observe that he always supported with great firmness the rights and
honours belonging to the rank of Ambassador, not from vanity, but
because he thought it his duty to prevent a dignity conferred on him
from being depreciated. He imagined[422], that the Dutch, from ill-will
to him, had entered into a kind of conspiracy not to treat him as
Ambassador, and to make him be considered as a simple Resident[423];
and afterwards to make a crime of his weakness in giving up any part of
his right. They denied him the title of Excellency when speaking to him
of private business, under pretext that his embassy was not concerned:
but he shewed this to be a very bad reason, since the greatest Noblemen
in Sweden treated him as Ambassador even in private letters: he
therefore burnt all those letters which did not give him the proper
titles, without answering them; and even would not receive in his house
such persons as denied him the honours due to the Ambassadors of crowned
heads.

FOOTNOTES:

[408] Ep. 716. p. 970.

[409] Puffendorf, l. 13. n. 77.

[410] Ep. 690. p. 284.

[411] Inter Vossianas Ep. 656.

[412] Ep. 1689, p. 731.

[413] Ep. 1477. p. 668.

[414] Ep. 572. p. 928.

[415] Ep. 620. p. 942.

[416] Ep. 83. p. 84. Sarravii.

[417] Ep. 1743. p. 746.

[418] Ep. 1745. p. 746.

[419] Ep. 1757. p. 749.

[420] Ep. 1753. p. 748.

[421] Tom. 2. p. 298.

[422] Ep. 532. p. 912.

[423] Ep. 542. p. 918.

XII. When the news of Grotius's recall was known at Paris, it was
publicly said that he was going to Sweden to complain of his collegue.
Sarrau writes thus to Salmasius, March 15, 1645[424]. "Grotius is
preparing to set out for Sweden after Easter, to complain of the injury
done to him by appointing for his successor a young man who was his
rival. He must however obey; and return into a private station: but this
Colossus, though thrown down, will be always great; this statue will
still be very high without its base." Whilst Grotius waited for Baron
Oxenstiern's answer, he wrote to Spiringius, the Swedish Agent in
Holland, asking him, in case he should not receive a favourable letter
from Osnabrug, to send him a ship of war to some French port, on board
of which he might embark for Gottenburg; or, if that could not be done,
to obtain a passport to go from Holland to Gottenburg; but on condition
that no mention should be made of what passed in his youth; otherwise,
he declared, he would take another rout. I