being privately regulated between the two courts of London
and Versailles, the English plenipotentiaries at Utrecht were furnished
with general powers and instructions, being ignorant of the agreement
which the queen had made with the French monarch touching the kingdom
of Spain, which was indeed the basis of the treaty. This secret plan of
negotiation, however, had well nigh been destroyed by some unforeseen
events that were doubly afflicting to Louis. The dauphin died of the
small-pox in the course of the preceding year, and his title had been
conferred upon his son the duke of Burgundy, who now expired on the last
day of February, six days after the death of his wife, Mary Adelaide
of Savoy. The parents were soon followed to the grave by their eldest
offspring the duke of Bretagne, in the sixth year of his age; so that
of the duke of Burgundy's children, none remained alive but the duke of
Anjou, the late French king, who was at that time a sickly infant. Such
a series of calamities could not fail of being extremely shocking to
Louis in his old age; but they were still more alarming to the queen of
England, who saw that nothing but the precarious life of an unhealthy
child divided the two monarchies of France and Spain, the union of which
she resolved by all possible means to prevent. She therefore sent the
abbe Gualtier to Paris, with a memorial representing the danger to which
the liberty of Europe would be exposed, should Philip ascend the throne
of France; and demanding that his title should be transferred to his
brother the duke of Berry, in consequence of his pure, simple, and
voluntary renunciation.

THE QUEEN DEMANDS PHILIP'S RENUNCIATION OF THE CROWN.

Meanwhile the French plenipotentiaries at Utrecht were prevailed upon to
deliver their proposals in writing, under the name of specific offers,
which the allies received with indignation. They were treated in England
with universal scorn. Lord Halifax, in the house of peers, termed them
trifling, arrogant, and injurious to her majesty and her allies. An
address was presented to the queen, in which they expressed their
resentment against the insolence of France, and promised to assist her
with all their power in prosecuting the war until a safe and honourable
peace should be obtained. The plenipotentiaries of the allies were not
less extravagant in their specific demands, than the French had been
arrogant in their offers. In a word, the ministers seemed t