of the throne you are going to ascend."
The new monarch was congratulated on his elevation by all the princes
of the blood; nevertheless, the duke of Orleans and his son protested
against the will, because the archduke was placed next in succession
to the duke of Berry, in bar of their right as descendants of Anne
of Austria, whose renunciation could be of no more force than that of
Maria-Theresa. On the fourth day of December the new king set out for
Spain, to the frontiers of which he was accompanied by his two brothers.

When the will was accepted, the French minister de Torcy endeavoured to
justify his master's conduct to the earl of Manchester, who resided
at Paris in the character of ambassador from the court of London. He
observed, that the treaty of partition was not likely to answer the end
for which it had been concerted; that the emperor had refused to
accede; that it was relished by none of the princes to whom it had been
communicated; that the people of England and Holland had expressed their
discontent at the prospect of France being in possession of Naples and
Sicily; that if Louis had rejected the will, the archduke would have had
a double title derived from the former will, and that of the late king;
that the Spaniards were so averse to the division of their monarchy,
there would be a necessity for conquering the whole kingdom before
the treaty could be executed; that the ships to be furnished by Great
Britain and Holland would not be sufficient for the purposes of such a
war, and it was doubtful whether England and the states-general would
engage themselves in a greater expense. He concluded with saying, That
the treaty would have been more advantageous to France than the will,
which the king accepted purely from a desire of preserving the peace
of Europe. His master hoped therefore that a good understanding would
subsist between him and the king of Great Britain. The same reasons
were communicated by Briod, the French ambassador at the Hague, to the
states-general. Notwithstanding this address, they ordered their envoy
at Paris to deliver a memorial to the French king, expressing their
surprise at his having accepted the will; and their hope, that as the
time specified for the emperor's acceding to the treaty was not
expired, his most christian majesty would take the affair again into his
consideration, and adhere to his engagements in every article. Louis in
his answer to this memorial, which he despa