t
not be discouraged from engaging in a confederacy of which he was deemed
the head and chief support. He conferred the command of the ten thousand
troops destined for Holland upon the earl of Marlborough, and appointed
him at the same time his plenipotentiary to the states-general, a choice
that evinced his discernment and discretion; for that nobleman surpassed
all his contemporaries both as a general and a politician. He was cool,
penetrating, intrepid, and persevering, plausible, insinuating, artful,
and dissembling.

PROGRESS OF PRINCE EUGENE.

A regency being established, the king embarked for Holland in the
beginning of July. On his arrival at the Hague he assisted at an
assembly of the states-general, whom he harangued in very affectionate
terms, and was answered with great cordiality; then he made a progress
round the frontiers to examine the state of the garrisons, and gave
such orders and directions as he judged necessary for the defence of the
country. Meanwhile, the French minister D'Avaux, being recalled from
the Hague, delivered a letter to the states from the French king, who
complained that they had often interrupted the conferences, from which
no good fruits were to be expected; but he assured them it wholly
depended upon themselves whether they should continue to receive marks
of his ancient friendship for their republic. The letter was accompanied
by an insolent memorial, to which the states-general returned a very
spirited answer. As they expected nothing now but hostilities from
France, they redoubled their diligence in making preparations for their
own defence. They repaired their fortifications, augmented their army,
and hired auxiliaries. King William and they had already engaged in an
alliance with the king of Denmark, who undertook to furnish a certain
number of troops in consideration of a subsidy; and they endeavoured
to mediate a peace between Sweden and Poland; but this they could not
effect. France had likewise offered her mediation between those powers
in hopes of bringing over Sweden to her interest; and the court of
Vienna had tampered with the king of Poland; but he persisted in his
resolution to prosecute the war. The Spaniards began to be very uneasy
under the dominion of their new master. They were shocked at the
insolence of his French ministers and attendants, and much more at
the manners and fashions which they introduced. The grandees found
themselves very little consid