XIV. 1726, you may cross the country with your purse in CHAP. "your hand.... The French are more changed than "their roads; instead of pale yellow faces wrapped "up in blankets, as we saw them, the villages are “all filled with fresh-coloured lusty peasants, in "good clothes and clean linen. It is incredible "what an air of plenty and content is over the "whole country." ""* During his whole government, Fleury sought no riches, and displayed no splendour; but lived in the same plain and unostentatious manner as when in a private station. In knowledge of foreign affairs he was second only to Dubois. His abilities were not, perhaps, of the highest order; had they been so, they would probably have worn out earlier in his life. The flame of genius which dazzles the beholder is almost equally certain to burn and consume its tenement. Nor was Fleury wholly free from the common defects of age; he was too fond of expedients and delays, and on many occasions carried his caution to timidity, his economy to avarice. Yet the latter was exerted in the public expenses as much as in his own; and if he was afraid of war, his predecessors for the most part had a far worse fault they were ambitious of it. At this time the ambassador from England was Horace Walpole a man who played through life a considerable part, but chiefly because he was brother to Sir Robert. His own nephew assures * Lady Mary W. Montagu to Mr. Wortley, August 18. 1739. XIV. 66 CHAP. us, that so far from being a support he was "à' dead-weight" to Sir Robert's Ministry.* Ac1726. cording to the same affectionate relation," he "knew something of every thing, but how to hold "his tongue, or how to apply his knowledge..... "Whatever the subject was, he never lost sight of "the Norwich manufactures, but his language and 66 oratory were only adapted to manufacturers." But intelligent manufacturers would surely have been disgusted at his slovenly person†, his awkward manner, and his boisterous buffoonery. What his French may have been we can only conjecture; of his English it is admitted that he never lost a strong provincial accent. But, on the other hand, he had unwearied industry, practical knowledge, and constant readiness. As brother to so great a minister, he enjoyed more respect and confidence abroad than a far abler diplomatist might have attained. So little did he understand characters that, soon after he came to Paris, he paints Fleury in his despatches, as "not very able in foreign affairs, "but a mighty bigot, insomuch that the French * Memoirs of George the Second, vol. i. p. 122. + He once alluded himself, strangely enough, to his dress in a Parliamentary Speech: "If I may be allowed to use a low "simile, the Members opposite treat the Ministry in the same "way as I am treated by some gentlemen of my acquaintance "with respect to my dress: if I am in plain clothes, they say I am a slovenly dirty fellow; and if, by chance, I have a suit of "clothes with some lace upon them, they cry, 'What! shall such an awkward fellow wear fine clothes?' So that no dress I "themselves think him too great a Papist ! " * But ere long he came to perceive the great abilities and rising influence of that statesman, and cultivated his friendship with the most assiduous care. On the day when Fleury retired from Court, Horace Walpole judiciously went to call upon him at Issy, and this well-timed visit produced an inconceivable effect upon the Cardinal. He ever after looked upon the Walpoles as his intimate and personal friends. "Once," says St. Simon, "when "I ventured to remonstrate with him on his blind "confidence in these two brothers, Fleury imme'diately alleged this visit, as an heroic act of "attachment which must for ever remove all “doubts and scruples." + 66 Thus, then, the accession of Fleury to power, far from shaking, rather confirmed the Hanover alliance; nor did the ministers of George relax in their exertions to extend it. After some struggle their party gained the ascendency in the Swedish councils. The Dutch also, as before in the Triple and Quadruple Alliances, adopted the policy of England, though from the slowness of their forms they always came lagging in the rear. "Their distinguishing talent," once said Chesterfield, "is to wrangle tenaciously upon trifles."‡ A British squadron, under Admiral Hosier, was sent to the West Indies, and blockaded Porto * See Coxe's Life, p. 54. + St. Simon, Mem. vol. xvi. p. 405. ed. 1829. CHAP XIV. 1726. CHAP. Bello. Admiral Wager, with another squadron, XIV. sailed for the Baltic, to pursue the same system 1726. which, in 1719, Stanhope had formed and Norris executed, and which had been defined "to drive "the Muscovites as far off as is possible."* In the latter case, however, as in the former, a strong resolution rendered unnecessary strong measures. The very appearance of Wager's fleet off Revel brought round the Russians to a more pacific temper, and the death of the Czarina, soon afterwards, altogether dissipated for the time their warlike schemes. In Spain, as in France, the fall of the Prime Minister had produced little alteration in foreign policy, and Philip still firmly clung to his alliance with the Emperor. The latter sovereign, also was unshaken in his purpose, and had just succeeded in drawing the King of Prussia from the Hanover alliance. But his main hope was founded on intrigues in England, through the means of Palm, his resident at London. It was easy for Palm to gain, as partisans, all the Hanoverian favourites. The Duchess of Kendal had no insurmountable objection to either Spanish or Austrian gold. To Bothmar, and to the other ministers, the Treaty of Hanover had always appeared a measure far too English, and the defection of Prussia made them tremble lest the Electorate should be over-run with * Lord Stair to Secretary Craggs, June 4. 1719. Hardwicke State Papers, vol. ii. 66 XIV. 1726. Imperial troops. The King himself had a strong CHAP. leaning to the same views; Hanover was always his paramount object; and it is probable that another ambassador was not far mistaken in saying that" His Majesty rather considers England as a temporary possession to be made the most of "while it lasts, than as a perpetual inheritance.” * But, besides his countrymen, Palm also paid court to the English statesmen in opposition, especially to Pulteney and Bolingbroke, and expected by this joint cabal to effect a change of ministry, and a consequent change of measures. In this state of things, Parliament meeting in January, the King's Speech contained this remarkable passage: "I have received information on "which I can entirely depend, that the placing "the Pretender upon the throne of this kingdom "is one of the articles of the secret engagements "at Vienna; and if time shall evince that the giving up the trade of this nation to one power, "and Gibraltar and Port Mahon to another, is "made the price and reward of imposing upon "this Kingdom a Popish Pretender, what an in"dignation must this raise in the breast of every "Protestant Briton!" Such an indignation was, in fact, raised in the Commons; an address of thanks was voted by an immense majority (251 against 81): it was unanimously resolved to raise the army to 26,000 men, being an increase of • Count de Broglie to the King of France, July 20. 1724. 1727. |