1680, M. Barillon, in one of his despatches to his own court, speaks openly of the fears expressed by the Duke of York on the subject; and James himself wrote to the King from Scotland, advising him by all means to decline the honour of the visit. Charles, however, though he gave it but little encouragement, yet refused to listen to his brother's recommendation to decline it altogether.

The conduct of the Prince of Orange, shortly after his arrival, afforded sufficient evidence that the apprehensions of the royal brothers were not unreasonable. Within a few days he appears to have thrown off all disguise, and to have flattered the prejudices, and courted the good opinion, of the popular party, by every means in his power. He paid a visit to Lord Russell, (the person of all others most detested by the Court,) and, moreover, contrary to the advice both of Halifax and Hyde, and, indeed, in express defiance of the King's commands, dined in state with the city of London. From the despatches of Barillon we learn some additional particulars respecting the Prince's behaviour. It seems that, by his polite conduct, his studied civility, and his frequent habit of showing himself in public, he acquired a great accession of popularity; while, on the other hand, by his being frequently closeted with Lord Russell, he gave the highest offence to the Court, and was personally on the worst

terms with the King. He was one day dining with Charles, when, the conversation turning on the grievances of the country, William affirmed that the popular party was the most numerous:-"That," retorted the witty monarch, "is because you know no other.”

Barillon informs us, on the authority of the Duchess of Portsmouth, that during the time the Prince was in England, he went so far as to endeavour to persuade her to inflame the King against his brother, and induce him to sign the Bill of Exclusion, which at this period was in agitation.

According to some accounts, one of the Prince's motives in visiting England in 1669, was to endeavour to cement an alliance between Great Britain and the States, as a bulwark against the increasing power of France, and the personal ambition of Louis the Fourteenth. If such were his intention, the project signally failed: indeed it was but a few months afterwards that France and England united in that famous and most disgraceful league against the States of Holland; a measure which, considering the inequality of the contest, threatened the most disastrous results to the infant Republic, but which, in fact, had the effect of calling forth the energies of William's character, and, indeed, finally exalted him to a height of fame and power, which even his wise and warlike ancestors could never have contemplated.

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CHAPTER II.

The Dutch Republic ill prepared to resist the forces of France and England. Is speedily overrun by the French troops. -Increasing unpopularity of the Pensionary, John De Witt, and the Republican party. Appointments of Captain and Admiral-General conferred upon William by the unanimous voice of the States. — His early success against the French. -Popular insurrections in the principal Dutch towns.-The office of Stadtholder revived and conferred on William.—Cruel massacre of the De Witts at the Hague in 1672.-Interesting particulars relative to that frightful tragedy.— Marked improvement in the state of affairs in Holland.-Attempt by France and England to inveigle the young Stadtholder into a treaty injurious to the interests of his country. His noble conduct on the occasion.-His successful campaign against the troops of Louis the Fourteenth. Treaty of peace between the French and the Dutch signed in February, 1674.Office of Stadtholder settled in perpetuity on William and his descendants.-Anecdote of William and Count Starenburg.War renewed between France and Holland. Personal bravery of William at the battle of Seneffe.-He receives a severe wound at the siege of Maestricht.

THE hostile coalition of two such powerful nations as France and England against the Dutch, would, under any circumstances, have involved the latter in a most unequal and dispiriting contest. On no occasion, moreover, had the Republic been so ill prepared as at the

present crisis. Not only were they harassed and divided by internal contentions, but, fully confiding in the provisions of the Treaty of Munster, they little contemplated the possibility of a foreign invasion, and consequently, when the hour of danger arrived, could oppose but a handful of raw and inexperienced troops, to the overwhelming and highly disciplined forces of the French monarchy. Defeat and disgrace were anticipated by even the bravest and most sanguine, and the result proved how well-grounded were their apprehensions. Within an incredibly short space of time, the French troops overran almost the whole of the United Provinces. The panic extended to every heart: at first sight of the invading army, every town and garrison threw open its gates; the Dutch troops, with scarcely a show of opposition, retired before their foe; already the French monarch was, in person, before the gates of Utrecht; and the entire conquest, if not dismemberment, of the Dutch dominions, appeared inevitable.

It was in this terrible emergency that the States, calling to mind the illustrious services of the House of Nassau, fixed their last hopes on the young Prince of Orange. It was true, on the one hand, that he had barely attained his twenty-first year, and that he had hitherto had but little experience in the art of government or of war. On the other hand, his detestation of tyranny, his natural

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talents, and his zeal for his country's liberties, were universally acknowledged; moreover, it was remembered how often his predecessors had led the States to victory over the Spaniards; and they hoped, therefore, that the last of the line of Nassau would again extricate the Republic from its difficulties, and lead his countrymen victoriously against the far more powerful enemy now ravaging their territories. There was another circumstance which tended still more to swell the almost universal clamour, that called on the Prince of Orange to take the helm. This was the increasing unpopularity of the Pensionary, John De Witt, and the republican party. In addition to other charges brought against this celebrated man, it was argued that his long administration had rendered him too powerful for a private citizen, and that, instead of selecting persons of acknowledged merit to fill the offices of state, he had invariably advanced his own unworthy creatures and friends. These and similar offences against the Commonwealth were strenuously insisted upon by his enemies; and such were the prejudices and credulity of the mass of the people, that the present extraordinary difficulties, under which the States laboured, were almost universally attributed to the Pensionary's mal-administration and neglect.

These were the circumstances which laid the first stepping-stone to William's greatness. He