Category — England

Numb. 49.
[209]

OUR former Reviews have a little examined the Consequences of the Swedes, upon any disgust, going over to, and joyning with the French.

I think I set down the several Places where in such a Case he must, or should at least maintain Armies to defend his own Country; I resume that Head now, because I promis’d to shew the French could not be useful to them in such a Case.

’Tis very rational to suppose, that he could not joyn with France, but the King of Denmark would find it for his own Safety and Interest, to joyn with the Confederates; it was never known in any War, that those two Nations were ever of one side, they have had more Wars together than any two Nations in Christendom, even more than the Emperor and the Turks.

There is an indelible Jealousy rooted in the Hearts of them, one against another; and Providence, who Governs the whole World, seems to have plac’d it there, to provide for the rest; for should those two Nations agree together, their Country being the Magazine of the World for Naval Stores, it would be in their Power almost to tell any part of the World, as to Sea Affairs, when they should Fight, and when they should Submit; when they should fit out a Fleet, and when they should let it alone. [Read more →]

Numb. 48.
[205]

TWO Reviews more would have dismiss’d the Article of Sweden, but I am oblig’d to Halt in the middle of the Story, upon the occasion of the great Turn of Affairs in Europe, from the late Victory at Hochstetten.

The Objectors to our Arguments seem to Reply with some Advantage, that French Power appears to be less Formidable, than at the beginning of these Papers I represented it, and that all the Terrible things which I foretold of it, are dash’t at one blow; that we need not concern our selves in the Quarrel between the Swede and the Pole, for the Business is done, the Confederacy stands upon its own Legs again, the Swede can now do us no harm, the Ruin of the Pole cannot affect it, and so I ought to have done with it.

The Victory of the Duke of Marlborough, I allow to be a very great Action, the Greatest, most Glorious, and most compleat Victory that I can find in History for above 200 Years past; and as no Man in Europe more heartily rejoyces at it, than the Author of these Papers, so perhaps I am ready to own it Greater in its Consequences than every body imagines.

The Defeat of the Army, barely as such, tho’ it be allow’d to be the Flower of the French Troops, and to be a great thing, is not all; there is the Duke of Bavaria left to the Emperors Mercy; that Fatal Breach, made in the Heart of the Empire, in a fair way to be heal’d to all the Advantage imaginable — There is the Duke of Savoy, who was upon the point of being ruin’d, in a fair way to be deliver’d, and perhaps so Succour’d, as to be likely to dislodge the French out of Italy. [Read more →]

Numb. 47.
[201]

I Have done with the Swedes fighting for the Liberty of Poland — .

The next thing, which as ’tis alledg’d the Swedes fight for, is Religion, to pull down Popery and the Whore of Babylon.

Some Honest People, who are very Angry with the King of Poland for changing his Religion, and very willing to have the Swedes be Masters of Poland, because they hope they will plant the Protestant Religion there, are very much out of Humour with our late Reviews, which have dwelt so long upon the Matter, and so earnestly press’d the reducing the Swede to Terms of Peace.

These well-meaning Religious Gentlemen, shew their Zeal goes a great deal beyond their Understanding, as to the Publick Affairs of Europe; and of such I would ask, whether it is worse, that the Protestant Religion should not be replanted in Poland, or should be supplanted in England, Holland, and Germany? [Read more →]

Numb. 45.
[193]

IN Relating the Practice of all Wise Princes defending their own Territories, before they invaded their Neighbours; I come to the late King William, when Prince of Orange, Besieging Bonn.

It follows to examine, What Course the French King took in this Case: Did he, like the Swedes in Poland, push on his Conquests in the Netherlands, and leave the Dutch and German Army to Enter Lorrain, and Consequently France, and Ravage them at Pleasure? No: but finding he had taken so many strong Towns, as Employ’d him 100000 Men to Garrison, and that the Confederates, by taking Bonn had cut off the Communication between his Troops on the Upper Rhine, and those in Holland, and opened a way for their own to joyn; and that France lay Naked on that side; like a Wise Prince he chose the least Evil, he abandon’d at once, all his low Country Conquests to draw his Forces together, in Defence of his own Dominions; and this he did with such hast, that he quitted 42 Strong Places, in 16 or 20 days time.

I have not room to give an Encomium here to the Policy of the Prince of Orange, who could so sensibly touch the French in so nice an Article, as to regain from them so many Invincible Places, without the loss of a Man: Other Authors have made Great and Just Remarks on this, Sir William Temple in particular.

But I cannot refrain doing Justice to the K. of France, who, in this, show’d himself a true Father of his own Country, in that he chose to abandon all his Glory, quit the hopes he had entertain’d of so delicious a Conquest, as the Netherlands, two thirds of which he had in Possession; and all this to retrieve a Mistake, prevent the insulting of his own Country, and the Ruin of but one Province of his Inheritance. [Read more →]