( 4 ), 



things fecretly. He rather chofe, on all 

 occafions, to fway the fceptre with a lofty 



hand. The judicious Rapin feems to clofe 



the whole debate veiy juftly, by obferving, 

 that this furmife feems to have arifen merely 

 from an opinion, that fo politic a prince as 

 William, could do nothing without a political 

 end : whereas the moft politic princes, no 

 doubt, are fwayed where their pleafures are 

 concerned, by paflions, and caprice, like other 

 men*. 



The means, which William ufed in af- 

 forefling thefe extenfive wood-lands, create 

 another queftion among hiftorians. The ge- 

 neral opinion is, that he deflroyed a number 

 of villages, and churches ; drove out the in- 

 habitants j laid their lands wafte j and formed 

 New-foreft in their room. 



This opinion has appeared to fome ill 

 founded ; and Voltaire in particular, has flood 

 up in defence of the humanity, or rather 

 the policy of William. It is abfurd, he 

 thinks, to fuppofe that a prince fo noted 

 for prudent and interefted conduct, mould 

 lay wafte fo much cultivated ground j plant 



* Vol. i. fol. page 178* 



it 



