FRANCE. 611 
by Villars, that he was content with securing his own the confederates continued their successful progress in History. 
inions against the invasions of the enemy, by re- Flanders: Douay surrendered, the Marshal Villars has “~~” 
La Perouse, and F ‘ving in vain attempted to relieve it; Bethune, St Ve- 
nant, and Aire, were also reduced. In Spain, the cause 
of the Bourbons was rather successful, and with their 
successes their drooping spirits revived. In 1711, a Change of 
change of ministry took place in England ; by which, istry in 
as the friends of the Duke of Marlborough were remo- ©s!"4. 
ved from their places, it was sup that he also of the Em. 
would be deprived of his command, and probably the peror, fa- 
war terminated ; but, as the war was popular, and the vourable to 
_ History. 
“——" dominions 
Alarm at 
Paris. 
ive Furnes, 
Ypres, Menin, Tournay, Conde, and Maubeuge, as a 
barrier to the United inces; to acknowledge the 
Elector of Brandenburg as King of Prussia, and the 
Duke of Hanover as the ninth elector of the empire ; 
to remove the Pretender from France, and acknow- 
ledge Queen Anne; to restore every thing required 
the cessions 
8, already gloomy, the Duke a great favourite with the nation, the new mi- Lou's 
famine: Louis, nistry did not deem it prudent immediately to recal 4+: 17!!- 
him, or terminate it. Another event however occurred, 
which had still greater influence on the state of things ; 
this was the sudden death of the Emperor Joseph. He 
was succeeded by his brother Charles; and as it was 
contrary to the general alliance that the same person 
should Spain and the empire, the new ministry 
of Ragland. ware no longer afraid to avow their wishes . 
for peace. Hostilities however still continued; but 
the rigour of the season prevented the Duke of Marl~ 
borough from taking the field before the beginning of 
May ; and, after he did take it, no events of importance 
occurred. Negociations had been for some time se- 
carried on between France and England, and 
is re. atrived when Louis might be effectually on the 27th of September they were privately si 
Sees” netahind; Seutmohel/iio otditions finale at uibdion:) “Asithtalliee wears ce tittesind of ties 
to certain preliminary articles, which were iations, they were highly displeased at the intel- 
negociations, 
ligence that the preliminaries were signed. But, in 
the beginning of 1712, general conferences were open< 
pe en guveve ines A MT, MR ROC ed at Utrecht for restoring tranquillity to Europe; the 
explaining the ample concessions which he had offer- French and English ambassadors declaring, the 
ed, roused ‘their indignation and pride. Hiostilities preliminaries signed at London were neither binding 
amounting to 100,000 men, under Eugene 
rough, were opposed to Villars, who had been called to 
the command as the last hope of his country, and who 
was and advantageously between Cou- 
riere and The allies, reconnoitring his 
iti were afraid to attack him, and set down be- 
Tournay ; which, ere ne ie 
of the town and the citadel—the of which 
attempt to save it; but 
league from the city, his 
now fell, and its surrender concluded this campaign in 
on the Queen or her allies. While these negociations 
were going on, the Dauphin of France died ; and his 
elde&t son, as well as his son, died also. In conse- 
quence of these deaths, the Duke of Anjou, a sickly 
infant, only intervened between the King of Spain and 
the crown of France. L erm now ae to submit 
certain propositions to Louis and Philip V. rn a 
Spain ; the latter preferred the ties ty Het 
nish throne without hesitation, but Louis hesitated be- 
fore he to the choice of his grandson. . He at 
last complied ; and it was , that the renunciation 
of the of France by Philip V. should be regis- 
tered in the books of the parliament of Paris, and rati- 
fied by the cortes of Castile and Arragon. 
While these negotiations were going on, Prince Eu- 
gene to the Duke of Ormond, who had suc- 
ceeded the Duke of Marlborough, to attack the French 
army under Villars, in the mi of concluding the war 
with a splendid victory ; but the English general having 
orders not to act offensively, defeated, by his hesitation, 
the projects of the prince, who, however, reduced Ques- 
noy, and sent a detachment to penetrate into the heart 
of France. Soon after this, the Duke of Ormond made 
known to the allies the cessation of arms between France 
and England, and the British forces from thosé 
of the other confederates. Notwithstanding this di- 
minution of his army, the prince invested ; 
but on this occasion committed errors, which were 
ived and taken advantage of by Marshal Villars, 
who slaughtered or oon a body of 14,000 men near 
Denain.’ The Marshal followed up this success ; and, 
having reduced Marchiennes, where the principal ma- 
gazines of the confederates were deposited, he reco- 
vered successively Douay, Quesnoy, and Bouchain. The 
Dutch now, being sensible of their perilous situation 
