BRITAIN. 



615 



ent. 



of 

 c. 



which unhappily was too soon forgotten. On the 

 28th of December, William wa-s deprived, by death, 

 of his consort Mary. She died of the smallpox in 



il year, to the inexpressible grief of his majes- 

 ty, who, for some weeks after her death, could nei- 

 ther see company, nor attend to the affairs of the 

 state. The conduct of this princess has been taxed 

 with want of natural affection, from the indifference 

 with which she is said to have ascended the- throne 

 of her father, and witnessed his misfortunes ; but it 

 should be remembered, that William's marriage with 



> founded upon affection, and that they had 

 long lived in the most endearing connection of life, 

 before the bigotry of her father precipitated him 

 from the throne. She could not have deserted Wil- 

 liam ; nor was she culpable to have endured with se- 

 renity the promotion of the cause of religion and 

 human happiness, of which her husband was the 

 leader. Her personal worth could not be small, nor 

 her affections unamiable, to whom such a husband 

 was so tenderly devoted. 



The jrreat business of parliament from this period 



j t 



seemed to consist in restraining corruption, and bring- 

 ing to justice several offenders in high station, who 

 had grown wealthy upon the plunder of the public. 

 The number of laws that were now enacted every 

 session, seemed calculated for the safety of the sub- 

 ject, but in reality, were symptoms of the universal 

 corruption. 



William was willing to admit all the restraints 

 they chose to lay on the royal prerogative in Eng- 

 land, upon condition of being properly supplied with 

 the means of humbling the powers of France. 

 Though a friend to liberty from inclination, he did 

 not sufficiently understand the complex nature of the 

 British constitution to keep its parts in harmony. 

 But if he could not be said to yield to his parliament 

 from patriotic motives, he at least made his conces- 

 sions the exchange for the means given to support 

 him in great and laudable objects. The sums of 

 money granted him for the prosecution of this war 

 were incredible, and the nation not contented with 

 furnishing him with such supplies as they were im- 

 mediately capable of raising, involved themselves in 

 rights, which have since accumulated so formidably. 

 For this profusion it has been remarked, that Eng- 

 land gained only the reward of military glory in Flan- 

 ders, and of saving the Dutch. But to have checked 

 the career of France, and to have prolonged for a 

 while the independence of Europe, was certainly to 

 have attained great objects. 



The treaty of Ryswick at length put an end to 

 this war. William returned to England in Novem- 

 ber 1697, and was received in London amidst the 

 acclamations of the people. By the treaty of Rys- 

 wick, his title to the crown of England was acknow- 

 ledged by France herself. 



Amidst the distractions of foreign politics, Wil- 

 liam had little leisure or inclination to attend deeply 

 to the domestic affairs of England, and still I'-ss to 

 those of Scotland. An event now happened, .(!, c!i 

 excited the most violent ferment in th<> i:-tti.r king- 

 dom. By the recommendation of P,it-?rson, an indi- 

 vidual of splendid and enterprising g. !..,. a; vn-ws, 

 a settlement was formed by the Scotch on the ibiumus 



of Daricn, a situation admirably fitted for accom- 

 plishing the most gigantic efforts of commerce, and 

 for uniting the trade of the European, Asiatic, and 

 American continents. Twelve hundred settlers, af- 

 ter founding New Edinburgh, the capital of their 

 intended colony, proceeded for some time with hopes 

 and alacrity in forming their settlement, and repulsed 

 the Spaniards who attacked them; but the English 

 immediately demanded of William the suppre 

 this colonial rivalship of the Scotch. Spain remonstra- 

 ted against a settlement on her territories; and Wil- 

 liam, afraid of a breach with Spain, coincided with the 

 angry jealousies of both nations. The supplies of 

 the colony were cut off from home ; and after eight 

 months, it was abandoned through famine and dis- 

 ease. Before the evacuation was reported, a second 

 and a third expedition had sailed from Scotland, but 

 they were again, as before, attacked by the Spa- 

 niards ; and though they gallantly repelled an army 

 of that nation, they were forced to capitulate to a 

 fleet from Carthagena, on condition of being allowed 

 to return home. The ships which were to bring 

 them home, were unprovided for so long a voyage ; 

 and the few adventurers who survived, were left to 

 languish in Spanish prisons, or to starve on English 

 plantations. The Scottish nation awaked from its 

 dreams of immense wealth, stript of its credit, its re- 

 sources, and its trade ; and there was scarcely one 

 family which had not to mourn a lost relation, or a 

 ruined fortune in this calamitous business. In justice 

 to the memory of William respecting this transaction, 

 it ought to be remembered, that the Scotch colonists 

 had no distinct right to settle in Spanish America ; 

 and that a war with Spain, unpopular among the 

 English, would have been the probable consequence 

 of pleasing the Scotch. 



William returned from humbling his enemies abroad, 

 only to be watched, distrusted, and humbled by his 

 own subjects at home. As the project of humbling 

 France was never distant from his mind,he had come to 

 regard a standing army as indispensible in England. 

 It is not impossible that his great mind, through the 

 power of habit, and by constant practice in war, had 

 acquired that love of military pomp and parade, 

 which, in itself, is so unworthy of greatness. This 

 passion for a standing army was, however, wise- 

 ly checked by his parliament, who passed a vote for 

 disbanding all his foreign troops, and reducing the 

 whole army to 7000 men. The mortification which 

 he felt on this occasion, is said to have inspired him 

 for a time, with the resolution of abandoning the 

 English sceptre and returning to Holland : his mini- 

 sters, however, persuaded him to pass the hill for re- 

 ducing the fjrces, and to change his resolution. 



The rest of William's reign was employed in dis- 

 putes with his parliament, which are not of the 

 highest interest, as they did not relate to the pri- 

 mary points in the constitution. The only warlike 

 enterprise in which the nation embarked from the 

 peace ui Ryswick to tin- king's death, was in aiding 

 Sweden, when the kings uf Denmark and lVi..i.d, 

 with the elector of Brandenburgh, formed a league 

 to ciush the young CiiiirKj tin Xllth. A fleet of 

 lirity sail of Eiiglis. . a;;d L/uich was sent into tiie 

 Baltic, under the coirm,,u,j u t oir George Ruokej 



TheUaricu 

 scheme. 



The En- 

 glish army 

 reduced by 

 the parlia- 

 ment. 



1700. 



Expedition 



to the Bal- 

 tic. 



