54 James Muilenburg 



Dykvelt neglected nothing of that which could assure the interests of the Prince 

 of Orange. He formed first of all a redoubtable opposition, and soon all those who 

 had a political importance in the nation, united themselves and formed a sort of 

 secret parliament where public affairs were deliberated upon. But following the 

 expression of a just and profound historian qui dcliberant, desciverunt, and they 

 finally formed a real conspiracy. 



Many of the letters which these leaders wrote to the Prince of 

 Orange are printed in Dalrymple's famous collection. They 

 indicate the degree of confidence that the leaders placed in the 

 Prince. It is this correspondence which presents concrete evi- 

 dence of the gradual growth of the plot until its culmination in 

 the invitation of June 30, 1688. 246 It is significant to note that 

 it was at the home of the earl of Shrewsbury that this invitation 

 was drawn up. 247 



George Saville, Earl of Halifax, was in touch with the Prince 

 long before the coming of Dykvelt. 248 It is true that he was not 

 the most aggressive of the supporters of the Prince, but he was 

 careful and discreet. His sympathies were strongly for William 

 and the Protestant succession, but he hesitated to enter into 

 plans when he could not foresee their outcome. His writings are an 

 important part of the literature of the period. They are charac- 

 terized by ready wit, insight into character, delicate observa- 

 tion of manners, and poignancy. He was active as a pamphleteer, 

 and at the time of the Scotch Declaration of Indulgence he was 

 active in resisting the policy of the King. 249 Dalrymple, hasty 

 and too enthusiastic for a partisan cause, brands him "with that 

 indetermination which commonly makes literary men of no use to 

 the world." It is true that Halifax was fond of disquisition 

 and that he often vexed the more radical of James's opponents. 

 But at the time of Halifax's removal from office, James said to 

 Barillon, "I do not suppose the king your master will be sorry 

 for the removal of Halifax. I know that it will mortify the 

 ministers of the allies." And James prophesied correctly, for the 



24e Dalrymple, p. 226 f. 



247 Burnet, p. 452. 



248 His letters in Dalrymple, p. 186, though they are written early in the year 

 1687, show an earlier acquaintance with the Prince of Orange. 



249 Mazure, vol. ii, p. 213. 



138 



