Retrospect of French Literature—History. 
*« England,” we are told, “ did not 
demand trem Louis XIV. any onerous or 
disayreeable engagement; all required, 
in return, was a simple complimentary 
letter, te make known that he accepted 
a general proposition for a peace, which 
he might flatter himself to be able here- 
after to conclude, om equitable’ condi- 
tions;- while he himself had hitherto 
agreed to purchase a treaty by the most 
painful and even humiliating sacritices. 
Notwithstanding this, some of his minis- 
ters were of opinion, that such a flatter- 
ing expectation ought not to be yielded 
to, alledging at the same time, that the. 
Dutch then, as heretofore, would not 
fail to insist on too many advantages cn _— 
their own side, and, failing of these, 
would be sure to put an end to the nego- 
tiation. 
“ The marquis.de Torcy, however, 
conciliated all parties, by proposing to 
cause it to be declared to the English 
rainister, that the King, justly irritated at 
the conduct of the States-General, would 
no longer listen to any terms of peace, 
which might be negotiated through their 
means; but that he would most readily 
treat by means of the court of St. 
James's. The Abbé Gaultier having 
learned this decision, immediately set 
off for England, with a letter to the 
Earl of Jersey, about the end of Janu- 
ary. Soon afer this, he transmitted 
notice to M. de Torcy, that while the 
cabmet of Great Britain participated 
fully in the reasons which prevented 
France from negotiating through the in- 
tervention of the Dutch, it was at the 
same time necessary on the part of the 
King, to transmit the terms of a general 
peace, in order to be communicated to 
the Queen’s allies. On the receipt of 
this communication, it was replied on 
the part of Louis XIV., that bis Majesty 
still persisted in his resolution, of ab- 
staining from all intercourse with Hol- 
land, and that he now proposed to the 
Queen of England, to assemble a con- 
sress, before the opening of the cam- 
paign, in which all the powers engaged 
in the war might regulate the conditions 
of a general and definitive peace.” This 
was accordingly complied with, and 
finally led to the treaty of Utrecht, a 
treaty unpopular in England, and which 
led to the impeachment and disgrace 
of its authors. | 
Before we conclude this interesting 
article, we shall transcribe a specimen . 
The following is a. 
of the letters. 
free translation of an epistle from 
673 
Louis XIV. to the Queen* (Anne) of 
England : 
“ Marli, this 22d June, 1712. 
“ Mapbam, My SISTER, 
“ J am about to do for you what I 
would never have granted at the request 
of any other person, but Iam happy to 
furnish: new means of advancing the ob-, 
ject of peace; and [ wish at the same 
time to evince to all the world, that en- 
tire confidence which I piace in you. 
It is impossible for me to give more cer- 
tain proofs of this, than by committing 
to your Majesty, during the suspension 
of arms, the guard of my city, citadel, 
and forts of Dunkirk. 
«¢ J hope that this mark of my entire 
esteem and amity, joined to the renun- , 
ciation which the King of Spain makes 
for himself and his descendants, of his 
rights to my crown, will wholly re- 
establish that perfect union, which I am 
desirous of ever preserving with you; 
being very truly, 
« Madam, my Sister, 
“ Your good Brother, 
hak “« Louis.” 
Letter from Lord Bolingbroke to the . 
Marquis de Torcy: 
“ Whitehall, this 
“<. SER, ; 
“ On the 14th of this month, (O. S. } 
I received, by Lavigne, your dispatches of 
the 22d, (.N.S.) and I have only waited 
for letters from the Duke of Ormond, to 
return you an answer. ‘The corres- 
pondence arrived this morning, and, in 
the mean time, your courier has brought 
me the letters which you did me the 
honor to write on the 27th current. 
The details transmitted by the Duke of 
Ormond, are in strict. conformity to 
what you mention, and I have not tailed 
to read all these dispatches to the Queen, 
“ Her Majesty, Sir, commands me to 
tell you, that it 1s with the most sensible 
displeasure she perceives that the ene- 
mics of peace still find means to retard 
the conclusion of it, subjecting the ne- 
eotiation to new difficulties and new - 
dangers ; but as her Majesty has adopted 
a firm resolution of not yielding to any 
obstacles calculated to impede it, and 
to continue to labour, in conjunction 
with the King, for the re-establishinent - 
of the public repose, she doubts not but » 
we shall be «ble to render useless, this’ 
last effort of those, who wish either to 
_* The original letter was written by the. 
king’s own hand. : 
20th June, 
Asegaiyg oto 
purchase 
