It then quickly appeared, my lords, how little is to be expected from
cold persuasion, and how necessary it is, that he who would engage
others in a task of difficulty, should show himself willing to partake
the labour which he recommends. No sooner had we declared our
resolution to fulfil our stipulations, and ordered our troops to march
for the relief of the queen of Hungary, than other princes discovered
that they had the same dispositions, though they had hitherto thought
it prudent to conceal them; that they, equally with ourselves, hated
and feared the French; that they were desirous to repress their
insolence and oppose their conquests, and only waited for the motions
of some power who might stand at the head of the confederacy, and lead
them forwards against the common enemy. The liberal promises of
dominion made by the French, by which the sovereigns of Germany had
been tempted to concur in a design which they thought themselves
unable to oppose, were now no longer regarded; they were considered
only as the boasts of imaginary greatness, which would at last vanish
into air; and every one knew, that the ultimate design of Europe was
to oppress equally her enemies and friends; they wisely despised her
offers, and either desisted from the designs to which they had been
incited by her, or declared themselves ready to unite against her.
Pages:
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487