For should Spain support one of the contending parties, France might
support the other, and thus maintain the equilibrium of Europe.

"That this balance is the sole object of the allies, and particularly of
England; and for this reason it was necessary to take from France the
power of making offensive war, daily, and alone, against all Europe, in-
sulting her neighbours, invading their territories, and rendering the will
of her king an universal law.

"That the queen is ready to acknowledge King Stanislaus, and to
guarantee the peace of Alt Ranstadt, and will use all her efforts to re-
move the objections of the Dutch, against concurring jointly with her
majesty in regard to those two points.

"That her Britannic majesty well knows the king of Sweden has no
reason to be satisfied with the Dutch; perhaps she is not so herself, and
does not know what may in future happen; that she relies most on the
king's friendship, and desires him to be well convinced of her friendship
on all occasions.

"That the conduct of the emperor in Italy opens the eyes of all the
world; while the absolute principles with which the court of Vienna
affects to govern the whole empire, are neither consonant to the interest
nor to the inclination of England and Holland; but it is not yet time to
announce this sentiment. That it is allowed the emperor has given many
causes of resentment to the king of Sweden, and that the latter has a right
to protect the college of princes, and the Protestant religion, unjustly
persecuted in Silesia and in the palatinate, as well as to obtain satisfaction
for the elector palatine.

"That the queen entreats the king of Sweden to take no public cogni-
zance of these affairs, until the general peace, and in that case promises
to act in concurrence with him for the affairs of the empire, to confine
the emperor within just bounds, and to exact full satisfaction, in regard
to religion, to the Germanic empire, and to his Swedish majesty in par-
ticular.

"That if the king of Sweden will permit the allies to make this cam.
paign without interference, by withdrawing his army from Germany,
and undertake nothing which may directly or indirectly divert them, the
next winter they may listen to propositions of peace; because France
may become more weary of war, when she sees the allies resolved to con-
tinue it. While the king of Sweden, who is justice itself, is well inclined
to support the equilibrium of Europe and the common security; France
will not fail to make more equitable propositions for the re-establishment
of general tranquillity. That if the king of Sweden maintains a corps
in the empire or on the frontiers, it will create alarm in some, and
jealousy in others.

"This is the political rhapsody of an idle tradesman, who loves to exer-
cise his ingenuity in divining what were the arguments which, perhaps,
the Duke of Marlborough employed at the court of Sweden, to persuade
the king not to accept the mediation offered by France." ^*

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