s place. The help afforded
by the English fleet in the Dutch war fell short of expectation, but
the effect of the agreement was to blot out England for many years.

De Witt, unable to face the storm, offered advantageous terms, which
were rejected, and then resigned office. The Prince of Orange took
the command of the army; but, at the approach of the French, eighty-
three Dutch fortresses opened their gates. At The Hague De Witt and
his brother were torn to pieces by an Orange mob, and Holland saved
itself by letting in the ocean.

William of Orange, never a very successful general, was a good
negotiator, and, excepting his own uncle Charles II, he soon had
Europe on his side. The French were driven over the Vosges by the
Imperialists. Turenne, in his last campaign, reconquered Alsace,
crossed the Rhine, and gave battle to Montecucculi. He fell, and his
army retired. Lewis XIV, to mark the greatness of the loss, at once
named six new marshals of France. Montecucculi resigned his
command. Having had the honour, he said, of fighting Turenne, and
having even defeated him, he would not risk his reputation against men
who were the small change for the great man who was dead. Lewis XIV
had 220,000 men under arms. Conde defeated William at Senef. As often
as Vauban defended a fortress, he held it; as often as he besieged a
fortress, it fell. The balance of victory inclined to France. England
gave no assistance, and the Prince of Orange came over, married the
eldest of the princesses, immensely strengthening his own position,
and hastening the conclusion of peace.

The peace of Nimeguen gave to Lewis XIV that predominant authority
over Europe which he retained undiminished, and even increased, during
at least ten years. He acquired a further portion of Belgium,
strengthening his frontier on the threatened line; he annexed Franche
Comte and he recovered Alsace. He had shown himself to be aggressive
and unscrupulous, but his military power was equal to his pretensions;
he was true to his humbler allies; his diplomatic foresight, and the
art of his combinations, were a revelation to his contemporaries.
They also knew that they would never be safe from renewed attack, as
the larger half of the coveted region, in the Low Countries,
Luxemburg, and Lorraine, was still unabsorbed. His interest was
clearly recognised. His policy had been openly declared. With so
much ambition, capacity, and power, the future was e