King of England is very sharpsighted, that his
judgment is sound, and that, if we try to spin the negotiation out, he
will very soon perceive that we are trifling with him." [14]

During some time projects and counterprojects continued to pass and
repass between Kensington and Versailles. Something was conceded on both
sides; and when the session of Parliament ended there seemed to be fair
hopes of a settlement. And now the scene of the negotiation was again
changed. Having been shifted from France to England, it was shifted from
England to Holland. As soon as William had prorogued the Houses, he
was impatient to be again in his native land. He felt all the glee of a
schoolboy who is leaving harsh masters and quarrelsome comrades to pass
the Christmas holidays at a happy home. That stern and composed face
which had been the same in the pursuit at the Boyne and in the rout at
Landen, and of which the keenest politicians had in vain tried to read
the secrets, now wore an expression but too intelligible. The English
were not a little provoked by seeing their King so happy. Hitherto his
annual visits to the Continent had been not only pardoned but approved.
It was necessary that he should be at the head of his army. If he had
left his people, it had been in order to put his life in jeopardy for
their independence, their liberty, and their religion. But they had
hoped that, when peace had been restored, when no call of duty required
him to cross the sea, he would generally, during the summer and autumn,
reside in his fair palaces and parks on the banks of the Thames, or
travel from country seat to country seat, and from cathedral town to
cathedral town, making himself acquainted with every shire of his realm,
and giving his hand to be kissed by multitudes of squires, clergymen and
aldermen who were not likely ever to see him unless he came among them.
It now appeared that he was sick of the noble residences which had
descended to him from ancient princes; that he was sick even of those
mansions which the liberality of Parliament had enabled him to build and
embellish according to his own taste; that he was sick of Windsor, of
Richmond, and of Hampton; that he promised himself no enjoyment from a
progress through those flourishing and populous counties which he
had never seen, Yorkshire and Norfolk, Cheshire, Shropshire and
Worcestershire. While he was forced to be with us, he was weary of us,
pining for his home, counting th