occur misunderstandings: and therefrom many foreign wars, some of
them by no means unnecessary. With China, or some distant country, too
unintelligent of us and too unintelligible to us, there still sometimes
rises necessary occasion for a war. Nevertheless wars--misunderstandings
that get to the length of arguing themselves out by sword and
cannon--have, in these late generations of improved intercourse, been
palpably becoming less and less necessary; have in a manner become
superfluous, if we had a little wisdom, and our Foreign Office on a good
footing.

Of European wars I really hardly remember any, since Oliver Cromwell's
last Protestant or Liberation war with Popish antichristian Spain some
two hundred years ago, to which I for my own part could have contributed
my life with any heartiness, or in fact would have subscribed money
itself to any considerable amount. Dutch William, a man of some heroism,
did indeed get into troubles with Louis Fourteenth; and there rested
still some shadow of Protestant Interest, and question of National and
individual Independence, over those wide controversies; a little money
and human enthusiasm was still due to Dutch William. Illustrious Chatham
also, not to speak of his Manilla ransoms and the like, did one thing:
assisted Fritz of Prussia, a brave man and king (almost the only
sovereign King I have known since Cromwell's time) like to be borne down
by ignoble men and sham-kings; for this let illustrious Chatham too have
a little money and human enthusiasm,--a little, by no means much. But
what am I to say of heaven-born Pitt the son of Chatham? England sent
forth her fleets and armies; her money into every country; money as
if the heaven-born Chancellor had got a Fortunatus' purse; as if this
Island had become a volcanic fountain of gold, or new terrestrial sun
capable of radiating mere guineas. The result of all which, what was
it? Elderly men can remember the tar-barrels burnt for success and
thrice-immortal victory in the business; and yet what result had we? The
French Revolution, a Fact decreed in the Eternal Councils, could not
be put down: the result was, that heaven-born Pitt had actually been
fighting (as the old Hebrews would have said) against the Lord,--that
the Laws of Nature were stronger than Pitt. Of whom therefore there
remains chiefly his unaccountable radiation of guineas, for the
gratitude of posterity. Thank you for nothing,--for eight hundred
millions _less