al enthusiasm. He was one of
those great leaders who are worshipped from afar. Besides, it is not
an easy task to rule another's household. Benefits however great,
reforms however wise, are sure to be considered an impertinence by
some. Then--there might be another "Restoration," and wary ambitious
nobles were cautiously making a record which would not unfit them for
its benefits when it came. He lived in an atmosphere of conspiracy,
suspicion, and loyalty grudgingly bestowed. But these were only the
surface currents. Anglo-Saxon England recognized in this foreign King,
a man with the same race instincts, the same ideals of integrity,
honor, justice and personal liberty, as her own; qualities possessed by
few of her native sovereigns since the good King Alfred.

{130}

The expensive wars carried on against James and his confederate, Louis
XIV., compelled loans which were the beginning of the National Debt.
That and the establishing of the Bank of England, form part of the
history of this reign.

In 1702 William died, and Mary having also died a few years earlier,
the succession passed to her sister Anne, who was to be the last
Sovereign of the House of Stuart.

{131}

CHAPTER XI

William's policy had not been bounded by his Island Kingdom. It
included the cause of Protestant Europe. An apparently invincible King
sat on the throne of France, gradually drawing all adjacent Kingdoms
into his dominion. When in defiance of past pledges he placed his
grandson upon the vacant throne of Spain, and declared that the
Pyrenees should exist no more, even Catholic Austria revolted, and
beginning to fear Louis more than Protestantism, new combinations were
formed, England still holding aloof, and striving to keep out of the
Alliance. But that all-absorbing King had long ago fixed his eye upon
England as his future prey, and when he refused to recognize Anne as
lawful Queen and declared his intention of placing the "Pretender," son
of King James, {132} upon the throne, there could be no more
hesitation. This Jupiter who had removed the Pyrenees, might wipe out
the English Channel too! Hitherto the name Whig had stood for the
adherents to the war policy, and Tory for its opponents. Now, all was
changed. Even the stupid Anne and her Tory friends saw that William's
policy must be her policy if she would keep her Kingdom.

Fortunate was it for England, and for Europe at this time that a
"Marlborough" had cli