ose who had experienced the arrogance of this overgrown
favorite, the prince of Wales himself had not been entirely spared; and
a great coldness, if not an enmity, had, for that reason, taken place
between them. Buckingham, desirous of an opportunity which might connect
him with the prince, and overcome his aversion, and, at the same
time envious of the great credit acquired by Bristol in the Spanish
negotiation, bethought himself of an expedient by which he might at once
gratify both these inclinations. He represented to Charles, that persons
of his exalted station were peculiarly unfortunate in their marriage,
the chief circumstance of life; and commonly received into their arms
a bride unknown to them, to whom they were unknown; not endeared
by sympathy, not obliged by service; wooed by treaties alone, by
negotiations, by political interests: that however accomplished the
infanta, she must still consider herself as a melancholy victim of
state, and could not but think with aversion of that day when she was to
enter the bed of a stranger; and, passing into a foreign country and a
new family, bid adieu forever to her father's house and to her native
land: that it was in the prince's power to soften all these rigors and
lay such an obligation on her, as would attach the most indifferent
temper, as would warm the coldest affections: that his journey to Madrid
would be an unexpected gallantry, which would equal all the fictions of
Spanish romance, and, suiting the amorous and enterprising character of
that nation, must immediately introduce him to the princess under the
agreeable character of a devoted lover and daring adventurer: that
the negotiations with regard to the Palatinate, which had hitherto
languished in the hands of ministers, would quickly he terminated by so
illustrious an agent, seconded by the mediation and entreaties of the
grateful infanta: that Spanish generosity, moved by that unexampled
trust and confidence, would make concessions beyond what could be
expected from political views and considerations: and that he would
quickly return to the king with the glory of having reestablished
the unhappy palatine, by the same enterprise which procured him the
affections and the person of the Spanish princess.[*]

The mind of the young prince, replete with candor, was inflamed by these
generous and romantic ideas suggested by Buckingham. He agreed to make
application to the king for his approbation. They chose th