there as they are,
any longer than he lives at most."

He then suggests that the Earl would have it in his power to prevent the
dangers resulting from a disputed succession, "which can only be
prevented by restoring the rightful and lineal heir."

"I can assure your Lordship," he continues, "my master has so many good
qualities, that he will make the nation happie, and wants but to be
known to be beloved; and I dare promise in his name, that there is not
any thing you could ask of him, reasonable, for yourself and your
friends, but he would agree to. My master is young, in perfect good
health, and as likely to live as any who has pretensions to his crown,
and he is now about marrying, which, in all appearance, will perpetuate
rightfull successors to him of his own body, who will ever have more
friends in those kingdoms, as well as abroad, than to allow the house of
Hanover to continue in possession of their right without continual
disturbance."

The Earl then suggests that George the First should secure to himself
the possession of "his old and just inheritance, and by the assistance
of '_his master_,' and those who would join, acquire such new ones on
the Continent as would make his family more considerable than any of its
neighbours.

"Britain and Ireland will have reason to bless your master for so good
and Christian an action; and Europe no less for the repose it would have
by it: and your master would live the remainder of his life in all the
tranquillity and splendour that could be required, and end his days with
the character of good and just."

Lord Mar was at this time on the borders of France, where he proposed to
wait until he received Lord Sunderland's reply, in hopes that the
Minister of George the First might be induced to give him a meeting,
either in France or Flanders. "If you approve not of what I have said,"
he adds, "let it be buried on your side, as, upon my honour, it shall be
on mine." "I am afraid," he adds in a postscript, "you know not my hand;
but I have no other way of assuring you of this being no counterfeit
than by writing it myself, and putting my seal to it."

The following remarks on this letter are interesting; they were penned
by Dr. Coxe:

"Singular as this overture, made at such a period, may appear, we have
strong proofs that it was not discouraged by Sunderland; for he not only
procured a pension for the exiled nobleman, but even flattered the
Jacobites with hopes that h