immediately，theexorbitantpowerofFrance，andofrenderingtheconquestofSpainpracticable？bothwhichmighthavebeenbroughtabout，andconsequentlytheavowedendsofthewarmighthavebeenanswered，byacceptingtheexpedientthatFranceoffered。“France，“
itwassaid，“wasnotsincere：shemeantnothingmorethantoamuse，anddivide。“Thisreasonwasgivenatthetime；butsomeofthosewhogaveitthen，Ihaveseenashamedtoinsistonitsince。Francewasnotinaconditiontoactthepartshehadactedinformertreaties：andherdistresswasnobadpledgeofhersincerityonthisoccasion。Buttherewasabetterstill。Thestrongplacesthatshemusthaveputintothehandsoftheallies，wouldhaveexposedher，ontheleastbreachoffaith，tosee，notherfrontieralone，buteventheprovincesthatliebehindit，desolated：andprinceEugenemighthavehadthesatisfaction，itissaid，Iknownothowtruly，hedesired，ofmarchingwiththetorchinhishandtoVersailles。
Yourlordshipwillobserve，thattheconferencesatGertruydenbergendinginthemannertheydid，theinflexibilityofthealliesgavenewlifeandspirittotheFrenchandSpanishnations，distressedandexhaustedastheywere。ThetroopsoftheformerwithdrawnoutofSpain，andtheSpaniardslefttodefendthemselvesastheycould，theSpaniardsaloneobligedustoretreatfromMadrid，anddefeatedusinourretreat。Butyourlordshipmaythinkperhaps，asIdo，thatifLouistheFourteenthhadboundhimselfbyasolemntreatytoabandonhisgrandson，hadpaidasubsidytodethronehim，andhadconsentedtoacknowledgeanotherkingofSpain，theSpaniardswouldnothaveexertedthesamezealforPhilip；theactionsofAlmenaraandSaragossamighthavebeendecisive，andthoseofBrihuegaandVillaViciosawouldnothavehappened。Afteralltheseevents，howcouldanyreasonablemanexpectthatawarshouldbesupportedwithadvantageinSpain，towhichthecourtofViennahadcontributednothingfromthefirst，scarcebreadtotheirarchduke；
whichPortugalwagedfaintlyandwithdeficientquotas；andwhichtheDutchhadinamannerrenounced，byneglectingtorecruittheirforces？HowwasCharlestobeplacedontheSpanishthrone，orPhilipatleasttobedrivenoutofit？Bythesuccessoftheconfederatearmsinotherparts。Butwhatsuccess，sufficienttothispurpose，couldweexpect？Thisquestionmaybeansweredbest，byshowingwhatsuccesswehad。
PortugalandSavoydidnothingbeforethedeathoftheemperorJoseph；