in

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VICTOBIES OF FKANCE. 361

•were perfectly kept, up, but from that moment the resolution
was taken and always well sustained.

The year afterwards the King led in person the siege of
Ghent. The peace of Nimeguen ended this year the war with
Holland, Spain, &c.; and on the commencement of the fol-
lowing year, that with the Emperor and the empire. America,.
Africa, the Archipelago, Sicily, acutely felt the power of
Trance, and in 1684 Luxembourg was the price of the delay
of the Spaniards in fulfilling all the conditions of the peace.
Genoa, bombarded, was forced to come in the persons of its
doge and four of its senators, to sue for peace at the com-
mencement of the following year. From this date, until 16S8,,
the time passed in the cabinet less in f£tes than in devotion
and constraint. Here finishes the apogeum of this reign, and
the fulness of glory and prosperity. The great captains, the
great ministers, were no more, but their pupils remained. The
second epoch of the reign was very different from the first; but
the third was even more sadly dissimilar.

I have related the adventure which led to the wars of this
period; how an ill-made window-frame was noticed at the
Trianon, then building; how Louvois was blamed for it; his
alarm lest his disgrace should follow; his determination to en-
gage the King in a war which should turn him from his
building fancies. He carried out his resolve: with what result
I have already shown. France was ruined at home; and
abroad, despite the success of her arms, gained nothing. On
the contrary, the withdrawal of the King from Gembloux,
•when he might have utterly defeated the Prince of Orange,
did us infinite harm, as I have shown in its place. The peace
which followed this war was disgraceful. The King was ob-
liged to acknowledge the Prince of Orange as King of England,
after having so long shown hatred and contempt for him. Our
precipitation, too, cost us Luxembourg; and the ignorance of
our plenipotentiaries gave our enemies great advantages in
forming their frontier. Such was the peace of Ryswick, con-
cluded in September, 1697.

This peace seemed as though it would allow France some