them to attack a princess, whom they thought unable to form an army,
whom they believed they should rather pursue than engage, and whose
dominions might be overrun without bloodshed, and whom they should
conquer only by marching against.

Such a combination as this, a combination of monarchs, of which each
appeared able singly to have carried on a war against her, nothing but
the highest degree of magnanimity could have formed a design of
resisting; nor could that resistance have procured the least
advantages, or retarded for a single day the calamities that were
threatened, had it not been regulated by every martial virtue, had not
policy united with courage, and caution with activity.

Thus did the intrepidity of this princess, my lords, support her
against the storms that shook her kingdom on every side; thus did
those, whom her virtues gained over to her service, and whom her
example animated with contempt of superiour numbers, defend her
against the forces of all the surrounding nations, led on by monarchs,
and elated with the prospect of an easy conquest.

But the utmost that could be hoped from the most refined stratagems,
or the most exalted courage, was only that her fate might be deferred,
that she would not fall wholly unrevenged, that her enemies would
suffer with her, and that victory would not be gained without a
battle. It was evident, that bravery must in time give way to
strength, that vigour must be wearied, and policy exhausted, that by a
constant succession of new forces, the most resolute troops must be
overwhelmed; and that the house of Austria could only gain by the war,
the fatal honour of being gloriously extinguished.