tenacious woman, whose ambitious cupidities were not inferior in
obstinacy to Kaiser Karl's, and proved not quite so shadowy as
his. Elizabeth also wanted several things: renunciation of your
(Kaiser Karl's) shadowy claims; nay of sundry real usurpations you
and your Treaties have made on the actual possessions of Spain,--
Kingdom of Sicily, for instance; Netherlands, for instance;
Gibraltar, for instance. But there is one thing which, we observe,
is indispensable throughout to Elizabeth Farnese: the future
settlement of her dear Boy Carlos. Carlos, whom as Spanish
Philip's second Wife she had given to Spain and the world, as
Second or supplementary INFANT there,--a troublesome gift to Spain
and others.

"This dear Boy, surely he must have his Italian Apanages, which,
you have provided for him: Duchies of Parma and Piacenza, which
will fall heirless soon. Security for these Italian Apanages, such
as will satisfy a Mother: Let us introduce Spanish garrisons into
Parma and Piacenza at once! How else can we be certain of getting
those indispensable Apanages, when they fall vacant?" On this
point Elizabeth Farnese was positive, maternally vehement;
would take no subterfuge, denial or delay: "Let me perceive that
I shall have these Duchies: that, first of all; or else not that
only, but numerous other things will be demanded of you!"

Upon which point the Kaiser too, who loved his Duchies, and hoped
yet to keep them by some turn of the game, never could decide to
comply. Whereupon Elizabeth grew more and more termagant; listened
to wild counsels; took up an Alberoni, a Ripperda, any wandering
diplomatic bull-dog that offered; and let them loose upon the
Kaiser and her other gainsayers. To the terror of mankind, lest