William's message was delivered by Portland to Lewis at a private
audience. In a few days Pomponne and Torcy were authorised to
propose a plan. They fully admitted that all neighbouring states
were entitled to demand the strongest security against the union
of the French and Spanish crowns. Such security should be given.
The Spanish government might be requested to choose between the
Duke of Anjou and the Duke of Berry. The youth who was selected
would, at the utmost, be only fifteen years old, and could not be
supposed to have any very deeply rooted national prejudices. He
should be sent to Madrid without French attendants, should be
educated by Spaniards, should become a Spaniard. It was absurd to
imagine that such a prince would be a mere viceroy of France.
Apprehensions had been sometimes hinted that a Bourbon, seated on
the throne of Spain, might cede his dominions in the Netherlands
to the head of his family. It was undoubtedly important to
England, and all important to Holland, that those provinces
should not become a part of the French monarchy. All danger might
be averted by making them over to the Elector of Bavaria, who was
now governing them as representative of the Catholic King. The
Dauphin would be perfectly willing to renounce them for himself
and for all his descendants. As to what concerned trade, England
and Holland had only to say what they desired, and every thing in
reason should be done to give them satisfaction.

As this plan was, in the main, the same which had been suggested
by the French ministers in the former conference, Portland did
little more than repeat what he had then said. As to the new
scheme respecting the Netherlands, he shrewdly propounded a
dilemma which silenced Pomponne and Torcy.