be kissed by multitudes of squires, clergymen and aldermen who
were not likely ever to see him unless he came among them. It now
appeared that he was sick of the noble residences which had
descended to him from ancient princes; that he was sick even of
those mansions which the liberality of Parliament had enabled him
to build and embellish according to his own taste; that he was
sick of Windsor, of Richmond, and of Hampton; that he promised
himself no enjoyment from a progress through those flourishing
and populous counties which he had never seen, Yorkshire and
Norfolk, Cheshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire. While he was
forced to be with us, he was weary of us, pining for his home,
counting the hours to the prorogation. As soon as the passing of
the last bill of supply had set him at liberty, he turned his
back on his English subjects; he hastened to his seat in
Guelders, where, during some months, he might be free from the
annoyance of seeing English faces and hearing English words; and
he would with difficulty tear himself away from his favourite
spot when it became absolutely necessary that he should again ask
for English money.

Thus his subjects murmured; but, in spite of their murmurs, he
set off in high spirits. It had been arranged that Tallard should
speedily follow him, and that the discussion in which they had
been engaged at Kensington should be resumed at Loo.

Heinsius, whose cooperation was indispensable, would be there.
Portland too would lend his assistance. He had just returned. He
had always considered his mission as an extraordinary mission, of
which the object was to put the relations between the two great
Western powers on a proper footing after a long series of years