govern the world by acquiring dominion over its anointed rulers. A
smooth and supple slave in appearance, but, in reality, while his power
lasted, the despot of his masters, he exercised boundless control by
enacting their parts with such fidelity that they were themselves
deceived. It is impossible not to admire the facility with which this
accomplished Proteus successively assumed the characters of Philip and of
Margaret, through all the complicated affairs and voluminous
correspondence of his government.

When envoys of high rank were to be despatched on confidential missions
to Spain, the Cardinal drew their instructions as the Duchess--threw
light upon their supposed motives in secret letters as the King's sister
--and answered their representations with ponderous wisdom as Philip;
transmitting despatches, letters and briefs for royal conversations,
in time to be thoroughly studied before the advent of the ambassador.
Whoever travelled from Brussels to Madrid in order to escape the
influence of the ubiquitous Cardinal, was sure to be confronted with him
in the inmost recesses of the King's cabinet as soon as he was admitted
to an audience. To converse with Philip or Margaret was but to commune
with Antony. The skill with which he played his game, seated quietly in
his luxurious villa, now stretching forth one long arm to move the King
at Madrid, now placing Margaret upon what square he liked, and dealing
with Bishops, Knight of the Fleece, and lesser dignitaries, the
Richardota, the Morillons, the Viglii and the Berlaymonts, with sole
reference to his own scheme of action, was truly of a nature to excite
our special wonder. His aptitude for affairs and his power to read
character were extraordinary; but it was necessary that the affairs
should be those of a despotism, and the characters of an inferior nature.
He could read Philip and Margaret, Egmont or Berlaymont, Alva or Viglius,
but he had no plummet to sound the depths of a mind like that of William