hated, where at first he had only despised. The Netherlanders, too, who
had been used to look up almost with worship to a plain man of kindly
manners, in felt hat and bargeman's woollen jacket, whom they called
"Father William," did not appreciate, as they ought, the magnificence of
the stranger who had been sent to govern them. The Earl was handsome,
quick-witted, brave; but he was, neither wise in council nor capable in
the field. He was intolerably arrogant, passionate, and revengeful.
He hated easily, and he hated for life. It was soon obvious that no
cordiality of feeling or of action could exist between him and the plain,
stubborn Hollanders. He had the fatal characteristic of loving only the
persons who flattered him. With much perception of character, sense of
humour, and appreciation of intellect, he recognized the power of the
leading men in the nation, and sought to gain them. So long as he hoped
success, he was loud in their praises. They were all wise, substantial,
well-languaged, big fellows, such as were not to be found in England or
anywhere else. When they refused to be made his tools, they became
tinkers, boors, devils, and atheists. He covered them with curses and
devoted them to the gibbet. He began by warmly commending Buys and
Barneveld, Hohenlo and Maurice, and endowing them with every virtue.
Before he left the country he had accused them of every crime, and would
cheerfully, if he could, have taken the life of every one of them. And
it was quite the same with nearly every Englishman who served with or
under him. Wilkes and Buckhurst, however much the objects of his
previous esteem; so soon as they ventured to censure or even to criticise
his proceedings, were at once devoted to perdition. Yet, after minute
examination of the record, public and private, neither Wilkes nor
Buckhurst can be found guilty of treachery or animosity towards him, but
are proved to have been governed, in all their conduct, by a strong sense
of duty to their sovereign, the Netherlands, and Leicester himself.