had naturally fixed his eyes on the puissant and sagacious prince who now
occupied, the British throne. Now was the time, he urged, for James to
immortalize his name by becoming the arbiter of the destiny of Europe.
It would always seem his own design, although Henry was equally
interested in it with himself. The plan was vast but simple,
and perfectly easy of execution. There would be no difficulty in
constructing an all-powerful league of sovereigns for the destruction of
the house of Austria, the foundation-stones of which would of course be
France, Great Britain, and the United Provinces. The double marriage
between the Bourbon and Stuart families would indissolubly unite the two
kingdoms, while interest and gratitude; a common hatred and a common
love, would bind the republic as firmly to the union. Denmark and Sweden
were certainly to be relied upon, as well as all other Protestant
princes. The ambitious and restless Duke of Savoy would be gained by
the offer of Lombardy and a kingly crown, notwithstanding his matrimonial
connection with Spain. As for the German princes, they would come
greedily into the arrangement, as the league, rich in the spoils of the
Austrian house, would have Hungary, Bohemia, Silesia, Moravia, the
archduchies, and other splendid provinces to divide among them.

The pope would be bought up by a present, in fee-simple, of Naples, and
other comfortable bits of property, of which he was now only feudal lord.
Sicily would be an excellent sop for the haughty republic of Venice.
The Franche Comte; Alsace, Tirol, were naturally to be annexed to
Switzerland; Liege and the heritage of the Duke of Cleves and Juliers
to the Dutch commonwealth.

The King of France, who, according to De Rosny's solemn assertions, was
entirely ignorant of the whole scheme, would, however, be sure to embrace
it very heartily when James should propose it to him, and would be far