was not consistent with reason, to desist from an enterprise, where so
many prospects of success presented themselves, for such inconsiderable
obstacles; but he suffered himself to be intoxicated with chimeras and
visions, which unseasonably cooled the vigour of his pursuit, and led him
astray in another unprofitable undertaking.

[I apprehend he is the same George Hamilton already described, who
married Miss Jennings, and not the author of this work, as Lord
Orford supposes. In a letter from Arlington to Sir William
Godolphin, dated September 7, 1671, it is said, "the Conde de Molina
complains to us of certain levies Sir George Hamilton hath made in
Ireland. The king hath always told him he had no express license
for it; and I have told the Conde he must not find it strange that a
gentleman who had been bred the king's page abroad, and losing his
employment at home, for being a Roman Catholic, should have some
more than ordinary connivance towards the making his fortune abroad
by the countenance of his friends and relations in Ireland: and yet
take the matter in the worst sense he could give, it would not
amount to the breach of any article betwixt the king my master and
the court of Spain."--Arlington's letters, vol. ii., p. 332. In
a letter from the same nobleman to Lord Sandwich, written about
October, 1667, we find the cause of Sir George Hamilton's entering
into the French service "Concerning the reformadoes of, the guards
of horse, his majesty thought fit, the other day, to have them
dismissed, according to his promise, made to the parliament at the
last session. Mr. Hamilton had a secret overture made him, that he,
with those men, should be welcome into the French service; his
majesty, at their dismissal, having declared they should have leave
to go abroad whither they pleased. They accepted of Mr. Hamilton's
offer to carry them into France. "Arlington's Letters," vol. i., p.