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therefore the favourite candidate of prudent and peaceablemen in every country.

Thus all Europe was divided into the French, the Aus-trian, and the Bavarian factions. The contests of thesefactions were daily renewed in every place where mencongregated, from Stockholm to Malta, and from Lisbon toSmyrna. But the fiercest and most obstinate conflict wasthat which raged in the palace of the Catholic King. Muchdepended on him. For, though it was not pretended thathe was competent to alter by his sole authority the lawwhich regulated the descent of the Crown, yet, in a case inwhich the law was doubtful, it was probable that his sub-jects might be disposed to accept the construction which hemight put upon it, and to support the claimant whom hemight, either by a solemn adoption or by will, designateas the rightful heir. It was also in the power of the reign-ing sovereign to entrust all the most important offices in hiskingdom, the government of all the provinces subject tohim in the Old and in the New World, and the keys of allhis fortresses and arsenals, to persons zealous for thefamily which he was inclined to favour. It was difficult tosay to what extent the fate of whole nations might beaffected by the conduct of the officers who, at the time ofhis decease, might command the garrisons of Barcelona,ofMons, and of Namur.

The prince on whom so much depended was the mostmiserable of human beings. In old times he would havebeen exposed as soon as he came into the world; and to ex-