WILLIAM TIIE THIRD.

141

Yorkshire and Norfolk, Cheshire, Shropshire and Wor- chap.

xxi11.

cestershiro. While he was forced to be with us he wasweary of us, pining for his home, counting the hours to theprorogation. As soon as the passing of the last bill ofsupply had set him at liberty, he turned his back on hisEnglish subjects: he hastened to his seat in Guelders,where, during some months, he might be free from the an-noyance of seeing English faces and hearing Englishwords; and he would with difficulty tear himself away fromhis favourite spot when it became absolutely necessary thathe should again ask for English money.

Thus his subjects murmured; but, in spite of their mur-murs , he set off in high spirits. It had been arranged thatTallard should speedily follow him, and that the discussionin which they had been engaged at Kensington should beresumed at Loo.

Heinsius, whose cooperation was indispensable, would Poriiami

7 A ‘ returns

be there. Portland too would lend his assistance,

He had just returned. He had always considered hismission as an extraordinary mission, of which the ob-ject was to put the relations between the two greatWestern powers on a proper footing after a long series ofyears during which England had been sometimes theenemy, but never the equal friend, of France. His taskhad been well performed: and he now came back, leavingbehind him the reputation of an excellent minister, firm yetcautious as to substance, dignified yet conciliating in man-ner. His last audience at Versailles was unusually long;