WILLIAM THE THIRD.

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that, graciously or ungraciously, ho would submit. It CIIAP ,would have been madness in him to contend against allWestern Europe on land; and it was physically impossiblefor him to wage war on the sea. William was thereforeable to indulge, during some weeks, the pleasing beliefthat he had by skill and firmness averted from the civilisedworld a general war which had lately seemed to be im-minent, and that he had secured the great community ofnations against the undue predominance of one too power-ful member.

But the pleasure and the pride with which he contem- Domestic

discon-

plated the success of his foreign policy gave place to very tout,different feelings as soon as he again had to deal with ourdomestic factions. And, indeed, those who most reverehis memory must acknowledge that, in dealing with thesefactions, he did not, at this time, show his wonted states-manship. For a wise man, he seems never to have beensufficiently aware how much offence is given by discourtesyin small things. His ministers had apprised him that theresult of the elections had been unsatisfactory, and that thetemper of the new representatives of the people would re-quire much management. Unfortunately he did not laythis intimation to heart. He had by proclamation fixed theopening of the Parliament for the 29th of November. Thiswas then considered as a very late day. For the Londonseason began together with Michaelmas Term; and, evenduring the war, the King had scarcely ever failed to receivethe compliments of his faithful Lords and Commons on the