WILLIAM AND MAEY.

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William had saved the coalition from the danger of perishing chap.by disunion. But by no remonstrance, by no entreaty, by no - 1692 ’ ~bribe, could he prevail on his allies to be early in the field. LewisThey ought to have profited by the severe lesson which had Oo id'.been given them in the preceding year. But again every oneof them lingered, and wondered why the rest were lingering;and again he who singly wielded the whole power of France wasfound, as his haughty motto had long boasted, a match for amultitude of adversaries.* Ilis enemies, while still unready,learned with dismay that he had taken the field in person at thehead of his nobility. On no occasion had that gallant aristo-cracy appeared with more splendour in his train. A single cir-cumstance may suffice to give a notion of the pomp and luxuryof his camp. Among the musketeers of his household rode, forthe first time, a stripling of seventeen, who soon afterwardssucceeded to the title of Duke of Saint Simon, and to whom weowe those inestimable memoirs which have preserved, for thedelight and instruction of many lands and of many generations,the vivid picture of a France which has long passed away.Though the boy’s family was at that time very hard pressed formoney, he travelled with thirty five horses and sumpter mules.

The princesses of the blood, each surrounded by a groupe ofhighborn and graceful ladies, accompanied the King; and thesmiles of so many charming women inspired the throng of vainand voluptuous but highspirited gentlemen with more thancommon courage. In the brilliant crow’d which surrounded theFrench Augustus appeared the French Virgil, the graceful, thetender, the melodious Racine. He had, in conformity withthe prevailing fashion, become devout, had given up w'ritingfor the theatre; and, having determined to apply himselfvigorously to the discharge of the duties which belonged to himas historiographer of France, he now came to see the great* “Nec pluribus impair.”

Macaulay, History. VII .

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