JAMES THE SECOND.

29

content himself in the meantime with exercising a great in- c n^ p -fiuence on English affairs, as first Prince of the blood, and j GS1 .as head of the party which was decidedly preponderant inthe nation, and which was certain, whenever a Parliamentshould meet, to be decidedly preponderant in both Houses.

Already, it is true, he had been urged by an adviser, less Mordauntsagacious and more impetuous than himself, to try a bolder JTwu-"course. This adviser was the young Lord Mordaunt. Thatage had produced no more inventive genius, and no more on Eng-daring spirit. But, if a design was splendid, Mordaunt seldom Ia “ d ‘inquired whether it were practicable. His life was a wildromance made up of mysterious intrigues, both political andamorous, of violent and rapid changes of scene and fortune,and of victories resembling those of Amadis and Launcelotrather than those of Luxemburg and Eugene. The episodesinterspersed in this strange story were of a piece with themain plot. Among them were midnight encounters withgenerous robbers, and rescues of noble and beautiful ladiesfrom ravisliers. Mordaunt, having distinguished himself bythe eloquence and audacity with which, in the House of Lords,he had opposed the court, repaired, soon after the proro-gation, to the Hague, and strongly recommended an im-mediate descent on England. He had persuaded himself thatit would be as easy to surprise three great kingdoms as helong afterwards found it to surprise Barcelona. William Williamlistened, meditated, and replied, in general terms, that lie UH, ec a ',j-took a great interest in English affairs, and would keep liis’ ,lce -attention fixed on them.* Whatever his purpose had been,it is not likely that he would have chosen a rash and vain-glorious knight errant for his confidant. Between the twomen there was nothing in common except personal courage,which rose in both to the height of fabulous heroism.Mordaunt wanted merely to enjoy the excitement of conflict,and to make men stare. William had one great end everbefore him. Towards that end he was impelled by a strongpassion which appeared to him under the guise of a sacredduty. Towards that end he toiled with a patience resembling,

* Burnel, i. 762.