THE INTERREGNUM.

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Lords lie had done all in his power to prevent a settlement. CI ^ 1 '-He now exerted, for the same end, all his influence over the 16S8Princess Anne. But his influence over her was small indeedwhen compared with that of the Churchills, who wisely calledto their help two powerful allies, Tillotson, who, as a spiritualdirector, had, at that time, immense authority, and LadyRussell, whose noble and gentle virtues, proved by the mostcruel of all trials, had gained for her the reputation of a saint.

The Princess of Denmark, it was soon known, was willingthat William should reign for life; and it was evident that todefend the cause of the daughters of James against themselveswas a hopeless task. *

And now William thought that the time had come when he Williamought to explain himself. He accordingly sent for Halifax, t^views.Danby, Shrewsbury, and some other political leaders of greatnote, and, with that air of stoical apathy under which he had,from a boy, been in the habit of concealing his strongestemotions, addressed to them a few deeply meditated andweighty words.

He had hitherto, he said, remained silent; he had usedneither solicitation nor menace: he had not even suffered ahint of his opinions or wishes to get abroad: but a crisis hadnow arrived at which it was necessary for him to declare hisintentions. He had no right and no wish to dictate to theConvention. All that he claimed was the privilege of decliningany office which he felt that he could not hold with honour tohimself and with benefit to the public.

A strong party was for a Regency. It was for the Housesto determine whether such an arrangement would be for theinterest of the nation. He had a decided opinion on thatpoint; and he thought it right to say distinctly that he wouldnot be Regent.

Another party was for placing the Princess on the throne,and for giving to him, during her life, the title of King, andsuch a share in the administration as she might be pleased toallow him. He could not stoop to such a post. He esteemed

* Clarendon's Diary. Feb. 5.16815; Duchess of Marlborough’s Vindi-cation; Mulgrave’s Account of the Revolution.