WILLIAM AND MAEY.

125

green on which the eye, wearied by warm tints and glaringlights, reposes with pleasure. A just understanding; an inex-haustible yet never redundant flow of rational, gentle, andsprightly conversation; a temper of which the serenity w r asnever for a moment ruffled; a tact which surpassed the tact ofher sex as much as the tact of her sex surpasses the tact of ours;such were the qualities which made the widow of a buffoon firstthe confidential friend, and then the spouse, of the proudestand most powerful of European kings. It was said that Lewishad been with difficulty prevented by the arguments and vehe-ment entreaties of Louvois from declaring her Queen of France.It is certain that she regarded Louvois as her enemy. Herhatred of him, cooperating perhaps with better feelings, in-duced her to plead the cause of the unhappy people of theRhine. She appealed to those sentiments of compassion which,though weakened by many corrupting influences, were notaltogether extinct in her husband's mind, and to those senti-ments of religion which had too often impelled him to cruelty,but which, on the present occasion, w r ere on the side of huma-nity. He relented: and Treves was spared.* In truth he couldhardly fail to perceive that he had committed a great error.The devastation of the Palatinate, while it had not in anysensible degree lessened the power of his enemies, had inflamedtheir animosity, and had furnished them with inexhaustiblematter for invective. The cry of vengeance rose on every side.Whatever scruple either branch of the House of Austria mighthave felt about coalescing with Protestants was completelyremoved. Lewis accused the Emperor and the Catholic Kingof having betrayed the cause of the Church; of having alliedthemselves with an usurper wdio w r as the avowed champion ofthe great schism; of having been accessary to the foul wrongdone to a law'ful sovereign who was guilty of no crime but zeal* Memoirs of Saint Simon.

CHAP.

XI.

1680 .