William’s message was delivered by Portland to Lewis at a private audience.  In a few days Pomponne and Torcy were authorised to propose a plan.  They fully admitted that all neighbouring states were entitled to demand the strongest security against the union of the French and Spanish crowns.  Such security should be given.  The Spanish government might be requested to choose between the Duke of Anjou and the Duke of Berry.  The youth who was selected would, at the utmost, be only fifteen years old, and could not be supposed to have any very deeply rooted national prejudices.  He should be sent to Madrid without French attendants, should be educated by Spaniards, should become a Spaniard.  It was absurd to imagine that such a prince would be a mere viceroy of France.  Apprehensions had been sometimes hinted that a Bourbon, seated on the throne of Spain, might cede his dominions in the Netherlands to the head of his family.  It was undoubtedly important to England, and all important to Holland, that those provinces should not become a part of the French monarchy.  All danger might be averted by making them over to the Elector of Bavaria, who was now governing them as representative of the Catholic King.  The Dauphin would be perfectly willing to renounce them for himself and for all his descendants.  As to what concerned trade, England and Holland had only to say what they desired, and every thing in reason should be done to give them satisfaction.

As this plan was, in the main, the same which had been suggested by the French ministers in the former conference, Portland did little more than repeat what he had then said.  As to the new scheme respecting the Netherlands, he shrewdly propounded a dilemma which silenced Pomponne and Torcy.

If renunciations were of any value, the Dauphin and his posterity were excluded from the Spanish succession; and, if renunciations were of no value, it was idle to offer England and Holland a renunciation as a guarantee against a great danger.

The French Ministers withdrew to make their report to their master, and soon returned to say that their proposals had been merely first thoughts, that it was now the turn of King William to suggest something, and that whatever he might suggest should receive the fullest and fairest consideration.

And now the scene of the negotiation was shifted from Versailles to Kensington.  The Count of Tallard had just set out for England as Ambassador.  He was a fine gentleman; he was a brave soldier; and he was as yet reputed a skilful general.  In all the arts and graces which were priced as qualifications for diplomatic missions of the highest class, he had, among the brilliant aristocracy to which he belonged, no superior and only one equal, the Marquess of Harcourt, who was entrusted with the care of the interests of the House of Bourbon at Madrid.