Portland should make a circuit for the purpose of inspecting some of the superb fortresses of the French Netherlands.  At every one of those fortresses the governors and engineers had orders to pay every attention to the distinguished stranger.  Salutes were everywhere fired to welcome him.  A guard of honour was everywhere in attendance on him.  He stopped during three days at Chantilly, and was entertained there by the Prince of Condé with all that taste and magnificence for which Chantilly had long been renowned.  There were boar hunts in the morning and concerts in the evening.  Every gentleman of the legation had a gamekeeper specially assigned to him.  The guests, who, in their own island were accustomed to give extravagant vails at every country house which they visited, learned, with admiration, that His Highness’s servants were strictly forbidden to receive presents.  At his luxurious table, by a refinement of politeness, choice cider from the orchards round the Malvern Hills made its appearance in company with the Champagne and the Burgundy.

Portland was welcomed by his master with all the kindness of old times.  But that kindness availed nothing.  For Albemarle was still in the royal household, and appeared to have been, during the last few months, making progress in the royal favour.  Portland was angry, and the more angry because he could not but perceive that his enemies enjoyed his anger, and that even his friends generally thought it unreasonable; nor did he take any pains to conceal his vexation.  But he was the very opposite of the vulgar crowd of courtiers who fawn on a master while they betray him.  He neither disguised his ill humour, nor suffered it to interfere with the discharge of his duties.  He gave his prince sullen looks, short answers, and faithful and strenuous services.  His first wish, he said, was to retire altogether from public life.  But he was sensible that, having borne a chief part in the negotiation on which the fate of Europe depended, he might be of use at Loo; and, with devoted loyalty, though with a sore heart and a gloomy brow, he prepared to attend William thither.

Before the King departed he delegated his power to nine Lords Justices.  The public was well pleased to find that Sunderland was not among them.  Two new names appeared in the list.  That of Montague could excite no surprise.  But that of Marlborough awakened many recollections and gave occasion to many speculations.  He had once enjoyed a large measure of royal favour.  He had then been dismissed, disgraced, imprisoned.  The Princess Anne, for refusing to discard his wife, had been turned out of the palace, and deprived of the honours which had often been enjoyed by persons less near to the throne.  Ministers who were supposed to have great influence in the closet had vainly tried to overcome the dislike with which their master regarded the Churchills.  It was not till he had been some time reconciled to his sister in law that he ceased to regard her two