A document, of doubtful origin to be sure, lies before us, in which there breathes the liveliest feeling of the connexion existing between the religious and political questions which divided the states of the Continent, and those which divided English parties; it is a project which is said to have been laid before the English Privy Council as early as the summer of the year 1686, in order to persuade the King again to make war upon the Republic of the United Netherlands, and that a second time in alliance with France. The starting-point adopted in it is, that King James II would never be secure upon his throne unless he carried out, in spite of all resistance, what he had once undertaken in favour of the Catholic religion; but that no power offered him such an effective opposition in this work as the Republic of Holland, to which he had owed the invasion of Monmouth, which gave the rebels a refuge, and kept up disaffection in England. Now, as he was evidently by himself too weak to subdue at once his domestic enemies and the Republic, he was advised in plain terms to put himself in a position to do so by a close alliance with France. ‘For the King of France was his friend, and certainly ready and willing to aid him in this work; he had placed his whole power at James’ disposal from the beginning.