The family of Cornelius de Wit, brother to the Grand Pensionary, had caused a picture of that great sea officer to be drawn with the attributes of a warrior destroying an English fleet. This picture which an English Nobleman had seen hanging in a private room that was seldom opened, gave the alarm to England; and the affair being brought before Charles's council, it was there determined, that a family had no right to have their relation's picture drawn taking and burning English fhips, which he actually had taken and burnt; and this same picture determined Charles II. to assist in the destruction of Holland.

Such were the motives of war, which put ali Europe into a ferment, ruined the greatest part of the United Provinces, and occasioned the loss of an infinite number of lives on all sides; a war the more attrocious, as that, supposing the grievances of France and England to have been justly founded, the whole might have been compromised, by destroying the medal, and defacing the picture.

These two princes were not ignorant of, the measures they ought to have taken to have preserved the peace of Europe; but the French Monarch was greedy of glory, and the King of England of money. These motives, condemnable in themselves, hurried both princes beyond the bounds of equity, and the sufferings of the public were the fruits of their enjoyment.

DUKE DE ST. SIMON.

THE war of 1688 was excited by Louvois, the Trench Minister; to fecure his office, which he judged to be in danger from perceiving, as he thought, an alteration in Lewis, the 14th's dis position towards him. The story is thus related by the Duke de St. Simon, in his memoirs.

The castle of Trianom, was just built when the king perceived a defect in the proportion of one of the windows. Louvois,, who was naturally insolent, and who had been so spoilt that he could hardly bear to be found, fault with by his master, maintained that the window was well proportioned: The king turned Iris back on him, and walked away. The next day the king seeing Le Notre, the architect, asked him if he had been to Trianon: he answer ed in the negative. The king ordered him to go thither, and told him of the defect which he had discovered in the window. The next day the king again asked him if he had been to Trianon: he again answered that her had not. The following day the same question was a gain asked by the king, and the same answer given by the architect. The king now saw clearly that Le Notre was afraid of being under the necessity of declaring that either he or his minister was in the wrong, and with some anger, he commanded Le Notre and Louvois to meet him the next day at Trianon. No evasi

on was now possible, accordingly they met. The window was immediately mentioned. Louvois persisted in his former opinion: Le Notre remained silent. At last the king ordered him to measure the window; he obeyed, and while he was so employed, Louvois, enraged, that such a criterion was resorted to, discovered his chagrin, and insisted with acrimony that the window was exactly like the rest. When Le Notre had finished, Louvois asked him what was the result: Le Notre hesitated. The king with much passion, commanded him to speak out. He then declared that the king was in the right, and that the window was not proportioned to the rest. Immediatly the king turned to Louvois, told him there was no enduring his obstinancy, and reproached him with much vehemence. Louvois, stung with this reprimand, which was pronounced in the presence of many courtiers, as well as of workmen, and footmen, returned home furious with rage,. At his house, he found St. Fouangé, Villnerf, the Chevalier de Nogent, the two Tilladets, and some,other of his most devoted friends, who were much alarmed at seeing the state of mind he was in. It is all over,' said he, 'I must have loft all credit with the king, from the manner in which he has been treating me only about a rein dow. I have no resource but in war, which will divert his attention from his buildings, and will -render my assistance necessary; and, by ..., war he shall have. He kept his word: war was de-clared a few months afterwards, and he contriv

ed,

ed, in spite of the king and of the other powers to render it general.

Thus did a childlift difpute between a rain-glos rious prince and air insotent minister, on the most trivial occasion, kindle a war which lasted for eight years; which raged in Ireland, in France, in the West Indies, upon the seas in Spain, in Savoy, in Flanders, and in Germany;; in which millions of treasure were spent many thousand lives lost, all the towns and villages of the Pa latine burned, and that whole country reduced to a scene of desolation !!!!

TRAGICAL EFFECTS OF WAR.
(CHIEFLY EXTRACTED)

From the works of the King of Prussia!

In the general war which began in the year 1755, and ended in 1763, Prussia lost 180,000 men; her armies had fought sixteen pitched battles. The enemy almost destroyed three large corps, exclusive of five garrisons. It was further estimated that 20,000 souls perished in the kingdom of Prussia, by the ravages of the Russians; 6000 in Pomerania;, and 7000 in the other provinces. If the garrison above mentioned are estimated at 7000, the total number of men destroyed in this war on the side of the Prussians will be 220,000. In order (says this Lord's anointerl) to obtain a clear idea

of the general fubverfion of the country, and to represent the desolation of the people, it is ne cessary to imagine a country entirely ravaged, where the traces of former inhabitants were s scarcely discoverable, towns almost erased from the earth, others half consumed by the flames; thirteen thousand houses, no vestiges of which remained; fields lying fallow; the inhabitants destitute of the corn requisite for support; the farmers in want of 60,000 horses for the plough, and a diminution of 500,000 inhabitants, since the year 1756. The Noble and Peasant had been pillaged, ransomed and foraged by so many dif ferent armies, that nothing was left them except life; they had not sufficient credit even i to supply the wants of nature. There was no longer any police in the towns To a spirit of equity and regularity, disorder and anarchy had succeeded. The slumber of the laws produced a licentiousness of spirit in the public, and all ranks only seemed active to effect their mutual ruin.

Such was the fatal spectacle that so many. provinces which had lately been so flourishing presented at the conclusion of the war. There is no description, however pathetic, that can possibly approach the deep, the affecting, the mournful impression which the sight of thems produced.

If from Pruffa we turn our attention to the other belligerent powers, we shall find the same tragical destruction of the human species. The Russians, had fought four grand battles; and

it