William’s character has been traced by many hands.  In his capacity of king of England, it is not our province to judge him in this place.  As stadtholder of Holland, he merits unqualified praise.  Like his great ancestor William I., whom he more resembled than any other of his race, he saved the country in a time of such imminent peril that its abandonment seemed the only resource left to the inhabitants, who preferred self-exile to slavery.  All his acts were certainly merged in the one overwhelming object of a great ambition—­that noble quality, which, if coupled with the love of country, is the very essence of true heroism.  William was the last of that illustrious line which for a century and a half had filled Europe with admiration.  He never had a child; and being himself an only one, his title as Prince of Orange passed into another branch of the family.  He left his cousin, Prince Frison of Nassau, the stadtholder of Friesland, his sole and universal heir, and appointed the states-general his executors.

William’s death filled Holland with mourning and alarm.  The meeting of the states-general after this sad intelligence was of a most affecting description; but William, like all master-minds, had left the mantle of his inspiration on his friends and followers.  Heinsius, the grand pensionary, followed up the views of the lamented stadtholder with considerable energy, and was answered by the unanimous exertions of the country.  Strong assurances of support from Queen Anne, William’s successor, still further encouraged the republic, which now vigorously prepared for war.  But it did not lose this occasion of recurring to the form of government of 1650.  No new stadtholder was now appointed; the supreme authority being vested in the general assembly of the states, and the active direction of affairs confided to the grand pensionary.  This departure from the form of government which had been on various occasions proved to be essential to the safety, although at all times hazardous to the independence, of the States, was not attended with any evil consequences.  The factions and the anarchy which had before been the consequence of the course now adopted were prevented by the potent influence of national fear lest the enemy might triumph, and crush the hopes, the jealousies, and the enmities of all parties in one general ruin.  Thus the common danger awoke a common interest, and the splendid successes of her allies kept Holland steady in the career of patriotic energy which had its rise in the dread of her redoubtable foe.

The joy in France at William’s death was proportionate to the grief it created in Holland; and the arrogant confidence of Louis seemed to know no bounds.  “I will punish these audacious merchants,” said he, with an air of disdain, when he read the manifesto of Holland; not foreseeing that those he affected to despise so much would, ere long, command in a great measure the destinies of his crown.  Queen Anne