Temple accepted the commission, and acquitted himself to the satisfaction of his employers, though the whole plan ended in nothing, and the Bishop, finding that France had joined Holland, made haste, after pocketing an instalment of his subsidy, to conclude a separate peace.  Temple, at a later period, looked back with no great satisfaction to this part of his life; and excused himself for undertaking a negotiation from which little good could result, by saying that he was then young and very new to business.  In truth, he could hardly have been placed in a situation where the eminent diplomatic talents which he possessed could have appeared to less advantage.  He was ignorant of the German language, and did not easily accommodate himself to the manners of the people.  He could not bear much wine; and none but a hard drinker had any chance of success in Westphalian society.  Under all these disadvantages, however, he gave so much satisfaction that he was created a Baronet, and appointed resident at the vice-regal court of Brussels.

Brussels suited Temple far better than the palaces of the boar-hunting and wine-bibbing princes of Germany.  He now occupied one of the most important posts of observation in which a diplomatist could be stationed.  He was placed in the territory of a great neutral power, between the territories of two great powers which were at war with England.  From this excellent school he soon came forth the most accomplished negotiator of his age.

In the meantime the government of Charles had suffered a succession of humiliating disasters.  The extravagance of the court had dissipated all the means which Parliament had supplied for the purpose of carrying on offensive hostilities.

It was determined to wage only a defensive war; and even for defensive war the vast resources of England, managed by triflers and public robbers, were found insufficient.  The Dutch insulted the British coasts, sailed up the Thames, took Sheerness, and carried their ravages to Chatham.  The blaze of the ships burning in the river was seen at London:  it was rumoured that a foreign army had landed at Gravesend; and military men seriously proposed to abandon the Tower.  To such a depth of infamy had a bad administration reduced that proud and victorious country, which a few years before had dictated its pleasure to Mazarine, to the States-General, and to the Vatican.  Humbled by the events of the war, and dreading the just anger of Parliament, the English Ministry hastened to huddle up a peace with France and Holland at Breda.

But a new scheme was about to open.  It had already been for some time apparent to discerning observers, that England and Holland were threatened by a common danger, much more formidable than any which they had reason to apprehend from each other.  The old enemy of their independence and of their religion was no longer to be dreaded.  The sceptre had passed away from Spain.  That mighty empire, on which