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INTERESTS OF GREAT BRITAIN. 399a pretender,with numerous adherents at home and powerfulfriends abroad. As long as he found foreign support, orthere was even a probabilitythat he would do so, it wasnecessary to oppose his endeavours; and this oppositionbrought on a long chain of political connexions with thecontinent. The existence, and what is more, the lengthenedexistence of such a pretender,who at least might obtain political influence, and at particular periods did actually obtainitself asit,was a piece of signal good fortune to Englandwell as to the new government, The continued danger keptthe government,as well as the nation, continually on theirguard, and became one of the strongest ties between them.However deeplythe conviction might be impressed uponthe latter that the maintenance of their constitution dependedupon the Protestant succession, the great mass of the peoplewere still in need of something to remind them of it and;what could be better calculated to secure this object, thanAnd howthe unceasing claims of a Catholic pretender?ever great may have been the personal qualities,howeverpure the intentions, and however strong the attachment tothe constitution, in the members of the new reigning family,stillnothing would serve better than those very claims, tokeep it constantly in their minds, that it was through theconstitution, and for the constitution, that they were invested with their high dignity.Thus the king and the nationcould not but agreein consideringthe constitution the palladium of their freedom to the latter, and of his throne tothe former ;thus the conviction naturally grew upon them,that the interests of the king and the nation were inseparably the same thus in a word the constitution;escaped being considered a dead letter, and was impressed upon thehearts of the people and their rulers. But external circumstances were of yet more influence in strengtheningthe continental policy of England, by which it becamedeeply involved in the affairs both of eastern and westernEurope.The west of Europe had just emerged from a contest ofthirteen years,in which the Spanish monarchy was the stake.This war had been sustained by an alliance, the soul ofwhich was England, and which drooped and ended soonafter England retired. The peace,in which she had secured