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INTERESTS OF GREAT BRITAIN. 451the pointat issue, no compunction would be shown byEngland in despoiling, even with her own hands, her ancientally ; and that she only waited for an opportunity to extendfurther her rapacity. Thus, then, she deprived herself forever of the confidence of a nation with which she had solong been in close and amicable connexion, in a mannerwhich made its renewal impossible ;whatwas the equivalent?necesThe ferment at home, however, certainly made itsary for the Orange party to attach itself to England, since,during the life of Frederic II., it found no other support.But even this support was of little help to it. The Britishcabinet did not find it advisable to afford anyefficient assistance, when the prerogatives of the hereditary stadtholderwere one after another infringed and contracted ;and it became highly probable that he would have been entirely dispossessed of his dignity, if Prussia had not adopted a changein her policy.It is well known under what circumstances, and with whatresult, in the autumn of the year 1787, the commotions inHolland were suppressed by the entrance of a Prussianand the stadtholder reinstated and confirmed in thecorps,full exercise of his power.England, up to the presenttime, had remained withoutany considerable ally on the continent. But the changewhich we have just mentioned gave rise to another alliance,which was not without important consequences to Europe.England and Prussia both united themselves with Holland ;they had the same common object in view, that of supportingher newly given or restored constitution, and this commonon an alliance between thesepoint of contact soon brought1two powers.The connexion of Prussia with Holland was a consequence of family interest, the further consideration of whichwould be irrelevant to this inquiry. With regard to England,the affinity with her was not sufficientlyclose to allow us toattribute to this source the interest which she took in theaffairs of this country. Although the reigning houses wereconnected, the motive by which she was more immediatelyactuated in the part she took, was the desire of counteracting French influence by the depression of the patriotic party.1By the treaty of the 13th of August, 1788.2 G 2