Nederlandse historische bronnen 10

27

Hague, 12th October 1731 NS

My Dear Lord, I should sooner have acknowledg'd the favour of your letter of the 10th past, if I had had anything to have added to my acknowledgement. I am now to thank you moreover for yours of the 8th, which I have just now receiv'd and which brings a most extraordinary piece of news indeed. It was easy to foresee that King Victor would soon be weary of his retirement, but it was not so easy to foresee what has happened upon his desire, or design, of resuming his authority. In the letter the Sardinian minister here has receiv'd upon that occasion, the whole blame is laid upon the ambition and vanity of his wife, who it is said had turn'd his head⁸⁶.

I am not at all surprised that people wonder at the delays, that the concurrence of this Republick to the Treaty of Vienna has mett with, for it must seem very extraordinary to those who are not particularly acquainted, with this form of government, and the individuals it consists of; but those who know this Republick, and the Court of Vienna, will pity him, who stand middle man, as I do, between them. They are both, slow inclin'd to cavill, and obstinately attentive to trifles. We have been in perfect inaction here for these last two months, waiting the return of a courier, who was then dispatch'd to Vienna, with a bundle of difficultys; at length he return'd last night, and our conferences will begin next week; where the whole affair will certainly be concluded; but when I can't pretend to guess, for though the Republick is determined to come into the treaty yett their spirit of chicane, and their attention to trifles may possibly spinn out the affair some time longer. In the mean time, je passe de mauvais quarts d'heure, plagued and appeal'd to on both sides, upon points, that are not worth sixpence either way.

I am, My Dear Lord, with the utmost truth - - -

86 Victor Amadeus II had abdicated the previous autumn. He attempted to regain power in the autumn of 1731, was arrested and imprisoned, Baraudon, ‘Une tragique aventure’, 556-580.