{"product_id":"2940013396289","title":"Observations Upon the United Provinces of the Netherlands","description":"Scanned, proofed and corrected from the original magazine edition for enjoyable reading. (Worth every penny spent!)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Observations upon the United Provinces of the Netherlands\" was and deserved to be extremely popular, both at home and abroad. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTemple used to declare that he was influenced in some points of style by the 'Europae Speculum' of Sir Edwin Sandys. If so, he was probably influenced no less by Sandys's large view of toleration. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the fourth chapter, upon the disposition of the Hollanders, the author displays a limpid humour and much quiet penetration; but it is curious that he never so much as mentions Dutch painting, then at its apogee. Jean le Clerc, while pointing out some errors (mostly trifling), praised the work as a whole as the best thing of its kind extant (English version by Theobald, 1718). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis power as a rhetorical writer was displayed about the same time in his noble 'Letter to the Countess of Essex'. \u003cbr\u003eWhen the necessity for a peace between England and Holland became apparent in 1674, Temple was called from his retreat in order to assist in the negotiation of the treaty of Westminster (14 Feb.) He went out to The Hague for the purpose, and his influence again helped to expedite matters. His reputation was now very high, and on his return he had the refusal not only of a dignified embassy to Madrid but of Williamson's secretaryship of state. He frequented the court, and became familiar with the new men who were rising into prominence, such as Halifax and his old acquaintance Danby. But his sojourn in England was not a long one, as in July 1674 he was again despatched as ambassador to The Hague. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis embassy was rendered memorable by the successful contrivance of a match between William of Orange and Charles's niece Mary, a match which was in reality of vastly greater import to England than the triple alliance. \u003cbr\u003eIt seems to have been first hinted at in a letter from Temple to the prince dated 22 Feb. 1674; but the early stages of the negotiation are involved in considerable obscurity. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs soon as Temple found the prince interested, he spared no pains to bring the matter to a successful issue. Lady Temple, who was on intimate terms with Lady Villiers, the princess's governess, was fortunately able to satisfy the prince's curiosity on a number of small points, and in 1676 she went over to England and interviewed Danby concerning the matter. The negotiations, which were terminated by William's visit to England in September 1677 and his marriage a few weeks later, brought about a close rapprochement between Danby and Temple, and a gradual estrangement, due in part no doubt to jealousy, between Temple and Arlington. \u003cbr\u003eThe strife between Danby and Arlington was already a source of vexation to the king; and when, during Temple's visit this summer, he pressed the secretaryship once more upon him (even offering himself to defray half the fees), it was probably in the hope that a man of Temple's character would be able to restore harmony as well as respectability to his council. He must have thought Temple's ultimate value great, or he would not have tolerated the portentous lectures which the statesman delivered for his benefit. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eImmediately after the wedding on 4 Nov., Temple hastened back to The Hague, his coming there being esteemed' like that of the swallow which brought fair weather with it.' He was instructed to proceed without delay to the congress at Nimeguen, where Leoline Jenkins was acting as English plenipotentiary, but nervously craved for Temple's moral support. While there he heard of his father's death on 23 Nov. 1677, whereby the reversion of the Irish mastership of the rolls devolved upon him. A license to remain away from Ireland for three years was prepared and renewed in September 1680 and September 168o, when he appointed John Bennett of Dublin to be deputy clerk and keeper of the rolls; he did not finally surrender the post until 29 May 1696. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn July 1678 Temple negotiated another treaty with the Dutch with the object of forcing France to evacuate the Spanish towns; but this separate understanding was neutralised by the treaty ratified at Nimeguen, whither he travelled for the last time in January 1679. He congratulated himself that in consequence of a formal irregularity his name was not affixed to a treaty the terms of which he thoroughly disapproved as being much too favourable to France. Extremely susceptible at all times to professional jealousy, Temple was greatly disconcerted during these negotiations by the activity of a diplomatic busybody called Du Cros, the political agent in London of the Duke of Holstein, but in the pay of Barillon....\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e.","brand":"OGB","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47073689764080,"sku":"2940013396289","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013396289_p0.jpg?v=1763580836","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013396289","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}