William Temple

“ But as men in a Town, threatned with a mighty Siege, abandon their Suburbs, and slight those Out-works which are either weak of themselves, or not well defensible for want of Men; and resolve onely to make good those Posts which they are able fully to man, and easily to relieve; because the loss of every small Out-work does not only weaken the Number, but sink the Courage, of the Garison within.
So this State, which came to be in a manner besieged by the mighty and numerous Armies of France and of Munster, ought, in my opinion, to have left themselves but three Out-works to maintain ”

“ The resistance of one of these Towns would have encreased the strength of all the rest: For the Fortune of Battels, and Sieges, turns upon the hearts of men, as they are more or less capable of general Confidences or Fears, which are very much raised by Accidents and Opinions. It would not have been within any common Rules, to march so far into the Country, as to attacque the Burse or Breda, Nimmeguen or Grave, leaving such Camps behind, as those at Wesel and Maestricht, and having so much a greater before them, as that about Arnhem. ”

“ But grew up insensibly, with the Age of the Prince [1] , ever presaging some Revolution in the State, when he should come to the years of aspiring, and managing the general Affections of the People: Being a Prince, who joyned to the great Qualities of his Royal Blood, the popular Virtues of his Country; Silent and Thoughtful; Given to hear, and to enquire; Of a sound and steddy Understanding; Much firmness in what he once resolves, or once denies ”

“ But perhaps the greatness of the Tempest from abroad, and of the Factions at home, either broke the heart, or distracted the course, of their Counsels. And besides, such old Sea-men in so strong a Ship, that had weathered so many Storms without loss, could not but think it hard, to throw over-board so much of their Lading before This began. After all, I know very well, That nothing is so hard, as to give wise Counsel before Events ”

“ But, as Holland had ever defended it self against Spain, by England and France; So it ought to have done against France, by England and Spain, and provided early against their own danger, as well as that of Flanders, by improving and advancing their Confederate League with England and Sweden, into a strict Defensive-Alliance with Spain, as a Principal in the League. ”