It surveyed, first, the state of Europe generally, dwelling on the ominous combination of Roman Catholic interests everywhere, and the perils to the Protestant Cause from the disputes among the Protestant Powers, and especially from the hostility of the Danes and the Dutch to the heroic King of Sweden, who had "adventured his all against the Popish Interest In Poland." It declared the vital concern of Great Britain in all this, if only because an invasion of Great Britain in behalf of the Stuarts was a settled part of the Anti-Protestant programme.

"You have accounted yourselves happy in being environed with a great Ditch from all the world beside.

Truly, you will not be able to keep your Ditch, nor your shipping, unless you turn your ships and shipping into troops of horse and companies of foot, and fight to defend yourselves on _terra firma_." Then, turning to the state of affairs at home, he insisted on the necessity of a general union in defence of the existing settlement.

One Civil War more, he said, would throw the nation into a universal confusion, with or without a restoration of the Stuarts, and, if _with_ such a restoration, then with consequences to some that they did not now contemplate.

He made no express reference to the proceedings in the Commons of the last few days, but implored both Houses to abstain from dissensions, stand on the basis to which he and they had sworn, and join with him in real work.[1] [Footnote 1: Carlyle, III.