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But it is not only on account of this great liberal measure
that the rule of William in England is still remembered。 During
his lifetime； government by a ‘‘responsible'' ministry first
developed。 No king of course can rule alone。 He needs a few
trusted advisors。 The Tudors had their Great Council which
was composed of Nobles and Clergy。 This body grew too
large。 It was restricted to the small ‘‘Privy Council。'' In the
course of time it became the custom of these councillors to meet
the king in a cabinet in the palace。 Hence they were called
the ‘‘Cabinet Council。'' After a short while they were known
as the ‘‘Cabinet。''
William； like most English sovereigns before him； had
chosen his advisors from among all parties。 But with the increased
strength of Parliament； he had found it impossible to
direct the politics of the country with the help of the Tories
while the Whigs had a majority in the house of Commons。
Therefore the Tories had been dismissed and the Cabinet Council
had been composed entirely of Whigs。 A few years later
when the Whigs lost their power in the House of Commons； the
king； for the sake of convenience； was obliged to look for his
support among the leading Tories。 Until his death in 1702；
William was too busy fighting Louis of France to bother much
about the government of England。 Practically all important
affairs had been left to his Cabinet Council。 When William's
sister…in…law； Anne； succeeded him in 1702 this condition of
affairs continued。 When she died in 1714 （and unfortunately
not a single one of her seventeen children survived her） the
throne went to George I of the House of Hanover； the son of
Sophie； grand…daughter of James I。
This somewhat rustic monarch； who never learned a word
of English； was entirely lost in the complicated mazes of England's
political arrangements。 He left everything to his Cabinet
Council and kept away from their meetings； which bored
him as he did not understand a single sentence。 In this way
the Cabinet got into the habit of ruling England and Scotland
（whose Parliament had been joined to that of England
in 1707） without bothering the King； who was apt to spend
a great deal of his time on the continent。
During the reign of George I and George II； a succession of
great Whigs （of whom one； Sir Robert Walpole； held office for
twenty…one years） formed the Cabinet Council of the King。
Their leader was finally recognised as the official leader not
only of the actual Cabinet but also of the majority party in
power in Parliament。 The attempts of George III to take
matters into his own hands and not to leave the actual business
of government to his Cabinet were so disastrous that
they were never repeated。 And from the earliest years of the
eighteenth century on； England enjoyed representative government；
with a responsible ministry which conducted the affairs
of the land。
To be quite true； this government did not represent all
classes of society。 Less than one man in a dozen had the right
to vote。 But it was the foundation for the modern representative
form of government。 In a quiet and orderly fashion it
took the power away from the King and placed it in the hands
of an ever increasing number of popular representatives。 It did
not bring the millenium to England； but it saved that country
from most of the revolutionary outbreaks which proved so
disastrous to the European continent in the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries。
THE BALANCE OF POWER
IN FRANCE ON THE OTHER HAND THE ‘‘DIVINE
RIGHT OF KINGS'' CONTINUED WITH
GREATER POMP AND SPLENDOUR THAN
EVER BEFORE AND THE AMBITION OF
THE RULER WAS ONLY TEMPERED BY
THE NEWLY INVENTED LAW OF THE
‘‘BALANCE OF POWER''
As a contrast to the previous chapter； let me tell you what
happened in France during the years when the English people
were fighting for their liberty。 The happy combination
of the right man in the right country at the right moment is very
rare in History。 Louis XIV was a realisation of this ideal； as
far as France was concerned； but the rest of Europe would
have been happier without him。
The country over which the young king was called to rule
was the most populous and the most brilliant nation of that
day。 Louis came to the throne when Mazarin and Richelieu；
the two great Cardinals； had just hammered the ancient French
Kingdom into the most strongly centralised state of the seventeenth
century。 He was himself a man of extraordinary ability。
We； the people of the twentieth century； are still
surrounded by the memories of the glorious age of the Sun King。
Our social life is based upon the perfection of manners and the
elegance of expression attained at the court of Louis。 In
international and diplomatic relations； French is still the official
language of diplomacy and international gatherings because
two centuries ago it reached a polished elegance and a purity
of expression which no other tongue had as yet been able to
equal。 The theatre of King Louis still teaches us lessons
which we are only too slow in learning。 During his reign the
French Academy （an invention of Richelieu） came to occupy
a position in the world of letters which other countries have
flattered by their imitation。 We might continue this list for
many pages。 It is no matter of mere chance that our modern
bill…of…fare is printed in French。 The very difficult art of
decent cooking； one of the highest expressions of civilisation；
was first practiced for the benefit of the great Monarch。 The
age of Louis XIV was a time of splendour and grace which can
still teach us a lot。
Unfortunately this brilliant picture has another side which
was far less encouraging。 Glory abroad too often means
misery at home； and France was no exception to this rule
Louis XIV succeeded his father in the year 1643。 He died in
the year 1715。 That means that the government of France
was in the hands of one single man for seventy…two years；
almost two whole generations。
It will be well to get a firm grasp of this idea； ‘‘one single
man。'' Louis was the first of a long list of monarchs who in
many countries established that particular form of highly efficient
autocracy which we call ‘‘enlightened despotism。'' He
did not like kings who merely played at being rulers and
turned official affairs into a pleasant picnic。 The Kings of
that enlightened age worked harder than any of their subjects。
They got up earlier and went to bed later than anybody else；
and felt their ‘‘divine responsibility'' quite as strongly as their
‘‘divine right'' which allowed them to rule without consulting
their subjects。
Of course； the king could not attend to everything in person。
He was obliged to surround himself with a few helpers
and councillors。 One or two generals； some experts upon foreign
politics； a few clever financiers and economists would do
for this purpose。 But these dignitaries could act