Never had her rulers shown more ingenuity in devising taxes or more severity in exacting them; but by no ingenuity, by no severity, was it possible to raise the sums necessary for another such campaign as that of 1693.

In England the harvest had been abundant.
In France the corn and the wine had again failed.

The people, as usual, railed at the government.

The government, with shameful ignorance or more shameful dishonesty, tried to direct the public indignation against the dealers in grain.

Decrees appeared which seemed to have been elaborately framed for the purpose of turning dearth into famine.