The death of William could not be far distant.

Indeed all the physicians who attended him wondered that he was still alive; and, when the risks of war were added to the risks of disease, the probability seemed to be that in a few months he would be in his grave.

Marlborough saw that it would now be madness to throw every thing into disorder and to put every thing to hazard.

He had done his best to shake the throne while it seemed unlikely that Anne would ever mount it except by violent means.

But he did his best to fix it firmly, as soon as it became highly probably that she would soon be called to fill it in the regular course of nature and of law.
The Princess was easily induced by the Churchills to write to the King a submissive and affectionate letter of condolence.