moves forward by reactions against its own preceding conditions; that
is, Progress disappoints History _by doing the other thing_! The
French race has done the other thing; and so has the German race! They
who should have been logically the imperialists of Western Europe are
the republicans and democrats. They who should have been logically the
democrats and republicans of Europe--who should have converted
Germania into the greatest democracy of the world--have accepted
instead the most absolute empire. The phrase "German _Empire_" is, we
think, the greatest paradox of modern history; and the phrase "French
_Republic_" is another like it. But history has decreed it so; and the
reason is that human progress works out its highest results by doing
the other thing!

But this philosophical speculation or interpretation does not trouble
either the French or the Germans. They both seem to rejoice at what
has come to pass, and do not trouble themselves about the logistics of
history. They celebrate their quarter centennials, the one for the
Republic, and the other for the Empire, with profound enthusiasm,
shouting, _Vive_ for the one and _Hoch_ for the other with an
impulsive patriotism that has come down to them with the blood of
their respective races from before the Christian era!




Great Battles.


TRAFALGAR.