deal a final blow to the Hohenzollern monarchy. When that
catastrophe comes, Europe, enlightened by the awful experiences of the
last hundred years, and delivered from the black magic of the
political necromancers of Potsdam, will unanimously echo the prophetic
judgment pronounced by Joseph de Maistre. For to-day, even more than
in 1807, Prussia has become an "argument against Providence." Even
more than in 1807 the Prussia of 1917 "is built with blood and mud."
Even more than in 1807 the chastisement of Prussia is demanded by
"eternal justice." The whole civilized world will breathe more freely
when the sinister and diabolical power will be broken for ever and
will oppress and degrade humanity no more.

CHAPTER IV

THE GERMAN WAR-TRIUMVIRATE

I.--NIETZSCHE.

The English reader is now in possession of a complete translation of
Nietzsche, in the admirable edition published by T. N. Foulis, and
edited by Oscar Levy, of which the eighteenth and concluding volume
has just appeared. To the uninitiated I would recommend as an
introductory study: (1) Professor Lichtenberger's volume; (2)
Ludovici, "Nietzsche" (1s., Constable), with a suggestive preface by
Dr. Levy; (3) the very useful summary of Mr. Muegge--an excellent
number in an excellent series (Messrs. Jack's "People's Books"); (4)
Dr. Barry's chapter in the "Heralds of Revolt," giving the Catholic
point of view; (5) Mrs. Foerster-Nietzsche, "The Young Nietzsche"; and
(6) an essay by the present writer, published as far back as 1897, and
which, therefore, may at least claim the distinction of having been
one of the first to draw attention in Great Britain to the great
German writer. But a searching estimate of Nietzsche in English still
remains to be written. And there is only one man that could write it,
and that man is Mr. Gilbert K. Chesterton. I confidently prophesy that
a study of Nietzsche, if he has the courage to undertake it, will be
Mr. Chesterton's greatest book. He will find in the German heretic a
foe worthy of his steel.

I.

Like the history of most great thinkers, like the history of Kant and
Schopenhauer, the biography of Nietzsche is totally barren of
incident, and can be disposed of in a few lines. Born in 1844,
apparently of noble Polish extraction ("Nizky" in Polish means
humble), the son of a clergyman, and the descendant on both sides of a
long line of clergymen, the future "Anti-Christ" spent an exemplary,
studious, and strenuou