me thing as the first place in Christendom, or the world,--meaning by
the world that portion of mankind which has power and influence and
leadership, because of its knowledge, culture, and wealth. The moral
blow falls with greater severity on France than on Austria. Austria had
no right whatever to the first place in Germany. There was something
monstrous, something highly offensive, in the Germanic primacy of an
empire made up of Magyars, Poles, Bohemians, Italians, Slavonians,
Croats, Illyrians, and other races, and not above a fourth of whose
inhabitants were Germans. Prussia had in June last twice as many Germans
as Austria, though her entire population was not much more than half as
large as that of her rival;[48] and when she turned Austria out of
Germany at the point of the needle-gun, she simply asserted her own
right to the leadership of Germany. But no one will say that there can
be anything offensive in a French primacy of Christendom. Objection may
be made to any primacy; but if primacy there must be, as mostly there
has been, France has the best claim to it of any country. England might
dispute the post with her, and England alone; for they are the two
nations of modern times to which the world is most indebted. But England
has, all but in direct terms, resigned all pretensions to it. Prussia,
therefore, by conquering for herself the first place in the estimation
of mankind, who always respect the longest and sharpest sword, unhorsed
France. Napoleon III. lost more at Sadowa than was lost by Francis
Joseph; and we cannot see how he will be able to recover his loss,
should Prussia succeed in her purpose to create a powerful Germanic
empire,--and all things point to her success. A new force would be
introduced into the European system, of which we can only say, that, if
its mere anticipation has been sufficient to curb France on the side of
the Rhine, its realization ought to be sufficient to prevent France from
extending her dominion in any direction--say over Belgium--which such
extension is inclined to take.

Thus has a great revolution been effected, and effected, too with
something of the speed of light. On the 14th of June, France, in the
estimation of the civilized world, was the first of nations, the head of
the Pentarchy. On the 4th of July, she had already been deposed, though
the change was not immediately recognizable. On the 14th of June,
Prussia's place, though respectable, was not to be named wi