and Slavs only needed an opportunity, such as the 'year of
revolutions' afforded, to display their hostility to one another, and
the racial jealousy brought Austria and Hungary to open war. In Milan,
in Naples, and Berlin the revolutionary spirit displayed itself, and in
these centres, as well as in Switzerland, changes in the direction of
liberty took place.

Lord John Russell, in an important document, which Mr. Walpole has
printed, and which bears date May 1, 1848, has explained his own view of
the political situation in Europe at that moment. After a lucid and
impressive survey of the changes that had taken place in the map of
Europe since the Congress of Vienna, Lord John lays down the principle
that it is neither becoming nor expedient for England to proclaim that
the Treaties of 1815 were invalid. On the contrary, England ought rather
to promote, in the interests of peace and order, the maintenance of the
territorial divisions then made. At the same time, England, amid the
storm, ought not to persist in clinging to a wreck if a safe spar is
within her reach. He recognised that Austria could hardly restore her
sway in Italy, and was not in a position to confront the cost of a
protracted war, in which France was certain to take sides against her.
He, therefore, thought it advisable that English diplomacy should be
brought to bear at Vienna, so as to 'produce a frank abandonment of
Lombardy and Venice on the part of Austria.' He declared that it was not
to the advantage of England to meddle with the internal affairs of
Spain; but he thought there was a favourable chance of coming to an
understanding with Germany, where the Schleswig-Holstein question
already threatened disturbance. 'It is our interest,' are the final
words of this significant State paper, 'to use our influence as speedily
and as generally as possible to settle the pending questions and to fix
the boundaries of States. Otherwise, if war once becomes general, it
will spread over Germany, reach Belgium, and finally sweep England into
its vortex. Should our efforts for peace succeed, Europe may begin a new
career with more or less of hope and of concord; should they fail, we
must keep our sword in the scabbard as long as we can, but we cannot
hope to be neutral in a great European war. England cannot be
indifferent to the supremacy of France over Germany and Italy, or to the
advance of Russian armies to Constantinople; still less to the
incorporation o