With possible or actual enemies on their several frontiers, and with their land fully occupied by their own population, they need above all to be strong, to be cautious, to be united, and to be opportune in their policy and behavior.

The case of France shows the danger of neglecting the sources of internal strength, while at the same time philandering with ideas and projects of human amelioration.

Bismarck and Cavour seized the opportunity of making extremely useful for Germany and Italy the irrelevant and vacillating idealism and the timid absolutism of the third Napoleon.

Great Britain has occupied in this respect a better situation than has the Continental Powers.

Her insular security made her more independent of the menaces and complications of foreign politics, and left her free to be measurably liberal at home and immeasurably imperial abroad.