CHAPTER IV.
THE FOUNDING OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC "[Greek: egigneto te logo men daemokratia, ergo de hupo tou protou andros archae]." "Thus Athens, though still in name a democracy, was in fact ruled by her greatest man."-- THUCYDIDES, book ii.chap.

65.
The aim of this work being to trace the outlines only of those outstanding events which made the chief States of the world what they are to-day, we can give only the briefest glance at the remaining events of the Franco-German War and the splendid though hopeless rally attempted by the newly-installed Government of National Defence.

Few facts in recent history have a more thrilling interest than the details of the valiant efforts made by the young Republic against the invaders.
The spirit in which they were made breathed through the words of M.
Picard's proclamation on September 4: "The Republic saved us from the invasion of 1792.

The Republic is proclaimed." Inspiring as was this reference to the great and successful effort of the First Republic against the troops of Central Europe in 1792, it was misleading.

At that time Prussia had lapsed into a state of weakness through the double evils of favouritism and a facing-both-ways policy.
Now she felt the strength born of sturdy championship of a great principle--that of Nationality--which had ranged nearly the whole of the German race on her side.