while, the Orthodox Protestants have due share of the funds now allotted to the held a meeting at Montpellier, under the whole Church, and that they shall thus presidency of M. Bois, and they have be formed into an independent body. published a reply to the appeal of the Such, we believe, would be the best way Unitarians. It is a very eloquent and of restoring peace, but we suspect that able document. They say that they ac- the majority would resist any attempt to cept those great fundamental truths of give the ancient chapels to men who have the Gospel which were declared by the fallen away from the Huguenot faith. Synod, and the Liberals, they add, wish They will remind the government that to preach and vote in the Church without there are Orthodox members even in the believing in the divine revelation made most heretical congregations, and that by the Scriptures. The Liberals seek to the place of worship should be left for throw the doors open to "all systems the faithful few. The Liberals, on the and all negations." But that demand is other hand, will energetically resist any absolutely new, and hence those who effort to strip them bare of churches, make it will be responsible if there should and they will certainly use every political be a schism. The Liberals appealed to and legal means of defence. As the the glorious Huguenot history which is minister of the interior is himself an common to both the parties, and to those ardent member of the Orthodox party, it fathers of French Protestantism that they is far from improbable that the governboth venerate; but the reply is that those ment may refuse to grant the demands of revered men acted in a way which con- the Liberals, and in such a case, the disdemns M. Coquerel fils:-" Ils avaient pute will inevitably be carried to the Asfondé leur Eglise non sur l'indifférence sembly and the courts of law. des doctrines, mais sur la foi." The We do not wonder at the determinaUnitarians appeal to a faith in their tion of the majority to drive the Unita66 common master and Saviour, Jesus rians from the Church. However good Christ," but the faith of the two parties is Liberalism may be, yet it was preposterfundamentally different. Nay, the Liberals ous to expect that M. Guizot and his do not say what they believe, for the all-friends would continue to let all the rights sufficient reason that they do not agree of the Reformed Church be exercised by among themselves. The Orthodox Prot- men who denied every one of its fundaestants, then, protest against the in- mental doctrines, or who gave them such sinuation that they seek to strip the Lib- an interpretation as to make them mystic erals bare of all the pecuniary advantages poetry, or who taught a Christianity derived from a connection with the State. which is only a system of philosophy and M. Bois and his friends are quite willing morals. Nothing but bitter strife and that the heretics should form a compact hatred could come from such a union, with the government, if they will only and separation is essential for the sake withdraw from the Church, and honestly of peace. But if it is true that the Libappear in their true colours. But sepa- erals have 350,000 adherents, the State ration or submission they declare to be will act with a very high hand indeed indispensable. should it take away all their places of We do not yet know how the Liberals worship. It would be better to treat will finally act, but they may choose be- them generously, and let them try the tween three obvious courses. They may experiment of forming a Church without bring the quarrel before the National As- a creed. The spectacle would be intersembly, and demand the condemnation esting and instructive to this country, as of the minister who has sanctioned the well as to France. But meanwhile, it is conditions of the Synod. As, however, all a remarkable fact that such a negation the Right and many members of the Left of belief should exist among the descendCentre would take the side of the Ortho-ants of the Huguenots, who were once dox section, that would be a hopeless as precise Calvinists as the Scotch themcourse. Secondly, they may bring the selves. When more than 300,000 of them dispute into a court of law, on the plea refuse to make even the most general that the regulations are illegal; and they declaration of belief in the divinity of will doubtless do so, if they should fail Christ, the resurrection, and the ascento obtain satisfaction from the govern- sion, a fundamental change has indeed ment. Or finally, they may demand that come over a Church which has added their places of worship shall be handed imperishable chapters to the history of over to them, that they shall receive a France.

tary department. They have but one grand danger to fear, but that one might demand the whole strength of the people

strength of the people is about, according to the latest telegrams, to be placed at the disposal of the government.

Supposing the contingency to occur, it is evident to any one who remembers what the strength of France and Russia really is, that Germany would be under the pressure of three necessities. First, she must strike some tremendous blow to the eastward without moving the mass of her armies far from her own territory, or repeating the gigantic blunder of the Moscow expedition, allowing her gigan

To the regular, fairly informed Eng-to meet it; and consequently the whole lish politician, nothing in foreign politics appears so unlikely as the resurrection of Poland. It is more unlikely than the resurrection of Italy seemed to the late Lord Derby. The country has been divided for a hundred years, is held by three great military empires, and has in a degree, though not entirely, lost its national spirit. Although its people number nearly twelve millions, or excluding Posen and Podolia, above eight millions, and are very brave, and in certain directions very able, they are still but half civilized, they are wretchedly tic foe time to gather up her full repoor, and they have scarcely a trace left sources. Time is the Russian difficulty; of coherent organization. A successful time to concentrate troops and supplies insurrection from within has become im- over her enormous territory, with its possible, and the distant friend on whom thin population, its severe climate, and they have relied, and relied in vain for a its imperfectly developed communicacentury, has become powerless to help tions. Secondly, the result of the war them. To all appearance, Poland is must be one which would permanently ended; and yet we believe, of all great protect Germany, by separating her fronchanges in Europe, the resurrection of tier from that of her mighty neighbour; Poland as a great and independent State and thirdly, the result must be accomis one of the most possible. English- plished without the addition to the emmen fix their eyes too exclusively on the pire of indigestible masses of men differrelations between Berlin and Paris, and ing from Germans in race, in creed, and forget, what Germans never forget, that in civilization, men as hard to incorpoGermany has a second danger to the rate as Great Britain has found a portion eastward; that an empire nearly as of the inhabitants of Ireland. There is strong as France stretches for hundreds but one way, even should fortune still of miles along her frontier, and advances adhere to the German standards, by within 150 miles of Berlin. That em- which all those ends could be secured at pire has ever since the partition of once, and that is, by undoing as far as Poland been allied in one way or another possible the work of Frederick the Great with Prussia, but since the creation of and his allies, and reconstituting on a Germany and the dismemberment of solid basis the independent kingdom of Denmark, their interests have begun to Poland, to be governed by a German diverge, and nothing now holds them prince, and guaranteed for some years together but a family alliance. Should by the German Empire. The prince is any cause, such as danger in Russia at hand in the person of the Catholic from German Liberal opinion, or an at- Hohenzollern who now governs Routack on Denmark which threatened to mania, for the Hapsburgs have always seal Russia up in the Baltic, or any dif- been ready to exchange Gallicia for the ference of view as to the government Rouman principalities, which control the of Poland, rupture that alliance, the posi-key to their house, the embouchure of tion of Germany, held as she is between the Danube. The new kingdom, with two first-class Powers, one of which probably ten millions of people, singucan never pardon her, while the other larly brave and apt for military life, pour her troops over a frontier would form a solid outwork for the Gertotally undefended by nature, would be man Empire, and enable it to relax somenot only serious but dangerous. Of thing of the frightful tension under which course such an occurrence is a mere con-it at present lives. That tension cannot tingency, but still it is a contingency in- endure forever. No civilized and indusvolving the national life, and is the one trious race will consent to remain liable which, though Germans talk little of it, up to the age of forty to active service at induces them to submit so patiently to the call of its head, and yet, with the the ever-increasing demands of the mili- new military laws in operation both in

can

Prussia and France, it is difficult to see out of the range of political possibilihow that tension can be relieved to any ties. perceptible extent.

It remains only to consider how the The contingencies, improbable as they resurrection of Poland, supposing it to may be, which we are discussing, have occur, whether as a result of war or as a not of course escaped the eyes of the measure to prevent war, would be reastute statesmen who guide the councils garded in this country. We believe of St. Petersburg, and they are said to be opinion would be altogether favourable producing there a very satisfactory re- to it, though it would, strange to say, in sult, a desire to try once more whether all human probability be injurious to our it is not possible to conciliate the Poles. interests. With Poland contented, RusIf that result could be assured, if Czar sia would be able to throw much more of Alexander as king of Poland could be as her strength to the south and east, and secure of his subjects in Poland as he is to make fresh efforts for the solution of of his subjects in Russia, the position of her pressing and difficult problem, the the Russian Empire would be indefinitely acquisition of some revenue-producing strengthened, and the chances of any territory in Asia which would relieve her future collision with Germany materially finances of the burden the Asiatic emreduced. The final chance of such an pire now involves. Russia has half a arrangement has not yet disappeared, continent to govern up there at the back and the Poles, who no doubt are given to of the world, without a revenue sufficient illusions, are hopeful of concessions for the thorough and civilized organizawhich would make them once more feel tion of a single province. Her fleet at as if they possessed a nationality. How Saghalien must cost her more than Sibefar their hopes may be justified we are ria yields. Every change which throws unable to say, but it is certain that they her eastward must make this burden are hopeful; that they expect conces- more pressing, while it must increase her sions as to the position of their country, means for getting rid of it, and every such as to their language, and as to their re- change must therefore be pro tanta menligion; and that they are disposed, with acing to Great Britain. A violent change, the sanguine vivacity which impairs an indeed, supposing it possible, would make otherwise fine national character, to ask the freedom of the Bosphorus matter of a little too much, more than either France life and death to Russia, for her real outor England have ever yet conceded let would then be southward, and the throughout their dominions. We have freedom of the Black Sea would be to no Irish army; the French government her what that of the Baltic now is, an has just rejected the Prussian system, object of the keenest anxiety and the because it would have created Breton most persistent precautions. Nevertheand Southern corps d'armée; and we do less, Englishmen always approve, and not think St. Petersburg would ever con- are, we believe, right in approving, the Icede a native Polish army. Austria rise of any nationality distinct enough made that concession to Hungary, but it and historic enough to lead a separate was only after a series of defeats, and at life of its own. The worst result of all a time when the very existence of the that has occurred in Europe since 1865 monarchy appeared to be in peril. Still, is that the disappearance of all small should affairs in Berlin ever appear as states seems to have become a mere threatening to Russia as they now are question of time, and the rise of a new declared to be favourable—though an one with an old though suspended hisodd telegram announces that "a proposal tory would be welcomed as some comfor a revision of frontiers," made by Rus- pensation for all the changes Europe has sia, has been rejected the Poles may undergone. The more numerous her obtain much; and as we have said the states, the less possible will be those restoration of their nationality, dead as huge military movements the fear of many people suppose it to be, is not, in which is turning Europe into a standing the course of the next ten years, entirely | camp.

Fifth Series,

}

No. 1594.- December 26, 1874.

From Beginning
Vol. CXXIII.

CONTENTS.

I. THE HOPE OF ENGLISH ARCHITECTURE, Quarterly Review,
II. FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD. By,
Thomas Hardy, author of "Under the
Greenwood Tree," "A Pair of Blue Eyes,"
etc. Part XV.,

III. "OLD LABELS."

.

Cornhill Magazine,
Macmillan's Magazine,

771

790

799

VI. THE LAKE OF GENNESARETH, AND TIBE

RIAS,

Title and Index to Volume CXXIII.

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