atholicism must be held to be inconsistent with the prosperity of any
modern polity (paragraph XXI.).

Prussia, from a small straggling territory, has grown to be one of the
leading Powers of Europe by the gradual absorption of all the
surrounding small States; therefore only great Powers have a right to
exist (paragraph XXII.); therefore small States are a monstrosity
(paragraph XXIII.).

VIII.--TREITSCHKE'S POLITICAL PAGANISM.

There is no counterpart in modern history to the development of the
Prussian State, no political structure so entirely self-contained and
self-sufficient, which has so continuously pursued its own selfish
ends. For an exact analogy it is necessary to revert to ancient
history; therefore Treitschke's sympathies go to the ancient State
much more than to the modern State. In his religion he is a devout
Lutheran. But in his political conceptions he is entirely pagan. To
him the politics of Aristotle remain the fountain of all political
wisdom. The modern man in order to understand the majesty of the State
must free himself of a whole mass of acquired notions. In quiet and
peaceful times the average man may pursue his private avocations and
hardly give a thought to the State. It was different in antiquity. The
ancient city State was everything, and was felt to be everything, so
that the citizen could not conceive himself as apart from the State.
That is why they had a much stronger and healthier political sense, an
instinctive comprehension for, and a passionate devotion to, the
State. The moderns have ceased to live and move in the State. They are
divided and distracted by their social and economic interests. Only
the modern Prussian feels for Prussia as the Roman and the Spartan
felt for their native countries. To the Prussian alone, as to the
Roman and the Spartan, the devotion to the State is glorified into a
religion, the religion of patriotism.

IX.--TREITSCHKE'S ANTIPATHIES AND HATREDS.

Even as his sympathies, so are Treitschke's antipathies determined by
his Prussian preconceptions. Whatever is alien to Prussian ideals is
odious to Treitschke. Whoever has opposed the growth of the Prussian
State or threatened its future becomes a personal enemy. And, as every
State has had to oppose the predatory policy of Prussia, and is
threatened by its ambitions, as, to use Treitschke's own words,
"Prussia was the best hated of all the German States from the first
days of her independent histo