have gone farther in asserting
its omnipotence, or in abdicating in its hands. They had no silver
streak, no natural barriers. As a consequence of the Reformation the
dominions of the Teutonic knights were joined in personal union under
the same Hohenzollerns who reigned on the Oder and the Elbe. One was
part of the empire, the other was enclosed in Poland, and they were
separated by Polish territory. They did not help each other, and each
was a source of danger for the other. They could only hope to exist
by becoming stronger. That has been, for two centuries and a half, a
fixed tradition at Berlin with the rulers and the people. They could
not help being aggressive, and they worshipped the authority that
could make them successful aggressors.

The dynasty entered into the spirit of the problem from 1640.
One-half of the electors and kings since then have struggled intensely
for the increase of their power. And they built up their state in
spite of the other half, who had no enterprise or masterful energy.
But before the accession of the great elector, in 1640, Brandenburg
had taken a line of its own in the question of religion which was
eminently favourable to territorial increase. It was more tolerant
than other portions of the empire. The elector was one of the last of
the German princes to join the Reformation. And Saxony retained the
pre-eminence among the Protestants. Early in the seventeenth century
the reigning family became Calvinists. The country was Lutheran. The
position was unfavourable to the exercise of what was called the right
of Reformation, the right of enforcing conformity under pain of exile;
and, between the Calvinist at the head and the Lutherans in every
other office, the Catholics were able to exist. In some provinces,
though not in all, they were definitely tolerated. The great elector
made every effort to attract the fugitive Huguenots. Agents were sent
out to show them the way, and to help them with funds. Whole
districts were peopled by them, and about twenty thousand of them
settled in Berlin and other towns. Like Peter the Great, the great
elector derived his notion of better things from Holland, and he
encouraged Dutch artisans to settle. His dominions were scattered and
unlike. He introduced a system of government that was the same for
all, and was above local or social influences. The estates lost their
ancient authority, and one supreme will governed everything,