ently does he judge the conceptions which reach his soul from the
great world. But less conscious, less full of purpose and judgment than
the determination of man's will, is the working of the life of the
nation. In history, man represents freedom and judgment, but national
energy, works incessantly with the mysterious instinctive impulse of a
primitive power, and its intellectual conceptions correspond sometimes
in a remarkable way, with the process of formation of the silently
productive powers of nature, which bring forth from the seed, the
stalk, leaves, and flowers of the plant. From this point of view, the
life of a nation passes in unceasing alternations from the whole body
to the individual, and from the man to the whole body. The life of each
man, even the most insignificant, gives a portion of its substance to
the nation, and a portion of the collective powers of the nation lives
in each man; he transmits soul and body from one generation to another;
he adds to the language, and preserves the consciousness of right; all
the results of his labours are beneficial to the nation as well as to
himself. The course of life of millions runs smoothly and imperceptibly
along with the stream. But important personalities develop themselves
from the multitude in all directions, gaining a great influence on the
whole body. Sometimes a powerful character arises, which in some wide
field of action, long rules the spiritual life of the people, and
stamps the impress of its individual mind on the age. Then the life of
the whole nation, which also flows through our heads and hearts,
becomes as familiar to us as is possible for the soul of any individual
man; then the whole powers of the people seem for some years working
for the one individual, and obeying him as a master. These are the
great periods in the formation of a people. Such was Luther to the
Germans.

But no nation develops its life independent of others. As the life of
one individual works on that of another, so does it happen with
nations. Each nation communicates some of its intellectuality to
another. Even the practical forms of national existence, its state and
its Church, are either advanced, or checked and destroyed by foreign
powers. Close is the union of the minds of the nations of Europe,
though manifold the contradiction of their interests. How constantly
does one nationality derive strength, or experience trouble and
disturbance from another! Sometimes the