They were the twin children of Poland and the French Revolution, and in their cradle it was hard to tell them apart, so strongly were the features of each stamped with the likeness of Liberty.
For a time it seemed that the new ideas would carry all before them.

Even before France had herself abolished the monarchy, Belgium threw off the Austrian rule and declared for a republic.

And when in 1792 France found herself at war with the Austrian and Prussian governments, and in the following year with practically all the governments of Europe, her victorious armies were everywhere greeted as saviours by the subject peoples.

But the old dynastic states proved to be of tougher material than was expected.

Moreover, it was not long before France found herself in conflict with the national aspirations which she had called into existence.
The various republics which France set up all over Europe soon discovered that they were nothing but tributary states of their "deliverer"; and when Napoleon began his career of undisguised conquest, he unwittingly did even more than the Revolution to strengthen the national idea in Europe, for the nationalities had now become thoroughly hostile to France and fought in alliance with their old dynasties to throw off the yoke of the hated foreign tyrant.
This strange change in France from liberator to despot is worthy of some attention.