She had become unsuited to her environment.

Surrounded by powerful absolutisms which had grown out of the ruins of mediaeval forces, she in the eighteenth century was clinging to the traditions of feudalism as if it were still the twelfth century.

It was in vain that her sons were patriotic, in vain that they struggled for reforms, in vain that they lay down and died upon battlefields.

She alone in Europe had not been borne along on that great wave of centralization long ago, and she had missed an essential experience.

She was out of step with the march of civilization, and the advancing forces were going to run over her.
The more enlightened Poles began too late to strive for a firm hereditary monarchy, and to try to curb the power of selfish nobles.
Not only was their state falling to pieces within, but it was being crushed from without.