Everywhere historians were busy
publishing mediaeval charters and early mediaeval chronicles
and in every country the result was a new pride in the old
fatherland. A great deal of this sentiment was based upon the
wrong interpretation of historical facts. But in practical politics,
it does not matter what is true, but everything depends
upon what the people believe to be true. And in most countries
both the kings and their subjects firmly believed in the glory
and fame of their ancestors.
The Congress of Vienna was not inclined to be sentimental.
Their Excellencies divided the map of Europe according to the
best interests of half a dozen dynasties and put ``national
aspirations'' upon the Index, or list of forbidden books, together
with all other dangerous ``French doctrines.''
But history is no respecter of Congresses. For some reason
or other (it may be an historical law, which thus far has
escaped the attention of the scholars) ``nations'' seemed to be
necessary for the orderly development of human society and
the attempt to stem this tide was quite as unsuccessful as the
Metternichian effort to prevent people from thinking.
Curiously enough the first trouble began in a very distant
part of the world, in South America. The Spanish colonies
of that continent had been enjoying a period of relative independence
during the many years of the great Napoleonic wars.
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