ABSTRACT
IN AUSTRIA lurked Europe, in Prussia, Germany—to be sure, it was only a fragment of Europe, a fragment of Germany, but just on this account political tension was at its highest here, and threads were woven in the web of political destiny. Bavaria was a great State and yet no great power; her strength was physical rather than spiritual, and peculiarly German in that she hindered more than she helped. Bavaria liked to take a hand in the great game the great ones played—but soon showed plainly that her real place was among the petty states.
