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,anyOF THE EEFORMATION. 299remain in force, it now died away ; and a very differentresult was in preparation,from what the most prescientsoothsayer could have foretold at the time of the Westphalianpeace.The schemes of conquest nourished by LewisXIV., and the renewed aggression of the Turks, (who, fortunately, had been engaged againstthe Persians in Asiaduring the thirty years' war,) put Germany in such a position as to obligethe two religious partiesto lay aside theirquarrel, although they retained their hatred to each other.Thus the pressureof circumstances caused alliances inwhich religion had no share ;and some of the most powerful Protestant princes might be seen uniting their arms withthose of the emperor,in order to oppose themselves, at onetime, in the west, at another, in the east, to the enemy whopressed in upon them. The just apprehensions which hadbeen caused by the superiority of Sweden, began to fadeaway of themselves, after the battle of Fehrbellin (1675).The profusionof Christina, and the wild projectsof hersuccessors, had exhausted the kingdom ; and although thewonderful abilities and extraordinary undertakings ofCharles XII. enabled him, for a season, to raise the spirit ofthe nation even above its natural pitch,and to fit it for unheard-of exertions, yet, even at that time, it was sufficientlyevident that a country so little favoured by nature, mustneeds be left behind amidst the growing prosperityof therest of Europe. But though Sweden was thus on the decline, there was another state in the north of Germanywhich was destined to supply, ay,and more than supply,itsplace in the politics of Europe.It has been pointedout above in what degree the Prussian monarchy owed its origin to the Reformation ; but,though this power mayin a certain sense be said to havesucceeded to the influence of Sweden, yet there was amarked difference in the mode in which this influence wasexercised upon the political system of Europe. While thelatter kingdom, owing to its unfavourable geographical position, and the scantlpess of its resources, could not possessgreat influence over that system, except under a confluence of fortunate circumstances, the influence of Prussia,as soon as the kingdom attained a certain degree of strength,necessarily became far more firm and lasting.