Science and reason have, from the beginning of time, played a secondary and subordinate part in the life of nations; so it will be to the end of time. Nations are built up and moved by another force which sways and dominates them, the origin of which is inexplicable.

A portion of mankind may be said to constitute a Nationality, if they are united among themselves by common sympathies which do not exist between them and others – which make them cooperate with each other more willingly than with other people, desire to be under the same government, and desire that they should be governed either by themselves or a portion of themselves exclusively … the strongest of all identity is that of political antecedents …

a grand solidarity constituted by the sentiment of sacrifices which have been made in the past and those that one is disposed to make again. It supposes a past, renews itself especially in the present by a tangible deed, the approval, the desire, clearly expressed, to continue the communal life. The existence of a nation (pardon the expression) is an everyday plebiscite.