Nature seems to have intended that France should play a
leading part in European affairs. The geographical unity of the country is
obvious. Mountains and seas form its permanent boundaries, except on the
north-east where the frontier is not well defined. The western coast of France
opens on the Atlantic, now the greatest highway of the world's commerce, while
on the southeast France touches the Mediterranean, the home of classical
civilization. This intermediate position between two seas helps us to
understand why French history should form, as it were, a connecting link
between ancient and modern times.
RACIAL FRANCE
But the greatness of France has been due, also, to the
qualities of the French people. Many racial elements have contributed to the
population. The blood of prehistoric tribes, whose monuments and grave mounds
are scattered over the land, still flows in the veins of Frenchmen. At the
opening of historic times France was chiefly occupied by the Celts, whom Julius
Caesar found there and subdued. The Celts, or Gauls, have formed in later ages
the main stock of the French nation, but their language gave place to Latin
after the Roman conquest. In the course of five hundred years the Gauls were so
thoroughly Romanized that they may best be described as Gallo-Romans. The
Burgundians, Franks, and Northmen afterwards added a Teutonic element to the
population, as well as some infusion of Teutonic laws and customs.
