Serbia in Light and Darkness: With Preface by the Archbishop of Canterbury, (1916)Velimirović, Nikolaj
History
Serbia in Light and Darkness: With Preface by the Archbishop of Canterbury, (1916)
Velimirović, Nikolaj
Proverbs, Serbian; Serbia; Serbian poetry -- Translations into English
The English political interest in the future Greater Serbia, or
Yougoslavija, is of the first importance. The Southern-Slav state will
number about fourteen millions of inhabitants. This state will be the
very gate of the East. Yet Serbia is not only the nucleus of the united
Southern Slavdom, but the very nucleus of a Balkan Federation also, in
which the Greco-Roumanian element should be a good balance to the Slav
element in it. I repeat I like my little country just because it is so
comparatively little. But by necessity it is to become much larger. By
necessity the whole of the Serbian race is to be freed and united. By
necessity the Southern-Slav state and the Balkan Federation are to be
realised. Some of our neighbours may be against that, but all their
opposing effort will be in vain. Every intrigue against the Serbian
ideals of freedom and unity cannot effect a suppression, but only a
short prolongation of the period of its realisation. Behold, the time
has come, the fruit has grown ripe. All the Serbian race has now been
plunged into slavery. United to-day in slavery, they have now only one
wish--to be united to-morrow in Freedom.
England is bound to Russia more by a political or military treaty, but
she is bound to Serbia, and through Serbia with all other democratic
Slav worlds more by spirit--just by this democratic spirit. This spirit
which divides the Slav world into two different camps, unites England
with one of them,--with the democratic camp, the champion of which has
been Serbia. A very curious spirit dwells in the little Serbian body, a
very curious and great spirit, which will, I am sure, give form to the
future Balkans as well as to the future democratic Slavdom. And be sure
this spirit is rather panhumanistic than panslavistic.
But after all, when I think of 400 million inhabitants of the British
Empire and remember such a poor topic, as my country, about which I am
just speaking, I must cry again: England, what is Serbia, that thou art
mindful of her? And the poor sons of Serbia, that thou visitest them?
Still, Serbia is an admirer and friend of England, and that is a good
reason why England should look sympathetically towards little Serbia.
There is a Serbian proverb: "A wise lion seeks friends not only among
the lions, but among the bees too." Of course Serbia needs England much
more than England needs Serbia. I will not now dwell upon Serbia's
material needs; I will tell you about what are Serbia's spiritual
needs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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