[1] The reason for this “cultural” ostracism of Russia is both racial and geographical. There has never been any desire in England to belittle the Slavs, least of all Russia. On the contrary, a long succession of traditions, as far back as the Viking Age, binds the extreme West to the extreme East of Europe, and has now reached a great ethical and practical expression in the Triple Entente. But between Western Europe and the Slavs lies Imperial Germany, who has acted not only as a barrier, but also as a distorting glass, through which the western and eastern races of Europe were compelled to look at each other. [Footnote by the translator F.S.C.] [2] History has recently cast a doubt on Rurik’s Norse origin, but tradition is quite positive on the subject. Certainly the name Rurik—recalling the Norse-Scottish Roderick-Rory—is in its favour, and it is interesting that the Scandinavian origin of Rurik, and even the Russian origin of Scandinavians has been championed by some Scottish writers—perhaps to explain the undoubted Scottish sympathy with the Russian people.[3] (_See_ Piazzi Smyth’s “Three Cities in Russia.”)—F.S.C. [3] In connection with this, it is interesting to know that several Slav historiologists assert that the Scotch are of Slav descent.—S.T. [4] Dostoievski, who really only knew Russia and his own people, was of course justified in crediting the Russian nation alone with these qualities. If he could have studied the British in their own country, he could not have failed to discover many points of resemblance between the two nations.—S. T. [5] The Tatar scriptures. [6] It cannot be too strongly impressed on the British reader who has not made a study of mediæval politics on the Continent, that this acknowledgment of the rule of certain royal Houses _was voluntary_, and not at all brought about by conquest. If these elected rulers chose to abuse their privileges, the nations who had chosen them reserved to themselves the right to protest and even repudiate their authority (_cf._ the Swiss Rebellion against Austria [William Tell] and the Rise of the Dutch Republic).—Translator’s Note, F.S.C. [7] The Expropriation Law provides facilities for German colonists in Polish territory whereby Polish land and private property may be summarily _expropriated_ for the benefit of German colonists.—S. T. [8] This statement has been endorsed by many foreign Slav scholars. Both Serbia and Croatia have adopted the colloquial tongue of Hercegovina as their literary language.—S. T. [9] A derisive term for “German.” [10] Taken from Niko Županić. (Delo, 1903). [11] This fact is the first proof in history that the Southern Slavs have from the very beginning been the bulwark of Christianity, and thereby also the bulwark of European civilization. [12] It is due to his diplomacy that Serbia was freed from the Turkish garrisons in her territory.