Such is the character of Polish womanhood, in reality and in poetic fiction. Inexhaustible riches dwell in its type. The sins of past centuries have been avenged bitterly upon them and their children; but they live on, true to their Polish nature. The variety of the human races, created by Divine Providence, with all their manifold peculiarities, their virtues and faults, would suffer greatly, and the human family would be seriously impoverished, should the species "Polish Woman" ever be merged in the conquering nations and vanish with them, however great and nobly endowed the latter may be. If the realization of this wish be the hope of statesmen, the historian of culture can only desire that the race remain according to a Tacitean word regarding the Teuton "similar only to itself." CONTENTS DEDICATION PREFACE I. THE WOMEN OF THE PAGAN TEUTONS. II. THE YEARS OF THE WANDERINGS. III. THE YEARS OF THE WANDERINGS (CONTINUED). IV. THE CENTURIES OF SUBMERGENCE AND OF NATIONALIZATION. V. THE DAYS OF THE MINNESINGERS. VI. THE COMING OF THE MASTERSINGERS. VII. WOMEN OF THE RENAISSANCE AND THE REFORMATION. VIII. AN ERA OF INTELLECTUAL DESOLATION. IX. WOMAN HELD IN TIGHTENING BONDS. X. THROUGH STORM AND STRESS TO CLASSICISM AND HUMANISM. XI. EMANCIPATION OF GERMAN WOMEN. XII. WOMEN OF RUSSIA. XIII. WOMEN OF POLAND List of Illustrations Emma carrying her lover, G. L. P. Saint-Ange. Capture of Thusnelda, H. Konig. A Teutonic alliance, Ferdinand Leeke. Fredegond watching the marriage of Chilperic and Galswintha, L. Alma-Tadema. Princess Sophia and the old and new school religionists, V. G. Peroff. Kalmuck interior, Racinet.