. Thirty-five years in Russia . ck Sea, and from the Ukraine toCracow, with a further line northward to the boundaryof Brandenburg, thus enclosing an area of over 200,000square miles, In 1795 the second partition took place,and the kingdom of Poland has become a memory. Subject to the foregoing being correct, it is easy tounderstand the fons et origo of the distinct split existingbetween these two sister nations. The proud, self-conscious Pole, mindful ever of his former historicalstatus, nurtures a deadly hatred against the Russian,and only submits with suppressed feelings of aversion,knowing
. Thirty-five years in Russia . ck Sea, and from the Ukraine toCracow, with a further line northward to the boundaryof Brandenburg, thus enclosing an area of over 200,000square miles, In 1795 the second partition took place,and the kingdom of Poland has become a memory. Subject to the foregoing being correct, it is easy tounderstand the fons et origo of the distinct split existingbetween these two sister nations. The proud, self-conscious Pole, mindful ever of his former historicalstatus, nurtures a deadly hatred against the Russian,and only submits with suppressed feelings of aversion,knowing his incompetency to break the bonds by whichhe is held. It is not strange that the women should beless tolerant of the yoke than the men, for with themthe spirit of their lost nationality never grows old, and,like the Spartan mothers, they are ever ready to sacri-fice their nearest and dearest to regain their liberties andobtain the restoration of their countrys lost freedom. The Poles as a race are built upon much finer lines. A DESCENDANT OF THE CRUSADERS. 240] IN RUSSIA 241 than the Russians, and the feet and hands of the high-born ladies are recognized throughout ContinentalEurope as being unsurpassed for smallness of size andperfection of form. I have often heard it discussedamongst the Russians why the two sister nationsshould differ so materially in language, ideals, andphysical characteristics. My own opinion is that thecause lies partly in the difference of the religion, thePoles being Roman Catholics and the Russians of theOrthodox Greek Church, but the physical differencesfrom the fact that Poland throughout its chequeredhistory had been engaged in wars, either within itsown borders or when outside them, with an enemytheir equal or superior in civilization and Russians, however, having been engaged in theirborderlands with uncivilized hordes, have probablyincorporated with themselves some of their grosserelements. Whatever may be the cause, the factre
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