The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-03 00:00:00

THE SLAVONIC NATIONS.

The first of a series of lectures on the political and
intellectual development and present condition of the
Slavonic nations, was delivered on Saturday, at Willis's
Rooms, by Count Valerian Krasinski.
The Slavonic nations (he said) constitute the most
numerous race of Europe, and they occupy not only the
largest portion of its territory, bu- the whole of Asia
estward to the 52d degree of latitude. Although still
intermingled with other nations, which are, however,
gradually absorbed by the Slavonic elements, the
Slavonic tongue extends from the banks of the Oder, the
upper parts of the Elbe, the borders of the Tyrol, and
Italy (it is spoken in the vicinity of Udine), and the
shores of the Anriatic eastward to the Black and Caspian
Seas, and even the Pacific Ocean ; from the frozen
regions of the Northern Ocean to the Caucasian moun-
tains, and almost to the shores of the Mediterranean.
The population of the Slavonic race amounts now to
about 80 millions, and the lands which it occupies pre-
nts facilities for an indefinite increase of these num-
bers, whilst western Europe is comparatively over-
peopled, so that a very large increase of its inhabitants
must be attended by all the disadvantages of over-
population. It is, therefore, evident that the Slavonic
nations must exercise a decisive influence on the destinies
of Europe. This influence will entirely depend upon
the nature of the political and intellectual development
of these nations, consequently it is only a knowledge of
the history and of the present condition of the Slavonic
nations which may enable a person to form a correct
estimate of what Europe may hope or fear from them.
There is now an extraordinary intellectual movement
animating all the nations belonging to the Slavonic race.
Every branch of human knowledge is cultivated with
more or less success, according to the degree of civilisa-
tion to which those nations have respectively arrived, but
the subject which particularly engages the attention of
Slavonic writers is the improvement of their national
idioms, and the study of their national history and anti-
quities. Everything which relates to the past of those
nations, historical documents, national songs, proverbs,
&c., are carefully collected and published, and all these
remnants of the olden times are the objects of an enthu-
siastic veneration. This reanimation of the national
intellect amongst the Slavonians is accompanied by a
peculiar circumstance, a circumstance which may be
productive of the most serious consequences to Europe—
this is, a tendency which is now rapidly growing amongst
all the Slavonic nations to unite into one whole. This
tendency is generally known under the name of
Panslavism, a name which already creates much appre-
hension in Germany, and begins to produce a sensation
in France, although it is, as yet, but little known in this
country. The object of Panslavism is a mutual recon-
ciliation and approximation of all the Slavonic nations,
in order finally to unite them into one !political body.
This gigantic scheme is ardently promoted by the lead-
ing writers of the different Slavonic nations, although
, they greatly differ about the form in which it is to be
accomplished. One party wishes for the establishment
of a confederation, composed of all the Slavonic nations,
onic
each of them retaining its national independent organisa-
tion; the other party, and the most active of them,
rejects the idea of a confederation as being impracticable,
and advocates the establishment of one great Slavonic
empire, or at least an aggregate of Slavonic states, under
the protection of the most powerful of them. This last
combination is, undoubtedly, the most feasible of the
two, because it is much more easy to rally the scattered
parts of the Slavonic race around the only now existing
Slavonic state (Russia), and which already comprehends
two-thirds of the whole Slavonic race, than to form a
confederation of Slavonic nations which must previously
acquire an independent political existence which they do
not possess at present.
The realisation of the idea of Panslavism, which ra-

pidly gains ground amongst all the Slavonians, might be
Iraught with the greatest dangers to the rest of Europe,
but particular]) to Germany. A collision between the
Slavonians and the Germans would become unavoidable,
because a Slavonic empire composed of different branches
belonging to that race would nut be consolidated. ex-
cept by estranging as much as possible the Slavonians
from other nations, which may be done in the most
effectual manner by continually appealing to their na-
tional antipathies towards the German race, from which
it has suffered innumerable wrongs, wrongs which have
been aemitted by all the German historians, &c.
The Count gave afterwards a sketch of the Slavonic
history previously to their conversion to the Christian
religion, of their national idolatry, customs, and man-
ners,
Amongst the persons present at the lecture we no-
ticed the Russian Ambassador, Sir Stratford Canning,
the Bishop of St. David's, General Briggs, &c.

MEMOIRS OF LADY SUNDON AND THE COURT
OF QUEEN CAROLINE.—A new and highly interesting his-
torical work has just been published, under the title of
" Memoirs of Viscountess Sundon," Mistress of the Robes to
Queen Caroline, Consort of George IL—one of the most cele-
brated Ladies of the Court of England in the last century,
whose influence for many years was so powerful that the
most distinguished of her contemporaries were eager to avail
themselves of it to advance their interests or projects. The
work affords an extraordinary exposition of Court doings,
equally curious and entertaining; and, as an illustration of
English history, it deserves to be considered one of the moest
valuable that has issued from the press fora
tlonagetimt e
Among Lady Sundon's principal correspontlToisiglif_
Lord
Duchesses of Kendal, Buckingham, and Marlborough—Lord
o
Pomfret—Lord Carteret
and Lady Hervey—the Countess of Pomfcro
Sand-
wich—Baron Wainwright—Wake, Archbishop
of Oxford—Robert
—Bishop Hoadly—Talbot, —Earl and Countess Cowper—Earl
Drs. Samuel and Alured Clarke
Clayton, Bishop of Killa a— anhdbisLupnotefs.lcaonfterburyßichard
very S t
e e'
'e—p
interestinge a n
Memoirse
the familv of George 11., and, indeed,
particulars respecting
f celebrity contemporary with Lady
of almost every person o
s—wtififte,
aco.nale.o f
TB, h Burnet—Sirc
otn
Sundon.
Ascot. RACES.—The female complexion has, per-
haps, no fiercer foe than the summer, with its concomitants
of heat and dust. On the drive, the ride, the promenade, or
the aquatic excursion, ladies should ever be provided with
" Rowland's Rah-dor," which wit be found gratefully refresh-
ing to the complexion, dispelling the cloud of langour and
relaxation, allaying all irritability and heat, and immediately
affording the pleasing sensation attendant on restored elas-
ticity and healthful state of the skin. As a protector and
preserver of the hair, Rowland's Macassor Oil will be found
alike efficacious, guarding it from the injurious operation of
the sun and dust. It is necessary to see that the word
" Rowland'," precedes the name of the article on the
wrapper of each, as spurious imitations of the most dele-
terious character are abroad.
" BELLS LlFE."—There was sold of "

lica-
tmi oanksi
nogn l y
in London," during the past month of May—tire pub
Ascot aces,
an—anvaemr aegl wj Se
le
akTy 2s ,a
e 9,0
f162,8,2331,2:300—.1451u,52d1aycR0npei exst,
and their brilliant accompaniments, with engravings of the
Emperor's ase, Queen's vase, and Hunt Cup, with the usual
" Belrs Life" will contain faithful details of
Office 170,
A letter from Rome says :—" There are in the Po
two little islands, situated not far from the forts of Brestello,
sportingS nd. varieties. Price of "Bells Life," 6d,
belonging to the state of Modena. These two islands, con-
nected together by a bridge, serves as a defence to the for-
titications Just named. The forts were raised at great cost
under the reign of Duke Francis IV , at,d they form a very
important strategic point. At present we learn from a sure
source that by a recent dispatch of the Duke do Modena, to the
commander of the military forces, the two islands are to be
delivered up to the Austrian authorities, who are to take
possession of them at the end of the present month. The
secret sale leaves the forts of Brestello uncovered, and at the
mercy of the Austrians."
THE GLORIOE'S " FIRST OF JUNE."—William
Burk, late boatswain of Devonport Dockyard, who, in the
heat of the action, when the Royal George, in consequence
of her spars being shot away, was fighting without a flag,
climbed, with nails in his mouth and hammer between his
teeth, to the shivered stump and nailed the colours to the
mast, still lives in the west of England, respected by all
who know him.