“Not from Russia, and there has never been such haters, envious, slanderers and even obvious enemies, as all these Slavic tribes, only their little Russia will be released and Europe will agree to recognize them released! They start at release, a new life is with what will beg Europe, England and Germany, for example, the guarantee and protection of their freedom, and even in the concert of European powers and Russia, but it is in defense of Russia it will do.
They will certainly begin with that in itself, if not right out loud, declare yourself and convince yourself that Russia they do not have the slightest gratitude, on the contrary, that of the ambition of Russia they barely escaped at the conclusion of peace by the intervention of the European concert, and Europe does not intervene, Russia would swallow them immediately, “referring to the expansion of the boundaries and the Foundation of a great Slavic Empire in the enslavement of the Slavs greedy, cunning and barbarism of the great Russian tribe”.
Maybe a century or more, they will continually tremble for their freedom and to fear the ambition of Russia; they will curry favor with European States, will slander Russia, tattling on her and plotting against her.
Oh, I’m not talking about individuals: are such, who understand what it means and means Russia will mean for them always. But these people, especially in the beginning, will appear in such a pitiful minority that will be subject to ridicule, hatred, and even political persecution.
Especially will be pleased to exempt Slavs to Express and blow the whole world that they tribes formed, capable to the most higher European culture, whereas Russia is a country barbarous, gloomy Northern colossus, even not pure Slavic blood, persecutor and a hater of European civilization.
They, of course, are, from the outset, constitutional governance, parliaments, responsible Ministers, speakers, speech. There will be an extremely comfort and delight. They will be in ecstasy, reading about himself in the Paris and London Newspapers of the telegram, informing the world that after a long parliamentary storm fell at last in the Ministry of (…country…) and formed a new liberal majority and that some of theirs (the name of…to taste…) finally agreed to accept the portfolio of President of the Council of Ministers.
Russia should seriously prepare for the fact that all these liberated Slavs enthusiastically rush to Europe, to the loss of his personality infected the European forms, political and social, and thus will have to endure a long period of Europeanism before you comprehend anything in its Slavic meaning, and in its special vocation in the Slavic environment of mankind…
Of course, the minute some serious trouble they all will turn to Russia for help.Neither will they nenavistniki, gossip and slander us, Europe, flirting with her and assuring her of love, but to feel they will always instinctively (of course, in a moment of trouble, and not earlier) that Europe is the natural enemy of their unity, it was and will always remain, what if they exist in the world, of course, because there is a huge magnet – Russia, which, irresistibly drawing them all to yourself, the constrains their integrity and unity.”
F. M. Dostoevsky. Writer’s diary, September-December 1877
