XI. 



THE RACES OF THE DANUBE. 



IN the famous Eastern Question, which so long has 

 disturbed the peace of Europe, may be noted two 

 aspects of a process which, under great variety of 

 conditions, has been going on over European territory 

 ever since the dawn of authentic history. The forma- 

 tion of a nationality that is, of a community of 

 men sufficiently connected in interests and disciplined 

 in social habits to live together peacefully under laws 

 of their own making has been the leading aspect of 

 this process, in which the work of civilisation has 

 hitherto largely consisted. But along with this, as a 

 correlative aspect, has gone the pressure exerted 

 against the community by an external mass of un- 

 disciplined barbarism, ever on the alert to break 

 over the fluctuating barrier that has warded it off 

 from the growing civilisation, ever threatening to 



