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488
REVOLUTION [chap. xxiv.
" But it seems that you have not come to an
arrangement with the Germans of Berlin ? "
" No; in spite of my labours of more than four years
I have not arrived at any positive result. It was not
that there were no enlightened minds in Germany:
these understand that Germany could not but gain if in
the Baltic Provinces two little States were formed,
enjoying complete national independence, yet permeated
with Gerrnano-Western civilisation and guarding this
independence and this civilisation against the attacks
of the barbarian power which threatens them in the
East—pray forgive me, Monsieur! But with regard to
Baltic questions, German Government circles and the
Berlin Press were, and are still, completely in the hands
of the Baltic " emigrants," of a Kayserling and his
confederates. Every one sees everything through their
eyes. Thus, realising that I had taken the wrong
track, I sought to find a support for our nationality
from another side. I went to reside in Finland.
You are aware of the ties of origin which bind the
Esthonians to the Finns; latterly the Pan-Finnish idea
has made remarkable progress ; there are entire
populations in your country—in Northern Russia, on the
Volga, in Siberia—who for centuries had not even an
idea what they were, and Russified themselves ad
libitum, but who will know to-morrow that they are
Finns. You will forgive my plain-speaking,
Monsieur? But what concerns us at the present time is
only the western and civilised agglomeration of the
great Finnish race—Esthonia and Finland, which, in
order to safeguard their liberty and their civilisation,
ought first to unite their efforts and then to seek a
power in Europe on which they could lean if necessary.
This power might well be that of the Scandinavian
States, beginning with Sweden. The historic ties of
Sweden and Finland are universally recognised, and
even much exaggerated. What are less well known are
the ties that unite Sweden to the Baltic Provinces. . .
" I have often heard them spoken of," I interrupted
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