Roumania Past and Present | Page 3

many a writer on Roumania must wish that he had refrained from dealing with probabilities, or from prognosticating the coining events of history. The future of the East depends upon a variety of divergent considerations: upon the relations of the Government of Russia with its people; the course of events in the newly acquired provinces of Austria, and the delicate relations between Austria and Hungary; the future action of the Prince and people of Bulgaria, the former of whom is at present under Russian influence; upon the growing power and influence of Greece; and, lastly, upon the possible, but not probable, regeneration of Turkey. And without speaking for others, I should feel it presumptuous, under the circumstances, to deal in prophecies.
As to the best policy for Great Britain, however, that is perfectly clear, and may be summed up in a short sentence. It is to facilitate, by pacific means, the solution of every difficulty and problem as it arises, and wherever it is possible, through our influence, to support and encourage constitutional government against autocracy and despotism. This we can do with great advantage in our relations with Roumania, and it will be a source of much gratification to me if the information which I have here attempted to disseminate should have the slightest tendency in that direction.
JAMES SAMUELSON.
CLAUGHTON, BIRKENHEAD: April 20, 1882.
[Footnote 1: Chapter vi. and Appendix IV.]
[Footnote 2: P. 270, note.]

CONTENTS.

PART I.
ROUMANIA, TO-DAY.
CHAPTER PAGE
I. GEOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE 3
II. GEOGRAPHICAL--ARCH?OLOGICAL 20
III. THE NAVIGATION OF THE DANUBE 30
IV. TOPOGRAPHICAL, ETC. 36
V. TOPOGRAPHICAL--COMMERCIAL 67
VI. AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL--THE PEASANT PROPRIETARY 74
VII. EDUCATIONAL--ETHNOGRAPHICAL 88
VIII. JUDICIAL AND PENAL 100

PART II.
HISTORICAL.
IX. FROM THE GET? (ABOUT 335 B.C.) TO THE CLOSE OF THE ROMAN DOMINATION IN DACIA (ABOUT A.D. 274) 115
X. FROM THE EVACUATION OF DACIA BY AURELIAN (ABOUT 274 A.D.) TO THE END OF THE BARBARIAN RULE (ABOUT THE CLOSE OF THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY) 138
XI. FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE PRINCIPALITIES, BETWEEN THE MIDDLE OF THE THIRTEENTH AND OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURIES, TO THE ACCESSION OF MICHAEL THE BRAVE, A.D. 1593 161
XII. THE TIMES AND CAREER OF MICHAEL THE BRAVE 170
XIII. FROM THE DEATH OF MICHAEL THE BRAVE (A.D. 1601) TO THE DEPOSITION OF PRINCE COUZA (A.D. 1866) 199
XIV. FROM THE DEPOSITION OF PRINCE COUZA (1866) TO THE CORONATION OF KING CHARLES (1881) 233
XV. PRESENT ROUMANIAN LEADERS AND THEIR POLICY 258
APPENDICES.
APPENDIX
I. MOVEMENTS AND SETTLEMENTS OF NATIONALITIES AND BARBARIAN TRIBES 272-3
II. THE 'CAPITULATIONS' 274
III. THE ROUMANIAN CONSTITUTION 275
IV. THE PEASANT PROPRIETARY OF ROUMANIA 277
V. LIST OF WORKS (WITH REFERENCES TO TEXT) 278
CLASSIFIED INDEX 281

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
AUTOTYPE PLATES.
CATHEDRAL OF CURTEA D'ARDGES Photograph by Duschek Frontispiece
VIEW OF BUCAREST " " To face p. 40
PORTRAIT OF QUEEN ELISABETH OF ROUMANIA IN After Duschek " 258 THE NATIONAL COSTUME
WOODCUTS IN TEXT.
[Engraved by G. PEARSON.]
PAGE
ROUMANIAN PEASANTS IN WORKING DRESS Photograph by Duschek 7
PEASANTS AT A WELL " " " 8
SUBTERRANEAN DWELLINGS WITH PEASANTS " " " 10
ENTRANCE TO CARPATHIAN VILLAGE " " " 12
MEN AND WOMEN ROAD-MAKING " " " 13
TERMINAL PIER OF TRAJAN'S BRIDGE ON Sketch by Author 21 ROUMANIAN SHORE
TERMINAL PIER OF TRAJAN'S BRIDGE ON SERVIAN SIDE " " " 24
PLAN OF BUCAREST Reduced from Original by Prof. Zamphirolu 37
MONK AND NUN After Duschek 39
FRUITSELLER OF BUCAREST " " 48
GIPSY FLOWER-SELLER " " 49
GIPSY MUSICIANS " " 52
ROUMANIAN GIRL " " 53
GIPSY WOMAN " " 53
TRACERY ON SHIELD ON THE EXTERIOR OF Copied from Reissenberger 60 THE CATHEDRAL OF CURTEA D'ARDGES
THE SAME--ANOTHER PATTERN " " " 61
AT THE CABARET ON A HOLIDAY After Duschek 73
ROUMANIAN PLOUGHSHARE Sketch by Author 75
THE HORA, NATIONAL DANCE OF ROUMANIA After Duschek 98
SECTION OF THE TELEGA PENAL SALT MINE _Reduced by Author from Plan 107 of M. d'Istrati, Engineer of the Mine_
SALT MOUND IN FLOOR OF MINE Sketch by Author 110
DACIAN WARRIOR (initial letter) _From Piranese's Etchings of 115 reliefs on Trojan's Column_
TRAJAN ADDRESSING HIS ARMY " " " 126
DACIANS SETTING FIRE TO THEIR CAPITAL " " " 129
DACIAN TROPHIES " " " 137
EQUESTRIAN STATUE OF MICHAEL THE BRAVE AT BUCAREST After Duschek 177
STATUE OF MICHAEL CANTACUZENE IN THE COLTZA HOSPITAL " " 200 (initial letter)
DEFENCES OF PLEVNA 244
PRINCE (NOW KING) CHARLES _Photograph by Duschek 251 COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, BEFORE PLEVNA taken on the spot_
PORTRAIT, WITH AUTOGRAPH, OF M.C.A. ROSETTI After Duschek 264
PORTRAIT OF M. BRATIANO " " 265
MAPS.
[Drawn and lithographed, with aid of Author's notes, by E. WELLER.]
GEOGRAPHICAL MAP OF ROUMANIA To face p. 3
HISTORICAL MAP OF ROUMANIA After Kiepert, &c. 115

Errata.
Page 45, note, for p. 202 read initial letter, p. 200.
" 64, note 1, " 7209 " 7029.
" 162, line 19, " west " east.
" 165, " 22, " Bajazet II. " Bajazet I.


PART I.
ROUMANIA, TO-DAY.
We love The king who loves the law, respects his bounds, And reigns content within them; him we serve Truly and with delight who leaves us free.
COWPER.
There virtue reigns as queen in royal throne, And giveth laws alone. The