Page:Armenian poems, rendered into English verse (IA armenianpoemsren00blaciala).pdf/17

 The Hon, Andrew D. White says: "It is one of the finest races in the world, physically, morally and intellectually. If I were asked to name the most desirable races to be added by immigration to the American population, I would name among the very first the Armenian."

Lord Bryce says: "They are a strong race, not only with vigorous nerves and sinews, physically active and energetic, but also of conspicuous brain power. Among all those who dwell in Western Asia they stand first, with a capacity for intellectual and moral progress, as well as with a natural tenacity of will and purpose, beyond that of all their neighbors—not merely of Turks, Tartars, Kurds and Persians, but also of Russians.

"Thus they have held a very important place among the inhabitants of Western Asia ever since the sixth century. If you look into the annals of the East Roman or Byzantine Empire, you will find that most of the men who rose to eminence in its service as generals or statesmen during the early middle ages were of Armenian stock. So was it also after the establishment of the Turkish dominion in Europe. Many of the ablest men in the Turkish service have been Armenians by birth or extraction. The same is true of the Russian service."

Lamartine calls the Armenians "the Swiss of the East." Dulaurier compares them to the Dutch.

Mrs. Isabella Bird Bishop, the famous traveler, says: "They are the most capable, energetic, enterprising and pushing race in Western Asia, physically superior and intellectually acute, and, above all, they are a race which can be raised in all respects