Page:Nicolae Iorga - My American lectures.djvu/150



Perhaps the best way to become acquainted with a country, instead of reading books, often grounded on other books, without the truthful accent to be found only in the uncorrupted and ancient sources, is to search personally the historic places to obtain a knowledge of the past and to link together the present aspects of nature with the memories of forgotten ages. Therefore would it not assuredly be preferable as a method of initiation into the true soul of the Roumanian and into the real meaning of his country?

It is such impression about Roumania that I propose to create as an historian who, during his life, has had many opportunities of visiting all parts of his native soil. Of course, if it is too unusual, I hope my readers will forgive the indiscretion. There is nothing so difficult as repeating a certain collection of ideas under one and the same form. However, I may achieve my end, for I would lead the reader along the very paths trodden by the peasant, the prince, the founders of states, the conquerors and other great figures of our historical progress.

On the green slopes of the Oltenian and Wallachian mountains with swift-running rivers and charming little white huts clustered round the imposing belfry of the humble church with its brightly-coloured wallstraces are to be found of the primaeval life of this hardy race, on which the waves of foreign invasions have broken in