experiences in my episcopal work, I have found that the religious
men--when they are the real thing--are all round the best men.

And thus I come to the end, hopefully confident about our relations with
the Russians and our work in the world together. This book was asked of
me, and pressed upon me at a specially busy and harassing time, and as
it has had to be written amidst many distractions and interruptions its
imperfections and deficiencies, as I well know, are many, yet it has
been a most congenial task to write it. It has been written throughout
with the one desire, while giving as true a description of Russia and
its people's life as I could, to lead my own countrymen to view them
with a friendly eye and a kindly heart. This is essential if we are to
have sound and stable relations with each other. Treaties and other
diplomatic agreements are indeed mere "scraps of paper" without it, and
when the Prime Minister addressed the deputies from the Russian Duma at
a luncheon given them in the House of Commons in 1909, he truly and
appropriately said that it is not enough to let governments sign
treaties and agreements, but the nations themselves must have feelings
of friendship for each other, without which all agreements and alliances
are not worth the paper on which they are written. I believe--firmly and
thankfully I believe it--that our feelings towards those of whom I have
written are already those of sympathy and friendship. I am sure it is so
in their feelings towards us, and that we are in consequence going to
find in Russia not only a new ally but a very faithful one, and a loyal
and true friend for many generations.

FOOTNOTES:

[14] Boris Lebedev, in the February number of the _Russian Review_.

[15] Sir Frederick Treves, Mr. Robert Hichens, and Mr. Stephen Graham.

INDEX

Archangel, 210, 221.

Berlin, Social conditions in, 202-03.

Catharine the Great, 27.

Cleanliness of Russians, 59-60.

Climate of Russia, 31-32;
of Siberia, 179-81.

Convict Labour, 149.

Duma, The, 25, 160, 226, 267.

Ekaterinburg, 40, 222, 223, 244;
Convent at, 83;
Bishop of, 80, 83.

Elizabeth, The Grand Duchess, 81, 133, 134-37.

English Church, position of in Russia, 1-2, 205-10;
relations with Russian Church, 90-93, 210-13, 226-27;
work of in Russia, 89-91, 175-79, 221-24;
relations with the Jews, 228 sqq.

Germany, contrasted with Russia, 201.

_Ikons_, Ubiquity of, 21-24, 5