Things are moving in Bulgaria. M. Zankoif, the former Bulgarian
Minister, who fled. his country during M. Stam- bouloff's regime—somewhat after the manner of Bolingbroke during the time of Walpole—has come from St. Petersburg, and is hovering on the frontier, He has forwarded a petition to Prince Ferdinand, praying for permission to return to Bulgaria, but the decision, it is said, will not be favourable. Meantime, M. Zankoff has issued a declaration to his fellow- countrymen in which he declares that " he and his political followers are at one with the Bulgarian nation, and, together with it, will'gather round the Throne of his Highness Prince Ferdinand I." He protests against the report that Russia wishes to convert Bulgaria into a Russian dependency, and affirms that she only desires that the Bulgarian dynasty should not prove a centre of hatred to the Slav race, the Orthodox religion, and the Russian Empire. Finally, he puts forward a political programme under the three following heads :—(1), Peace and love towards Russia ; (2), the restora- tion of paragraph 38 of the Constitution, which deals with the religion of the heir to the Bulgarian Throne ; (3), the introduc- tion of laws suited to the democratic spirit and customs of Bulgaria. It will be curious to see if M. Zankoff returns whether he will be as successfully " sterilised " as was Boling- broke. If he is, perhaps he will fall back upon writing a Bulgarian edition of " The Patriot King." His democratic, national, and heir-apparent aspirations appear to be much like those of St. John.
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