“We met frequent caravans of the Malo-Russians, who differ altogether from the inhabitants of the rest of Russia. Their features are those of the Polonese or Cossacks. They are a more noble race, and stouter and better-looking people than the Russians, and superior to them in every thing that can exalt one set of men above another. They are cleaner, more industrious, more honest, more generous, more polite, more courageous, more hospitable, more truly pious, and of course legs superstitious… They have in many instances converted the desolate steppes into corn fields.” (Dr. Edward Clarke, Travels in Russia, 1800)
< Difference between Ukrainians and Russians observed by John Steinbeck
