In Vârnav's own definition, the political unification of Moldavia and Wallachia could originate from the cultural "fusion" that he was promoting in the Romanian student colony; his letters of the time opened with the slogan Vivat Unirea ("Long Live Union").
His campaigning led to the establishment of a Society of the Romanian Students in Paris, which met at his house in Quartier de la Sorbonne (Place de la Sorbonne, 3, where the library was also housed).
Its triumvirate leadership comprised Ion Ghica and C. A. Rosetti of Wallachia, with the Moldavian Vârnav as cashier.
However, Rosetti and Vârnav handled most of daily business, with Ghica effectively absent from Paris after August 1846; in later months, Rosetti also left, to be replaced by Nicolae Bălcescu.
This and other concerns prompted the Society to seek patronage from conservative figures in both Principalities—Nicolae Ghica-Comănești, Roxanda Roznovanu, Alexandru Sturdza-Miclăușanu, and various others.
Vârnav also offered honorary presidency to the French poet Alphonse de Lamartine who, as he recalled, accepted with "the greatest joy and affection".

From about 1845, Vârnav had been accepted into the Athénée des Etrangers, a Masonic lodge of the Grand Orient de France.
Despite his public overture to the conservative boyars, he had also joined the Wallachians' secret society, Frăția ("The Brotherhood"), which was repressed at home but maintained a presence in the diaspora; the Society itself may have been a front for Rosetti's revolutionary conspiracy.
Privately, he expressed his dislike for the patronage, noting that Ghica-Comănești and the others had surrendered the Society to "backbiters".
The Society was still highly popular, and, according to ledgers published by Vârnav, made a yearly profit of 21,200 francs in subscriptions and donations.
He was able to sponsor scholarships for new recruits to the nationalist cause, including Nicolae Ionescu, N. Chinezu, and Ianache Lecca.

In Moldavia, Constantin became famous for his advocacy of balneotherapy, and also for his work during the 1848 cholera epidemic: he was the only doctor of Iași to have survived the calamity.
This was particularly unusual, as he did not believe that cholera was contagious, and relied on folk medicine in his attempts to cure it.
He shared some of Scarlat's views about modernization, publishing his plans to set up a sanitary service and medical schools.
From 1844, he was also son-in-law of the Wallachian Prince Gheorghe Bibescu, a conservative figure.
Nonetheless, the Students' Society revolutionary connections irritated Bibescu, and also caused concern in Russia, which, at the time, shared custody of the Principalities.
Despite Lamartine's support, these developments also worried the French monarchy, which was transitioning to conservatism.
The Guizot government chose not to give any recognition to the Society, pushing it into the underground.
In Vârnav's own definition, the political unification of Moldavia and Wallachia could originate from the cultural "fusion" that he was promoting in the Romanian student colony; his letters of the time opened with the slogan Vivat Unirea ("Long Live Union"). His campaigning led to the establishment of a Society of the Romanian Students in Paris, which met at his house in Quartier de la Sorbonne (Place de la Sorbonne, 3, where the library was also housed). Its triumvirate leadership comprised Ion Ghica and C. A. Rosetti of Wallachia, with the Moldavian Vârnav as cashier. However, Rosetti and Vârnav handled most of daily business, with Ghica effectively absent from Paris after August 1846; in later months, Rosetti also left, to be replaced by Nicolae Bălcescu. This and other concerns prompted the Society to seek patronage from conservative figures in both Principalities—Nicolae Ghica-Comănești, Roxanda Roznovanu, Alexandru Sturdza-Miclăușanu, and various others. Vârnav also offered honorary presidency to the French poet Alphonse de Lamartine who, as he recalled, accepted with "the greatest joy and affection".
From about 1845, Vârnav had been accepted into the Athénée des Etrangers, a Masonic lodge of the Grand Orient de France. Despite his public overture to the conservative boyars, he had also joined the Wallachians' secret society, Frăția ("The Brotherhood"), which was repressed at home but maintained a presence in the diaspora; the Society itself may have been a front for Rosetti's revolutionary conspiracy. Privately, he expressed his dislike for the patronage, noting that Ghica-Comănești and the others had surrendered the Society to "backbiters". The Society was still highly popular, and, according to ledgers published by Vârnav, made a yearly profit of 21,200 francs in subscriptions and donations. He was able to sponsor scholarships for new recruits to the nationalist cause, including Nicolae Ionescu, N. Chinezu, and Ianache Lecca.
In Moldavia, Constantin became famous for his advocacy of balneotherapy, and also for his work during the 1848 cholera epidemic: he was the only doctor of Iași to have survived the calamity. This was particularly unusual, as he did not believe that cholera was contagious, and relied on folk medicine in his attempts to cure it. He shared some of Scarlat's views about modernization, publishing his plans to set up a sanitary service and medical schools. From 1844, he was also son-in-law of the Wallachian Prince Gheorghe Bibescu, a conservative figure. Nonetheless, the Students' Society revolutionary connections irritated Bibescu, and also caused concern in Russia, which, at the time, shared custody of the Principalities. Despite Lamartine's support, these developments also worried the French monarchy, which was transitioning to conservatism. The Guizot government chose not to give any recognition to the Society, pushing it into the underground.
Scarlat Vârnav