Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

32GTHE TASK OF ТЫЕ AUTHOR.

asked me, as all the Russians do, what I should say of his country. " I have been too well received there to talk about it*," was my reply.

This avowal, in which I thought I had scarcely politely concealed an epigram, is brought up against me. " Treated as you have been," I am told, " you cannot possibly tell the truth; and as you cannot write except to do so, you had better remain silent." Such is the opinion of a party among those to whom I am accustomed to listen. At any rate, it is not flattering to the Russians.

My opinion is, that without wounding the delicacy, without failing in the gratitude clue to individuals, nor yet in the respect due to self, there is always a proper manner of speaking with sincerity of public men and things, and I hope to have discovered this manner. It is pretended that truth only shocks, but in France, at least, no one has the right or the power to close the mouth of him who speaks it. My exclamations of indignation cannot be taken for the disguised expression of wounded vanity. If I had listened only to my self-love it would have told me to be enchanted with every thing: my heart has been enchanted with nothing.

If every thing related of the Russians and their country turn into personalities, so much the worse for them: this is an inevitable evil, for things do not exist in Russia, since it is the whim of a man who makes and unmakes them ; but that is not the fault of travellers.

The emperor appears to me little disposed to lay down a part of his authority. Let him suffer, then, * " J'y ai été trop bien reçu pour en parler."