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

CONFIDENTIAL CONVERSATION.75

far-sighted conceptions, and plans profoundly laid. To impose upon nations the domination of majorities is to subject them to mediocrity. If such is not your object, you do wrong to laud oratorical influence. The politics of large assemblies are almost always timid, sordid, and rapacious. You oppose to this the case of England : that country is not what it is supposed to be. It is true that in its houses of parliament questions arc decided by the majority ; but this majority represents the aristocracy of the land, which for a long tune has not ceased, except at very brief intervals, to direct the affairs of the state. Besides, to what refuges of lies have not parliamentary forms compelled the leaders of this masked oligarchy to descend ? Is it for this that you envy England ? "

" Nevertheless, man must be led either by fear or by persuasion."

" True; but action is more persuasive than words. Does not the Prussian government prove this ? Does not Buonaparte ? Buonaparte at the commencement of his reign governed by persuasion as much as, or more than, by force, and yet his eloquence, though great, was never addressed except to individuals; to the mass he never spoke except by deeds: to discuss the laws in public is to rob them of that respect which i.? the secret of their power."

" You are a friend to despotism ?"

" On the contrary, I dread the lawyers, and their echo the newspapers*, which are but speeches whose echo resounds for twenty-four hours. Such is the despotism which threatens us in the present day."

* These allusions, it must be remembered, refer more especially to France. — Ti`ans.