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

situation which makes the fulfilment of their duties towards the people impossible.

On a certain day a nobleman declares his intention of selling an estate. The news of this project throws the country into alarm. The peasants send to their lord a deputation of the elders of their village, who throw themselves at his feet, imploring with tears that they may not be sold. (< It must be," replies the lord: "I cannot conscientiously augment the tax which my peasants pay, and nevertheless I am not rich enough to keep an estate which scarcely brings me in any tiling."

" Is that all ? " cry the deputies; " we then are wealthy enough to enable you to keep us." Whereupon, of their own free will, they raise their rent to double the amount which they have paid from time immemorial." Other peasants, with less gentleness, and greater craft of character, revolt against their masters, solely with the hope of becoming serfs of the crown. This is the highest ambition of the Russian peasant.

To emancipate suddenly such men would be to set the country on fire. The moment that the serfs, separated from the land to which they are attached, were to see it sold, let, or cultivated without them, they would rise in a mass, crying that they were despoiled of their goods.

It is but a short time ago that, in a remote village which was on fire, the peasants, who complained of the tyranny of their master, availed themselves of the disorder they had perhaps caused purposely, to seize his person, impale it, and roast it in the flames of the conflagration. For such acts the Emperor i 6