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

282AHISTOCKAY THE ONLY

hand with an air of kindness, and pressing it, said, Au revoìr."

The emperor is the only man in the empire with whom one may talk without fear of informers; he is also the only one in whom I have as yet recognised natural sentiments and sincere Ìan2;ua2`e. If I lived in this country, and had a secret to conceal, I should begin by confiding it to him.

If he has, as I think, more pride than vanity, more dignity than arrogance, the general impression of the various portraits I have successively traced of him, and especially the effect his conversation produced on me, ought to be satisfactory to him : in fact, I did my best to resist the influence of his attractions. I am certainly any thing but revolutionary, still I am revolutionised : such is the consequence of being born in France, and of living there. But I have a yet better reason to give in explanation of my endeavour to resist the influence of the emperor over me. Aristocrat, both from character and conviction, I feel that the aristocracy alone can resist either the seductions or the abuses of absolute power. Without an aristocracy, there would be nothing but tyranny both in monarchies and in democracies. The sight of despotism is revolting to me in spite of myself: it offends all the ideas of liberty which spring alike from my natural feelings and my political creed. No aristocrat can submit without repugnance to see the levelling hand of despotism laid upon the people. This however happens in pure democracies as much as in absolute monarchical governments.

It appears to me, that if I were a sovereign I should like the society of those who would recognise