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

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RUSSIANS AND FRENCH. 153

ideas, and every evening on returning to my quarters, I have to examine my thoughts to ascertain what rank they bear, and in what uniform they are clothed.

Having carefully avoided intimacy with many great lords, I have hitherto seen nothing thoroughly except the court. My wish has been to preserve my position as an independent and impartial judge; and I feared to incur accusations of ingratitude or want of good faith; above all, I feared to render subjects of the country responsible for my particular opinions. But at the court I have passed in review all the characteristics of society.

An affectation of French manners, without any of the tone of French conversation, first struck me. It conceals a caustic, sarcastic, Russian spirit of ridicule. If I remained here any time, I would tear away the mask from these puppets, for I am weary of seeing them copy French grimaces. At my age, a man hat· nothing more to learn from affectation; truth alone can always interest, because it imparts knowledge ; truth alone is always new.

I observed from the very first, that the Russians of the lower classes, who are suspicious by nature, detest foreigners through ignorance and national prejudice ; I have observed since, that the Russians of the higher classes, who are equally suspicious, fear them because they believe them hostile: " the French and the English are persuaded of their superiority over all other people ;" this motive suffices to make a Russian hate foreigners, on the same principle that, in France, the Provincial distrusts the Parisian. A barbarian jealousy, an envy, puerile, but impossible to disarm, „ influences the greater