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

234SPIRIT OF ТПЕ GOVERNMENT.

danger of lacking proud talents, greedy hearts, and domineering minds. But more particularly is ambition conceded to governments. It would seem as though the heads of the people were especially privileged to commit iniquity. For my part, I cannot perceive any moral difference between the unjust covetousness of a conquering nation and the attacks of an armed brigand. The sole distinction to be made between public and individual crimes is, that the one produces a great, the other a little evil.

The Russians excuse themselves in their own eyes under the idea that the government to which they submit is favourable to their ambitious hopes; but an object that can only be attained by such means must be bad. The people are an interesting race ; I can recognise among those of the lowest orders a kind of intelligence in their pantomime, of suppleness and quickness in theh` movements, of ingenuity, pensiveness, and grace in their countenances, which denote men of good blood ; but they are made beasts of burden. Shall they persuade me that it is necessary to manure the soil with the carcasses of this human cattle, that the earth may fatten during ages, before she can produce generations worthy of reaping the glory which Providence promises the Slavonians ? Providence forbids the commission of a small evil even in the hope of the greatest good.

I do not mean that they should, or that they could, in the present day, govern the Russians as they govern the other European lands; but I mean that numerous evils would be avoided, if the example of jjentleness and lenity were given in the highest quarters. But what ean be hoped from a nation of