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

316THE EMPEROR NICHOLAS.

dience docs not live. The nation of which I speak has been posted at the window; it looks out — it listens — it feels like a man witnessing some exhibition. When will this game cease ?

Russia ought not only to stop, but to begin anew: is such an effort possible ? can so vast an edifice be taken to pieces and reconstructed ? The too recent civilisation of the empire, entirely artificial as it is, has already produced real results — results which no human power can annul: it appears to me impossible to controul the future of a people without considering the present. But the present, when it has been violently separated from the past, bodes only evil: to avert that evil from Russia, by obliging it to take into account its ancient history, which was the result only of its primitive character, will be henceforward the ungrateful task, more useful than brilliant, of the men called to govern this land,

The altogether national and highly practical genius of the Emperor Nicholas has perceived the problem : can he resolve it ? I do not think so ; he does not let enough be done — he trusts too much to himself and too little to others to succeed ; for in Russia, the most absolute will is not powerful enough to accomplish good.

It is not against a tyrant, but against tyranny, that the friends of man have here to struggle. There would be injustice in accusing the emperor of the miseries of the empire and the vices of the government : the powers of a man are not equal to the task imposed upon the sovereign who would suddenly seek to reign by humanity over an inhuman people.

He only who has been in Russia, who has seen