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

ÀUTHOE?S PREFACE.XÍ

civilised world, after having applied myself with all ray power during these different travels to discover some of the hidden springs on the action of which depends the life of empires, the following is, according to my attentive observations, the' future that we may venture to predict.

In a human point of view — the universal division or dispersion of minds produced by the contempt felt for the only legitimate authority in matters of faith — in other words, the abolition of Christianity, not as a system of morals or philosophy, but as a religion ; and this suffices for the strength of my argument. In a spiritual point of view — the triumph of Christianity, by the re-union of all the churches in the mother church,—in that shaken but indestructible church which is every age widening its gates for the return of those who went out from it. The universe must again become either pagan or catholic: pagan, in a manner more or less refined, with nature for its temple, sense for its worship, and reason for its idol: or catholic, with priests, of whom a certain number at least, sincerely put in practice before they preach, the precept of their master, " My kingdom is not of thi* world."

Such is the dilemma out of which the human mind will never be extricated. Beyond it, there is nothing on one side but imposture, on the other but illusion.

This prospective result has struck me ever since 1 thought at all: nevertheless, the ideas of the age were so different from mine, that I wanted—not faith, but boldness: I felt all the weakness of isolation; still I did not cease to protest with all my power in favour of a 6