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

148Л RUSSIAN HOTEL.

and, in place of these, let him picture to himself the universal agitation of an ever-restless though secret intrigue, — secret, because the mask is essential to success; finally, let him realise the idea of the almost complete apparent triumph of the will of one man over the will of God, and he will understand Russia.

As the morning advances, the city becomes more noisy, without however appearing more gay; one sees only carriages, little distinguished for elegance, carrying at the full speed of their two, four, or six horses, people always in haste, because their life is passed in thus making their way. Pleasure without any ulterior aim—pleasure for its own sake, is here a thing unknown.

Thus, almost all the great artistes who visit Russia to reap the fruit of the fame they have acquired elsewhere, never remain beyond a very brief period ; if ever they prolong their stay, they wrong their talents. The air of this country is unfavourable to the finer arts. Productions that spring spontaneously elsewhere, will only here grow in the hot house. Russian art will never be a hardy plant.

At the Hotel de Coulon, I found a degenerated French innkeeper. His house is at present nearly full, on account of the marriage of the Grand Duchess Marie; and he appeared almost annoyed at being obliged to receive another guest, and consequently gave himself little trouble to accommodate me. After several parleys, I was at length established on the second floor, in suffocating apartments, consisting of an entree;, a salon, and a bed-chamber, the whole without curtains or window blinds, though there is a sun for twenty-two hours daily above the horizon,

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