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

232POLITICAL REFLECTIONS.

mitted in France, where we expose ourselves to the danger of destroying everything by our very wish to preserve everything. Each nation is governed by its own law of necessity, to which it must submit, under penalty of national ruin.

We want to be commercial like the English, free like the Americans, at liberty to follow our caprices like the Poles in the times of their diets, and conquerors like the Russians; all which is tantamount to being nothing. The good sense of a nation consists in perceiving and choosing the object that suits its genius, and is indicated by nature and history, and then, in shrinking from no sacrifices necessary to attain it.

France wants good sense in her ideas, and moderation in her desires. She is generous, she is even resigned *; but she does not know how to employ and direct her powers. She acts by impulse and at random. A country where, from the time of Fenelon, they have done nothing but talk of politics, is, in the present day, neither governed nor served. There are plenty of men who see and deplore the evil; but as for the remedy, every one seeks it in his passion, and therefore no one finds it, for the passions persuade those only who are under their influence.

Nevertheless, it is at Paris that one still leads the most pleasant life. We there amuse ourselves with every thing by finding fault; at Petersburg people weary of every thing in bestowing praise ; pleasure, however, is not the end of existence, not even for individuals, and still less for nations.

* Elle est méme résignée.