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

SPIRIT OF THE GREEK RELIGION.

nations: the adulterous priest sold the God of heaven to the god of the world to enable him to tyrannise over men in the name of Christ; but this impious priest, while even he was killing the body enlightened the mind: for, altogether turned from the right way as he was, he nevertheless formed part of a church which possessed life and light: the Greek priest imparts neither life nor death, — he is himself a dead body.

Signs of the cross, salutations in the streets, bowing of the knees before the chapels, prostrations of old devotees upon the pavements of the churches, kissings of the hands, a wife, children, and universal contempt —such are the fruits of the priest's abdication—such is all that he has been able to obtain from tire most superstitious people in the world. What a lesson ! and what a punishment! In the midst of the triumph of his schism, the schismatic priest is struck with impotence. A priest, when he wishes to engross temporal power, perishes for the want of views sufficiently elevated to enable him to see the road that God has appointed for him; — a priest who allows himself to be dethroned by the king, for the want of courage to follow that road, equally fails in his high calling.

I cannot apologise for the wandering character of my thoughts and disquisitions, for, in passing freely from object to object, from idea to idea, I describe Russia as a whole, and show the truth as it appears to me, better than if, with a more methodical style, 1 purposely endeavoured to avoid the reproach of inconsistencies, digressions, or confusion of subjects. The state of the people, the greatness of the Em-E 3