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

FATE OF HIS SUCCESSOR.8ð

as to assist in person at the ceremony, in order to publish his regret by taking God to witness his admiration of the national genius, removed too soon for his glory.

£< However this may be, the sympathy of the sovereign so flattered the Muscovite spirit as to awake a generous patriotism in the breast of a young man, endowed with much talent. This too credulous poet was so enraptured by the august protection accorded to the first of all arts, that he grew bold enough to believe himself inspired ! In the ingenuous yearnings of his gratitude, he ventured even to write an ode — a patriotic ode, to thank the emperor for becoming the protector of literature. He concluded his remarkable production by singing the praises of the departed bard. This was all he did; I have read the verses and I can attest the innocent intentions of the author: unless at least it might be a crime to conceal in the depths of his bosom a hope, perhaps, of becoming one day a second Pouskine — a hope very pardonable, it seems to me, in a youthful imagination.

" Audacious youth ! to aim at renown, to betray a passion for glory under a despotism ! It was the same as if Prometheus had said to Jupiter — 'Take care of yourself, I am going to rob you of your thunderbolts.'

" The recompense which this young aspirant received for having thus publicly shown his confidence in his master's love for the fine arts and the belles let-tres, was a secret order to go and pursue his poetical studies on the Caucasus, a chapel of ease to the ancient Siberia.

" After having remained there two years, he has