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

THE PHILOSOPHY OF ADIEUS.201

PHILOSOPHY OF ADIEUS.IMAGINATION.A TWILIGHT SCENE IN

PETERSBURG.NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY. GOD IN NATURE.

THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD.LITERARY CANDOUR.THE BRIDGE

OF NEVA AT NIGHT.PETERSBURG COMPARED TO VENICE.THE

GOSPEL DANGEROUS. — RELIGION IN RUSSIA. JANUS. NEAY

POLAND. THE FUTURE.A DELAY. HISTORY OF THE PRINCE

AND PRINCESS TROUBETZKOI.DEVOTION OF THE PRINCESS.

FOURTEEN YEARS IN THE URALIAN MINES.MERCY OF THE EM

PEROR. THE CHILDREN OF A CONVICT. COLONISATION IN

SIBERIA.A MOTHER'S ANGUISH. SECOND PETITION TO THE

EMPEROR, AND HIS ANSWER.A FINAL OPINION ON THE CHA

RACTER OF THE EMPEROR.THE FAMILY OF THE EXILES.—

CHANGE IN THE AUTHOR`S PLANS.— MEANS TAKEN FOR DECEIVING THE POLICE.

I have bid adieu to Petersburg. — Adieu is a magical word ! It invests places as well as persons with an attraction previously unknown. Why has Petersburg never appeared to me so beautiful as on this evening? It is because I have seen it for the last time. The mind, rich in illusions, has the power of metamorphosing the world, the image of which is to us never anything more than the reflection of our inward life. Those who say that nothing exists beyond ourselves, are perhaps right; but I, prone to philosophy without wishing to be so, metaphysical without any other pretension than that of allowing the natural bent of my thoughts to take their course, inclining ever towards insolvable questions, doubtless к 5