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

328FORMATION OF HIS NEW GUARD.

especially required that they should have no kind of connection with the great boyards; obscurity, and even meanness of extraction, was a recommendation. The Czar increased their number to 6000 men, who took oath to serve him in all things, and against all persons; to denounce traitors ; to have no connection with the citizens of the commonalty, that is, with none who were not enrolled in the legion of the elect; and to recognise neither relationship nor family when serving the sovereign. In return, the Czar bestowed upon them, not only the lands, but also the houses and goods, of twelve thousand proprietors, who were driven from their possessions, destitute: so that many of them, among whom were men distinguished for their services, and covered with honourable wounds, were obliged to depart on foot, and during the winter, with their wives and children, for other far distant and desert abodes," &c. &c.

It is also in Karamsin that we may read the results of this infernal institution. But the present sketch is too confined for the filling up of the picture with the details furnished by history.

The horde of banditti once let loose upon the land, and nothing but murder and rapine were to be seen. Merchants and burghers, boyards and peasants — all, in short, who were not of the elect, belonged to the elect. That terrible guard was like a single man, of whom the emperor was the soul. Merit, birth, fortune, beauty, every kind of advantage, brought evil on its possessor. The young females who had personal charms, and were so unfortunate as to be considered virtuous, were carried away to serve as toys for the Czar and his brutal favourites. That prince