ROSTOPCHIN.
person who was willing to answer my questions on the trait of patriotic devotion that is most glorious in the history of Russia.
In speaking to strangers of that event, I do not feel ray national pride humiliated. When I think of the cost at which this people recovered its independence, I am proud, even though seated on the ashes of our soldiers. The defence proves the daring of the attack: history will say that the one was equally great with the other; but, as her truth is incorruptible, she will add, that the defence was the most just. It is for Napoleon to answer to this. France was at that time in the hands of a single man: she acted, but she no longer thought; she was drunk with glory, as the Russians are with obedience: it is those who think for an entire people who are responsible for events.
llostopchin, after having passed years at Paris, where he had even established his family, took a fancy to return to his own country. But dreading the patriotic glory which, rightly or wrongly, attached to his name, he caused his appearance before the Emperor Alexander to be preceded by a pamphlet, published purely with the view of proving that the fire of Moscow was accidental, and not the result of a concerted plan. Thus, Rostopchin used every endeavour to clear himself in Russia from the heroism of which he was accused by Егггоре, — astonished at the greatness, and, after his pamphlet, at the wretchedness of this man, born to serve a better government. Concealing and denying his glorious deed, he bitterly complained of the new species of calumny by which they endeavoured to make of an
ROSTOPCIIIN.
51
obscure general, a liberator of his country! The Emperor Alexander, on his part, never eeased to repeat, that he had not given any order for the burning of his capital.
This contest of mediocrity is characteristic. AVe can never cease to wonder at the sublimity of the drama, when Ave think of the actors by whom it was played. Never have performers given themselves greater trouble to persuade the spectators that they knew nothing of their parts.
In reading Rostopchin, I took him at his word; for I said to myself—a man who is so afraid of seeming great, cannot be great. In a case like this, Ave must believe people literally: false modesty is sincere in spite of itself; it is a brevet of littleness; for men really superior affect nothing; they do justice to themselves in their OAvn minds; and when forced to speak of themselves openly, they do so, without pride, but also without pretended humility. It is long since I read this singular pamphlet, but I have never forgotten it, for it impressed me at the time with the spirit of the Russian government and people.
It Avas already night before I left the Kremlin. The colours of the enormous edifices of Moscoav, and of the distant hills, Avere softly sobered; the silence of night descended upon the city. The winding's of the MoskoAva were no longer traced in brilliant lines, the flames of western day were extinguished; but the grandeur of the spot, and all the memories which it awoke, still stirred within my heart. I fancied I saAv the shade of Ivan IV.— Ivan the Terrible — standing upon the loftiest tower of his С 4
32
REVIEW OF THE
deserted palace, and, aided by his sister and his friend, Elizabeth of England, endeavouring to overwhelm Napoleon in a sea of blood! These phantoms seemed to glory in the fall of the giant, who, by an award of fate, was destined, in falling, to leave his two enemies more powerful than he had found them.
Eno·bnd and Russia have cause to return thanks to Buonaparte — nor do they refuse to do so. Such was not for France the result of the reign of Louis XIV. The hatred of Europe has survived, during the period of a century and a half, the death of the Great King, whilst the Great Captain has been deified since his fall: and even his gaolers do not fear to unite their discordant voices with the concert of praises which resounds from all parts of Europe, — an historical phenomenon, which I think stands alone in the annals of the world, and which can only be explained by the sph`it of opposition that now reio`ns anions; all the civilised nations. The reign, however, of that spirit is drawing to its close. We may, therefore, hope soon to read works in which Buonaparte shall be estimated by his own intrinsic merits or demerits, and without malignant allusions to the reigning power in France or elsewhere.
I hope to see the day in which this man—as wonderful by the passions he foments after death as by the actions of his life —will be fairly judged. Truth has but yet touched the pedestal of his statue, hitherto shielded against the equitable severity of history l>y the double influence of unparalleled successes and misfortunes.
At any rate our children will have to learn, that
CHARACTER OF NAPOLEON.
he had more grasp of mind than dignity of character, and that he was greater by his talent in availing himself of successes, than by his constancy in strug-
After leaviuo` the terraces of the Kremlin, I re-turned to my rooms with a feeling of exhaustion similar to that of a man who has been just witnessing the performance of some horrible tragedy, or rather like an invalid who awakes with the nightmare in a fever.
34ORIENTAL ASPECT OP MOSCOW.
CHAP. XXVIII.
ORIENTAL ASPECT OF MOSCOW.HORACE VERNET.WANT OF
SUPERIOR WORKS OF ART.RUSSIAN FICKLENESS.SILK MANU
FACTORIES. APPEARANCES OF LIBERTY.RAILROADS. ENG
LISH CLUBRUSSIAN PIETY.CHURCH AND STATE IN ENGLAND.
—DEVOTEES AND STATESMEN. ERROR OF THE LIBERALS IN
REJECTING CATHOLICISM. FRENCH POLICY. NEWSPAPER GO
VERNMENT. THE GRECO-RUSSIAN CHURCH. ITS SECTS, AND
THEIR ORIGIN. POLYGAMY. — MERCHANTS OF MOSCOW. A
RUSSIAN FAIR. RURAL SCENERY IN MOSCOW.DRUNKENNESS
AMONG THE RUSSIANS. HIDDEN POETRYSONG OF THE DON
COSSACKS.THE MUSIC OF NORTHERN NATIONS.THE COSSACKS.
THEIR CHARACTER.INFLUENCE UNDER WHICH THEY FIGHT.
—POLITICAL SUBTERFUGES. A POLISH FABLE.
Moscow is about the only mountainous district in the centre of Russia. Not that this word is to sug-gest the
