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

being accused of the greatest of all crimes in the eyes of a people composed of slaves and diplomatists—the crime of indiscretion. I am impatient to see the Empress. She is said to be a charmino`, though at the same time a frivolous

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and haughty personage. It needs both hauteur and levity to support an existence like that of hers. She neither interferes with nor informs herself respecting any publie affairs : knowledge is worse than useless, where there is no power to act upon it. The Empress does as the other subjects of the Emperor: all who are born Russians, or would live in Russia, must make silence upon public affairs the motto of their life. Secret conversations would be very interesting, but who dares indulge in them ? To reflect, and to discern would be to render one's self suspected.

M. de Repnin governed the empire and the Emperor : he has been out of favour for two years, and for two years Russia has not heard his name pronounced, though that name was previously in every body's mouth. In one day he fell from the pinnacle of power into the lowest depth of obscurity. No one dared to remember that he was living, nor even to believe that he ever had lived. In Russia, on the day that a minister falls from favour, his friends become deaf and blind. A man is as it were buried

186 CULPABILITY OF THE ARISTOCRACY.

the moment he appears to be disgraced. Russia does not know to-day if the minister who governed her yesterday exists. Under Louis the XV. the banishment of M. de Choiseul was a triumph ; in Russia the retirement of M. de Repnin is a funeral.

To whom will the people one day appeal, from the mute servility of the great? What explosion of vengeance is not the conduct of this cringing aristocracy preparing against the autocratic power ? What are the duties of the Russian noblesse? To adore the Emperor, and to render themselves accomplices in the abuse of sovereign power, that they themselves may continue to oppress the people. Is such the position that Providence has ordained them to occupy in the economy of this vast empire? They fill its posts of honour. What have they done to merit them ? In the history of Russia, no one except the Emperor has performed his part. The nobles, the clergy, and all the other classes of society, have each failed in their own. An oppressed people have always deserved the ills under which they suffer. Tyranny is the work of the nation. Either the civilised world will, before another fifty years, pass anew under the yoke of barbarians, or Russia will undergo a revolution more terrible than that, the effects of which we are still feeling in Western Europe.

I can perceive that I am feared here, which I attribute to its being known that I write under the influence of my convictions. No stranger can set foot in this country without immediately feeling that he is weighed and judged. ' This is a sincere man,' they think, ' therefore he must be dangerous.'

THE AUTHOR SUSPECTED.187

Under the government of the lawyers* a sincere man is only useless!

' An indefinite hatred of despotism reigns in France,' they say, ' but it is exaggerated and unenlightened, therefore we will brave it. The day, however, that a traveller, who convinces because he himself believes, shall tell the real abuses, which he cannot fail to discover among us, we shall be seen as we really are. France now barks at us without knowing us ; when she does know us, she will bite.'

The Russians, no doubt, do me too great honour by this inquietude; which, notwithstanding their profound dissimulation, they cannot conceal from me. I do not know whether I shall publish what I think of their country; but I do know that they only do themselves justice in fearing the truths that I could publish.

The Russians have every thing in name, and nothing in reality. They have civilisation, society, literature, the drama, the arts and sciences — but they have no physicians. In case of illness you must either prescribe for yourself, or call in a foreign practitioner. If you send for the nearest doctor you are a dead man, for medical art in Russia is in its infancy. With the exception of the physician of the Emperor, who, I am told, is, though a Russian, learned, the only doctors who would not assassinate you are the Germans attached to the service of the princes. But the princes live in a state of perpetual motion. It is often impossible to ascertain where they may be; or, when that is known, to send

* Alluding to France. — Trans.

188RUSSIAN PHYSICIANS.

twenty, forty, or sixty versts (two French leagues are equal to seven versts) after them. There are, therefore, practically speaking, no physicians in Eussia. Should even the physician be sought at the known residence of his prince, and not be found there, there is no further hope. ' The doctor is not here.' No other answer can be obtained. In Russia every thing serves to show that reserve is the favourite virtue of the land. An opportunity for appearing discreet cannot but offer to those who know how to seize it, and what Russian would not do himself credit at so little cost? The projects and the movements of the great, and of those attached to their persons by so confidential an employ as that of physician, ought not to be known, unless officially declared, to persons who are born courtiers, and with whom obedience is a passion. Here mystery supplies the place of merit.

The most able of these doctors of the princes are far inferior to the least known among the medical men of our hospitals. The skill of the most learned practitioners will rust at court: nothing can supply the place of the experience gained by the bedside of the sick. I could read the secret memoirs of a Russian court physician with great interest, but I would not follow his prescriptions. Such men would make better chroniclers than doctors. When, therefore, a stranger falls sick among this soi-disant civilised people, his best plan is to consider himself among savages, and to leave every thing to nature.

On returning to my hotel this evening I found a letter, which has very agreeably surprised me. Through the influence of our ambassador, I am to

KINDNESS OF COUNT WORONZOFF.189

be admitted to-morrow to the imperial chapel, to see the marriage of the Grand Duchess.

To appear at court before having been presented, is contrary to all the laws of etiquette, and I was far from hoping for such a favour. The Emperor has, however, granted it. Count TVoronzoff, Grand Master of the Ceremonies, without pre-informing me, for he did not wish to amuse me with a false hope, had despatched a courier to Peterhoff, which is ten leagues from Petersburg, to solicit his Majesty in my favour. This kind consideration has not been unavailing. The Emperor has given permission for me to be present at the marriage, in the chapel of the court, and I am to be presented, without ceremony, at the ball on the same evening,

190COINCIDENCE OF DATES.

CHAP. XI.

COINCIDENCE OF DATES. — MARRIAGE OF THE GRANDSON OF M. DE

BEAUHARNAIS. — CHAPEL OF THE COURT. THE EMPEROR NI

CHOLAS. — HIS PERSON.THE EMPRESS. CONSEQUENCES OF

DESPOTISM. —THE AUTHOR`S DEBUT AT COURT. AN ACCIDENT.

MAGNIFICENT DECORATIONS AND COSTUME. ENTREE OF THE

IMPERIAL FAMILY.THE EMPEROR MASTER OF THE CEREMONIES.

FORMS OF THE GREEK CHURCH. —M. DE PAHLEN.EMOTION