RESOURCES, &C. OF RUSSIA. 467 



Poles, in which they were entreated to lay down their arms and return 

 to their " right and lawful allegiance'' to him. But for fear of an 

 explosion at home, the probability was that Nicholas, as he must have 

 been satisfied of being able eventually to overpower the Poles, would 

 have allowed ihem to contest it a liltle longer, tiiat by that means 

 his troops might have had a better pretext for doing more destruction 

 — and, alas ! they have already done too much — in Poland, and thus 

 afford a warning to insurrectionists in his dominion'^jin all time coming. 



But to any aggression which Russia may meditate beyond the 

 frontiers of Europe, these observations do not apply. The con- 

 tending parlies would, in that case, be on more equal terms. It would 

 be barbarian pitted against barbarian. The Russian, indeed, would 

 have the advantage; for we know of no other uncivilized soldier 

 who' possesses so much obstinacy, courage, 'and physical hardihood 

 as he. Besides, the Russians are better trained to the use of arms 

 than the soldiers of any other nation out of Europe. Of course, in 

 such an expedition, an immeasurably less force would suffice 

 than in the case formerly adverted to. The war, too, would have 

 no chance of being equally protracted. The ease and facility with 

 which the Autocrat lately vanquished Persia and Turkey are cases 

 strikingly in point. 



But, while we regard as perfectly chimerical any apprehension of 

 immediate danger to Europe from the overgrown power of Russia 

 (if single handed), we are not equally at ease as to her capability for 

 mischief at some future, perhaps not very d stant, period. The three 

 great obstacles, as already hinted, to any successful present attack on 

 European territory are the thinness of the population, her want of 

 finances, and the ignorance and degradation of her people. The 

 first obstacle is being removed with an ominous rapidity ; popula- 

 tion in Russia is increasing prodigiously. The second is also in 

 the way of being removed in one sense ; but it depends very 

 much on the Autocrat himself whether it be so in the principal one. 

 Education and civilization are progressing apace in his dominions; 

 and should he have the wisdom to march with them, or rather an- 

 ticipate ihem by granting his subjects a free constitution, the latter 

 will become attached to his persoi\ and government, and will readily 

 and heartily abet his ambitious and aggrandizing projects. With a 

 people thus loyal, patriotic, civilized, and brave and hardy and nume- 

 rous withal, no enterprise could be too daring for the Russian Em- 

 peror to undertake. But if, blind to the signs of the times, or re- 

 gardless of the spirit of the age, he should still madly cling to his 

 darling despotic government, the consequences will most certainly 

 be the subversion of his throne and government, perchance also the 

 severance of his own head from his body. It is altogether beyond 

 the range of probability that an empire so heterogeneous in its ma- 

 terials, so unwieldy, and with such a government, can for any length 

 of time withstand the antagonist principles of education and civiliza- 

 tion. 



These last and despotism cannot exist together, within the same 

 geographical limits. The latter must give way, totter, and fall ; and 

 great indeed, in this case, " would be the fall thereof." 



2 L2 



