490 RUSSIAN CORRUPTION 



will only be abolished by a gradual development which it 

 will take generations to complete. At the present time 

 the Russian peasant has little or no sense of honour. A 

 merchant does not lose caste by doing a dishonourable 

 action. So far from feeling any sense of shame from 

 having acted dishonourably, he feels a sense of com- 

 placency. It gives a Russian far more innate pleasure 

 to cheat somebody out of a rouble than to earn a rouble 

 honestly. He feels that he has done a clever thing by 

 earning a rouble dishonestly, and despises the honest man 

 as weak. Nevertheless there are in the Russian character 

 many elements of future greatness, and it is impossible to 

 live amongst the Russians without liking them. Those 

 who know Russia best will respond most heartily to the 

 sentiment : " Russia, with all thy faults I love thee still." 

 It is impossible to look upon the dishonesty and in- 

 capacity of the Russian officials without feeling both anger 

 and contempt ; but we must not confound the Russian 

 nation with its governors, nor can we condemn the latter 

 without remembering that many of their vices are 

 fostered by, if not inseparable from, the miserable system 

 of despotism under which Russia still groans. The 

 Russian is a child, with a child's virtues and a child's 

 faults, and naturally claims from any right-minded person 

 the pity and affection which childhood demands. The 

 faithfulness of a Russian servant is something wonderful. 

 He never tires in your service. If he has worked for 

 you all day, he will gladly work for you all night if 

 required. Nothing is too difficult for him to attempt. 

 He is your right-hand man in every case of need. He 

 can mend your carriage or your harness, and repair your 

 clothes or your boots. Give him a good axe, and there 

 is no joiner's or carpenter's work which he cannot do ; nay, 

 if need be, he can build you a new house almost single- 



