MOSCOW. 
119 
They consider the English as a mercenary < 
people ; and generally hate them, because they ' — » — ' 
fear them ; or court them, it they stand in need entertained 
of their support. One of their princes thought 
proper to declare in public, at his own table, 
where we had been invited to dine, and were 
of course under the protection enjoined by the 
laws of hospitality, that “ in England there is 
not an individual, patriot, or placeman, who is not 
saleable to the highest bidder .” He instanced 
Willies, Gibbon, and Burke, with many others ; 
adding, “ English slavery is less justifiable than 
Russian. One is selfishness ; the other, submission 
to the laws." 
It is very true, that the system of slavery in Relative^ 
Russia, like many other evils, may be some- of staves 
J 0,11 1 an< * * eir 
times productive of good. If the nobleman be Lords. 
benevolent, his slaves are happy ; for in that 
case they are fed, clothed, and lodged. In 
sickness they are carefully attended, and in 
old age they have an asylum. In case of acci- 
dents from fire if a whole village be burned, 
the nobleman must supply wood to rebuild it. 
But when, as it generally happens, the pro- 
prietor is a man without feeling or principle, 
their situation is indeed wretched. In such 
instances, the peasants often take the law into 
their own hands, and assassinate their lords. 
