MOSCOW. 
223 
described as having relief in sickness, refuge in chap. 
calamity, and in their old age a comfortable > — 
asylum. We asked the Prince, if there existed 
one, amongst the happiest of his slaves, who 
would not rejoice to exchange his Russian liberty 
for what he was pleased to term English slavery. 
We had seen the peasants of this very man, 
according to his own pathetic discourse, “ in 
sickness, in calamity, and in old age and it 
was well known to every person present, that 
their “ relief and refuge” was in death, and 
their “ asylum” the grave. 
Another nobleman assured us, that the greatest 
punishment he inflicted upon his slaves (for he 
professed to have banished all corporeal chas- 
tisement) was to give them their liberty, and 
then turn them from his door. Upon further 
inquiry, we discovered that his slaves fled from 
their fetters, even if there were a certainty of 
death before their eyes, rather than remain 
beneath his tyranny. Great indeed must be 
the degree of oppression which a Russian will 
not endure, who from his cradle crouches to his 
oppressor, and has been accustomed to receive 
the rod without daring to murmur. Other 
nations speak of Russian indolence ; which is 
remarkable, as no people are naturally more 
lively, or more disposed to employment. We 
