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opposer acts wife the energy of despotism unrestricted by any law . But the opposition was at this epoch , notwithstanding its recent defeats , full of vigour , both of thought and action . It was far from the decrepitude which accompanies political as well as physical old age . Understanding , at last , that legal means were useless , its members , after having protested by words , decided on protesting by deeds .
" Dispersed in the immense limits of the empire , there was a fatal want of unity in their actions . Partial insurrections , prematurely breaking out , gave the alarm . We are but imperfectly acquainted with the details of these , so to speak , fortuitous events , for their memory is only traditionally preserved among the degraded population ; the Czarien government having , after each revolt , been careful to destroy all traces which could not excuse , but sanctify its authors . Undeviatingly determined to break the spirit of the nation and check all sympathy with those who dared to appeal to the national dignity , these
insurrections were at once stigmatized with the reproach of mob violence and brigandage . In this manner the glorious names of Steneke Razine and Ye * meliani Pongalschef , and in our own days those of Rourme' and Trichisa , have been classed with high way-robbers and cut-throats ., many of whom also belonged to the nobility . Tradition , however , will not be silenced , and it whispers of a time of fearful horrors . But there is also a hidden manuscript literature of that period , which has been saved from the word-weighing censorship of the Benkendorfs , Orlofs , and Sulliquantz , and this literature explains many mysteries holden from us in the pages of royal historians . ci
The ex-prince Semione Myschetski gives a most brilliant and poetical description of the insurrection of Solofski in his episodical history . This insurrection lasted nine years , and Myschetski ' s account of it , given with all the fervour of genius and patriotism , may be considered one of the finest ornaments of the manuscript literature of Hussia . Semione Myschetski was , for his time and country , one of the first savails of Europe . Of a noble character and ardent imagination , he boldly accomplished whatever he felt to be his duty , and constantly threw himself into the most hazardous enterprises . He was courageous from
natural temperament and moral conviction . On attaining his majority he freed all his serfs , and a short time afterwards publicly declared his adherence to the opposition . His estates were immediately sequestrated ; government pronounced the affranchisement of the serfs illegal ; and taking possession of the prince ' s domains , once more plunged his vassals into slavery . His own arrest was attempted , but he was enabled to escape to the polar regions of Olonetz . The Czarat then outlawed and degraded him from his titles ; he in return published a manifesto proclaiming the perfect equality of men of all conditions . "
Michetski , wo need not say , was a furious republican , and we give the opening of his history of Solofski ' s rebellion , as a specimen of tlie hidden literature of Russia . "Oh , that I had , " lie says , — "Ob , that I had the vigour , the power , tho genius of the immortal bard , who sunff of Achilles and the other ( { reeks who fell for their
country ' s glory . Oh , that I had but time worthily to relate the merit of the wondrous men who perished in fighting heroically for the Sclavonic faith and liberty ! Aye , they defended it to the last drop of their heart's blood , shed in tho light and on the . scaffold . O , Homer , why have I not thy magic pen , which ] aiiits as i t w rites , and sings as it relates . My heroes , it is true , did not destroy a Troy , but they attempted the destruction of a debasing Czarat , which crunhes beneath its
infamous , ignoble ; and degrading yoke all who still possess a pure and noble , a Sclavonic heart . My heroes are heroic martyrs < lying in the last pulsations of liberty , equality , and love of mankind . " . Further on , lie says—¦ "Oh , this stain , this shame , tin ' s crime ! shall we yet longer submit to it ? When will this crown , glittering with diamonds smd gold ; this mitre , ridicu-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Untitled Article
opposer acts wife the energy of despotism unrestricted by any law . But the opposition was at this epoch , notwithstanding its recent defeats , full of vigour , both of thought and action . It was far from the decrepitude which accompanies political as well as physical old age . Understanding , at last , that legal means were useless , its members , after having protested by words , decided on protesting by deeds .
" Dispersed in the immense limits of the empire , there was a fatal want of unity in their actions . Partial insurrections , prematurely breaking out , gave the alarm . We are but imperfectly acquainted with the details of these , so to speak , fortuitous events , for their memory is only traditionally preserved among the degraded population ; the Czarien government having , after each revolt , been careful to destroy all traces which could not excuse , but sanctify its authors . Undeviatingly determined to break the spirit of the nation and check all sympathy with those who dared to appeal to the national dignity , these
insurrections were at once stigmatized with the reproach of mob violence and brigandage . In this manner the glorious names of Steneke Razine and Ye * meliani Pongalschef , and in our own days those of Rourme' and Trichisa , have been classed with high way-robbers and cut-throats ., many of whom also belonged to the nobility . Tradition , however , will not be silenced , and it whispers of a time of fearful horrors . But there is also a hidden manuscript literature of that period , which has been saved from the word-weighing censorship of the Benkendorfs , Orlofs , and Sulliquantz , and this literature explains many mysteries holden from us in the pages of royal historians . ci
The ex-prince Semione Myschetski gives a most brilliant and poetical description of the insurrection of Solofski in his episodical history . This insurrection lasted nine years , and Myschetski ' s account of it , given with all the fervour of genius and patriotism , may be considered one of the finest ornaments of the manuscript literature of Hussia . Semione Myschetski was , for his time and country , one of the first savails of Europe . Of a noble character and ardent imagination , he boldly accomplished whatever he felt to be his duty , and constantly threw himself into the most hazardous enterprises . He was courageous from
natural temperament and moral conviction . On attaining his majority he freed all his serfs , and a short time afterwards publicly declared his adherence to the opposition . His estates were immediately sequestrated ; government pronounced the affranchisement of the serfs illegal ; and taking possession of the prince ' s domains , once more plunged his vassals into slavery . His own arrest was attempted , but he was enabled to escape to the polar regions of Olonetz . The Czarat then outlawed and degraded him from his titles ; he in return published a manifesto proclaiming the perfect equality of men of all conditions . "
Michetski , wo need not say , was a furious republican , and we give the opening of his history of Solofski ' s rebellion , as a specimen of tlie hidden literature of Russia . "Oh , that I had , " lie says , — "Ob , that I had the vigour , the power , tho genius of the immortal bard , who sunff of Achilles and the other ( { reeks who fell for their
country ' s glory . Oh , that I had but time worthily to relate the merit of the wondrous men who perished in fighting heroically for the Sclavonic faith and liberty ! Aye , they defended it to the last drop of their heart's blood , shed in tho light and on the . scaffold . O , Homer , why have I not thy magic pen , which ] aiiits as i t w rites , and sings as it relates . My heroes , it is true , did not destroy a Troy , but they attempted the destruction of a debasing Czarat , which crunhes beneath its
infamous , ignoble ; and degrading yoke all who still possess a pure and noble , a Sclavonic heart . My heroes are heroic martyrs < lying in the last pulsations of liberty , equality , and love of mankind . " . Further on , lie says—¦ "Oh , this stain , this shame , tin ' s crime ! shall we yet longer submit to it ? When will this crown , glittering with diamonds smd gold ; this mitre , ridicu-