- Project Runeberg -  Impressions of Russia /
22

(1889) [MARC] Author: Georg Brandes Translator: Samuel Coffin Eastman - Tema: Russia
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be reserved and prudent, and too sure of my position in
life not to be dependent on my own judgment.” The
meaning of this in social intercourse is: “This is what I
am. Tell me what you are. What is the profit of this
reserve! Life is short, time is scantily measured out; if
we are to get anything out of our intercourse, we must
explain what we are to each other.” And behind this
frankness lies the emotion which works most strangely
of all on one who comes from the north, a horror and
hatred of hypocrisy, and a pride which shows itself in
carelessness—so unlike English stiffness, French
prudence, German class pride, Danish nonsense.

The basis of this is the broadly constituted nature,
without frivolity, without narrowness, without bitterness—the
true basis of originality in Russia.

And this, which is thus opened to inspection when this
natural disposition is examined, this is a peculiarity which
is unique among the national peculiarities of Europe.

The fundamental inclination, which numerous experiences
disclose to the stranger, is: the inclination to have
their swing. It is not simply the inclination to extremes.
But it is this: when a Russian has got hold of a thought,
a fundamental idea, a principle, a purpose, without
regard to its origin, whether it originated with himself
or was borrowed from European culture, he does not rest
until he has followed it out to the last results.
Therefore the Russians are the most arbitrary oppressors in
the world and the most reckless liberators, blindly
orthodox, following sectarian religions to self-destruction,
free-thinking to Nihilism, sedition to attempts at murder
and dynamite assaults. If they believe in the idea of
authority, they bow down till the forehead touches the
earth before it (chelobitie); if they hate the idea of
authority, that hate forces percussion bombs into their

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