Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA. 813
terfburgh and Mofcow, refemble, in their external appearance and general mode of liv-
ing, the inhabitants of the fmalleft village; and notwithftanding the rigorous edicts
iffued by * Peter I. the far greater number {till wear their beards; being fcarcely lefs
attached to that patriarchal cuftom than their anceftors, when the fine for mutilating a
finger was rated at 1s. 3d.; that for cutting off the beard, or whilkers, at 4s. rod. f.
In fact, the peafants, who form the bulk of the nation, are {till almoft as deficient in
the arts as before the reign of Peter, although the fciences have flourifhed in the capital.
But the civilization of a numerous and widely difperfed people is not the work of a
moment, and can only be effeCled by a gradual and almoft infenfible progrefs,
If from thefe general reflections we diftin@ly confider the different claffes of fubjects
in the Ruffian Empire, we fhall be enabled to form fome probable judgment concerning
the prefent {tate of civilization.
The inhabitants may be divided into four orders: nobles and gentry, clergy, mer-
chants, burghers, and other freemen, and peafants.
The three firft include almoft all the free fubjects of the empire, and the latter all the
vaflals of flaves.
I. The firft order comprehends the nobles and gentry: the fole { perfons who, in
the true {pirit of feudal defpotifm, have a right to poffefs land; but inftead of appearing
themfelves, according to the tenure of that fyf{tem, at the head of their retainers, are
now only expected to ferve in the army, and obliged to furnifh recruits in proportion to
the number of their vaffals.
In Ruffia, as in the Oriental governments, there is fcarcely any diftinétion of ranks
among the nobility, excepting what is derived from the fervice of the fovereign. Even
the eldeft fons of thofe perfons, who have been raifed to the moft confiderable honours
and higheft employments, excepting the advantages which they undoubtedly retain of
facilitating their promotion by a ready accefs to court, do not derive any folid benefits
from their birth, like thofe which the peers of England, the grandees of Spain, or the
dukes, who are peers of France, enjoy from their hereditary defcent. The importance
of a noble family of large property and official honours, is almoft annihilated on the
death of the chief; becaufe his property is equally divided among his fons; and be-
caufe titles, though allowed to be hereditary, do not, independent of the fovereign’s
favour, contribute much to agerandize the pofleffors; that of a prince, a count, ora
baron, conveying in themfelves little perfonal diftinétion, unlefs accompanied with a civil
or military employment.
Before the zra of Peter the Great, the only title in Ruffia, excepting that of boyar,
which fignified privy-councellor, and was not hereditary, and other appellations annexed
to civil employments, was that of £naes, which was e{teemed fynonimous to prince. Per-
fons who affumed this title were defcended, or pretended to be fo, either from the dif-
ferent collateral branches of the reigning family, or from fome Lithuanian Princes who
* <1] ordonna aux Ruffes de quitter Vhabit long et la barbe. Une amende fut impofée aux amateurs
obftinés de Vancien ufage Bien des Ruffes, et furtout les Rozkolniks, regardaient le changement d habit
comme un renoncement a la religion, et difaient qu’il valaient miewx perdre la tate que la barbe: ils furent
obligés de payer un droit pour n’étre pas rafés, et ils recevaient un jetton qui leur fervait de quittance.
Souvent a la cour on énivrait les vienx boiars, et on leur taillait la barbe d’une maniere fi ridicule, qu’ils
etaient obligés de garder la chambre pendant plufieurs mois, on de fe faire rafer. On attachait aux portes
des villes un modelle du nouvel habit, et on rognait la robe de ceux qui ne voulaient pas payer ; on les rafait
malgré eux dans les rues.” L’Eveique, iv. pe 157.
+ Haygold, i. p 337- at :
{ Catharine, in confirming the immunities of the nobles, decreed, ‘‘ Que le droit d’acheter ou de vendre
des terres feroit propre ou particulier aux feuls nobles.” Le Clere, p. 472.
eftablifhed
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
