New-York tribune., 1900-08-19
SOME RUSSIAN TRAITS.
GENTLENESs, UPRIGHTNEss AND PA
TENT STOLIDTTY CHARACTERIZE
THE PEASANT CLASS.


Arthur symons, in The Saturday Review.
To me, when I was in Russia in the summer
of 1897, Russia seemed the country of freedom.
was foreigner. did no. concern myself in
questions either of politics or religion 1 went
at the time of the Medical Congress and with
friend who q member of that congress;
SO that had certain advantages in my favor.
AFTER the stories l had heard of the Russian
custom House l was in some anxiety for the
safety OF my manuscripts My bags were not
even opened at the frontier. My friend was
carrying book by Edward Carpenter for Count
1oIstoI a book forbidden by the Russian cen
sor' and the book reached TOlstOT in safety. I
nave never seen anything orderly OF discreet
as the collection examination and return of
passports AT the railway station the Rus
sian frontier. Wherever I went, in AIoGcow and
IN st Petersburg. 1 fOund. so far az I was con-
cerned- d delightful absence of Oficialisn. I
could 90 where I liked, do as I pleased. was not
expected at every moment to conform to some
Unknown regulation, as one is expected in Ger
I'-1Iiyi iOI instance. Ihe same freedom seemed
10 exist even among the natives Peasants
would Chamber up against the windows OF a
royal palace, the coachman would turn to the
Prince whom he driving and light his
cigarette from the cigarette OF his master.
And I think I never saw DeoDle So friendly
with one another, except perhaps in Spain.
And this friendlness in Russia goes somewhat
turther, becomes more definitely helpful thing,
than it does in Spain. No doubt il is partly due
to the influence of the climate, to the necessary
dependence Of people upon each other in their
struggle against cold in winter and heat IN
summer. But 1t mas become an earnest help
fulness which has stamped itself upon the very
races or the people And after all has
heard Of Russian brutality it is interesting to
note for ones self the signs of eentIeness which
are to be found not only in these grave bearded.
patient faces, but IN many little, unexpected
ways. One hardly thinks Of Russia without
thinking of the knout. Well the Russian cab
men drive without whips. using only the end of
of ribbons
INDIFFERENT TO PAIN.
When the Russian is cruel he is cruel just as
the barbarian always is, because he is indiffer-
ent 10 pain his own or anOther's. He does not
spare. because he would not compiain. And he
has the Mahometau's readiness TO sacrifice
everything for a cause. which to him is that
spiritual and temporal power which is his
hgIon, and which has taken far deeper root in
him than any mere sentiment. essentially g
modern one, Of tolerance or of sympathy with
suffering. In the Roumiantsof Museum at Mos
cow there Is the cage in which Emilian Pou-
gatchef was imprisoned; il IS a cage only very
slightly higher and wider than the height and
SIZE OF an average man: il has chains for fasten-
ing hand and foot together. that the man
can only stand upright without moving
inside the iron bars Of his portable prison. But
Pougatchef was a religious revOlter and TO
spare one who had taken up arms against re-
Hglon would have been TO spare dangerous
enemy Of God.
The word which I should use 10 represent the
main impression made By the average
Russian, the soldier. the railway porter, the
Iabor=F' IS uprlShtnesS, ana II seems to me to
contrast very favoraby with a quality perhaps
equally strong which is 20 be seen in the face
ana the bearing OF the average German To the
German discipline and obedience are Painful du-
ties; he appreciates them and he acquires them
but he becomes something Of aut5matCn in
the process To the Russian they are the duty
which is its own reward. 2 sort of religion which
II is a delight 10 fulfil
The Russian has a genius eOr self sacrifice;
self-sacrifce has made him q martyr and a con-
spirator: il has given MIN strength end weak
ness He can resign himself to anything, and
resignation can just easily be heroism
mere apathy. The heroic side of it we all
know. the other at times comic side may be
seen any day in the streets of Moscow by
watching a abnnan who has been paid too small
fare He does not explode into anger Ike a
cabman in any other part of the world he does
not contest the matter, he does not even rcInon-
Strate: he looks at the money in his open hand
with wOebegone expression. closes his hand
upon il in gesture Of weak despair. and seems
to say. We'll, il has happened to ne again
a RELIGIOUS PILGRIMAGE.
But if we would what is really at the root
of the national character. the actual nature of
the peasant il is not even in Moscow that il
must be sought. but in such q place as Sergievo,
and such occasion as the annual pilgrim
age 10 the TrOitsa Monastery, on the day of the
Assum ptiOn The mOuas terry. butbOus and n
gular. with its red walls and gold and green
dOrnes and spires is set the triangular point
OF a small hill; all about il are bright colored
sheds and shops and booths and little village
ltsr Fr T-