Provincial Russia . ps themost telling indictment is on the score of dishonesty. Everybody steals, says one of their own proverbs,with a delightful mixture of candour and blasphemy, except Christ—and He would if His hands werenot nailed to the Cross. But it is essential to notea contrast between the peasants relations on thispoint towards his fellows on tlie one hand, and theState and neighbouring landowner on the in the latter case he finds it difficult to dis-tinguish between what is his and not his, and willappropriate, not merely wood from the forests, buteven mugs and clothin
Provincial Russia . ps themost telling indictment is on the score of dishonesty. Everybody steals, says one of their own proverbs,with a delightful mixture of candour and blasphemy, except Christ—and He would if His hands werenot nailed to the Cross. But it is essential to notea contrast between the peasants relations on thispoint towards his fellows on tlie one hand, and theState and neighbouring landowner on the in the latter case he finds it difficult to dis-tinguish between what is his and not his, and willappropriate, not merely wood from the forests, buteven mugs and clothing from the hospital to whichhe owes restored health or life itself, he will bemuch less ready to convey from those whom hecalls our brother. This difference may be con-nected with a disguised but indisputable and deep-rooted hostility towards the upper classes, which is,mdeed, the inevitable result of historical causes,and which meets well-intentioned measures of thepresent day with undue suspicion. With regard to. ^ X ^0»- ^»^^^/*yT_ A CONVENT IX NOVGOROD : \CNS MAKING HAY CENTRAL RUSSIA 15 other defects, though it is notoriously difficult tomake with certainty generalizations on nationalcharacter, few would dispute that the peasants areas a rule improvident, untruthful, and obstinate inpersevering in error; that they lack resolution,independence, and initiative ; that they possess aninsatiate capacity for receiving, while their gratitudeis not commensurate. Against these failings must be set unquestionedvirtues: sober-mindedness, endurance, practicalshrewdness, and a broad tolerance that forms theopposite pole to the spirit which makes Spanishpeasants of neighbouring villages stone one anothersMadonnas. They are hospitable and kindly, thoughnot to animals. As for human beings, a proverbinculcates, indeed, the precept, Beat your wifelike your fur; but the principle is not carriedbeyond the reasonable limits of corrective castiga-tion permitted to or usurped
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Keywords: ., bookauthorstewarth, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookyear1913
