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he may hold all Europe enchained to the ideas of the autocrat； if
he be Miloutine or Samarine or Tcherkassky he may devise vast
plans like those which enabled Alexander II to free twenty
millions of serfs and to secure means of subsistence for each of
them； if he be Prince Khilkoff he may push railway systems over
Europe to the extremes of Asia； if he be De Witte he may reform a
vast financial system。
But when a strong genius in Russia throws himself into
philanthropic speculations of an abstract sort； with no chance of
discussing his theories until they are full…grown and have taken
fast hold upon him；if he be a man of science like Prince
Kropotkin； one of the most gifted scientific thinkers of our
time；the result may be a wild revolt； not only against the
whole system of his own country； but against civilization itself；
and finally the adoption of the theory and practice of anarchism；
which logically results in the destruction of the entire human
race。 Or； if he be an accomplished statesman and theologian like
Pobedonostzeff； he may reason himself back into mediaeval
methods； and endeavor to fetter all free thought and to crush out
all forms of Christianity except the Russo…Greek creed and
ritual。 Or； if he be a man of the highest genius in literature；
like Tolstoi； whose native kindliness holds him back from the
extremes of nihilism； he may rear a fabric heaven…high； in which
truths； errors； and paradoxes are piled up together until we have
a new Tower of Babel。 Then we may see this man of genius
denouncing all science and commending what he calls 〃faith〃；
urging a return to a state of nature； which is simply Rousseau
modified by misreadings of the New Testament； repudiating
marriage； yet himself most happily married and the father of
sixteen children； holding that aeschylus and Dante and Shakspere
were not great in literature； and making Adin Ballou a literary
idol； holding that Michelangelo and Raphael were not great in
sculpture and painting； yet insisting on the greatness of sundry
unknown artists who have painted brutally； holding that
Beethoven； Handel； Mozart； Haydn； and Wagner were not great in
music； but that some unknown performer outside any healthful
musical evolution has given us the music of the future； declaring
Napoleon to have had no genius； but presenting Koutousoff as a
military ideal； loathing sciencethat organized knowledge which
has done more than all else to bring us out of mediaeval cruelty
into a better worldand extolling a 〃faith〃 which has always
been the most effective pretext for bloodshed and oppression。
The long； slow； every…day work of developing a better future for
his countrymen is to be done by others far less gifted than
Tolstoi。 His paradoxes will be forgotten； but his devoted life；
his noble thoughts； and his lofty ideals will； as centuries roll
on； more and more give life and light to the new Russia。
CHAPTER XXXVIII
OFFICIAL LIFE IN ST。 PETERSBURG…1892…1894
The difficulties of a stranger seeking information in Russia seem
at times insurmountable。 First of these is the government policy
of suppressing news。 Foreign journals come to ordinary
subscribers with paragraphs and articles rubbed out with pumice
or blotted out with ink； consequently our Russian friends were
wont to visit the legation； seeking to read in our papers what
had been erased in their own； and making the most amusing
discoveries as to the stupidity of the official censorship：
paragraphs perfectly harmless being frequently blotted out； and
really serious attacks on the government unnoticed。
Very striking； as showing control over the newspaper press； was
an occurrence during my first summer at Helsingfors。 One day our
family doctor came in； and reported a rumor that an iron…clad
monitor had sunk； the night before； on its way across the gulf
from Reval。 Soon the story was found to be true。 A squadron of
three ships had started； had encountered a squall； and in the
morning one of theman old…fashioned iron…clad monitorwas
nowhere to be seen。 She had sunk with all on board。 Considerable
speculation concerning the matter arose； and sundry very guarded
remarks were ventured to the effect that the authorities at
Cronstadt would have been wiser had they not allowed the ship to
go out in such a condition that the first squall would send her
to the bottom。 This discussion continued for about a week； when
suddenly the proper authorities served notice upon the press that
nothing more must be said on the subject。
This mandate was obeyed； the matter was instantly dropped；
nothing more was said； and； a year or two afterward； on my
inquiring of Admiral Makharoff whether anything had ever been
discovered regarding the lost ship and its crew； he answered in
the negative。
But more serious efforts than these were made to control thought。
The censorship of books was even more strongly； and； if possible；
more foolishly； exercised。 At any of the great bookshops one
could obtain； at once； the worst publications of the Paris press；
but the really substantial and thoughtful books were carefully
held back。 The average Russian； in order to read most of these
better works； must be specially authorized to do so。
I had a practical opportunity to see the system in operation。
Being engaged on the final chapters of my book； and needing
sundry scientific； philosophical； and religious treatises； such
as can be bought freely in every city of Western Europe； I went
to the principal bookseller in St。 Petersburg； and was told that；
by virtue of my diplomatic position； I could have them； but that；
in order to do so； I must write an application； signing it with
my own name； and that then he would sell them to me within a few
days。 This took place several times。
Still another difficulty is that； owing to lack of publicity； the
truth can rarely be found as regards any burning question： in the
prevailing atmosphere of secrecy and repression the simplest
facts are often completely shut from the foreign observer。
Owing to the lack of public discussion； Russia is the classic
ground of myth and legend。 One sees myths and legends growing day
by day。 The legend regarding the cure of the Archbishop of St。
Petersburg by Father Ivan of Cronstadt； which I have given in a
previous chapter； is an example。 The same growth of legend is
seen with regard to every…day matters。 For example； one meets
half a dozen people at five…o'clock tea in a Russian house；