BOOKS.
MILNER'S RUSSIA.* THE war with Russia has been the occasion of producing a number of compilations about the history. of the empire, not one of which hitherto has had much attraction or utility. The mistaken plan of proceeding to narrate continuously barren and barbarian events has repelled the reader, or the compiler has failed to excite attention from sheer inability. It is not, therefore, any-particular compliment to Mr. Milner to say that his "Rise and Progress, Tragedies and Revolutions" of Russia is the most readable and instructive book that has appeared on the subject. The volume, indeed, is a good deal more. The writer has grasped the earlier period of the his- tory, and reproduced it in its great masses and its influential events and actors, passing slightingly over unimportant matters and men, however racy they may have been in cruelty or crime. From the days of Ivan the Terrible, (1533-1584,) who consolidated the empire which his grandfather Ivan the Third had reesta- blished, the story proceeds regularly, growing in fulness with the importance of the reign rather than the progress of chronology. Thus, Peter the Great and Catherine the Second are more dwelt upon than the intervening sovereigns, or even than Alexander. The narrative throughout is interwoven with episodes descriptive of the manners of the Russians, their orthodox theology and the dissenters from orthodoxy, their commerce and colonization. The volume closes with the accession of Nicholas.
Still, Mr. Milner must be considered rather as a compiler than an historian. He has had recourse to the best general ac- counts of the Russian empire, and referred to the original works of travellers and ambassadors ; of which a good many exist, from the days of Vassali the Fifth, the father of IT= the Terrible. He does not seem to have instituted much extensive original re- search, or to have brought much original reflection to his aid : he only rarely and indirectly refers to 'his authorities. His style is frequently too familiar ; his epithets have occasionally t Jo much of a platform character for history. Mr. Milner is apt, for the sake of the effect, to make the personal vices of the sovereign somewhat too prominent, and sink the monarch in the man.. Peter the Great was undoubtedly a brute and a barbarian, in ci- vilized estimation. He was addicted to the grossest vices, which seemed all the grosser from his rarely, as we phrase it, "keeping up appearances ; and his cruelty was more than Asiatic. It is not, however, easy to match him among monarchs for the great- ness of his conceptions, his keen perception of the possible tumid seeming impossibilities, the firmness with which he bore adversity, and the determined courage and pertinacity with which he
gled against obstacles of every kind until he overcame them.
the personal impression he stamped upon the policy and character of Russia, he has a resemblance to William the Norman Conqueror. In the original spirit with which he threw off the prejudices of country, education birth, and position and the resolute daring with which he defied and. conquered all opposition--priestly, po- pular, noble—he is unrivalled. It was this innate cynical philoso- phy, bringing all things to the test of utility whether in his publia objects or his private pleasures which lowered his character as a monarch in the eyes of the civilized world. His nobles were as
as vicious, and quite as ignorant, as Peter's more favoured associates ; but it was infra dig. for a crowned head to keep company with skippers, shipwrights, and other low persons.
The history of Russia may be classed into four periods. Of the first or ancient Slavonic time' not very much more is known than of the ancient Britons ; and the ancient Russians never had such. competent observers as User, and Taeitus through Agricola. They had, however, advanced sufficiently by the ninth century to have established commercial emporiums or fairs at Novgorod and Kiev, to have made forays upon the Byzantine territories, and to have been partially converted to Greek Christianity. About 862, the second period begins with Rune, Northman, who, as in the story of Hengist and Horse established a dominion by a pseudo alliance and a partial conquest. Rune reigned at Novgorod; but the Scandinavian dominion was gradually extended. In the words of Gibbon, "The example of service and usurpation was imitated by his [Rune's] companions in the Southern provinces of Russia ; and their establishments by the usual methods of war and assassination were cemented into the fabric of a powerful monarchy." If this conclusion applies to Russia after the latter half of the fifteenth century, it is true ; but scarcely so of the previous five or six centuries. There was indeed a Czar ; but his. relations or his great officers were possessed of such large powers in their governments, that except when the fear of enemies or the hope of plunder enabled a ruler of ability to combine the pro- vinces for one common object, Russia was practically rather a species of satrapy with an autocrator at the head, when, he could exercise his autocracy, than such a monarchy as it now is. This division of power and the weakness of the reigning prince facilitated the conquest of the country by the Mongols under a son of Zenghis Khan, about 1223; and this conquest forms the third division of its history.
The Mongol superiority endured for upwards of two hundred years ; when the Tartars were finally expelled, and their capital of Kazan taken by Ivan the Third. It is not unusual to consider that this conquest had a great effect upon the people. "Rub a Russian," said Napoleon, and you have a Tartar." In reality,
• Russia : its Rise and Progress. Tragedies and Revolution*. By the Reverend Thomas Milner, M.A., P,R.0.8. Published by Longmons. however, the Tartar conquest was merely a military occupation. Unlike Rune, or William the Norman, the Mongol conquerors did not dispossess the territorial proprietors and substitute Tartar chiefs and their followers. They didnot even change the governor or the government at in China : contenting themselves with de- manding tribute and degrading submissions, they were easily ex- pelled when superior force and policy were brought against them.
From Ivan the Third or Great (1462) to the present time, is the fourth period. Some writers on Russian history take a new de- parture the house of Romanoff (1613) ; others consider that eter the Great laid the foundation of the present empire. In reality, Peter rather introduced a superficial civilization into his country, connected Russia with the European system, and infused greater order into the government, than made any fundamental chance either in theory or practice, beyond the establishment of the Tehinovnicks or official nobility. The house of Romanoff made no change at all, though a very great change was attempted against them.
"Both of the early Romanoffs, at the time of their accession, were I.:Nuked to subscribe a declaration, which curtailed the power of the crown. It bound the sovereign to make no new laws, or alter the old, unless circumstances imperatively required it ; not to decide important causes by himself, but submit them to prescribed forms of trial; and not at his own pleasure either to declare war or make peace. This limitation, however futile it became in effect, deserves notice, as a proof, that bitter experience of unbridled despot- ism had in some measure rectified the national understanding as to its divine right, and wrought a conviction of its intrinsic demerit."
The survey of Russian history is not an attractive sight. Bar- barism, brutal tyranny, wars waged with even less excuse than generally attended the hostilities among European contempora- ries, perfidy substituted for policy, and patriotism or justice marred by cruelty when they exist, characterize the more public features. The personal conduct of the princes and nobles is not only vicious ; the vice was of the grossest kind, and practised as nakedly as by a South Sea savage. Still, progress is the law of Nature, and Russia has improved. This conduct of Ivan the Fourth, the contemporary of our Queen Elizabeth, would not be ventured on now, or perhaps its imitation desired. "Cruelty, from being an act of vengeance, became to Ivan a recreation. Nothing delighted him more than to have bears let slip at his signal in the streets whenever a group of citizens collected, while he watched the flight of the terrified crowd, or the struggles of those who were clutched by the animals. God save thee, my dear Boris,' said he to a boyar who reverentially approached him, thou deservest a proof of my favour.' With this, he took up a knife, and cut off one of his ears; while the unhappy wretch, not daring to show the least sign of pain, humbly thanked the Czar, and walled him a happy reign. Prince Grosedef, the Court jester, uttering an unfor- tunate joke, he emptied a basin of boiling soup over his head ; and upon his attempting to retreat from the table, he at once cut him down. Pre- serve any faithful servant,' cried the Czar to a physician : I have jested a little too hard with him.' So hard,' replied he, that only God and your Majesty can restore him to life ; he breathes no more.' WhIle fertile in in- venting new modes of punishment he was not ecoitent with single victims and ordinary crimes. Whole villages and towns were destroyed upon the most frivolous pretexts ; 800 women were drowned at once in a liver; sons
were required to be parricides, and brothers fratricides. * * *
"The crowning atrocity occurred in 1570. This wos the desolation of Novgorod, the inhabitants of which were accused of having made tut offer of their allegiance to the King of Poland. A forged letter was produced to support the charge ; but no evidence of guilt was needed, with such a wealthy prize in view. Ivau set out from Alexandrovsky, at the head of his guards, to inflict punishment. On the road he massacred the citizens of Tver, had the Metropolitan strangled in a cell of his own monastery, and wasted the country with fire and sword, to the shores of lake Ilmen. Upon the van of the army reaching the devoted city, January 2,- preparations were made for the arrival of the avenger. The churches and monasteries were closed, the eceledasties and citizens were compelled to pay a fine or be flogged, and the houses were placed under guard. Five days after the Terrible crossed the bridge of the Volkhof ; where the Archbishop met him with the usual benediction, to which he responded with an ominous anathema. The cathedral, churches, and monasteries were sacked ; the dwellings and shops were pillaged; the people, high and low, young and old, men and women, were indiscriminately destroyed. Some perished under the weapons of the soldiery; others were driven to the Volkhoff, the ice of which was cut to admit of their being drowned ; and others were flung from the bridge into the water. Daily, from 500 to 1000 Novgorodians were brought before Ivan and his son, and consigned to a miserable death. The total number of victims is mentioned at 60,000. flaring wearied himself with slaughter, and turned the city into a bloody desert, e assembled the few wretched and despairing survivors, graciously granted them that mercy, and withdrew, recom- mending himself to their prayers at he might have a long and happy reign ! Bo did not fail, however, to carry away a train of distinguished pri- soners, among whom was the Archbishop, in order that Moscow might see his justice in their execution. The preparations for this close of the dread- ful drama included the erection of eighteen gibbets lathe market-place, with a fire in the centre, over which a large copper cauldron was placed. But the terrified population either kept to their houses or left the city ; upon which Ivan, not to be disappointed of spectators, hadothem collected by force of arms, to behold the condemned undergo their fate, some being thrown alive into the boiling cauldron."
Neither would the cruelties of Peter be attempted ; his open debaucheries and drunkenness would scarcely be borne ; and the licentiousness of Catherine would cause scandal if nothing worse. There may be plenty of vice in high places in Russia; but if it has not lost half its evil, it has lost something of its grossness.
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