is enthusiastic tone accorded perfectly with the feelings of a large
section of the nobles. Nearly the whole of the Noblesse was more or less
affected by the newborn enthusiasm for everything just, humanitarian,
and liberal. The aspirations found, of course, their most ardent
representatives among the educated youth; but they were by no means
confined to the younger men, who had passed through the universities and
had always regarded serfage as a stain on the national honour. Many a
Saul was found among the prophets. Many an old man, with grey hairs and
grandchildren, who had all his life placidly enjoyed the fruits of serf
labour, was now heard to speak of serfage as an antiquated institution
which could not be reconciled with modern humanitarian ideas; and not
a few of all ages, who had formerly never thought of reading books
or newspapers, now perused assiduously the periodical literature, and
picked up the liberal and humanitarian phrases with which it was filled.

This Abolitionist fervour was considerably augmented by certain
political aspirations which did not appear in the newspapers, but
which were at that time very generally entertained. In spite of the
Press-censure a large section of the educated classes had become
acquainted with the political literature of France and Germany, and had
imbibed therefrom an unbounded admiration for Constitutional government.
A Constitution, it was thought, would necessarily remove all political
evils and create something like a political Millennium. And it was
not to be a Constitution of the ordinary sort--the fruit of compromise
between hostile political parties--but an institution designed calmly
according to the latest results of political science, and so constructed
that all classes would voluntarily contribute to the general welfare.
The necessary prelude to this happy era of political liberty was, of
course, the abolition of serfage. When the nobles had given up
their power over their serfs they would receive a Constitution as an
indemnification and reward.

There were, however, many nobles of the old school who remained
impervious to all these new feelings and ideas. On them the raising
of the Emancipation question had a very different effect. They had no
source of revenue but their estates, and they could not conceive the
possibility of working their estates without serf labour. If the peasant
was indolent and careless even under strict supervision, what would he
bec