of his own family he found an
able and energetic assistant in his brother, the Grand Duke Constantine,
and a warm sympathiser with the cause in the Grand Duchess Helena,
a German Princess thoroughly devoted to the welfare of her adopted
country. But we must not overlook the important part played by the
nobles. Their conduct was very characteristic. As soon as the question
was raised a large number of them adopted the liberal ideas with
enthusiasm; and as soon as it became evident that Emancipation was
inevitable, all made a holocaust of their ancient rights and demanded to
be liberated at once from all relations with their serfs. Moreover, when
the law was passed it was the proprietors who faithfully put it
into execution. Lastly, we should remember that praise is due to the
peasantry for their patience under disappointment and for their orderly
conduct as soon as they understood the law and recognised it to be the
will of the Tsar. Thus it may justly be said that the Emancipation was
not the work of one man, or one party, or one class, but of the nation
as a whole.*

* The names most commonly associated with the Emancipation
are General Rostoftsef, Lanskoi (Minister of the Interior),
Nicholas Milutin, Prince Tchererkassky, G. Samarin,
Koshelef. Many others, such as I. A. Solovief, Zhukofski,
Domontovitch, Giers--brother of M. Giers, afterwards
Minister for Foreign Affairs--are less known, but did
valuable work. To all of these, with the exception of the
first two, who died before my arrival in Russia, I have to
confess my obligations. The late Nicholas Milutin rendered
me special service by putting at my disposal not only all
the official papers in his possession, but also many
documents of a more private kind. By his early and lamented
death Russia lost one of the greatest statesmen she has yet
produced.

CHAPTER XXX

THE LANDED PROPRIETORS SINCE THE EMANCIPATION

Two Opposite Opinions--Difficulties of Investigation--The Problem
Simplified--Direct and Indirect Compensation--The Direct Compensation
Inadequate--What the Proprietors Have Done with the Remainder of
Their Estates--Immediate Moral Effect of the Abolition of Serfage--The
Economic Problem--The Ideal Solution and the Difficulty of Realising
It--More Primitive Arrangements--The Northern Agricultural Zone--The
Black-earth Zone--The Labour Difficulty--The Impoverishment of
the No