the autocratic power. It never became a
semi-independent factor in the State. What rights and privileges it
possesses it received from the Monarchy, and consequently it has no
deep-rooted jealousy or hatred of the Imperial prerogative. On the other
hand, it has never had to struggle with the other social classes, and
therefore it harbours towards them no feelings of rivalry or hostility.
If we hear a Russian noble speak with indignation of autocracy or with
acrimony of the bourgeoisie, we may be sure that these feelings have
their source, not in traditional conceptions, but in principles learned
from the modern schools of social and political philosophy. The class
to which he belongs has undergone so many transformations that it has no
hoary traditions or deep-rooted prejudices, and always willingly adapts
itself to existing conditions. Indeed, it may be said in general that it
looks more to the future than the past, and is ever ready to accept any
new ideas that wear the badge of progress. Its freedom from traditions
and prejudices makes it singularly susceptible of generous enthusiasm
and capable of vigorous spasmodic action, but calm moral courage and
tenacity of purpose are not among its prominent attributes. In a word,
we find in it neither the peculiar virtues nor the peculiar vices which
are engendered and fostered by an atmosphere of political liberty.

However we may explain the fact, there is no doubt that the
Russian Noblesse has little or nothing of what we call aristocratic
feeling--little or nothing of that haughty, domineering, exclusive
spirit which we are accustomed to associate with the word aristocracy.
We find plenty of Russians who are proud of their wealth, of their
culture, or of their official position, but we rarely find a Russian
who is proud of his birth or imagines that the fact of his having a
long pedigree gives him any right to political privileges or social
consideration. Hence there is a certain amount of truth in the
oft-repeated saying that there is in reality no aristocracy in Russia.

Certainly the Noblesse as a whole cannot be called an aristocracy. If
the term is to be used at all, it must be applied to a group of families
which cluster around the Court and form the highest ranks of the
Noblesse. This social aristocracy contains many old families, but its
real basis is official rank and general culture rather than pedigree or
blood. The feudal conceptions of noble birth, good famil