My Exile (Volume 1) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VIII. The Civil Officials--The Governor-Generals in Siberia--A Rapacious chief of Police--A Tame Judge--A Boasted Commissioner--A Tatar Apostle--A Boy of the Feminine Gender--The Potato Bevolution. One of the most lamentable results of the revolutions effected by Peter I, is the development of the caste of civil officials. This unnatural, uncultivated, hungry race of men understands nothing but "to serve," knows nothing except the rules and the forms of office. They represent a sort of secular hierarchy, who offer their worship, and build their altars in the courts of justice, and in the police offices, and whose eager impure lips suck the blood of the people. Gogol has unveiled some phases of their existence, and has shown us their loathsomeness in full relief. But he mollifies us involuntarily by his humour, and his hatred is foiled by his great comic talent. Besides, it was hardly possible for him, under the surveillance of the Russian censorship, to disclose the sad characteristics of this filthy lower world, in which the fate of the poor Russian people was moulded. There, in these smoky offices, which we will hasten to quit, ragged people sit and write at first on grey paper, then on stamped paper, and according to the tenor of these papers, individuals, families, and whole villages are ill-treated, terrified, ruined. Fathers are sent to Siberia, mothers imprisoned, sons made soldiers; and all this comes upon them like a thunderstorm, unexpectedly, and, for the most part, quite undeservedly. And wherefore is all this? For money's sake. Be quick make a collection, else you will be summoned under one pretence or another; for instance, an inquest will be held on the dead body of some drunkard, who has been burnt to death by ardent spirits, or f...