登陆注册
5382300000177

第177章 CHAPTER XXVI(2)

Peter was a man of an entirely different type, and played in the calm, dignified, orthodox, ceremonious world of Moscow the part of the bull in the china shop, outraging ruthlessly and wantonly all the time-honored traditional conceptions of propriety and etiquette. Utterly regardless of public opinion and popular prejudices, he swept away the old formalities, avoided ceremonies of all kinds, scoffed at ancient usage, preferred foreign secular books to edifying conversations, chose profane heretics as his boon companions, travelled in foreign countries, dressed in heretical costume, defaced the image of God and put his soul in jeopardy by shaving off his beard, compelled his nobles to dress and shave like himself, rushed about the Empire as if goaded on by the demon of unrest, employed his sacred hands in carpentering and other menial occupations, took part openly in the uproarious orgies of his foreign soldiery, and, in short, did everything that "the Lord's anointed" might reasonably be expected not to do. No wonder the Muscovites were scandalised by his conduct, and that some of them suspected he was not the Tsar at all, but Antichrist in disguise.

And no wonder he felt the atmosphere of Moscow oppressive, and preferred living in the new capital which he had himself created.

His avowed object in building St. Petersburg was to have "a window by which the Russians might look into civilised Europe"; and well has the city fulfilled its purpose. From its foundation may be dated the European period of Russian history. Before Peter's time Russia belonged to Asia rather than to Europe, and was doubtless regarded by Englishmen and Frenchmen pretty much as we nowadays regard Bokhara or Kashgar; since that time she has formed an integral part of the European political system, and her intellectual history has been but a reflection of the intellectual history of Western Europe, modified and coloured by national character and by peculiar local conditions.

When we speak of the intellectual history of a nation we generally mean in reality the intellectual history of the upper classes.

With regard to Russia, more perhaps than with regard to any other country, this distinction must always carefully be borne in mind.

Peter succeeded in forcing European civilisation on the nobles, but the people remained unaffected. The nation was, as it were, cleft in two, and with each succeeding generation the cleft has widened.

Whilst the masses clung obstinately to their time-honoured customs and beliefs, the nobles came to look on the objects of popular veneration as the relics of a barbarous past, of which a civilised nation ought to be ashamed.

The intellectual movement inaugurated by Peter had a purely practical character. He was himself a thorough utilitarian, and perceived clearly that what his people needed was not theological or philosophical enlightment, but plain, practical knowledge suitable for the requirements of everyday life. He wanted neither theologians nor philosophers, but military and naval officers, administrators, artisans, miners, manufacturers, and merchants, and for this purpose he introduced secular technical education. For the young generation primary schools were founded, and for more advanced pupils the best foreign works on fortification, architecture, navigation, metallurgy, engineering and cognate subjects were translated into the native tongue. Scientific men and cunning artificers were brought into the country, and young Russians were sent abroad to learn foreign languages and the useful arts. In a word, everything was done that seemed likely to raise the Russians to the level of material well-being already attained by the more advanced nations.

We have here an important peculiarity in the intellectual development of Russia. In Western Europe the modern scientific spirit, being the natural offspring of numerous concomitant historical causes, was born in the natural way, and Society had, consequently, before giving birth to it, to endure the pains of pregnancy and the throes of prolonged labour. In Russia, on the contrary, this spirit appeared suddenly as an adult foreigner, adopted by a despotic paterfamilias. Thus Russia made the transition from mediaeval to modern times without any violent struggle between the old and the new conceptions such as had taken place in the West. The Church, effectually restrained from all active opposition by the Imperial power, preserved unmodified her ancient beliefs; whilst the nobles, casting their traditional conceptions and beliefs to the winds, marched forward unfettered on that path which their fathers and grandfathers had regarded as the direct road to perdition.

During the first part of Peter's reign Russia was not subjected to the exclusive influence of any one particular country. Thoroughly cosmopolitan in his sympathies, the great reformer, like the Japanese of the present day, was ready to borrow from any foreign nation--German, Dutch, Danish, or French--whatever seemed to him to suit his purpose. But soon the geographical proximity to Germany, the annexation of the Baltic Provinces in which the civilisation was German, and intermarriages between the Imperial family and various German dynasties, gave to German influence a decided preponderance. When the Empress Anne, Peter's niece, who had been Duchess of Courland, entrusted the whole administration of the country to her favourite Biron, the German influence became almost exclusive, and the Court, the official world, and the schools were Germanised.

同类推荐
  • 蒲犁厅乡土志

    蒲犁厅乡土志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 兼明书

    兼明书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Yates Pride

    The Yates Pride

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 天妃显圣录

    天妃显圣录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 杨岐方会和尚后录

    杨岐方会和尚后录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 艺术文化论

    艺术文化论

    针对当代艺术存在的新现实,针对多元文化语境中的艺术变相、艺术表现,试图从哲学和文化人类学的角度对人类文化价值系统中的艺术文化进行新的诠释,其目的是为了某种意义上的解蔽。
  • 大唐妖

    大唐妖

    穿越到大唐开元末年,本以为能够当个地主老爷享受生活,但历史好像与记忆中的不太一样。突然出现的妖魔鬼怪,彻底把田野整蒙了,这不是我记忆中的大唐啊,难道是我历史学的少?
  • Free Trade

    Free Trade

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 反派boss改造计划

    反派boss改造计划

    奔波在漫漫宇宙中的系统好不容易绑定了一个各项指标都符合的完美宿主,但这小姐姐怎么和它扫描的数据不符合?【小姐姐,你过目不忘吗?】“小意思。”【小姐姐,你可以徒手接大招吗?】“小意思。”【小姐姐,你有一颗积极向上敬业友善的心吗?】“小意思。”然而无敌如小姐姐,也有走不动路的时候。【小姐姐你在做什么!】“那个妹子……好萌好可爱!”流口水……【小姐姐不要管妹子啦,看这里,温柔可爱小奶狗,随时可以压倒哦~】天夜:“够萌够可爱。喜欢,我的!”本文1V1,女主强悍自带金手指。求收藏,求推荐,求订阅。
  • Prometheus Bound

    Prometheus Bound

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 马克思主义研究资料:经典作家著作研究Ⅲ(第13卷)

    马克思主义研究资料:经典作家著作研究Ⅲ(第13卷)

    本卷是经典著作研究第III卷,收录关于经典作家巴黎公社时期以及其后的相关研究文章,展示了马克思和恩格斯在理论体系基本形成之后思想的进一步发展。本卷分为两个部分,第一部分是各种马克思恩格斯文集中关于这一时期著作的相关卷次前言,第二部分是一般性的研究文章。由于马克思和恩格斯关于民族学笔记以及相关著作的研究文章单独成为本从书的第14卷,因而本卷不包含那些方面的研究文章。
  • 沙乡年鉴

    沙乡年鉴

    追逐融雪中动物的足迹、阅读橡木年轮的历史、倾听大雁迁徙的长鸣……本书记录了作者利奥波德在美国威斯康星州一个农场进行生态修复的经历。全书以四季为顺序,笔法抒情、生动,极富感染力,书中有关于乡野生活的优美描写对美国自然文学的写作传统产生了巨大影响。从另一个角度看,本书也是从哲学、伦理学、美学及文化传统的角度深刻阐述了人与自然应该具备的关系,试图重新唤起人们对自然应保有的爱与尊重。
  • 一笑解千愁:糗事百科系列(套装共6册)

    一笑解千愁:糗事百科系列(套装共6册)

    糗事百科是这个星球上最暴笑的真实糗事分享网站,每天都有600000网友在追贴,每秒都有60000余人在刷屏,是被年轻人奉为神的网站。全书精选网站中最热门最搞笑最幽默最倒霉最尴尬的糗事,相信一定会点燃你的幽默热情,挑战你的忍耐极限。《人生就像打电话》搜集网络上热门的一些二事、糗事、囧事,以及网络最为流行的笑话、短信、流行语,内容幽默、风趣,格调轻松明快,特别适合少年、青年读者群体阅读。学习工作之余,本书会给读者带去更多的放松和笑声。
  • 育儿圣经

    育儿圣经

    作者吉娜·福特认为,从宝宝一出生,父母就应该让他们遵循科学合理的作息规范,这样不但可以让宝宝获得充足的睡眠和奶水,也能使新手父母不至于手忙脚乱,特别是妈妈可以获得充分的休息时间。这本《育儿圣经》,基于作者照看超过300名宝宝的经验,为新手父母提供宝宝不同生长阶段的作息规范建议,告诉你:·怎样迎接宝宝的到来。从早上7点到晚上11点,什么时候宝宝应该吃奶,什么时候应该睡觉,什么时候应该洗澡和玩耍。宝宝出现睡不好、哭泣、饥饿、疲惫等状态,到底是什么原因。妈妈要想重新工作,应该做哪些准备。宝宝在断奶阶段,需要注意哪些细节。妈妈喂养宝宝时,怎样才能让自己获得休息。
  • 看破不说破

    看破不说破

    本书收录了胡适研究中国禅宗思想的精华文章。全书对禅宗的传播、流布,以及对中国历史上各个时代思想、文化、艺术等方面的影响进行了全面的梳理和严谨细致的分析。胡适本人不信任何宗教,但他对禅宗的见解,对于那些从事禅宗文化研究的人士,以及文化爱好者而言,至今仍有着影响力。