X. CONCLUSION

By such stages Russia has reached the ruination of all good morals, which I mentioned at the very beginning. A deplorable situation. We must only beg God that this evil may be eradicated by a better reign. But this cannot be until we have a monarch who is sincerely attached to God’s Law, a strict observer of justice, beginning with himself; moderate in the pomp of the royal throne, rewarding virtue and abhoning vice, showing an example of assiduity and a willingness to take the advice of wise men; firm in his undertakings, but without obstinacy; gentle and constant in friendship, showing an example in himself by his domestic harmony with his w'ife, and banishing licentiousness; generous without prodigality at his subjects’ expense, and seeking to reward virtue, good qualities and merit, without any bias, able to delegate liis tasks, able to distinguish those which the monarch must take upon himself and those which belonged to the various departments of state, and finally, possessing sufficient magnanimity and patroitism to draw up and hand on fundamental laws for the state, and firm enough to carry them out.

Then exiled virtue, leaving the deserts will enthrone herself amid the cities and at the Court itself. Justice will not tilt her scales whether for bribery or for fear of violence; fear and corruption will be banished from the grandees; patriotism will ensconce itself in the hearts of the citizens. Men will boast, not of luxurious living and riches, but of impartiality, merit and disinterestedness. They will not reckon who is in or out of favour at Court, but with law and virtue as their object, will consider them as a compass, able to lead them to both rank and fortune. The nobles will serve in various ofTices with a zeal proper to their calling; merchants will cease to aspire to be officers and noblemen; each will keep to his own class, and trade will flourish with the decrease in the import of foreign goods which give rise to voluptuousness, and with the export of Russian goods. Arts and crafts will increase so as to produce within Russia whatever is needed for the luxury and magnificence of a certain number of people.