PREFACE.

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IN March, 1870, I arrived for the first time in St. Petersburg. My intention was to spend merely a few months in Russia, but I unexpectedly found so many interesting subjects of study that I remained for nearly six years till December, 1875. During that period my winters were spent for the most part in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Yaroslaff, whilst the summer months were generally devoted to wandering about the country and collecting information from the local authorities, landed proprietors, merchants, priests, and peasantry. Since my return to England I have kept up a constant correspondence with numerous Russian friends, so that I have been able to follow closely what has taken place in the short interval.

Of the large mass of materials concerning the past history and present condition of the country, which accumulated in my hands during these six years, I have used in the present work merely those which seemed most likely to interest the general public.

Special investigations regarding the Rural Commune, various systems of Agriculture, the History of the Emancipation, the present economic condition of the Peasantry, the Financial System, Public Instruction, recent Intellectual Movements, and similar topics, I reserve for a future volume.

If the work has any merits they are to be attributed mainly to the assistance which was most liberally afforded me by Russians of all classes. Were I to give a list of those to whom I am indebted, it would fill many pages. I must, therefore, restrict myself to naming a few to whom I am under special obligations. Much valuable service was rendered to me by Mr. Kapoustine, the learned and able Director of the School of Law in Yaroslaff, by Mr. Bolkashin, and by the other gentlemen connected with that admirable institution; also by Mr. Tchaslavski, my travelling companion during two summers; by Mr. A. N. Gontcharoff, who accompanied me in my journeys in the province of Samara; and by the late Mr. Edward J. Morgan, well known to Englishmen who have visited St. Petersburg. I have likewise to express respectfully my gratitude to Madame de Novikoff, née de Kiréeff, for assisting me in my efforts to reach the best living sources of information,