Мертві душі
Chapter 4
Atthesametime,itisforasubordinatetoadapthimselftothetoneofhissuperior,ratherthanforasuperiortoadapthimselftothetoneofhissubordinate.Suchacourseisatoncemoreregularandmoresmoothofworking,sinceacorpsofsubordinateshasbutonedirector,whereasadirectormayhaveahundredsubordinates.Butletusputasidethequestionofcomparativeculpability.Theimportantpointis,thatbeforeusallliesthedutyofrescuingourfatherland.Ourfatherlandissuffering,notfromtheincursionofascoreofalientongues,butfromourownacts,inthat,inadditiontothelawfuladministration,therehasgrownupasecondadministrationpossessedofinfinitelygreaterpowersthanthesystemestablishedbylaw.Andthatsecondadministrationhasestablisheditsconditions,fixeditstariffofprices,andpublishedthattariffabroad;norcouldanyruler,eventhoughthewisestoflegislatorsandadministrators,domoretocorrecttheevilthanlimititintheconductofhismorevenaltchinovniksbysettingoverthem,astheirsupervisors,menofsuperiorrectitude.No,untileachofusshallcometofeelthat,justasarmsweretakenupduringtheperiodoftheupheavalofnations,sonoweachofusmustmakeastandagainstdishonesty,allremedieswillendinfailure.AsaRussian,therefore—asoneboundtoyoubyconsanguinityandidentityofblood—Imaketoyoumyappeal.Imakeittothoseofyouwhounderstandwhereinliesnobilityofthought
