his bread. But it is also true, that the luxury of city life, and
the comparative ease with which money is there to be earned, attract
him thither; and under the pretext of gaining his living in the town,
he betakes himself thither in order that he may have lighter work,
better food, and drink tea three times a day, and dress well, and
even lead a drunken and dissolute life. The cause of both is
identical,--the transfer of the riches of the producers into the
hands of non-producers, and the accumulation of wealth in the cities.
And, in point of fact, when autumn has come, all wealth is collected
in the country. And instantly there arise demands for taxes,
recruits, the temptations of vodka, weddings, festivals; petty
pedlers make their rounds through the villages, and all sorts of
other temptations crop up; and by this road, or, if not, by some
other, wealth of the most varied description--vegetables, calves,
cows, horses, pigs, chickens, eggs, butter, hemp, flax, rye, oats,
buckwheat, pease, hempseed, and flaxseed--all passes into the hands
of strangers, is carried off to the towns, and thence to the
capitals. The countryman is obliged to surrender all this to satisfy
the demands that are made upon him, and temptations; and, having
parted with his wealth, he is left with an insufficiency, and he is
forced to go whither his wealth has been carried and there he tries,
in part, to obtain the money which he requires for his first needs in
the country, and in part, being himself led away by the blandishments
of the city, he enjoys, in company with others, the wealth that has
there accumulated. Everywhere, throughout the whole of Russia,--yes,
and not in Russia alone, I think, but throughout the whole world,--
the same thing goes on. The wealth of the rustic producers passes
into the hands of traders, landed proprietors, officials, and
factory-owners; and the people who receive this wealth wish to enjoy
it. But it is only in the city that they can derive full enjoyment