Page:The Boy Travellers in the Russian Empire.djvu/184

178 in America who understand exactly what serfdom was, and your essay will do much to enlighten them."

Accordingly Frank carefully copied what he had written. Impressed with Doctor Bronson's suggestion, we have reproduced it here, in the confidence that our youthful readers will find it interesting and instructive.

"You can add to your account of serfdom," said Doctor Bronson, "that when it was established by Boris Godunoff, in 1601, it was regarded by both peasant and noble as a great popular reform, and welcomed with

delight. His decree went into force on Saint George's Day, in the year named, and its principal provision was that every peasant in the Empire should in future till and own forever the land winch he then tilled and held. It was an act of great liberality on the part of the Czar, for by it he gave up millions of acres belonging to the Crown and made them the property of the peasants.

"The serf of the Crown was to till the land, build his house, pay his taxes, and serve as a soldier whenever wanted; the private serf existed under very nearly the same conditions, with the difference that his life