Her weakness lies in the selfishness, frivolity, corruption, and narrowness of outlook of her governing class--in short, in their incapacity for organisation.
Against the steady resisting power of her peasants the great Napoleon had hurled his legions in vain.

That campaign of 1812 exhibited the strength of Russia for defence.

But when, in fallacious trust in that precedent, she has undertaken great wars far from her base, failure has nearly always been the result.

The pathetic devotion of her peasantry has not made up for the mental and moral defects of her governing classes.

This fact had fixed itself on every competent observer in 1877.
The Emperor Alexander knew it only too well.