“They beat us with sticks - we’re not offended, they send us to Siberia - we’re not offended”

Suddenly my speech was undermined by Belinsky, he jumped up from his sofa, came up to me already pale as a sheet, and, hitting me on the shoulder, said:

“Here they are, the inquisitors, the censors have spoken out—to lead the thought on a string…” and went and went. /.../

- What kind of resentment is this! They beat them with sticks - we are not offended, they are sent to Siberia - we are not offended, and then Chaadaev, you see, caught the honor of the people - do not dare to speak; speech is insolence, a lackey must never speak! Why, then, in countries where there are more educated people, where it seems that sensitivity should also be more developed than in Kostroma and Kaluga, are they not offended by words?

“In educated countries,” the master said with inimitable self-satisfaction, “there are prisons in which they lock up insane people who insult what an entire people honors ... and do very well.

Belinsky grew up, he was terrible, great at that moment, crossing his arms over his sore chest and looking straight at the master, he answered in a dull voice:

- And in even more educated countries there is a guillotine, with which those who find it beautiful are executed.

Alexander Herzen, Past and Thoughts, 1868