The position of illustrations have been adjusted slightly to avoidfalling in mid-paragraph.
Please see the transcriber’s note at the end of thistext regarding the few textual issues encountered during its preparation.
The History and
Romance of
Crime
Young Girl Revolutionist Condemned to the Scaffold
So severe was the Russian government in the measuresadopted to repress the revolutionists that mere school-girlswere exiled, imprisoned or executed. Many well-born girlsmade it their chief aim to help the peasants, enduring theprivations and hardships of the labouring classes. MadameVera Phillipova, a young woman of great beauty, was longthe most popular person in the revolutionary movement. Shebecame identified with the conspiracy of “the Fourteen,” andwas thrown into the Schlüsselburg for the term of her naturallife.
INTRODUCTION
The huge empire founded by the Czars of Russiain the latter half of the sixteenth century wasbased upon absolute autocracy. The Czar by virtueof his divine origin exercised absolute authorityover the many diverse elements consolidated underhis sovereign will. From the earliest times no ideaof personal liberty was tolerated; the slightest expressionof independence in thought and action wasperemptorily forbidden. The attitude of the governmenthas ever been uncompromisingly severetoward all malcontents, and Russian history for thelast two centuries is one long record of conspiracyconstantly afoot, and constantly repressed by savagelycruel coercion. Imprisonment, the absoluteloss of physical f