Castle, and I give my full attention, for now I have begun to write my journal I am more wishful than ever to know what is happening. To-day, Augustus III., Elector of Saxony, reigns over Poland and Lithuania. On the seventeenth of this month, twenty-five years ago, the Bishop of Cracow placed the royal diadem on his head. The party opposed to his election wanted to raise Stanislas1 Leszczynski to the throne, but Augustus was so ably seconded that he triumphed over his competitor. The worthy Leszczynski for want of money and soldiers was obliged to return to his people of Lorraine, who are made very happy by his rule. They say that the queen, who warmly seconded the king in the struggle he had to maintain before he succeeded to the throne, was worthy of being queen of the Poles, for she loved them well. Marie Josephine was always an enemy to everything savouring of intrigue. She was charitable, benevolent, and pious, an excellent wife and mother, and indulgent to every one, but with rigid notions of morality; she was in truth a model of every feminine virtue; her death occurred at Dresden just two years ago. She has had fourteen children, eleven of whom, seven daughters and four sons, are still living. I well remember what a grief the death of this good queen was to all Poles. Funeral services were celebrated in every Church in the kingdom, in our own Church of Piotrkowice there was a ceremony at which all the poor were present, and bitter were the tears that were shed as they prayed for their queen.

They say that the king is of an easy going nature, and trusts everything to his minister, Brühl; so that it is really the latter who governs Poland and Saxony. Saxony is just now a prey to great uneasiness, for Prussia, which in fact is only a rising power, is making all Europe tremble. They say that a great man presides over its destinies. The Elector of Brandebourg was raised to the throne by

1 When Stanislas, the father-in-law of Louis XVth of France, renounced all claim to the throne of Poland, he received as compensation from his son-in-law the Duchies of Lorraine and Bar.

* In 1657, Jean Casimir, of Poland, released the Elector of Brandebourg from his former vassalage, and he became a sovereign, promising in return for his investiture his good faith and assistance to Casimir in men and money. This was the first origin of the Kingdom of Prussia. Previous to that time the Elector of Brandebourg, on his elevation to that dignity, sent four envoys to his Suzerain, the King of Poland, and these messengers, kneeling before the sovereign, begged him to admit their master to take the oath of homage and fidelity for the Duchy of Prussia. On receiving a gracious reply the Elector advanced on horseback towards the Castle, followed by a numerous suite of Prussians and Poles, while two maré

his will alone, in 1701. Our Republic has never confirmed his title of king, and to-day the successor of the elector is ready to bestow crowns on the other states. He has withstood Austria, Saxony, and Muscovy, and by his own strong arm is daily extending his possessions. His political capacity, and his knowledge of military tactics are said to be prodigious, besides that he is a man of great energy and force of character. Some persons think that Poland requires a ruler of the calibre of Frederick the Great; but as he does not govern us, and is by his present position contrary to our interests, there are fears that sooner or later he may become the cause of our ruin. GOD grant that Prussia, which is only a fraction of Poland, may not one day swallow it up. Those who make public interests their study say, (but only in whispers,) that the affairs of the Republic are going badly, and that what crushes all hope is, that the beautiful old virtues which formerly constituted the glory of the country, are gradually dying out more and more, and that ambition and personal interest have taken the place of them all. The wants of the common mother are forgotten, and men only think now of their individual advantage, and let the public cause count for nothing. The dietines assemble and disperse without accomplishing anything. The voices of Konarski1 and his honourable friends are heard in vain, they preach in the desert and the vile passions of the wicked outweigh them in the balance of our destinies. Still all means of salvation have not yet been removed from us. The throne of Poland is elective, the reigning king is not young, for he is already sixty-three years of age. If his successor should be gifted with able powers of administration, and with virtues on a level with his position, he might save the Republic and restore it to its old preponderance. Our frontiers are still intact, and besides I place all my confidence in the mercy of GOD. All good and true patriots are praying for a king worthy to take the command of the Poles. Already many candidates are named, but the

chals of the Polish Court were sent to meet him and lead him into the presence of the King, where, on his knees, he repeated his request in Latin. The Chancellor made a short reply in the King's name, and then read the form of oath which the Elector had to repeat after him, with his hands on the Gospel. After this he received the diploma investing him with the fiefdom of Prussia, for which he offered respectful thanks to the sovereign.

1 Stanislas Konarski, a patriot who devoted his life and energies to the amelioration of public education and the reformation of the laws of his country. His valuable collection of books, left as a gift to the nation, forms the public library of Warsaw.

two who seem to have the best chance are Stanislas Poniatowski, son of the Castellan of Cracow, and Charles the Prince Royal, son of the reigning king. The father of Poniatowski was the favourite of Charles XII., and also much esteemed by the Princess Czartoryska. I do not know why my heart should lean so strongly towards Prince Charles, for Poniatowski is a Pole. But Prince Charles is said to be so pre-eminently good. However I will relate everything I know about them both.

Stanislas Poniatowski is young, very good-looking, courteous, and affable; he has travelled a great deal, and his manners have all the polish of a Frenchman with that sort of fascination which is so attractive to women, and he has a taste for science and the society of learned men. He was at S. Petersburgh for four years as Secretary to the embassy, but he was recalled some time ago; he is a great favourite at court, and from that circumstance they predict his future greatness. Charles, Prince Royal, is twenty-six years of age, and the third son of the king; he is a great favourite with his father, as well as with every one with whom he is brought in contact; they say he is a noble-looking fellow, with a most agreeable countenance, that his manners are gentle, and he is easy of access; he attracts every one, pleases them, and gains all hearts. He has lived in Poland from his childhood, and loves the Poles, whose language he speaks wonderfully well. Brought up as he has been at the court of our Republic, he is neither proud nor humble; he knows how to maintain his right position with every The king having recognised all these qualifications in his son did not hesitate to send him to foreign courts, and he began by that of S. Petersburgh, for counting on the support of Russia he wished his first laurels to be gained under that power; but he had also other objects in view, for he had great hopes that his son might be created Duke of Courland.1 This duchy is a tributary of Poland. In 1737, the Czarina Anna appointed the Count of Biron to the government of Courland; but a short time afterwards he fell into disgrace and was sent with all his family to Siberia. For several years after this the

one.

1. According to the treaty confirmed by Sigismund Augustus in 1561, Courland was to revert to the Polish Government in case of the Duke of Kettler dying without male heirs. When this happened the Czarina, Anne of Prussia, recommended to the Electors her favourite chamberlain, Biron, and sent troops into Courland to strengthen his candidature. The Courlanders were weak enough to be intimidated into yielding compliance to her wishes, and Poland after a vain resistance saved appearances by accepting the homage of Biron. The favourite, however, fell into disgrace with the Czarina, who exiled him to Siberia. Charles, son of Augustus III. of Poland,

sessor.

dukedom remained vacant, until our king, who had every right to do so, conferred upon his son a dignity which stood in need of a posIt is true that the appointment required the sanction of the Court of S. Petersburgh, and no one was so likely to obtain that as the Prince Royal himself, for his amenity of manner has become quite proverbial. Therefore he set out for S. Petersburgh, and on his way thither spent some time at Mittau, the capital of Courland, where he succeeded in gaining the esteem and affection of all the inhabitants of the Duchy. The Czarina was not long in confirming the nomination of the Prince Royal. Her consent was solemnly announced to the King of Poland last year at the time when the dietine was assembled. But in accordance with the fatal custom which dissolves the dietines, a noble of Wolhynia, named Podhorski, broke up this one, and the affairs of Courland were not debated, so it was needful to have recourse to the Senatus Consultum. Fierce strifes arose in the Senate, the Princes Czartoryski in especial, endeavoured to complicate the question by maintaining that the king had no right to dispose of a duchy without the co-operation of a dietine; that Biron, without having undergone a trial and without being either judged or condemned, could not be deprived of a dignity that had once been conferred upon him, and that finally the nomination of the Prince Royal could only be temporary and hold good during the life of the Czarina. These senseless clamours fell before an imposing majority, five black balls against twenty-eight white ones, gave the decision in favour of Prince Charles. The High Chancellor of the Crown has already made over the nomination to him, and this is the day that the ceremony of investiture takes place. Warsaw must at this moment be resplendent with brilliant festivities and rejoicings. I am sure that the joy is universal, and the king is so delighted at the success of his projects that they say he looks ten years younger. I do not know if this event will be productive of any public good, but I am glad to think of Prince Charles's success.

I constantly ask myself why I should be so pre-occupied with this affair. The fate of the Republic may soon depend upon this prince; who knows if he may be called to avert the storm that rumbles over

was elected Duke of Courland; but his possession of the duchy was of short duration, for when the Czar Peter III. succeeded to the throne of Russia he declared the domains of Biron sequestrated, and though Charles opposed some faint resistance, he had to yield, and Courland was thenceforth occupied by Russian troops.

Poland, and to give us better laws and good government? It is not impossible that the Duchy of Courland may serve him as a steppingstone to the throne. I am grieved from the bottom of my heart that I am not in Warsaw at this moment, I should see all the beautiful fêtes, and all the court and Prince Charles; but as it is impossible I must be content to drink his health at our own table.

3rd January. Yesterday in the midst of the toasts to the sounds of music, and the firing of our dragoons, in honour of the investiture of the Duke of Courland, the page who was sent into Warsaw returned with letters which announce to us that the ceremony is postponed on account of the indisposition of the king. They have put it off until the eighth of January. "That is a bad sign," said little Macienko, "the ducal crown escapes from him, the royal crown will escape also." I feel uneasy however some visitors have arrived to divert my attention. After dinner we had Madame Dembicka with her son and daughter; the cup-bearer Jordan, with his wife and son; M. Swidzinski, the palatine of Braclaw, with his nephew the Jesuit Vincent. The latter has been at Maleszów several times, he is a man of deep piety, and my parents have a great affection and esteem for him. Although he is young we kiss his hand because he is GOD's minister. Barbe is quite in his good graces, he gave her a rosary and a book, and when he was seated by her at supper to-night he even addressed her twice; but Barbe is so good that it is not surprising, and then she is the eldest, so she ought to receive more attention than we do.

5th January. The Palatine and his nephew are still with us, and we are expecting other guests, for the two sons of the Palatine are coming to stay with us. The elder of them is the Staroste of Radom, and the younger a Colonel in the Royal Army. The Palatine, who has been a widower for many years, has also two daughters, but they are both married. I am curious to see the sons, for they were educated at Lunéville in France, and they must be quite different in manners and appearance from Poles. The good king Stanislas, although he lives in a foreign country, always tries to be of use to his compatriots; and many young Polish gentlemen are educated at Lunéville, where Stanislas provides for them at his own expense, and enables them to have the best education. The sons of our first families intrigue to obtain that honour, and as a pretext for so doing they claim relationship—be it ever so distant-with the ex-king. The extent of the advantages may, perhaps, justify them, for when it is said of a young