M. le Palatin and the Staroste leave us to-morrow; they are going to the Castle of Sulgostów to prepare for the reception of Barbe. My father has caused letters to be written, announcing the marriage, and he will send them by the pages to different parts of Poland. Our head page and a richly dressed groom are to start in two days to carry letters to the king and his sons, the Royal princes, also to the Primate and the chief senators. In these letters my father announces the marriage and solicits their blessing, and if he does not exactly invite them to the wedding he makes it clearly understood that he would consider himself much honoured by their presence at it. Ah! if one of the Princes would only come here,—the Duke of Courland for instance,— what lustre it would cast upon the marriage, but they will be satisfied with sending their representatives,-that is what they always do on such occasions. The Castle is in a perpetual state of bustle and activity. They are preparing everything that will be required for the coming festivity. The Staroste has displayed unusual munificence, and he has made us all splendid presents,-to me he has given a brooch of turquoises, to Sophie a cross of rubies, to Marie a Venetian chain, and even my parents have condescended to accept gifts from him. My father has an enamelled goblet beautifully chased, and my mother a workbox of mother-of-pearl with gold fittings. Madame has not been forgotten; she found a lace mantle on her bed this morning; she lauds the generosity of Polish gentlemen up to the skies, but it is the only quality she allows to our nation, and that is why I cannot like Madame, her injustice repels me.

Yesterday we had a grand state supper; the band never ceased playing, toasts were proposed for the happy couple, and the dragoons fired salvoes, the Captain giving for word of command "Michel and Barbe." Barbe is beginning to be less timid, she only blushes now when she looks at her ring, and she tries to hide it as well as she can, but that does not prevent every one seeing it, and the brilliants in it shine like stars. To-day all the court has gone out hunting in order not to omit the observance of an old custom which was declared to bring happiness to the bride and bridegroom. The former used to be obliged to show her ancle to the sportsmen, but happily that part of it is now omitted,-poor Barbe would have died of shame,-little Macienko wanted to insist upon her going through the formality, declaring that unless she did there would be no sport. However his prognostications failed this time, for they killed a boar, two deer, an

elk, and a number of hares; it was the Staroste who killed the boar with his own hand, and laid it at the feet of Barbe. My father had all the horses taken out of the stables for the sportsmen: amongst them there was one of perfect beauty, but of 'fiery temper, that the best rider had never been able to mount. The Staroste declared that he would master it, and in spite of the terror of all present he got on it and managed it so well that he succeeded in taking it three times round the Castle of Maleszów. It was a moment of great interest; Barbe turned quite white, and was trembling for her fiancé ; but when she saw how firmly he kept his seat and heard the bravoes that resounded on all sides, the crimson returned to her cheeks. Since then I have begun to like the Staroste, he really is not so bad, he looks well on horseback, and what woman does not admire courage! I forgive him now for not knowing how to dance a quadrille or a minuet. My father has given the Staroste the horse which he so well deserves, and with it the saddle, bridle, and groom.

20th January. For eight days I have neglected my journal, the preparations for the marriage have been the cause; there are so many people at the Castle that we have to help to do the honours and to spend our mornings and afternoons with all the visitors. Our studies are all put aside : chronology, French, grammar, and even Madame de Beaumont, are left in tranquil repose. We work at our needles, because each one of us wishes to make Barbe a present. I am embroidering a morning dress for her that will be perfectly lovely. I even snatch some hours from sleep that I may finish it more quickly. Sophie is working a straw-coloured gauze, with a darker shade of silk mixed with gold, and Marie a beautiful toilet cover. My mother is very busy with the trousseau, she opens her closets and her boxes, and takes out linen sheets, furs, curtains, and carpets. I help her as much as I can, and occasionally she consults me. She is very scrupulous, and so afraid of not making a fair division that sometimes she calls the chaplain that he may judge of the exactitude with which she has divided the things. The tailors and the trimming manufacturers who have come from Warsaw to make the dresses will scarcely be able to finish their work in a month. The linen is already made, but then they have been working at it for two years, and the young ladies of the suite have helped a great deal, and now they are marking it in blue cotton; those poor girls will have good practice in making the letters B. K. The trousseau will be magnificent; Barbe cannot ima

gine what she will ever do with such an immense number of dresses. Up to this time we have never had more than four apiece, two of brown woollen with black aprons for every-day wear, and a white one for Sundays, with another more trimmed for state occasions, and we always found that quite enough; but my mother says that Madame la Starostine will require a very different style of dress from what Mademoiselle Barbe did, and that what is suitable for a girl is not suitable for a married woman. I mentioned a ball of silk that my mother gave to Barbe the day of her betrothal; well it was to make a purse for M. le Staroste; Barbe has worked at it incessantly for ten days, it was given her as a means by which to test her care and patience, for she had first to unravel the silk without spoiling or breaking it, and this she has succeeded in doing admirably, so now she may marry in safety. Little Macienko admits that she has a decided vocation for matrimony. The pages have set off with the letters announcing the marriage. I am all impatience to know what the answers will be. Barbe is frightened at the thought that perhaps the Prince will come with some of the gentlemen of the court of Warsaw. How childish she is! I should be only too delighted. But by the bye, the Investiture of the Prince Royal took place on the 8th of this month. The evening before the ceremony our uncle, Prince Lubomirski, the Palatin of Lublin, and Marshal of the Prince Royal, gave a grand ball, and they say that the entertainments, dinners and concerts, lasted more than a week. The new Duke of Courland made a speech in Polish, which produced an immense sensation. He is now acknowledged an independent Prince. He has behaved with much good feeling and dignity throughout the whole proceeding. The Courier of Poland contains a long account, with a description of every detail of the ceremony: if I had only had time I should have copied it, it was all so interesting, but if I could only have seen it myself it would have been worth far more to me than all the descriptions in the world. What is reading after all in comparison with one's own observation? However, I enjoy thinking about the Investiture of the Prince. It is the only public event on which I can dwell with pleasure and consolation. Everything else is going badly. While I work as fast as I can at the dress for Barbe, I am obliged to listen to reading, which makes me sad. The chaplain reads the papers to us, and I see that the Republic is daily losing its strength and dignity. The neighbouring powers allege various pretexts for invading it, and though their troops pillage and devastate, the govern

ment never moves. I dare not think of the future, but my father says one must enjoy the present moment. They talk in low whispers of the misfortunes which are likely to fall upon Poland, and yet they dance and feast, though festivities and banquets are surely suggestive of prosperity. Perhaps the Poles do like little Macienko, when he has any vexation he never puts the glass out of his hand, but keeps repeating, "Nothing like good wine for drowning grief," and the sadder he is the more he drinks.

25th January. Last night the Staroste arrived, and already this morning Barbe has found upon her work-table two beautiful silver baskets full of oranges and bonbons which she divided amongst the young ladies of the court, the ladies' maids and ourselves. Our work advances, my dress is nearly finished. My mother gives Barbe a bed completely fitted up. For a long time we have kept flocks of geese and swans, and in the Castle there is a poor creature who does not know how to do anything but pluck the down; that poor Marion is so stupid that she is incapable of any other employment; so she passes her life in plucking. We each have our share of the down, Barbe will have two large feather mattresses and eight large pillows of goose-down with four smaller ones of swan-down. The pillow-cases are made of linen which has been spun in the Castle, and they will be covered with green damask and have another case of cambric trimmed with lace. The young ladies of the suite have been working hard at them.

2nd February. M. le Staroste after having stayed here for ten days, has gone again, and when he returns, it will be to take Barbe away with him. I cannot realize her going away alone with a man, it seems too impossible, and I must see it with my own eyes before I can believe it. Barbe seems each day to feel more esteem and affection for the Staroste, and yet he never speaks to her, but addresses all his conversation to our parents. All his politeness and attention are for them, but they say that is the way in which a man of good breeding ought to pay his court, and that he should win the heart of his lady love by pleasing her parents. In three weeks we shall have the wedding, my sisters and I are having new dresses, it is Barbe who makes us a present of them, and she dresses all the young ladies of the Castle in the same way. Almost all the guests who have been invited to the wedding have accepted, but the king and his sons will to my great regret only send their representatives. I doubt if my aunt Lubomirska will be able to come, it will be difficult for her to leave Warsaw just now she much

approves Barbe's marriage, and has written her a charming letter of congratulation which has delighted my father. My present will be finished in time, but I have had to work unceasingly at it, that is, as far as I could, for my mother has often called me away, as she is kind enough to let me have the pleasure of helping her in all the preparations that are going on. Hitherto it has always been Barbe who was consulted and confided in, and as she was the eldest she had a right to that happiness, but now my parents will let me take her place. Twice I have been entrusted with the key of the little room which contains the preserves and liqueurs, and that gives me importance; then I do my best to look sedate, and surely every one must see that I am a year older. I mean to try and imitate Barbe, that my parents may not feel her absence so much when M. le Staroste has carried her away. I am sure I shall do my best, but shall I ever be able to satisfy them?

12th February. It appears that never was so much luxury and magnificence displayed as on the occasion of the investiture of the Prince Royal. The Warsaw Gazette seems to find the subject inexhaustible.

The guests are beginning to arrive, they are coming from great distances and notwithstanding the size of our Castle it will be impossible for every one to be lodged in it, so they are making arrangements in the houses of the officials, in the farms, at the priest's, and even in some of the best of the cottages for the reception of our guests. The cooks and confectioners have no rest, and the laundry is in a state of perpetual activity. The trousseau is nearly finished, and to-day they have forwarded to Sulgostów the beds and two cases filled with pillows, mattresses and carpets, as well as a chest full of plate, and a thousand other packets. The bedsteads are of iron, and very beautifully wrought, and the curtains of blue silk damask fastened at the four corners with bunches of blue and white ostrich feathers. Barbe may well kiss our parents' hands for giving her so many beautiful things. My father enters into a large book a list of the trousseau, preceded by the words that I am going to add here so that I may keep the remembrance of them in my journal. List of the trousseau that I, Stanislas des Corvins Krasinski, &c., &c., and my wife Angelica Humiecka, give to our dearly loved daughter Barbe on the occasion of her marriage with his excellence Michael Swidzinski, Staroste of Radom. We implore for our beloved child the blessing of Heaven and we bless her ourselves with paternal affection in the Name of the FATHER, Son, and