326 ODESSA. 



" I believe it made a slight sensation, that an Englishman was passing 

 through Cracow ; for, having had occasion to go to a shop to make a small 

 purchase, a gentleman who entered soon after me, took an opportunity, upon 

 observing that I had a little difficulty in explaining myself, to address me 

 very politely, and in good English, offering to make my wishes known to the 

 master of the shop. In the course of conversation, he said, that having 

 heard that an English traveller had arrived, and feeling great respect for my 

 nation and its institutions, he had wished and endeavoured to meet with me, 

 and was anxious to shew me every attention in his power. I could not feel 

 otherwise than highly gratified and obliged. 



" Mr. S is a young man of about twenty-five : his physiognomy is 



very pleasing and intelligent. He was so kind as to accompany me to the 

 cathedral, where, amongst many rich shrines, altars, and chapels, is the 

 tomb of Kosciusko. 



" My Polish friend sighed as he pointed out to me the patriot's resting- 

 place : he evidently mourned over the fate of his country, and was indig- 

 nant at the atrocious partitions that have been made of it ; but there was no 

 bombast, no violence, in his language or manner. 



" Mr. S has never been in England ; he is, however, well versed 



in the history and literature of our country. On our way to my hotel, he 

 did me the favour to invite me to pass half an hour with him at his apart- 

 ments, which I did, and was agreeably surprised to find that the chief portion 

 of his small but select library was composed of the works of the best British 

 authors. 



" This gentleman speaks English almost without a foreign accent ; he 

 informed me that he was self-taught, and had perfected himself in the con- 

 versational part during his acquaintance with an Englishman who resides at 

 Cracow, to whom he afterwards introduced me. I invited them both to 

 take their coffee with me in the evening, and passed a few hours very plea- 

 santly in their society. 



" Thus you see, that, notwithstanding all quarrels, and wars, and preju- 

 dices, the British name is respected by the liberal and enlightened of all 

 countries. Here, on the banks of the Vistula, my title of Englishman was 

 a passport to a heart panting for freedom in the breast of a noble- minded 

 Pole. I have not failed to express my sincere hope and trust, that, at no 

 very distant day, Poland may again take her rank as an independant nation ; 

 and that her long and severe trials and misfortunes may terminate in the 

 amelioration of the lot, not of the rich alone, but also of the humbler and 

 more afHicted classes ; who, in proportion as their superiors become more 

 conscious of their own moral dignity, will, it is to be hoped, be allowed and 

 encouraged to emerge from the miserable state to which servitude, ignorance, 

 and poverty have reduced them. This will be the true interest of the pa- 

 triots cf Poland ; for unless the condition of the peasantry, and lower classes 

 generally, be improved unless the mass of the population feel that they 

 possess something worth struggling to maintain, they never can be expected 

 to defend their hearths with that enthusiasm and constancy, which are the 

 sole effectual barriers against the open or concealed attacks of powerful and 

 wily enemies." 



We can only make room for the following additional extract. 



" I mentioned in my letter of yesterday, that Odessa increased in pros- 

 perity, under the able administration of the Duke de Richelieu, and of his 

 successor, Count Langeron. 



" Several new commercial establishments were formed ; vast quantities of 

 grain exported, and contracts entered into for the supply of Malta, &c. In 

 consequence of the large fortunes that were made, new wants arose, and im- 



