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CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



The Court of Sigismund Augustus, or Poland in the Sixteenth Century, 

 By Alexander Bronikowski. Done into English by a Polish Refugee. 

 3 vols. Longman and Co. 



This is a free translation of a work written in the German language 

 by Bronikowski, a member of a Polish family, who was born and educated 

 in Saxony, and afterwards entered the Polish army of the Grand Duchy 

 of Warsaw. He is the author of several novels in the same language, which 

 are well adapted to unfold the details of the Sclavonic nations to foreign 

 readers. The English translation has been effected, as the title announces, 

 by a Polish refugee in this country, and it is, for a foreigner, extremely 

 creditable to him — indeed, from its general correctness, we must be 

 allowed to conclude that the revision has been entrusted to the hands of 

 a practised English writer. There is an excellent introduction, which is 

 intended to delineate the history of Poland previous to the action of the 

 tale, and to convey some just notions of the government and domestic 

 manners of that period. 



In the sixteenth century, it appears, the commerce of Poland was in a 

 flourishing condition j and the Polish clergy, both secular and regular, 

 were richly endowed. The ecclesiastical order numbered among their 

 members many eminent literary characters ; but, unfortunately, at the 

 end of that century the Jesuits invaded the kingdom, extirpated learning, 

 and plunged all ranks into a state of ignorance and religious fanaticism, 

 which contributed more than any other cause to the decline of the 

 nation. The peasants were slaves, but many of them who had by chance 

 received a suitable education, emerged from their abject condition to 

 eminence, and many dignitaries of the church rose from this degraded 

 order. Different writers have given different opinions of the character 

 of the Poles. Some have described them as being of an open, un- 

 suspecting nature ; easily deceived ; not very persevering ; hospitable to 

 profusion ; exceedingly brave ; fond of learning, particularly foreign 

 languages ; animated with a high sense of honour, and ready to sacrifice 

 ^ery thing in defence of their country and their liberties ; ostentatious, 

 and addicted to immoderate eating and drinking ; very fond of going 

 abroad, and of bringing back to their own country many foreign fashions, 

 so that there was no such thing as a true national costume. That now 

 worn was originally the Circassian and Persian dress, and closely re- 

 sembles the costume of the latter at the present day. Other writers, 

 there are, which speak less favourably of their social virtues — but all 

 acknowledge them to be brave and honourable. 



It is asserted that the state of learning in Poland during the sixteenth 

 century was very flourishing. Besides the University of Cracow, which 

 diffused information throughout the country, there were many schools in 

 different towns under the direction of Benedictine, or other monks. 

 The reformation gave a new impulse to learning, and many new scientific 

 establishments spnmg up in different parts of the empire. Typographical 

 establishments also became greatly multiplied, and sent forth numerous 

 productions, not only of a polemical but also of a scientific nature. The 

 Polish language at this period attained its perfection, and the authors, 

 of which there were many celebrated ones, are even now considered as 

 models of style and purity of diction. The higher nobility, after having 

 studied at the University of Cracow, usually completed their education 



