

1826.] - Hvi(e Pulonka. 353 



or for the theatres establiblied by great nobles, as was the case in a ^'reat 

 measure among ourselves before tlie era of the Restoration. He, however, reme- 

 died this want, by establishing a handsome theatre at Warsaw, and the produc- 

 tions of the Polish stage thenceforward would bear comparison with the average 

 run of the contemporary pieces of other countries. Poland did not indeed 

 give birth to an Alfieri, a Goethe, a Schiller, or a Sheridan ; but her dramatists 

 were at least respectable : and the tragedies of Gut/ Earl of Blo'u, Bu/cs/aus HI. 

 and some others, are worthy of attention. In comedy, Prince Adam Czartoriski, 

 and Zabtocki have succeeded in giving an agreeable spirit of nationality to their 

 compositions. The Polish literature of these times affords the singular pheno- 

 menon of comedies without female characters — the production of Francis Boho- 

 molec, a Jesuit, whose religious scruples occasioned this odd deviation from 

 general custom j there is, nevertheless, a good deal of gaiety in them. Foreign 

 literature was, of course, laid tmder contribution, anil we may notice a very 

 respectable translation of Hamh't, by Bogurtauki, the manager of the Warsaw 

 theatre, where we understand it was acted with a great deal of talent and 

 enthusiasm. 



The above is, we own, but a meagre sketch of a meagre department of litera- 

 ture, and we believe it is the only one in our language. A person of the name 

 of Burnet, who was a private tutor or secretary in a noble family in Poland, 

 published, some years ago, some observations on the country ; but, contrary to 

 what might be expected from a professed author (by the way, he died in that 

 unfortunate trade in great distress), he gives very little account of the literatiu'e 

 of the country, and we do not know any other book to which we could refer. 

 We now proceed to the play which vse have selected, and which we owe to the 

 pen of A. Mowinsky, who is a great favourite in Poland : Mowinsky is but an 

 assumed name, the real name of the author being Ignatius Kvasielki. 



The Turns of Chance (a translation which conveys as clear an idea of the 

 title as we can give) was written in 1781, and was highly applauded by the 

 critics of Poland. It is in prose. It opens by a scene of a village bordering on 

 a forest, with a public-house on one side, and in the back-ground a house of^ 

 some rank. From this house issue its mistress, Mrs. Kriwdine, and Drcwinsky 

 the ranger of the forest, disputing the price of a hare which he offers for sale ; 

 she proposes what he thinks a miserable price, and leaves him very angry, in 

 which mood his daughter finds him. 



Annette. What ails you, father ? 



Drewinsky. A florin for such a hare ! 



An. Who offered you that ? , 



Dr. A hare fit for the table of a prince I look there, what a beauty ! 



An. But who was it, father, that offered you so little ? 



Dr. Oh ! Mrs. Kriwdine, the widow of the late hitendant of the ca.stle. 



An. A florin for a hare ? what a conscience ! she is as stingy as she is rich ! How 

 different is Mr. Loupandin the notary ! 



Dr. Ay, that's a fair man indeed ! 



An, He never grudges poor people their money ! 



Dr. Quite the contrary : he pays generously every body whom he employs, as I 

 ought to know after furnishing him with game ever since he came into the village three 

 years ago. 



All. Apropos of Mr. Loupandin, a traveller has just left a large sum in his hands, 

 and gone off immediately. It is for some one of this country, they say ; do you 

 know for whom, father? 



Dr. No : what sort of a man was the traveller ? 



An. I saw him passing ; he was mounted on a very rean horse, had on a shabby 

 black coat, and looked mean enough. 



Dr. So poor, and yet pay faitlifully a large sum ! he must be a very honest man. 



An. Are you coming in, father? 



Dr. No, I pass the night in the forest. 



An. You never give yourself any rest, father, and that grieves me ; you ought to 

 take better care of yoiuself. 



Dr. I must do my dutj', daughter -. I am keeper of the forest, and for some days 

 past there have been many robberies and other villanies committed ; I must therefore 

 redouble my vigilance, and hang, if possibje, all those scoundrels who will not let 

 honest people travel in safety. 



M.M. Nexu Series.— Vol. I. No. 4. 2 Z 



