16] 
their sid, they were not able to 
stand the impetuous valour of the 
Poles. Afteaa bloody combat of 
more thamtwelve hours, every part 
of the Russian army wascompletely 
defeaged, and obliged to retire from 
the field of battle, covered with up- 
wards of four thousand of their 
dead. The loss of the Poles did 
not much excecd 1 tao inen. 
The news of this signal victory, 
gained by an inferior number of 
men inexpert in war, and inspired 
solely by patriotic courage, over a 
superior number of troops, excel. 
lently disciplined, and long inured 
to warand victory, filledall Europe 
with astonishment and admiration, 
But those members’of the diet, who, 
in concert with the king, had so 
strenuouslyinsisted on the tormation 
f those plans that would have given 
to Poland a powerful and weil. 
regulated military, could not con. 
tain their resentment and indigna- 
tion at that numerous but contemp. 
tible majority of Polish nobles, 
who had, from the basest mOtives, 
rejected them. Had they beenae- 
cepted, it was evident that Poland 
might have been saved. If the 
handful of men now opposed to 
the Russians, could perform such 
wonders, what would hundreds of 
thousands have done, all animated 
with the same spirit, and with far 
greater hopes of success! These 
complaints of the patriotic party, in 
the diet, were taken up and urged 
with unrestrained violence by the 
public at Warsaw. Never, it was 
said, had the spirit of aristocracy, . 
displayed its malignity so fatally 
as in the present instance. The 
king and his faithful people would 
have saved the cogntry; but the 
haughty nobles, rather than part 
with the privilege of lording it ovér 
the nation, had delivered it into the 
hands of the enemy, 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
Unfortunately for Poland, there 
was too much of truthin these coms 
plaints. True it was, the nobles 
had repented of their error; but 
the day of repentance came too 
late, The enemy was in the bow. 
els of their country ; and to the sor. 
rows they must feel, at the de 
struction impending over it, was 
now added the poignant refle@ion, 
thar it might have been saved, had 
they been willing in time tosave it; 
In the mean time, the great 
victory over the Russians, thoughit 
did the highest honour to the Poles, 
was of no service to their cause. 
The Russian armies continued their 
irruptions into all parts of Poland. 
They were masters of the principat 
cities in Lithuania, and advancing 
gradually towards Warsaw, Prince 
Poniatowski, assisted by the cele- 
brated Kosciusko, made many a 
desperate stand! but the vast supe- 
riority of numbers, discipline, and 
military knowledge andexperience, 
proved ultimately irresistible. The 
courage displayed by the Poles, in 
the many obstinate engagements 
daily taking place, was the more 
heroic, that they fought merely-to 
preserve the honour of their couns 
try, and that its liberty might not 
expire unrevenged. 
The virtues of the Poles, over- 
borne by injustice anda combination 
of despots, contrasted with the pol- 
luted triumphs of the French re. 
public, awakened throughout Eu- 
ropea generous sympathy with that 
noble nation, and indignation 
against their oppressors. A subs 
scription for their reliefand support, 
set on foot in the metropolis of the 
British empire, and which was car. 
ried on with unexampled and rapid 
success, afforded to the Poles the 
consolation, that their misfortunes~ 
were not beheld with insensibility. 
by their neighbours ; and that, with 
whatever 
