HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
who only wishes for the happiness 
of her children.’’ 
This tender mother actually gave 
orders fora public thanksgiving, for 
the blessings conferred on the Poles, 
in all their churches; and, sporting 
equally with affairs human and di- 
vine, imposed the following oath 
on every individual of the Poles 
and Lithuanians: “‘ I pro- 
mise and swear to God Almighty, 
by his Holy Gospel, to be always 
ready toserve, faithfullyand loyally, 
her imperial majesty, the most se- 
rene empress, grand lady, Catha- 
rine Alexievna, \autocratrix of all 
the Russias, and her well-beloved 
son, grand duke, Paul Petrovitch, 
her lawful successor, to go for that 
purpose, to yield up my life, and 
to shed the last drop of my blood, 
to pay due and perfe@t obedience 
to the commands already issued, or 
hereafter to issue from the authori- 
ties appointed by her; to fulfil and 
maintain them all conscientiously, 
tothe best of my power ; to contri- 
bute, with all my strength, to the 
Maintenance of the peace and quiet 
which her majesty has established 
in my country ; and to have no com- 
munication or intelligence whatever 
with the disturbers of that quiet, 
either mediately or immediately, 
either publicly or privately, either 
by actions or by advice, and what. 
ever be the particular occasion, cir- 
‘cumstance, or cause, that may lead 
to it. . 
‘© In case, on the contrary, any 
thing should come to my knowledge, 
prejudicial to the interests of her 
imperial majesty, or to the general 
welfare, I will not only strive to 
remove it at the time, but I will 
ope it with all the means that 
shall be in my power, to hinder it 
from coming to pass. I will socon- 
Vor. XXXVII. 
[33 
dué& myself, in all my actions, as 
it behoves me, like a faithful citi. 
zen, to behave towards the autho- 
rities which her majesty has’ set 
over me, and as I must answer for 
it to God and his terrible judgment. 
So may God help me, as well in 
my body as in my soul. 
*¢ In confirmation of the profes. 
sion made by this oath; I kiss the 
holy word and cross of my Savi 
our.’? 
The final dissolution of the Polish 
commonwealth, and dismember- 
ment of the extensive kingdom of 
Poland, natarally calls back our at. 
tention to a summary view of the 
vicissitudes of its history and go. 
vernment. 
The first part of the history of 
Poland cannot be considered in any 
other light than as a mass of fable, 
illuminated with some scattered rays 
of truth. Little, therefore, can be 
certainly known respe¢ting the ori 
ginof the Polish government. There 
are, however, several circumstances 
to dire&t our opinion. ‘The descrip. 
tion Tacitus has left us of the tribes, 
from whom the Poles are most pro- 
bably descended, the analogy of o« 
ther northern nations, and the gene- 
ral tenor of the Polish history, tend 
to prove, that the great body of the 
people enjoyed a high degree of 
freedom, as well as a considerable 
influence on the measures of govern. 
ment. . Although the. sovereign 
power was generally continued in 
the same family, there was no esta. 
blished rule of hereditar ysuccession. 
If a free ele@ion did not take place 
ou every vacancy, the consent of 
the nation, expressed in a general 
diet, was always necessary to con. 
firm the nomination of a successor to 
the ducal dignity. While the go. 
vernment remained on this footing, 
[D] the 
