Ijgi' ON THE REVOLUTIOK IN POLAND. i^l 



IS the moft furprifing and ■wonderful, and what was leaft to be etpeiftecf. 

 That the bticiy of a people, when by any accident they obtained power, 

 ihould wilh t<i reduce tbofe who were above them to the fame level with 

 thcniftlve';, i- !o little lurprifing, that we kuow of fcarcely any iullonce 

 where it was (etmingly withm their reach, that they have not attempt- 

 fd it. But the furprifinir thing is, that in Poland', where a fyilcniof 

 more rigid ariftocratic derfTctifm has prevailed for many ages, than wis 

 perhi.;.s ever kiiuvim to have fubfifted in any other part nf the globe, 

 thefe nobles, without the fnialltft coinpulfioli,or even folicifatrun on tije 

 part of the people, hive voluntarily abandoned fome of tbtir highcit 

 preroj;ative4, of which they have on all' fornuT (iccafion?! fliewn theni- 

 fclves tnoit rigidly tenacious. This looks like cnch^iiitnient ; yet there 

 leems to be no pofltbility of denying the faA. 



The following letter gives luch a clear and fatisia(3pry account of 

 (his tranfacfion, as to deferve to be prcferveii as an hiltorical record 

 tif ihc molt fuigulat bind, for the information of future ages. 



IVaifaiv, 19th April I79I. 

 ' " Yefterday was a day of triumph to niililous; a day that will form a 

 glorious epccha i4i the annals of this country, and render immortal the 

 T)ame of Staniflaiis Auguftus, in whom we revere all tl_w qualities oi a 

 truly I'^trii.t King. 



" If Newton found the wcrM in want of li<;ht, he found it at leaft well 

 difpofcd to receive it. But in what ftatc did Stauiilaus Auguftus find 

 i'oland on his elevation to the thront ? Was it not in a ftatc of aiiar- 

 chy, and ftill averfe to any leform .' Was it not expofed to ail difaiicis, 

 without any means, in the King's hands, to prevent them r 



" 'Ihc King felt the caufc ot ia many misfortunes. He knew the dc- 

 fe<Ss of government, and was not unacquainted wltli the fpirit of his 

 nation. With unwearied exertion of his zeal and abilities, by gentle 

 perfuafion and example, he not only introduced order into the adaii- 

 niflration of different departments of the .State, but even pre-difpoil'd 

 ijtinds for the moft d tticult and moll glorixms reformation ; <) refoniu- 

 tkn in the ftntimrnt s of the nulio/i at large; a reformation that infpired tiie 

 inhahilanti 0/ cities, who for a;;ei paft had lived in a kind of fiavery, 

 with courage to reclaim the enjuymtnt of their ancient rights, and the 

 nobility, who had fo long exercifcd the entire lovercignty, wiiL gciurofity 

 to grant them unanimoufly, even more than they aiktd. 



" Yefteruay, civil and religious preju<lices, perhaps equ.il'y difFicxilt to 

 be overcome, were abandoned- in the fame raomcnr, and the Tiers 

 £/j/ admitted, without diUinftion of birth or religion, to ^ piirtieifiitivn 

 both of tiie legiflative and executive power; and declared capable of any 

 office, civil, miliiaiy or ccclefiaftical, excepting in xii^ national cavalry, 

 and in I'onie chapters deltinej for tht benefit of thn poorer clafs of a nu- 

 toerous nobility. 



" When ihe National Aflembly of rrance reduced the /j«i/.''Vji fo an 

 equality with the citi-^en, the greater number of its member^ c^Mifiueii 

 of the Tien Etjt ; but when Poland raiftd her citizcifs to that e<j la- 

 lity, the Diet donfifled of n.ibility only. And yet tlu-re was no diviii./ii 

 within doors, n^jr coniniotion withiiut ! i-locjuent and pecfnaiivff »; :h» 



