GALLICIA AND LODOMERIA, 469 



The peasants were at the absolute disposal of their master, and all 

 their acquisitions served only to enrich him. They were indispen- 

 sably obliged to cultivate the earth ; they were incapable of entering 

 upon any condition of life that might procure them freedom, without 

 the permission of their lords : and they were exposed to the dismal 

 and frequently fatal effects of the caprice, cruelty, and barbarity of 

 their tyrannical masters. In modern times, indeed, a few nobles of 

 enlightened understandings ventured to give liberty to their vassals. 

 The first who granted this freedom was Zemoiski, formerly great 

 chancellor, who in 1760 enfranchised six villages in the palatinate of 

 Masovia, and afterwards on all his estates. The event showed the 

 project to be no less judicious than humane, equally conducive to 

 the interests of the nobles and the happiness of the peasants j for it 

 appeared that, in the districts in which the new arrangements had 

 been introduced, the population of the villages considerably increas- 

 ed, and the revenues of their estates were augmented in a triple pro- 

 portion. Prince Stanislaus, nephew of the late king of Poland, like- 

 wise enfranchised four villages near Warsaw ; and not only eman- 

 cipated his peasants from slavery, but condescended to direct their 

 affairs. 



Whether the same liberal policy will be adopted by the govern- 

 ments which have seized and divided Poland, time must show ; but 

 in their dominions, especially in Russia, many of the peasants do not 

 appear to be in a much better condition. 



The inns in this country are long stables, built with boards, and 

 covered with straw, without furniture or windows ; there are cham- 

 bers at one end ; but none can lodge there, because of flies and other 

 vermin ; so that strangers generally choose rather to lodge among the 

 horses. Travellers are obliged to carry provisions with them ; and 

 when foreigners want a supply, they apply to the lord of the village, 

 who forthwith provides them with necessaries. 



Dress. ...The dress of the Poles is rather singular. They shave 

 their heads, leaving only a circle of hair upon the crown, and men of 

 all ranks generally wear large whiskers. They wear a vest which 

 reaches down to the middle of the leg, and a kind of gown ever it 

 lined with fur, and girded with a sash ; but the sleeves fit as close to 

 their arms as a waistcoat. Their breeches are wide, and make but 

 one piece with their stockings. They wear a fur cap or bonnet ; 

 their shirts are without collar or wristbands, and they wear neither 

 stock nor neckcloth. Instead of shoes, they wear Turkey leather 

 boots ; with thin soles, and deep iron heels bent like a half moon. 

 They carry a pole-axe, and a sabre, or cutlass, by their sides. When 

 they appear on horseback, they wear over all a short cloak, which is 

 commonly covered with furs both within and without. The people 

 of the best quality wear sables, and others the skins of tigers, leo- 

 pards, Sec. Some of them have fifty suits of clothes, all as rich as 

 possible, and which descend from father to son. Were it not for our 

 own partiality to short dresses, we must acknowledge that of the 

 Poles to be picturesque and majestic. Charles II, of England thought 

 of introducing the Polish dress into his court, and, after his restora- 

 tion, wore it for two years, chiefly for the encouragement of the 

 English broad-cloth ; but discontinued it through his connections with 

 the French. 



The habit of the women very much resembles that of the men ; a 

 simple Polonaise, or long robe edged with fur; but some people of 



