798 



POLAND. 



strangers, in a princely manner. The ladies are celebrated for attractions. The peasants are 

 poor, ignorant, and fanatical. They are stupid from the effects of servitude, and they have 

 little conception of cleanliness. The Jews are the general traders, and the political freedom 

 they enjoy in Poland, has developed better traits in their character, as well as physiognomy, than 

 are found in countries where they are much oppressed. They have, however, a tendency to- 

 wards extortion, and, like the peasants, they are offensively filthy. 



16. Jlmusements. There are many manly sports in use, as leaping, hunting, &c. ; bear-bait- 

 ing and bull-fighting are also common. Dancing is a favorite amusement with the higher classes. 



17. State of the Jlrts, Science., and Literature. There are good poets and historians, who 

 have written in the Polish language, and Copernicus was a native of Poland. Literature con- 

 tinues to be considerably cultivated ; and English works have grown into favor, above the 

 French, which were formerly the most popular. 



18. Religion. The Catholic is the established religion, but all others are tolerated, and the 

 Greek church is organized. There is a considerable number of recluses. 



19. Education. Since 1815 the lower classes have received some attention in point of edu- 

 cation ; but they are still very ignorant. Before that time, all education was monopolized by 

 the nobles. There are now few schools in villages, and those in towns are not very efficient. 



20. Government. Poland is a dependency of Russia, the emperor of which is king of 

 Poland. Previous to the insurrection of 1830, there was a diet assembled once in two years, 

 consisting of a Senate and Chamber of Deputies ; but even this shadow of liberty has been 

 taken away, and the government of Poland is now despotic in form, as well as in substance. 



An imperial Russian ukase incorporated the 

 kingdom of Poland with Russia, in 1832, 

 and the administration is now conducted by 

 a Russian governoi'-general. 



21. History. Poland has been, for a 

 thousand years, remarkable only for its 

 misfortunes. The ancient inhabitants were 

 a tribe of the Sarrnatians. In the great 

 eruption of the Goths and Huns ; in a strug- 

 gle of two centuries against the Germans ; 

 and in their own ceaseless intestine factions, 

 they became impressed with a character sin- 

 gularly composed of passive and active fea- 

 tures ; the submission of the slave and the 

 pride of the noble, the most abject senti- 

 ment and patriotic spirit. Poland made a 

 slow progress toward civilization. It was 

 governed by elective dukes for two or three 

 centuries, when, in 840, the first dynasty of 

 hereditary princes was established, which continued till 1370. Lithuania was united to Poland 



in 1386. Kings of difi'erent houses 

 possessed the throne amid a period of 

 aristocratical anarchy for some centu- 

 ries. Poland was conquered by the 

 sovereigns of Russia, Austria, and 

 ^ Prussia, and was subjected to three par- 

 titions, in 1772, 1793, and 1795. At 

 the last partition the king was deposed, 

 the country blotted from the list of na- 

 tions, and the whole territory divided 

 between the three powers above men- 

 tioned. Napoleon wres-ted a portion 

 J of this country from the conquerors, 

 and erected it into a State, with the 

 i title of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, in 

 S 1807, but this government was over- 

 thrown at his downfall. The Prussian 

 Palish Ertlcs leavinir their country in 1831. and Austrian divisions of Poland were 



Partition of Poland by the kings of Russia^ Austria, and Prussia. 



