Chap. I r. a/uf its In n ABIT AN rs.- §15 
till the Death of Sigifnmnd II, who was the laft of 
that Family, and died in 1574, when they chofe 
Henry de Bourbon-, afterwards Henry III, of France-, 
for their-King ; upon a Promife, that he would marry 
the Princefs Anne, Sifter to their late Monarch.^ 
V/hen he abdicaiLd they made choice of Stephen 
Batori, Prince of F ranfilvania, who adlually married the 
Princefs before-mentioned, but had no Iffue by her. 
Upon his Death in 1586, they made choice of Sigifmund 
de Vafa, Prince of Sweden, becaufe he was the Nephew 
of Sigifmund II, and confequently by the Mother’s Side 
of the Race of their antient Kings. The laft of his Race 
was Cafimir, who abdicated the Government and retired 
to France \ and in 1670 they chofe Michael PFiefnowiJki, 
whofe Succeftbr was John Sobiejki •, upon whofe Deceafe 
in 1696, the Poles, contrary to their ufual Cuftom, re- 
jefted his Family, 20x6. mdAtchoictoI Auguji us, Eledfor 
of Saxony, the Father of the prefent King Augujius III. 
The Fadlions that have long reigned in Poland, have 
hindered thefe laft Monarchs from making that Figure 
in Europe, which their Predeceftbrs had done ; but it 
does not follow, from hence, that the Poles will always 
continue uneafy and difcontented. 
On the contrary, they feem now to- have a juft Senfe 
of the ill Confequences of their Divifions, and are en- 
deavouring to put an End to them by deciding as faft as 
poffible the Quarrels amongft their Grandees, w'hich is 
the fureft way of reftoring the public Tranquility : And 
whenever this hiall be eftecfually brought about, there is 
no Queftion to be made, that the antient Glory of the 
Polijh Nation will revive •, for they are ftill poffefted of 
very large Territories, capable of great Improvements, 
and are very able to raife a Force fufftcient to defend 
themfelves againft the Incroachments of any of their 
Neighbours, and even to render themfelves as formida- 
ble as any of the northern Powers. It is indeed true, 
that in their laft Eledtion they were awed by the Ruf- 
fians but this did not fo much proceed from the fupe- 
rior Power of that Empire, as from the want of Union 
among SatPoles-, an,d perhaps before their Throne again 
becomes vacant, they may be in a Condition to repair 
their paft Errors, and to make a free Choice of fome 
Prince, capable of governing them, according to their 
Conftitution, and thereby extinguifliing thofe Feuds and 
Jealoufies, v/hich have rendered them fo inconfidcrable 
lince the Days of John Sobiejki, the laft of their Mo- 
narchs under whom they made any Figure ; and whofe 
Covetoufnefs, which proceeded from the Dehre of fixing 
the Crown in his Family, was the chief Reafon that De- 
fign of his did not take Place. 
The unfortunate Stanifaus Lezinfd who ftill wears the 
Title of King of Poland, was endowed with all the Qua- 
lities requifite to make his People happy, brave, generous, 
pious, juft, and affable to all Ranks of People ; he was 
only unhappy in being the InftrLiment of Sweden firft, and 
afterwards of France i which rendered him very juftly 
fufpected to a great Part of his Countrymen ; fo that we 
may reckon it an Happinefs to Poland that he has no 
Male Iffue, and that his Daughter, the French Queen, 
has but 'one Son •, fince this might otherwife prove a new 
Source of I'rouble, not to this Country only, but to all 
its Neighbours ; for though in Time of Peace Poland has 
been little regarded, yet the Difturbances there have 
proved more than once the Caufe of Wars in many other 
Parts of Europe. 
i^,., We will clofe this Section with obferving*, that no- 
thing Ihews more Folly of that kind of modem 
Policy, which confifts in wea]5riT-fig%^.^d diftreffing ouf 
Neighbours, than the prefent State ot 
Country, as well by its Situation as from the natural 
Genius and Difpofition of its Inhabitants, is the proper 
Bulwark of Chriftendom againft the Turks, whom they" 
have refifted with as much Succefs, and over whom they 
have gained greater Vi( 5 tories, than almoft any other Na- 
tion. If we confider them in this Light, it is very eafy 
to fee that it can never be the true and natural Intereft 
either of the Houfe of Aufiria, or of the Ruffians, to pro- 
m.ote Troubles in this Kingdom, becaufe the more power- 
ful and formidable the Poles were, the lefs able the Turks 
would be to alarm either of thefe Potentates. The Grand 
Signior indeed has fhewn a true Spirit of Policy, in never 
attempting to difturb this Nation even in its loweft Cir- 
cumftances but contented himfelf with the Security that 
he reaps from their Confufions ; fince, if he had ever at- 
tacked Poland, it would probably have put an End to 
them ; and though at firft he might have made great 
Conquefts, yet when the Spirit of the Nation was once 
roofed, he would have been quickly driv^en out of them, 
as he knew, from the Experience of former Times. 
If the Poles could once fo fettle their Affiiirs as to 
have time to confidcr the Advantages that might refult to 
their Country by the extending their Commerce, it is not 
at all impofiible they fiiould fucceed therein, though they 
have neglefted it fo long. I have been led to this Re- 
mark by the Knowledge I have of a Projedl that was 
formed by the late King Augujius, for opening a Trade 
with Afia by the Help of the Crim Tartars, and tranf- 
porting the Commodities that are brought from the Black 
Sea by the Niejier and thejS^^^. He had other great Views' 
with Regard to RuJ/ia, and though at prefent they feem 
to have died with him, the Time may conie when they 
fiiall revive again, and be carried into Execution by fome 
Polifo Monarch, either of his or fome other Family. 
^ That Luxury and Wantonnefs, which are the"" natural 
Effedts of Plenty, as that generally fp rings from Trade, 
commonly produce fuch a Spirit of Idlenefs and Profufion, 
as is inconfiftent with the Prefervation of Manufadlures and 
Commerce •, and this occafions ^fiofe Changes in thefe 
Bleffmgs, which appear abfolutely unaccountable to the 
unthinking Part of Mankind. The Country of Poland 
abounds with natural Commodities, if the Inhabitants 
knew how to make ufe of them •, and with a numerous 
and laborious Race of People, v/ho would foon become 
rich if they were properly employed. We have reafon to 
expedt therefore, that fome time or other, awakened by 
their own Neceffitics, or provoked by the Example of 
their Neighbours, they will think of improving their 
Lands, working up their Commodities, and' vending 
them in different Parts of Europe ; which, whenever 
they do, will infallibly make them a rich and happy 
Nation. 
S E C- 
