1807.] 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
PARTICULARS of the PRESENT STATE 
of POLAND, by an ENGLISH GENTLE- 
MAN, recently returned from” that 
counrry, after a RESIDENCE in it of 
TWO YEARS. 
r NLL readeris now prepared to under 
fiand the mode of travelling, and 
the fituation of a travellerin Poland. The 
ordinary travelling vehicle is a four- 
wheeled carriage, refembling our phae- 
ton, though hung much lower, and with 
a head like the common one-horfe chair, 
Above the apron in front are finall fold- 
ing doors with glaffes, which make all 
clofe as oceafion requires, It is drawn 
iG three or four horfes (whofe traces are 
of cord), according to the wilh, or ra- 
ther the purfe, of the praveller: An 
miferior travelling vehicle, alfo upon four 
wheels, ufed mofily by the farmers, is 
eonitructed of wicker, the hinder half 
of which is provided maith a tilt of fack- 
ing, or canvas, which is fometimes ren- 
dered a more fecure protection by haying 
gil-cafe extended over the whole interior 
furface. The whole, excluding the 
ihe bears no very diftant refemblance 
bo a large cradle. Every carriage, about 
to go any confiderable diftance, 1S pro- 
vided with alarge portmanteau, contain- 
ing at lealt a mattrefs, blankets, Se spult 
is likewife farmifhed with all requifite 
provilions, asham, tongue, chicken, fpi- 
rit, wine, &c.; for the Polifh traveller 
calculates upon meeting with nothing at 
thie inns. If any thing be found, it is 
an accidental occurrence. The port- 
nianteau, too, in the ordinary carriages, : 
ferves for the feat. When a perfon of 
any confequence travels, one of thefe 
carriages, or more (as occafion ae 
is occupied by domeftics and the lug- 
gage. The traveller thus equipped, the 
poitillion mounts his little feat, with his 
horn ilung over his fhoulder. Every now 
and then, he meets with a crucifix or a 
faint by the fide of the road, on which 
he takes off his hat, and croffes him- 
felf ; and when about to arrive at an inn 
where he propofes to ftop, he plays a 
fort of tune upon his horn (which refem- 
bles a French hora, though much finall- 
er), to announce his approach. 
It will be proper to give here a brief 
defcription of a Polifh inn. The /uile 
is the molt confiderable, and very often 
the beft part, of the houje. It is always 
fituated clofe to, and parallel with, the 
road; is always built of wood; and is 
ae fifteen to thirty yards lone, and 
from ten to fiftcen wide. The fides, ap- 
Monruty Mac, No. 135. 
Particulars of the prefent State of Poland. 
_and wretched beyond defcription. 
213 
propriated to the horfes, are ufually 
raifed, for a third of the width, fome 
fix or eight mches; the middle depretfed 
{pace is occupied by the carriages. It 
is provided at the ends with larve told- 
ing-doors, t that the carriages may drive 
In at one end and out at the other, At 
one of the angles, the moft diftant from 
the road, a door commonly opens out of 
the ftable into the houfe; and this is 
often the only door. On entering the 
houfe, you are aflailed by the mott abo- 
utinable hott of ftinks which ever cons 
fpired to war againft the nofe. It. is 
literally true, that frequently, after I 
had proceeded aitep or two within the 
threfhold, Twas obliged to turn back to 
colleét freth air and refolution before I 
could advanee: The interior is filthy, 
‘Che 
is of earth, and ufually covered 
naftinefs, » Other things are of a 
piece. The inhabitants are fqualid, and 
in rags. Frequently, the houfe is eine 
fuli of the wretched peafants and pea- 
fant women, getting drunk upon fchnaps, 
(a fort of whifky). In refpeét of nafti- 
nefs, what Giraldus Cambrenfis fays of 
the cottages of the Cambro-Britons at 
the clofe of the twelfth century, feems 
fufficiently applicable to. the Polith inns 
and cottages at the prefent day; and, 
if we are to credit Erafmus, foie of the 
houfes of the Englifh, as late as the 
reign of Henry V IIL. eripired {fcarcely 
a better appearance. But the charac- 
ters. of the refpective inhabitants are 
widely different : ‘the Polith peafant bowe= 
ed to the earth by along and grievous 
flavery—the Wellman, fierce in the en- 
thufiafin of favage freedom, 
From the above defcription, it will be 
eafily conceived that the beft room in 
the houfe is the ftable; and indeed, dur- 
lng the fummer ionths, ne 1S COMMNON~ 
ly the leeping room, ‘In this cafe, pal- 
lets of {traw are fpread in the centre, or 
deprefled part; fo that the head ef the 
fleeper is turned towards the heels of the 
horles: at a tolerabie cimance, it muft 
be allowed, yet I could not thoroughly 
diveit myfelf of the apprehenfion, that 
the horfes may poflibly get loofe trom 
their halters, and trample over me ; 
which, with the noify and diffonant jangs 
ling of their bells, ufually rendered me 
vigilant. On one occafion, the bells 
made fo much noife, and the horfes were 
fo rettleis, that IT awoke our whole fleep- 
ing fraternity. It was perfectly dark; 
but on kindli ing alight, my alarm: was 
found to be groundle!s, 
Ee When 
floor 
with 
