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For the Monthly Magazine. PARTICULARS of the PRESENT STATE of POLAND, by an ENGLISH GENTLEMAN, recently returned from that 801 NTRY, after a RESIDENCE in it of

TWO YEARS.

Than the mode of travelling, and
HE reader is now prepared to under-

the situation of a traveller in 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-horte chair.
Above the apron in front are fall fold-
iug doors with glafes, which make all
clofe as occafion requires. It is drawn
by three or four borfes (whofe traces are
of cord), according to the with, or ra-
ther the purfe, of the traveller. An
juferior travelling vehicle, alfo upon four
wheels, ufed moftly by the farmers, is
Constructed of wicker, the hinder half
of which is provided with a tilt of fack-
ing, or canvas, which is fometimes ren-
dered a more fecure protection by having
oil-cafe extended over the whole interior
furface. The whole, excluding the
wheels, bears no very distant refemblance
to a large cradle. Every carriage, about
to go any confiderable distance, is pro-
vided with a large portmanteau, contain-
ing at least a mattress, blankets, &c. It
is likewife furaifhed with all requifite
provisions, as ham, tongue, chicken, fpi-
rit, wine, &c.; for the Polifh traveller
calculates upon meeting with nothing at
the inns. If any thing be found, it is
an accidental occurrence. The port
manteau, too, in the ordinary carriages,
ferves for the feat. When a person of
any confequence travels, one of these
carriages, or more (as occafion requires),
is occupied by domeftics and the lug-
gage. The traveller thas equipped, the
pofbillion mounts his little feat, with his
horn flung 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 proposes to stop, he plays a
fort of tune upon his horn (which refem-
bles a French horn, though much finall-
er, to announce his approach.

It will be proper to give here a brief description of a Pohth inn. The table is the most confiderable, and very often the best part, of the house. It is always htuated close to, and parallel with, the toad; is always built of wood; and is from fifteen to thirty yards loug, and from ten to fifteen wide. The fides, apMOSTILY MAG. No. 155.

propriated to the horfes, are ufually raited, for a third of the width, fome fix or eight inches; the middle depreffed space is occupied by the carriages. It is provided at the ends with large folding-doors, 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 house; and this is often the only door. On entering the houfe, you are affailed by the moit abominable host of itinks which ever confpired to war against the nofe. It is literally true, that frequently, after I had proceeded a flop or two within the threthold, I was obliged to turn back to collect freth air and refolution before I could advance. The interior is filthy, and wretched beyond defcription. The floor is of earth, and ufually covered with naftinefs. Other things are of a piece. The inhabitants are fqualid, and in rags. Frequently, the house is half full of the wretched pealants and peafant women, getting drunk upon fchnaps, (a fort of whisky). In refpect of naitinefs, what Giraldus Cambrenfis fays of the cottages of the Cambro-Britons at the clofe of the twelfth century, feems fufficiently applicable to the Polith inus and cottages at the prefent day; and, if we are to credit Erafiuus, fome of the houfes of the English, as late as the reign of Henry VIII. exhibited fcarcely a better appearance. But the characters of the refpective inhabitants are widely different: the Polish peafant bowed to the earth by a long and grievous flavery-the Welfhman, fierce in the enthufiafin of favage freedom.

From the above defcription, it will be eafily conceived that the best room in the houfe is the ftable; and indeed, during the fummer mouths, this is commonly the fleeping room. In this cafe, pallets of ftraw are fpread in the centre, or depreffed part; fo that the head of the fleeper is turned towards the heels of the horfes: at a tolerable distance, it muft be allowed, yet I could not thoroughly divest myfelf of the apprehenfion, that the horfes may poffibly get loofe from their halters, and trample over me; which, with the noify and diffonant jangling of their bells, ufually rendered me vigilant. Or one occafion, the bells made fo much noife, and the horfes were fo reftlefs, that I awoke our whole fleeping fraternity. It was perfectly dark but on kindling a light, my alarm was found to be groundleis.

Ee

When

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When it is found practicable to fleep in the house, pallets of firaw or hay are fpread fide by fide, on the earthen floor of the kitchen or common 100m, as it may be called. Sometimes there are two rooms, but the fecond is much finaller than the firft. This tule of fleeping, particularly when many travellers have arrived at the fame time, refembles that of foldiers in barracks; though Englith foldiers would be thought to have greatly the advantage. The people of the houfe, both men and women, uix promifcuonly in the fociety of fleepers, occupying contiguous beds. On thefe occafions, the men appear to have more delicacy than the women, for they commonly retain their breeches, taking off their coat and waistcoat only: whereas, the women undress into their shifts at night, and get out of bed in the morning, clofe by your fide, with the moft perfect unconcern;-a curious inftance of the effect of habit. In fummer, however, the undrefling of thefe women confitis merely in their flipping down ingle petticoat, which is the whole of their drefs. The beft fleeping accommodations, which thefe inns occafionally afford, are in the interior room, on a fmall couch, between two feather-beds; without fheets, however, or blankets. Sleeping one night thus circumstanced, I was awakened in the morning by an unufual humming noife, for which I was unable to account. I was fo buried alfo between the beds, that I was obliged to raife myself before I could look about the room. It was a Jew on his knees muttering his orifons, at which he continued for at least half an hour. The inns in the interior of Poland are all kept by Jews, who may boaft (if they like) the unenvied diftinction of pre-eminent filthinefs. Sir Thomas Brown, in his Vulgar Errors, difcuffes the curious queftion, whether Jews naturally fiink," which he determines in the negative: but I am difpofed to be of the opinion, that if he had ever been a traveller in Poland, this conclufion would have undergone confiderable modification; nor fhould I have been much furprised if it had flood thus that the Jews are abfolutely and inherently a ftinking race. They poffefs, too, all the low cunning and alertnefs at cheating which characterize their brethren in other countries.

Travelling is expenfive in Poland, even to the natives, notwithstanding the wretchedness of the country. I paid, from Wartaw to Dautzic, an equivalent

to ten guineas fterling for carriage-hire alone; my other expences amounted tonearly as inuch: but in these I must have been impoïed upon by the Jews. Ia regard to the carriage there was no impofition; it was hired for me by a perfon of the country, intimately acquainted with all the ufages of travelling. The diftance is called forty miles, that is, five times forty, in English miles; but it must be more. The road winds confiderably, particularly in the forefts, and often projects into a large angle, for the greater convenience, perhaps, of crofling a river, or to avoid a lake or morafs. The miles are counted by eflimation only. The fort of carriage in which I travelled on this occation, was of the cradle-form mentioned above, which is the most convenient for luggage. With thefe, too, you retain the fame horfes throughout, commonly two a-breast and one before; yet you travel at the rate of forty, and fometimes fifty, English miles per day. A common plan is to purchase a fmall travelling carriage, which may be done for twenty or thirty ducats, and which may be fold again at the journey's end with a trifling lots. In thefe carriages you travel poft; and, in confequence, more expeditiously. The total amount of the expence does not much exceed the other method.

Scarcely any perfon travels in this country without a fervant. The traveller muft, otherwife, do every thing for himfelf; even make his own bed: which, by the bye, is often nothing more than his own carriage ftationed in the ftable. When a nobleinan or any other perfon of confequence is on a journey, he contrives, if he can, to halt at a friend's houfe, according to the custom of ancient hofpitality; but if this be impracticable, he fends forward two or three fervants to fome inn, which has at least a fecond room, which they prepare for his reception. The writer once travelled fome feventy or eighty miles with a nobleman only, when we took up our abode for a night at one of thefe better fort of inas. The room was the cleaneft I had feen; for it had been lately white-wathed, and was highly commended by my noble fellow-traveller, as being far above the common. There were fimply two couches, or rather frames of couches, in two of the corners, on which we flept for the night. Thefe were firft trewed with hay, on which the mattreifes and bedlinen we had brought with us were dif pofed. In refpect of food, we fared as

well

num, fimply for the privilege of diftilling it on the largett of his eftates. This eftate, however, is a fort of principa lity, comprehending at least 4000 fquare miles.

well on this occafion as if we had been in his excellency's own houfe: for every thing neceffury to a commodious journey had been provided, even to the materials for making foup for the first courfe. This provou coufited of eatables, wines, &c.; table-cloths, napkins, knives, forks, fons, &c. &c. There are travelling boxes, containing a number of articles, as kaives, forks, Ipoons, &e. to be had in all the confiderable towns. Indeed, every traveller provides himfelf at least with a knife and fork (in a hagle haft), as well as catables, as thefe things are REMARKS on the MORGANTE MAGGIORE never to be got on the road.

Having now defcribed with fome minutenets the flate of things in Poland, I that proceed in my next communication to give fome account of perjons, and of the fate of fociety.

For the Monthly Magazine.

of LUIGI PLICI. The best, and ahnot the only febles the traces of the retreating camp, HE two champions of France, followthings to be procured at thefe imus are chicken, eggs, and milk. Occationally, too, the butter is tolerable, though it fometimes abounds in large particles of rock-falt, evidently in the ftate in which it came from the mine. I first noticed this at an inn not a great number of miles diftant from Warlaw. In places very remote from any large town, you fcarcely ever meet with any falt at all. Chicken may be eaten without it, but I had fore difficulty in eating eggs. The coarfe rye-bread which is found at these places is always four, and fo difagree able, as to require a keen appetite in an English traveller, aided by a few philofophic reflections on the difference of taftes and the power of national prejudices, before he can fuffer it to proceed farther than the mouth. It ought to be acknowledged, however, that better coffee (where it is to be had at all) is often got even at thefe paltry houfes, than is to be procured perhaps at any coffeehoufe in London; but the excellence of continental coffee is proverbial. The file of cookery is abominable. The chickens are ferved up fprawling with their heads on, in a coarfe earthen platter, and half-fmothered in butter, which has been oiled in the melting. I have mentioned thefe good things all together, but they are rarely met with at the fame place; often not a fingle article of them: yet, I think, I may fav that fchnaps (whisky), in which anifeeds probably have been infufed, is to be had at every public-house, however mean. It is the beverage in univerfal request by the miferable peasants, and by ordinary travellers. I thall give the reader a more precife idea of the enormous quantity which is confumed of this pernicious liquor, by obferving, that the Count Zamoytki obtains of a company of Jews the large fun of 30001. sterling per an

got entangled in a wild and pathlefs defert; and there fprung up a new adven ture, in the midt of which they loft fight of each other, and could neither of them ever recover their abandoned road.

Orlando fell in with a company of gi ants, from whofe power he refcued the fair princefs of Bella Marina (the romantic name for the Moorish kingdom of Benamarin), whom he took under his protection, and fucceeded in conducting home to her afflicted parents. Rinaldo, in feeking for him, got more and more entangled in the depths of the defert; and at laft, worn out with fatigue, fell asleep in a thepherd's hovel, while the matter of the wretched place took the opportunity and ran off with his horfe Bayardo, which he afterwards fold to the Soldan's grand jufticiary.

The grief and defpair of Rinaldo on waking may be easily conceived; and his lamentations, which he pours forth fuccellively on the recollection of Anthea, Orlando, and his faithful courfer, are really affecting. But he purfues bis journey on foot; and the fame good fortune which throws in his way another horfe, of which he robs a difcourteous Pagan, brings him before the gate of Babylon, and makes his arrival known (by means of a chance paffenger) to Anthen. That princefs, whofe heart had fecretly been as much wounded as her lover's, obtained from her father an invitation for the Chriftian warrior to reft himself in the royal palace; and proceeded with her commiflion to the gate of the city, where he found him leaning, difconfolate, against the trunk of an ancient mulberry. The meeting between them was as rapturous and tender as the occafion required; and recalled to the mind of the romantic priuEe 2

cefs

cefs the tale of Pyramu and Thibe, who, in times of yore, held their amorous interviews in like manner beneath a mulberry-tree without the walls of this very city of Babylon.

But treafon was all this while at work in the palace, and the courteous reception of our knight was only meant to facilitate his deftruction. In the woods and deferts that lay on the frontiers of the kingdom, lived a powerful favage, who had proved the death of every warrior that had hitherto attempted to fubdue him, and whofe depredations over the furrounding country had rendered him the terror of the ftouteft hearts in Babylon. On this hopeless enterprife was Rinaldo dispatched, at the inftigation of Gano; and both he and the Soldan fecretly rejoiced that they should never fee him more. Anthea thought otherwife; but her warlike and adventurous foul was fired with the propofal which was now made her by the traitor and her father, which was no lefs than to pass over to France with the Soldan's armies, and by the eafy conquest of Montauban to pave the way to the poffeffion of the imperial throne. She rejoiced in the profpect of fighting, finglehanded, Charles and each of his renowned Paladins; and flattered herself with the glorious imagination of beltowing on her beloved hero his own poffeffions, together with the fovereignty of Christendom.

Now when Anthea the proud Soldan knew Refolved upon this bold emprife to send her, She answered with the mild fubmiflion due

To her, his age's ftay and ftate's defencer. Now in her ancient armour cafed anew, She breathes of war; while ready to attend her

Standards, pavilions, engines, crowd around,

And all the hills with martial labours found. Not Vulcan with more fpeed his labours plied In Mongibell's infernal vaults below, Than the fupporters of our Soldan's pride. Some point the lance, fome bend the Sy

rian bow;

Some fit the rattling quiver to their fide;

Others the dart or ftronger javelin throw, Or prove the fabre's edge, or arm the horse With harness fuited to the martial course. Now fully armed was all the warlike throng: The prince his parting benediction gave; His valiant daughter led the troops along, And proud in air th' embattled banners

wave;

And as Anthea faw her force to ftrong, Her martial knights fo numerous, bold, and brave,

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For honour's charms had fired her virgin breaft. C. 17, f. 25.

We will not detain the reader with any particulars of the adventures of this illuftrious princefs; but, after alluring him that the fucceeded in her attack on Montauban, and remained quietly miftrefs of the caftle and of Rinaldo's brothers, return to Rinaldo himself, whose fuccefs with the Old Man of the Moun tains, or (as Pulci calls him)

*

Quel veglio antico maladetto Che ita nella Montagna d'Afpracurte, was directly contrary to Gano's predic tion and the Soldan's hope. The Old Man was not only conquered, but converted by him, and afterwards became his faithful friend and follower. Returning together towards Babylon, they met the jufticiary, who, mounted on Bavardo, was at that moment going to prefide ar the execution of Oliver and Richardetto, which had long ago been decreed by the Soldan and Gano. The jufticiary's grave afpect and long beard were of no avail to him. He was foon difpatched, and his javelin-inen put to the rout; while Rinaldo, mounted on his recovered feed, prefied forward to the refcue of his friends.

Thofe friends, however, were already not without another and unexpected de

The name of this adventure was certainly taken from the celebrated affin, who ranged the mountains of Syria in the time of the crufades. liverer,

liverer. Orlando (whofe adventures it would be tedious to trace through the city of King Falcon, and among the eight giants of the "Ifola della Rena") had reltored his fair charge in fafety to her father, the King of Benamarin. While fill at his court, an invitation arrived from the Soldan to that prince, who was his ally, to be prefent at the execution of his Christian prifoners. Orlando, fhocked at the news, difcovered his connection, and the grateful king propofed to affitt him in the refcue. Both the knight and the king of Benamarin were, therefore, already at Babylon, when Rinaldo and his companion arrived there. As the execution is proceeding, the tumult begins, and foon a general battle enfues. The prifoners are releafed; numbers killed on both fides, among whom is the generous king of Benamarin; the Soldan's forces driven back within the walls of Babylon; and a regular fiege formed by the united Paladins, the Old Man of the Mountains, and the ariny of Benamarin, which still remains under Orlando's ftandard.

Meanwhile, the tory carries us back to Morgante, who had been left with Meridiana in France, and (when Oliver's long abfence had made her doubt whether the fhould ever fee him again) efcorted her back to the country of her father Caradoro. Here the faithful giant did not long remain, being refolved to wander over the world in fearch of the abfent Paladins. Early on his long journey he met with a moft fingular being, who became his companion on the reft of his pilgrimage, and whofe name was Margutte. The character which this new Panurge gives of himself is, that he believes in black no more than in blue, in nothing but capons and good roast meat and boiled, and in butter and beer, and wine when he can get it; and he believes that he would be faved who believes as he does. His mother was a Greek nun, and his father a prieft of Buria; and he wanders over the world with 77 mortal fins on his fhoulders, all which he particularizes in an humorous manner. In short, if the poet defigned him for a model of the cunning Greek

This fingular inland is defcribed to be a place,

Dove la Rena (l'Arena) aggira

Al vento, e come il mar tempefta mena. The idea was probably taken by the romancewnters from defcriptions of the Oafes, or Hands, in the fandy deferts of Libya.

character, he has well fucceeded in his picture.

They had not travelled together long, before an adventure occurred, in which Margutte difplayed his adinirable talents for filching and cozening. The ftory is told in a very comical ftyle, and is the beft fpecimen the book allords of Pulci's peculiar humour. Margutte's pilfering abilities were ably feconded through the whole affair by Morgante's bullying powers; and they pursued their journey very much pleafed with each other, and in the merricft mood imaginable. The provitions with which they had loaded themfelves foon, however, failed in the vaft and inhofpitable defert which they had to traverie; and they both had become very dry and hungry, when they difcovered, to their ineffable content, a fpring of fresh water, and an unicorn drinking at it. Morgante foon difpatched the animal with his club, and Margutte made a fire with two tones and dry hay, at which they roafted him. Morgante, however, in the divifion of the feaft rather ungeneroutly thewed the fuperiority of might to right; and his companion grew a little fulky at the profpect of the life he was likely to lead.

Purfuing their travels through the foreft, their ears were one morning affailed by the cries of diftrefs; and they foon after arrived at the mouth of a cavern, where a beautiful woman, bare-headed and bare-foot, was tied up and guarded by a lion. Morgante being attacked by the furious animal, foon difpatched him with his club; and both he and his com panion immediately offered their fervices to the unhappy lady, who began to relate to them the history of her fufferings:

My fire a noble caftle once poffefs'd,

(Belflor its name), by Nile's majestic This of his various lands he lov'd the best, ftream:

And here I 'woke to life's distracted dream. "Twas when in earliest flowers the meads are drest,

And (pring exalts the amorous poet's theme,
I wander'd, tempted by the gentle air,
Alone, to form a garland for my hair.

The fun already warmed the fhores of Spain,
And evening veil'd our groves in pleafing
fhade.

Unthinking, young, and gay, I fought to
gain

The idle with my childish fancy made:
A nightingale with foft enchanting strain
So foothed mine ear, that I enraptur'd

stray'd

In

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