400 Observations made on a Tour in Poland. 6th to 10th. Walking daily in the fields and woods-found white and red clover wild and in abundance-also a luxuriant variety of creeping or rather trailing clover with flesh-coloured flowers -bay making in small boggy meadows near the town, and in the Jewish cemetery, a walled enclosure planted with willows of about three acres, a quarter of a mile out of town. Rye in blossomwheat coming rapidly into the ear, hot and sultry, but few clouds. 11th. Dreadful noise like distant thunder from the croaking of the large French frog,or grenouille,in the numerous and extensive stagnated pools formed by the Narew here; if we reckon these pools as part of the river, it may be here stated as 5 miles broad; but if only the clear stream then 50 or 60 feet. White and yellow water lilies, fresh water soldier, pond weeds, and various other aquatics in the pools. Great burr reed, cats tail, fleur de luce and acorus, the prevailing marshy plants. 12th. Much thunder last night, and rain this morning. Attempting a portrait of iny Jewish fuhrman who was to leave to-morrow, having waited in hopes of a return hire, &c. Impertinent remarks on my breaking the bread when eating with my fingers, and not cutting it with a knife as is always done in Poland. 14th. Built this morning a chaise percée for myself in a vault in the ruins of the Bernardin cloister or monasteria, as it is here called, there not being a convenience of this sort in the town, nor probably nearer than Bialystock, 20 miles off. 16th. Observed by a Jew (a spy on the part of the Russians) taking some sketches of the town, and sent for by the military commandant to explain, &c. 17th. Struck with the quantity of beet, chiefly white Prussian, growing in the fields and now in flower, having been left since last year. Learned that it was sown by the nobles at the suggestion of Buonaparte's agriculturists to produce home-made sugar. The unsuccessful campaign of the preceding year had prevented its being taken up for that purpose. Poles very angry when the subject was mentioned. Saw in the shops a specimen of loaf sugar from Hambro' which the Poles affect to believe made from beet. 18th. Wheat in full blossom and an excellent crop. Indian corn, cucumbers, poppies and beans all mixed together appearing among the plots of potatoes belonging to the peasantry, (June 1, 1986) 19th. Agreed with Madame Andriewe o schiesckowna, a gardener's widow, a sort of noble or free person, living on her own property, for her parlour, cooking, attendance, honey and vegetables from her garden, quass and other accommo dations, for one ducat per month. Found myself much more comfortable here. A clock in the room, evidently of German manufacture, but with the word "London" on its dial-plate. A short prayer in print, framed and glazed, placed over the door of the chamber-Crowds of French and Italians pass through tied two and two, or separately with a board on one leg-their food rye bread and water, and their bed the floor covered with straw of a large shed or barn. Three of the men were left here and put in the hospital. Saw them taken there and found the medical attendant a Jew who had studied at Frankfort on the Oder and spoke French-dealt chiefly in a veget able Materia Medica. Omitted to mention on the 17th (Saturday) that the Jews stretch a cord round the whole town as a ceremony, I was told, that per mitted them to vend provisions on Sun day. Great number of candles lighted up in every Jewish house when Sunday commences-they begin by singing of chanting in Hebrew. 20th. Wrote to England to Mr. S. In sealing the letter, the bad resinous war stuck to the cypher, and a curious Jew, an engraver of coats of arms on brass for seals to noblemen, came to pick it out. He left one ducat as security, and took the seal home with him. After wards learned to engrave in brass with this person. He was employed to form and change the timbres for official papers when any change took place in politics. His mother above 100 years of age, which I learned was not uncommon among the Jews. 23d. My hostess's bees swarming-the hives hollow trunks of trees placed on end, with a slit from within one foot of the ground to within a few inches of the top, closed by a slip of wood with notchas in the edges through which the bees enter, and thus form their works in a cylinder of about 9 inches, and some times 1 foot diameter, and 6 or even 7 feet high. This slip is merely wedged in, and when honey is wanted, which on my account was the case every three or four days during two months, the slip is removed, and a person who is accustomed to go among them daily applies a piece of burning or smoking herse dung with one hand, and with a knife in 煺 S 1 1818.] Lines on Nottingham. the other cuts out the comb, which drops into a plate held in the same hand with the fumigation. In attempting to perform this operation, got myself severely stung in the face, which almost instantly swel led and blinded me of both eyes for two days-applied laudanum,ether, and heads of flies-lay in bed all the while-every one in the town knew it-Governor, Subprefect, Burgomaster, &c. &c. came to see me and read the Berlin Zeitung. Madame Pilecki drank tea with me and played on her guitar (a common instrument in Russia and part of Poland, but different from the Spanish instrument of that name); C. Tworkowska sung German and French songs, and my hostess sung several rude or native Polish ballads, one of which I had copied, and the music noted down as curious: the words of the first verse are as under. The subject an old man courting a young woman, who replies by asking what use he has for her-mentioning several purposes and declining them, and humorously concluding by asking if he was afraid to go to heaven alone, and wanted her as a companion there-she answers that the journey is too long for one of her inexperienced years, &c. POLISH SONG. 1. Umiral stary pytal siec prziecie 2. Kucdy ich niemasz niechca umirac There are 12 letters in the Polish language with odd looking cedules and other additions for which we have no type in general use, so that the above will I fear hardly be understood, should it meet even the eye of a Pole. It will however to the English reader give an idea of the singular harshness of that dialogue of the Slave. 24th. The whole town illuminated in expectation of one of the Russian Princes, I do not recollect which-attended with the Commandant, Sub-prefect, &c. at the post-office in case he should alight; but he had not arrived at nine o'clock and I went off to bed. 25th. Sunday. A fair called that of St. Vincent-country people selling butter and cheese, shapeless Jumps and the latter mere curd pressed; eggs, poultry, hare skins, wooden utensils, spoons, but especially coarse crockery, or pipkins for cooking. No iron or other inetal pots or pans are used, even by very gen 401 teel families in Poland; all is done by pots of earthenware, which are immersed in live embers on a hearth like that of a smith, as in Paris. A soup of milk, some dried mushrooms, onions, and slices of kohlrabi, a turnip-rooted cabbage, seems to be a Polish dish. The cars and waggons in the market about 12 feet long, 1 foot wide at bottom, their sides of wicker-work three feet high, the wheels and axles so contrived by withy and birch ties as not to require a single nail. Came in laden at a trot and went away empty at a gallop. The peasants highly comic and amusing. After the market, which began at three o'clock in the morning, and was nearly over by ten o'clock, they went to church, where I observed several of them afflicted with that dreadful disease the plica polonica, or clotted hair. Cleanliness appears to be the best preventative, and shaving the head on its first appearance the only cure; but the peasants have various cures of the most disgusting nature which it is possible for man to imagine; most of them are not to be named; but I was shown a woman afflicted with it who had for months eaten pediculi on bread and butter as a nostrum--but enough. Your's, &c. WAC PAN ANGIELSKI. To the Editor of the New Monthly Magazine. IN Dr. Deering's History of our town is the following passage : "Before I conclude this section, I cannot forbear taking notice of my anonyinous author's blameable partiality for his native place, with regard to its beauty and cleanliness. He is extremely angry with the author of a Leonine distich which he fathers upon a stall-fed monk, viz. Non nisi confingam, possum laudare Nottingham, Gens foetet atque focus, sordidus ille locusthe which he translates thus: I cannot without lye and shame Have any of your readers conversant with our old writers met with the above *His "Anonymous," whom he so frequently quotes was Mr. Plumptree, of Nottingham, who wrote his account in 1641, which Deering had from his descendant, Mr. John Plumptree, who otherwise greatly assisted and patronised the Doctor in thes compiling of his History. 402 Of the Age in which Quintus Calaber flourished. lines in a topographical or other work of the monkish days? If so I shall be obliged by information respecting them, as also to any gentleman who can inform me who was the author of some verses introduced soon after the above, begin ning: Fair Nottingham with brilliant beauty graced, In ancient Shirewood's south-west angle placed, and where they were first printed. I am, &c. NOTTINGHAMIENSIS. Nottingham, April 10, 1818. To the Editor of the New Monthly Magazine. IN pursuance of my promise I shall now resume my comments on the Paraleipomena of Quintus Calaber. In the conclusion of my last letter I had entered upon the arguments of those who endeavoured to ascertain the age in which our author wrote from an examination of his writings, and shall now proceed accordingly. The first that I shall investigate are those which tend to establish the probability of his having existed about the time of the revolution which placed Cæsar at the head of the Roman empire. The passage on which they rest their proof is the following: Ισχεσθ Αινείαο κατ' φθεμενοιο καρήνε 'Gainst great Æneas cease the fruitless war, And seek Hesperian Tiber's yellow tides: And rear its sacred turrets to the skies. And western regions bow submission dread. Now this is a passage that would of itself be sufficient to decide the question: but unfortunately for those who wish for that event, it is quoted from what is not the acknowledged production of the Calabrian, besides which the (June \, incorrect passage itself is said to be very Hic vir, hic est, tibi quem promitti sæpin Augustus Cæsar, divum genus: aurea condet Indos To bless the land where Saturn ruled of old, rolling skies. Proud Asia flies before his dire alarms, Calabrian poet, as Barnes positively a If our author was Quintus Ennius, the serts, in his usual manner, without the least authority, or if he was a Roman, as others seem to believe from his name, such a sentiment might emanate from a spirit of nationality; but if he was a Greek, an eulogy of the Roman empire must come from him with a very ill grace. For the Greeks had been repeatedly defeated in their endeavours during that time to throw off the Roman yoke, and their attempts had only served to fix it more firmly; they could not, therefore, feel any veneration for those who had reduced them to a state of ras salage, and had deprived them of their ancient laws and forms of government. On this account, so fulsome a compli 1818.] Of the Age in which Quintus Caiuber flourished. ment to the Roman nation cannot with Αινείαν δ' έκλεψε και Αγχίσην Αφροδίτη Tryphiodori. II. Ex. v. 651. But Venus, mindful of the secret love That, placed far distant from their native land, Their martial line a lasting throne should raise, And stretch their empire thro' a length of days. Merrick. Yet Tryphiodorus is supposed to have written at a time when the Roman empire was still in a flourishing state, although its golden age was past, and therefore could not be ignorant of its power. Even Virgil, when he makes Eneas relate his adventures to Dido, a narrative in which every thing that could influence the feelings is interwoven with a masterly hand, has forgotten so very important a circumstance as the prophesy of Chalcas and the events which attended it. The prophetic consolation of Creusa is nothing in comparison. Is it credible then that the flatterer of Augustus would have abandoned so fair an opportunity to compliment, or that he would have omitted to place in the mouth of his hero that circumstance, the relation of which was almost sufficient of itself to assist his views, and excite the interest of Dido in his favour. I must therefore agree with De Pau in pronouncing this an interpolation, while at the same time I regret that such is the case, as its authenticity would be of the greatest import auce. Notwithstanding the failure of proof in the passage last quoted, I am still induced to believe that that was the probable time at which our author wrote. I could adduce two passages in support of my opinion, which appear to me to have hitherto escaped the research of commentators; but as oue of them occurs in the fourteenth book, it is liable to the 403 same objection which has been urged in Και δ' Αχιλλευς αλίασσον εν ενετείρετο θυμώ Mourned o'er that lovely form, whose beau- In sacred union might have bless'd his arms, Phthia distinguished for its race of steeds: · μεγα δ' αχνυτο Πηλέος υιος The beauteous virgin breathless on the field, Not thus he griev'd when by the fatal dart Gallery of Dulwich College-Public Instruction in Russia. [June 1, with Horace, and therefore the poem of our author must have been something before that time; and it is more than probable, that fond as he was of Grecian literature, he had perused it, and in so doing became acquainted with the circumstances attending the death of the Amazon, which he afterwards transferred to his own poem. There are other passages which I could also adduce in support of my argument, but as they are very long I shall content myself by referring to them, and request the reader to compare together first-Quintus Calaber, lib. 2. v. 234 et sequentes, with Pindar, Pythia carmen 6, Ant. 2, and Virgil, Aneis 10, v. 786, et seq.; second, Quintus Calaber, lib. 5, v. 128, et seq.; and Ovid Metam. lib. 13. JUVENIS. To the Editor of the New Monthly Magazine. Sir Francis Bourgeois having left his collection of pictures to Dulwich College, a gallery has been built there expressly for them, open to public inspection. An account of its founder, and also of the rules, regulations and funds, by which it is supported and governed, might not be unacceptable to the generality of your readers, and would oblige B. S. L. [It would afford us great pleasure to be enabled by any of our correspondents to gratify the wishes of the writer of the above.-EDITOR.] To the Editor of the New Monthly Magazine. THOSE would have but a very incorrect idea of the civilization of the vast Russian empire who were to judge of it solely from the reports of persons by whom the country has been visited in the last ten years, or from the different works published during that period. Such is the rapid progress of the several branches of public instruction, that the face of scientific Russia changes not only every year, but we might say every moment. This circumstance seems to have escaped most foreigners; it therefore behoves the natives to rectify and complete from time to time the statements collected in silence by the friend of humanity. I regret that I am prevented from entering into more minute details; and shall here indicate the aim alone, confining myself to what relates to the medical art. It is my intention at some future time to enter more largely into the subject, and to pay a just tribute of gratitude and admiration to one of the most worthy of princes, to Alexander, whose great and liberal actions as well as sentiments, have long rivetted the attention of Europe and the hearts of his subjects. Peter I. one of the greatest monarchs of the 17th century was the reformer of his people. Catherine II. excited among them the desire of individual instruction by maintaining young Russians at her own expense in the most celebrated minaries of Europe, and by inducing the nobility to send their children upon foreign travels. But it was reserved for Alexander to crown what his prede cessors had so happily begun, and to open the sources of public instruction in ra his dominions. Solely intent on the prosperity and civilization of his subs jects, he founded the universities of Casan, Charkow, Dorpat, Wilna, and the Medico-chirurgical Academy of Mos cow, and infused new emulation into those of Abo and Moscow, and the Me dico-chirurgical Academy of St. Peters burg. He metamorphosed the gym siums and inferior schools into purseries for the Universities; and has recently introduced the Lancasterian system of education into his States with such suc cess that the smallest country town will soon have a school upon that plan. With a view to diffuse instruction among all classes of society, by offering it to them in these public schools, he encouraged those founded by private persons, and to give still greater effect to all these efforts, be attached civil dignities and certain prerogatives to academic degrees, and directed that such only as have undergone the strictest examination shall be capable of holding any employment civil or mili tary. Thus honour and interest, the tw most powerful motives of human actions inflame and cherish the noblest emulation. Writers of genius receive not less en couragement than the professors. How paltry appears the vaunted liberality of the late oppressor of France, when com pared with the munificence of Alexander! It will be recollected with what ostenta tion the French journals announced that to reward M. Picard the dramatist, Buonaparte appointed him a member of the Institute and of the Legion of Honour, and conferred on bim a pension of two or three thousand franes, and a gratuity of a similar sum. No sooner was Alexander acquainted with the great talents of Karamsin, author of the es cellent History of Russia, than he ap pointed him historiographer of the Er pire, counsellor of state, grand cross of the Order of St. Agne, assigned him a |