he was styled the "conqueror of the Russians, Wallachians, and Prussians," and obtained the still more honourable appellation of the "father of his country." He applied himself to the improvement of the manners of his subjects, by inspiring them with a taste for the arts and sciences, and fortified and embellished the cities

No Polish monarch was more distinguished, on the whole, than John Sobieski, who ascended the throne in 1674. Many of the rulers of Poland were foreigners, but Sobieski was a native, elected on account of his eminent virtues, and military talents. He was particularly distinguished by his wars with the Turks, and his victories over them. The assistance which he rendered to the house of Austria, when Vienna was besieged by an army of 200,000 men, has been mentioned in another place. He died in 1696, leaving his country in prosperity and peace.

Frederick Augustus, elector of Saxony, was chosen as the successor of Sobieski, after an interregnum of twelve months. The factious nobles, who had been kept in awe under Sobieski, were unwilling to place any one of his family on the throne, and thus showed themselves unworthy of such a sovereign. Augustus made war against Charles XII. of Sweden, mistaking utterly the character of his enemy. Being defeated and overcome, he was dethroned, and Stanislaus, through the influence of Charles in the diet of Warsaw, was elected to fill his place, in 1704. After the ruin of Charles, at Pultowa, Augustus was restored to the throne, and in 1773, was succeeded by his son Frederick Augustus II., after an interregnum of eight months The reign of the latter was generally tranquil and peaceable, though both before and afterwards, the kingdom was in a very unquiet state, owing to political and religious controversies, as well as foreign wars.

Stanislaus Augustus Poniatowski, elected in 1763, was the last king of Poland. He was the creature of Catharine of Russia, placed on the throne, more by the influence of her armies and treasures, than by the free consent of the Polish nobles; and in the subsequent difficulties of his reign, was unable to manifest the independence of a sovereign. He was finally kept as an honourable prisoner, at Petersburgh, where he died, in 1798.

20. In 1772, the dismemberment of Poland, by Russia, Prussia, and Austria, which had, for some time, been secretly meditated, took place, to the utter astonishment of all Europe. This has been stigmatized as one of the most un principled acts recorded in history. The pretexts of the plunderers, as set forth in their manifestoes, were various; but they were doubtless encouraged to this act of violence, in consequence of the perpetual divisions in the Polish counsels, and the mutual animosities of the nobility. Indeed, they purposely increased the factions and difficulties in which the nation was involved.

§ Prussia laid the train of events, by flattering the Russians with

the idea of giving a king to Poland; but not designing that Poland should sink into a Russian province, it was contrived on the part of Prussia, to make the Poles dissatisfied with their king. This was easily effected, and in the course of two or three years, nothing could exceed the disorder, dissensions, and weakness of the kingdom. Ir. this situation of affairs, when the Poles were prevented from vindicating their sacred rights, the unholy deed of partition was perpetrated. Each party had previously agreed on its portion, the whole including nearly half of the Polish territory. The Diet was assernbled, and surrounded by the partitioning powers, it could do no otherwise than sanction, by a legislative act, the crime which these Dowers had committed.

In the division which was made, Frederick seized Polish Prussia, and a part of Great Poland; the emperor of Austria, the kingdoms of Galicia and Ludomiria; and Catharine, Polish Livonia, with a part of Lithuania.

21. In 1791, a revolution took place in Poland; a new constitution was proclaimed, which opened to the middling classes, the avenue to every employment; and the crown, hitherto elective, was declared to be hereditary. This was done in an assembly of the people, with entire concord. But Poland, despoiled of half her territories, was weak; and though the change was approved by all Europe, except Russia, the Poles were suffered to become the victims of the Russian empress, and eventually again of the Prussian and Austrian sovereigns. A new division was agreed on, in 1793, which included a considerable portion of the remainder of Poland.

§ Catharine first resented the act of the Poles in framing a new constitution, as it was wholly opposed to her ambitious views in regard to the remainder of Poland. Frederick William, though he at first expressed his approbation of the measure, yet finally, with unblushing effrontery, consented, with the others, to act the royal plunderer.

22. Before, however, this second nefarious project could be executed, it became necessary to encounter the hazards of war. The spirit of the Poles was raised, and under the brave and patriotic Kosciusko, they resisted, for a time, the united force of their powerful enemies. But on the part of enfeeblea Poland, numbers were wanting, which could not long be supplied by love of country and a desire of vengeance; and Kosciusko, after making every effort that man could be expected to make, was defeated and taken prisoner. Under the barbarous Suwarrow, Warsaw was captured and sacked.

In attempting to defend it, nine thousand gallant Poles perished.

§ But the carnage which succeeded the victory, was greater, and has forever tarnished the laurels of the Russian general. The houses were pillaged, women violated, children murdered, and thirty thousand victims fell a prey to a ferocity bordering on that of savages.

Kosciusko, who originated from a noble family, had been a distinguished officer in the United States of America, during the war of the Revolution. The Poles elected him their general, and he proved worthy of their choice. Under more propitious circumstances, he would have been hailed as the deliverer of his country. After his defeat, he was held as a prisoner at Petersburgh, till the death of the empress, in 1797. Upon the accession of Paul, he obtained his freedom, and was favoured with a pension-an act on the part of the Russian monarch, which received the applause of the civilized world. Kosciusko has since been in America.

23. A third and final dismemberment of Poland, took place in 1795, when the three powers appropriated it entirely to themselves. Both Stanislaus and Kosciusko, were secured; the spirit of the Poles was crushed, and the robbers had only quietly to divide all that remained of their bloody prey.

At the congress held at Vienna, in 1815, part of Poland was united to the Russian Empire, with the preservation of its own constitution; and on this event, Alexander, emperor of Russia, assumed the title of king of Poland.

RUSSIA.

24. In the history of RUSSIA, we find Catharine I., the wife of Peter the Great, on the throne, near the commencement of this period. By his appointment, she succeeded him, in 1725. She reigned only two years, but with great ability, and pursued the plan begun by her husband, in civilizing her people.

§ Catharine was originally the wife of a Swedish soldier, but falling into the power of the Russians, she was employed in the general's kitchen, where Menzicoff, one of Peter's favourites, saw and obtained her. Peter having met her at Menzicoff's house, and being delighted with her understanding, at first made her his mistress, but afterwards married her. She obtained a complete control over the emperor, by her singularly gay and cheerful temper, as well as by her respectful and kind attentions.

25. Peter II., grandson of Peter the Great, succeeded her. in 1727. He reigned only three years, but his reign was a

scene of peace and prosperity. He was extremely heloved by his people.

§ The succession, during several reigns after Peter the Great, seems not to have been regular, or fixed by any certain rules; yet the princes came to their thrones with little difficulty, and pursued the general features of that wise policy which Peter adopted. The great object constantly kept in view, was the advancement of civilization and knowledge among the people.

26. Anne, duchess of Courland, next ascended the throne, in 1730, the male line of the house of Romanow, to which Peter the Great belonged, having become extinct. She was a niece of that monarch. Her reign was glorious and happy, and comprised the war against Turkey, in 1736; the conquest of the principal towns in Crim Tartary; and the victory of Choczim over the Turks, in 1739.

27. On the death of Anne, Ivan, or John, only about two month's old, was elected emperor, 1740; but the next year a sudden revolution took place, by which the young prince was deposed, and Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great, was proclaimed empress.

There were strong points of resemblance between her and her father, and like him, she seemed to possess an inherent capacity for reigning. She united benevolence with great political talents, and to her, Russia is indebted for much of its influence in the affairs of Europe and Asia. In 1757, her troops, in conjunction with those of Austria, entered upon "the seven years' war" against the great Frederick, and her part was so well acted, that had she lived, the Prussian monarchy would probably have been in jeopardy, as to its very existence.

§ Elizabeth founded the universities of Petersburgh and Moscow and decreed a new code of laws, called Elizabeth's code. It is reported that a few years preceding her death, this princess indulged in the most unbounded intemperance and sensuality.

28. She was succeeded, in 1762, by her nephew, Peter III., son of her elder sister Anne, and consequently grandson of the great Peter. He was at first somewhat popular with his subjects, but they soon became disaffected towards him. He was found to be deficient in talents and strength of character; and his wife, Catharine, becoming disgusted with him, and inspired with ambitious views, is supposed to have been

the mover of the conspiracy by which he was dethroned and murdered, in the first year of his reign.

§ Catharine of Anhalt, a princess of Germany, had been married to Peter several years before his accession; and as she began her political life with crime, she seems never afterwards to have been scrupulous as to the means with which she executed her plans. It was by the help of her paramour Orloff, that she arrested the emperor, and procured his deposition and death. Orloff first gave him poisoned brandy to drink, and then strangled him.

29. Catharine II., who was immediately proclaimed, combined with her singular depravation of principle, a powerful intellect. As a woman, she was a disgrace to her sex and to human nature, but as an empress she was great, and justly denominated" the Semiramis of the North." Her reign was brilliant and long, and at once the admiration and terror of all Europe. Notwithstanding the great extent of her empire, she sought continually to enlarge its boundaries. In her wars with Turkey, Persia, and Poland, she secured immense acquisitions of territory. Her transactions in regard to the dismemberment of Poland, have already been related. In regard to Turkey, her object appears to have been nothing less than the possession of the Ottoman throne in European object which Russia has ever since had at heart.

§ One of the victorious wars which Catharine carried on with Turkey, cost her two hundred thousand men, and 200,000,000 rubles; while it cost the latter three hundred and thirty thousand men, and 200,000,000 piastres-a war scarcely less ruinous than triumphant. In this war, Ismail was the last town that surrendered. Twice were the Russians under Suwarrow repulsed; but at the third at tack, they scaled the ramparts, forced their way into the place, and put to the sword all who opposed them. Fifteen thousand Russians purchased with their lives the bloody laurels of their leader, who wrote to the empress with his usual brevity, "The haughty Ismail is at your feet."

30. Catharine was succeeded by her son, Paul Petrowitz, 1796, whose reign was the reverse of that of his mother, and who occupied himself with trifles. In 1799, he declared war against revolutionary France, and sent Suwarrow into Italy, who met with great success till he passed into Switzerland, whence he was recalled by his sovereign. In 1801, Paul declared war against England, and obliged Sweden and Denmark to join; but soon afterwards this unhappy monarch was strangled, by some conspirators, who were officers in his court.