n Chopin and his works, has been told
that Nicholas Chopin, the father of Frederick, was the natural son of
a Polish nobleman, who, having come with King Stanislas Leszczynski to
Lorraine, adopted there the name of Chopin. From Karasowski we learn
nothing of Nicholas Chopin's parentage. But as he was a friend of the
Chopin family, and from them got much of his information, this silence
might with equal force be adduced for and against the correctness of
Szulc's story, which in itself is nowise improbable. The only point that
could strike one as strange is the change of name. But would not the
death of the Polish ruler and the consequent lapse of Lorraine to France
afford some inducement for the discarding of an unpronounceable foreign
name? It must, however, not be overlooked that this story is but a
hearsay, relegated to a modest foot-note, and put forward without
mention of the source whence it is derived. [FOOTNOTE: Count Wodzinski,
who leaves Nicholas Chopin's descent an open question, mentions a
variant of Szulc's story, saying that some biographers pretended that
Nicholas Chopin was descended from one of the name of Szop, a soldier,
valet, or heyduc (reitre, valet, ou heiduque) in the service of
Stanislas Leszczinski, whom he followed to Lorraine.] Indeed, until we
get possession of indisputable proofs, it will be advisable to disregard
these more or less fabulous reports altogether, and begin with the first
well-ascertained fact--namely, Nicholas Chopin's birth, which took place
at Nancy, in Lorraine, on the 17th of August, 1770. Of his youth nothing
is known except that, like other young men of his country, he conceived
a desire to visit Poland. Polish descent would furnish a satisfactory
explanation of Nicholas' sentiments in regard to Poland at this time
and subsequently, but an equally satisfactory explanation can be found
without having recourse to such a hazardous assumption.

In 1735 Stanislas Leszczynski, who had been King of Poland from 1704 to
1709, became Duke of Lorraine and Bar, and reigned over the Duchies till
1766, when an accident--some part of his dress taking fire--put an end
to his existence. As Stanislas was a wise, kind-hearted, and benevolent
prince, his subjects not only loved him as long as he lived, but also
cherished his memory after his death, when their country had been united
to France. The young, we may be sure, would often hear their elders
speak of the good times of Duke Stanislas,