f the strictest
discipline, entirely veiled and wrapped in meditation; and in
the large squares troops of young Polesses in light-coloured
silk mantles engaged in conversation; venerable old Polish
gentlemen with moustaches, caftan, girdle, sword, and yellow
and red boots; and the new generation in the most incroyable
Parisian fashion. Turks, Greeks, Russians, Italians, and
French in an ever-changing throng; moreover, an exceedingly
tolerant police that interfered nowise with the popular
amusements, so that in squares and streets there moved about
incessantly Pulchinella theatres, dancing bears, camels, and
monkeys, before which the most elegant carriages as well as
porters stopped and stood gaping.

Thus pictures J. E. Hitzig, the biographer of E. Th. A. Hoffmann, and
himself a sojourner in Warsaw, the life of the Polish capital in 1807.
When Nicholas Chopin saw it first the spectacle in the streets was even
more stirring, varied, and brilliant; for then Warsaw was still the
capital of an independent state, and the pending and impending political
affairs brought to it magnates from all the principal courts of Europe,
who vied with each other in the splendour of their carriages and horses,
and in the number and equipment of their attendants.

In the introductory part of this work I have spoken of the misfortunes
that befel Poland and culminated in the first partition. But the
buoyancy of the Polish character helped the nation to recover sooner
from this severe blow than could have been expected. Before long
patriots began to hope that the national disaster might be turned into
a blessing. Many circumstances favoured the realisation of these hopes.
Prussia, on discovering that her interests no longer coincided with
those of her partners of 1772, changed sides, and by-and-by even went
the length of concluding a defensive and offensive alliance with the
Polish Republic. She, with England and other governments, backed Poland
against Russia and Austria. Russia, moreover, had to turn her attention
elsewhere. At the time of Nicholas Chopin's arrival, Poland was dreaming
of a renascence of her former greatness, and everyone was looking
forward with impatience to the assembly of the Diet which was to meet
the following year. Predisposed by sympathy, he was soon drawn into
the current of excitement and enthusiasm that was surging around him.
Indeed, what young soul possessed of any nobleness