nces
strangely mingled with wooden hovels; magnificence and squalor side by
side, inexorably jumbled together. No other city in all Europe has so
many private palaces and elegant mansions as may be seen in an hour's
stroll about Warsaw; but the architecture is often gaudy and in bad
taste. Here for centuries there were but two classes or grades of
society; namely, the noble, and the peasant. A Polish noble was by law a
person who possessed a freehold estate, and who could prove his descent
from ancestors formerly possessing a freehold, who followed no trade or
commerce, and who was at liberty to choose his own habitation. This
description, therefore, included all persons who were above the rank of
tradesmen or peasants.

The "Avenues" is the popular drive and promenade of the citizens of
Warsaw. It is bordered by long lines of trees, and surrounded by elegant
private residences. Here also are inviting public gardens where popular
entertainments are presented, and where cafes dispense ices, favorite
drinks, and other refreshments. The Botanical Gardens are close at hand,
forming a pleasant resort for the lovers of floral beauty. Just beyond
these gardens is the Lazienki Park, containing the suburban palace built
by King Stanislaus Poniatovski in the middle of the last century, and
which is now the temporary residence of the Emperor of Russia when he
visits Warsaw. These grounds are very spacious, affording complete
seclusion and shady drives. Though it so closely adjoins the city, it
has the effect of a wild forest of ancient trees. The royal villa stands
in the midst of a stately grove, surrounded by graceful fountains, tiny
lakes, and delightful flower-gardens. There are some fine groups of
marble statuary picturesquely disposed among the tropical plants.

One is hardly prepared to see so much commercial prosperity and rapidity
of growth as is evinced in Warsaw. In matters of current business and
industrial affairs it appears to be in advance of St. Petersburg. The
large number of distilleries and breweries are unpleasantly suggestive
of the intemperate habits of the people. The political division of
Poland, to which we have referred, was undoubtedly a great outrage on
the part of the three powers who confiscated her territory, but it has
certainly resulted in decided benefit as regards the interests of the
common people. There are those who see in the fate of Poland that
retributive justice which Heaven metes out to