osophe classes and with her own proud
heart, by her treatment of that intricate matter. "On the one hand,"
thinks she, or let us fancy she thinks, "here is Poland; a Country
fallen bedrid amid Anarchies, curable or incurable; much tormented with
religious intolerance at this time, hateful to the philosophic mind; a
hateful fanaticism growing upon it for forty years past [though it
is quite against Polish Law]; and the cries of oppressed Dissidents
[Dissenters, chiefly of the Protestant and of the Greek persuasion]
becoming more and more distressing to hear. And, on the other hand, here
is Poniatowski who, who--!"

Readers have not forgotten the handsome, otherwise extremely paltry,
young Polack, Stanislaus Poniatowski, whom Excellency Williams took
with him 8 or 9 years ago, ostensibly as "Secretary of Legation,"
unostensibly as something very different? Handsome Stanislaus did
duly become Lover of the Grand-Duchess; and has duly, in the course of
Nature, some time ago (date uncertain to me), become discarded Lover;
the question rising, What is to be done with that elegant inane
creature, and his vaporous sentimentalisms and sublime sorrows and
disappointments? "Let us make him King of Poland!" said the Czarina,
who was always much the gentleman with her discarded Lovers (more so,
I should say, than Louis Quatorze with his;--and indeed it is computed
they cost her in direct moneys about twenty millions sterling,--being
numerous and greedy; but never the least tiff of scolding or ill
language): [Castera (_Vie de Catharine II._) has an elaborate Appendix
on this part of his subject.]--"King of Poland, with furnishings, and
set him handsomely up in the world! We will close the Dissident Business
for him, cure many a curable Anarchy of Poland, to the satisfaction of
Voltaire and all leading spirits of mankind. He shall have outfit of
Russian troops, poor creature; and be able to put down Anarchies, and
show himself a useful and grateful Viceroy for us there. Outfit
of 10,000 troops, a wise Russian Manager: and the Question of the
Dissidents to be settled as the first glory of his reign!"

Ingenuous readers are invited to try, in their diffuse vague RULHIERES,
and unintelligible shrieky Polish Histories, whether this notion does
not rise on them as a possible human explanation, more credible than
the feline-diabolic one, which needs withal such a foreknowledge,
UNattainable by cat or devil? Poland must not rise to be too st