possible than ever. The thing is
reality; but it reads like a Phantasmagory produced by Lapland Witches,
under presidency of Diabolus (very certainly the Devil presiding, as you
see at all turns),--and is not worth understanding, were it even easy.

Much semi-intelligible, wholly forgettable stuff about King Stanislaus
and his difficulties, and his duplicities and treacherous imbecilities,
[Hermann, v. 400, &c.; Rulhiere PASSIM.] now of interest to no mortal.
Stanislaus is at one time out with the uncles Czartoryski, at another in
with these worthy gentlemen: a man not likely to cure Anarchies, unless
wishing would do it. On the Dissident Question itself he needs spurring:
a King of liberal ideas, yes; but with such flames of fanaticism under
the nose of him. In regard to the Dissident and all other curative
processes he is languid, evasive, for moments recalcitrant to Russian
suggestions; a lost imbecile,--forget him, with or without a tear. He
has still a good deal of so-called gallantry on his hands; flies to his
harem when outside things go contradictory. [Hermann, v. 402, &c.] Think
of malign Journalists printing this bit of Letter at one time, to do him
ill in a certain quarter: "Oh, come to me, my Princess! Dearer than all
Empresses:--imperial charms, what were they to thine for a heart that
has--" with more of the like stuff, for a Czarina's behoof.

WINTER OF 1766, Imperial Majesty, whether after or before that
miraculous Carmelite Monk, I do not remember, became impatient of these
tedious languors and tortuosities about the Dissident Question, and gave
express order, "Settle it straightway!" To which end, Confederations
and the other machinery were set agoing: Confederations among the
Protestants and Dissidents themselves, about Thorn and such places (got
up by Russian engineering), and much more extensively in the Lithuanian
parts; Confederations of great extent, imperative, minatory; ostensibly
for reinstating these poor people in their rights (which, by old Polish
Law, they quite expressly were, if that were any matter), but in reality
for bringing back drunken Radzivil, who has covenanted to carry that
measure. And so,

JUNE 23d, 1767, These multiplex Polish-Lithuanian Confederations,
twenty-four of them in all, with their sublime marshals and officials,
and above 80,000 noblemen in them, meet by deputies at Radom, a
convenient little Town within wind of Warsaw (lies 60 miles to south of
Warsaw); and the