GRODNO, is a town of Poland, in Lithuania, and, with the exception of \Vilna the capital, is the most important place in that province. It is now a frontier town on the Russian division of Poland. It is built upon an eminence which overlooks the river Niemen, which is here a broad, clear, and shallow stream. Grodno is a large and strag gling place, and has the appearance of a town in decay. The few houses that are in good repair form a singular contrast with the wretched habitations, the falling houses, the ruined palaces, and the magnificent gateways, which are everywhele to be seen. Some remains of the old pa lace, in which the kings formerly resided during the diets, are still to be seen upon a hill of sand, rising abruptly from the river, and IM ming a part of the bank. The new pa lace is opposite to this bill. It vas built, but never inhabit ed, by Augustus III. and became the temporary residence of Stanislaus Augustus after his abdication. It contains the apartments for the meeting of the diets. The late king of Poland established at Grodno a royal academy of physic fur Lithuania, in which ten students are instructed in me endue, and twenty in surgery, and are lodged, boarded, and taught, at the royal expence. The physic garden contain ed 1500 exotic plants, when Mr Cox passed through the town in 1778. The principal, manufactures here are cloth
and camlets, linens and cottons, silk stuffs., embroidery, silk stockings, hats, lace, fire•arnis, needles, cards, bleaching wax, and carriages. They were chiefly established by the king in 176, and in 1778 they were carrying on in wooden sheds, built by Augustus III. for stables, which were con verted into temporary working looms, and dwelling houses for the workmen. The establishment was subsequently removed to Lossona, a village near Grodno, where con venient buildings were erected at the public expence. The country furnishes a sufficient supply of wool, flax, hemp, beaver's hair, and wax, for the manufactories that require these articles ; but the silk, cotton, iron, colours, gold and silver, for the embroidery, and the fine thread from Brus sels, are all articles of import. Three thousand persons are employed in these manufactories, including those in the neighboui ing villages who spin linen and worsted. Se venty foreigners direct the different branches, and the rest are natives. Grodno contains nine Catholic churches, and two Greek churches. The population consists of 3000 Christians, exclusive of those engaged in manufactures, and 1000 Jews. See Cox's Travels in Poland, &c. vol. I. p. 220, 223.