7. Pocllaclaa, situated between 51' 15' and 52' 40' N. lat., 21' 10' and 23* 40' E. long., is bounded N. by Plock, E. by Grodno, S. by Lublin, and W. by Sandomir and 3Iasovia. Its area is 5469 square miles : population, 334,646. This province has the Bug running along the east and northern frontiers, on the west the Vistula, and on the south the Wieprz ; on the south-east there are numerous small lakes, and in the interior extensive marshes sad forests ; but it is otherwise a good agricultural country, rich in corn, pulse, cattle, honey, and wax ; but a considerable portion Is still in a very uncultivated state. Siedlec, the capital, Is a regularly built town, with a palace and a beautiful park, several churches, a gymnasium, and 4420 inhabitants. Sokolov, Magma, Law, and Malan-a have each above 3000 inhabit ants. Kock on the Wieprz has an elegant town-hall, a beautiful church, a palace with grounds is the English style, and 2000 inhabitants. Biota on the lea has a fine palace and park, and 3580 inhabitants. 11 a well built town on the Ins, has 4340 Inhabitants. A largo portion of Podlachla was formed into the government of BIALTBSOCK, and is now incorporated with OnODNO. The remaining portion here called Podlachia. was sometimes called SledIcc, or SiedIce, from its chi.•f town, which was the scene of severe fighting in the insurrection of 1831.
8. A apish:Yr° lies between 52' 40' and 55'v N. lat., 21' 25' and 21° 15' E. long. To the north and east lie the governments of Vilna and Orodno, from which it is separated chiefly by the Niemen. Bohr, and Narew ; on the south is the government of Flock, and on the west Eastern Prussia. The length of this government is about 170 miles, and it is about 65 miles In its greatest breadth. Its area is 7237 square miles ; and its population is 622,195. It abounds In small river!, lakes, and morasses; some of the latter produce considerable quantities of wild hops, which form an article of export to Konigs berg. It is likewise rich in forests, those which skirt the Niemen being full of linden-trees, whence the celebrated 'Linden honey.' The north ern districts of Augustovo form an extensive plain, and the soil being fertile and well cultivated produces a fine description of wheat ; excel lent rye is also grown in the southern districts, which are watered by the Narew. A spur aro, the capital, is on marshy ground at the southern extremity of Lake Stabrina (out of which the Netta flows), and at a distance of 110 miles N.E. from Warsaw. It was foundod by Sigismund Augustus, king of Poland, in the year 1560; it is fortified, contains two churches, an hospital, and about 3300 inhabitants, and has large fairs for horses and cattle, as well as a deptot for salt. Suicalky has handsome buildings, broad regular streets, and 3000 inhabitants. Seyny, situated on a lake, has 2700 inhabitants. Loraza, on the Narew, in a woody country, has a Piarist college, a gymnasium, and 2300 inhabitants. &c:uczyn is a well-built town, with 3100 inhabitants. Wilkowys:ki, in a very fruitful corn country, has 3000 inhabitants. Noworadasto, at
the conflux of the Schirwind and the Scheschuppe, surrounded by water on three sides, is on the Prussian frontier; it has much trade, and 3250 inhabitants. Kalwary, situated in a fruitful country, has 5500 inhabitants.
The old divisions have been retained under their old names in the preceding notice. But the Emperor of Russia, by a ukase, dated August 21, 1S44, divided Poland into five governments, exclusive of the city of Warsaw, which are governed in the same manner as the other provinces of the empire, each having a military and a civil governor. The following table shows the area and population of the present divisions according to the official returns for the year 1851 :— Of the geography of the historical monarchy of Poland this article does not treat. Out of that monarchy (besides the governments above named) the whole of West Russia is formed, comprising the govern ments of Wilma, Grodno, Minsk, Mohilev, Witebsk, Volhynia, and Podolia : Austria obtained Galicia, with which the former republic of Cttecow is now incorporated; and Prussia obtained West Prussia and the grand-duchy of Posen.
History.—The history of Poland previous to the introduction of Christianity is involved in darkness. Tradition says that the Polish part of the Slavonic race elected for their chief a peasant named Piast, who was endowed with great and noble qualities, and who fixed his residence at Gnmen in Posen. Christianity was introduced by his descendant the Duke Micczyslav, A.D. 965, after his marriage with a Bohemian princess, an event which brought the Polish sovereign into connection with the German empire. His successor, Boleslav Chrobry, or the Bravo (992-1025), received (1000) the royal crown from the emperor Otho III., who came to Poland on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St Adelbert, and on that occasion declared him king of the Poles and protector of all the Slavonians. The emperor also recognised his independence of the empire.• Boleslav not only con siderably extended the frontiers of his kingdom, but strengthened it by wise regulations, and particularly by a skilful organisation of the military force. He transferred the government from Onesen to Krakow. Under his son Mieczyslav II., and during the minority of Casimir L, Poland was a prey to all the horrors of anarchy. Casimir I., grandson of Boleslav, governed the country with great wisdom, and was succeeded (1053) by his son Boleslav II., surnamed the Dauntless, who was a skilful soldier and a man of chivalrous character. He restored two monarchs of Hungary, Bela and his son Geysa, as well as the Duke of Bohemia and Grand-Duke of Russia (Tziaslaf) to their respective thrones. Towards the end of his reign ho became cruel and rapacious. He murdered Stanislav Szczepanowski, bishop of Krakow, who had remonstrated against his excesses, and being in con sequence excommunicated, his subjects refused to pay him allegiance. Ile was obliged to retire from the country, and died in exile.