l'rince Michael Czartoryskl and his brother Augustus, who were descended from a collateral branch of the Jagellon dynasty, possessed at that time Immense wealth and great influence. Both of them also } seamed great abilities and activity. They undertook to change the republican constitution of Poland into a well-organised monarchy, which, they thought, was the best means of raising Poland from the humiliating position into which she had fallen through her feeble government They encouraged science and literature, sought t and patronised men of superior talent, and such as by their writings exerted an influence on public opinion, by which means they power fully contributed to the restoration of literature In Poland. Some of t uepatriotic plans of the Ciartoryskis were carried into effect, some of them with the aid of the Russian power ; but on the accession of Catherine II. to the throne of Russia, the Muscovite power was directed against the Czartoryakl policy.
In order to save the country from foreign influence, a confederation was organised at Bar, a little town in Podolia, by the patriotic bishop, of Kamieniec, Adam Krasinski. 111 supported and without any regular troops, it struggled for several years against the forces of Russia, until it fell by exhaustion. The Turks, who had taken up arms in favour of Poland, after having represented in vain to the cabinets of Europe the danger of Russian predominance in Poland, were defeated, and the first partition of Poland, which was planned by Frederick II. of Prussia, took place in 1772. By this partition Poland lost of its territory above 83,000 square miles, which comprehended its beat provinces, and were unequally divided between Russia, Prussia, and Austria. This great calamity roused the nation, which now strove to compensate its heavy loss by internal improvements. An excellent system of public education was introduced, and literature was encou raged ; industry was re-animated, and every kind of improvement rapidly advanced. The chancellor, Andrew Zamoyski, an enlightened and patriotic nobleman, prepared a new code, which removed many ancient abuses and partly emancipated the peasants. The code was rejected however by the diet of 1780. The diet which assembled in 1788, having declared itself permanent, continued till 1792, when, on the 2nd of May, it proclaimed a new constitution, which abolished the veto, made the throne hereditary in the Saxon family (which was to succeed after the demise of Poniatowski, the reigning king), and introduced some useful regulations. Russia, which lied guaranteed the former state of things in Poland, excited a party composed of a few factious nobles, who, assisted by her troops, formed a confederation at Targuvitza, in order to overthrow the new constitution. The king
soon became a party to this infamous confederation. The king of Prussia, who had encouraged the patriots to amend the constitution, then joined the Russians and invaded Poland. The consequence was a second partition of the Polish territory in 1793, by which Prussia took 22,500, Russia 83,000, and Poland retained 85,000 square miles. The remaining part of Poland was subjected to every kind of vexation from the confederates of Targovitza, who, encouraged by the presence of Russian troops, persecuted the patriots in every possible manner, and the chief persons among them were obliged to seek refuge abroad. An extensive conspiracy was organised, and insurrections broke out in several party of Poland. In 1794 Kosciusko arrived at Cracow, and having assembled a number of peasants armed with scythes, he defeated a superior number of Russian troops. The inhabitants of Warsaw, which was occupied by a strong Russian army, rose against their oppressors, and expelled them after a bloody contest. Vilue did the same. Several individuals were convicted of high treason and executed, but the king was treated with respect. The Poles fought with the utmost bravery, but their courage and patriotism proved unavailing against the overwhelming numbers of Russia and Prussia. Kosciusko was defeated, wounded, and taken prisoner at the battle of Maciejovice, and Prase, tho suburb of Warsaw, was carried by storm by Suvaroffi and all the inhabitants were massacred. Warsaw capitu lated, and the remainder of Poland was divided in 1795 among Russia, Prussia, and Austria.
The fate of the dismembered provinces differed according to the governments under which they fell. The Prussian part was well treated in some respects, but the advantages it enjoyed were more than counterbalanced by a decided tendency to establish Germanism on the ruin of everything that was national. The Austrian govern ment was not more favourable to the nationality of its Polish subjects ; it introduced some few improvements, such as roads, but it exhausted the Poles by heavy taxes and levies of soldiers in its long wars with France. The Russian part may be considered as having been in some respects the most favoured of all. The national language was pre served in all official transactions, and an excellent system of public educatiun, which was carried on in the same language, was introduced by the university of Vilna under the superintendence of its curator Prince Adam Czartoryski, who, supported by tho friendship of the emperor Alexander, whose minister he had become, preserved with his sanction the nationality of Poland in the Russian provinces, where the ancient laws relating to civil affairs were also retained.