PERIOD OF FRENCH PSEUDO-CLASSICISM ( 1750 ] 822). The weak King Stanislas T'oniatowski was a man of high culture and strong ieesthetie leanings. A philosophical reaction succeeded Catholicism, and French ideas tritunplied. The cmiscionsness of social evil: prompted the writers to expose them in satire and fable, while virtuos ity of form was the chief object in this anxiety to imitate the French models. Trembeeki (1723 1812 ) . Wegerski. and Kra sicki ( 1735- 1-4/1 ) armed themselves against the reigning inertia, 'barbarous' prejudices, and foolish imitation of foreign manners. Naruswwicz fell below these three in poetic gifts, hut, hieing an historian, sur them in the breadth of his views; his satire was more bitter, he felt more keenly the demoralization of society. Though Pseudo-(._ lassi eists. these writers did a great service by connect ing literature with life, and their works were very popular. Comedy flourished, and the first
political comedy in Polish, The Envoy's Ilr turn, by Niemeewiez. enjoyed great success. The great est name in Pseudo-Classical drama is that of Alexander Fredro (1793-1876), who wrote later, but really belonged to this period. His plays are among the gems of the Polish stage. owing to the beauty and purity of the language, the genuine wit. he live typos, and the unflag ging interest of the action. Along with this satirical eurrcnt the sentimentalist movement found strong representative; in Krasicki, Kar pitiski. and Knialnin, the first being especially popular. The final partition of Poland (1795) brought a wave of patriotism. Hence the suc cess of Nienicewiez's Historical Ballads (1516). Dramas cropped up in answer to the same 41 e mand for and interest in everything historical.