te wants of the reading world. Count Skarbek, J.
Krascewski, F. Barnatowicz (ob. 1838), K. Korwell, Szabranski, and
others, are popular novel writers. Among the poets we mention the same
Szabranski, Nowasielski, Zialinski, Alex. Groza, Burski, and, above
all, Lucian Siemienski and A. Bielowski. The latter, along with
Kamienski, is the translator of Schiller. Count Vinzent Kicinski
translated Victor Hugo; and Holawinski, Shakspeare. As successful
dramatic writers are named, the counts Fredro, Korzeniowski, St.
Jaozowski, etc.

Of an entirely national character are all the productions of Wladislas
Woicicki, who devoted his life principally to the study of the
antiquities of his country and its language. In 1838 he published an
interesting collection of old Polish proverbs[92]; several historical
tales, scattered in Annuals; a greater work, entitled "Domestic
Sketches:" and another on Polish Woman;[93] all of them illustrations
of Polish life and manners at certain times, and resting on an
historical foundation. A rich collection of traditions and popular
legends was published by the same scholar in 1839.[94] This important
national feature has at last excited some attention among the Polish
scholars. In 1838 a collection of the songs of the people in the
country adjacent to the Bug was published.[95] Another appeared in the
same year, prepared by the poets Siemienski and Bielowski (Prague
1838), with the title _Dumki_, i.e. Elegies,[96] being Polish
translations of Malo-Russian popular songs. The great and simple
beauty of this poetry of the Kozaks surprised the literary world. But
Woicicki and Zegota Pauli were the first who gave their attention to
the really Polish Lekhian popular songs, i.e. songs of the peasantry
in Masavia and Podlachia, the grand duchy of Posen, the territory of
Cracow, etc. of which, until then, the existence was hardly known.[97]

It would almost seem as if the Russian government, in placing all the
evidences of the mental activity of its Polish subjects under its
strictest guardianship, was ready to supply also the supposed want of
popular poetry. There was recently published at Warsaw a collection of
ballads, sixty-nine in number, devoted to the praise of all the
sovereigns of Russia, from Rurik to Alexander. These ballads are in
the popular tone, and were sold cheap.[98] What degree of popularity
they may have obtained, we are unable to say.[99]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: On the origin