th the
nineteenth century came the Napoleonic wars with the dramatic entry of
Napoleon into Russia, and a new and different mental life began to dawn
over Europe.

Mickiewicz was born in Novogrodek in Lithuania. This was the birthplace
of Count Henry Rzewuski, who wrote the delightful memories of the Polish
eighteenth century, under the title of "The Memories of Pan Severin
Soplica,"[*] and who declared he considered it an honor to be born a
"schlazig" (noble) of Lithuania, and of Novogrodek. He went to a
government school in Minsk, and later attended the University of Vilna,
which city in his day was a place of Jesuit faith, gloomy convents and
echoing bells. All about him epoch-making events for Slav lands were
taking place. It was a resounding, inspired age for his race, and he
grew up to take a fitting place in that age and to be called "the
immortal hero of Polish poetry." Poland just then was the battle-ground
not only for the armies of Europe, but for the diplomats. It was a place
for statesmen to win their spurs. If accredited to Petersburg or Warsaw,
and successful, they were believed to be equal to any diplomatic
emergency. Eloquence, inspiration, and patriotic fervor must have
cradled his childhood.

[Footnote *: The full title of the book is: Memories of Pan Severin
Soplica, Cupbearer of Parnau, by Count Henry Rzewuski.]

At the time of the birth of Mickiewicz, Russia was bringing to a close a
prodigious period of development in almost every field of human
activity. It was really the birth-throe of a nation that was to move
powerfully, and to dominate--partially--the new age. And the splendid
and never again to be equalled pageant of the life of Catherine the
Great, with its wild dreams of world dominance and of the glorious
revival of perished Greece, had just been unrolled for the amazement of
Europe. What dramatic and enchanting memories the names of her followers
call up: the Orlows, Potemkin, Panin, Poniatowski, Bestushew-Rjumin,
Princess Daschkov, Razumowski.

In France, too, the same preceding period had been brilliant. It had
been the France of Voltaire, the Encyclopedists, and a most resplendent
and luxurious monarch. England had known her greatest orators and prime
ministers. It had been the Prussia of Frederick the Great; the Dresden
of August the Strong; the Austria of Joseph the Second.

A little later--during Mickiewicz's own youth--Goethe was at the height
of his power and the intellectu