The fragments of the Ukrainian poetry charm and attract by their tenderness and pathos, by the sympathies they awaken, and by thoughts which a different race would in vain essay to express. Among the gems of this delightful art, we may notice '' Maria," by Malczewski; " The Castle of Kaniov " (Zamek Kaniowski), by Goszczynski, written in the Polish language. Both have a clark essentially Ukrainian impress; both describe love, murder, despair, and revenge; both hint at the terrible pride of the Polish oligarchy; both dig a hole into the coal-pit of human passion; both are founded on facts. Both these effusions of genius unfold the beauty, the richness, and the harmony of the Polish language. These strange poems seem to be twin sisters, and both unaccountably linked with the other world. The latter is completely in Byron''s fashion, and by no means inferior to any production of that celebrated poet. But it is local, and cannot be judged by any translation.. There are also several other Ukrainian writers, namely, Bohdan Zalewski, Michel Czaykowski (nephew of Colonel Rozycki), Grabowski, the two brothers Budzynski, Olizarowski, and Alexander Ilowicki.' The works of the latter are written in a pure and pleasing style, while some of the passages claim, by their ideality and wonderful power of description, no ordinary place in Polish literature. — (A. Ilowicki having felt an unfortunate passion for the beautiful Countess Komar, took holy orders, and is in great favour with the present Pope, who is certainly no ordinary man, and would have assured the welfare of Italy had his counsels been followed). — Zalewski is well known for his poetry in Poland. Michel Czaykowski and Grabowski are celebrated novelists: all their Polish works are exclusively devoted to the Ukraine, and, in point of the knowledge of the human heart and the description of strong passion, are undoubtedly superior to Sir Walter Scott: but as Poland has not, at present, political existence, their works cannot be well appreciated. Czaykowski took the Cossacks under his special protection, and intends to Polonise them, a thing by no means impossible. I am intimately acquainted with him; he is an extraordinary man, and speaks several languages: he is a great writer, an able politician, an excellent officer in the field, an accomplished gentleman: he is well acquainted with the whole machinery of the Russian government, is now abroad, and may be very useful to his country under proper circumstances; but having never been in England, he is not well aware of her gigantic powers. During five years I had daily intercourse with him at Paris. The two brothers, Budzynski have translated "Goethe" into Polish. Olizarowski has written some poems, and often writes ballads which please Prince Czartoryski.
Malczewski is dead. Czaykowski, the two brothers Budzynski, Goszczynski, are political emigrants. There is also an Ukrainian lady, Miss Korzeniowska, so fond of science, that whenever she was invited to a party, she always carried with her a pencil for taking notes of any thing worthy to be noticed. It is impossible to describe the stock of information which this bride of science possesses, who is known in the literary world for her wonderful productions. She is a sort of Polish Miss Agnes Strickland, and her style resembles that of the Marchioness of Londonderry in her ladyship's poetical description of Moscow.
The legends of the Ukraine, which form the nucleus of the dumki airs, are very numerous. These legends have no parallel in any other part of the civilized or barbarous world. Some of them evidently refer to the wars of Mithridates with the Eomans, others to more modem eras. In these legends figure enchantresses, prophetesses, seers, furies, good and evil genii, demons of every kind, females in tears, drowning women, invasions, massacres, famine, and pestilence. Some of them make obvious reference to the discovery of America; others plunge into the Scandinavian mythology, in union with the vestiges of the heathenism of the ancient Lithuanians, mingled with the rites of the East and with Christianity. These legends, too, may be sometimes explained by the Greek colonies, the wars of the Poles under the two Boleslaus; the conquests of the grand dukes of Lithuania; the invasion of the Tatars; and other events of history. In one of them are some passages, word for word, to be found in Shakspere's " Hamlet." In another, a floating island in Keswick lake is so well and so precisely described, that no one can possibly doubt its reference to that island. It has, however, a singular tale attached to it. It is extremely difficult to trace the manner in which these two Ukrainian legends became so strangely associated with English literature and scenery.