Notes

Page 260. (e.) — It may not be amiss to inform the reader that not only young Potocki (Palatine's son) mentioned in Malczewskis mournful poem " Maria," was unfortunate (the father having ordered the son's beautifid wife to be murdered during the honeymoon, under circumstances of peculiar atrocity) but Malczewski himself. The latter was a young man of ancient family settled in the Ukraine. Possessing an ardent soul, and having received a superior education, he left his home, visited the holy land, reached the top of Mont Blanc, and travelled through all Europe. After spending the greatest portion of his moderate fortune during his wanderings abroad, he suddenly felt a taste for retirement, and stayed for some time at the seat of his schoolfellow (to whom he was very much attached), in a secluded part of Volhynia, not far from the town of Wlodzimirz; the latter married a lady who was induced by family connexions to accept him for a husband; and scarcely had Malczewski been introduced to her, than he fell suddenly a victim of her charms. Admitted to her intimacy, he had the opportunity of displaying his knowledge and eloquence, which his friend, a good and homely kind of man, did not possess. As, however, the latter received him with open arms, and never gave him any offence, and as in Poland, where great sociability exists, the sacred laWs of hospitality are always respected, he never abused his friend's confidence, nor betrayed his secret to any one. The temptation, however, of seeing the beloved object every day increased the difficulties of mastering that passion; he became restless, whimsical, shunned her sight, wandered in the night, often spent the whole day on the neighbouring lake, yet always patted and caressed the children in the house, who became fond of him. Once he was taken for a robber, another time for a madman. The lady complained to her husband that she never gave any offence to lis friend, and yet that friend's manners were so distant towards her, that it led her to tliink she had somehow offended him. Malczewski, however, tormented by temptation, suddenly formed the wise resolution to leave his friend's house, but before leaving it he wished to take a secret farewell of the object of his ardent affection. After waiting a long time in the night, he suddenly left his room, came under the window of her bed-chamber, knelt, pronounced the cherished name, and wept like a child. A favoured maid, however, of the lady alluded to, induced by curiosity, watched him, and discovered his secret, and after his departure, apprised her mistress of everything connected with the subject. Though ladies keep their own secrets very well, yet they very seldom keep the secrets of others. This matter, under various shapes, soon became the principal topic of conversation amongst the old maids of the whole neighbourhood, and Malczewski, whose health was much injured, careless about his business, wandering from place to place, without friends and relatives, was confined to his bed, and subjected to want and misery. Some of his enemies, jealous of his talents, had the imprudence to slander him in the presence of his favourite lady and her husband, who had nothing to reproach him with, and who seemed to listen too much to their tattle: this offended his wife, who, highly indignant at their injustice, packed up her things, left a letter for her husband, and went directly in quest of Malczewski. She stepped into the room as he was just pronouncing her name; he was very iU, and could not at first believe his own eyes. She, however, embraced him, and apprised him of her gratitude. She never left him any more, and he soon died in her arms. It is an indisputed fact, confirmed by a thousand ages, that we cannot command our affection, that true love is always felt at the first sight; though its power can be modified or increased under adverse and favourable circumstances. It is also a sentiment, which is sometimes ungovernable, and gains the mastery despite all difficulties; combining moral weakness with sexual passion, it asserts that one common law governs all mankind, though natural disposition, education, and habits, make a wonderful difference between one man and another. Love is also always disinterested and generous; it is a friend to youth, and an enemy to old age; it seldom bears a long absence; it requires also reciprocity, because though we may be occasionally partial for awhile to those who care not for us, yet on the whole, and for any length of time, we cannot love but those who love us.