When the ringing of bells, the clash of arms, the roar of cannons, and repeated huzzas ceased, when twenty-four beautiful maidens, dressed in white, had thrown their flowers on the lancers, and silence was restored, the general, one of the handsomest men of his age — thirty-three at that time — dazzling the eyes by the diamonds of his numerous decorations, sitting on a splendid steed worthy of a Mahomet or a Tamerlane, advanced some steps towards the ladies, stopped, bowed gracefully to them, and, in a clear and distinct voice, delivered a speech during which, without any exaggeration, he put Cicero fairly in his pocket, and melted half-a-dozen Demosthenes on his lips. After repeated huzzas, when the officers left their horses, he was obliged to submit his manly cheeks to the repeated kisses of the maidens. The silky hair of one of them got entangled seriously to his golden epaulets for more than a minute, to the jealous surprise of some dowagers. The same evening a ball was given, and as my late father was a schoolfellow of the general's, and travelled with me in haste, we arrived the same day at Posen. I was at that time nine years old. After embracing me he introduced me as his relative at the ball, and delivered me to the care of the Posen ladies. As I had not slept for two nights, I soon fell into a deep slumber between two Posen beauties. The sound of music awakened me; I danced the polonaise with the lady, and partook of some ice. So strong are my early impressions, that though this happened to me above thirty years ago, I perfectly remember her features, which greatly resembled those of the likeness of the northern Sappho at Ulverstone.
Some weeks afterwards I marched, between Lieut. Gnatowski and Stakieuicz, with the Polish army into the late kingdom of Poland, and entered Warsaw with the staff of the general, on a small black horse of remarkable beauty. My first recollections were thus associated with a military life. I never could forget the hospitality and kindness shown me by the inhabitants of Posen.
General Count Vincent Korwin Krasinski Senalor Palatin, is one of the richest men in Poland, and has most of the Polish, French, and Russian decorations. His knowledge, gallantry, and flowing eloquence, his celebrated repartees, his singular adventures and liberality, also made him the pet of all the ladies, from queens to peasant girls, and the favourite of all the sovereigns to whom he was introduced. He was successively the aide-decamp and the favourite of Napoleon (who made him lieutenant-general), to whom he was faithful as a dog to its master, even to the last when every thing left him. After bringing the remainder of the Polish army in 1814, from France to Poland; he became aide-de-camp of the Emperor Alexander and Nicholas, as kings of Poland, and held a superior command in the late Polish army. He served them faithfully. Some of his adventures are so singular, that they are worthy to be mentioned. During his youth he had a mistress, called Tekla, who presented him a first-born son. At this happy news, two batteries of small cannon (vivatove harmaty), fired one hundred shots; merry peals were ringing in all directions, there was a regular levee at his palace; eloquent speeches were delivered, five-hundred bottles of champagne were beheaded, thousands of pounds in money and clothing were distributed to the poor, offences of the peasants on his estates were forgiven, fifteen thousand pounds were settled on the mother and child, a wine merchant, unexpectedly patronised, made his fortune and married his daughter well, the old maids unbridled their tongues for a fortnight, six couples of young orphans were united and provided for, and even the faithful companions of man, dogs and horses (according to the letter of my late uncle, Hilary), had their share of rejoicings. At this time Warsaw was under Prussian domination, and the Prussian police seeing the whole fashion of the town in motion, and hearing constant firings and the ringing of bells, became alarmed, and thought it was an insurrection; but the alarm soon subsided. At any rate, no human being ever came into this world under more noisy and favourable circumstances for the prosperity of his fellow-creatures, than the lateral descendant of the noble house of Korwin, but unfortunately, he died soon, and his inconsolate and beautiful mother followed him to the grave, to the general's regret. Having heard that it is in fashion NOTES.