The general's mother (sister of the celebrated Count Czacki, the most learned man in Poland) amassed immense wealth, and was residing in Podolia. Some of her relatives watched this wealth like a hawk watches a partridge, and so much slandered him, that she became visibly cold to her son, and inclined to make a will in favour of his enemies. He was apprised of the trap, and having heard that the Countess R was the undoubted favourite of his mother, and resided with her, he came on a visit to his mother for three weeks, and paid so much attention to the lady alluded to, that she prevailed on his mother to live with him, and to give him all the cash she had, with slight restriction. After this she retired, it is said, to a convent; it was the last of his celebrated conquests, accomplished at the age of forty-five.
To give an idea of his energetic eloquence, and bewitching man • ners it is worthy to be mentioned, that Napoleon called him one of the bravest, the most faithful, and the most dangerous of his courtiers. The French marshals gave him a splendid sword as a token of their regard for his fidelity to Napoleon. He is still alive, and in favour at the Russian court. His discernment is so great that he can read, as it were, the character of a man at twenty-five yards' distance. He is now busy, it is said, in writing his memoirs, and certainly they will be well written and extremely interesting.
His only son, Sigismond, received an excellent education, and has written some beautiful novels and poems: but some passages are so mystic and at the same time lofty, that it is no easy matter for common minds to comprehend their meaning without explanation. Many poems attributed to him are not his. He possesses a liberal mind, stocked with extensive information. To noble sentiments and sterling qualities he unites some minor faults; but his conversational powers and pleasing manners enable him to shine in polite society, although he possesses neither the manly beauty nor the dashing eloquence of his father. He is fond of the company of scientific men; loves and dreads his father; is a faithful friend and forgiving enemy. Though slightly whimsical, he charms every one by his obliging disposition, but wUl never take the lead in any thing. He, however, inherited from his father a peculiar tact in gently befooling others. Indeed, practical joking seems almost necessary to his existence, and if he cannot find somebody in high society to endure his jests, he will be satisfied with any man, on whom he may safely indulge such propensities. His jests, however, are rather piquant than offensive. He is a great sportsman. His wife, an amiable, rich, and handsome Ukrainian lady, who gave him two children, must have greatly contributed to his comfort and happiness. He is not far from forty, and is smaller and thinner than his father. He did not take any part in the last war with Russia, in 1831. His father's estates are Dunaiowce; lackovce, in Podolia; Opinogora, in the late kingdom of Poland; a splendid seat, Knyszyn; Slivna, Bembnovka, and others, in Russian Poland; he has a fine palace at Warsaw. One of Count Sigismond's estates is Luboml, and others belonging to his wife. It is the richest branch of the family.
The head of the second branch (Gallician) of Krasinski's family, is Count Peter Krasinski, with his two brothers, Leopold and Augustus. Count Peter was colonel in the previously mentioned celebrated regiment of Polish lancers, and made several campaigns under Napoleon, winning three decorations; he married the late Countess Pawlikowska, has no children, likes dashing life, is stout, bald, under the middle size, above sixty-one, and resides on his fine seat of Rohatyn in Austrian Poland. He has all the airs of a great lord, and is an honourable man. His second brother Leopold is a man about sixty, thin, of middle size, and still a bachelor; he has pleasing manners, but there is nothing Polish or Sclavonic in him. When his brother Peter was fighting under Napoleon, he voluntarily entered the Austrian military service, and fought against the French, but in the very first engagement he received a musket-ball through the shoulder, which obliged him to leave the Austrian ranks, and checked his martial ardour for life.