Notes

Russian aristocracy by birth, but who owes his elevation chiefly to his own exertions, and to some favourable events attending his campaigns. His military capacity in the last Polish war was much exaggerated. When he took the command of the Russian army in Poland, in 1831, the Poles were deserted and discouraged; their indomitable valour was gradually and systemically shaken by the indecision, weakness, and incapacity of their leaders; and by many treasonable machinations which might have been prevented and crushed, had more energetic measures been taken, a true government established, and some generals been shot. The cancer of anarchy and corruption had spread in all directions. Under such favourable circumstances, any general possessing a moderate share of ability and patience, and with such extensive means at his disposal as Paszkiewich had, might have been equally successful. But, as to his former campaigns in Persia and Turkey, no lover of fair play, who carefully studies them, can possibly deny him military talents; and his rule -in Poland, under difficult and trying circumstances, denotes a sagacious mind: and though Paszkiewich is not a man of Suvarof cruelty, and is not disliked, it is said, by the generality of the Poles, the following circumstance will convince the reader how terrible are the means he sometimes employs for repressing abuses and disorders: —