of government was here very singular: it was the only elective
monarchy in Europe, and the Poles, in the choice of a king, did not
always confine themselves to a countryman; at one time all nations
were eligible. The king was elected by the whole body of the nobility
and gentry in the plains of Warsaw, and before this choice they
obliged him to sign whatever conditions they thought proper. The
Polish armies were not paid by the king; every nobleman or gentleman
gave his attendance in time of war, at the head of his vassals, and
retired from the fatigues of the campaign when it suited his own
inclination. In the year 1779, a singularly bold partition of this
country was effected by Russia, Prussia, and Austria; Russia laid
claim to part of Lithuania, Polesia, Podolia, Volhinia, and part of
the Ukraine. This immense tract of country, containing 8,000,000
souls, is become part and parcel of the Russian territory. Prussia
claimed Great Poland, the other part of Lithuania, and Polish Russia.
The only part of Poland retained by Prussia, is the Grand Duchy of
Posen, containing 538 geographical square miles, and 1,051,137
inhabitants. Its chief towns are Bromberg and Posen. Austria seized on
Little Poland and Red Russia, leaving to the King of Poland only
Samogitia, Mascovia, and Polachia; even this small territory was
wrested from him, and in 1795, he was obliged to resign his crown.
That part of Poland which is subject to Austria, bears the designation
of the kingdom of Galicia and Lodomiria. Its population amounts to
4,370,000 souls. The present kingdom of Poland is hereditary in the
person of the Russian autocrat and his successors, and comprises a
superfices of 6,340 square leagues, having a population of 3,850,000
souls. It is divided into eight waiwodeships, namely, Warsaw,
Landomir, Kalish, Lublin, Plotzk, Mascovia, Podolachia, and Augustowo.
Its rivers are the Vistula, Warte, Bug, Dnieper, Niemen, and Dwina.
The national revenues amounted (prior to the present contest) to