canfe of their country, The diet alfo was glad of this opportunity of fhewing its gratitude to thofe on whom it had no other recompenfe to bestow. This was the laft act of the famous, but unfortunate, diet of Grodno, which terminated on the twenty-fourth of Nov. 1793.

But the revival of this order was attended with fatal confequences: it irritated the emprefs to fuch a degree, that he directed her ambailador to quit Warfaw without taking leave. Alarmed at this proof of her refentment, the king and council inftantly agreed to fupprefs this order, and to send a deputation to Petersburgh, to requeft her oblivion of the imprudence of the late diet in reviving it. This tranfaction feems, neverthelefs, to have funk deep into her mind, and to have influenced much of her fubfequent conduct towards the Poles, whom he was led to confider as ir reconcileably averfe to her perfon, as well as to the meatures enforced upon them, and unalterably determined to feek every opportunity of throwing off their obedience.

Herein fhe was not mistaken; but it was no lefs certain that her feverity afforded them ample reafon to be diffatisfied. Baron Ingelftrohm, who fucceeded count Seivers in the embaffy at Warlaw, was ordered to demand a folemn abrogation of all the acts of the diets of 1788 and 1791, both which had been remarkably inimical to the interefts of Ruffia. After complying with this injunction, the Polith government was ordered to reduce the army to fixteen thousand. But this, together with other defpotic measures, proved a fignal of general infurrection. The oppreflive treatment of

the Polish gentry and peafantry was become intolerable. They were compelled to find food and quarters for the Ruffian folder and to furnifh them with all nece ries, at the price which thefe were pleased to fix, without certainty, however, of any payment. They were treated with infolence, and liable to the harfheft ufage. Such behaviour in the Ruffians did not fail to render them odious, and to create a thirft of revenge. When, to these oppreffions, the infulting mandate was added to difband the army, the patience of the Poles was exhaufted, and they refused to obey. The first who refufed compliance was Mada Linfki, a nobleman highly respected, and a brigadier in the Polish army. Several regiments followed his example, and the defection at length became general.

On receiving intelligence of this infurrection, the court of Petersburgh immediately difpatched fifteen thoufand men into Poland, and the Ruffian ambaffador required the Polish government to fend a body of forces againft the infurgents, and to put every fufpected perfon under arreft. But his demands were refused; the latter particularly, as contrary to law. The infurrection continued daily to increase: all the military had joined it, and every man able to bear arms feemed heartily ready to unite in one trial more, for the deliverance of his country.

An individual now arofe, who fixed at once the eye and expectation of the public. This was the celebrated Kofciufko, whofe character pointed him out as the propereft man to head the refifiance of his countrymen to the Ruffians. He had, from early life, been bred

a foldier,

baffador, demanded the furrender of the arfenal; but was refolutely refufed. He had, in the mean time, difpatched general Woronzow, with fix thousand men, to oppofe Kofciutko, On the fourth of April, 1794, they both met, and a defperate battle was fought, wherein the Ruffians left upwards of a thoufand men dead on the field, with all their cannon and amunition, befides a number of prifoners, among whom was the general himself.

Irritated at this lofs, Ingelftrohm again required the arfenal to be furrendered, the Polish military difarmed, and about twenty perfons of rank, whom he fufpected, to be taken into cuftody, and, if found guilty of abetting the infurrections, to be put to death. The king and council refufed compliance, and deputed the chancellor of the kingdom to remonftrate againft his demands: but he was treated with the utmost indignity by the Ruffian ambaflador, who attempted the next morning, feventeenth of April, to take poffeffion of the arfenal. But the citizens had anticipated him; they armed themfelves, drew out the cannon, and, joined by the Polifh garrifon, their forces amounted to more than twenty thoufand men. They attacked the Ruffians, and expelled them from the city, after an obftinate conteft of thirty

fix hours.

Notwithstanding that the king had openly encouraged the people to defend the arfenal, they fill look ed upon him with a fufpicious eye. After the expulfion of the Ruffians, they required him folemnly to promife, that he would not quit the city. The two municipal officers ftill attend him, and all his motions strictly watched. The king,

folicitous to remove all fufpicions of his fincerity in the caufe, fent the one half of his plate to the mint, and expended the other in relieving the families of thofe citizens who had fallen in the conflict with the Ruffians. He daily appeared in public, and perfonally fuperintended the repairs of the fortifications round Warfaw.

In order to unite all parties, and convince Europe, that the conftitution of 1791 was the real object of the Polish nation, the provifional council of regency, that had been eftablished by the patriotic party, at the commencement of the infurrection, laid down its authority, and a national council was appointed, under the direction of the king. This measure took place through the advice and influence of Kofciufko, and powerfully conduced to cement the union and cordiality now fubfifting between all claffes of people in the kingdom. These transactions happened about the end of May, by which time the hopes and expectations of the Poles feemed to be countenanced by a variety of fuccefsful and promiting events. The Ruf fians had been defeated in many fkirmishes, and the Polish forces were daily becoming more numerous. Exclufively of the peafantry, whofe vigour and zeal rendered them of moft effential utility, and who were conftantly ready to act when called upon, the regular military of the patriotic party, prefented a formidable afpect. The various bodies under Kofciutko, and the other Polifh general, amounted altogether to near feventy thousand men, well armed, and under good difcipline.

But the evil ftar of Poland ftill combatted thefe exertions.

Ruflia,

NOW

now fully convinced that the conteft was very ferious, had collected an immenfe army, which was drawing near to the Polish frontiers. Pruffa, deeply alarmed at the progrefs of the Poles, and dreading, were they to fucceed, an invafion of his own dominions, had concluded a peace with France, which left him at liberty to carry on his projects in Poland. He entered it with a powerful army, laid fiege to the city of Cracow, which was obliged to furrender on the fifteenth of June. He advanced towards Warfaw, in the proximity of which place he was joined by the Ruffian forces in thefe parts, and immediately refoved to befiege that capital. It was in a state of great fermentation: a number of perfons had been tried and convicted of treafon against their country. The citizens eager y demanded their punishment; and notwithftanting the endeavours of the more moderate to fufpend their execution, several individuals of diftinction were put to death. After facrificing those that were reputed the most guilty, they were prevailed upon to permit a respite to the others.

The king of Pruffia was now encamped, with his own and the Ruffian forces, within fight of the Polih metropolis. He promifed himfelf an eafy reduction of the city, as it had no fortifications. But the inhabitants were numerous, and well provided with all neceflaries for a refolute defence. As it was forefeen, that the fate of the capital would in a great meafure influence that of the whole kingdom, Kofciufko refolved to defend it in perfon. To this intent, he approached it on that fide where the Ruffians lay. He attacked and forced all their

pofts on the eleventh of July, and took an advantageous pofition in front of the city, oppofite to the Pruffian encampment. He received, in a fhort time, so many reinforcements, that he was enabled to furround Warsaw with intrenchments, by which it was fo well protected, that the king of Pruffia, began to doubt of the fuccefs of his enterprife. The Pruffians exerted themfelves with their usual skill and bravery; but they were almoft conftantly worfted in all their attempts. Theycannonaded and bombarded the city without intermiffion; but were anfwered with a fire from the intrenchments around it, that made prodigious flaughter among them. The king and prince-royal of Pruffia were more than once in great danger. The fiege continued in this manner till the beginning of Auguft, when the king wrote a letter to Stanislaus, endeavouring to perfuade him to a furrender; but the Polish monarch returned him a firm refusal.

In the mean time, the Polish provinces, that had been feized by the Pruffians, were in a state of infurrection. The Poles poured in upon them from all quarters, and the advices brought every day to the Pruffian camp before Warfaw, became fo alarming, that the king began ferioufly to think it neceffary to haften to the fuccour of his own dominions. The Polith capital had fuffered very little during the fiege, and was in a condition to hold out much longer than he would be able to continue his operations against it'; and the auxiliaries, promifed to him from Ruffia, advanced fo flowly, that he apprehended they might not arrive before his own ftrength were too much impaired for the purposes he had in view. Influenced by

thefe