B° 0K- of ceremony, and appeared in robes, of a more modern
i— »— i fafhion, with his hair flowing upon his ihoulders.
The levee being ended, we went over the palace,, which
was built by Sigifmond lit. and which fince his time has
been the principal refidence of the Polifh monarchs. Warfaw
is far more commodious for the capital than Cracow, becaufe
it is iituated nearer to the center of the kingdom, and becaufe
the diet is affembled in this city. The palace Hands upon
a riling ground at a fmall diftance from the Viftula, and
commands a fine view of that river and of the adjacent
country. Next to the audience-chamber is an apartment
fitted up with marble, which his majefty has dedicated, by
the following infcription, to the memory of his predeceflors
the kings of Poland: Regum Memories, dicavit Stanijlaus.
Augujius hocce mouumentum, 1 7 7 1 . The portraits of the
fovereigns are ranged in chronological order :. the feries begins
from Boleflaus, and is carried down to his prefent ma-
jefty, whofe piiture is not yet finiihed. Thefe heads are all
painted by Bacciarelli, and well executed : the portraits of
the earlier kings are iketched from the painter’s imagination;
but that of Ladiflaus-II. and moft of his fucceflors are copied
from real originals. They altogether produce a pleaiing
effeft, and may be conlidered as an agreeable fpecies of genealogical
table»
hi this apartment the king gives a dinner every Thurfday
to the men of letters, who are moft confpicuous for their
learning and abilities : his majefty himfelf preftdes at table,
and takes the lead in the graces of converfation as much as.
in rank ; and, though a fovereign, does not think it beneath
him to be a moft entertainingcompanion. The perfons who
are admitted to this fociety. read occafionally treatifes upon
4 different
different topics of hiftory, natural philofophy, and other
mifcellaneous fubjedts: and as a code of laws was at that
time compiling in order to be prefented to the next diet,
parts of that code, or obfervations relating to legiilation in
general, and the conftitution of Poland in particular, were
introduced and perufed. T h e king ftudioufty encourages
all attempts to refine and polifh his native tongue,, which has
been much negledted during the reigns of his two predecef—
fors, who were totally ignorant of the Polifh language. He
is fond of poetry; accordingly that fpecies of compofition is
much cultivated at thefe meetings. The next apartment;
was hung with the portraits of the principal members of the
fociety.
In obedience to the king’s condefcending invitation, we fat'
off about eight in the evening, and drove to one of the
royal villas, fituated in the midft of a delightful wood about
three miles from Warfaw. The villa is fmall, confuting of:
afaloon, and four other apartments upon the firft floor, together
with a bath, from which it takes its name of la Mm-
Jon.de Rain r above flairs are the fame number of rooms;
each of them fitted up in the moft elegant manner. The
king received us in the faloon with wonderful affability : his
hrother and two of his nephews were prefent, and a few of
the nobility of both fexes, who generally compofe his private
parties. There were two tables for whift, and thofe
who were not engaged at cards walked about, or flood at"
different fides of the room, while the king, who feldom
plays, converfed occafionally with every one. At about
half an hour after nine, fupper being announced, we followed
the king into an adjoining apartment, where was a
fmall round table with eight covers : the fupper confifted
of one co.urfe and a defert. His majefty fat down, but eat,
nothing;
CHAF.
in.