book nothing ; he talked a great deal without wholly engroffing
— »— .the converfation. After fupper we repaired to the faloon,
part of the company returned to their cards, while we, out
of refpedt to the king, continued ftanding, until his majefty
was pleafed to propol'e fitting down, adding “ we iliall be
“ more at our eafe chatting round a table.” We accordingly
feated ourfelves, and the converfation lafted without interruption,
and with perfect eafe, till midnight, when the king-
retired. Before he .withdrew he gave a general order to a
nobleman o f the party, that we fhould be conducted to fee
every objedt in Warfaw worthy of a ftranger’s curiofity. This
extraordinary degree of attention penetrated us with gratitude,
and proved a prelude to itill greater honours.
Auguft 5. We had the honour of dining with his majefty
at the fame villa, and experienced the fame eafe and affability
of reception as before. His majefty had hitherto
talked French, but he now did me the honour to converfe
with me in Englilh, which he fpeaks remarkably well. He
expreffed a great predilection for our nation : he furprized
me by his extraordinary knowledge of our conftitution,
laws, and hiftory, which was fo circumftantial and exact,
that he could not have acquired it without infinite application
: all his remarks were pertinent, jaft, .and rational. He
is familiarly acquainted with our heft authors, and his en-
thufiaftic admiration of Shakefpeare gave me the moft convincing
proofs of his intimate acquaintance with our language,
and his tafte for the beauties of genuine poetry. He
inquired much about the ftate of arts and fciences in England,
and fpoke with -raptures upon the protedlion and encouragement
which our fovereign gives to the liberal arts,
and to every fpecies of literature. After we had taken our
leave, we drove round the wood to feveral other villas, in
which
which the king occafionally refides. They are all conftrudted C^AP-
in different ftyles with great tafte and elegance. His majefty >— .— 1
is very fond of architedture, and draws himfelf all the plans
for the buildings, and even the defigns for the interior decorations
of the feveral apartments.
In the evening we had the pleafure o f meeting his majefty
at his brother’s, prince Poniato wfki, who gave us a moft elegant
entertainment at a garden which is fituated near his villa,
and is richly ornamented with buildings. The tafte of the
Poliih nobility is not to be controuled by want of any materials
; for i f they cannot procure them from nature, they
make a reprefentation of them by art. In the prefent in-
ftance, as there are no quarries of ftone near Warfaw, the
prince has fubftituted a compofition fo nearly refembling
ftone, that the moft minute obferver can fcarce difcover the
difference. We arrived at the garden about nine ; it was a
beautiful evening of one of the moft fultry days we had experienced
this fummer. After walking about the grounds,
we came to a grotto of artificial rock, where a fpring of water
dripped through the fides, and fell into a bafon with a pleaf-
ing murmur. We were fcarcely aflembled in this delightful
fpot, when the king made his appearance : we rofe up
to meet h im ; the ufual compliments being paffed, we attended
his majefty about the grounds, and then returned to
the grotto, round which we ranged ourfelves upon a bank
covered with mofs. The moon was now rifen, and added
greatly to the beauty of the fcene. I happened to be feated
next to the king (for all form and ceremony was banifhed),
who talked with me as ufual, in Englifb, on the arts apd fciences,
literature, and hiftory. In the courfe of this converfation
I ventured to ailc whether there was any good poetry
in the Poliih language. His majefty told me, “ We have fome
l i g h t e r