of artifts than it would emancipate. It would now and then
occaiion the lofs of a manufadfcorer.; but would difFufe fuch
a knowledge of the manufaiture, as to render the lafs immaterial.
Thefe manufactures are ftill in their infancy, but- their
inttitution reflects a coniiderable luftre upon his majefty’s
reign ; and more particularly as his attention was not
withdrawn from them during the civil convulfions which
fo lately ihook his throne.
On the firit evening of our arrival at Grodno, a Poliih
nobleman, to whom we were introduced by Mr. Gillibert,
invited us to fupper with fuch franknefs and cordiality, that
it would have been rudenefs not to have accepted the invitation.
After an hour’s converfation, he configned us to the
care of his wife, and retired ; nor did he again make his
appearance the whole evening. This feeming inattention,
*fo contrary to the politenefs of the invitation, occafioned at
firft fome furprize; but we afterwards found that good manners
equally directed his behaviour in both thefe inftances.
Having before our .arrival invited fome Poliih gentlemen to
fup with him who could not converfe in French, and who
drank freely, he thought juftly enough that we ihould pafs
a more agreeable evening with the ladies. We had a fmall
party at fupper, which was cheerful and agreeable, for the
Poles are a very lively people, and the women in general
amiable and well-bred.
We dined the following day with Count Tyfenhaufen
vice-chancellor of Lithuania : it was an eleClion-dinner
previous to the dietine, which was to aflemble at Grodno, in
order to chufe the reprefentatives of this diftriCt for the approaching
diet. There were eighty nobles at table, all, a few
excepted,
excepted, in their national drefs, and with their heads fliaved ci^ap.
in the Poliih fafliion. Before dinner they faluted. the count >— <
with great refpeCtr fome kifli'ng the hem of his garment,
others ftooping down and embracing his legs. Two ladies
were at table, and, as ftrangers, we had the poll: of honour
affigned to us, and were feated by them. It was my gpod:
fortune to lit next to one who was uncommonly entertaining;
and agreeable, and never fuffered the converfation to flag.
After dinner feveral toafts went round :— the king of Poland
— the diet— the ladies who were prefent— a good journey ta-
us, 8tc. The mailer of the feaft named the toaft, filled a
large glafs, drank it, turned it down to fhew that it was-
empty, and then pafled it to his next neighbour; from whom,
it. was circulated in fucceflion and with the fame ceremonies
through the whole company. The wine was champagne,,
the.glafs large, and the toafts numerous : but there
was no obligation, after the firft round, to fill the glafs ; it
was-only necefla-ry to pour in a fmall quantity and pafs the
toaft. As it is efteemed a kind of hofpitality in Poland to
circulate the wine, freely, among the guefts, my fair neighbour,
when it was my turn to drink her health, propofed
that I ihould fill a bumper. Though 1 had already drank
one in honour of his majefty, and would willingly have declined
another, 1 could not difobey the orders of an agreeable
woman, and did the fame homage to beauty that I had before
paid to royalty. The next turn was the health of the other
lady, which my fair neighbour urged me to do juftice to in
the fame manner; but I excufed myfelf by intimating, that
Ihe alone was deferving of fuch a tribute.
In the evening the count gave us a ball concluded by an
elegant fupper. The ball was lively and agreeable. The
company amufed themfelves with Poliih and Engliih countrydances...