b o o k readily complied with, and Poland became a fcene of blood-
, l- , fhed and devaluation. In the various conflidts between the
two parties, the fuperiority of Ruffian difcipline generally
prevailed. The confederates, however, at firft fecretly encouraged
by the houfe of Auftria, affifted by the Turks, and
fupplied with money and officers by the French, were able
to pro trail hoililities from the diffolution of the diet in x 7 6 8,
to the diviiion of Poland in 17 7 3. To enter into a detail of
military operations falls not within the deiign of this work»
From the various ails of cruelty and revenge which diftin-
guiih and difgrace this part of the Polifli hiftory, I ihall
feleil only one event too remarkable to be omitted; I allude
to the attempt made by the confederates to aflaffinate
the king.
The following circumftantial account of this lingular occurrence
was communicated to me by my ingenious friend-
Nathaniel Wraxal Efq; whofe name is well known in the
literary world;. and who, during his refidence at Warfaw,..
obtained the moft authentic information upon fo interefting
a tranfailion : as he has obligingly permitted me to enrich,
my work with this narration, I am happy to lay it before the
reader in his own words.
G H A P. in:
Attempt to affaffmate the king o f Poland.— His majejly attacked
by the confpirators in the Jlreets o f Warfaw,. wounded, .
and carried off.— His adventures and miraculous efcape.—
Return to Warfaw.,— Account and fa te o f the principals
confpirators.
“ T N the midil of thefe turbulent and difaftrous fcenes, the c h a p . .
A “ confederates (who ever confidered the king as un- nI‘
“ lawfully eledted, and who imputed to his fatal elevation
“ and direction, or approbation, .all the various ills under
“ which the kingdom groaned from the Ruffian oppreffion) ,
“ planned and executed one of the moft daring enterprizes >
“ of which modern hiftory makes mention. I mean the at-
“ tempt to affaffinate the king. It is fomewhat remarkable,,
“ that in an age fo humanifed,,fo free from the enormous.
“ and flagitious crimes common in barbarous centuries, f o ,
“ enlightened as is the prefent, this is the third attempt on®
“ a crowned head in my remembrance. Louis XV. Jo-
“ feph I. of Portugal, and Staniflaus Auguftus, all narrowly.-
“ efcaped aflaffination. As: the attempt on his Polifli ma- -
“ jefty was perhaps the moft- atrocious, and his efcape cert
a in l y the moft extraordinary and incredible of-the three,,
“ I ihall be as minute as poffible in the enumeration o f a l l ;
“ the principal circumftances which led. to, and which at--
“ tended this remarkable event.
“ A Poliih nobleman, named Pulaiki, a general un the:-
“ army of the confederates, was the perfon who planned the •
atrocious.