Star.
London, England, 1831-07-18 00:00:00

POLICE REPORTS.

GOILDNALL. Thomas ifrokem2n, his wife, and Jo-
seph Lill, were charged with receiving a large i;tl n icy of
law books, in sheets, of the value of ahtut 4 (MA. the
property of 3lr. Butterworth of Fleet.stliet, li c sing the
'mato have been stolen.

Mr. Woocta said, he was not yin-pant' to go II rough the
case, but he proposed to lay a sufficient glom d ,o .sk that
the prisoners should be remanded for turfs, r i x .min ton.
lie called
Joseph Brettle, in the service of Mr. Ilut:ers orth. who
stated that that gentleman has a warehou. tor book., in
quite; in Apollo-court, fleet-street. A large crat.tity of the
stock, about two tons weight, had been stoiet, snd he heal
recovered the greater part of it on Friday, frotn VMFIOUY
dealers in waste-paper.
A carman, named Jupp, proved that Wbiterran hired hit
cart to carry a load of paper from Carey-wrest, on Frid4
morning. Lill was in Wakeman's tom; any tie pieced,ty
evening, when witness drank with them at a put,lic• house.
'Mr. Woocsa said he bad other wi,re-ses, but hat' ru
shown a connection between the three prisemers, hr nett' t,,c
go any farther then.
Mr HUMPHIETI urged that Mrs. Wakeman (nigh. to
be cleentsd to have acted untiet the intim t.ce of her husb.m; .
Mr. Woucaa, on the contrary, main:Ante that she nt•gt.t
be regarded as a principal. which opirino the A:deritt.it
thought it right to adopt, at least, f r the present.
Atter tome desultoty conversation Utz ptisonets wert ',-
menthe].

Some of the persons who !Ind purchased Vie vap.or
attendance, and said they had knnan Wakeman fur year• ;
he had beet. in an catenates wholesale business; alld they
had no suspicion of his doing wrong.

~+•~•~

F." 7...

LITERATURE.

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TRAVELS 1 D.'

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THE POLISH DM.

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r Fltm Sir J. Sinclair's Correspondence, jest published)

OF THE SOIL AND PHODUCTIONS Or POLAND.

Poland is a remarkably champaign country. I
travelled in it from the boundary near Kiew, in
Russia, to Cracow, above 500 English miles, with-
out seeing a hill of any height, or a stone of any
size, except at Berdecrow, not far from the borders
of Russia, and at Dubienki, above one hundred
miles farther en the road to Warsaw. The soil is
in general but fertile. The trees, the plants,
the grain, and (veil the weeds, grow to a great
height. Agriculture, however, is in a moat de-
plorable state ; and I scarcely saw any well-
dressed fields, except some in the neighbourhood of
Cracow. Poland, notwithstanding its defective
husbandry, :vet, owing to the fertility of its soil,
and tho rofuitirity of its climate, produces some ex-
cellent wheat ; for, in whiter, the crop is corn;
pletely covered for several weeks with snow, which
is much better for the plant, than constant rains,'
or alternate fall.; of snow and thaws, so usual in
Great Britain. • . _ _

Poland is celebrated for its timber ; and it is a
mst~im there, that though the planting of an ash in a
seedling state, may be practised, because that tree is
provided by nature with numerous fibrous roots, and
consequently suffers but little from its removal, yet
that the oak, the birch, and all the pine tribe should
be raised from seed sown in the very ground where
the trees are to be raised.

An experiment was tried with trees raised on the
same ground, partly from seed sown, and partly
from seedlings transplanted, when it was proved
that the trees raised from the seed, were greatly
superior.
There are several trees peculiar to Poland, which
ought to be propagated in this country ; in parti-
cular, the Swirk, a species of fir ; the White Oak
of the Palatinate of Bresk ; and the Polish Maple,
which grcws to a great size.
Another valuable production of Poland is honey,'
which the bees obtain from a species of limetree found
in Lithuania, and in some provinces of Russia, and
called there the Linden. The bees extract some
food from even the leaves of the Linden ; but it is
in the blossom of the tree that they find the matter
which produces that pure, white, and highly-
flavoured honey so peculiarly valuable. For collect-
ing it, the bees are restricted to a period of three
days ; it having been ascertained that, at the end
of that time, the valuable saccharine matter in the
blossoms is most commonly exhausted ; and, in-
deed, it sometimes happen, if black weather sets
in at the time when the blossoms appear, that none
of that superior saccharine matter can he obtained.
The delicious liquor made from it is called in Rus-
sian Leepclz. It is said to possess this great pro-
perty, that no person who drinks that liquor is
troubled with the gout. Nothing can surpass the
honey itself for taste or flavour.
The linden tree grows in all good soils, but de-
lights in clay. Its cultivation is certainly too much
neglected in Britain, which is the more to be re-
gretted, as it is a quick grower, in addition to its
valuable property of producing such excellent
honey.

CHARACTER OT TEE POLLS.
This subject may be discussed under four heads
1. The rich nobles ; 2. The inferior gentry; 3.
The peasants; and 4. The Jews, who form a nu-
merous and distinct body of the people.
1. Among the rich nobility of Poland there are
many individuals of high character, more especially
those who have •isited foreign countries, or been
educated abroad. But those who have lived at

home are in general not equally respectable or in-
telligent, having a high opinion of themselves—
delighting in their hereditary privileges, by which
they are enabled to tyrannize over their vassals—
and attached to an elective monarchy, for the sake
of the corruption so usual at such elections. The
women are remarkably handsome and accomplished,
but are said to be sometimes so incorrect in their
conduct, that divorces were not uncommon.
2. The inferior gentry are, in many particulars,
respectable. They have a warlike spirit; but prefer
the cavalry to the foot service. The champaign
nature of their country renders horse necessary, to
a considerable extent, for its defence ; but the in-
fantry has now become, for real strength, greatly
preferable. Son:e of this class keep post-houses,
and receive the money for the horses, but their
wives are paid for the victuals or entertainment.—
In order to insure a welcome reception, it is neces-
sary to give the landlord a glass of wine, and a cup
of tea or coffee to the landlady. I found only one
landlord who spoke Latin, which was formerly so
prevalent in that country. One postilion com-
plained, in that language, that the via est magna,
et ia m maxima.
3. The lower orders are a poor, oppressed, and
miserable set of slaves, working for bread only, and'
hardly allowed that by their lordly masters. It is
no wonder that Poland is weak, considering the
distressed state of the peasantry ; for hew can they
be brave, that have nothing to fight for, and are
very ill paid for their labour when they receive
wages.
4. The Jews are in immense numbers ; and
notwithstanding the risk of exciting the avarice
of the Poles, the women are accustomed to wear
many pearls and rich dresses on Clerk Sabbath.
1 found them in every pert of Potent'. I visited, and
every where equally abundant.
In regard to the general character of the nation,
the roles are much inclined to litigation; and
shougli their tribunals are saki to be both partial
and ignorant, and they hr.ve hardly any laws of
their own, but are obliged :o depend on the enact-
ments of the Roman civil law, yet they are perpe-
tually engaged in law-suits, and often ruin one
another by them. This, joineJ to their rivalahip
at the election of Nuncios, old lieledit:,:y feuds,
national pride, and disputes at the election of their
kings, while that miserable system continued. ren- ,
dered them rerfectly disunited, and incapable of
exertion. Hence, though they were accustomed
to talk as highly as ever, of the necessity of main-
taining the Polish laws,— of preserving the liber-
ties of Poland,—and of upholding the power and
character of the Polish nation, yet the stamina of
the country was gone, and a spirit of selfishness
prevailed, vi hich no country, however rich or
powerful, or however happily situated, can lung
withstand.

I felt a great curiosity to attend a Polish Diet ;
and fortunately arrived at Warsaw when one was
held there.

There is hardly any resemblance between the
Polish Diet and the EI)7!:. b Parliament, at least at

present. It might have been otherwise, when the
English Parliament assembled at the Diet in 1786,
in the King's palace.
The senators were not hereditary, but only
elected for life, even the lay members. Nor
could the number of senators be increased by the
King, as the House of Peers may be in England.
The Ministers of the Crown, by virtue of their
office, were senators.
The number of electors, or nobles, in Poland,
in 1786, notwithstanding the dismemberment,
amounted to about 160,000.
The two Houses sometimes deliberated together,
as was the case in Scotland. Indeed there was a
gt eater resemblance between the Polish and the
Scotch, than the English Parliament.
About two-thirds of the Nuncios wore the Polish
dress, which is manly and becoming, and pecu-
liarly calculated for cavalry, as the Highland dress
is for infantry.
The government was entirely feudal, with this
additional disadvantage, that it was a union of two
feudal kingdoms; and consequently there were
double officers of state, as two grand marshals,
one for Poland, and the other for Lithuania, &c.
This word Grand has contributed much to make
Poland little. There were so many grand mar-
shals, grand constables, &c. that the nobility
thought of nothing but carrying on the intrigues
by which those high-sounding titles were acquired.
Hence, little attention was paid to the public in-
terest; and the King, it was said, was almost the
only real patriot in the country.
When I attended the Diet, I observed, that each
of the four Grand Constables had a long and pow-
erful baton. When the Diet assembled in a hall,
if any disorder arose, they beat the floor with those
batons so violently, that no man could hear his
nearest neighbour, which soon compelled silence.
But when the Diet assembled in the fields, it is said,
that two of these grand constables went with their
batons, and knocked down any refractory member.
POPULATION AND ROADS.
The population of Poland, according to Cox, was
about nine millions ; but I was assured, by a very
intelligentNuncio,that it scarcely amounted to eight
millions.
The roads (if they could be called such), were
miserable ; and over any little rivulet or morass,
there were trifling little timber bridges, the access
to which was made with small branches and rotten
wood. The roads were so execrable, that I could
hardly make above fifteen miles during an entire
day and night, though dragged on by eight tolerably
good horses. When the nobility travelled, they
were generally accompanied by a hussar; and, when
it became dark, they used flambeaux.
MODE OP LIVING.
Nothing could exceed the splendid style of liv-
ing at Warsaw among the higher ranks. They
had French cooks and Italian confectioners, and
spared no expence in getting the best provisions of
all descriptions. The Tokay wine, in particular,
was of a superior quality. they were enabled to
secure the best sorts, as Cracow was the great en-
trepot for the sale of that celebrated liquor. In
passing through that city, in my way to Vienna, I
resolved to visit the cellars of Monsieur Barszdt,
who was the most celebrated dealer in that article,
and supplied the Comte d'Artois with it in consi-
derable quantities. His best was nearly 40 years
old, and 70 bottles of it cost 130 ducats, besides
all the charges from Cracow to Danzic, and thence
to Paris, or London. It was kept in hogsheads,
' and half hogsheads, until it was fit to be used.
What made it so dear was, the quantity of wine it
required to keep the hogshead always full, which
they call nourishing it. It is advantageous buying
it in casks, as the lees of the Hungary, gives the
white Bourdeaux wine the same flavour. It never
answers to have Tokay mixed with water.
=PARTYS! PROD WARSAW.
I left Warsaw on the 10th of October, with great
regret. Nothing but the long journey I had in
prospect, and the temptation, at that season of the
year, of the finest possible weather for travelling,
could have induced me to leave so delightful a place,
and to pay it so short a visit. In the course of a
long journey of 7500 miles, I no more met with a
more agreeable society, or more splendid entertain-
ments, nor did I see any where, a greater number
of men, distinguished for their figure, spirit, and
intelligence, nor of women, more justly celebrated
for beauty, elegance, and vivacity.
JOURNEY ram waaaaw TO VIENNA.
I entered Austrian Poland on the 14th of Oc-
tober, 1786. The custom-house officers acted their
parts with much civility. My foreign servant, who
knew how to manage those matters, having fre-
quent! travelled on the Continent, placed, with a
significant sign, the usual perquisites under a can-
dlestick in the, room where we met ; and after my
trunk had gone through a slight examination, no
farther trouble was given. At the entrance into
Vienna, however, the examination was much
stricter ; and they searched the very pockets of the
servants.
In all countries travellers should be put to as few
inconveniences as possible on these occasions. In
fact, it is rather to satisfy the curiosity or avarice
of custom-house officers, than for any chance of
public gain, that a rigorous examination is per-
mitted.

I found, on ray arrival in Austrian Poland, that
great improvements had been carried on in that
country. There were more good roads in the Em-
Feror's Polish provinces, than in all the rest of Po-
land put together. The inns were more commo-
dious, and better served; and the people were more
industrious than in the neighbouring Polish districts.
They had flax, hemp, potatoes, and cabbages, in
great abundance, and produced even in the fields.
In short, every thing denoted a better police, and a
superior government.
From Warsaw to Vienna was a journey of seven
day. On the road I crossed a branch of the Car-
pathian mountains, which, even at that season of
the year (tbout the middle of October), 1 found
whitened with snow.

WET DOCK, AT NEWCASTLE-UPON-TTNE.
A subse:iption is in progress at Newcastle-upon-
Tyne, under the special sanction of the Chamber
of Commerce of that Town, for the purpose of ob-
taining the report of an Engineer of eminence in
the expediency of constructing a Wet-Dock in
Sandgate, for the greater accommodation of ship-
ping frequenting that port. The project, which
certainly seems calculated to give considerable fa-
cilities to the shippin,.; interests, is supported by
the Corporation, the Members for the Town, &c.
I Mr. GEORGE STRAKEIt, one of the Members of
the Chamber of Commerce, has the merit of
nating the measure.