POSEN, one of the provinces of the kingdom of Prussia. It was formerly a part of Poland, but by the several partitions of that distracted country, and by the treaty of Vienna in the year 1815, has been guaranteed to Prussia. It is bounded on the north by west Prussia, on the east by Russian Poland, on the south by Silesia, and on the west by Brandenburg. It extends in north latitude from 5l ’ 10' to 53° 27', and in east longitude from 15° 2' to 18° 33', and comprehends 12,836 square miles. It is generally a plain, with few elevations or even undulations. It consists for the most part of a sandy soil, though some of the marshy parts, when drained, form most excellent meadows for fattening cattle, and for the dairy. The chief product of the soil, as well as the chief food of the inhabitants, is rye, of which about ten times as much is grown as of wheat. Barley is to rye as four to ten, and oats as three to ten; thus the rye crops exceed the whole of the other. The agriculture was in a miserable state till the possession of the country was secured to Prussia by the treaty of Vienna, under the tranquillity and security created by which, it has been making surprisingly rapid improvement. Between 1802 and 1815, the stock of cattle had diminished; the cows, sheep, and horses being about one-third less in the latter than in the former year. Since 1815, an augmentation has again taken place, and the stock of that description in 1832, was found to have more than doubled. Many of the marshes had been drained and converted into excellent pasture, especially an extensive tract, by the construction of the Bromberg canal, which has improved the soil and formed a good communication through the Vistula with the Baltic sea. The forests, which cover one-twentieth part of the province, are a considerable means of occupation, and a source of wealth. There are few manufactures in the province, and those have been mostly introduced by settlers from Germany since 1815. No part of Europe has shewn such an increase in the number of its inhabitants, as the province of Posen, but especially in the government of Bromberg, which is the northern division of it, in the ten years from 1817 to 1826, both years inclusive. By the census of the former years the government of Bromberg contained 261,368 souls, and that of Posen 579,753; and by that of the latter year Bromberg contained 330,235, and Posen 715,712; thus exhibiting an account by which, at the same rate, the population would be doubled in less than thirty-two years. In 1815 the German inhabitants were estimated at 140,000, and the Jews at 48,000, but it is probable their increase has been greater than that of the Poles, who formed the rest of the population. The religion of the Poles is mostly Catholic, that of the Germans chiefly Protestant. The former have a bishop, under the archbishop of Gnesen, with 581 churches, and several monas-teriesand nunneries, and two ecclesiastical seminaries. The latter have 101 churches, and two public colleges or gymnasiums. The nett revenue furnished by this province to Prussia in 1816, was about L.120,000, one-half arising from the forests, and other national estates, and the remainder from direct taxation. The w hole province is divided into the two governments of Posen and Bromberg, and the former is divided into seventeen circles.

Posen, a city, the capital of the Prussian province of the same name. It stands on a plain on the banks of the river Warthe, and is surrounded with walls, beyond which are some extensive suburbs. Having been burned down in 1803, its buildings are in a more modern style than formerly. It contains a cathedral, and twenty-five other Catholic churches, five monasteries, and four nunneries, a Lutheran, Calvinist, and Greek church, an episcopal palace, and theatre, with about 2500 houses, and 28,000 inhabitants. It has but little other trade beyond what arises from being the seat of the provincial government. The manufactures, though increasing and improving, are still insignificant, and mostly in the hands of the Jews, whose numbers in the city amount to near 5000, and who have a synagogue and some schools. Lat. 52.22. Long. 17. 14. 30. E.