[Pan. As this is the first instance of using in this translation a Polish title of respect, it is the best place to explain it and its congeners. “Pan” signifies lord or master, and is equivalent to the English “Mr.” before a proper name. It is also the respectful form of address, with the third person of the verb, to men not intimate with the speaker. The feminine Pani, or Madam, is the title of married ladies, and Panna of the unmarried, but the use of the latter is only permissible with the name. Pani is the title of address to all ladies alike.] —M. A. B.
In respect to the word Wojski I am compelled to retain the original, there being no real equivalent in any other language. Tribune would be too exclusively suggestive of ancient Rome, or at least of “the last of the Tribunes.” ↩
That is, the first insurrection in 1791, under the leadership of Kosciuszko. ↩
The Chamberlain (original Podkomorzy) was formerly a distinguished and powerful official (princeps nobilitatis); under the Russian Government merely a titular officer. He still occasionally judges disputes concerning boundaries, but has latterly lost even that portion of jurisdiction. He occasionally stands in the place of a Marshal, and appoints the komorniki, or land-surveyors. The office was formerly the highest in the Palatinate. ↩
The original is Podkomorstwo, one of those comprehensive collective nouns common in Polish, but only to be rendered by their separate elements in other languages. ↩
The original is kontusz, the outer garment of the ancient Polish costume, a sort of loose frock or coat, falling below the knees, and secured by a girdle round the waist. The effect was remarkably picturesque and graceful. I have thought it on the whole best to preserve the original word, as also the native term of zupan for a similar inner garment, and others descriptive of costume for which no precise English equivalent exists. ↩
A native proverb, “Panskie oko konia tuczy.” ↩
The Wozny (in English summoner; sompnour of Chaucer) was chosen by a tribunal, or by a judicial decree of the resident nobility. He carried summonses, proclaimed intromissions, performed coroners’ inquests, summoned the parties into court, etc. This office was commonly discharged by the lesser nobility. ↩
Lit. “half goat.” ↩
This passage frequently recurs in the same connection throughout the poem, and well expresses an idea of the regular and methodical proceedings at meals in the Judge’s house. ↩
Cholodziec, a derivative of chlod, chlodny = cool, is a dish made partly of beetroot leaves, but chiefly of cream and fruit, congealed and frozen. —E. S. N. ↩
Podkomorzy’s, or Chamberlain’s, daughter. ↩
Palatine and Senator. ↩
A Tartar horde which overran Russia and the adjacent regions in the fifteenth century, after the expulsion of the Golden Horde. ↩
“Quem Deus vult perdere prius dementat.” ↩
A title of honour, meaning son of an under-butler. See note 7. ↩
It is well known that the lesser birds, especially swallows, pursue those of the hawk kind tumultuously. Hence the proverb, “to fly as though after a kite.” [This line is translated a little freely, for the sake of being more intelligible.] ↩
Niemczysko: the terminations isko and ysko have an augmentative and vilifying import, as accio in Italian. The Polish language is equally rich in diminutive and augmentative forms. ↩
Plica Polonica (koltun) the terrible disease of the hair common among some lowest classes of the Poles and Silesians. The whole mass exudes a sticky liquid, which afterwards hardens into a solid crust, and then drops off altogether. ↩
In the eighteenth century a great rage for French customs and French fashions prevailed throughout Poland, to the detriment of national habits and language. Between 1780 and 1790 there was a period of strong reaction, and revival of national thought and feeling. ↩
The original passage is made ludicrous by the very unPolish character of the words used. The originals, reformowac, cywilizowac, and konstytuowac, are even more ridiculous than reformate and constitutionise in English. ↩
A drink like whisky, made from rye. ↩
Pelisse. We have seen this ungallant saying quoted elsewhere as a known Russian proverb. ↩
A multitude of stories were current among the common people in Russia concerning the sorceries practised by Napoleon and Suwarow.
[Mickiewicz also says, in his Conferences Slaves, vol. II, p. 257:—“Le peuple et les soldats le regardaient (Napoleon) comme sorcier; ils étaient persuadés qu’il avait le pouvoir de changer de forme. On raconte des histoires de plusieurs combats entre le géneral Suwarow et l’empereur Napoleon. L’empereur ayant pris la forme d’un lion, Suwarof se hâta de se faire lion. Alors Napoleon se changea en aigle. Suwarow pour le combattre voulut prendre la forme d’un aigle à deux têtes, et il en
