CHAPTER VI. Stanislas re-elected.—The Russians enter Poland and proclaim the Elector of Saxony King.-Siege of Dantzig.— Escape of Stanislas from Dantzig.-Stanislas abdicates.Augustus III.-Count Brulh, Prime Minister.-Intrigues of the Czartoryski family.-Frederick the Great invades Saxony. The death of the Empress Elizabeth terminates the War.-Intrigues of Poniatowski and Catharine.-Life, Education, &c. of Poniatowski.-Catharine murders Peter and is proclaimed Empress.-Poniatowski's disappointment. His intrigues.-Factions against Augustus.-Death of Augustus. AFTER the death of Augustus, the Poles turned their eyes towards their ex-king, Stanislas. During his exile, his daughter, Mary Leszczynski, had become queen of France, and the French king (Louis XV.,) interested himself in the election of his father-in-law. But Stanislas had experienced the precariousness of Polish popularity, and felt the influence of Poland's neighbours too keenly, to enter into the lists with very sanguine hopes. "I feel", said he, before his departure from France, "that I shall soon be near my enemies, and far from my friends." His reluctance was combated and overcome by persuasion, and the repeated invitation of the Poles; and he consented to wear the diadem once more. But the intrigues of the late king, to bring in his son as his successor, had not been entirely useless : a considerable party supported his pretensions; Russia was tempted, by the new Elector's promises, to resign all claim to Courland, and to advance his interests, while Austria, glad of an opportunity to become the arbitress of an adjacent state, determined to ensure her client's election, and thwart their rival, France. These two powers took the most careful precautions to intercept Stanislas on his way to Poland; a Russian fleet was cruising on the Baltic, and the authorities of Germany were on the alert to cut off any approach by land. A stratagem readily frustrated this design it was generally announced in France that Stanislas would go by sea, and to add apparent confirmation to the report, the Chevalier de Thianges, who strongly resembled him, embarked at Brest with all the formalities of royalty, and set sail for Dantzig, under his name. In the mean time the real Stanislas, in disguise, accompanied only by one gentleman, took the route through Germany. They travelled under the title of merchants, and eluded the vigilance of all the guards. They reached Warsaw almost on the very eve of the election; the announcement of Stanislas stifled all opposition, and on the 11th of September, 1733, the unanimous suffrages of 60,000 nobles proclaimed him king. But Russia and Austria were not to be easily foiled; the latter threatened, and the former marched an army of 60,000 to enforce its will, and make the deluded Poles feel that independence, once forfeited, is not readily to be redeemed. These barbarian troops plundered as they went; and the armies of the state, which had been so injudiciously decreased during the last reign, amounting now barely to 15,000 undisciplined men, could yield their fellow-subjects no protection; so that the affection even of the Poles was alienated from a king who was obliged to leave them to the mercy of their enemies. The French court endeavoured to oppose the alliance of Turkey and Sweden against that of the Russians and Austrians, but their aid was too distant to be of any service. The consequences were felt indeed for some years in Europe, but the interests of Poland were not one jot advanced by it, such was the overwhelming power of its enemies. Stanislas was again stripped of his ephemeral honours, and took refuge with his nobles in Dantzig, almost the only city in Poland which could stand a siege. The Poles" summoned all their energies" to make a last and desperate resistance; they kept the Russiams at bay on the other side of the Vistula till the legal term of election was nearly expired. It was not till the very last day allowed by law that they could force their passage to Warsaw, and they then assembled a small number of Polish nobles, some of whom were brought in chains, to elect Augustus III. King of Poland. This mockery of royalty over, they marched on Dantzig, where Stanislas was expecting them. This city defended itself with great obstinacy for more than five months. Eight thousand of the assailants perished in one attack; and one part of the entrenchments is still called "the Russian cemetery." But no serviceable aid arrived from France; and Poland was too enfeebled and intimidated to provoke its tyrants still further. Treachery at length led to the surrender of Dantzig; the governor of one of the forts capitulated, and "then," says Stanislas, "the city had my permission to do the same." This town was no longer a safe place of sojourn for the king, who was the principal or almost sole object of the besiegers' vengeance. Further resistance would only serve to involve the Dantzigers still more deeply in trouble; so that Stanislas resolved to leave the city, and advised it then to submit to unavoidable capitulation while it could obtain favourable conditions. He has himself described his hazardous and singular flight*, and the narrative forms a very interesting portion of the works of this royal author. Count Poniatowski, Palatine of Mazovia, who had saved Charles XII. at Pultowa, and served him in Turkey, still adhered to the Swedish monarch's "friend," and he was commissioned to announce the king's design to the citizens. One of the deputies of the city came up to the palatine as he was speaking, and said to him, "What, Sir, do you speak seriously? Are these the true sentiments of the king our master?" "Yes," replied Poniatowski, "I have heard from his *Lettre de Stanislas, Roi de Pologne, à la Reine de France sur son Depart de Dantzig.-See the Works of Stanislas. own lips what I have now the honour to announce to you." "What!" added the deputy, "does the king himself exhort us to submit to the will of a conqueror ?" The palatine answered in the affirmative. "Good God!" exclaimed this man again, "our king leaves us then? What is he going to do with himself?" At this instant he staggered, ceased to speak, and fell dead at the feet of Poniatowski. It was on the night of the 27th of June that Stanislas left Dantzig, in the disguise of a peasant, and succeeded in passing safely beyond the enemy's lines. He was obliged to take shelter in a hut near the banks of the Vistula, from which, on the following morning, he could see the city walls crumbling before the artillery of the Russians. This, said the king to himself, is the reward of my subjects' fidelity. Sta- . nislas, the man of sorrow, and acquainted with grief, who had so often shaken hands with misfortune, was unmanned at the sight, and shed tears. He was afterwards in constant danger of falling into the hands of the Russians and Cossacks, and on one occasion his guides were so terrified that they threatened to leave him to his fate. 66 What, you cowards," said Stanislas, "do you mean to abandon me?" you wish," retorted they," that we should expose ourselves to be hung in ensuring your safety, which is nothing to us?" Hung or not," exclaimed the king, with an affectation of rage, you have no longer any time to deliberate; you have engaged to 66 66 N "Do |