Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
2r0 REGNARD’S JOURNEY TO LAPLAND.
The arfenal is very large, and adorned with feveral beautiful pieces of cannon, but the
great church isa ftructure equally beautiful on account of the height of the roof, and the
elegance of the carpenters’ work. ‘There is in this church a certain hole, into which
the Lutherans threw all the faints and all the ornaments that they found in the Catholic
church ; and, on this account, they call the place hell.
The Catholics have three or four churches, the fervices of which are performed by
Jefuits, Jacobins, Carmelites, and decayed Carmelites; and I was never more furprifed,
than when I firft attended mafs: when the prieft was on the point of raifing the
holt, I was rather informed of the action which he intended to perform by the noife of
the ftrokes which his afliftants gave themfelves, than from the noife of the little bell,
which it was impoffible to hear. Few men are fo religious in appearance, as the Poles ;
they are very {trict obfervers of the fafts ordained by the church. They eat no butter
on meager days, but only linfeed oil. They can take no flefh on Fridays; and there
would be danger of eating it in Maffovia; anda Pole would believe he performed
a meritorious action, if he killed a man im that ftate.
What is alfo remarkable at Dantzic is, the mill with thirty wheels, which produces
a ducat to thecity every hour. ‘There is in the great church a remarkable picture of a
Flemifh painter, who on his way to Rome, was taken by Corfair Turks, and after-
wards retaken by the Chriftians: his name was John of Chéne, from Antwerp. He
has fo well reprefented the laft judgment, that nothing more excellent can be conceived.
T have never feen fuch a finifhed performance ; although it is certain, that juftice of
defign is not to be found throughout every part: it is faid that an elector of Branden-
burg offered fifty thoufand crowns for it. Weafcended to the top of a fpire, from
whence we commanded a view of the whole city, and of the fea, which is half a league
diftant from it. It is nearly of the fame fize with Orleans; but there the houfes are
more crowded together, and there are alfo a much greater number of inhabitants.
As for the ladies, it is neceflary to give them their due. I have never feen in any
country, a greater number of beauties; they are all very fair, and are extremely
agreeable. ‘The wives of Meffrs. Mathias are extremely handfome, and efpecially the
youngeft, who might pafs for a perfect beauty.
We obferved the Polifh dance, which is peculiar. The fervants march before, and
the matters follow ; they do fcarcely any thing elfe, but march.
There are oxen in this country of a prodigious fize; they are brought from Podolia,
_ which belongs to the Turks or from the Ukraine, the beft part of which belongs to
them alfo. This province of the Ukraine is inhabited by the Coflacks. The foil is fo
good, that it is fuflicient to fow feed in it, once in three or four years; that which falls
from the fickle in cutting is fufficient to fow the crop; and thofe who wifh to fow them
a fecond time, gather in the fame manner. ‘There are few finer countries.
We underltood at Dantzic, that M. de Bethune was very much efteemed by the
Poles, and extremely generous. At the election of the prefent King of Poland, not
one general of Lithuania oppofed his coronation ; but the reft wifhed for the Prince of
Lorraine, or that of Neubourg. ‘The Prince of Lorraine married a Princefs Mary,
Dowager Queen of Poland; but he was not fupported by France.
The king, Michael Coribut Wefnowifchy was chofen king, as if it had proceeded
from the vexation of thofe, who could not agree before the eleftion. He received a
penfion of five thoufand livres from the queen for his fubfiftence. He died very oppor-
tunely ; for the Poles were deliberating about his depofition. His funeral obfequies
were performed at the fame time with thofe of King Caflimir, who died at Paris.
z ;’
The
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
