Naruscewicz, the celebrated historian, occupies also a
distinguished rank as a poet. He translated Anacreon and some of
Horace's odes; but wrote still more original pieces, odes, pastorals,
epigrams, satires, and a tragedy entitled 'Guido.'
The most distinguished poet under Stanislaus Augustus was count
Ignatius Krasicki, bishop of Ermeland or Warmla, and later of Gnesen,
the Polish Voltaire. His principal works are an epic under the title
of _Woyna, Chocimska_ or 'War of Chocim,' and three comic epics, one
of which, _Monachomachia_, ridicules the monkish system and exhibits
its absurdity in strong colours. He wrote this poem at the suggestion
of Frederic the Great, to whose _coterie_ of literary friends he
belonged. His great heroic epic is considered by his countrymen as a
standard work; while foreigners look at it as a valuable historical
poem indeed, but as utterly deficient in true epic power and original
invention. His smaller poems and prose writings are replete with wit
and spirit; to see a bishop writing erotic songs and satirical
epigrams was nothing extraordinary in his time. As a prose writer be
appears as one of the few who were not blind to the defects and
follies of their countrymen. Of his translations we mention
Macpherson's Ossian and Plutarch.
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