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Protestantism in Poland and Bohemia - James Aitken Wylie

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whatever activity <strong>and</strong> enlightenment of m<strong>in</strong>d yet<br />

existed <strong>in</strong> <strong>Pol<strong>and</strong></strong>. The country had no need of this<br />

additional stimulus: it was already pursu<strong>in</strong>g fast<br />

enough the road to ru<strong>in</strong>. For a century, one disaster<br />

after another had devastated its soil <strong>and</strong> people. Its<br />

limits had been curtailed by the loss of several<br />

prov<strong>in</strong>ces; its population had been dim<strong>in</strong>ished by<br />

the emigration of thous<strong>and</strong>s of Protestants; its<br />

resources had been dra<strong>in</strong>ed by its efforts to quell<br />

revolt with<strong>in</strong> <strong>and</strong> ward off <strong>in</strong>vasion from without;<br />

its <strong>in</strong>telligence had been obscured, <strong>and</strong> well-nigh<br />

ext<strong>in</strong>guished, by those who claimed the exclusive<br />

right to <strong>in</strong>struct its youth; for <strong>in</strong> that l<strong>and</strong> it was a<br />

greater misfortune to be educated than to grow up<br />

untaught. Overspread by torpor, <strong>Pol<strong>and</strong></strong> gave no<br />

signs of life save such as <strong>in</strong>dicate paralysis. Placed<br />

under foreign tutelage, <strong>and</strong> sunk <strong>in</strong> dependence <strong>and</strong><br />

helplessness, if she was cared for by her powerful<br />

protectors, it was as men care for a once noble<br />

palace which they have no thought of rebuild<strong>in</strong>g,<br />

but from whose fallen masses they hope to extract<br />

a column or a topstone that may help to enlarge<br />

<strong>and</strong> embellish their own dwell<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

130

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