"The inspiration of poetry was beyond words or description". A feast at Januszkiewicz's and lectures at the Collège de France among Parisian curiosities in the diary of Franciszek Salezego Gawroński

Abstract

Franciszek Salezy Gawroński (1787-1871) was a Napoleonic soldier, politician, social activist and diarist. Of particular importance in his oeuvre is his previously unpublished memoir written during his travels across Europe in the years 1839-1841. This work, written in a highly individual style, is clearly different from other non-fiction works written in the Romantic era - which is why it deserves special attention.  The article consists of two parts. In the first, I present the most important information about the author of the diary and generally characterise the content of this work. In the second part I present a fragment of the diary written during his stay in Paris. At that time Gawroński met with many representatives of the Polish emigration (including Adam Mickiewicz, Adam Jerzy Czartoryski and General Henryk Dembiński) and took part in important events in the Polish community.