Travels to England by Krystyna Lacha Szyrma and Karol Kazimierz Sienkiewicz

The Rambler library also contains two extraordinary travelogues from England – the notes of Karol Sienkiewicz and Krystyn Lach-Szyrma. These are not only fascinating images of 19th-century Britain, but also evidence of delight, reflection and comparisons with Poland of that time.

Travel to Great Britain was an important element of the intellectual experience of many Polish thinkers and writers of the 19th century. Of particular interest are the accounts of Krystyn Lach Szyrma and Karol Kazimierz Sienkiewicz, who visited England and Scotland at the beginning of the 19th century, leaving behind valuable testimonies of those times.

Krystyn Lach Szyrma – English inspiration

Krystyn Lach Szyrma (born December 17, 1790 in Wojnasy, died April 21, 1866 in Devonport) was a Polish philosopher, writer, and publicist. He came from a peasant family bearing the surname Lach, and his father, Adam Lach, converted to Lutheranism. With the support of pastor J. F. Schrage, in 1804 he began his education in Königsberg, and then studied at the University of Vilnius, where he graduated in philosophy in 1813.

Lach Szyrma visited Great Britain in 1820–1821. During his stay, he attended lectures at the University of Edinburgh, which influenced his interest in philosophy and social sciences. In 1823, in Edinburgh, he published Letters Literary and Political on Poland , which was the first attempt to present Polish culture to an English-speaking audience. His experiences were also reflected in the book England and Scotland. Reminders from a Journey ( 1828). There, he described the everyday life of its inhabitants, the educational system, the development of industry, and the political debate. He particularly emphasized the role of freedom and the constitutional system of England as a model for Poland. The next edition of Lach Szyrma's book was not published until 1981 by the State Publishing Institute, with an afterword and footnotes by Paweł Hertz.

During the November Uprising Lach Szyrma went to England again, where he sought support for the Polish cause. His later life was connected with emigration and literary work in Devonport, where he died in 1866.

Karol Kazimierz Sienkiewicz – traveler and culture researcher

Karol Kazimierz Sienkiewicz (born January 20, 1793 in Kalinówka, died February 7, 1860 in Paris) was a Polish poet, translator, historian, and publicist. He came from a noble family of the Sieniuta coat of arms. He was educated by the Basilians in Uman, and then in schools in Vinnytsia and at the Volyn Lyceum in Krzemieniec. As a young man, he was interested in literature and journalism, engaging in the activities of the Society of Young Men of the Volyn Gymnasium Educated in Proper Speaking and Writing.

Sienkiewicz travelled to England in 1820–1821 as part of his educational pilgrimage across Europe. He was interested in the organisation of libraries and British culture and literature. His observations were recorded in Dziennik podróż po Anglia 1820–1821 , published only in the 20th century. According to Andrzej Horodyski, nothing was known about the existence of this text until 1948, when it was proposed to purchase the manuscript by the National Library. The first edition was published in 1953, the second in 2007.

Sienkiewicz drew attention to the social organization of England, emphasizing the strong position of the bourgeoisie and the parliamentary system. In his notes, he described everyday life in London, the functioning of the press, and the development of education. He was also fascinated by the work of English poets and playwrights, which was reflected in his later translations of the works of Walter Scott and John Dryden.

After returning to Poland, Sienkiewicz became the guardian of the Czartoryski Library in Puławy. After the November Uprising, he emigrated to France, where he became an important activist of the Hotel Lambert and co-founded the Polish Library in Paris. He died in 1860, leaving behind a rich literary and journalistic legacy.

The influence of travel on their work

Travels to England were of great importance to both writers. Lach Szyrma, fascinated by the British political model, emphasized the importance of freedom and self-government. Sienkiewicz, on the other hand, focused on culture and literature, contributing to the popularization of English poetry in Poland.

Their accounts provide valuable evidence of 19th-century Britain seen through Polish eyes. Their works gave Polish audiences the opportunity to better understand the culture, political system and social realities of England at that time.