The article describes the town of Korsun on the Russian River, named for one of the most ancient castles in Russia, which was incorporated into the Polish crown after the Union of Lublin. Also mentioned is Prince Stanislaw Poniatowski, who founded a dance school for rural youth in Korsun. (Source: Tygodnik Illustrowany, Warsaw 1862, T:5, p. 258., after: Digital Library of the University of Łódź).

A modernised reading of the text

Korsuń

This town, situated on the Russian River, once part of the Kyiv province, now lies in the Kyiv governorate of that name, in the Kyiv district, south-west of Kyiv, at a distance of 20 Polish miles. It is one of the most ancient towns in Rus. In the 12th century the Ruthenian chronicles mention that it was attacked and demolished by the Polovtsians. In 1320, Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, incorporated it into his state. Then, after the Union of Lublin between the Crown and Lithuania, it was annexed to the Polish Crown. It is remembered in our history for the defeat suffered here by the Polish army in 1618 during the uprising of Bohdan Khmelnytsky.

However, this battle did not take place near Korsun, but a few miles from the town, towards the Bohuslav road. In the market square of this town in 1661. 1661 Jan Wyhowski, Voivode of Kyiv, Hetman of Zaporozhian army, was executed by order of Czarniecki. Later, in 1702, Samuś and Palej, having revolted the populace, caused a great slaughter here. The town is also remembered for the visit of Stanislaus Augustus in 1787, on his return from Kaniów, and for seeing the Austrian Emperor Joseph II on his way from Kherson.

From the inspection reports, we can see that at the beginning of the 17th century, Korsuñ was owned by Jan Danilewicz, Voivode of Ruthenia, and a hundred years later Roch Jab³onowski, Castellan of Wi¶lica, was the owner of the starosty. In 1780, Kasper Rogaliński, Voivode of Livonia, the emphyteutic holder of the starosty, surrendered his rights to the king's son-in-law, Prince Stanislaw Poniatowski, who kept substantial herds of horses here and established a dance school for rural youth of both sexes. It is at this time that the story of "Kohort", so beautifully sketched by Wincenty Pol, falls.

Today, Korsun is owned by Prince Lopukhin, who built an ornate palace on the islands in the Rosi River and beautified the already picturesque town. If any traveller visits Ukraine, we urge him to visit Korsun as well. It is not often that you will find such places across the border, even in the areas most famous for their views. They are not on the scale of Moshniansky Park, they are small, perhaps even too decorated, but nevertheless beautiful.

The view we give here, although faithful to small details, does not, however, give a complete idea of the charm of this village. It would be necessary to go down to the details and give a few of them in order to get an idea of the whole.