COMMONWEALTH OF, a society ludicrously so called, which was founded in Poland in the reign of Sigismund Augustus, in the 16th century. It took its rise from a set of gentlemen, inhabitants of Lublin, who had agreed to meet at a place called Babina, merely for the purposes of mirth and jollity. In time their number increased, and they formed themselves into a regular government, under the presidency of a king, senate, and chief magistrate. The magistrates were elected from something which appeared ridiculous in the character or conduct of any of the members. For instance, if any person was meddling or officious, he was immediately created an archbishop; a blundering or disputatious member was promoted to the speaker's chair; a boaster of his own courage, and vain-glorious Thraso, was honoured with the commission of generalissimo, which was presented him with great ceremony by the subordinate heroes. Those who declined the office for which they were declared qualified were persecuted with hissings, and abandoned by the society. Thus every vice and every foible was attacked with ridicule; and Babina became in a short time the terror, the admiration, and the reformer of the Polish nation: genius flourished, wit was cultivated, and the abuses which had crept into government and society were corrected by the judicious application of good-humoured satire. Never did any institution of this nature become so general or so useful; but at length it degenerated into a set of buffoons, and banterers of every thing sacred or profane. For several years it was patronized by the kings of Poland, and Sigismund himself became a member; the starosta of Babina telling him jocularly, that "his majesty had certain qualities which entitled him to the first dignity in the commonwealth." Not the least remnant of the society now remains, though it was honoured with extraordinary privileges by kings and emperors.