Ignacy Krasicki, a Polish prelate, surnamed the Voltaire of Poland, born at Dubiecko, Ga-licia, Feb. 3, 1734, died in Berlin, March 14, 1801. His ancestors had been renowned as scholars and warriors. He completed his ecclesiastical studies in Rome, and after having been a canon and curate he was promoted in 1767 to the see of Ermeland; this was annexed to Prussia in 1772, and he became a favorite of Frederick the Great. The Roman Catholic Hedwigskirche was built in Berlin under his influence, and he consecrated it in 1780. In 1795 he was made archbishop of Gnesen, to which town his remains were removed in 1829 from their first burial place in the Hedwigskirche. His Myszeis ("Mousiad "), a comic poem illustrating the story in Kadlubek's chronicle of King Popiel devoured by rats and mice (Warsaw, 1775; Leipsic, 1790), and his "Adventures of Doswiadezynski" (1775), suggesting educational reforms, have been translated into French. His Monomachia (" War of Monks," 1778) has been compared to the writings of Boileau, and was at the request of Frederick composed in the room which Voltaire had occupied at Sans-Souci. His Anti-Monomachia is a vindication and not a refutation of the previous work.

Among his most admired productions are his " Satires " (1778) and his " Fables," which latter are unique, though not all original, and have been repeatedly translated into French. His Woyna chocimska ("War of Khotin," 1780) is a historical epic; and his Pan Podstoli ("Mr. Sub-Chamberlain") satirizes the follies and vagaries of his countrymen. He also made an exquisite free translation into Polish of Ossian (1780). His complete works were edited by Domchowski (10 vols., Warsaw, 1803-'4; new eds., Paris, 1830, and Berlin, 1845).