Tekst dotyczy mało znanego przedstawiciela rodu Raczyńskich z przełomu XVIII i XIX wieku, założyciela jego „kurlandzkiej” linii, komandora maltańskiego Wincentego Raczyńskiego. Przedmiotem artykułu jest napisany przez Komandora na prośbę jego kuzyna Atanazego Raczyńskiego (i później przez Atanazego opublikowany) obszerny list, stanowiący swoiste La Confession d’un enfant du siècle. Autor listu uczestniczył w pewnych historycznych wydarzeniach i otarł się o szereg historycznych postaci, dzięki czemu jego epistolarna autobiografia jest interesująca i niepozbawiona pewnego waloru poznawczego. List, w nieistniejącym już oryginale napisany po francusku, przełożony został na język polski i opatrzony komentarzem, a także licznymi przypisami, osadzającymi opisywane wydarzenia i osoby w historycznym kontekście.

Epistolary biography of the commander of the Order of Malta, Wincenty Raczyński (1771–1857) 

The text describes Wincenty Raczyński, a little known member of the Raczyński family who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries, the founder of the “Courland line” of the family, and the commander of the Order of Malta. The subject of the article is a long letter, written by the Commander upon the request of his cousin, Atanazy Raczyński (and later published by him), which was a La Confession d’un enfant du siècle of sorts. The author of the letter participated in some historical events and met a number of historical characters owing to which his epistolary biography is both interesting and of cognitive value. The letter, which does not exist anymore in its original French form, was translated into Polish, with added commentary and a number of annotations putting the people and events described in a historical context.

The text describes Wincenty Raczyński, a little known member of the Raczyński family who lived in the 18th and 19th centuries, the founder of the “Courland line” of the family, and the commander of the Order of Malta. The subject of the article is a long letter, written by the Commander upon the request of his cousin, Atanazy Raczyński (and later published by him), which was a La Confession d’un enfant du siècle of sorts. The author of the letter participated in some historical events and met a number of historical characters owing to which his epistolary biography is both interesting and of cognitive value. The letter, which does not exist anymore in its original French form, was translated into Polish, with added commentary and a number of annotations putting the people and events described in a historical context.