[2] Returning to Poland, Sarbiewski taught rhetoric, philosophy, and theology at Vilnius University from 1626 to 1635, was then made preacher to King Władysław, and was for four years companion in his travels.

He was gifted with remarkable general talent, especially in music and the fine arts, but his chief excellence was as a poet versed in all the metres of the ancients.

His themes are for the most part love and devotion for Christ Crucified, for Our Blessed Lady, or friendship for a noble patron, such as Bishop Łubieński, Cardinal Francesco Barberini, nephew to Urban VIII, and that pontiff himself, whom he hailed as his Maecenas in several odes of exquisite finish.

In Polish may be counted no less than twenty-two versions of the poet; yet, only two of these are in any measure complete, the rest being translations of chosen odes.

The most notable Polish version, embracing almost all the poems, is that of Ludwik Kondratowicz, who also wrote the life of Sarbiewski and translated his letters.

There is also a copy in Polish of all the odes extant in manuscript at Stara Wieś, the work of some few Jesuit fathers of the province of White Russia.

Coxe (Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1848); Specimens of the Polish poets, with notes and observations on the Literature of Poland, by John Bowring (printed for the author, London, 1827).