^23Butthemostcasualprovocation，theslightestmotiveofcapriceorconvenience，oftenprovokedthemtoinvolveawholepeopleinanindiscriminatemassacre；andtheruinofsomeflourishingcitieswasexecutedwithsuchunrelentingperseverance，that，accordingtotheirownexpression，horsesmightrun，withoutstumbling，overthegroundwheretheyhadoncestood。ThethreegreatcapitalsofKhorasan，Maru，Neisabour，andHerat，weredestroyedbythearmiesofZingis；andtheexactaccountwhichwastakenoftheslainamountedtofourmillionsthreehundredandforty—seventhousandpersons。^24Timur，orTamerlane，waseducatedinalessbarbarousage，andintheprofessionoftheMahometanreligion；yet，ifAttilaequalledthehostileravagesofTamerlane，^25eithertheTartarortheHunmightdeservetheepithetoftheScourgeofGod。^26
[Footnote22:HerepresentedtotheemperoroftheMogulsthatthefourprovinces，Petcheli，Chantong，Chansi，andLeaotong，whichhealreadypossessed，mightannuallyproduce，underamildadministration，500，000ouncesofsilver，400，000
measuresofrice，and800，000piecesofsilk。Gaubil，Hist。delaDynastiedesMongous，p。58，59。Yelutchousaysuchwasthenameofthemandarinwasawiseandvirtuousminister，whosavedhiscountry，andcivilizedtheconquerors。
Note:Comparethelifeofthisremarkableman，translatedfromtheChinesebyM。AbelRemusat。NouveauxMelangesAsiatiques，t。ii。p。64。—M]
[Footnote23:Particularinstanceswouldbeendless；butthecuriousreadermayconsultthelifeofGengiscan，byPetitdelaCroix，theHistoiredesMongous，andthefifteenthbookoftheHistoryoftheHuns。]