II。WhentheblackswarmofHungariansfirsthungoverEurope，aboveninehundredyearsaftertheChristianaera，theyweremistakenbyfearandsuperstitionfortheGogandMagogoftheScriptures，thesignsandforerunnersoftheendoftheworld。^17Sincetheintroductionofletters，theyhaveexploredtheirownantiquitieswithastrongandlaudableimpulseofpatrioticcuriosity。^18TheirrationalcriticismcannolongerbeamusedwithavainpedigreeofAttilaandtheHuns；buttheycomplainthattheirprimitiverecordshaveperishedintheTartarwar；thatthetruthorfictionoftheirrusticsongsislongsinceforgotten；andthatthefragmentsofarudechronicle^19
mustbepainfullyreconciledwiththecontemporarythoughforeignintelligenceoftheimperialgeographer。^20MagiaristhenationalandorientaldenominationoftheHungarians；but，amongthetribesofScythia，theyaredistinguishedbytheGreeksundertheproperandpeculiarnameofTurks，asthedescendantsofthatmightypeoplewhohadconqueredandreignedfromChinatotheVolga。ThePannoniancolonypreservedacorrespondenceoftradeandamitywiththeeasternTurksontheconfinesofPersiaandafteraseparationofthreehundredandfiftyyears，themissionariesofthekingofHungarydiscoveredandvisitedtheirancientcountrynearthebanksoftheVolga。TheywerehospitablyentertainedbyapeopleofPagansandSavageswhostillborethenameofHungarians；conversedintheirnativetongue，recollectedatraditionoftheirlong—lostbrethren，andlistenedwithamazementtothemarvelloustaleoftheirnewkingdomandreligion。Thezealofconversionwasanimatedbytheinterestofconsanguinity；andoneofthegreatestoftheirprinceshadformedthegenerous，thoughfruitless，designofreplenishingthesolitudeofPannoniabythisdomesticcolonyfromtheheartofTartary。^21FromthisprimitivecountrytheyweredriventotheWestbythetideofwarandemigration，bytheweightofthemoredistanttribes，whoatthesametimewerefugitivesandconquerors。ReasonorfortunedirectedtheircoursetowardsthefrontiersoftheRomanempire:theyhaltedintheusualstationsalongthebanksofthegreatrivers；andintheterritoriesofMoscow，Kiow，andMoldavia，somevestigeshavebeendiscoveredoftheirtemporaryresidence。Inthislongandvariousperegrination，theycouldnotalwaysescapethedominionofthestronger；andthepurityoftheirbloodwasimprovedorsulliedbythemixtureofaforeignrace:fromamotiveofcompulsion，orchoice，severaltribesoftheChazarswereassociatedtothestandardoftheirancientvassals；introducedtheuseofasecondlanguage；andobtainedbytheirsuperiorrenownthemosthonorableplaceinthefrontofbattle。ThemilitaryforceoftheTurksandtheiralliesmarchedinsevenequalandartificialdivisions；eachdivisionwasformedofthirtythousandeighthundredandfifty—sevenwarriors，andtheproportionofwomen，children，andservants，supposesandrequiresatleastamillionofemigrants。Theirpubliccounselsweredirectedbysevenvayvods，orhereditarychiefs；buttheexperienceofdiscordandweaknessrecommendedthemoresimpleandvigorousadministrationofasingleperson。Thesceptre，whichhadbeendeclinedbythemodestLebedias，wasgrantedtothebirthormeritofAlmusandhissonArpad，andtheauthorityofthesupremekhanoftheChazarsconfirmedtheengagementoftheprinceandpeople；ofthepeopletoobeyhiscommands，oftheprincetoconsulttheirhappinessandglory。
[Footnote17:AbishopofWurtzburghsubmittedhisopiniontoareverendabbot；buthemoregravelydecided，thatGogandMagogwerethespiritualpersecutorsofthechurch；sinceGogsignifiestheroot，theprideoftheHeresiarchs，andMagogwhatcomesfromtheroot，thepropagationoftheirsects。Yetthesemenoncecommandedtherespectofmankind，Fleury，Hist。Eccles。tom。xi。
p。594，&c。]
[Footnote18:Thetwonationalauthors，fromwhomIhavederivedthemosassistance，areGeorgePrayDissertationesandAnnalesveterumHungarorum，&c。，Vindobonae，1775，infolioandStephenKatona，Hist。CriticaDucumetRegumHungariaeStirpisArpadianae，Paestini，1778—1781，5vols。inoctavo。Thefirstembracesalargeandoftenconjecturalspace；thelatter，byhislearning，judgment，andperspicuity，deservesthenameofacriticalhistorian。