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force of recent German invaders, under the com- CHAP. mand of Ariovistus.

THIS second stock of the European population is peculiarly interesting to us, because from its branches not only our own immediate ancestors, but also those of the most celebrated nations of modern Europe, have unquestionably descended. The Anglo-Saxons, Lowland Scotch, Normans, Danes, Norwegians, Swedes, Germans, Dutch, Belgians, Lombards, and Franks, have all sprung from that great fountain of the human race, which we have distinguished by the terms Scythian, German, or Gothic, 12

THE ancient languages of these nations prove

12 Mr. Archdeacon Coxe, in his "Vindication of the Celts," has rebuked many of Mr. Pinkerton's erroneous opinions, unfounded declamation, wrong quotations, and misconstruction and misapplication of several ancient authorities. But amid these faults I have no doubt of the correctness of Mr. Pinkerton's general notion, that the German, Scythian, and Gothic nations were of the same generic family. This is all that I can praise in his Dissertation on the Goths; for the chronology which he attempts to build up, and many of his details, are not only unwarranted, but inconsistent with true history. Mr. Pinkerton and Mr. Whitaker, alike in their angry temperament of mind, and mode of reading, and stating ancient authorities, are in two extremes as to their inferences. The latter strives to make every thing Keltic, the former Scythian. Both are too apt to make their authorities speak rather what they wish, than what they find: they are equally intolerant of any contrary opinion; and though the one abhors and the other accredits Ossian, almost the only point in which they agree is to abuse Mr. Macpherson. Both, however, were men of vigorous minds and extensive reading; and deserve much praise for having devoted so much attention to these uninviting studies. The fire of genius at times burnt with great energy in Mr. Whitaker, and makes us lament that he did not direct it to more congenial themes.

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BOOK their ancient affinity, the contiguous chronology of their first origin, and their common derivation; and afford evidences of these truths, from which every one may satisfy his doubts or his curiosity. We have works still existing in the ancient Gothic 13, and Saxon14, as well as in the Frankish 15 and Icelandic, in which the philologist will easily perceive their mutual relationship. The com

Scythians in Asia.

parison of these with the modern German, Danish, Dutch, Swedish, and Flemish, will equally demonstrate the kinship between the ancient parents and their existing descendants."

THE first appearance of the Scythian tribes in Europe may be placed, according to Strabo and Homer, about the eighth, or, according to Herodo

13 The fragment of the Gospels, in the celebrated Silver MSS. of the Meso-Gothic, printed by Marshall with the Saxon Gospels in 1665, and recently with more splendor and accuracy, preserve a most interesting specimen of the ancient Gothic tongue.

14 The present work will contain many specimens of this language. Wotton's Conspectus contains a copious catalogue of the Anglo-Saxon MSS. that exist.

15 The Franco-Theotisc versified harmony of the four evangelists, by Otfrid, and several other specimens of this language of the ancient Franks, are published with a glossary valuable to a certain extent, but which is capable of much improvement, in Schilter's Thesaurus.

16 Many of the Icelandic sagas have been published by the northern literati, with Latin translations. I have accustomed myself to rely on the accuracy of these versions, but some passages of Mr. Thorkelin's late translation of Beowulf, lead me to recommend to the student an acquaintance with the original language. Peringskiold's catalogue of the sagas is printed in the pars altera of Hicke's Thesaurus.

17 The continental writers have not so clearly distinguished the Keltic and Gothic nations as our own authors have done, but most frequently confuse the two races.

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tus, in the seventh century before the Christian CHA P. æra.18 Herodotus likewise states, that the Scythians declared their nation to be more recent than any other, and that they reckoned only one thousand years between Targitaos, their first king, and the aggression of Darius. The first scenes of their civil existence, and of their progressive power, were in Asia, to the east of the Araxes. Here they multiplied and extended their territorial limits, for some centuries, unknown to Europe. Their general appellation among themselves was Scoloti, but the Greeks called them Scythians 19, Scuthoi or Nomades.

To this judicious and probable account of Herodotus, we add the information collected by Diodorus. He says, that the Scythians, formerly inconsiderable and few, possessed a narrow region on the Araxes; but, by degrees, they became more powerful in numbers and in courage. They extended their boundaries on all sides; till at last they raised their nation to great empire and glory.20 ONE of their kings becoming valiant and skilful

18 See before, p. 24.

19 Herod. Melp. s. 5.7.6.11. The wars of the Scythians before this period must have been with their Asiatic neighbours; but I think there is no credit to be given to the system of an ancient great or universal Scythic empire. The passage in Justin, which seems to warrant it, and for which I have, no great respect, does not appear to me to be a sufficient foundation for it. His period of 1500 years I believe to be fabulous: and am much inclined to the supposition that xv has been confounded in the MS. of Justin for xv; and that, in consequence, fifteen hundred has been read instead of fifteen. The supposition of one great and early Scythian empire seems to me to have no foundation. See Vindic. of the Celts, p. 14.

20 Diod. Siculus, p. 127.

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BOOK in the art of war, they added to their territory the mountainous regions about Caucasus, and also the plains towards the ocean, and the Palus Mæotis, with the other regions near the Tanais. In the course of time they subdued many nations, between the Caspian and the Mæotis, and beyond the Tanais. Thus, according to Diodorus, the nation increased, and had kings worthy of remembrance. The Sakai, the Massagetai, and the Arimaspoi, drew their origin from them. 21

Scythians enter Eu

rope.

Ant. Chr.

Wars

THE Massagetai seem to have been the most eastern branch of the Scythian nation. arising between them and the other Scythic tribes, an emigration from the latter took place, according to the account which Herodotus selects, as in his opinion the most authentic", which accasioned their entrance into Europe. Such feuds and wars have contributed, more than any other cause, to disperse through the world its uncivilised inhabitants.

THE emigrating Scythians crossed the Araxes, passed out of Asia, and, invading the Kimme600-700 rians, suddenly appeared in Europe, in the seventh century before the Christian æra. Part of the Kimmerians flying into Asia Minor, some of the Scythian hordes pursued them; but, turning in a direction different from that which the Kimmerians traversed, they missed their intended prey, and fell unintentionally upon the Medes. They defeated the Medes, pressed on towards Egypt, and governed those parts of Asia for twenty-eight

21 Diod. Siculus, p. 127.
22 Herod. Melpom. s. 11.

years, till Cyaxares, the king of Media, at last CHAP. expelled them.23

THE Scythian tribes however continued to flock into Europe; and, in the reign of Darius, their European colonies were sufficiently numerous and celebrated to excite the ambition of the Persian monarch, after his capture of Babylon; but all his efforts against them failed." In the time of Herodotus, they had gained an important footing in Europe. They seem to have spread into it, from the Tanais to the Danube, and to have then taken a westerly direction; but their kindred colonies, in Thrace, had extended also to the south. Their most northward ramification in Europe was the tribe of the Roxolani, who dwelt above the Borysthenes, the modern Dnieper."

Ir would be impertinent to the great subject of this history, to engage in a minuter discussion of the Scythian tribes. They have become better known to us, in recent periods, under the name of Getæ and Goths", the most celebrated of their branches.

23 Herod. Clio, s. 15. 103-106. It was at this period that Idanthyrgus the Scythian king overran Asia as far as Egypt, Strabo, 1007. At this time also occurred the expedition of Maduos their king, Strabo, 106.

24 Herod. Melpom.

25 Ibid. Melp. s. 47—57.

26 Strabo says, "Above the Borysthenes dwell the last of the known Scuthoi, the Roxolanoi. The parts beyond them are uninhabitable from the cold," 175. He repeats this again. "If any live above the Roxolanoi we know not. They are the most northern, and inhabit the places between the Tanais, (the Don,) and the Borysthenes, p. 470.

27 That the Geta were Goths cannot be doubted. The Getæ were the same as the Daci, or as they were more anciently called, Davi. Hence the Greek terms for slaves in their come

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