14 M. Beudant's Travels in Hungary. 



them, would be formed by an exposition of their actions. To 

 get a just notion of the genius of the nation, we should con- 

 sider them as exhibited at different periods. For eighteen 

 successive centuries, they had to resist the united attacks of 

 foreign or neighbouring nations ; their resolution and firmness 

 appear in numberless wars, and they uniformly preserved the 

 same spirit. Their military occupation, during perpetual wars, 

 gave birth to an anomalous character, which their history, in 

 its various stages and incidents, best describes. 



The conclusion of their wars with the adjacent nations, the 

 establishment of peace, and their reconciliation with Austria, 

 gave another turn to the pursuits of the nation and the spirit 

 of its government. We then take a political survey of them, 

 as emerging from barbarism and a degraded state of humanity, 

 as framing laws and assuming some diversities of character, 

 when the general face of their country had become serene, 

 delivered from the storms and convulsions which had agitated 

 or destroyed it. The forms of their government are monar- 

 chical, and their institutions feudal ; they are, however, no 

 longer in a state of slavery or comparative misery, but enjoy 

 such blessings as the country affords. In the general economy 

 and order of their domestic polity, their privileges are many 

 and great. 



In surveying modern times and more recent objects, the 

 immense variety of natural productions offers reflections, de- 

 scriptive of the country, and conduces to set it in its true light. 

 Their gold mines, the only such in Europe ; their iron mines, 

 resembling those of Sweden ; their copper mines, opals, and 

 certain lands that apparently exhibit, in their composition, 

 phenomena, the peculiar produce of this country : these, with 

 their beautiful plains and fruitful valleys, with their rich soils, 

 woods, and forests, yielding plenty and variety of fruits and 

 game, give importance and value to the subject, and render 

 it interesting to the naturalist, the philosopher, and to readers 

 in general. 



Hungary, notwithstanding, in its various relations, is one of 

 those countries with which we have the least acquaintance. 

 Its situation, at one extremity of Europe, in part surrounded 

 by nations not the most civilized, communicating but little with 

 such as are, it seems to have been so shut up, that the curi- 

 osity of travellers has been seldom attracted to it. More than 

 a century has elapsed since its interior has enjoyed perfect 

 tranquillity, and a free communication with the rest of Europe ; 

 yet the Hungarians have made few observations to surprise, 

 enrich, or invigorate science or art, though they have the re- 

 quisite materials within their power. 



