. What cool and wary counfel scarce prefumes, • In the field of action. RELIGIOUS and CONTROVERTIAL. Art. 10. A Select Office for the Holy Communion, confifting of oc cafional prayers and meditations, collected out of fuch Author's only as are thought to have excelled in this kind of writing; to which are prefixed, fome Propofitions and two Difcourfes. Wherein are fhewn, the nature, end, and defign of the holy communion; the obligations to frequent it, and the qualifications or preparation neceffary, in order to a due and worthy receiving it: and that the fears and fcruples occafioned by the words of St. Paul, about eating and drinking our own damnation, are groundless. The Communion fervice likewife is bound up with this book, in order to make it complete. 12mo. 1s. 6d. Henderson. The two Difcourfes and the Propofitions which are prefixed to this work, are plain and practical, and though they contain no new or very accurate illuftration of the nature and end of the Holy Sacrament, they are for the moft part rational and confiftent, free from, and tolerably well expofing, many of the foolish and extravagant notions Chriftians have formed about it. The Editor, however, has not been fo judicious in the more effential part of his work. The prayers and meditations which he has collected relative to the office, have a great deal too much of enthusiastical fervour, falfe rapture, and downright fanaticifm. In meditating on the death and fufferings of Chrift, the pious Communicant is to break forth into fuch flights as these. Awake, my Soul, and speedily prepare thy richest facri⚫fice of humble praife. Let us remember every paffage of his love; and be fure that none escape our thanks: let us compaffionate every ftroke of his death; and one by one falute his facred wounds: Bleffed be the bands that wrought fo many miracles; and were barbaroufly pierced with cruel nails: bleffed be the feet that so often travelled for us: and at last were unmercifully fastened to the cross: ⚫bleffed be the head that was crowned with thorns; the head that fo induftrioufly studied our happiness: Bleffed be the heart that was pieced with a fpear; the heart that fo paffionately loved our peace." This manner of enumerating the externals of our Saviour's person, will be allowed to be extremely low and indecent, and is enough really to make a modest perfon afraid, as he reads, left the Author fhould defcend to fuch particularities as the Moravians are noted for delighting to describe, and dwell upon, in their love-feafts. , D. For a confiderable Number of other Articles, we refer to the THE MONTHLY REVIEW, For AUGUST, 1758. The History of the Life and Reign of Philip King of Macedon, the Father of Alexander. By Thomas Leland, D. D. Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. Vol. IId. See our laft. IN N our review of the firft volume of this work, we had oc cafion to regret the fcarcity of our learned Author's obfervations; but we have the pleasure to fee, that his fpirit rifes with his fubject, and as the fcene becomes more active, his reflections are more frequent, and more animated. The first volume opened a distant view of Philip's growing power. It fhewed him paving the way to tyranny and oppreffion, by all the crafty arts of intrigue and diffimulation. It reprefented him purfuing a fyftem of intricate policy, which required all our Hiftorian's judgment and ingenuity, to explain and enliven, by fuitable remarks and illuftrations. In the volume before us, Philip's defigns become more evident, and his enterprizes more daring and extenfive. The boldness of our Author's genius feems rather adapted to themes of this nature, than to thofe of ftill fpeculation. His reflections on the bufy part of Philip's character, are spirited and pertinent; and it must be confeffed, that he has celebrated his atchievements with great force and energy of expreffion. Nevertheless, we muft again take notice, that he has not made a proper diftinétion between true and falfe greatnefs. It would have been a talk not foreign to his fubject, or unworthy of his VOL. XIX. H talents, talents, to have given a fhort definition of each, and to have endeavoured to afcertain their diftinct boundaries. But his admiration of what is grand and ftriking, appears now and then, in fome degree, to have withdrawn his attention from what is juft and moral and though he is always a faithful Historian, he may be fometimes confidered as too favourable a Commen tator. Our Author has hitherto had occafion to give proofs of Philip's political clemency, but we now find that Conqueror practiling the moft inhuman cruelty, without the leaft pretence of juft provocation. The Olynthians having given refuge to two brothers, who were fuppofed to have formed a confpiracy against him, he seized this opportunity of gratifying his ambition; and, upon their refufing to deliver up the accufed, he razed their city to the foundations: a city which for its extraordinary elegance, and delightful fituation, was celebrated through all Greece. The wretched inhabitants, without diftinction, and without regard to condition, fex, or age, were expofed to public auction, and fold to any of the Greeks who were inclined to purchase them. Philip fucceeded in the reduction of this city by bribing Euthycrates and Lafthenes, the Olynthian Commanders, with others, to betray their country. These two principal Traitors were the objects of contempt and deteftation even of the Macedonians. The foldiers,' fays our Hiftorian, were ever infulting, and dealing them liberally the opprobrious names of traiC tors, parricides, and villains. They complained to Philip, and defired his protection: but his anfwer compleated their confufiC on, and plainly fhewed with what abhorrence fuch wretches muft ever expect to be received, even by thofe who have been ferved by their iniquity. "Do not take notice of these rude, "ill-mannered fellows," faid Philip, they are strangers to all civility and good breeding. They call every thing by its proper name." The fate of these men was worthy of their basenefs they were thus expofed to all poffible infult, unprotected and defpifed; and either removed by a violent death, or suffered to languish under difgrace and poverty.' The treatment which thefe vile betrayers of their country met with, verifies the Spanish proverb, that, However we relifh the treason, we abhor the traitor. But we leave the Reader to determine, whether it was politic in Philip to use these wretches with fuch farcaftic feverity. As he meditated further acquifitions, and might again have occafion to employ such like vile inftruments to accomplish his ends, was it not the means to deter others from yielding to his corrupt follicitations? Our Our Hiftorian recounts the commotions which Philip's conquefts raised at Athens, which ended in a refolution to fend ten Ambaffadors to Macedon, to treat of a peace with Philip. On their arrival, fays he, they were introduced to an audience, and, as had been agreed between them, they fpoke in order, according to their ages; all with the ufual attic elegance; but Alchines more copioufly than any of those who preceded him. Demofthenes was the youngest, and confequently the laft to speak. He now ftood before a Prince whom he was confci⚫ous he had frequently spoken of with the greateft feverity, and who he knew, was thoroughly informed of every thing faid or done at Athens. He was to contend with a compleat mafter in his own art: and the reputation of the great Athenian Orator, who was ever lancing the bolts of his eloquence against 'the King, must have raised a solemn attention in the Court: ' even the Ambassadors themselves were curious to hear those 'irrefiftable remonftrances which the Orator is faid to have promised with the greatest confidence, and which Philip and his Courtiers were, by this time, warned to expect. All was • fufpence and eager curiofity: and every man now waited in filence for fome extraordinary inftance of force and dignity of fpeaking. But he who had fo frequently braved all the tumult and oppofition of an Athenian affembly, was, in this new scene, in an instant disconcerted and confounded. He began in a manner utterly unworthy of his reputation, ob'fcure, ungraceful, and hesitating: his terror and embarraff⚫ment still increased: and scarcely had he uttered a few broken ' and interrupted fentences, when his powers totally failed him; and he ftood before the affembly, utterly unable to proceed. Philip faw his diftrefs, and, with all imaginable politeness, • endeavoured to relieve it. He told him with that condefcenfion and good-nature, which he knew fo well to affect, that, at his court, he need be under no apprehenfions: he was not now before an affembly of his countrymen, where he might ' expect some fatal confequences, if his hearers were not pleafed: he begged he would take time to recollect himfelf, and pursue his intended difcourfe. Demofthenes attempted to pro'ceed; but his confufion ftill continued; he appeared ftill embarraffed, and was foon obliged to be again filent. The Ambaffadors were then ordered to withdraw.' The perplexity of Demofthenes must have been greatly aggravated by the recollection of his former boaftings; for, when one of his colleagues expreffed his apprehenfions of Philip's art and power of fpeaking, thefe apprehenfions, if we may believe Æfchines, were treated with great contempt by Demofthenes; who infifted, in the moft confident manner, that he 6 H 2 • had • had ample and irrefiftable matter to urge; that he should trace the contefts between Athens and Macedon from the earliest date; establish the right of his country to Amphipolis by the ⚫ fulleft and cleareft proofs; that he fhould deprive Philip of all < power of objection or reply; and that he had no doubt but that this Prince would feel the whole force of his remon• ftrances.' It must be confidered, however, that Demofthenes was under fome difficulty as being the laft fpeaker; and we must obferve, that where confidence is rather acquired than natural, as appears to have been the cafe with Demofthenes, a new audience, or a change of place, will occafion a public Speaker, who has been used to harangue, to experience all the perplexities of a young beginner: neither will he be able to furmount them, till time has made thofe objects which difconcerted him, familiar to his notice. Our Author throughout, feems inclined to think favourably of the integrity of Demofthenes. He has, indeed, taken notice, that his rival Æfchines accufed him of corruption; but he makes no mention of the heavy charge which Plutarch brings against him. That Hiftorian, however, fpeaks of him as one, through avarice, open to corruption; and he has recounted an incident, too tedious for us to relate, by which the Orator forfeited his reputation for incorruptibility, and drew upon himself the farcasms and refentment of his fellow Citizens. Having attended Philip through the course of his enterprize against the Phocians, &c. and having opened that Prince's views, and described his actions, with the most just and animated reprefentation, he brings him back to Macedon, and gives a lively picture of his parental care in forming the young Prince Alex ander. < At his return,' fays he, to Macedon, the education of his young fon Alexander, became the immediate object of his regard. The Prince had, from his infancy, difcovered a remarkable nobleness and greatnefs of fentiment, and a genius fufceptible of the higheft improvements and accomplishments. He was the apparent heir to the kingdom, the power, and the fame of his illufrious father. The Philofopher Ariftotle was therefore invited to the court of Macedon, and to him was • committed the important charge of fuperintending the education of this Prince, that he may be taught," faid Philip, "to avoid thofe errors which I have committed, and of which "I now repent."To engage him more effectually to a faithful and diligent difcharge of this great truft, Philip loaded Ariftotle with favours worthy of the generofity of the King, • and |