THE

PRESENT STATE

OF THE

Republick of Letters.

For MAY 1733.

ARTICLE XXIII.

Histoire ancienne des Egyptiens, des Carthaginois, des Affyriens, des Baby. loniens, des Medes & des Perfes, des Macedoniens, des Grecs. Par Mr. Rollin, ancien Recteur de l'Univer fité de Paris, Profeffeur d' Eloquence au College Roial, & Affociè à l' Academie Roiale des Inscriptions & BellesLettres. Tome premier. A Paris chez la Veuve Eftienne Libraire, rue St. Jacques. 1731.

MAY 1733.

X

That

That is,

The antient Hiftory of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Affyrians, Babylonians, Medes and Perfians, Macedonians and Grecians. By Mr. Rollin, formerly Rector of the University of Paris, Profeffor of Eloquence in the Royal College, and Member of the Royal Academy of Infcriptions and BellesLettres. Vol. I. Printed at Paris for the Widow Stevens. 1731. In 12m0. Pages 609. befide a Preface of 48.

MR

'R. Rollin, employ'd in the Inftruction of Youth in a flourishing Univerfity, and, as a Chriftian Profeffor, endeavouring to make the Study of profane History fubfervient to the Interefts of Religion, and the Advancement of true Piety, has undertaken to fet it in a Light proper to that great end. In this View it will be neceffary to know how the great Empires of the World were at first established: how they arrived to their most flourishing State: in what their real Happiness and Glory confifted; and what were the Caufes of their Declenfion and Fall. We are likewise to study the Manners of the People, their Genius, Laws and Customs; and take particular notice of the Abilities, and moral Character of the feveral Princes, whose good or bad Qualities have contributed to the Elevation

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Elevation or Deftruction of the Kingdoms, over which they reign'd.

THESE Obfervations will teach us, by illuftrious Examples, and the Practice of former Ages, the Art of War, the Principles of Government, Rules of Policy, Maxims for Civil Society, and the Conduct of Life at all Ages and in all Stations.

BUT our learned Author particularly recommends a due Confideration of the Power and Justice of God, and the admirable and wife Conduct of the Divine Providence in the Government of the World, which appears from a careful and serious Attention to the whole Series of Events recorded in Hiftory. Under this Head, we are particularly to confider the Princes, whofe Arms were employ'd either against or in favour of the chofen People, as fo many Instruments in the Hand of the Almighty, either to chastise or protect that Nation. It is farther obferved, that God has always regulated the grand Events which occur in History by his eternal Purpose of fending the Messiah: that he permitted the Nations to walk in their corrupt Ways fo long, to make them fenfible of the Neceffity of a Mediator; and prepared Men for the Inftructions of the Gospel by those of the Philofophers.

THESE Obfervations are follow'd by a judicious and important Caution against being too large in Commendation of the great Men among the Pagans. We are to correct what we find defective in their Actions, for want of a Knowledge of the true God, and approve only of fuch as are conformable to the Rules of right Reason and Religion. With thefe Difpofitions our Author thinks Profane History may be read

to great Advantage; and become not a mere Amusement, but a folid Inftruction.

As he writes for the Ufe of young Perfons, and fuch as have no defign to make a profound Study of profane Hiftory, he does not propose to load this Work with much Erudition; but only give a coherent Hiftory of Antiquity, taken from fuch Parts of Greek and Latin Authors, as furnish him with the most important Facts, and give Occafion to the most inftructive Reflexions. So that the Work before us is a judicious and ufeful Abridgment of the most valuable and instructive antient Histories.

WHEN this Volume first appear'd, Mr. Rollia did not know exactly how many would complete the Work. He forefaw, however, that it could not fwell to lefs than five or fix. We are lately affured from Paris, that the whole will amount to eight; the fifth is already publifhed, and the fixth promised about Auguft next. The Public may expect our Account of each Volume in fo many diftinct Articles.

HAVING premifed a general Idea of the Origin and Progrefs of Kingdoms, our Author divides this Volume into two Books, in the former of which he treats of the Egyptians; in the latter of the Carthaginians. The Hiftory of the Egyptians is diftinguished into three Parts. In the firft we have a fhort Description of the different Parts of Egypt, and an Account of what has been moft remarkable in that Country. In the second he proposes to fspeak of their Laws, Customs and Religions. The third contains the Hiftory of their Kings.

Egypt was divided into what is usually called Thebais, or the upper Egypt, the most fouthern Part of that Country: the Middle Egypt, called Heptanomos,

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