initiation into the greater myfteries. As a preparation for them, ficrifices and prayers for the welfare of the ftate, were offered by the fecond archon, attended by four affiftants elected by the people *. The novices were crowned with myrtle .-The robes, with which the initiated are clothed on this occafion, contract such a character of fanctity, that few leave them off, till they are quite worn out; fome convert them into fwaddling-clothes for their children, or hang them up in the temple. We faw the candidates enter the facred enclosure; and the next day, one of the newly initiated, with whom I was particularly acquainted, gave me an account of fome of the ceremonies, to which he had been witnefs. We found, faid he, the priests of the temple clad in their pontifical robes. The Hierophant, who, on this occafion, reprefents the author of the universe, was invefted with the fymbols of fupreme power; the torch-bearer, and the affiftant at the altar, appeared with thofe of the fun and moon; the facred herald with thofe of Mercury. No fooner were we placed, than the herald proclaimed aloud, "Far hence be the profane, the impious, and all thofe whofe fouls are poiluted with guilt.” After this proclamation, death would be the certain punishment of any, who should be fo rafh as to remain in the affembly, without hav. ing been initiated. The fecond priest ordered the skins of the victims flain in facrifice to be extended under our feet, and purified us anew f. The ritual of initiation was read aloud 8, and hymns were fung in honour of Ceres.-Soon after this, a hollow found was heard, the ground feemed to groan beneath our feet; thunder roared, and the flashes of lightning ferved only to display phantoms and Spectres wandering amid furrounding darkness. They filled thefe facred abodes with howlings that chilled us with terror, and with la mentations that rent our hearts. Deftroying pain, gnawing cares, poverty, difeafes, death, appeared to us in dreadful funereal forms*. The Hierophant explained thofe feveral emblems, and his animated painting increafed our diftrefs and apprehenfions. However, by the guidance of a feeble light, we advanced toward that part of the infernal regions, where fouls are purified till they arrive at the abodes of blifs. Amid a multitude of plaintive cries, we heard the bitter remorse of thofe who had deprived themfelves of life . Those are punished, faid the Hierophant, because they have deferted the pot affigned them by the gods". No fooner had he pronounced these words than the brazen gates, opening with dreadful noife, difclofed to our view the horrors of Tartarus. Here we heard only the clank of chains, and the cries of the miferable; and, amid thefe loud and difmal wailings, we diftinguished, c Eu Ariftot. ap. Harpocr. & Suidas in 'Em. a Schol. Sophocl. in dip. Col. v. 713. b Meurf. in Eleuf. cap. 12. feb. Præpar. Evang. lib. 3. cap. 12. Sueton. in Ner. cap. 34. f Hefych. & Suid. in Ag K. h Virgil. Eneid. lib. 6. v. 255. i Dion. Chryfoft. Orat. Liv. lib. 31. cap. 14. & Meurf. in Eleuf. cap. 10. Claud. de Rapt. Proferp. lib. 1. v. 7. Virgil, ibid. Orig. cont. Celf. lib. 4. Catapl. Virgil. Eneid. lib. 6. v. 434den. Id. de Leg. lib. 9. 12. k Virgil. ibid. v. 573. 1 Lucian. in Plat. in Pha at at intervals, these words: "Learn, by our example, to reverence the gods, to be just and grateful P" for hardness of heart, neglect of parents, and every fpecies of ingratitude, is here fubject to punishment, together with every crime that eludes human laws, or tends to deftroy the worship of the gods 1. We faw the Furies, armed with fcourges, purfuing the guilty with unrelenting rage. These dreadful fcenes, enlivened by the fonorous and majeftic voice of the Hierophant, who, on this occafion, appeared the minifter of divine vengeance, filled us with terror; and we had fcarcely time to recover our fpirits, when we were led into delightful groves, pleafant meadows, abodes of felicity, the image of the Elyfian fields, where fhone the pureft light, where harmonious voices uttered the most enchanting founds; thence we were conducted into the fanctuary, where our eyes were attracted by the ftatue of the goddefs, fplendidly illuminated, and adorned with all her richeft ornaments. There, our trials were to terminate: there, we beheld and heard things, which we are not permitted to reveal. I fhall only add, that, amid the intoxication of joy, we fang hymns congratulating ourselves on our happiness.—--Such was the account given me by my newly initiated friend: from another, I learned a circumftance which had been omitted by the former. One day, during the feftival, the Hierophant uncovered the myfterious baskets, which are carried in proceffions, and are the objects of public veneration. They contain the facred fymbols, the fight of which is forbidden to the profane; though they are only cakes made in various fhapes, a few grains of falt, and other things of the like kind, relative either to the ftory of Ceres, or to the doctrines taught in the myfteries. The initiated, after they have shifted them from one basket into another, declare that they have fasted and drank Ciceon; which laft is a kind of broth, that is faid to have been given to Ceres".’ Anacharfis maintains the commonly received opinion, that, in thefe myfteries, the unity of the Deity, and the doctrine of future rewards and punishments, were the fecrets communicated to the initiated; and, in this view, he speaks in praife of their utility: but he acknowleges that, in his time, they had degenerated into empty ceremonies; that the initiated, fo far from being more virtuous than others, appeared utterly regardless of the obligations of their profeffion; and that initiation might be purchased by courtezans and perfons of the most infamous character. Poffibly, the learned author of Anacharfis took the hint of his plan from the fuppofed but excellent ATHENIAN LETTERS; a work very little known, becaufe never (properly fpeaking) publifhed. It confifts of the imaginary correfpondence of a fet of Greek gentlemen, the contemporaries of Socrates, Pericles, and Plato; but was in reality, the actual correfpondence of a fociety P Virgil. Æn. lib. 6. v. 620. Pind. Pyth. 2. v. 40. • Virgil. ibid. v. 608. • Ariftoph. in Ran. v. 451. Id. ibid. v. 638. Stob. Serm. 119. Id, ib. Meurf. in Eleuf. cap. 10. Clem. Alex, Cohort. ad Gent. of of ingenious perfons, of the univerfity of Cambridge; who, in this affumed mode, communicated to each other, the refult of their researches into ancient history; and produced the beft com. mentary on Thucydides that ever was written. At length, the number of their letters became fo confiderable, that, to prevent the trouble of tranfcribing them for the ufe of the fociety, it was refolved to print about a dozen copies; which was accordingly done, by Bettenham, in four octavo volumes, 1741. Thofe learned friends of the fociety who were, from time to time, favoured with the perufal of thefe volumes, were fo much delighted with the contents, and the work was fo highly spoken of, that a fight of it was deemed a matter of special favour, and no fmall gratification; and hence, a multiplication of copies became, at length, a very defirable object. Lord Hardwicke, therefore (who was one of the authors),very laudably caused the ATHENIAN LETTERS to be reprinted in 1782, at his own expence, in a handfome quarto volume; but, we are affured, that of this fecond edition not more than fifty copies were thrown off; though some stated the number at one hundred; but whether the impreffion amounted to the fmaller or the greater number, ftill this literary treafure remains locked up from the eyes of the public at large. Of the nature of this curious and valuable work, our readers may, farther, collect fome idea, from Lord Hardwicke's preface to the edition of 1782. "The Preface to the octavo edition of thefe letters *, fuppofes the work to be genuine, and a tranflation from an old Arabic verfion; but when a due interval of time has elapled, the truth may be owned; the illufion vanishes; it is a masquerade which is closed; the fancy-dreffes and the dominos are returned to their respective wardrobes; the company walk about again in their proper habits, and return to their ordinary occupations in life. "The authors of thefe letters were a fociety of friends, who were contemporaries at the univerfity of Cambridge, about the years 1739 and 1740; all their names [except that of the writer of this preface] were an ornament to the place. The world was unfortu nately deprived of the talents, virtues, and fervices, of one t of them, when they were most wanted both by his own profeffion, and by the public; not above two or three of the fet are now living; they lament the lofs of their colleagues, and cultivate the remem brance of their former friendly connection. "The learned, into whofe hands thefe letters may fall, will beft judge how correctly the manners of antiquity are kept up, and how truly the hiftory of thofe times is reprefented in them. The Græcian part of the correfpondence is exactly ftated from THUCYDIDES and PLUTARCH, the Perfian is extended and im "Printed by James Bettenham in 1741." + The Hon. Ch. Yorke, who died fuddenly, in 1770. 1. 12 proved proved from the few remaining fragments of CTESIAS; but it is hoped the Coftumé of the Eaft is preferved throughout, and the events fuch as might happen under a well-governed abfolute monarchy-the picture of which is more flattering than experience commonly juftifies. "The general character of CLEANDER is taken from MAHMUT, the Turkish fpy; but it is finished upon the Greek model, and the philofophical and literary features of it are copied from the fchools of Athens, and the groves of Academus. The forms and language of the negotiation part of the letters, may be thought too refined for the times when they are fuppofed to be written; the difpatches of those great minifters, TEMPLE and D'ESTRADES, were the originals which the writers in that department have attempted to imi tate. "HERODOTUS, PAUSANIAS, and STRABO have furnished the antiquities of Egypt; HYDE's Religio Vet. Perfarum has been chiefly followed in the letters which relate to that obfcure subject, and it is hoped with fome fuccefs; and fo as to form an interesting contraft with the Greek worship and philofophy. "Perhaps the character and travels of the young Perfian fatrap ORSAMES, might have been more varied and enlivened, and he might have been brought to Greece to ferve a volunteer in their armies, and improve under the military inflitutions of Athens and Sparta; but it is thought advifable, on the whole, to make no alterations from the original edition, particularly as the learned and ingenious writer of thofe letters is deceased. "Not many years ago, the younger CREBILLON, a name well known among the novel-writers of France, published a work in 4 vols. under this very title of Lettres Atheniennes; they relate to the fame times, and have fome of the fame characters with ours, as PERICLES, ASPASIA, CLEON, and ALCIBIADES; but the turn of that correspondence is fo different from that of the prefent work, that no comparison can be made between them. The readers will give the preference according to their respective taftes and inclinations.-We hope our characters are antique. Those of Mr. Crebillon are in a great degree the petit maitres and petites maitreffes of Paris; and the idea of improving the manners and morals of fociety, does not feem to have been the principal object of that ingenious writer in thefe letters, any more than in the Sopha and l'Ejcumoire." H. The names of fome of the learned fabricators of these modern antiques, befide the two illuftrious perfons already mentioned, are Dr. Heberden, Mr. Coventry, author of Philemon and Hydafpes, the late Dr. Birch, the Rev. Dr. Salter, the Rev. John Green, afterward Bishop of Lincoln, Daniel Wray Elq; with others, whofe names we do not recollect: the celebrated Mis Talbot was faid to have been also a contributor. An engraved fcene, or Grecian converfation-piece, ftands prefixed, by way of frontispiece, to the quarto edition, from a drawing by the late Mr. James Stuart, furnamed THE ATHENIAN. APP. Rev. VOL, LXXXI. Qq ART. ART. II. Nouveaux Mémoires de l'Académie Royale, &c. i. e. New Memoirs of the Royal Academy of Sciences and Belles Lettres at Berlin: Concluded. See our laft Appendix, p. 650. SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY. Mem. I. Confiderations on the Second Tufculan of Cicero, conterning Pain. By M. FORMEY. WHA HAT was obferved, in the Appendix to the 77th Volume of the Monthly Review, concerning M. FORMEY'S confiderations on the firft Tufculan, is applicable to those before us; in which the venerable critic proceeds, in the fame lively, pleasant, talkative manner, to expofe that want of order, accuracy, and confiftency, which muft ftrike every attentive reader of this celebrated piece of philofophical conversation. He first gives a critical comment on the whole dialogue, in which, though his wit and love of anecdote fometimes lead him from his fubject, much good fenfe and found philofophy are delivered in an easy cheerful ftyle, which cannot fail to fteal on the heart, as well as to convince the judgment, of every reader who is poffeffed of good tafte. He fhews that Cicero, however great in other refpects, has proved himself to be but a poor philofopher in this, as well as in the firft Tufculan; that he begins with a pompous maxim, which he cannot fupport, and has not the candour to refign; that, in endeavouring to maintain it, he falls into pitiful evafions, fubftitutes brilliancy of expreffion for folidity of argument, and, in fact, deferts the ground on which he had first fet out. According to M. FORMEY, this dialogue is a complete chaos; a confufed collection of affer tions, not merely without proof, but abfolutely contradictory to each other; an ufelefs detail of all the philofophical opinions then known; a compilation of ftories, either real or fictitious, whence no confequence can be inferred, becaufe we are in the dark with refpect to the point, from which the speaker fets out, as well as that, to which he intends to conduct us; and a feries of repetitions, which all the eloquence of Cicero could not prevent from being tedious. In fhort, there is in it a total want of order; which is unavoidable, where an author neither defines his terms, divides his fubject, nor arranges his ideas. All this is, certainly, very fevere; but we cannot help acknowleging it to be juftly applicable to Cicero, if he fe riously meant to maintain the extravagant fentiment here advanced, that pain is no evil. It has, however, been imagined by fome, that his intention was only to expofe to contempt the pompous maxims and futile reafoning of fome of the philofophers of his age. It must be confeffed that, to us, this ridicule is not very obvious; but, to his contemporaries, who knew the perfons, |