Lessons in elocution...

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Contents

INTRODUCTORY LESSONS.

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I. On the Speaking of Speeches at Schools. — Walker. ... 13

Section I

I. — V. Select Sentences. — Art of Thinking 34

VI. The Fox and the Goat.— Dodsley's Fables 38

VII. The Fox and the Stork.— Ibid 39

VIII. The Court of Death.— Ibid 39

IX. The Partial Judge.— Ibid 40

X. The Sick Lion, the Fox, and the Wolf— Ibid 40

XII. The Picture.— Ibid 41

XIII. The Two Bees.— Dodders Fables 41

XIV. Beauty and Deformity. — PercivaVs Tales 42

XV. Remarkable instance ot Friendship. — Art of Speaking. . 43

XVI. Dionysius and Damocles. — Ibid 43

XVII. Character of Cataline. — Sallust 44

XVIII. Avarice and Luxury. — Spectator 45

XIX. Hercules' Choice.— Tattler 46

XX. Will Honeycomb's Spectator. — Spectator 48

XXI. On Good Breeding.— Chesterfield 50

XXII. Address to a Young Student. — Knox 53

XXIII. The Folly of Pride.— Sidney Smith 55

XXIV. Advantages of, and Motives to, Cheerfulness. — Spec-

tator 56

Section II

I. The Bad Reader.— PercivaVs Tales 58

II. Respect due to Old Age. — Spectator 59

III. Piety to God recommended to the Young. — Blair 60

(vi)

CONTENTS. Vll

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IV. Modesty and Docility.— Ibid 60

V. Sincerity.— Ibid 61

VI. Benevolence and Humanity. — Ibid 62

VII. Industry and Application. — Ibid 63

VIII. Proper Employment of Time. — Ibid 64

IX. The True Patriot.— Art of Thinking 64

X. On Contentment. — Spectator 65

XI. Needle-work recommended to the Ladies. — Ibid 67

XII. Horrors of War. — Chalmers 69

XIII. On Pride.— Guardian 70

XIV. Journal of the Life of Alexander Severus. — Gibbon. . . 72

XV. Character of Julius Csesar. — Middleton 72

XVI. On Mispent Time. — Guardian 73

XVII. Character of Francis I. — Robertson 77

XVIII. The Supper and Grace.— Sterne 79

XIX. Rustic Felicity.— Ibid 81

XX. House of Mourning. — Ibid 81

SECTION m.

I. The Honour and Advantage of a constant adherence to

Truth.— PercivaVs Tales 83

II. Impertinence in Discourse. — Theophrastus 83

III.. Character of Addison as a Writer. — Johnson 84

IV. Pleasure and Pain. — Spectator 85

V. Sir Roger de Coverly's Family.— Ibid 86

VI. The Folly of Inconsistent Expectations. — Aitken 88

VII. Description of the Vale of Keswick, in Cumberland. —

Brown 90

VIII. Pity, an Allegory.— Aitken 93

IX. Advantages of Commerce. — Spectator 94

X. The State to which Switzerland was reduced by the Invasion of the French. — Sidney Smith 96

XI. On Public Speaking — Spectator 97

XII. Advantages of History. — Hume 98

XIII. Virtue.— Bulwer 100

XIV. On the Immortality of the Soul. — Spectator 101

XV. The Combat of the Horatii and the Curiatii. — Livy. . . . 102

XVI. On the Power of Custom.— Spectator 105

XVII. On Pedantry.— Mirror 106

XVIII. The Journey of a Day — a Picture of Human Life. —

Rambler 103

SECTION rv.

I. Description of the Amphitheatre of Titus. — Gibbon. ... Ill

H. Reflections in Westminster Abbey. — Spectator 112

III. The Character of Mary Queen of Scots. — Robertson. . . 114

IV. The Character of Queen Elizabeth. — Hume 115

V. Charles V.'s Resignation of his Dominions. — Robertson. 117

VI. Insecurity of the World. — Chalmers 120

VII. Importance of Virtue.— Price 121

Vlll CONTENTS.

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VIII. Address to Art.— Harris 122

IX. Flattery.— Theophrastus 123

X. The Absent Man.— Spectator 124

XI. The Monk.— Sterne 125

XII. On the Head-dress of the Ladies. — Spectator 127

XIII. On the Present and Future State.— Ibid 129

XIV. Uncle Toby's Benevolence.—- Sterne 132

XV. Power of Government. — Everett 132

XVI. Story of the Siege of Calais.— Fool of Quality 133

SECTION V.

•

I. On Grace in Writing. — Fitzborne's Letters 137

II. On the Structure of Animals. — Spectator. 138

III. On Natural and Fantastical Pleasures. — Guardian. . . . 140

IV. The Folly and Madness of Ambition Illustrated.— World. 143 V. Battle of Pharsalia and the Death of Pompey. — Goldsmith 146

VI. Character of King- Alfred. — Hume 151

VII. Awkwardness in Company. — Chesterfield 151

VIII. Virtue Man's Highest Interest.— Harris 152

IX. On the Pleasure arising from Objects of Sight. — -Spectator 153

X. Liberty and Slavery. — Sterne 155

XL The Cant of Criticism.— Ibid 156

XII. Parallel between Pope and Dryden. — Johnson 157

XIII. The Story of Le Fever.— Sterne 158

SECTION VI.

I. The Shepherd and the Philosopher. — Gay 165

II. Ode to Leven Water. — Smollett 167

III. Ode from the Nineteenth Psalm. — Spectator 167

IV. Rural Charms. — Goldsmith 168

V. The Painter who Pleased Nobody and Everybody. — Gay. 169

VI. Diversity in the Human Character. — Pope 170

VII. The Toilet.— Ibid. 172

VIII. The Hermit— Parnell 172

IX. On the Death of Mrs. Mason.— Mason 178

X. Extract from the Temple of Fame. — Pope 178

XL A Panegyric on Great Britain. — Thomson 180

XII. Hymn to the Deity, on the Seasons of the Year. — Ibid. 182

SECTION VII.

I. The Chameleon.— Merrick 185

II. On the Order of Nature.— Pope. 186

III. Description of a Country Alehouse. — Goldsmith 188

IV. Character of a Country Schoolmaster. — Ibid 188

V. Story of Palemon and Lavinia. — Thomson 189

VI. Celadon and Amelia.— Ibid 192

VII. Description of Mab, Queen of the Fairies. — Shakspearc. 193

VIII. On the Existence of a Deity.— Young 194

CONTENTS. IX

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IX. Evening in Paradise described. — Milton 195

X. Elegy written in a Country Churchyard. — Gray 196

XI. Thanatopsis.— Bryant 200

XII. Scipio restoring the Captive Lady to her Lover. —

Thomson 202

XIII. Humorous Complaint to Dr. Arbuthnot of the Imperti-

nence of Scribblers. — Pope 203

XIV. Hymn to Adversity. — Gray 204

XV. The Passions— An Ode.— Collins 206

SECTION VIII.

I. Lamentation for the Loss of Sight. — Milton 208

II. L' Allegro, or the Merry Man. — Ibid. 209

III. On the Pursuits of Mankind.— Pope 212

IV. Adam and Eve's Morning Hymn. — Milton 213

V. Parting of Hector and Andromache. — Homer. 215

VI. Facetious History of John Gilpin. — Cowper 218

VII. Procrastination Young 224

III. The Creation of the World.— Milton '. 225

IX. Overthrow of the Rebel Angels.— Ibid 226

X. Alexander's Feast, or the Power of Music. — Dryden. . . 227

Part II. — Lessons In Speaking. Section I

ELOQUENCE OF THE PULPIT.

I. On Truth and Integrity.— Tillotson 231

II. On Doing as we would be Done unto. — Atterbury 233

III. On Benevolence and Charity. — Steel 234

IV. On Happiness Sterne 236

V. On the Death of Christ.— Blair 239

SECTION II.

ELOQUENCE OF THE SENATE.

I. Evils of Calumny and War. — Governeur Morris. 242

II. Speech of the Earl of Chesterfield. 243

III. Extract from Mr. Shiel's Speech, in Parliament, on Par-

liamentary Reform 247

IV. Extract from Patrick Henry's Speech on the Expediency

of adopting the Federal Constitution 249

V. Speech of Lord Mansfield 250

VI. The Peroration of Mr. Governeur Morris's Speech on the

Judiciary Establishment 254

VII. John Randolph's Speech on the Right of Suffrage 255

VIII. Power to be valued only as it confers Benefits on Mankind. — Brougham < . 256

X CONTENTS.

Section III. Eloquence Of The Bar

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I. Mr. Curran's Defence of Orr 257

II. Political Geometry.— Stanard. 258

III. The Statesman.— Ibid 259

IV. Pleadings of Cicero against Verres. 260

V. The Peroration of Mr. Wirt's Speech in behalf of the

Cherokee Nation 203

VI. Cicero for Milo 265

Section IV. Speeches On Various Subjects

I. Romulus to the People of Rome, after building the City.

—Hooke 269

II. Hannibal to Scipio Africanus. — Ibid. 270

III. Scipio's Reply.— Ibid 271

IV. Attachment of the Indians to the Soil. — Everett 272

V. Importance of the Union. — Webster 273

VI. Calisthenes' Reproof of Cleon's Flattery to Alexander.

— Q. Curtius 274

VII. Caius Marius to the Romans. — Hooke 275

VIII. Publius Scipio to the Roman Army. — Ibid 277

IX. Hannibal to the Carthaginian Army. — Ibid. 279

X. Public Faith.— Fisher Ames 281

XI. Adherbal to the Roman Senators. — Sallust 283

XII. The right of the Americans to take up Arms. — Chatham. 235

XIII. The right of Britain to Tax America.— Burke 287

XIV. Canuleius to the Roman Consuls. — Hooke 288

XV. Junius Brutus over the dead body of Lucretia. — Ibid. . . 290

XVI. Extract from the Speech of Demosthenes for the Crown.

— Edinburgh Review. 291

XVII. Extract from the Oration of iEschines against Demosthenes 294

XVIII. Speech of Lord Chatham, in reply to Lord Suffolk, on

the employment of Indians in the American War. . . . 295

XIX. Demosthenes to the Athenians. — Lansdown 296

XX. British Influence. — Randolph 300

XXI. Jupiter to the Inferior Deities. — Homer 302

XXII. ^Eneas to Queen Dido.— Virgil 302

XXIII. Moloch to the Infernal Powers.— Milton 304

XXIV. Speech of Belial, advising Peace.— Ibid , 306

Section V. Dramatic Pieces

I. — DIALOGUES.

I. Belcour and Stock well. — West Indian 307

II. Lady Townly and Lady Grace.— Provoked Husband. . . 309

CONTENTS. XI

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III. Priuli and Jaffier. — Venice Preserved. 313

IV. Boniface and Aim well. — Beaux Stratagem 315

V. Lovegold and Lappet. — Miser 317

VI. Cardinal Wolsey and Cromwell— Henry VIII 320

VII. Sir Charles and Lady Racket. — Three Weeks after

Marriage 322

VIII. Brutus and Cassius. — Shakspeare's Julius Caesar 325

II. — SPEECHES AND SOLILOQUIES.

I. Hamlet's Advice to the Players. — Tragedy of Hamlet. 328 II. Rolla's Address to the Peruvians. — Sheridan 329

III. Douglas' Account of Himself. — Tragedy of Douglas... 330

IV. Douglas' Account of the Hermit.— Ibid. 330

• V. Sempronius' Speech for War — Tragedy of Cato 331

VI. Lucius' Speech for Peace. — Ibid 332

VIL Hotspur's Account of the Fop.— 1 Henry IV. 332

VIII. Hotspur's Soliloquy on the Contents of a Letter. — Ibid. 333 IX. Othello's Apology for his Marriage.— Tragedy of Othello. 334

X. Henry IV.'s Soliloquy on Sleep.— 2 Henry IV. 335

XI. Bobadil's Method of Defeating an Army. — Every Man

in His Humour 336

XII. Soliloquy of Hamlet's Uncle on the Murder of his Brother. — Tragedy of Hamlet 336

XIII. Soliloquy of Hamlet on Death.— Ibid 337

XIV. FalstafFs Encomiums on Sack.— 2 Henry IV. 338

XV. Prologue to the Tragedy of Cato. — Pope 339

XVI. Cato's Soliloquy on the Immortality of the Soul. — Tragedy of Cato 340

XVII. Lady Randolph's Soliloquy.— Tragedy of Douglas 340

XVIII. Speech of Henry V. at the Siege of Harfleur.— Shaks-

peare's Henry V.. 341

XIX. Speech of Henry V. before the Battle of Agincourt. —

Ibid 342

XX. Soliloquy of Dick the Apprentice. — Farce of the Apprentice 343

XXI. Cassius instigating Brutus to join the Conspiracy against

Caesar. — Tragedy of Julius Caesar 343

XXII. Brutus' Harangue on the Death of Csesar. — Ibid. ..... 345

XXIII. Antony's Oration over Caesar's Body. — Ibid 345

XXIV. Falstaff's Soliloquy on Honour.— Henry IV. 348

XXV. Part of Richard III.'s Soliloquy the night preceding the

Battle of Bosworth.— Tragedy of Richard III 348

XXVI. The World compared to a Stage.— As You Like It 349

Appendix. — Containing Concise Lessons on a New Plan 350

TABLE OF RULES,

REFERRED TO IN THE EDITOR'S PREFACE,

1st. Read mentally any selection of this work (suitable for the

reader), until the subject and sentiments of the piece are fully

understood and appreciated 2d. Ask some friend, known to be a good reader, to read the same

piece to you, in his best style. 3d. Then read, and re-read aloud, the same piece in his hearing,

soliciting his correction. 4th. Read and re-read it to yourself aloud, until you become satisfied,

by the ear, that you have done it justice. Gth. Make reading parties of a few young friends, and obtain, when

practicable, the presence of some distinguished adult reader, as

at once teacher and critic. 6th. Read standing, shoulders well squared, and book well elevated. 7th. This process to be repeated daily, for half an hour, or an hour,

as convenience may allow.

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ELEMENTS OF GESTURE.

SECTION I. On the Speaking of Speeches at Schools

Elocution has, for some years past, been an object of attention in the most respectable schools in this country. A laudable ambition of instructing youth, in the pronunciation and delivery of their native language, has made English speeches a very conspicuous part of those exhibitions of oratory, which do our seminaries of learning so much credit.

This attention to English pronunciation has induced several ingenious men to compile exercises in elocution, for the use of schools, which have answered very useful purposes : but none, so far as I have seen, have attempted to give us a regular system of gesture, suited to the wants and capacities of school-boys. Indeed, the exact adaptation of the action to the word, and the word to the action, as Shakspeare calls it, is the most difficult part of delivery, and, therefore, can never be taught perfectly to children ; to say nothing of distracting their attention with two very difficult things at the same time. But that boys should stand motionless while they are pronouncing the most impassionate language, is extremely absurd and unnatural ; and that they should sprawl into an awkward, ungain, and desultory action, is still more offensive and disgusting. What, then, remains, but that such a general style of action be adopted, as shall be easily conceived and easily executed ; which, though not expressive of any particular passion, shall not be inconsistent with the expression of any passion ; which shall always keep the body in a graceful position, and shall so vary its motions, at proper intervals, as to see the subject operating on the speaker, and not the speaker on the subject. This, it will be confessed, is a great desideratum ; and an attempt to this, is the principal object of the present publication.

2 (13)

Plate I. represents the attitude in which a boy should always place himself, when he begins to speak. He should rest the whole weight of his body on the right leg ; the other just touching the ground, at the distance at which it would naturally fall, if lifted up to show that the body does not bear upon it. The knees should be straight and braced, and the body, though perfectly straight, not perpendicular, but inclining as far to the right as a firm position on the right leg will permit. The • right arm must then be held out, with the palm open, the fingers straight and close, the thumb almost as distant from them as it will go ; and the flat of the hand neither horizontal nor vertical, but exactly between both.

When the pupil has pronounced one sentence in the position thus described, the hand, as if lifeless, must drop down to the side, the very moment the last accented word is pronounced ; and the body, without altering the place of the feet, poise itself on the left leg, while the left hand raises itself into exactly the same position as the right was before, and continues in this position till the end of the next sentence, when it drops down on the side as if dead ; and the body, poising itself on the right leg as before, continues with the right arm extended, till the end of the succeeding sentence ; and so on, from right to left, and from left to right, alternately, till the speech is ended.

Great care must be taken that the pupil end one sentence completely before he begin another. He must let the arm drop to the side, and continue for a moment in that posture in which he concluded, before he poises his body on the other leg, and raises the other arm into the diagonal position before described ; both which should be done before he begins to pronounce the next sentence. Care must also be taken in shifting the body from one leg to the other, that the feet do not alter their distance. In altering the position of the body, the feet will necessarily alter their position a little, but this change must be made by turning the toes in a somewhat different direction, without suffering them to shift their ground. The heels, in this transition, change their place, but not the toes. The toes may be considered as pivots, on which the body turns from side to side.

If the pupil's knees are not well formed, or incline inwards, he must be taught to keep his legs at as great a distance as possible, and to incline his body so much to that side on which the arm is extended, as to oblige him to rest the opposite leg upon the toe ; and this will, in a great measure, hide the defect of his make. In the same manner, if the arm be too long, or the elbow incline inwards, it will be proper to make him turn the palm of his hand downwards, so as to make it perfectly horizontal. This will infallibly incline the elbow outwards, and prevent the worst position the arm can possibly fall into ; "which is, that of

PLATE I inclining the elbow to the body. This position of the hand so necessarily keeps the elbow out, that it would not be improper to make the pupil sometimes practise it, though he may have no defect in his make; as an occasional alteration of the former position to this may often be necessary, both for the sake of justness and variety. These two last positions of the legs and arms are described in Plate II.

When the pupil has got the habit of holding his hand and arm properly, he may be taught to move it. In this motion he must be careful to keep the arm from the body. He must neither draw the elbow backwards, nor suffer it to approach to the side ; but while the hand and lower joint of the arm are curving towards the shoulder, the whole arm, with the elbow, forming nearly an angle of a square, should move upwards from the shoulder, in the same position as when gracefully taking off the hat ; that is, with the elbow extending from the side, and the upper joint of the arm nearly on a line with the shoulder, and forming an angle of a square with the body (See Plate III.); this motion of the arm will naturally bring the hand, with the palm downwards, into a horizontal position, and when it approaches to the head, the arm should, with a jerk, be suddenly straightened into its first position, at the very moment the emphatical word is pronounced. This coincidence of the hand and voice will greatly enforce the pronunciation ; and if they keep time, they will be in tune, as it were, to each other ; and to force and energy, add harmony and variety.

As this motion of the arm is somewhat complicated, and may be found difficult to execute, it would be advisable to let the pupil at first speak without any motion of the arm at all. After some time, he will naturally fall into a small curvature of the elbow, to beat time, as it were, to the emphatic word ; and if, in doing this, he is constantly urged to raise the elbow, and to keep it at a distance from the body, the action of the arm will naturally grow up into that we have just described. So the diagonal position of the arm, though the most graceful and easy when the body is at rest, may be too difficult for boys to fall into at first ; and therefore it may be necessary, in order to avoid the worst extreme, for some time, to make them extend the arm as far from the body as they can, in a somewhat similar direction, but higher from the ground, and inclining more to the back. Great care must be taken to keep the hand open, and the thumb at some distance from the fingers ; and particular attention must be paid to keeping the hand in an exact line with the lower part of the arm, so as not to bend at the wrist either when it is held out, without motion, or when it gives the emphatic stroke. And, above all, the body must be kept in a straight line with the leg on which it bears, and not suffered to bend to the opposite side.

PLATE II

PLATE III,

SECTION II. On the Acting of Plays at School

Though the acting of plays at schools has been universally supposed a very useful practice, it has of late years been much laid aside. But, to waive every objection from prudence or morality, it may be confidently affirmed, that the acting of a play is not so conducive to improvement in elocution, as the speaking of single speeches.

It is plain, open, distinct, and forcible pronunciation, which school-boys should aim at; and not that quick transition from one passion to another, that archness of look, and ^Jiat jeu de theatre, as it is called, so essential to a tolerable dramatic exhibition, and which actors themselves can scarcely attain. In short, it is speaking, rather than acting, which school-boys should be taught ; while the performance of plays is calculated to teach them acting, rather than speaking.

But there is a contrary extreme, into which many teachers are apt to run, and chiefly those who are incapable of speaking themselves ; and that is, to condemn every thing which is vehement and forcible as theatrical, ft is an old trick, to depreciate what we cannot attain : and calling a spirited pronunciation theatrical, is but an artful method of hiding an utter inability of speaking with force and energy. But, though school-boys ought not to be taught those nice touches which form the greatest difficulties in the profession of an actor, they should not be too much restrained from the exertion of voice, so necessary to strengthening the organs of sound, because they may sometimes be too loud and vociferous. Perhaps nine out of ten, instead of too much confidence, and too violent a manner of speaking, which these teachers seem so much to dread, have, as Dr. Johnson calls it, a frigid equality, a stupid languor, and a torpid apathy. These must be roused by something strong and excessive, or they will never rise even to mediocrity ; while the few who have a tendency to rant are very easily reclaimed ; and ought to be treated, in pronunciation and action, as Quintilian advises us to do in composition ; that is, we should rather allow of an exuberance, than, by too much correctness, check the vigor and luxuriancy of nature.

Though school-boys, therefore, ought not to be taught the fineness of acting, they should, as much as possible, be accustomed to speak such speeches as require a full, open, animated pronunciation ; for which purpose, they should be confined chiefly to orations, odes, and such single speeches of plays as are in the declamatory and vehement style. But as there are many scenes of plays which are justly reckoned among the finest compositions in the language, some of these may be adopted among the upper class of boys, and those, more particularly, who have the best deportments ; for action, in scenes, will be found much more difficult than in single speeches. And here it will be necessary to give some additional instructions respecting action. When a scene, therefore, is represented, it is necessary that the two personages who speak should form a sort of picture, and place themselves in a position agreeable to the laws of perspective. In order to do this, it will be necessary that each of them should stand obliquely, and chiefly make use of one hand. That is, supposing the stage or platform where they stand to be quadrangle, each speaker should, respectively, face the copper of it next to the audience ; and use that hand, and rest upon that leg, which is next to the person he speaks to, and which is farthest from the audience. This disposition is absolutely necessary, to form* any thing like a picturesque grouping of objects ; and without it, that is, if both speakers use the right hand, and stand exactly fronting each other, the impropriety will be palpable, and the spectacle disgusting.

It need scarcely be noted, that if the speaker in a scene uses that hand which is next to the audience, he ought likewise to poise his body upon the same leg. This is almost an invariable rule in action ; the hand should act on that side only on which the body bears. Good actors and speakers may sometimes depart from this rule, but such only will know when to do it with propriety.

Occasion may be taken in the course of the scene to change sides. One speaker, at the end of an impassioned speech, may cross over to the place of the other, while the latter, at the same moment, crosses over to the place of the former. This, however, must be done with great care, and so as to keep the back from being turned to the audience. But if this transition be performed adroitly, it will have a very good effect, in varying the position of the speakers, and giving each an opportunity of using his right hand — the most favourable to grace and expression. And if, from so humble a scene as the school, we may be permitted to raise our observations to the senate, it might be hinted that gentlemen on each side of the house, while addressing the chair, can, with grace and propriety, only make use of one hand ; namely, that which is next to the speaker; and it may be observed, in passing, that to all the other advantages of speaking, which are supposed to belong to one side of the house, may be added — the graceful use of the right hand.

The better to conceive the position of two speakers in a scene, a Plate (IV.) is given, representing their respective attitudes ;

OF GESTURE.

PLATE IV.

and it must be carefully noted, that when they are not speaking, the arms must hang in their natural place, by the sides : unless what is spoken by one, is of such importance as to excite agitation and surprise in the other. But if we should be sparing of gesture at all times, we should be more particularly so when we are not speaking.

There are, indeed, some masters who are against teaching boys any action at all, and are for leaving them in this point entirely to nature. Improved and beautiful nature is the object of the painter's pencil, the poet's pen, and the rhetorician's action, and not that sordid and common nature which is perfectly rude and uncultivated. Nature directs us to art, and art selects and polishes the beauties of nature. It is not sufficient for an orator, says Quintilian, that he is a man : he must be an improved and cultivated man ; he must be a man, favoured by nature and fashioned by art.

But the necessity of adopting some method of teaching action is too evident to need proof. If boys are left to themselves, they will, in all probability, fall into very wild and ungraceful action, which, when once formed into habit, can scarcely ever be corrected. Giving them, therefore, a general outline of good action, must be of the utmost consequence to their progress and improvement in pronunciation.

The great use, therefore, of a system of action like the present, is, that a boy will never be embarrassed, for want of knowing what to do with his legs and arms ; nor will he bestow that attention on his action, which ought to be directed to his pronunciation ; he will always be in a position which will not disgrace his figure, and when this gesture is easy to him, it may serve as a groundwork to something more perfect : he may either by his own genius or his master's instructions, build some other action upon it, which may, in time, give it additional force and variety.

It may not be useless to observe, that boys should be classed in this, as in every other kind of instruction, according to their abilities. This will excite emulation, and give the teacher an opportunity of ranking them according to their merit.

Section III

Rules for expressing, with propriety, the principal Passions and Humours, which occur in Reading or public Speaking.

Every part of the. human frame contributes to express the passions and emotions of the mind, and to show in general its present state. The head is sometimes erected, sometimes hung down, sometimes drawn suddenly back with an air of disdain, sometimes shows by a nod a particular person, or object : gives assent or denial, by different motions ; threatens by one sort of movement, approves by another, and expresses suspicion by a third. •

The arms are sometimes both thrown out, sometimes the right alone. Sometimes they are lifted up as high as the face, to express wonder ; sometimes held out before the breast, to show fear ; spread forth with the hands open to express desire or affection ; the hands clapped in surprise, and in sudden joy and grief; the right hand clenched, and the arms brandished, to threaten; the two arms set akimbo, to look big, and express contempt or courage. With the hands we solicit, we refuse, we promise, we threaten, we dismiss, we invite, we entreat, we express aversion, fear, doubting, denial, asking, affirmation, negation, joy, grief, confession, penitence. With the hands we describe and point out all circumstances of time, place, and manner of what we relate ; we excite the passions of others, and soothe them ; we approve and disapprove, permit or prohibit, admire or despise. The hands serve us instead of many sorts of words, and where the language of the tongue is unknown, that of the hands is understood, being universal, and common to all nations.