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INTRODUCTORY LECTURE.

My principal object, in the following course of lectures, is to unfold the principles of rhetoric and philosophical criticism. To do this in a manner satisfactory to men of profound erudition, of extensive research and cultivated taste, requires abilities and resources, to which I can have but small pretensions. On subjects which have been so frequently and so learnedly treated, little of novelty; little of originality, is to be expected. If by bringing into view and reducing to a scientific system those principles, on which the art of rhetoric is founded, and from which the rules to guide us to just decisions in the productions of genius and taste, are derived, I can be so fortunate as to excite the curiosity of my pupils; to enlist their ambition in the attractive pursuits of polite learning; to improve their taste and enliven their genius; to expedite the evolution and cultivation of their mental powers; to accelerate their progress in elegant literature and genuine philosophy; my ambition will be gratified, and my labors rewarded.

Rhetoric, or oratory is the art of speaking, so as to convince and persuade. From its very nature and end, therefore, it addresses not only the understanding, but the will. Its province is not only to present truth, and duty, and interest, to the intellective powers so as to convince, but to the active and moral, so as to persuade. When we consider man merely as a contempla

tive philosopher, it is sufficient, that his understanding be enlightened; but when we consider him as an accountable being endowed with passions, with moral feelings and active energies; a being stationed in society where he has various obligations to fulfil, weighty duties to discharge, high interests to pursue ; a being possessed of elective and conscientious faculties; who can recognize himself when he acts, and can feel the obligatory force of law; a being, who by his own powers can forward the perfection of his nature, beyond any assignable limits, and by the practice of virtue can secure the enjoyment of endless felicity; when we consider man in these respects, we feel the want of something more than a cold display of truth; we feel the necessity of engaging his sensibility by spreading before him the charms of beauty; of rousing up his imagination, by all that is grand, sublime and awful; of firing his passions, and through these, engaging all his powers of body and mind, in supporting truth and virtue, and branding vice and falsehood with eternal infamy. The orator's skill consists in a great degree in working on the active powers of man. He ought to be thoroughly acquainted with all the springs of human action. He must pry into the inmost recesses of the heart, and fully understand the passions, the laws of their growth, continuance and decay; their innumerable modifications in the innumerable and ever varying circumstances and characters of men. In short, he must thoroughly understand the sensitive branch of man's nature; for here we are ultimately to look for all those laws which ought to govern the productions of genius in History, Poetry, and Eloquence, so far as the manner of their execution is concerned. No one will understand the art of rhetoric, unless he traces it up to its scientific principles. These undoubtedly exist in the nature of man, and he who is ignorant of them, can neither judge with accuracy, nor execute with skill and success. Art is nature methodized. Indeed we may safely assert, that, the principles of all arts and sciences exist in nature. To develope these, is the province of the philosopher. Let us now for a moment turn our attention to Philosophical Criticism. By this we are to understand application of scientific principles to the productions of art and genius, with a view to ascertain the

beauties and defects of the latter, and to adjust their intrinsic and comparative merits.-There can be no ground for criticism unless there is a standard to which the productions of art ought to conform.

The powers of taste render us sensible to the impressions of beauty; and so far as these impressions are made by art, the powers of intellect, enable us to assign the reasons of them, and to refer them to their legitimate origin. Hence the study of scientific criticism becomes an interesting and noble employment, suited to the nature of man, calculated to furnish him with the most valuable knowledge, that of himself; calculated to yield the purest pleasures, to elevate him in the scale of being by refining his sensibility, and invigorating his understanding.

From this slight sketch, you will readily perceive that the principles of Oratory and Criticism virtually embrace the principles of all those arts which are denominated fine. For the productions of these are all addressed to man as a being, endowed with reason, sensibility to beauty, imagination and passions. More effectually to excite your attention, and enable you to appreciate the importance of the subjects of the following lectures, I shall now briefly point out some of the advantages which may be expected from a scientific study of the principles of rhetoric and criticism.

This study will enable us more fully to comprehend the nature of language, and to estimate its great importance and use. Language has by universal consent, become the universal vehicle of knowledge. Words, when spoken, are addressed to the ear, and are signs of ideas; but when written, are addressed to the eye, and are signs of articulate sounds.

Words do not answer their end in the same manner as pictures do: they are not to be considered as representative substitutions, formed on the principle of resemblance; but as arbitrary signs adopted by voluntary convention. Words when spoken or written, do not convey ideas to the mind by imitation or picture; but by suggestion. By the habit of connecting a particular idea with a particular word, a connexion so intimate is formed between them, that as soon as the latter is spoken or written, the former enters the mind. The expressive power of

words depends almost entirely on this connection. It must, however, be remembered that the meaning of words is often greatly altered by the particular place which they happen to occupy in discourse. Superficial or careless thinkers, are very apt to suppose that every word in a discourse stands for a particular idea. So far is this from the truth, that many words will be found to derive their whole meaning from the place they occupy and the relation they sustain to others. On slight reflection we are apt to suppose that, that language would be the most perfect which had a particular word for every idea, but experience will soon convince us that, that very circumstance would render a language almost useless. It would not answer even the purposes of social intercourse; much less of science and ratiocination.

Let any one make the experiment, let him attempt to carry on a train of reasoning or discourse, without the use of what are called complex or general terms; and instead of these, let him give a distinct enumeration of all the parts of the complex or general ideas for which those terms stand; he will soon find his words so numerous, and his circumlocutions so embarrassing, that he will be bewildered and lost amidst his own effort, and utterly incapable of advancing. Hence it is, that in all languages, nearly all the words are general; they are universal terms expressive of the highest genera, or most extensive comprehensions. It may then be asked-How then can particulars be expressed? I answer, by making a skilful use of the wonderful arts of speech, by which the meaning of words is appropriated, limited and modified, according to the various exigencies of the mind. Hence we see the vast importance of thoroughly studying the principles of Grammar. These by some philosophers have been compared to the foundation of a palace, which, though it is the most important part, and sustains the whole superstructure, is nevertheless most out of sight, and least noticed. Language is so familiar to us from our infancy, that we are apt to consider the particular study of it as unnecessary and useless. Why should we waste our time in learning words? Permit me to say, that if you learn words as you ought to, you will learn things, and things of the highest importance.

Language is a most wonderful art, the greatest of all arts. It was invented by the mind to expedite its own purposes, and to improve its own powers. Hence the principles and laws of mind pervade the structure, and govern the modification of language. Hence, while you are studying words, if you study them as a philosopher does, you are studying the powers, laws, and operations of mind; you are studying a science which unfolds the principles, and prescribes the laws and rules of all arts and sciences.

Let those therefore who affect to look with contempt on the study of languages, remember that they betray their own ignorance of the most sublime pursuits that ever occupied the mind of man. So intimate is the connexion between science and a well arranged language, that some have asserted that to learn a science was only to learn a language. Words were first used merely for the communication of thoughts and sentiments. As the social state advanced in civilization and refinement; as the increasing exigencies of man called forth his corporeal and mental exertions; as arts and sciences grew and flourished; words multiplied, new modes of phraseology were invented, until language became what we now find it, a wonderful instrument of of art, to aid the intellectual powers in the acquisition, retention and communication of knowledge. The study of language when considered as an instrument of thought, is highly curious and interesting. The advantages of it as a vehicle of our thoughts to others are obvious; but its use as an aid to our mental operations and processes of solitary speculation, is not so obvious; though equally great and more indispensable.

The next advantage arising from the scientific study of Rhetoric and Criticism is, that it will furnish us with a more perfect knowledge of our internal constitution, and enable us more effectually to cultivate and improve our intellectual powers. Though truth is, in its nature uniform, yet in its appearance, it is various. Hence in our inquiries after it, we are obliged to adopt different modes of investigation, and to recur to different sources of evidence. In matters of pure abstract science, all we require is consistency in the mind's conception.—In things of an historical nature we recur to testimony. In things belong

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