emphatically says, "of all the studies of men, nothing can be fooner obtained, than a vicious abundance of phrafe; the trick of metaphors, "and a volubility of tongue.'

Having come thus far, the three celebrated orators of antiquity feem to fall in the way; DEMOS. THENES, ISOCRATES and CICERO; the firft fpoke from the heart, the fecond from the head; the first was animated by his fubject and powerfully enforced it; the fecond decked it profufely with rhetorical flowers; one flashed conviction, by irrefiftable imagery; the other amused imagination, with fantastical allufions: of ISOCRATES we may Tay, his eloquence resembled a pleasant, but shallow, ftream, which tickles the ear with an agreeable murmuring: DEMOSTHENES a deep majestic current, that in its course thunders on attention, and bears down all oppofition: ISOCRATES poffeffes eafe and elegance, DEMOSTHENES Power and perfwafion; CICERO who rifes far above the former, does not in our idea come up to the latter; he is however a very masterly mixture of both, and therefore more likely to obtain general admiration, than either of his predecessors.

Oratory is well defined the exercise of eloquence; eloquence the fluency of fpeech; and rhetoric the guide of both. It is odd that these three terms fhould frequently be used as fynonimous, when they fo effentially differ.

Oratorical compofition fhould be founded on a progreffive unity of parts, but not like fome of our fermons, which are difgraced with infipid methodical formality commonly ftiled heads; it fhould enter modeftly upon, warm into the fubject, and, if required, kindle to fire, when the audience are ready to receive heated impreffions; an impaf

fioned

fioned exordium generally produces a cold conclufion; and that piece, which endeavours to catch attention too fuddenly, will either not catch it at all, or be obliged foon to let it flip.

FENELON, ARCHBISHOP OF CAMBRAY, defcribing the Beauties of Eloquence, speaks to the following effect: "Of what use can any ornament ❝be, that does not tend to prove, to paint, or to "affect? thofe ornaments, which only please, are "falfe beauties; thofe which pleafe and perfuade, "folid ones: the just and natural emotions of an' "orator have much grace and beauty in them; "his correct and fpirited painting charms us; all "the effential parts of eloquencce tend to please; "but merely pleafing is not the most important "aim; ideas and expreffions, which only tickle "the ear, may be deemed quaint turns; all graces "of ftyle, which ferve to invigorate perfuafion, "are to be wifh'd for; but all witty, punning

conceits, all quibbling upon words, all strained "metaphors, all forced glaring imagery, and all' "luxurance of idea, which only ferve to flafh and "glitter upon fancy, difgrace found oratory.".

In public fpeaking, as well as in poetry and painting, art should be carefully concealed: where perceptible, it has a coarfe and mean afpect. The orator fhould fo intirely poffefs his audience of the fubject, as to make them forget the speaker.

From the affecting exclamation of Gracchus, mentioned by Cicero, and a dilation of it, we perceive how expreffion ftrengthens, or enervates, a fubject: "Wretched man that I am! whither fhall "I turn myfelf? where can I go? to the Capitol? it fwims with my brother's blood! fhall I go to to my own houfe? there to see my wretched mo"ther diffolved in tears, and overwhelmed with "forrow?"

B 2

L

"forrow?" This i

a beautiful, bold, and affect ing picture of perplexed grief: mark how faded the tints of originality appear in the following faint copy: "I know not where to go, nor whi"ther I fhall turn myself, amidst my misfor"tunes-the Capitol is the place where my bro"ther's blood was fhed; and at home I shall "find my unhappy mother lamenting her fad con"dition." With very narrow comprehenfion and very dull feelings we may readily perceive the falling off, in this languid extenfion and variation of phrase.

We fhall offer an inftance of the turgid and chafte, in the following comparative contraft. Suppofe a perfon addreffing an English audience, on a pre-. fumed decay of English liberty, fhould thus declaim; "Moft renowned Britons-in the magna"nimous volume of Time we may read-even "purblind eyes may fee the glaring type, that "there was a period, when liberty, diaphanous as "fun-beams at noon, exhilarated this oceanic ifle; "when like the bird of Jove it foar'd aloft, and "gazed with pleasure on the face of day; now it "faintly glimmers, like the fog-wrapped moon, "and our glorious eagle is become a bird of "night."

Now let us fee how the fame fubject may be treated, in oppofition to this over-charged, bloated, tabernacle harangue; which, delivered in the Moorfield manner, must prove a laughable morfel of mirth, to divert common sense, and astonish ignorance.

"Fellow citizens, there was a time, when li"berty diffused its bleffings thro' this once happy "ifle; when its value was known, and its worth "revered; when, like the fun, it was a common

66 com

"comforter; the parent of pleasure, eafe, and "fecurity: now corruption and our own depra"vity have brought it to fo enfeebled and preca. rious a state, that every real friend of his coun"try muft tremble, as I do, at the painful idea of "its fpeedy and inevitable diffolution."

If eloquence (a very dangerous weapon in the hands of ill-defigning men) is ufed to any other purposes than the following, we may confider it as in a cenfurable state of perverfion.

It should enforce the cleareft proof of any useful truth, with fuch interesting motives as may affect the hearers, and work their paffions to virtuous purposes; to raise indignation against ingratitude; horror against cruelty; deteftation against vice; abhorrence against flavery; compaffion for mifery; love for virtue; reverence for religion; obedience to fuperiors; and benevolence to all. Thus employed, eloquence appears in its full force and beauty: mere harangues feldom fail to catch the ear, but rarely touch the heart, and as feldom inform the head.

It is neceffary that an orator fhould call the paffions to his aid; but then he fhould be very cautious not to impose on, or affail, them too violently the one is cruel, the other impolitic. He fhould be clear in his ideas, and concife in his expreffion: he should perfectly understand juft arrangement of matter, and the proper climax of argument: he should be thoroughly poffeffed of every principle and part of his fubject: he should provide a fufficient number of appofite, affecting figures. Thus prepared, he must speak, and effectually, from an untrammel'd imagination.

The following paffages, from Bishop Burnet's difcourfe on the Paftoral Care, feems well calculated

for the improvement of Lay, as well as Pulpit, fpeakers." The extempore orator fhould fre

quently converfe with himself, to let his thoughts "flow freely from him; especially when he feels "an edge and heat upon his mind; for then hap, "py expreffions will fpontaneously come to his "mouth. He muft alfo write effays on all kinds "of fubjects; for, by writing, he will bring him"felf to a facility and correctnefs of thinking and "fpeaking: and thus, by clofe application for two or three years, a man may render himself fuch a mafter this way, that he can never be furprized; nor will new thoughts ever dry up up"on him. If, in his meditations, happy thoughts "and noble pathetic expreffions offer themselves, "he muft not lofe, but write them down."

We perfectly agree with the right reverend Author, that much oratorical merit may be derived from frequent, well-regulated foliloquies, and effaywriting; and are induced to offer a few more of his thoughts, though not in the exact words nor confined light wherein he has proposed them.

`One most effential point is, that an orator should have a due and deep fenfe of the truth and utility of his fubject: he must have a life and glow in his thoughts, with relation to it: he should very fenfibly feel in himself those things which he explains and recommends to others: he should speak as if what he uttered came from the heart: the orator, unless he really îs, or feems to be, in earnest, will never make any material impreffion. There is a degree of authority, even in the fimpleft matters that can be treated of, if they appear genuine, while the most important points fall into neglect, when conveyed through the cold vehicle of languid expreffion.

For