Introduction-What is Elocution?-Definition-Reasons for the Cultivation of ElocutionAnswers to Objections-The Rev. E. Kirk-Extract from the Rev. J. B. Mayor's "Ethics of Ritual "-The Advantages to be gained from a knowledge of the Principles of Elocution in regard to the various Professions, the Clergyman, the Barrister, &c.Claims of Elocution to rank as one of the Fine Arts-Professor J. Hullah-Importance of the subject of Elocution generally-Authorities cited: John Stuart Mill, Dr. Guthrie, Mr. C. Palmer, Dr. Channing, Joshua Steele's "Prosodia Rationalis," Sir Arthur Helps, Rev. F. Trench, Lord G. Hamilton, Archbishop of York, Professor Seeley, Professor F. W. Newman-Power, richness, and euphony of the English languageSanitary Advantages of Elocution-Quotation from Sir Henry Holland's Medical Notes"-Dr. George Beard-Summary.

HAVE invited you here this evening, in pursuance of the course I have adopted ever since I have had the honour of holding my present appointment in this College, to listen to some introductory remarks in reference to the special work intrusted to my charge in this department, and which I have ventured to term "A Lecture on Elocution, considered in reference to Public and Social Life."

The great German philosopher, Wilhelm von Humboldt, who has been so justly termed the father of Comparative Philology, in discussing the subject of language generally, says: "We must exclude from the definition of language everything but actual speaking.

The essence of language lies in the living utterance-in that which does not suffer itself to be apprehended in the sundered elements of written words. . . . It is only by the spoken word that the speaker breathes, as it were, his own life into the souls of his hearers. Written

language is only an imperfect and mummy-like embalming, of which the highest use is that it may serve as a means of reproducing the living utterance." And more recently the late Rev. Canon Kingsley, in one of his delightful essays, begins it with the remark that: "To the minute philosopher few things seem more miraculous than human speech."

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Let the assertions, then, of the philosopher and the divine serve as the text for the discourse which I propose offering you this evening, on the importance of cultivating, to the utmost of our ability, those faculties of the mind and those organs of the body which, in their just combination of action and in their highest order of development, constitute the accomplished speaker or reader, or, in other words, the science and art of Elocution. Let me endeavour to show you why Elocution should form a part of our education-not only as regards the effects to be produced on others, when we read or speak, but as regards its reflex advantages on ourselves, not merely mentally, but physically. Let me support my various assertions, and the propositions I hope to establish to your satisfaction, by the testimony of authorities of the highest order, and against whom no possible suspicion can exist of having any personal interest to serve. Let me try, at least, fairly to examine and answer some of the principal objections which have, from time to time, been brought against the study of Elocution by persons who, I think, have not maturely considered what true Elocution really is, and have confounded two things we are but too apt to confuse in our progress through life-viz., abuse with use.

This, then, is the outline of the course I propose taking this evening; and to which, without further preface, I now solicit your kind attention.

It is well, in all discussions, that we should start, if possible, with clear definitions of our subjects, and that our terms should be accurately defined. My subject then, to-night, is Elocution, and the two aspects under which I propose to regard it are—(1) In reference to Public, and (2) In regard to Social Life.

Let me take these, then, in their due order. What do I mean by Elocution? Suppose I answer this question first of all in a somewhat negative fashion, and tell you what I do not mean whenever I have occasion to make use of this much-abused word-Elocution. I do not mean, then, anything pompous, stilted, bombastic, or "stagey." I do not mean anything pedantic, stiff, formal, or unnatural. If Elocution either meant, or, properly understood and rightly taught, tended to anything of the kind, I should be the very last to say one word on its behalf, either here or elsewhere.

So much, then, for the negative portion of my answer; and now let me try to give you the affirmative. If you ask me to define what it is I do mean by Elocution, I think I should reply somewhat in the following manner :—I should say, first of all, it is the perfectly audible, distinct, pure, and effective pronunciation which is given to words when they are arranged into sentences, and form written or extemporaneous composition, either in the shape of prose or poetry. Besides this purity of intonation and clearness of articulation, I include under the term all those appropriate inflections and modulations of the speaking voice; the due observance of the great physiological law of poise; the notation of another element, scarcely less important, that of quantity; proper pauses, and right discrimination in degrees of emphasis, all of which are requisite in order to render delivery most effective in its results, not only as regards the judgment and intellect, but the feelings and emotions of

those whom we address. Nor does my definition stop here; for I include, moreover, when suitable to the occasion, all the ever-varying accompaniments of the human countenance and figure—the manifold play of feature, attitude, and gesture. And I do so, because Nature has a language unspoken as well as spoken, and the flash of indignation from the eye, the frown of anger on the brow, the lip smiling with pleasure, or curled in scorn and contempt-nay, the simple raising of a hand in appeal or in deprecation will often convey the particular passion or emotion of the moment as eloquently as any words can do, however aptly chosen. Thus, then, you will see that under my definition of Elocution, I mean a delivery which not only expresses fully the grammatical or logical sense of all the words employed, so as to be thoroughly heard, understood, and felt by the hearer, but, at the same time, gives the whole sentence which such words compose all the power, beauty, grace, and melody of which its form of construction is capable. And last, though not least, in the elements of my definition is the knowledge of the means by which all this may be done with personal ease, freedom, and self-possession on the part of the speaker or reader, when he is made acquainted with the physiology and proper use of the respiratory, vocal, and speech organs in their due co-ordination of action.

This, then, is my ideal of Elocution; a high one, I confess. But it is well, in all that is deserving of study, whether in the world of art, science, or ethics, to keep a high ideal before us; to which let us strive our utmost to approximate, even though that ideal we may never hope actually to attain. That Elocution, then, is an art which requires much study to develop it in all its full power and beauty, even when Nature has been liberal in bestowing a fine and flexible voice and quickness of appreciation in matters of taste and sympathy of feeling, will, I think, be conceded without much hesitation. This being conceded, we come now to the all-important question-Are we sufficiently rewarded for all the time, thought, and study we may give to the acquisition of this art? Are we sufficiently requited for all the pains we may bestow in becoming thoroughly acquainted with its theory, and then carrying out and developing that theory in practice? I think we are, both in regard to public and social life. Let me glance, first, at those spheres of life which we may term public, and under which head I would take, as illustrations, the minister of religion generally, without reference to any particular church or creed; the advocate in our courts of law; and the speakers in our Houses of Parliament and at public meetings. All these so far resemble each other in their vocation that their aim is, when engaged in their professional or public duties, to convince the judgment of their hearers of the truth or soundness of the views which the speaker is enforcing, or else to persuade them to a certain course of conduct or action. The minister of religion, moreover, has, by the mode in which his more specially sacred functions are performed, to endeavour to excite, to the fullest degree, the devotional feelings of his congregation. And through what channel are all these desired ends and aims to be attained? Through words spoken by the living human voice, with all its marvellous sympathetic powers of intonation, inflection, and modulation.

enforced as far as possible by the expression of the countenance and gesture.

Let me venture to quote a few passages-not from any professional writer on, or teacher of, Elocution (for that, as I said at first, I shall avoid doing as much as possible), but from an article lately published by an eminent American divine (the Rev. E. Kirk, of Boston), “On the Preparation required for the Public Duties of the Ministry," which is not less applicable to the subject, I think, in England than in America :

"It is easy to recognise the difference between a speaker who is agreeable and one who is disagreeable; between one who is powerful and another who is feeble. Nor can any one entertain a doubt whether the difference is not just as obvious in the pulpit as in the senate, forum, or cn the public platform. Every preacher, I should think, would desire so to deliver his sermon as that his meaning should be clearly perceived, and his sentiments deeply felt, rather than to utter it in a manner unintelligible and unimpressive. Every congregation of worshippers would prefer in their pastor a good delivery to an awkward and disagreeable style of speaking. Let two men of equal piety and scholarship be presented to any of our religious societies, the one a man of easy, becoming carriage in the pulpit, of apparently simple, natural, and powerful utterance; the other uncouth in attitude and movement, indistinct and stammering in his enunciation, and wearisome in his drawling tones. Can any man in his senses doubt which of the two would be chosen? No! Thus far the case is plain. But if we go back from this, and observe this finished speaker practising in the detail of his studies and vocal exercises, there we shall find some demurring. Many who admire the orator are averse to the process of discipline which gave him the better style. There is, in other words, a prejudice in the community, and among many excellent candidates for the ministry, in regard to Elocution as an art to be obtained by study and practice. This prejudice is worthy of a candid examination and an earnest effort to remove it. In the minds of some, the study and practice of Elocution is connected, if not identified, with the idea of substituting sound and emotion for sense and truth. To such persons it may be suggested that there is no necessity for this substitution. The importance of Elocution presupposes the importance of other things; and for men who are morally and intellectually qualified to act as preachers, the importance of effective delivery and manner can scarcely be overrated. To overlook it is a proof neither of piety, dignity, nor wisdom. If there were some ethereal way of communicating with the mind, if the process of preaching were designed to be mesmeric, and people were to be put to sleep, instead of being aroused, in order to instruct and impress them, we might dispense with Elocution and the culture it requires. But so long as men are in the body, it will be found requisite for the most effective exercise of the ministry that a part of clerical education consists in the study and practice of Elocution. That necessity is founded on these two facts-that the communication of thought and feeling depends upon the right exercise of our bodily organs; and that those organs are within the domain of that great law which requires the cultivation of the faculties.

It is not sufficient for the purposes of electrical power that the battery be fully charged: a good conductor must be added. Alas! how much of the preaching to which we have to listen is of the class of non-conductors! In the minds of others, again, Elocution is identified with an ostentatious exhibition of the graces and the accomplishments of the speaker. But this is confounding the use with the abuse of a good thing. Since it is a man who is to be heard and seen, and since there is but one right way of speaking or reading aloud, while there are a thousand wrong ways, the man will do well to learn the right way. And if the agreeable impression produced by an agreeable voice, manner, and person can conduce to the right impression of truth, the very purity of his desire to do good should induce him to cultivate voice, manner, and person. There is nothing in the study of Elocution, rightly understood and practised, that need awaken personal vanity. Nor is there any more inducement for an eloquent man to display all the means by which he acquired the power of commanding the sympathies and interest of his audience, than there is for a learned man to parade all his learning, or to become a mere pedant. Others fear that they shall be tempted to turn their chief attention in the pulpit to tones and gestures, and thus degrade their high vocation. This, again, is no necessary consequence, and would be simply a perversion of the art. The greatest orator, in an extemporaneous address, pays strict attention to the minutest rules of grammar, but there is no interruption in all this to the concentrated action of his understanding; no extinction to the fiery current of his feeling. The rules of Elocution are designed to form the man, to correct the bad habits of attitude, speech, and gesture, and to make the voice, countenance, and body in every way fit instruments for a mind full of noble thoughts and powerful emotions."

There is one objection more to which I turn, and which I hope to answer, and then I proceed to a different part of my subject. You may have heard well-meaning persons, but who cannot, I think, have maturely considered the matter, object to the resources of the art of Elocution (which, after all, means only the aggregate of all that constitutes a good delivery) being introduced into the reading-desk and pulpit, and say that it savours of irreverence to privately rehearse, over and over again, public prayers addressed to the Deity, or to read the lessons from the Bible, with all the rules of Elocution so fully carried out, that the standard which has been set up for the right performance of their various ministerial functions shall be satisfied; and that to study the most effective manner in which a sermon can be delivered, as a great tragedian would study the part he has to perform, is to reduce the high calling of the preacher to an unworthy level. Now, in answer to this, let me, in the first place, ask-How is the singing of hymns and anthems managed in our cathedrals, churches, and chapels? Is their conducting left to persons wholly unskilled in the art of vocal music? Do not organists and choristers meet and practise, and rehearse, over and over again, the anthems, psalms, and hymns they have to sing, until all is thought of sufficient excellence to be played and sung in public worship? Why? I presume for one reason, to warm and excite, as much as possible, the