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must look back to the third fentence preceding, which begins with a man of a polite imagination. This phrase, polite imagination, is the only antecedent, to which it can refer; and even this is not a proper antecedent, since it ftands in the genitive cafe, as the qualification only of

a man..

There are, indeed, but very few who know how to be idle and innocent, or have a relish of any pleasures that are not criminal; every diverfion they take, is at the expence of fome one virtue or another, and their very first step out of bufi-nefs is into vice or folly.

This fentence is truly elegant, musical, and correct.

A man fhould endeavour, therefore, to make the fphere of his innocent pleafures as wide as poffible, that he may retire into them with fafety, and find in them, fuch a fatisfaction as a wife man would not blush to take.

This alfo is a good fentence, and exposed to no objection.

Of this nature are thofe of the imagination, which do not require fuch a bent of thought as is necessary to our more fe rious employments; nor, at the fame time, fuffer the mind to fink into that indolence and remiffrifs, which are apt to accompany our more fenfual delights; but, like a gentle exercife to the faculties, awaken them from floth and idleness, without putting them upon any lalour or difficulty.

The beginning of this fentence is incorrect. Of this nature, fays he, are thofe of the imagination. It might be asked, of what nature? For the preceding fentence had not described the nature of any clafs of pleasures. He had faid that it was every mans duty to make the sphere of his innocent pleasures as extenfive, as poffible, that within this sphere he might find a safe retreat and laudable fatisfaction. The tranfition therefore is loofely made. It would have been better, if he had said, “This 66 advantage we gain,” or “This satisfaction we enjoy,” by means of the pleasures of the imagination. The reft of the fentence is correct.

We might here add, that the pleafures of the fancy are more conducive to health than those of the understanding, which are worked out by dint of thinking, and attended with too violent a labour of the brain.

Worked out by dint of thinking is a phrafe, which borders too nearly on the style of common converfation, to be admitted into polifhed compofition.

Delightful fcenes, whether in nature, painting, or poetry, bave a kindly influence on the body, as well as the mind, and not only ferve to clear and brighten the imagination, but are able to difperfe grief and melancholy, and to fet the animal Spirits in pleafing and agreeable motions. For this reafon Sir Francis Bacon, in his Effay upon Health, has not thought it improper to prefcribe to his reader a poem or a profpe&t

where he particularly diffuades him from knotty and fubtile difquifitions, and advifes him to purfue ftudies that fill the mind with fplendid and illuftrious objects, as hiftories, fables, and contemplations of nature.

In the latter of these two periods a member is out of its place. Where he particularly diffuades him from knotty and fubtile difquifitions ought to precede has not thought it improper to preferibe, &c.

I have in this paper, by way of introduction, fettled the notion of thofe pleafures of the imagination, which are the fubject of my prefent undertaking, and endeavoured, by fev eral confiderations to recommend to my readers the pursuit of thofe pleasures; Ishall in my next paper examine the several fources from whence thefe pleasures are derived.

These two concluding fentences furnish examples of proper collocation of circumstances. We formerly fhowed that it is difficult fo to difpofe them, as not to embarrass the principal fubject. Had the following incidental circumstances, by way of introduction—by several confiderations-in this paper in the next paper, been placed any other fituation; the fentence would have been neither fo neat, nor fo clear, as it is on the prefent conftruction.

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ORIGIN OF ELOQUENCE.

GRECIAN ELOQUENCE.

DEMOSTHENES.

ELOQUENCE is the art of perfuafion. Its most

effential requifites are folid argument, clear method, and an appearance of fincerity in the speaker, with fuch graces of ftyle and utterance, as command attention. Good fenfe must be its foundation. Without this no man can be truly eloquent; fince fools can perfuade none, but fools. Before we can perfuade a man of fenfe, we must convince him. Convincing and perfuading, though fometimes confounded, are of very different import. Conviction affects the understanding only; perfuafion the will and the practice. It is the bufinefs of a philofopher to convince us of truth; it is that of an orator to perfuade us to act comformably to it by engaging our affections in its favor. Conviction is however one avenue to the heart; and it is that, which an orator must first attempt to gain; for no perfuafion can be ftable, which is not founded on conviction. But the Grator must not be fatisfied with convincing; he must addrefs himfelf to the paffions; he muft paint to the fancy, and touch the heart. Hence befide folid argument and clear method all the conciliating and interefting arts of compofition and pronunciation enter into the idea of eloquence.

Eloquence may be confidered, as consisting of three kinds or degrees. The first and lowest is that, which aims only to please the hearers. / Such in general is the eloquence of panegyrics, inaugural orations, addreffes to great men, and other harangues of this kind. This ornamental fort of compofition may innocently amuse and entertain the mind; and may be mixed at the fame time with very useful fentiments. But it must be acknowledged, that, where the speaker aims only to fhine and to please, there is great danger of art being strained into oftentation, and of the compofition becoming tirefome and infipid.

The fecond degree of eloquence is, when the fpeaker aims, not merely to please, but alfo to inform, to instruct, to convince; when his art is employed in removing prejudices against himself and his caufe; in felecting the most proper arguments, ftating them with the greatest force, arranging them in the best order, expreffing and delivering them with propriety and beauty; thereby difpofing us to pafs that judgment, or favor that fide of the caufe, to which he feeks to bring us. Within this degree chiefly is employed the eloquence of the bar.

The third and highest degree of eloquence is that, by which we are not only convinced, but interefted, agitated, and carried along with the speaker; our paffions rife with his; we share all his emotions; we love, we

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