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action, in public difcourfe. The best rule is, attend to the looks and gefture, in which earnestness, indignation, compaffion, or any other emotion, discovers itself to most advantage in the common intercourse of men ; and let these be your model. A public fpeaker must however adopt that manner, which is most natural to himself. His motions and gestures ought all to exhibit that kind of expreffion, which nature has dictated to him; and, unless this be the cafe, no study can prevent their appearing ftiff and forced. But, though nature is the bafis, on which every grace of gefture must be founded; yet there is room for fome improvements of art. The study of action confifts chiefly in guarding against awkward and disagreeable motions, and in learning to perform fuch, as are natural to the speaker, in the most graceful manner. Numerous are the rules, which writers have laid down for the attainment of a proper gefticulation. But written inftructions on this fabject can be of little fervice. To become ufeful, they muft be exemplified. A few of the fimpleft precepts however may be obferved with advantage. Every speaker should study to preferve as much digni ty, as poffible, in the attitude of his body. He fhould generally prefer an erect pofture; his pofition fhould be firm, that he may have the fulleft and freeft command of all his motions. If any inclination be used, it fhould be toward the hearers, which is a natural expreffion of earnestness. The countenance fhould correfpond with the nature of the difcourfe; and, when no

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particular emotion is expreffed, a ferious and manly look is always to be preferred. The eyes fhould never be fixed entirely on any one object, but move easi ly round the audience. In motion, made with the hands, confifts the principal part of gefture in speaking.. It is natural for the right hand to be employed more frequently, than the left. Warm emotions require the exercise of them both together. But, whether a speaker gefticulate with one, or with both his hands, it is important, that all his motions be easy and unreftrained. Narrow and confined movements are ufually ungraceful; and confequently motions, made with the hands,. fhould proceed from the fhoulder rather, than from the elbow. Perpendicular movements are to be avoided.. Oblique motions are moft pleafing and graceful. Sudden and rapid motions are feldom good. Earneftness. can be fully expreffed without their affiftance.

We cannot conclude this fubject without earnestly admonithing every speaker to guard against affectation,. which is the deftruction of good delivery, Let his manner, whatever it be, be his own; neither imitated from another, nor taken from fome imaginary model, which is unnatural to him. Whatever is native, though attended by feveral defects, is likely to pleafe; becaufe it fhows us the man; and because it has the appear. ance of proceeding from the heart. To attain a deliv ery extremely correct and graceful is, what few can espect; fince fo many natural talents muft concur in.

its formation. But to acquire a forcible and perfuafive manner is within the power of most perfons. They need only to dismiss bad habits; follow nature; and speak in public, as they do in private, when they speak in earneft and from the heart.

MEANS OF IMPROVING IN ELOQUENCE.

To thofe, who are anxious to excel in any of the

higher kinds of oratory, nothing is more neceffary, than to cultivate habits of the feveral virtues, and to refine and improve their moral feelings. A true orator must poffefs generous fentiments, warm feelings, and a mind turned toward admiration of thofe great and high objects, which men are by nature formed to venerate. Connected with the manly virtues, he fhould poffefs Arong and tender fenfibility to all the injuries, diftreffes, and forrows of his fellow creatures.

Next to moral qualifications, what is most requifite for an orator, is a fund of knowledge. There is no art, by which eloquence can be taught in any sphere, without a fufficient acquaintance with what belongs to that sphere. Attention to the ornaments of style can only affift an orator in fetting off to advantage the ftock of materials, which he poffeffes; but the materials themfelves must be derived from other fources, than from rhetoric. A pleader must make himself completely ac

quainted with the law; he muft poffefs all that learning and experience, which can be ufeful for fupporting a caufe, or convincing a judge. A preacher must apply himself clofely to the ftudy of divinity, of practical religion, of morals, and of human nature; that he may be rich in all topics of inftruction and perfuafion. He, who wishes to excel in the fupreme council of the nation, or in any public affembly, fhould be thoroughly acquainted with the business, that belongs to fuch affembly; and fhould attend with accuracy to all the facts, which may be the fubject of question or delibera

tion..

Befide the knowledge, peculiar to his profeffion, a public fpeaker fhould be acquainted with the general circle of polite literature. Poetry he will find useful for embellishing his ftyle, for fuggefting lively images, or pleafing illufions. Hitory may be ftill more advantageous; as the knowledge of facts, of eminent characters, and of the course of human affairs, finds place on many occafions. Deficiency of knowledge even in fubjects, not immediately connected with his profeffion, will expofe a public fpeaker to many difad. vantages, and give his rivals, who are better qualified, a decided fuperiority.

To every one, who wishes to excel in eloquence, application and induftry cannot be too much recommended. Without this it is impoffible to excel in any thing. No one ever became a diftinguifhed pleader, or preach

er, or speaker in any affembly, without previous labor and application. Industry indeed is not only necessary to every valuable acquifition; but it is defigned by Providence, as the feafoning of every pleasure, without which life is doomed to languifh. No enemy is fo deftructive both to honorable attainments, and to the real and fpirited enjoyment of life, as that relaxed ftate of mind, which proceeds from indolence and diffipation He, who is deftined to excel in any art, will be diftinguished by enthufiafm for that art; which, firing his mind with the object in view, will difpofe him to relish. every neceffary labor. This was the characteristic, of the great men of antiquity; and this muft diftinguith moderns, who wish to imitate them. This honorable enthufiafm fhould be cultivated by ftudents in oratory. If it be wanting to youth, manhood will flag exceedingly.

Attention to the best models contributes greatly to improvement in the arts of speaking and writing. Every one indeed should endeavor to have fomething, that is his own, that is peculiar to himself, and will dis-tinguish his ftyle. Genius is certainly depreffed, or want of it betrayed, by flavifh imitation. Yet no genius is fo original, as not to receive improvement from proper examples in ftyle, compofition, and delivery. They always afford fome new ideas, and ferve to enlarge and correct our own. They quicken the current of thought, and excite emulation.

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