ELOQUENCE AS AN ART.

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by witnessing the exhibition of eloquence by great orators. Finally, it will be necessary to practise speaking in order to become an orator.

It is necessary not only to practise a little, but to practise a great deal. In this way ease, grace, and fluency are acquired.

Although oratory is an art, it is not affectation; it is not a resort to tricks for the purpose of convincing the hearer against his better judgment; but, the mind of man is wavering; it is not easy to fasten his attention upon a dry and uninteresting subject, and even a good subject becomes wearisome if unaccompanied with adjuncts that draw the attention to what the speaker says. We see this principle carried out in the most ordinary concerns of life. When the town crier goes forth to advertise a lost child, he does not trust to the interest of his subject to draw attention to his words, but he first rings a bell that the public ear may be induced to listen to what is to follow. No one thinks of charging the town crier with fraud or trickery because he takes this mode of drawing the attention of such persons as are within the sound of his voice.

Thus it is with the graces of oratory; they are intended to rivet the attention of the audience upon the speaker, and to set forth his views and his arguments in the most clear and forcible manner.

The following extract from Fenelon, archbishop of Cambray, sufficiently illustrates my meaning. I could not have expressed the idea much better myself:

"I do not hesitate to declare, that I think Demosthenes superior to Cicero. I am persuaded no one can admire Cicero more than I do. He adorns whatever he attempts. He does honor to language. He disposes of words in a manner peculiar to himself. His style has great variety of character. Whenever he pleases, he is even concise and vehement; for instance, against Catiline, against Verres, against Anthony. But ornament is too visible in his writings. His art is wonderful, but it is perceived. When the

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ELOQUENCE AS AN ART.

orator is providing for the safety of the Republic, he forgets not himself, nor permits others to forget him. Demosthenes seems to escape from himself, and to see nothing but his country. He seeks not elegance of expression; unsought for, he possesses it. He is superior to admiration. He makes use of language as a modest man does of dress, only to cover him. He thunders, he lightens. He is a torrent which carries everything before it. We cannot criticise, because we are not ourselves. His subject enchains our attention, and makes us forget his language. We lose him from our sight: Philip alone occupies our minds. I am delighted with both these orators; but I confess that I am less affected by the infinite art and magnificent eloquence of Cicero, than by the rapid simplicity of Demosthenes."

The principles of this work, both as regards the voice and gesture, are drawn from nature, and are thus no work of invention. As in physic, men, by seeing that some things promote health and others destroy it, formed the art upon those observations; in like manner by perceiving that some things in discourse are said to advantage, and others not, they marked those things, in order to imitate the one and avoid the other; and such is believed to be the origin of all the principles embraced in the successive chapters of this work.

These principles, to be fully appropriated by the learner, must be dwelt upon till they become perfectly familiaras familiar as the rules of English syntax to the English scholar. Where habits either of voice or of gesture are to be overcome, other habits must be substituted. Nothing short of habits of correct speaking and of correct action can meet all the demands of the speaker, as he stands up to deliver his sentiments before multitudes of assembled men. He has no time then to make the intonations of his voice or the movements of his body a study. To secure the formation of these habits, it is indispensable that the principles hereafter presented should be contemplated as strictly practical, and be carried from the exercises of the book into

ON THE VOICE.-ON STRESS.

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the daily practice of reading and speaking. The success of the ancient orators, as also of Fox, of Clay, and many of the distinguished actors of modern times-proves, as we have seen, the practicability of thus learning the art of speaking.

ON THE VOICE.

NOTHING but practice will improve the voice. Without continual exercise of the vocal powers, one can never become an orator.

A good articulation is a rare excellence even among those who are called good speakers; and such is its value, that it can even atone for many deficiencies. It is of great service to the speaker, as it enables him to make himself heard any where, without any great effort of the lungs, and also secures to him the attention of his hearers. A good articulation can scarcely fail to secure attention. And to the hearers also, it is a matter of much interest; since it enables them distinctly to hear what is said, and that with an agreeable satisfaction, instead of having to put forth a painful effort.

It is necessary not only to strengthen the voice by frequently speaking or reading pieces aloud, but also to acquire the habit of pronouncing every word in the sentence distinctly, and with proper emphasis.

ON STRESS.

EVERY sound capable of prolongation, uttered without excitement, and in a natural manner, commences full and somewhat abrupt, and gradually decreases in fullness, till it becomes a mere breathing. Though this movement of the voice may be varied almost at pleasure, yet it has suggested the designation of the Radical movement as applicable to the first part of the sound; while the last part-the gradual

decrease and final termination of the sound-has been called the Vanishing movement of the voice. And these designations continue the same, on whatever part of the sound the prin cipal force of the voice is laid. This force of voice, however, is called STRESS; and, when given at the opening of the sound, is called Radical stress, because given on the radical part of the vocal movement. The stress may be given so as to fall on the middle of the movement, when it is called the Median stress; or it may fall at the vanish, that is, at the close of the sound, in which case it is called the Vanishing stress. A command of the several functions here described, is of the utmost importance to the speaker, since they each have their peculiar significancy, and since, with a few exceptions, some one of them must enter into the pronunciation of every syllable forcibly uttered.

The Vanishing movement begins with a full voice, and gradually dies away till it becomes inaudible.

Let this exercise be continued till the learner has acquired perfect smoothness of voice, and the command of the equable movement which decreases gradually till it dies away in silence. When all the beauties of this vanishing movement are developed in execution, the ear is scarcely less delighted than in listening to the higher excellences of music. This function of the voice should then be carefully cultivated.

The Median stress commences low and swells to a loa tone in the middle, dying away at the close.

The Vanishing stress is the exact opposite of the vanishing movement or radical stress. Instead of beginning with a full sound, the speaker begins low, and gradually becomes louder till he reaches the end where he breaks suddenly off, like running up a slope till you get to the top, where you fall instantly down a precipice and are never heard of afterwards.

The Vanishing stress consists of a gradual increase in the fullness of the sound from the radical to the extreme of the vanish, which should exhibit a high degree of abruptness.