known, but communicated to others; and this language is compofed of tones, looks, and gefture. The office of a public speaker is, to instruct, to please, and to move. If he does not inftruct, his difcourse is impertinent; and if he does not please, he will not have it in his power to inftruct, for he will not gain attention; and if he does not move, he will not please, for where there is no emotion, there can be no pleasure. To move therefore, should be the first great object of every public fpeaker; and for this purpose, he must ufe the language of emotions, not that of ideas alone, which of itfelf has no power of moving. It is evident, in the ufe of the language of emotions, that he who is properly moved, and at the fame time delivers himself, in fuch tones, as delight the ear with their harmony; accompanied by fuch looks and gestures, as please the eye with their grace; whilst the understanding also perceives their propriety; is in the first class, and must be accounted a master. In this cafe, the united endeavours of art and nature, produce that degree of perfection, which is no other way to be obtained, in any thing that is the workmanship of man. Next to him, is the speaker, who gives way to his emotions, without thinking of regulating their figns; and trufts to the force of nature, unfollicitous about the graces of art. And the worst is he, who ufes tones and geftures, which he has borrowed from others, and which, not being the refult of his feelings, are likely to be misapplied, and to be void of propriety, force, and grace.. But he who is utterly, without all language of emotions, who confines himself to the mere utterance of words,, without any concomitant figns, is not to be claffed at all amongst public fpeakers. The very worst abuse of such figns, is preferable to a total want of them; as it has at least a stronger refemblance to na- ture. There is no emotion of the mind, which nature does not make an effort to manifeft, by fome of thofe figns; and therefore a total fuppreffion of thofe figns, is of all other ftates, apparently 3 the the most unnatural. And this, it is to be feared, is too much the state of the pulpit elocution in general, in the Church of England. On which account, there never was perhaps a religious fect upon earth, whose hearts were fo little engaged in the act of public worship as the members of that Church. To be pleased, we must feel; and we are pleased with feeling. The Prefbyterians are moved; the Methodists are moved; they go to their meetings, and tabernacles, with delight. The very Quakers are moved. Fantastical, and extravagant as the language of their emotions is, yet still they are moved by it, and they love their form of worship for that reason. Whilst much the greater part of the members of the English Church, are either banished from it thro' difguft, or reluctantly attend the service as a difagreeable duty. END of the LECTURES. DISSERTATION I.* On the State of Language in OLD GREECE and the Means by which it was brought to Perfection. N my last lecture, I concluded all that I thought most necessary to IN be faid, upon the feveral heads mentioned in my proposals. My chief object in this course, has been to point out the principal errours, and defects, in the feveral branches of elocution; and at the fame time, to propofe the most effectual means of correcting those errours, and fupplying thofe defects, in its prefent deplorable ftate; as we have neither any treatises on the fubject, to affift us in the fpeculative, nor mafters, in the practical part. BUT as I believe, there are not any of my hearers, who do not wish that this matter might be carried farther, and that the art of fpeaking might be introduced into this country, and established upon fuch a fure foundation, as to be equally open to all who are defirous of attaining it; I have purpofely referved this laft difcourfe, to pave the way for an opening to a new courfe of lectures, which I intend to give in order to answer that end. And I have reafon to hope from the nature of the courfe propofed, that all who fhall be at the *This Differtation was delivered, as the eighth Lecture, clofing the preceding courfe on Elocution. T pains |