It is expected the master will be a little discouraged, at the awkward figure his pupil makes, in his first attempts to teach him. But this is no more than what happens in dancing, fencing, or any other exercise which depends on habit. By practice the pupil will soon begin to feel his position, and be easy in it. Those positions which were at first distressing to him, he will fall into naturally; and, if there are such as are really graceful and becoming (and such it is presumed are those which have been just desribed) they will be adopted, with more facility than any other that can be taught him.

**

SECTION II.

On the Acting of Plays at Schools.-WALKER.

HOUGH the acting of plays at schools, has been universally.

much laid aside. The advantages arising from it have not been judged equal to the inconveniences; and the speaking of single speeches, or the acting of single scenes, has been, generally, substituted in its stead. Indeed, when we consider the leading principle, and prevailing sentiments of most plays, we shall not wonder, that they are not always thought to be the most suitable employment for youth at school; nor, when we reflect on the long interruptiou to the common school exercises, which the preparation for a play mast necessarily occasion, shall we think it consistent with general improvement. But, to wave every objection from prudence or mo rality, it may be confidently affirmed, that the acting of a play is not so conducive to improvement in elocution, as the speaking of single speeches.

In the first place, the acting of plays is of all kinds of delivery the most difficult, and therefore, cannot be the most suitable exer. eise for boys at school. In the next place, a dramatic performance requires so much attention to the deportment of the body, so varied an expression of the passions, and so strict an adherance to charaçter, that education is in danger of being neglected; besides, exact propriety of action and a nice discrimination of the passions, how. ever essential on the stage, are but of secondary importance in a school. It is plain, open, distinct and forcible pronunciation, which school boys should aim at! and not that quick transition from one passion to another. that archness of look, and that jeu de theatre, as it is called, so essential to a tolerable dramatic exhibition, and which actors themselves can scarcely attain. In short, it is speaking, rather than acting, which school boys should be taught, while the performance of plays is calculated to teach them acting, ra her than speaking.

But there is a contrary extreme, into which many teachers are apt to run, and chiefly those who are incapable of speaking them. selves, and that is, to condemn every thing, which is vehement and forcible, as theatrical. It is an odd trick, to depreciate what we cannot attain: and calling a spirited pronounciation theatrical, is but an artful method of hiding an utter inability of speaking, with

force and energy. But, though school boys ought not to be taught those nice touches which form the greatest difficulties in the pro. fession of an actor, they should not be too much restrained from the exertion of voice, so necessary to strengthening the organs of sound because they may sometimes be too loud and vociferous. Perhaps nine out of ten, instead of too much confidence, and too violent a manner of speaking, which these teachers seem so much to dread, have, as Dr. Johnson calls it, a frigid equality, a stupid languor, and These must be roused by something strong and a torpid apathy. excessive, or they will never rise even to mediocrity; while the few who have a tendency to rant, are very easily reclaimed, and ought to be treated, in pronunciation and action, as Qnintillian advises us, in composition; that is, we should rather allow of an exhuberance, than, by too much correctness, check the vigor and luxuriancy of

nature.

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Though school boys, therefore, ought not to be taught the fineness of acting, they should, as much as possible, be accustomed to speak such speeches, as require a full, open, animated pronunciation; for which purpose they should be confined, chiefly to orations, odes and such single speeches of plays, as are in the declamatory and vehement style. But as there are many scenes of plays, which are justly reckoned amongst the finest compositions in the language, some of these may be adopted among the upper class of boys, and those, more particularly, who have the best deportments, for action, in scenes, will be found much more difficult, than in single speeches. And here it will be necessary to give some additional in. structions respecting action; as a speaker who delivers himself singly to an auditory, and one who addresses another speaker, in view of an auditory, are under very different predicaments. former has only one object to address; the latter has two. a speaker on the stage were to address the person he speaks to without any regard to the point of view in which he stands, with respect to the audience, he would be apt to turn his back on themj and to place himself in such positions as would be highly ungrace. ful and disgusting. When a scene therefore, is represented, it is necessary that the two personages, who speak, should form a sort of picture, and place themselves in a position agreeable to the laws of perspective. In order to do this, it will be necessary that each of them should stand obliquely, and chiefly make use of one hand,That is, supposing the stage or platform where they stand to be quadrangle, each speaker shoul 1, respectively, face the corner of it next to the audience; and use that hand, and rest upon that leg, which is next to the person he speaks to, and which is farthest from the audience This disposition is absolutely necessary, to form any thing like a picturesque grouping of objects, and without it, that is, if both speakers use the right hand, and stand exactly fronting each other, the impropriety will be palpable, and the spectacle disgusting,

It need scarcely be noted, that if the speaker in a scene, uses that hand which is next the audience, he ought likewise to poise his body upon the same leg: "This is almost an invariable rule in action: the Good hand should act on that side only, on which the body bears, actors and speakers may sometimes depart from this rule, but such only, will know when to do it, with propriety.