ELEMENTS O F ELOCUTION. V O L. II, THE LIBfJAKY UNIVERSITY OF UM AJNGELBS ELEMENTS O F ELOCUTION. Being the Subftance of a COURSE OF LECTURES ON THE ART OF READING; Delivered at feveral Colleges in the UNIVERSITY of OXFORD. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. BY J. WALKER, Author of the Rhyming and Pronouncing Dictionary, Sic. &c. Eft quodam prodire tenus HOR. LONDON, Printed for the AUTHOR; And Sold by T. CA&ELL, in the StKmd ; T. BECKET, Corner of the Adelphi ; G. ROBINSON, Paternoiler- Row j and J. DODSLEY, Pall-Mali, MDCCLXXXI. N/ mn CONTENTS O F T HE SECOND VOLUME, ACCENT Page i ^^ Accent defmecj and explained 4 Eoglilh, Scotch, and Irifli Accent, how they differ 14 Introduction to the Theory of Emphafis 15 Theory of Emphatic Inflexion 42 ^radical Syftem of Emphafis 6$ Single Emphafis 67 Double Emphafis 88 Treble Emphafis $o General Emphafis 102 Intermediate Member 107 Harmonic Inflexion 121 Harmony of Profe 141 Harmony of Profaic Inflexions 152 Rules for reading Verfe 173 Modulation and Management of the Voice 226 Gefture 260 The vi CONTENTS. The Paffions Page 272 Tranquility - 292 Chearfulnefs ibid. Mirth 295 Raillery , 296 Sneer 297 Joy 298 Delight 302 Love 303 Pity 308 Hope 312 Hatred, Averfion 313 Anger, Rage, Fury 318 Revenge 323 Reproach 325 Fear and Terror 328 Sorrow 333 Remorfe 341 Defpair 344 Surprife, Wonder, Amazement, Admi- ration . 347 Pride 351 Confidence, Courage, Boafting 353 Perplexity, Irrefolution, Anxiety 357 Vexation CONTENTS. Vexation Peevifhnefs - Malice Sufpicion, Jealoufy Modefty*, Submiffion Shame Gravity Enquiry Attention Teaching or Inftru&ing Arguing Admonition Authority Commanding Forbidding - Affirming Denyiii-g Differing Agreeing Judging Reproving Acquitting Condemn ins: o Pardoning 395 Difmiffinff CONTENTS. Difmiffing RefuCmg 397 Giving, or granting 399 Gratitude 4 Curiofity * 4 O1 Promifing 4 2 Veneration ~ 43 Refpeft 404 Defire *- ibid - Commendation Exhorting Complaining 47 Fatigue 49 Sicknefs ~~ 4 10 Exercifes from Addifon, Shakfpeare, Pope, &c. 4^2 Monody to the Memory of Garrick 426 ELE- 1... t I ) ELEMENTS O F ACCENT. AS accent relates to the pronunciation of words taken fmgly, it can have little to do in an effay on the pronunciation of words mfucceffion,as elocution, perhaps, may not improperly be called ; for as words juftly pronounced are merely the materials for delivery, thefe muft all he fuppofed to be in our own poffeflion before we can poffibly begin to arrange and dif- play them to advantage. A perfon who pronounces every word fmgly with the greateft purity, may not be able to read well ; and another may convey the fenfe of an author with great force and beauty, VOL. II. B who 2 ELEMENTS OF who does not always either pronounce the words juftly, or place the accent on the proper fyllable. The only point, there- fore, in which it will be neceffary to take notice of accent in reading, is that where the emphafis requires a tranfpofition of it : this happens when two words which have a famenefs in part of their formation, are oppofed to each other in fenfe. Thus, if I pronounce the words jujlice and injuJHcc as fmgle words, I naturally place the ac- cent on the penultimate fyllable of both ; but if I contrail them, and fay Neither jujlice nor injujlice have any thing to do with the prefent quejlion ; in this fentence I naturally place the accent on the firfl fyllable of injujlice^ in order the more forcibly and clearly to diftinguifh it from jnflice. This- tranfpofition of the accent, which is fo evidently dictated by the fenfe, extends itfelf to all words which have a famenefs of termination, though they may not ELOCUTION* 3 not be diredly opposite in fenfe ; thus, if I wanted more particularly to {how that I meant one requifite of dramatic ftory ra- ther than another, I fhould fay In this fpectes of compofttion^ flaujibility is much more ejjential than probability ; and in the pronunciation of thefe words, I mould infallibly tranfpofe the accent of both, from the third to the firft fyllables ; in or- der to contrail thofe parts of the words which are diftinguimed from each other by the import of the fentence. As an in- ftance of the neceflity of attending to this emphatical accent, as it may be called, we need only give a paffage from the Spectator, N 189. In this cafe I may uCe the faying of an emi- nent wit, who upon fome great men's preffing him to forgive his daughter who had married againft his confent, told them he could refufe nothing to their inftances, but that he would have them remember there was a difference be- tween giving and/wgiving. B 2 Ths 4 ELEMENTS OF In this example, we find the whole fenfe of the paflage depends on placing the ac- cent on the firft fyllable of forgiving, in order to contraft it more ftrongly with giving*, to which it is oppofed ; as with- out this tranfpofition of accent, the oppo- fition, on which the fentiment turns, would be loft. Another inftance will more fully illuf- trate the neceffity of attending to this em- phatical accent. The prince for the public good has a fovc- rei^n property in every private performs eflatc; and, confequently, his riches muft /crealc or ^creafe, in proportion to the number and riches of his fubjefts. Spi'u. N 200. The words mcreafe and decreafe have, in this example, the accent on the firfl fyl- lable of each, as k is there the contraft in in the fcnfe lies. What has already been fuid of accent, as it relates to the art of reading, is, per- ELOCUTION. 5 haps, more than fufficient ; but fo much has been faid about the nature of this ac- cent, both in the ancient and modern lan- guages,- that it may not be improper to offer a few thoughts on the fubjecl: here. Some authors confidently aflert, that the accented fyllable is pronounced in a higher tone than the reft, and others infift that it is not pronounced higher but louder only. Whatever may have been the nature of accent in the learned languages, certain it is, that the accented fyllable in our own, is always louder than the reft, and if we attend ever fo little to the two kinds of inflexion with which every accented word in a fentence is pronounced, we fhall foon fee that the accented fyllable is either higher or lower than the reft, according to the inflexion which it adopts. Thus in this fentence, Plate III. N 8. Sooner or later virtue muft meet with a re- war d\ . B 3 Here 6 ELEMENTS OF Here I fay the laft fyllable -leyzn/ has the falling inflexion, and if we pronounce the word without emphafis, and merely as if we were concluding the fubjecl:, this fyllable will be pronounced louder and lower than the fyllable immediately pre- eeeding ; but if we give emphafis to this fyllable, by oppofmg it to fomething elfe, we fhall find it pronounced both higher and louder than the preceding fyllables. Thus in the following fente'nce, Plate III, N J I. Virtue will meet with a reward^, and not pu- ni{hment // . Here the word reward has the fame in- flexion as in the former initance, and the word punifhmeiit ends with the rifing in- flexion ; but the fyllable ward is percepti- bly higher as well as louder than the fyl-r lablc that precedes it. Again : if we give this word the rifing inflexion, we mall find in this cafe, that without emphafis the ELOCUTION. 7 accented fyllable ward is pronounced both louder and higher than the preced-* ing fyllables. Thus N II. If virtue muft have a reward 7 , it is our in- tereft to be virtuous. Thefe obfervations compare the accented fyljable with the preceding fyllables only, it will in the next place be neceflary to compare it with thofe that follow : for which purpofe let us obferve the pronun- ciation of this fentence, N III. So that no man living can be faid to be perfect^. If in this example we pronounce the word perfect without any emphafis, and merely as if we were concluding a dif- courfe, we fliall find the accented fyllable adopting the falling inflexion, and pro- nounced fomewhat higher and louder than the laft. The fame inflexion of voice .upon the accented fyllable, and the higher tone of this fyllable than the laft, will ap- pear much more perceptibly by pronounc- B 4 ing 8 ELEMENTS OF ing this word in the following fentence, NIV. We ought to avoid blame, though we can- not bt perfetfi* Here, I fay, if we give the word per-* feft the falling inflexion, and pronounce it with emphafis, we fhall find the firft fyllable very perceptibly higher and louder than the laft ; on the contrary, if we give the word perfeft the rifmg inflexion, we fhall find the accented fyllable louder than the laft, though not fo high, for the laft fyllable perceptibly flides into a higher tone. Thus N V. If we wifli to be perfect', we muft imitate God. Thefe obfervations will, perhaps, be ftilJ better conceived, by watching our pronun- ciation of a word where the accent is nearly in the middle. Thus in this paf- ige of Shakefpeare, N VI, What ELOCUTION. 9 What earthly name to interrogatories, Shall tafk the free breath of a facred king > King John. In this pafiage, I fay, the fyllable rog has the rifmg inflexion, and is pronounced perceptibly louder and higher than the two firft, and louder and lower than the 7 i three laft : but if we give this fyllable the falling inflexion, as in this fentence,N VIL He is neither moved by intreaties nor inter- rog\atories, Here, I fay, the fyllable rog if pro- nounced with the leaft degree of emphafis, is both louder and higher than either the preceding or fubfequent fyllables. From thefe obfervations this general conclufion may be drawn ; WHATEVER INFLECTION IS ADOPTED, THE ACCENT- ED SYLLABLE IS ALWAYS LOUDER THAN THE REST ; BUT IF THE ACCENT IS PRONOUNCED WITH THE RISING IN- INFLEXION, THE ACCENTED SYLLABLE jp- ELEMENTS OF IS HIGHER THAN TE PRECEDING, AND LOWER THAN THE SUCCEEDING SYLLA- BLE; AND IF THE ACCENT HAS THE FALLING INFLEXION, TH ACCENTED SELLABLE IS PRONOUNCED HIGHER THAN AN-Y OT;HE& SYLLABLE, EITHER PRECEDING OR S'UCCf EDiNG. The only exception to this is, the fentence, N VIII. where the accent is on the laft fy liable of a word which has no emphails, and is pro- nounced as at the concluiion of a difcourfe. Sooner or later virtue muft meet with its re- Here the laft fyllahle, though pronouns ed louder than the firft is evidently pro- jQounced a degree lower. It may not, perhaps, be improper t9 Jake notice of a ufage of the word accent, which, though feemirigly inaccurate, will be found upon examination, to be a juft application of the word. It is the cuftom,< only of England, but of other parts of of the worjd 9 which are feats pf empire, ^o call thofe modes of pronunciation ufer; , ']., t?et wealth and place, if poffible vvkh grace, If not by sfriy rne^ans get wealth and 'place. Here it appears evidently, , that .the words any means, which are the moil :emphatical, are -diredly oppofe}! to the .means under- ilood by the word^r^^, and the laft line is perfectly equivalent to this. "-If not tc by thefe means, by any other means, " get wealth and place." In thefe inftances, the oppofition fug- geiled by the emphatical word is evident at firft fight ; in other cafes, perhaps, the antithefis is not quite fo obvious, but if an emphafis can be laid on any word, we may be affured that word is in antithefis with fome meaning agreeable to the ge- neral fenfe of the paffage. To illuftrate this, let us pronounce a line of -Marcus in Cato, where exprefling his ELOCUTION. vg his indignation at the behaviour of Csefar, he fays : I'm tortuf'd eVn to madnefs, when I think Of the proud vldtor And we ihall find the greateft ftrefs fall naturally on that word, which feerns op- pofed to fome common or general mean- ing ; for the young hero does not fay in the common and unemphatic fenfe of the word think) that he is tortured even to madnefs when thinks on Csefar ; but in the ftrong and emphatic fenfe of this word ; which implies, not only " when I hear or '*. difcourfe of him, but even when I think " of him I am tortured even to ma,dnefs." As the word think therefore, fifes above the common level of fignification, it. is pronounced above the common level of found ; and as this fignification is oppofed to a fignification lefs forcible, the word may be properly faid to be emphatical. This 30 ELEMENTS OF 4 This more than ordinary meaning, of a meaning oppofed to fome other mean^ ing, feems to be the principal fource of emphafis ; for if, as in the laft inftance, we find the words will bear this oppo- fition to their common fignification, we may be fure they are emphatical ; this will be flill more evident from another example ; By the faculty of a lively and picturefque imagination, a man in a dungeon is capable of entertaining himfelf with fcencs and land- ikips, more beautiful than any that can be found in the whole compafs of nature. Spectator, N4ir. If we read this paflage without that em- phafis which the word dungeon requires, we enervate the meaning, and fcarcely give the fenfe of the author ; for the im- port plainly is, that a lively imagination, not merely abfent from beautiful fcenes, but even in a dungeon, can form fcenes more beautiful than any in nature. This ELOCUTION. 31 This plenitude of meaning in a parti- cular word, is not always fo prominent as to be difcernible by a common reader, but wherever it really exifts, the general meaning of the author is greatly enforced by emphatically pointing it out. Let us* take an example : Steele begins one of his letters in the Spectator by the following fentence ; I have very often lamented, and hinted my forrow in feveral fpeculations, that the art of painting is fo little made ufe of, to the im- provement of our manners. Speft, N 226. As in this fentence, which is the firfl in the eflay, it is taken from, we find a new and important object introduced, fo if we do not pronounce it with emphafis, it will not be fufficiently noticed. The word painting^ as it ftands in this fentence, may very well be fuppofed to be in con- traft with other arts, which, though often ufed for the improvement of^manners, are, per- 2 E LM E N T-S ;O F . perhaps, hotfei conducive to that end, a this particular; art : this antitheiis. is per- fectly underftood if the word -.painting is made emphatical, but entirely loft if it is pronounced feebly : nay, Hiding it over- without emphafis, will fuppofe. the hearer pre-acquainted with the fubject to be treat- ed, contrary to what is really the cafe ; this will be ftill more apparent by pro- nouncing- it both ways ; firil, without the proper ftrefs on the word painting^ and afterwards .with it. I have very often lamented, and hinted m/ forrow in fsveral fpcculadons, that the art: of painting is d> little m.adc ufc; ut to the improve- menB of ou;' manners. 1 have very o; : rcn lamented, and hinted my forrow in lev era) fpecuhitions, that the art of painting is fo little made life of to the improve- ment of our manners. In thefe inflances we find every empha-* tical word placed in opposition as it wers to- fc L O C ti T 1 O N t 33 to fome meaning which it feems to ex- clude. Wherever the contrariety or oppofition is expreffed, we are at no lofs for the ern- phatical words ; the greateft difficulty in reading, lies in a difcovery of thofe words which are in oppofition to fomething not exprefled, but underftood ; and the beft method to find the emphafis in thefe fen- tences, is to take the word we fuppofe to be emphatical, and try whether it will admit of thofe words being fupplied, which an emphafis on it would fuggeft : if when thefe words are fupplied, we find them not only agreeable to the meaning of the writer, but an improvement of his meaning, we may pronounce the word emphatical ; but if thefe words we fupply, are not agreeable to the meaning of the words exprefled, or elfe give them an af- fected and fanciful meaning, we ought by no means to lay the emphafis upon them : VOL, II. D Let 34 ELEMENTS OF Let us take an example of both thefe kinds of emphafis. Mr. Addifon, in one of his Spectators, ihowing the advantages of good tafle ; fays* A man of a polite imagination is let into a great many pleafures that the vulgar are not capable of receiving ; he can converle with a picture, and find an agreeable companion in a itatue. Specl. N 411. We fhall find but few readers lay any confiderable ftrefs upon the word piSiure, in this fentence ; but if .we examine it by the former rule, we lhall find a ftrefs upon this word a confiderable embellifhment ta the thought ; for it hints to the mind that a polite imagination does not only find pleafiire in converfmg with thofe objects which give pleafure to all, but with thofe which give pleaiure to fuch only as can converle with them ; here r then the em- phafis on the word picture, is not only an advantage to the thought, but in ibme mca- ELOCUTION* 35 tneafiire neceflary to it. This will appear ftill more evidently by reading the paflage both ways, as in the laft example. But if emphafis does not improve, it al- ways vitiates the fenfe ; and, therefore, fhould be always avoided where the ufe of it is not evident : this will appear by plac- ing an emphafis on a word in a fentence which does not require it. I have feveral letters by me from people of good fenfe, who lament the depravity or po* verty of tafte the town is fallen into with rela- tion to plays and public fpectacles. Spectator, N 208. Now if we lay a confiderable degree of emphafis upon the words good fenfe it will ftrongly fugged that the people here men- tioned are not common or ordinary people, which, though not oppofite to the mean- ing of the writer, does not feem neceflary either to the completion or embellimment of it ; for as particularly marking thefe D 2 peo- 36 ELEMENTS OF people out as perfons of good fenfe, Teems to obviate an objection that they might poffibly be fools, and as it would not be very wife to fuppofe this objection, it would mow as little wifdom to endeavour to preclude it by a more than ordinary ftrefs ; the plain words of the author, therefore, without any emphafis on them, fufficiently mow his meaning. From thefe obfervations, the following definition of emphafis feems naturally to arife. EMPHASIS, when applied to parti- cular words, is THAT STRESS WE LAY ON WORDS WHICH ARE IN CONTRADI- STINCTION TO OTHER WORDS EITHER EXPRESSED OR UNDERSTOOD: and hence will follow this general rule. WHEREVER THERE IS CONTRADISTINCTION IN THE SENSE OF THE WORDS, THERE OUGHT TO BE EMPHASIS IN THE PRONUNCIA- TION OF THEM ; die converfc of this be- ing equally true, WHEREVER WE PLACE EM- ELOCUTION, 37 EMPHASIS WE SUGGEST THE IDEA OF CONTRADISTINCTION, Emphafis thus inveftigated and defined, we may obferve, that all words are pro- nounced either with emphatic force, ac- cented force, or unaccented force ; this laft kind of force we may call by the name of feeblenefs ; or, in other words, where the words are in contradiftinclion to other words, or to fome fenfe implied, we may call them emphatic ; where they do not denote contradiftinclion and yet are more important than the particles, we may call them accented, and the particles and lefTer words we may call unaccented or feeble 5 for if we obferve the pronunciation of thefe latter words, we mail find they have exactly the fame feeblenefs as the unac- cented fyllables of a word whofe accented Syllable is pronounced with fome (aegree of force: we mall fee likewife/that aft accented word, which has a degree of P 3 force. 38 ELEMENTS OF force, when compared with unaccented words ' t when it is joined with an empha- tic one, and pronounced immediately be- fore or after it, finks into a feeblenefs equal to the unaccented words ; and that the unaccented fyllables, even of an emphatic word, are pronounced with as much lefs force than the accented fyllable, as the un- accented fyllables of an accented word, are lefs forcible than the accented fyllable of an unemphatic word. Thefe obfer vations are exemplified in the pronunciation of the following fentences. Exercife and temperance ftrengthen the ccmftitqtion. E,xercife and temperance ftrengthen even an indifferent conilitution. In the firft of thefe fentences the partK des and and the are pronounced like un- Accented fyllables of temperance and con^ $itution : in the Jaft fentcnce the word (gnjlitution is pronounced with the fame feeble*. ELOCUTION. 39 feeblenefs as the particles and and the ; and the two laft fyllables of the emphatic word indifferent, are as much below the fecond fyllable in force, as the particles and unaccented fyllables [_are below thofe which have an accent. By this threefold diftincYion we are en- abled to make very confiderable advances in the methods of conveying mftructiort in reading ; we cannot only mark the emphatic words as ufual, but diftinguifh them from the accented : thefe again may be diftinguimed from the unaccented, and by thefe means we make a nearer approach to the fenie of compofition, and to a me- thod of conveying our delivery of it to others. But a {till greater advance re- mains to be made by another diftinction : a diftincYion, which, to the former advan- tages of marking the different degrees of force on words, adds the ftill more ftrik- Eng difference of inflexion of voice. This J) 4 diftino 40 ELEMENTS OF diftinction, though obvious and palpable, is perfectly new ; and cannot fail to add greatly to inftrudion in fpeaking, as thefe two different inflexions of voice are the moft marking and fignificant diftindions of fpeech. As a fpecimen "of the utility of thefe diftindtions of emphafis and inflexion, we may obferve, that a difference of charac- ter may exprefs the different degrees of force with which every word is pronounc- ed, and a different accent may fhow what inflexion each of thefe forces muft adopt. Thus in the following example : exsrcife and temperance ftrengthen even an IN" DIFFERENT conftitution. Here we fee a threefold diftindion of force : the word indifferent is emphatical, and has the greateft flrefs ; the words ex- ercife, temperance^ wb&Jlrengthen^ have a lefler degree of force ; and the words and y even, an, and conftitution^ have a ftill fmaller ELOCUTION. 41 fmaller degree of ftrefs, and may be faid to be abfolutely feeble : and thefe different forces are diverfified by the difference of inflexion, as marked in the example. But although in certain critical cafes, where the fenfe of an author is difficult to point out, all thefe three diftinctions may greatly afllft us in conveying the exat pronuncia^ tion ; yet in general, it will be quite fuf- ficient to mark the emphatic word with fmall Italics^ and the reft with Roman letters, without entering into the diftinc- tintion of the feeble words from thofe that have a fecondary force, which feeble words, if neceffary to be pointed out, may be denoted by the fmall Roman letter, and their different inflexions by a different ac- cent. 03 Note. If an acute or grave accent 3s over the accent- ed fyllable of a word, it indicates that the word muft be pronounced with the riling or falling inflexion, as much as if thefe accents had been placed at the end gif the word. THEORY ( 42 ) THEORY OF EMPHATIC INFLEXION. T TAving thus endeavoured to give a clear ^ and diftinft idea of the two different kinds of emphafis, and attempted to prove, that ernphafis, properly fo called, always i fuppofes contradiflinction or antithefis, ei- ther expreffed or underftood ; it will now be neceiTary to fhow that every emphatic word, properly fo called, is as much dif- tinguifhed by the inflexion it adopts, as by the force with which it is pronounced. We have feen already that where there is no emphafis, the moft figmficant words in a fentence adopt a different inflexion of voice for the fake of variety and harmony : for provided the fentence reads well it is of no confcquence on which words the different inflexions are placed. Thus in the following fentence : Excrcifc^ and temperance' ftrengthen / the conftitutionN. In ELOCUTION. 43 In this fentence, I fay, the words temper- ance and Jlrengthen have the rifing, and exercife and conftitution the falling infle- xion ; but if this fentence were lengthened by the addition of another member, we fliould find the inflexions fhift their places. Thus in the following fentence : Exercife ' and temperance^ ftreamherA the conftitution/ and fweeten/ the enjoyments' of life\. Here, I fay, the words exercife and conftl. tutlon have the rifmg, and temperance and Strengthen the falling inflexion, as moft agreeable to the harmony of the whole fentence : but if a word really emphatical had been in the firft fentence, no addi- tional member would have obliged it to alter its inflexion. Thus in the following fentence : ExercifeN and temperance/ firengthen/ even an indifferent^ conftitution. Here the word indifferent, which is really l, has the falling inflexion ; and this 44 ELEMENTS OF this inflexion it will ftill preferve though we lengthen the fentence in imitation of the former by an additional member. For example : Exercife/ and temperance^ ftrengthen/ even an indifferent conftitution/, and fupply\ in feme/ meafure the imperfections/ of nature^. Here we find that, however the infle- xion may change place on the reft of the words, the word indifferent muft always have the falling inflexion, or the fenfe of the fentence will not be brought perfectly out. In the fame manner we may ob- ferve, that the fame word in another fen- tence, when it requires ,the rifing infle- xion, cannot alter that inflexion to the falling, without injuring the fenfe. Thus in the following fentence. He that has but an indifferent conftitution ought to ilrcngthen it by exercife and temper- ance. Kere the word indifferent muft necefla- sily have the emphaiis with the rifing in- ELOCUTION. 45 flexion, whatever may be the inflexion on the other words. As a farther proof that emphatic words cannot alter their inflexion, we need only attend to the pronunciation of a line in Milton, where two emphatic words are oppofed to each other ; fpeaking of Nim- rod, he fays, Hunting (and meri^ not beajls' lhall be his game.) B. xii. v. 30. In pronouncing this paflage, we fhall find every reader lay the falling inflexion on men, and the rifmg on beafts, as giv- ing them a contrary pofition, that is, pro- nouncing men with the rifmg, and beafts with the falling inflexion, would foon convince us that the former arrangement is precifely what the fenfe demands. From thefe obfervations this maxim arifes, that as the emphafis of a word de- pends on the fenfe of a fentence, fo the inflexion of voice which this emphatic word 46 ELEMENTS OF word adopts, depends on the fenfe like- \vife, and is equally invariable : from whence it will evidently follow, that where there are two emphatic words in the fame fentence, the fenfe alone can decide which is to have the riling, and which the fail- ing inflexion of voice. It has heen already proved, that em-, phails always implies antithesis ; and that where this antithefis is agreeable to the fenfe of the author, the emphafis is pro- per ; but that where there is no antithefis in the thought, there ought to be none on the words ; becaufe, whenever an empha- fis is placed upon an improper word, it will fuggelt an antithefis, which either does not exlft, or is not agreeable to the fenfe and intention of the writer. Here fome new light fccnis to be thrown on the nature of emphaiis, and a line clnuvn to diftinguiih emphatic \vc.rds from others ; but dill we arc at a lofs TGI* the rcafou ELOCUTION. 47 why one emphatic word fhould adopt the rifing inflexion, and another the falling : from the foregoing examples, it appears, that every emphatic word requires either the one or the other of thefe inflexions, and that the meaning of an author entirely depends on giving each emphatic word its peculiar inflexion. It does not feem there- fore entirely ufelefs, fo far to enquire into the nature, or fpecific quality, if I may be allowed to call it fo, of thefe two empha- tic inflexions, as to be able to decide which we fhall adopt where the fenfe of the au- thor does not immediately dictate. Thus in a former quotation from Milton, when {peaking of Nimrod, he fays : Hunting (and men\ not beajls/ fhall be his game. Here I fay, the ear and underftanding are both immediately fatisned upon pronounc- ing men with the falling, and beafts with the rifing inflexion ; but in another line of 48 ELEMENTS OF of the fame author, when fpeaking of Satan, he calls him, The tempter e'er the accufer of mankind. Here, I fay, it is not quite fo clear how we fhall difpofe of thefe two inflexions on the two emphatic words tempter and accufer ; and an enquiry into the rrature of thefe inflexions, fo as to fix the pecu- liar import of each, may, perhaps, aflift us in deciding with precifion in this and iimilar inflances. It has been obferved, that emphafis is divifible into two kinds, namely, into that where the antithefis is exprefled, and that where it is only implied ; or in other words, into that emphafis where there are two or more emphatic words corrcf- ponding to each other, and that where the emphatic word relates to fome other word, not exprefled but underftood ; an inflance of the firit is this : When ELOCUTION. 49 When aPerfian foldierwas reviling Alexander the Great, his officer reprimanded him by fay- ing, Sir, you were paid to fight againft Alex- ander and not to rail at him. Spectator. Here we fmdJigJif and rail are the two emphatic words which correfpond to each other, and that the pofitive member which affirms fomething, adopts the falling in- flexion on fight) and the negative mem- ber, which excludes fomething has the rifmg inflexion on rail. An inftance of the latter kind of em- phafis is this : By the faculty of a lively and pi&urefque imagination, a man in a dungeon is capable of entertaining himfelf with fcenes and land- fkips, more beautiful than any that can be found in the whole compafs of nature. Spectator, N 411. Here we find the word dungeon em- phatical, but it has not any correfpondent word as in the other fentence. If we pro- VOL. II. E nounce jo ELEMENTS OF nounce this emphatic word with the fall- ing inflexion the correfpondent words which belong to this emphafis may be imagined to be nearly thefe, not merely abfent from beautiful fcenes ; which if add- ed to the word dungeon, we fhould find perfectly agreeable to the fenfe fuggefted by the emphafis on that word ; if we draw out this latter fentence at length we Ihall find it confift of the fame pofitive and ne- gative parts as the former, and that the pofitive part affumes the falling, and the negative the riflng inflexion in both. EXAMPLES. When a Perfian foldicr was reviling Alex- ander the Great, His officer reprimanded him by faying ; Sir, you Were paid tofighfi Alex- ander and not to rail/ at him. By the faculty of a lively and picturefque imagination, a man in a dungeon^, and not merely abfent/ from beautiful fcenes, is capa- ble of entertaining himfelf with fcenes and land- L O C tJ T i N, t j more beautiful than any that can be found in the whole compafs of nature. Here then we are advanced one flep to- wards a knowledge of what inflexion of voice we ought to ufe on one kind of em- phaflS ; for WHENEVER THE EMPHATIC WORD POINTS OUT A PARTICULAR SENSE IN EXCLUSION OF SOME OTHER SENSED THIS EMPHATICAL WORD ADOPTS THE FALLING INFLEXION t the Word fight, therefore, in the firft, and dungeon in the laft example, muft neceflarily be pronounced with the falling inflexion, as they tacitly exclude rail, and mere abfence from beautiful fcenes, which are in contra-* diftinction to them. Having thus difcovered the fpecific im- port of one emphatic inflexion, it will not be very difficult to trace out the other : for as the import of thefe two inflexions may be prefumed to be different, we may, by analogy, be led to conclude, that as the E 2 em- 52 ELEMENTS OF emphatic word which excludes fomething in contradiftindtion to it, demands the falling inflexion, THE EMPHASIS WITH THE RISING INFLECTION IS TO BE PLACED ON THOSE WORDS, WHICH, THOUGH IN CONTRADISTINCTION TO SOMETHING, ELSE DO NOT ABSOLUTELY EXCLUDE ITS EXISTENCE. Let us try this by an example. Lothario, in the Fair Penitent, exprefling his contempt for the oppofition of Horatio, fays : By the joys Which yet my foul has uncontroll'd purfu'd, I would not turn afide from my leaft pleafure Though all thy' force were arm'd to bar my way. Fair Penitent. Acl: ii. The word thy^ in this paflage, has the em- phafis with the rifing inflexion ; which intimates, that however Lothario might be reftrained by the force of others, Ho- ratio's force, at leaft, was too infignificant to control him : and as a farther proof that ELOCUTION. 53 that this is the fenfe fuggefted by the rif- ing inflexion on the word thy^ if we do but alter the inflexion upon this word, by giving it the emphafis with the falling in- flexion, we fhall find, that inftead of con- tempt and fneer, a compliment will be paid to Horatio ; for it would imply as much as if Lothario had faid, 1 would not turn afide from my leaft pleafure, not only though common force, but even though thy f rce t g r e<*t as it //, were armed to bar my way : and that this cannot be the fenfe of the paflage is evident. Here then we feem arrived at the true principle of diftinclion in emphafis. ALL EMPHASIS HAS AN ANTITHESIS EITHER EXPRESSED OR UNDERSTOOD; IF THE EMPHASIS EXCLUDES THE ANTITHESIS, THE EMPHATIC WORD HAS THE FALL- ING INFLEXION ; IF THE EMPHASIS DOES NOT EXCLUDE THE ANTITHESIS, THE EMPHATIC WORD HAS THE RISING 3 IN- 54 INFLEXION. The grand diftindion, therefore, between the two emphatic in- flexions is this ; THE FALLING INFLE- XION AFFIRMS SOMETHING IN THE EMPHASIS, AND DENIES WHAT IS OP- POSED TO IT IN THE ANTITHESIS; WHILE THE EMPHASIS WITH THE RISING INFLEXION, AFFIRMS SOME-* THING IN THE EMPHASIS, WITHOUT DENYING WHAT IS OPPOSED TO IT IN THE ANTITHESIS : the former therefore from its affirming and denying abfolutely, may be called the flrong emphafis, and the latter from its affirming only, and not denying, may be called the weak empha- fis. As a farther trial of the truth of thefe definitions, let us examine them by a few additional examples. When Richard the Third rejects the propofal of the duke of Norfolk to par- don the rebels, he fays : Why ELOCUTION. 55 Why that, indeed, was our fixth Harry's way, Whidi made his reign one fcene of rude com- motion : I'll be in men's defpite^ a monarch : no, Let king's that/^r\ forgive; blows and revenge For me. Richard III. Ad: 5. In this example, we find feveral words ernphatical ; but the words defpite and fear particularly fo : thefe are always pro- nounced with the ftrong emphafis, which always adopts the falling inflexion. In the foregoing definition of this emphafis, it is faid, that the falling inflexion affirms fomething in the emphafis, and denies what is oppofed to it in the antithefis ; and we accordingly find, that fomething is affirmed of the -words defpite and fear^ and fomething is denied of the antithetic objects fuggefied by thefe words, which are favour andjear/ej/hefs for the para- phrafe of thefe words when thus empha- tical, would be, Til be, not in men s favour y E 4 but 56 ELEMENTSOF but in their defpite a monarch and let not we who amfearlefs, but kings that fear, for- give : by which we perceive, the juftnefs of the definition ; for what is affirmed of the emphatic object is denied of the anti- thetic objedt ; agreeably to the definition of the ftrong emphafis, or the emphafis with the falling inflexion : another exam- ple will ferve farther to illuftrate the na- ture of this fpecies of emphafis. When Cato is encouraging his little fe- nate to hold out againft Caefar to the laft, he fays : Why fhould Rome fall a moment^ ere her time ? The emphafis, with the falling inflexion on the word moment, which is the infle- xion it is always pronounced with, fug- gefts an antithefis oppofed to a moment, which antithefis is, a r oery fhort time, and the import of this emphafis at length, would be equivalent to this : Why Jhould Rome ELOCUTION. 57 Rome fall not only a tittle, but even a mo- ment before her time ? By which para- phrafe, we fee the definition of this em- phafis again exemplified ; for fomething- is affirmed of the emphatic object, and fomething is denied of the antithetic object. Another example will make the juftnefs of the definition ftill more evident. King Henry, in Richard the Third, fpeaking of the foftnefs of his difpofition, fays : In my eytsjuftice has feem'd bloody. Rich. III. Aft i. In this line the emphafis, with the fall- ing inflexion on the wordyw/fe-, intimates that not only barbarity and cruelty , but even juftice feemed bloody : and here, as in the former examples, the emphatic phrafe is a pofitive propofition, and the antithe- tic phrafe a negative one. The import of the emphafis with the rifing inflexion, may be exemplified by the following paiTage. Horatio, in the Fair 58 ELEMENTS OF Fair Penitent, taxing Lothario with for- gery, fays : 'Twas bafe and poor, unworthy of a man' To forge a fcroll fo villainous and loofe And mark it with a noble lady's name. Fair Penit. Act ii. The word man, in the firft line of this ex- ample, is the emphatic object, which mufl neceffarily have the rifmg inflexion ; be- caufe this inflexion intimates, that fome- thing is affirmed of the emphatic, which is not denied of the antithetic object : the antithetic object to the word man, we may , fuppofe, to be fome being of a lower or-" der ; and if this ernphafis were paraphrafed it would run thus : 'Fives baj'e and poor , unworthy of a man, though not univorthy of a brute. And thus we find, that in this emphafis, what is affirmed of the em- phatic object is not denied of the antithe- tic object, agreeably to the definition laid down. In ELOCUTION. $ 9 In the examples which have been hi- therto produced, the emphafis has always clearly fuggefted the andthefis ; and a pa- raphrafe, formed by producing both the emphatic and antithetic object, has readily prefented itfelf : but there are many in- ftances, where, though the antithetic ob- ject is equally real, it is not fo eafily made out. In order to facilitate this operation, it will be neceflary to obferve, that the human feelings have recourfe to the moft minute diftinctions imaginable for the fake of exprelfmg thofe feelings with precifion find force. Thus when Lothario, in the Fair Peni- tent, fays to Lucilla : I fee thou haft learn'd to rail'. Fair Penlt. Act i. The emphafis with the rifing inflexion on the word rait, does not fuggeft any precife antithetic object in oppofition to it, but an indefinite fomething more excellent than 60 ELEMENTS OF than railing, as if he had faid, I fee thou jiaft learn* d to rail, if thou haft not ac- quired any art more excellent than railing : but whether fhe has any fuch acquirement he leaves her to judge. In the fame manner, when Jane Shore is protefting her fidelity to Edward's iffue, Glofter anfwers : *Tis well we'll try^ the temper of your heart. Jane Shore, A- flexion on the word more, and give the words lion and hare the weak emphafis and rifmg inflexion. For Hotfpur, in this paflage, is talking of dangers, and is not fo much comparing them as the advan- tages that arife from them ; and the para- phrafe of this emphafis would be, f/ie re- Jijlance we make to great and fmall danger is not equal ; a great danger ft irs the blood much more than a fmall one. This drawing out the fignification of emphatic words, feems the heft guide in. cafes where the fenie is not quite obvious, and will lead us to decide in many doubt- ful cafes, where nothing but the tafte of the reader is commonly appealed to. To illuftrate this ftill farther, let us examine a line in Otway's Venice Preferved, where Pierre, expatiating on the wretched fhte of Venice, fays : G n $4 ELEMENTS OF Juftice is lame as well as blind among us. The phrafe, as well as, ngnines nothing; more than parity, and is nearly fimilar in fenfe to the conjunction and-, if therefore we lay the falling inflexion on blind, it would be equivalent to faying, Juftice is not only lame, but blind \ and this is a piece of information we did not want : for juf- tice is. always fuppofed to be blind. But the falling inflexion on lame, and the rif- i-ng on blind, is equivalent to faying, JuJ- tice is not only blind, as foe is every where elfe, but in Venice fhe is lame as well as blind. And that this is the true meaning of the paffage cannot be doubted. If the poet had written the line in this manner : Juftice is as lame as fhe is blind among us. The falling inflexion placed on blind, it would imply, that Jujiice is not only 'very lame, but even as lame as foe is blind. Thus we fee the fenfe varies with the different em* ELOCUTION. 85 emphafis we adopt, and is never fully and forcibly difplayed, without the kind of .-emphafis that is peculiarly fuited to it. But it may be aiked fmce the fenfe muil be fully conceived before we can adapt the emphafis to the words, of what ufe it Is to ring all thefe changes upon the dif- ferent emphafes, when, though we con- ceive them ever fo diftinctly, they will only fuggeft one particular fenfe, but will never tell us which we mail adopt as moil fuitable to the meaning of the author. To this it may be anfwered, that whatever tends to mow the different import of each kind of emphafis, enables us the better to judge of the fuitablenefs or unfuitable- nefs of each emphafis to the fenfe. This unfolding and difplaying of what is fug- gefted by each emphafis is that afliftance to the underftanding, which fpetacles are to the eye ; magnifying glaifes are not .calculated for thofe whofe powers of fight G 3 are 86 EL EM E N T S OF are fo ftrong and clear as to have no need of them, nor for thofe who have no fight at all ; but for fuch as wifh to view objeds- diftindlly and with lefs labour than with- out this affiftance. Where the fenfe is clear, we need no fuch affiftance ; but where the fenfe is obfcure and dubious, it can fcarcely be doubted that difplaying and unfolding it by fuch paraphrafes as are fuggefted by the application of different kinds of emphafis, will tend greatly to take away the ambiguity, and mow which kind of emphafis is incil fuitable to the fenfe. As. antithefis, therefore, either expreff- ed, or underftood, is the fole caufe of emphafis, it will be deferving of all the reader's application to difcover this anti- thefis where it is concealed, andtodifplay it to advantage where it is expreffed : in t;ie former inftances we perceived that the Different branches of the antithefis neccf- farily ELOCUTION. 87 farily required a different inflexion of voice ; if one branch of the antithefis re- quired the falling, the other neceflarily re- quired the rifing ; and if the firft branch required the rifmg, the other almoft as neceflarily required the falling inflexion : for it is, perhaps, worthy of obfervation, that though the falling inflexion, if it be firft in the fentence, neceflarily requires its correfpondent emphatic word to have the rifing, yet if the firft emphafis adopts the rifmg inflexion, it does not fo invariably require its correfpondent emphafis to be of the falling ; but thefe inftances occur fo feldom that they fcarcely form an ex- ception to the contrary, which may there- fore be very juftly called a general rule. This, perhaps, will be fome guide to us in determining the inflexions we are to life on the different branches of an anti- thefis, when thefe branches are complex ; for not unfrequently an antithefis confifts G 4 of 88 ELEMENTSOF of four parts, two of which are oppofed to two, which is called a double emphafis ; and fometinies even three parts are op- pofed to three, and then the emphafia may be faid to be trebled. Double EmphaJtSi The double emphafis feems moft fre- quently to be regulated by the harmony of the fentence ; for as it is a general rule, that the rifmg inflexion muft take place in the middle of fuch a fentence, the fecond branch of the firft member muft necefla- rily have the rifmg inflexion, and the reft of the branches muft have fuch an empha- fis and inflexion, as contributes moft to the harmony of the period : with this ge-i neral rule, that the two parts of the anti- thefis have each of them the two different inflexions, arranged in an oppofite order; that is, as two inflexions in the fame member cannot be alike, if the fecond branch ELOCUTION. 89 branch of the firft member has the rifmg inflexion, the firft branch miift of courfe have the falling inflexion ; and as the laft branch of the fecond member forms the period, and therefore requires the falling inflexion, the firft branch of this mem-* ber muft neceflTarily have the rifmg infle- xion ; this is the arrangement of Inflexion, which feems univerfally adopted by the ear, as it will be found, upon experiment, no other is fo various and mufical. An example will foon convince us of this : The pleafures of the imagination, taken in their full extent, are not fo grofs\ as thofe of fenfe / J nor fo refined/ as thofe of the underftand* ing\. Speft. N 411. In this example, the ear perceives the neceffity of adopting the rifmg inflexion on the word /mfe ; and for the fake of variety, lays the ftrong emphafis and fall- ing inflexion on grofs ; and by the fame anticipation, perceiving the period muft have 90 ELEMENTS OF have the falling inflexion on imagination, adopts the rifmg inflexion on refined ; by thefe means, the greateft variety is obtain- ed, and the fenfe inviolably preferved ; for if we were to repeat this paflage with contrary inflexions on the firft: member, we (hould focn perceive the impropriety. The pleafures of imagination, taken in their full extent are not fo grofs / as thofe of feafe^, nor fo refined as thofe of the underjlanding^ . Here we perceive the whole fentence is monotonous, by adopting the fame infle- xions in the fame order on the firft and laft members ; and the fenfe is manifeftly injured by laying the ftrong emphafis and falling inflexion in the middle of the fen- tence, contrary to the general rule. 'Treble Emphafis. The treble emphafis, where all the parts exprefied, occurs but feldom, and when .does, there is feldom any difficulty in ELOCUTION. 91 pronouncing it ; for as each part has its correfpondent part exprefled, there is fcarcely any neceffity to enforce one more than the other, and they eafily fall into a juft and harmonious arrangement. Thus in the following lines : .Ske/ in her girls^ again is courted' 7\ go a wooing/ with my boys\. Every emphatical words adopt that in- flexion which the harmony of the verfe would necefiarily require, if there were not an emphatical word in the whole coup- let. This arrangement of emphatic in- ftexions almoft always takes place when every part of the treble emphafis is ex- prefted, but when the double emphafis has two of its parts fo emphatical as to imply two antithetic objects not exprefled, and fo to form a treble emphafis implied only ; in this cafe, I fay, it is not fo eafily determined how we are to place the em- phatic inflexions. Thus in the following paflage of Milton : Paratf. Loft, Book I. 92 ELEMENTS OF To reign is worth ambition, though in hell ; Better to reign in hell than ferv 7 e in heaven. The word heaven and hell^ in the laft line, befides the common antithefis which they form to each other, feem to have each of them an antithetic object diftinct and fe- parate, and fo to form a treble emphafis, inftead of a double one ; for the emphafis, with the falling inflexion on hell, feems to intimate, that to reign is fo deiirable that it is better to reign, not only where it is attended with its ufual cares, but even in. hell, where it is attended with torments .; and the fame emphatic inflexion on heaven^ implies, that iervitude is not only deteft- able where it has its ufual conveniences, but even in heaven where it is attended -with pleafures. Thefe paraphrafes im- plied by the .emphafes with the falling in^- ilexion, feem not only to agree with the fenfe of the author, but neceffarijy to be- long to it ; and yet fo agreeable is a con- trary ELOCUTION. 93 trary arrangement of inflexion to the ear^ that we feldom find this paiTage pronounc- ed in this manner. Let a whole aflembly be defired to read thefe lines in Milton, and a fmgle perfon will fcarcely be found whofe ear will not draw him into the common arrangement of emphatic inflexion, though contrary to the ftrongeft fenfe of the paffage : To reign is worth ambition though in hel? ? Better to reign^ in bell', than ferve f in heaven^ Moft readers, I fay, in repeating thefe lines will pronounce the laft line as it is marked ; that is, they will lay the falling inflexion on reign y and the riling inflexion on hell ; in order to diverfify it from the two concluding branches of the antithesis ; that is, the line will be exadly the fame with refpecl: to inflexion and emphafis as the following j Not $4 E L E M E N T S OF Not fo graft* as thofe of fenfe/, nor fo r- fned / as thofe of the underflanding\. But if we attend to the fenfe of Milton, We fhall find that the word hell, though in the middle of the antithefis, feems ne- ceflarrly to require the falling inflexion ; for, as we have dbferved, Satan's ambi- tion to reign is fo great, that he wifhes t6 reign even in hell ; that is, not where reigning has its ufual cares attending it, but even in hell, where it is accompanied with torments, fuited to hisfuperior wicked- nefs ; if we wiih to convey this fenfe ftrongly, which the words of the author will certainly admit of, we muft necef- farily place the emphafis with the falling inflexion on the word /;f accent and emphalis. HAR- j 5 2 ELEMENTS OF HARMONY OF PROSAIC INFLEXIONS, /TPHE melody both of profe and verfe feems to confift as much in fuch an arrangement of emphatic inflexion, as fuits the fenfe, and is agreeable to the ear, as it does in a rhythmical difpofition of accented and emphatic fyllables. To il- luftrate this obfervation, let us take the famous couplet of Sir John Denham, in Praife of the Thames, marked with the long and fhort quantities by Mr. Mafon, in his Eflay on the Principles of Har- mony, p. 60. Though deep ] yet clear, J though gen j tie yet not dull, Strong with j outrage; J without J 6'erflow- | ing full. Mr. Mafon, by the long quantity means, the accented, and by the fhort quantity the unaccented fyllable ; and if we do but read this couplet wkh the fame inflexions upon ELOCUTION. upon every fyllable marked with the long quantity, we (hall foon fee how much it owes its harmony to a diverfity of infle- xion, rhythmically arranged. And firft let us read this couplet by placing the ac- cent or emphafis with the riling inflexion on every fyllable marked with long quantity. Though deep' yet clear/, though gentle yet not dull/ Strong/ without rage/; without/ o'erflow/ing full/. In this mode of reading the couplet, we form a ftrefs on nearly alternate fyllables, which conftitutes the, effence of poetry, but by a perfect famenefs'of inflexion on the accented fyllables we reduce it to a mono- tony worfe than the moft inharmonious profe. If we give the falling inflexion to each accented word in this manner ; Though deep\ yet clear\ though gen^tle yet not dull N , without rage N ; without o'erflowMng full.\ We r'54 ELEMENTS OF We fhall find a monotony as difgufting as the former. But if we preferve the fame fyllables accented, and only alter the in- flexion, we (hall foon fee diverfity and harmony inftead of famenefs and monotony. Though deep' yet clear\ though genetic yet not\ dull/, Strong^ without rage'; without^ o'erflow^ing full\. By placing the accent or emphafis with the rifing inflexion on deep, the falling on clear and gentle, and the rifing on not and dull) in the firft line ; and the accent or em- phafis with the falling inflexion onjirong^ the rifing on ragc^ and the fecond fyllable of (ferflowing) and the falling onfu!/ in the iaft line ; by this difpofition of inflexion, I fay, we give that harmonious variety which conftitutes the principal beauty of poetical or profaic pronunciation. This diverfity in the arrangement of inflexion is not peculiar to thefe celebrated verfes ELOCUTION. verfes ; we find almoft every fmooth har- monious couplet has nearly the fame order of inflexions. Thus in Pope's Prologue to Cato : A brave/ man ftrug^gling in the florms^ of fate/, And greatMy fall /ing with a fall /ing flateA The firft line of this couplet ends with the rifmg inflexion, to prevent the want of harmony there would be in ending two fucceffi ve lines with the fame inflexion ; a famenefs for which nothing but empha- fis will ever apologize. As this line ends with the rifmg inflexion, the laft word may not improperly be called the rudder, which directs the inflexions on the pre- ceding words : for in order to prevent an exat return of the fame order of in- flexion, it is not fufficient that the differ- ent inflexions fucceed each other alter- nately, this would be like the fucceffive founds of the letters A, B j A, B ; to pre- 1-6 ELEMENTS OF j prevent a return of founds fo little various, we find the ear generally adopt a fuccef- fion of inflexion, which interpofes two fi- milar inflexions between two fimilar in- flexions, and this produces a variety fimir- lar to the feries A, B, B, A; or B, A, A, B. The firft line, therefore, of this verfe, neceffariiy ending with the rifmg inflexion on the wordjfo/f, in order to make the ether words as various and harmonious as poffible, the falling inflexion is placed onjlortns, the fame inflexion onj^rugglmg 9 and the rifmg inflexion on brave ; and this, in the firft line forms the arrange- ment, rifing, falling, falling, rifmg ; or A, B, B, A. The next line ending the fentence, ne- jfcefTarily adopts the falling inflexion on the laft wordjtate, and this directs the rifmg inflexion to be placed on the two words falling, and the falling inflexion on. great lv, which E L O C U T I O N. 157 which produces this order, falling^ rljlng^ rifing, falling^ or B, A ; A, B. This or- der of placing the inflexions is not inva- riably adopted, becaufe emphafis fets afide every other rule, and makes harmony fubfervient to fenfe : but it may be aflert- ed, that this order of arranging the infle- xions is fo generally adopted by the ear, that when emphafis does not forbid, this is the arrangement into which the verfe naturally glides. It may likewife be ob- ferved, that where emphalis coincides with this arrangement, the verfe is always the moil harmonious, and the fenfe in its moft poetical drefs. Nay, we fhall find harmo- nious profe where emphafis does not in- terrupt the natural current of inflexion, glide infenfibly into this rhythmical ar- rangement of inflexion. Let us take an example : Exerife\ and temperance/ ftrengthen-' the conftitution.\. Agree- 158 ELEMENTS OF Agreeably to the order we have juft taken notice of, we find this fentence adopt the falling inflexion on exercife, the rifmg on temperance and jlrengthen, and the falling on conftitution ; but if we add another member to this fentence, fo connected with this, as to require the rifmg infle- xion on conftitution^ we mall find that the arrangement of inflexion is changed, but the fame order preferved. EXAMPLE. Exercife"' and temperance^ ftrengtherA the conftitution ' and fweeten' the enjoyments/ of Here, I fay, contrary to the former ar- rangement, we find the rifmg inflexion on exercife, the falling on temperance and ftrengthen^ and the rifmg on conftitution ; becaufe here the fenfe remains iufpended and unfinifhed. See Vol. I. Plate I. N 4. A final member fucceeds, confiding of three fignificant words j the two laft of which ELOCUTION. 159 which muft always be pronounced with different inflexions ; that is, the penulti- mate with the rifmg, and the ultimate with the falling inflexion ; but the anti- penultimate wordfweefen, may adopt ei- ther the rifmg or falling inflexion, as ei- ther will diverfify it fufficiently from the preceding and fucceeding inflexions ; but , the falling inflexion on this word feems to be preferable, as the three words fiueeten^ enjoyment, and life, form one diftincl: por- tion ; and this portion can be no way fo varioufly pronounced as by the falling in- flexion on fweeten, the rifmg on enjoy- ment S, and the falling on life. But to mow how much the harmony of profe arifes from the different order and arrangement of the inflexions, let us read the laft fentence with the laft member cur- tailed in this manner. Exercife / and temperance^ flrengtherA the conffctution 7 and Tweeter/ life\ Here 160 ELEMENTS OF Here we find almoft all the harmony va- nifhed, though we give the rifmg infle- xion tojweefen, and the falling to life, as in the former conftruclion of this fentence ; if, however, we lay a ftrong emphafis with the falling inflexion on and^ the ear will be a little relieved by a diverfity of found, though good fenfe will be hurt at the ftrefs on fo infignificant a word. But what can be the reafon that this ftrefs fhould occafion fo great a difference in the found of the fentence ? This may be worth enquiry ; for which purpofe, let us lengthen the laft fentence by the interpofition of two accented words in the middle, in this manner : Exercife/ and temperance^ are the medi- cine^ of nature 7 ', they ftrengthen\ the confti- tution / and fv/ceten/ lifc\ Here we find harmony in fomc meafure reftored to the fentence ; and if we en- quire into the caufc, we fliall find it is by the ELOCUTION. 161 the introduction of a greater variety of inflexion : for in the former fentence, we 1 find the inflexions were rifing upon exer- cife, falling upon temperance zsAJinngthen^ rifing upon conjlltution and f which is exactly the order of inflexion in the laft couplet of the tragedy of Cato : Produces/ fraud\ and cruelty^ and ftrife/ And robs the guilty^ world/ of Cato's/ lifeV where produces and ftrife have the rifmg inflexion, and fraud and cruelty the fall- ing ; and guilty and life the falling, and 'world and Cato the riling inflexion. An inftance of the other arrangement we find in this ientence : Cicero 'concludes his celebrated books de Oratore, with fome precepts for pronunciation and action ; without which part he affirms, that ELOCUTION. 165 that the beft orator .in the world can never lijcceed, and an indifferent one, who is in after -of this, lhall gain mudh\ greater -' applaufe\ In order to pronounce this fentence with an harmonious cadence, the word this muft have the rifmg inflexion, as at the end of the firft line of a couplet, and the three laft words, much greater applaufe, which form the laft member, muft be pronounced very diftinftly with the falling inflexion, on the laft, the riling inflexion on greater^ and the falling on much. The rule, therefore, that arifes from thefe obfervations is, that when the laft paufe neceflarily leaves the laft member of a fentence with four accented words, as in the firft example, they are pronounced with the inflexions in the order falling, rijing, rifing falling ; and when the paufe leaves three accented words in the laft member, they are pronounced as in the Uft example ; that is, either in the order, M 3 fall. : i66 ELEMENTS OF falling, rifing) falling ; or rifmg^ rifmg, falling. As a corroboration of thefe principles, we may obferve, that where the paufe neceflarily leaves but two accented words in the lafl member, and that emphafis forbids the preceding member to be fo pronounced, as to form the order of in- flexions we have prefcribed ; when this is the cafe, I fay, we mail find the period end inharmonioufly. Let us take an ex- ample : If they do not acquiefe in his judgment, which I think never happened above* once or twice/ at moit\ they appeal - x to me\. Spectator* Here the fenfe requires, that the emphafis with the falling inflexion mould be placed on the word moft : after which muft be a paufe ; and as the final member confifts only of two accented words, appeal and me, no tolerable cadence can be formed; for ELOCUTION. 167 for thefe words, having neceflarily the rifmg and falling inflexion, are but a re- petition of the fame inflexions, in the fame order as on the words twice and moft, which forms as monotonous a conclufion as the feries, A, B ; A, B. It feldom happens, however, that the fentence is fo conftmcted as to prevent the ear from falling into one or other of the two before mentioned arrangements of inflexion. For fo agreeable to the ear is an harmonious cadence, that for the fake of forming one, allowances will be made for giving an emphatic accent even to words not entitled to it from their fenfe. Let us fuppofe the following fentence forming the conclufion of a difcourfe : So that from what has been faid, we may certainly conclude, that as virtue is not always rewarded in the prefent life, it will be fure to meet with the mod ample and fatisfaclory re- ward in the life to come. M 4 If )68 ELEMENTS OF If this fentence is properly pronounced," there muft be a confiderable paufe at the word reward, in order to pronounce the laft member with a diftinct and harmo*. nious fall ; but if we paufe here, we mall find it impoffible to pronounce the laft member harmonioufly without laying a ftrefs on the word in ; and though this word has no title either to accent or em- phafis from the fenfe it conveys, yet the neceflity of concluding a difcourfe, or any capital branch of a difcourfe, with an har- monious fall, will fufficiently authorize a confiderable ftrefs and diftinc~t inflexion on. that infignificant word. A good ear, therefore, will fometimes lay a ftrefs on certain words, and fome-r times omit it for the fake of an harmo- ous cadence. Thus in Sterne's Sermon on the Houfe of Mourning and the Houfe of Feafting, we meet with this paflage ; From ELOCUTION. 169 From reflexions of this ferious catf, how in- fenfibly do the thoughts carry us farther ? and from confidering what we are, what kind of world we live in, and what evils befall us in it, how naturally do they let us to look for- wards at what poffibly we fhall be ? for what kind of world we are intended what evils may befall us there- and what provifion we may make againft them here, whilft we have time and opportunity. In this paflage we find the laft member, whilfl we have time and opportunity , nece- farily requires that the word whilft fhould be pronounced with the degree of force due to an accented word, or the cadence would be faulty. But if this laft member were conftrudted in this manner ; whilft we have time and opportunity afforded us ; in this cafe, I fay, we need give no force to the word whilft, as there are three ac- cented words, time 9 opportunity, and af~ forded, which will be fufficient to form the cadence without it : nay, if we give a degree 170 ELEMENTS OF degree of force with the falling inflexion to this word, fo as to make the member confift of four accented inflexions, we {hall hurt the fenfe, without adding to the harmony. Thefe obfervations necefTarily fuggeft the importance of fuch a choice and ar- rangement of words as fall in with the inoft harmonious pronunciation. Read- ing and compofing mutually throw light on each other ; they are counterparts of one great operation of the human mind, namely, that of conveying the ideas and feelings of one man to another with force, precifion, and harmony. It will not be very furprifmg, therefore, if the foregoing obfervations on pronunciation fliould have hinted a few rules on the harmony of compofition. We have feen, that the harmony of every fentence depends more particularly on the conftruclion of the lat- ter part *, as this forms what is commonly Quint. L. IX. Cap. iv. called ELOCUTION. 171 called the cadence. This part of the fen- tence, therefore, fhould be more particu- larly attended to. We have feen in a for- mer fentence, namely, Exercife/ and temperance^ ftrengthen\ the conftitution/, and fweeten 7 life\ that when the firft four accented words form the rhythmical variety, rifing falling, falling rifing, thefe are' followed by two others, which draw that variety into a famenefs equivalent to the feries rifing falling, falling rifing, rifing falling ; here I fay, we fee a fault in the compofition, which the ear flrives to amend, by laying a ftrefs and inflexion on and in the laft member ; we fee likewife, that this fault is rectified either by adding two accented words to the body of the fentence, as, Exercife / and temperance^ are the medi- cine^ of nature ', they flrcngihcrA the confti- Jution / and f\veeten / life x ', which 172 ELEMENTS OF which forms the more varied arrange- ment, rljing falling^ falling r'ifing, falling rijing^ rifing falling ; or, by adding one accented word to the laft member, as, Exercife/ and temperance^ ftrengthen\ the conftitution' and ifweeten / the enjoyments 7 , of Ufe\. Where we find the order of arrangement in the laft member different from that in the former ; and by this means a variety and harmony produced equivalent to the feries rifing falling, falling rifing, falling rifing, falling. By this view, I fay, we may fee the neceffity of fo arranging the words in the latter members of a fentence as to let the feven or eight laft inflexions fall commodioufly on the feven or eight laft accented words ; and that the laft paufe, as in the two laft examples, may always fall between either the third and fourth, or the fourth and fifth accented word, from the laft. RULES ELOCUTION. 173 RULES FOR READING VERSE. *1 TTHatever difficulties we' may find in reading profe, they are greatly in- ereafed when the compofition is in verfe ; and more particularly if the verfe be rhyme. .The regularity of the feet, and the famenefs of found in rhyming verfe, ftrongly folicits the voice to a famenefs of tone ; and tone, unlefs directed by a judi- cious ear, is apt to degenerate into a fong, and a fong, of all others, the moft dif- gufting to a perfon of juft tafte. If there- fore, there are few who read profe with propriety, there are ftill fewer who fuc- ceed in verfe ; they either want that equa- ble and harmonious flow of found which diftinguifhes it from loofe, unmeafured compofition, or they have not a fufficient delicacy of ear to keep the harmonious fmoothnefs of verfe from Hiding into a whining cant : nay, fo agreeable is this can t 174 ELEMENTS OF cant to many readers, that a fimple and natural delivery of verfe feems tame and infipid, and much too familiar for the dignity of the language. So pernicious are bad habits in every exercife of the fa- culties, that they not only lead us to falfe objects of beauty and propriety, but at laft deprive us of the very power of per- ceiving the miftake. For thofe, therefore, whofe ears are not juft, and who are to- tally deficient in a true tafte for the mufic of poetry, the beft method of avoiding this impropriety, is to read verfe exactly as if it were profe : for though this may be faid to be an error, it is certainly an error on the fafer fide. To fay, however, as fome do, that the pronunciation of verfe is entirely deftitute of fong, and that it is no more than a juft pronunciation of profe, is as diftant from truth as the whining cant we have been fpeaking of, is from true poetic harmony. , Poetry ELOCUTION. 175 Poetry without fong is a body without a a foul. The tune of this fong is, indeed^ difficult to hit, but when once it is hit, it is fure to give the moft exquifite pleafure. It excites in the hearer the moft eager de- fir$ of imitation, and if this defire is not accompanied by a juft tafte or 'good in- ftru&ion, it generally fubftitutes the turn //, turn //, as it is called, for fimple, ele- gant poetic harmony. It muft, however, be confeifed, that elegant readers of verfe often verge fo nearly on what is called Jingfong^ without falling into it, that it is no wonder thofe who attempt to imitate them, Hide into that blemim which borders fo nearly on a beauty. And, indeed, as an ingenious author obferves *, " there is fuch an affi- " nity between poetry and mufic, that they w r ere in the earlier ages never ie- (C Philofophicul F.iTay on the Delivery of written Lan- suaee. parated 5 176 ELEMENTS OF " parated ; and though modern refinement " has, in a great meafure, deftroyed this Vol. I. p. Mr. cafily '79 fcafily diftinguim the inflexions, we fome- times find them different from fuch as we mould adopt in reading the paffage if it were profe ; that is, we often find the rifing inflexion at a paufe in verfe, where, if it were profe, we fhould ufe the falling inflexion : an inftance is given of this at the end of the feries ; and to thefe many more might be added. For as pronuncia- tion has for its object the ftrongeft and cleareft fenfe, united with the moft agree- able found ; if when, in order to be har- monious, we muft neceffarily enfeeble or obfcure the fenfe ; or, if in order to be ftrong and clear, we find it necefiary to be harlh, the compofition is certainly faulty ; and all a reader can do in this cafe is, to make fuch a compromife be- tween fenfe and found as will produce, upon the whole, the belt effect. It has been before obferved, that fometimes in profe, when the meaning is fufficiently N 2 obvi- 180 ELEMENTS OF obvious, we may abate an enforcement of the fenfe for the fake of the found ; and in poetry, the facrifice to found is much more neceffary ; that is, if the fenfe be fufficiently clear, for nothing can offend againft every fpecies of pronunciation fa jnuch as confufion or obfcurity. But thoiigh an elegant and harmonious pronunciation of verfe will fometimes ob- lige us to adopt different inflexions from thofe we fhould life in profaic pronuncia- tion, it may flill be laid down as a good general rule, that verfe requires the fame inflexions as profe, though lefs flrongly marked, and more approaching to mono- tones-. If therefore we are at a lofs for the true inflexion of voice on any word in poetry, let us reduce it to earneft conver- fation, and pronounce it in the molt fami- liar and prolaic manner ; and we [hall for the moil part fall into ilioie very infle- xions we ought to adopt in repeating vcrie '. ELOCUTION. 181 Terfe : nay, it is the prefervation of thefe profaic inflexions that makes the poetic pronunciation natural : and the whining cant which is adopted by many affected readers of poetry, owes, in a great mea- foe, its origin to a neglect of this rule. Thus in the following couplet ; Short is the date in which ill adts prevail, But honefty'-s a rock will never fail. Steele. If we pronounce the laft word fall with the rifmg inflexion, fliding upwards a lit- tle higher than ufual, we mall infallibly draw the couplet into the whining tone we are here fpeaking of ; but if we pro- nounce every part of the fame fentence exactly in the fame manner, except the laft word, and give this the falling infle- xion, we mail find a natural tone pre- ferved, and the whining cant entirely va- nifhed. This obfervation naturally leads us to a which may juftly be looked on as the N 3 funda- 1 82 E-L E M E N T S O F, fundamental principle of all poetic pro- nunciation ; which is, that, wherever a Sentence, or member of a fentence, would neceOarily require the falling inflexion in, profe, it ought always to have the fame inflexion in poetry ; for though, if we were to read verfe profaically, we mould often place the falling inflexion where the ftyle of verfe would require the nfmg, yet in thofe parts, where, a portion of perfect fenfe, or the conclufion of a fentence ne- ceflarily requires the falling inflexion, the fame inflexion muft be adopted both h\ verfe and profe. EXAMPLE. Of man's firft difobedience, and the fruit Of that forbidden tree, whofe mortal tafte Brought death into the world, and all our woe, O X With lofs of Eden, till one greater man Reftore us, and regain the blifsful feat ; Sing heavenly mufe, that on the fccret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didft infpirc That fhepherd, who firft taught the chofen feed In ELOCUTION. 183 In the beginning, how the heav'ns and earth Rofe out of chaos. Milton* sParad. Loft, B. I. v. i. Though we were to read this paflage quite profaically, it would not admit of the fall- ing inflexion on any of its paufes till the end, and here the voice ought to aflume the falling inflexion, and be in a lower tone than at any of the other paufes : but in the following example : High on a throne of royal ftate, which far Out (hone the wealth of Ormus or of Inde, Or where the gorgeous Eafl with richeft hand, Show'rs on her kings barbaric pearl and gold, Satan exalted fat. Mlton'sParad. Loft, B. II. v. i. In reading this paflage profaically, we might place the falling inflexion on Inde ; but the poetical pronunciation of this paf- fage would neceflarily require a fufpenfion of voice with the riling inflexion on that word. It may be obferved, indeed, that it is in the frequent ufe of the rifing in- flexion, where profe would adopt the fall- N 4 ing, 184 ELEMENTS OF ing, that the fong of poetry confifts : fa- miliar, ftrong, argumentative fubjeds na- turally enforce the language with the fall- ing inflexion, as this is naturally expref- five of activity, force, and precifion ; but grand, beautiful, and plaintive fubjecls flide naturally into the rifing inflexion, as this is expreflive of awe, admiration, and melancholy ; where the mind may be faid to be pafiive : and it is this general ten- dency of the plaintive tone to affume the rifing inflexion, which inclines injudicious readers to adopt it at thofe paufes where the falling inflexion is abfolutely necef- fary ; and for want of which the pronun- ciation degenerates into the whine, fo much . and fo juftly diiliked ; for it is very re- markable, that if, where the fenfe con- cludes, we are careful to preferve the fall- ing inflexion, and let the voice drop into the natural talking tone ; the voice may be fufpen4ed in the rifing inflexion on ELOCUTION. 185 any other part of the verfe, with very lit- tle danger of falling into the chant of bad readers. Thus in the following pa- fage which opens the tragedy of Cato : The dawn is overcaft, the morning low'rs, And heavily in clouds brings on the day ; The great, the important day, Big with the fate of Cato and of Rome. The grandeur of the objects and fwell of language in this defcription, naturally throw the voice into thofe tones that ex- prefs the awe and dignity which thefe ob- jects excite in the mind j and thefe tones being inclined to the plaintive, naturally Hide into the rifmg inflexion on the paufes ; and this is apt to draw the voice into a chant ; but let the word Rome have the falling inflexion and fink into a lower key, in the natural talking tone, and the im- perfections in pronouncing the former part will be in a great meafure covered ; pn the contrary, though the former part is 186 ELEMENTS OF is pronounced ever fo accurately, if the word Rome has the rifing inflexion, the whole will appear to have a difagreeable whining tone. This may fuffice, to mew the neceflity of attending to the pronunciation of pe- riods in verfe, and of giving them the fame inflexion of voice they would require in profe ; for it mufl be carefully noted^ that though we often end with the rifmg inflexion in verfe, where we fhould uie the falling in . profe, yet if in profe we fhould end with the rifmg inflexion, we ought always to end with the fame infle- xion in verfe ; in this cafe, the riling in- flexion at the end of a fentence will not appear to have the whining tone. Thus, where a queftion would require the rifmg inflexion in profe, verfe will neceflarily require it to end with the fame inflexion .: and in this cafe, the rifmg inflexion will have no bad effect on the ear. E X A M - ELOCUTION. 187 EXAMPLE. What ! fliall an African, fhall Juba's heir Reproach great Cato's fon, and lhe,w the world A virtue wanting in a Roman foul ? Here, though every paufe requires the rif- ing inflexion, and the period the fame, yet as this period is an interrogation re- quiring the riling inflexion, no whining chant is the confequence, but the whole is natural. From thefe obfervations, this general rule will naturally arife ; that though in verfe we frequently fufpend the voice by the riGng inflexion, where, if the com- pofition were profe, we fhould adopt the falling : yet, wherever in profe, the mem- ber or fentence would neceffarily require the rifmg inflexion ; this inflexion muft neceflarily be adopted in verfe. An in- flance of all thefe cafes may be found in the following example from Pope : He 188 ELEMENTS OF He who through vaft immenfity can pierce, See worlds on worlds compofe one univerfe; Obferve how fyftem into fyftem runs, What other planets circle other funs ; What vary'd being peoples ev'ry ftar, May tell why heav'n has made us as we are. But of this frame, the bearings and the ties, The flrong connexions, nice dependencies, Gradations juft, has thy pervading foul Look'd through ? or can a part contain the whole ? Is the great chain that draws all to agree, drawn fupports, upheld by God, or thee ? If this pafiage were profe, every line but the fifth might end with the falling infle- xion like a commencing feries of five members ; but the fifth, being that where the two principal conftrudlive parts unite and the fenfe begin-s to form, here, both in profe and verfe, muft be the principal paufe, and the rifing inflexion *. The two queftions with which this fentence See Vol. I. p. 162. ends, ELOCUTION. 189 ends, ought to have the rifmg inflexion alfo, as this is the inflexion they would neceffarily have in profe; though from injudicioufly printing the laft couplet fa as to form a frefh paragraph, the word whole is generally pronounced with the falling inflexion, in order to avoid the bad effect of a queftion with the rifing infle- xion at the end of a paragraph ; which would be effectually prevented by unit- ing the laft couplet to the reft, fo as to form one whole portion ; and which was undoubtedly the intention of the poet. Having premifed thefe obfervations, we fhall endeavour to throw together a few rules for the reading of verfe, which by defcending to particulars, it is hoped will be more ufeful than thofe very gene- ral ones which are commonly to be met with on this fubjecl:, and which, though very ingenious, feem. calculated rather for 190 ELEMENTS OF for the making of verfes than the reading of them. Rule I. As the exak tone of the paf- fion, emotion, or fentiment which verfe excites, is not at firft eafy to hit, it will be proper always to begin a poem in a fimple and almoft profaic ftyle, and fo pro- ceed till we are warmed with the fubject, and feel the emotion we wifti to exprefs. Thus in Gray's Elegy in a Country Church- yard, if we cannot immediately fir ike into the folemn ftyle with which that poem begins, it will be better to commence with ,an eafier and lefs marking tone ; and fome- what like the ftyle of reading profe, till the fubjecl: becomes a little familiar. There are few poems which will not allow of this profaic commencement, and where they^oo not, it is a much lefs fault in reading to begin with too little empha- iis, than either to ftrike into a wrong one, or to execute the right emphafis auk- wardly. ELOCUTION. 191 wardly. Gray's Elegy on the Extirpation of the Bards, is alraoft the only one that does not admit of commencing moderately. Ruin feize tbee ruthkfs king ! Confufion on thy banners wait ! &c. Rule II. In verfe r every fyllable- is tor have the fame accent, and every word the fame emphafis as in profe : for though the rhythmical arrangement of the accent and emphafis is the very definition of poetry, yet, if this arrangement tends to- give an emphafis to words which would have none in profe, or an accent to fueh fyllables as have properly no accent, the rhythmus, or mufic of the verfe, muft be entirely neglcded. Thus the article the ought ne- .ver to have a ftrefs, though placed in that part of the verfe where the ear expects an accent. Of all the caufes which confpire to blind, Man's erring judgment and mifguide the mind., 'What the weak head with ftrongeft bias rules, Is pride-, the never-failing vice of fcols. Pope. An 192 ELEMENTS OF An injudicious reader of verfe would be very apt to lay a flrefs upon the article the in , the third line, but a good reader would infallibly neglect the ftrefs on this, - and transfer it to the words what and weaL Thus alfo in the following .example, no ftrefs muft be laid on the word of, becaufe we fhoiild not give it any in profaic pro- nunciation. Afk of thy mother earth why oaks are made Taller and flronger than the weeds they fhade. Pope. For the fame reafon the word as, either in the firft or fecond line of the following couplet, ought to have no ftrefs. Eye nature's walks fhoot folly as it flies, And catch the manners living as they rife. Pope* The laft fyllable of the word excellent, in the following couplet, being the place of the ftrefs, is very apt to "draw the organs to a wrong pronunciation of the word in com- pliance with the rhythmus of the verfe. Their ELOCUTION.-- 193 Their 'praife is fiill the ftyle is excellent : The fenfe they humbly take upon content. Pope. But a ftrefs upon the laft fyllable of this word muft, be avoided upon pain of the greateft poilible reproach to a good reader ; which is that of altering the accent of a word, to indulge the ear in a childifh jin^ gle of fy liable s. The fanie may be ob- ferved of the word eloquence and, the par- ticle the in the following couplet : Falfe eloquence like the prifmatic-glafs Its gaudy colours fpreads on ev'ry place. Pope. If in compliance with the rhythmus, or tune of the verfe, we were to lay a ftrefs on the laft fyllable of eloquence, and on the particle the in the firft of thefe verfes, fearcely any thing can be conceived more difgufting to a good judge of reading. This rule, however, admits of fome few exceptions. Milton has fometimes placed words fo unfavourably for pronun^- VOL. II. O ciation 194 ELEMENTS OF elation in the common way, that the ear would be more difgufted with the harfh- nefs of the verfe, if the right accent were preferved, than with a wrong accent, which preferves the harmony of the verfe : for it is not merely reducing a line to profe if the fenfe requires it, which is a capital fault in reading poetry, but reducing it to very harfh and difagreeable profe. Thus the angel, in Milton, reafoning with Adam about the planets, fays : For fuch vaft room in nature unpoflefs'd By living foul, defert and defolate Only to fhine yet fcarce to contribute Each orb a glimpfe of light, convey'd fo far Down to this habitable, which returns Light back to them, is obvious to difpute. Parad. Loft, B. viii. v. 153. The word contribute has properly the ac- cent on the fecond fyllable ; but the verfe would be fa harfh with this accent, that it is prefumed a good reader would, for the ELOCUTION. 195 the fake of found, lay the principal ac- cent on the firft fyllable, and a fubordinate ftrefs on the third. The fame may be obferved of the word attribute, in the fol- lowing paflage from the fame author i The fwiftnefs of thofe circles attribute, Though numberlefs, to his Omnipotence, That, to corporeal fubftances could add Speed almoft fpiritual. Parad* Loft, B. viii. v. iQfi Where a word admits of fome diverfity in placing the accent, it is fcareely nece- fary to obferve, that the verfe ought iii this cafe to decide. Thus in the follow-* ing paflage : Now gentle gales Fanning their odoriferous wings difpenfe Native perfumes, and whifper whence they dole Thofe balmy fpoils. Parad. Loft, B. iv. v. 156. For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour Hold it a fafhion and a toy in blood, A violet in the youth and prime of nature O 2 For- 196 ELEMENTS OF Forward not permanent, though fvveet not lading, The perfume of a minute. Sbakefpeare. The word perfume in the paflage from Milton ought to be accented on the laft fyllable, and the fame word in Shakefpeare on the firft ; for both thefe modes of plac- ing the accent are allowable in profe, though the laft feems the preferable ; as it is agreeable to that analogy of difTylla- ble nouns and verbs of the fame form, which requires the accent to be on the firft fyllable of the noun, and on the laft of the verb. But when the poet has with great judg- ment contrived that his numbers mail be harm and grating, in order to correfpond to the ideas they fuggeft, the common ac- centuation muft be preferved. On a Hidden open fly With impetuous recoil and jarring found Th* infernal doors, and on their hinges grate Harfh thunder. Tar ad. Lcji> B. ii. v. 879. ELOCUTION. 197 Here the harlhnefs ariiing from the ac- cent on the fecond fyllable of the word impetuous, finely exprefles the recoil and jarring found of the gates of hell. Rule III. The vowel e^ which is often cut off by an apoftrophe in the word t/ie 9 and in fyllables before r, as dang'rous^ genrous, &c. ought to be preferved in the pronunciation, becaufe the fyllable it forms i's fo fhort as to admit of being founded with the preceding fyllable, fo as not to increafe the number of fyllables to the ear, or at all hurt the harmony. 'Tis hard to fay, if greater want of ikill Appear in writing or in judging ill ; But of the two, lefs dang'rous is th' offence, To tire our patience than miflead our fenfe. Pope. Him the Almighty power Hurl'd headlong flaming from th' etherial iky With hideous ruin and combuftion, down To bottom lefs perdition, there to dwell O 3 In 198 ELEMENTS OF In adamantine chains and penal fire, Who durft defy th* Omnipotent to arjps. Milton. In the example from Milton, we have an inftance that the particle the may either form a diftincl: fyllable in poetry or not ; in the firft line it muft neceffarily form a diftincl: fyllable ; in the fecond and laft it may be fo blended with the fucceeding word as to be pronounced without elifion, and yet form no diftincl: fyllable. Rule IV. Almoft every verfe admits of a paufe in or near the middle of the line, which is called the casfura ; this muft be carefully obferved in reading verfe, or much of the diftinclnefs, and almoft all the harmony will be loft. EXAMPLE. Nature to all things fix'd the limits fit, And wifely curb'd proud man's pretending wit ; As on the land while here the ocean gains In other parts it leaves wide fandy plains ; Thus ELOCUTION. 199 Thus in the foul while memory prevails, The folid pow'r of underftanding fails ; Where beams of warm imagination play The memory's foft figures melt away. Pope. Thefe lines have feldom any points in- ferted in the middle, even by the moft fcrupulous pun&uifts ; and yet nothing can be more palpable to the ear, than that a paufe in the firft at things, in the fecond at curtfd, in the third at land, in the fourth at parts, and in the fifth &foul, is abfo- lutely neceflfary to the harmony of thefe lines ; and that the fixth, by admitting no paufe but at underftanding^ and the fe- venth, none but at imagination, border very nearly upon profe. The reafon why thefe lines will not admit of a paufe any where but at thefe words, will be evident to thofe who have perufed the former part of this work on the divifion of a fentence*; and if the reader would fee one of the * Vd. I. page 37. O 4 moft 200 ELEMENTS OF moft curious pieces of analyfis on this fub- jet in any language, let him perufe in Lord Kaims's Elements of Critici'fm, the chapter on Verification, where he will find the fubject of paufing as it relates to verfe difcufled in the deepeft, cleareft, and moft fatisfadtory manner. It will be only ne- ceflary to obferve in this place, that though the moft harmonious place for the capital paufe is after the fourth fyllable, it may, for the fake of expreffmg the fenfe ftrongly and fuitably, and fometimes even for the fake of variety, be placed at feveral other intervals. EXAMPLES. J Tis hard to fay if greater want of fkitl. So when an angel by divine command, With rifmg tempefts ihakes a guilty land. Then from his clofing eyes thy form fhall part, And the laft pang fhall tear thee from his heart. Infpir'd repuls'd battalions to engage, taught the doubtful battle where to rage. Know ELOCUTION. 201 Know then thyfelf prefume not God to fcan ; The proper ftudy of mankind is man. But befides the capital paufe, there are cer- tain fubordinate paufes, which though not fo effential as the capital paufe, yet form fome of the greateft delicacies in reading verfe, and are an inexhauftible fource of variety and harmony in the compofi- tion of poetic numbers. This has been fo clearly and philofophically proved by Mr. Sheridan, in the fecond volume of his Art of Reading, that it will only be neceflary here to adduce a few inftances, and refer the reader for the philofophy of verlification to that very ingenious and elegant work. But firft let us hear Lord Kaims's opinion on this fubject. " But " befides the capital paufe now mention- " ed, inferior paufes will be difcovered by " a nice ear ; of thefe, there are com- " monly two in each line ; one before the " capital paufe, and one after it. The " for- ELEMENTS OF former comes invariably after the firft long fyllable, whether the line begin with a long fyllable, or a fliort : the other, in its variety imitates the capital papfe : in fome lines, it comes after the fixth fyllable, in fome after the fe- venth, and in fome after the eighth : of thefe femi-paufes take the following ex- " amples : (t Firft and eighth : " Led | through a fad || variety | of woe. " Firft and feventh : ' Still | on that breaft || enamour'd | let me " lie. " Second and eighth : ' From ftorms ] a Ihelter || and from heat | a fhade. c< Second and fixth : " Let wealth | let honour || wait | the wedd- ed dame. e called a demi-caefura, as you will per- " ceive in the following lines : " Glows | while he reads f| but trembles J as " he writes. c Reafon [ the card [[ but paffion j is the gale. *' From men | their cities || and from gods | " their fanes. " From dorms J a fhelter j| and from heat ( a " fhade." Nothing can be more new, more agree- able, and fatisfatory, than Mr. Sheridan's thoughts on this fubject ; but it muft not be underftood, that every line in verfe ad- mits of this double divifion by a csefura and demi-csefura ; on the contrary, many lines ELOCUTION. 205 lines admit but of one paufe, and this fuch a paufe only as would be allotted to the demi-csefura ; thus in the laft line of the following couplet from Pope : Thus in the foul, while mem'ry prevails, The (olid power of understanding fails. In the laft line of this couplet, there can- not be any paufe but at the word under- jlanding^ and this but a fmall one. No more than one paufe can be admitted in each of the following lines from Milton, though this paufe may be much longer than the foregoing. Thou that day Thy father's dreadful thunder didft not fpare. Attended with ten thoufand thoufand faints. The paufe in thefe lines can only be at thunder and attended. It will, therefore be a good general rule, not to multiply thefe fubordinate pauies in verfe beyond what the fenfe will per- 206 ELEMENTS OF permit. I think it fcarcely poflible for a line of ten fyllables to be pronounced without one paufe, and at the fame time to be verfe ; but unlefs there is an evident paufe in the fenfe, either from incon- nexion or emphafis, it is prefumed it will be advifable to be fparing in the ufe of the demi-caefura. In the lines quoted by Mr. Sheridan, where he has very properly inferted the demi-csefura, we find an em- phatic oppofition at every one, and this oppofition always requires a paufe whe- ther in profe or verfe *. Glows | while he reads || but trembles | as he writes. Reafon | the card || but paffion | is the gale. From men | their cities jj and from | gods their fanes. From dorms | a flicker || and from heat | a fhade. Rule V. At the end of every line in poetry muft be a paufe proportioned to the See Vol. I. p. 104. inti- ELOCUTION. 207 intimate or remote connexion fubfifting be- tween the two lines. Mr. Sheridan, in his Art of Reading, has infifted , largely on. the neceffity of making a paufe at the end of every line; ia poetry, whether the fenfe requires it or not ; and this, he obferves, is fo necef- fary, that without it we change the verfe into profe. It is with diffidence I diflent from fo great an authority, efpecially as I have heard it approved by perfons of great judgment and tafte. I muft own, how- ever, that the neceffity of this paufe, where the fenfe does not require it, is not fo evi- dent to me, as to remove every doubt about it : for in the firft place, if the au- thor has fo united the preceding and fol- lowing lines in verfe as to make them real profe, why is a reader to do that which his author has neglected to do, and indeed feems to have forbidden by the very nature of the compofition ? In the next 2o8 ELEMENTS OF next place, this flight and almoft infen- fible paufe of fufpenfion does not feem to anfwer the end propofed by it ; which is, that of making the ear fenfible of the ver- fification, or of the equality of accentual impreffions in every line. For this final paufe is fo fmall, when compared with that which precedes or follows it in the body of the line, and this latter and larger paufe is fo often accompanied with an in- flexion of voice which marks the forma- tion of perfect fenfe, that the boundaries of the verfe become almoft, if not utterly imperceptible, and the compofition, for a few lines, fall into an harmonious kindj of profe. For it is evident, that it is not a fmall paufe at the end of a line in verfe, which makes it appear poetry to the ear, fo much as that adjustment of the accent- ed fyllables which forms a regular re- turn of ftrefs whether the line is long Of ihort. Accordingly, we find, that thofe ELOCUTION; 209 thofe lines in blank verfe, which have a long paufe in the middle, from a conclu- fion of the fenfe, and a very fhort one at the end, from the fenfe continuing, are, in fpite of all our addrefs in reading, very profaical. This profaic air in thefe linesi may have a very good effect in point of expreflion and variety, but if too fre- quently repeated, will, undoubtedly ren- der the verfe almoft imperceptible : for, as was before obferved, the ear will mea- fure the lines by the greateft paufes, and if thefe fall within, and not at the end of the line, the verification will feem to be compofed of unequal lines, and will want that melody which the ear always expects in verfe, and never difpenfes with, but when variety or expreflion is promoted by it. deeds of eternal fame Were done, but infinite; for wide was fpread That war and various ; fometimes on ijrrn ground VOL. II. P A ftand- 210 ELEMENTS OF A Handing fight ; then foaring on main wing Tormented all the air; all air feem'd then Conflicting fire : long time in even fcale The battle hung Milton. The paufes at the end of thefe lines are fo fmall when compared with thofe in the body of the lines, that an appeal may be made to every ear for the truth of what has been juft obferved. This difpropor- tion in the paufes cannot, however, be faid to reduce the compofition to profe ; nay, even if we were to ufe no paufes at all at the end of the lines, they would not on this account entirely lofe their poetic cha- racter ; for at worft they might be called numerous or harmonious profe, and that the greateft part of blank verfe is neither more nor lefs than this, it would not be difficult to prove. Mr. Sheridan defines numbers to be cer- tain impreffions made on the ear at ftated and 1 regular diftances j and as he fuppofes verfe ELOCUTION, 211 verfe Would be no verfe, without a paufe at the end of each line, he muft define verfe to be a certain number of impreffions made on the ear at ftated and regular di- ftances, terminated by a paufe, fo as to make this number of impreffions percep- tibly equal in every line. But if a paufe comes into the definition of verfe, becaufe it ferves to mew the equal number of im- preffions in every line, a paufe that is in- fufficient for this purpofe is not, ftridly fpeaking, a poetical paufe : for if the paufe clafles words into fuch portions as enables the ear to perceive the equality or variety of thefe portions, the longeft paufes will be the boundaries of thofe portions the ear will moft readily perceive, and the fhort paufes, will, like the demicaefura, appear either imperceptible, or fubfer- vient only to the greater paufe : thus the foregoing paflage from Milton, will, while we are pronouncing it, addrefs the ear in P 2 the 212 ELEMENTS OF the fame manner it does the eye in the following arrangement. Deeds of eternal fame were done, but infinite ; For wide was fpread that war and various ; Sometimes on firm ground a ftanding fight ; Then foaring on main wing, tormented all the air ; All air feem'd then conflicting fire : Long time in even fcale the battle hung. This arrangement of the words, though exadtly clafled into thofe portions in which they come to the ear, feems to deftroy the verfe, and to reduce it into unequally mea- fured profe^but have we not reafon to fufpecl:, that the eye puts a cheat upon the ear, by making us imagine a paufe to exift where there is only a vacancy to the eye ? Mr. Sheridan has admirably account- ed for the perception of falfe quantity in Latin verfe by this affociatton of vifible and audible objects, and there feems an equal reafon to fufped the fame fallacy here. never obferved this paufe, and why it fhould be introduced into other compe- tition is not eafily comprehended : the numbers of the verfe, the, dignity of the language, an inveriion of the common order of the words, fufficiently preferve it from falling into profe ; and if the name of verfe only be wanting, the lofs is not very confiderable. When the line is ter- minated by a rhyme, the boundaries of the verfe is very difcernible by the fmall- eft paufe ; though the moft harmonious rhyming verfe muft be acknowledged to be that, where the rhyme is accompanied by a confiderable paufe in the fenfe ; but as too long a fuccemon of thefe lines fa- tiates the ear with too much equality, we readily exchange found, for variety or force of expreffion. Sometimes even the paufes before and after a rhyme are fo confider- able, and that at the end of the rhyme fo P 3 fmall, 214 ELEMENTS OF fmall, that the boundaries of the verfe are loft in the rapidity of the exprefliori. Which, without paffing through the judg- ment, gains The heart, and all its end at once attains. Pope. 'Tis with our judgments as our watches; none Go juft alike, yet each believes his own. Pope. In thefe lines I think it is evident, that if we make a fmall paufe of fufpenfion, as Mr. Sheridan calls it, at the end of the firft verfe, the paufe s of fenfe at judgment and hearty and at watches and alike* are fo much more perceptible, that every trace of the length of the verfe is loft : the fame may be obferved of the following lines of Milton. Sing heav'nly Mufe, that on the fecret top Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didfl infpire That Shepherd, who firfl taught the chofen feed In the beginning, how the heav'ns and earth Rofe out of chaos : or if Sion hill Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook, that flow'd Faft ELOCUTION. 215 Faft by the oracle of God : I thence Invoke thy aid to my advent'rous fong. In the fifth, fixth, and feventh lines of this paflagey the paufe in the fenfe falls fo diftinUy on the words, Chaos, more^ and God) that a flight paufe at hill, flow d^ and thence, would not have the leaft power of informing the ear of the end of the line, and of the equality of the verfe, and there- fore for thefe purpofes would be entirely ufelefs. For in all pronunciation, whether profaic or poetic, at the beginning of every frefh portion, the mind muft neceflarily have the paufe of the fenfe in view, and this profpecl of the fenfe muft regulate the voice for that portion, to the entire neglect of any length in the verfe : as an attention to this muft neceflarily interrupt that flow or current in the pronunciation, which the fenfe demands. Thus the cur- rent of the voice is flopped at chaos ; and the fucceeding part of the verfe, Or if Sion P 4 hill, 216 ELEMENTS OF /;///, is fo much detached from the pre~ ceding part, that the admeafurement of the verfe is deftroyed to the ear, and we might add a foot more to the latter part of the verfe without feeming at all to lengthen it ; we might for example, write the line in this manner : Rofe out of Chaos : or if Sion's verdant hill without any indication of falfe quantity to, the ear, though the eye fcans it as too long by two fyllables. The affectation which moft writers of blank verfe have, of extending the fenfe be- yond the line, whether neceffary or not, is followed by a fimilar affectation in the, printer, who will often omit placing a paufe at the end of a line of verfe, where he would have inferted one in profe ; and this affectation is ftill carried farther by the reader, who will generally run the fenfe of one line into another, where there is the leaft ELOCUTION. 217 ieaft opportunity of doing it, in order to {how that he is too fagacious to fuppofe there is any conclufion in the fenfe be- aufe the line concludes. This affectation, I fay, has poffibly given rife to the oppo- fite one adopted by the learned, namely, that of paufing where the fenfe abfolutely forbids a paufe, and fo by fhunning Scylla to fall into Charybdis : this error is ex- cellently defcribed by Pope : The vulgar thus through imitation err, As oft the learn'd by being, (ingular ; So much they hate the crowd, that if the throng By chance go right, they purpofely go wrong. The Latin and Greek verfe, indeed, re- quired a paufe at the end of the line, and a paufe much greater than is allotted by Mr. Sheridan to Englifh verfe ; but verfe in thefe languages was fo widely different from the verfe of the moderns, that no- thing can be concluded from their verifi- cation in favour of the paufe in queftion ; and 2l8 ELEMENTS OF and as there was a good reafon from the na- ture of thefe languages for excluding the ufe of rhyme, it is no wonder that they adopted a long paufe at the end of every verfe,juft as an injudicious reader of Englifh verfe would do, to form a chime of equal fyllables : and although this chime is fo difagreeable to a modern Englifh ear, it is very poilible it was not fo to our fore- fathers, nor to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who confidered verfe rather as fmging than fpeaking : but to us, who make the mufic of verfe entirely fubfer- vient to the fcnfe, it feems fcarcely allow- able to give a paufe to the end of a line in verfe, where there is none in the fenfe, and by that means deftroy that balance in the refts and paufes, upon which the fenfe and expreflion of the poet fo much de- pends. For thefe reafons, and more which might be urged, I muft own myfelf in fome ELOCUTION. 219 fome doubt of the*reality or utility of the paufe Mr. Sheridan fo much recommends : let thofe, however, who are of his opi- nion, and can eafily conceive the propriety and ufe of it, follow their own method 5 in the mean time, as the ufe of this paufe is confefledly very delicate, I would advife every one who cannot adopt it with eafe, and without danger to the fenfe, to neg- lect it entirely : the truth is, the end of a line in verfe naturally inclines us to a paufe, and the words that refufe a paufe fo feldom occur at the end of a verfe, that we often paufe between words in verfe, where we mould not in profe, but where a paufe would by no means interfere with the fenfe ; this, it is prefumed, has been fully mown in the former part of this work, and this, perhaps, may be the rea- fon why a paufe at the end of a line in poetry is fuppofed to be in compliment to the verfe, when the very fame paufe in profe 220 ELEMENTS OF profe is allowable, and, perhaps, eligible, but neglected as unnecefiary : however this be, certain it is, that if we pronounce many lines in Milton, fo as to make the equality of impreffions on the ear diftinctly perceptible, if by making this paufe, we make the paufes that mark the fenfe lefs perceptible, we exchange a folid advantage for an iniignificant chime, and by endea- vouring to preferve the name of verfe, lofe all its meaning and energy. s Rule VI. In order to form a cadence in a period in rhyming verfe, we mufl adopt the falling inflexion with confider- able force, in the caefura of the laft line but one. EXAMPLE. One fcience only, will one genius fit, So vaft is art, fo narrow human wit ; Not only bounded to peculiar arts, But ofc in thofe confin'd to lingle parts ; Like kings we lofe the conquefts gain'd before, By vain ambition ftill to make them more ; Jiach ELOCUTION. 221 Each might his fev'ral province^ || well com- mand, Would all but ftoop to what they underfland. In repeating thefe lines, we fhall find it necefiary to form the cadence, by giving the falling inflexion, with a little more force than common to the word province. The fame may be obferved of the word profpeff, in the lafl line of the following paiTage : So pleas'd at firfl the tow*ring Alps we try, Mount o'er the vales, and feem to tread the fky; Th* eternal fnows appear already paft, And the firfl clouds and mountains feem the laft : But thofe attain'd, we tremble to furvey, The growing labours of the lengthen'd way ; Th* increafing profpet\ || tires our wand'ring eyes, Hills peep o'er hills and Alps on Alps arife. Rule VII. A fimile in poetry ought al- ways to be read in a lower tone of voice than that part of the pafTage which pre- cedes it. EXAM- 222 ELEMENTS OF EXAMPLE. 'Twas then great Marlb'rough's mighty foul was prov'd, That in the fhock of charging hofts unmov'd Amidft confufion horror and defpair, Examin'd all the dreadful fcenes of war. In peaceful thought the field of death furvey'd, To fainting fquadrons fent the timely aid ; Infpir'd repuls'd battalions to engage, And taught the doubtful battle where to rage. So when an angel by divine command, With rifing tempefts fhakes a guilty land (Such as of late o'er pale Britannia part) Calm and ferene he drives the furious blaft ; And pleas'd th'Almighty's orders to perform, Rides on the whirlwind, and dire&s the ftorm, Addifon. Rule VIII. Where there is no paufe in the fenfe at the end of a verfe, the laft word muft have exactly the fame inflexion it would have in profe. ELOCUTION. 223 EXAMPLE'., Over their heads a chryftal firmament Whereon a faphir throne, inlaid with .pure\ Amber, and colours of the fhow'ry arch. Milton. In this example, the word pure muft have trie falling inflexion, whether we make any paufe at it or not ; as this is the in- flexion the word would have if the fen- tence were pronounced profaically. For the fame reafon the words retired and ivent^ in the following example, muft be pronounced with the rifmg inflexion. At his command th' uprooted hills retir'd Each to his place ; they heard his voice and went Obfequious ; heav'n his wonted face renew'd, And with frelh flow'rets hill and valley fmil'd, Rule IX. Sublime, grand, and magni- ficent defcription in poetry, requires a lower tone of voice, and a fainenefs nearly approaching to a monotone. * This it is prefumed is an inftance, that a paufe of fufpenlion may fometimes be improper at the end of a line. See page 207. 224 ELEMENTS OF This rule will furprife many, who have always been taught to look upon a mono- tone, or famenefs of voice, as a deformity in reading. A deformity it certainly is, when it arifes either from a want-of power to alter the voice, or a want of judgment to introduce it properly'; but I prefume it may be with confidence affirmed, that when it is introduced with propriety, it is one^of the greateft embellimments of po- etic pronunciation. This has already been exemplified * in the grand defcription of Satan's throne, at the beginning of the fecond book of Paradife Loft, and may be farther illuftrated by a pafTage from Dr. Akenfide's Pleafures of Imagination. Different minds Incline to different objects : one purfues The vaft alone, the wonderful the wild ; Another fighs for harmony, and grace, And gentleft beauty. Hence, when light'ning fires * Sec Vol. I. p. 148. The ELOCUTION. 225 The arch of heav'n, and thunders rock the ground ; When furious whirlwinds rend the howling air, And ocean, groaning from the lovveft bed, Heaves his tempeftuous billows to the fky ; Amid the mighty uproar, while below The nations tremble, Shakfpeare looks abroad From fome high cliff fuperior, and enjoys The elemental war. In repeating this noble defcription, if we begin the feventh line at when in a monotone, and continue it through the three lines till we come toy^y, upon which word the voice changes to the rifmg in- flexion, we fhall find a very fuitable gran- deur communicated to the thought, by the folemnity and famenefs of the tone of voice. VOL. II, Q MODU- ( 226 ) MODULATION OF VOICE. A FTER a perfect idea is attained of the paufe, emphafis, and inflexion, with which we ought to pronounce every word, fentencc, interrogation, climax, and dif- ferent figure of fpeech, it will be abfo- lutely neceflary to be acquainted with the power, variety, and extent of the inftru- ment, through which we convey them to others ; for unlefs this inftrument be in a proper pitch, whatever we pronounce will be feeble and unnatural ; as it is only in a certain pitch that the voice can command the greateft variety of tones, fo as to utter them with energy and eafe. Every one has a certain pitch of voice, in which he is moft eafy to himfelf and moft agreeable to others ; this maybe called the natural pitch: this is the pitch in which we converfe ; and this muft be the bafis of every improvement we acquire from ELOCUTION. 227 from art and exercife : for fuch is the force of exercife upon the organs of fpeech, as well as every other in the human body, that conilant practice will ftrengthen the voice in any key we ufe it to, even though this happen not to be the moft natural and eafy at firft. This is abundantly proved by the ftrong vociferation which the iti- nerant retailers in the ftreets acquire after a few years practice. Whatever key they happen to pitch upon at firft is gene- rally preferved ; and the voice in that note becomes wonderfully ftrong and fonorous : but, as the Spectator humoroufly obferves, their articulation is generally fo indiftincl:, that we underftand what they fell, not fo much by the words as the tune. As conftant exercife is of fuch import- ance to ftrengthen the voice, care fhould be taken, that we exercife it on that part where it has naturally the greateft power and variety : this is the middle tone j the tone fii>8 E L -E M E N T S OF tone we habitually make ufe of when we converfe with, or fpeak to perfons at a moderate diftance ; for if we call out to one who is fo far off, as to be almoft out of hearing, we naturally raife our voice to a higher key, as well as fwell it upon that key to a much greater degree of loud* nefs : as, on the contrary, if we wifh to be heard only by a fmgle perfon in com- pany, we naturally let fall our voice into a low key, and abate the force of it, fo as to keep it from being -heard by any, but the perfon we are fpeaking to. In this fituation nature dictates ; but the fituation of a public fpeaker is a fitua- tion of art : he not only wimes to be heard, but to be heard with energy and eafe ; for this purpofe, his voice muft be powerful in that key which is eafieft to him, in that which he will moft naturally fall into, and which he will certainly have the moil frequent occafion to ufe j and this is the middle tone. ELOCUTION. 229 But before we enter farther on this fub- jet, it feems abfolutely neceflary to ob- viate a very common miftake with refpect to the voice, which may lead to an incur- able error ; and that is, the confounding of high and low with loud and foft. Thefe plain differences are as often jumb- led together as accent and quantity, though to much worfe purpofe. Our miftaking of accent for quantity when we converfe about it, makes not the leaft alteration in our fpeaking ; but if, when we ought only to be louder, we raife our voice to a higher key, our tones become mrill and feeble, and fruftrate the very intention of fpeak- ing. Thofe who underftand ever fo little of mufic know that high and loud, and foft and low, are by no means necefiarily con- nected, and that we may be very foft in a high note, and very loud in a low one ; juft as a fmart ftroke on a bell may have exadly 230 ELEMENTS OF exa&ly the fame note as a flight one, though it is confiderably louder. But to ex- plain this difference to thofe who are un- acquainted with mufic, we may fay, that a high tone is that we naturally affume when we wim to be heard at a diftance, as the fame degree of force is more audi- ble in a high, than in a low tone, from the acutenefs of the former, and the gra- vity of the latter ; and that a low tone is that we naturally affume when we are fpeaking to a perfon at a fmall diftance, and wifh not to be heard by others ; as a low tone with the fame force is lefs audi- ble than a high one ; if, therefore, we raife our voice to the pitch we fhould naturally life if we were calling to a perfon at a great diftance, and at the fame time exert fo fmall a degree of force as to be heard only by a perfon who is near us, we fhall have an example of a high note in a foft tone j and, on the contrary, if we fup- pofe ELOCUTION. 231 pofe ourfelves fpeaking to a perfon at a fmall diftance, and wim not to be heard by thofe who are at a little greater, in this fituation we fhall naturally fink the voice into a low note, and throw juft as much force or loudnefs into it as is neceiTary to make it audible to the perfon we are fpeak- ing to. By this experiment we perceive, that high and loud, and foft and low, though moft frequently aflbciated, are ef- fentially diilincl from each other. Such, however, is the nature of the human voice, that to begin in the extremes of .high and low are not equally danger- ous. The voice naturally flides into a higher tone, when we want to fpeak louder, but not fo eafily into a lower tone, when we would fpeak more foftly. Expe- rience mows us, that we can raife our voice at pleafure to any pitch it is capable of; but the fame experience tells us, that it requires infinite art and practice to 232 ELEMENTS OF bring the voice to a lower key when it is once raifed too high. It ought therefore to be a firft principle with all public readers and fpeakers, rather to begin under the common level of their voice than above it. The attention of an auditory at the commencement of a lecture or ora- tion, makes the fofteft accents of the fpeaker audible, at the fame time that it affords a happy occafion for introducing a variety of voice, without which every ad- drefs muft foon tire. A repetition of the fame fubjeft a thoufand times over, is not more tirefome to the under ftanding, than a monotonous delivery of the moft varied fubjet to the ear. Poets, to produce va- riety, alter the ftrudture of their verfe, and rather hazard uncouthnefs and dif- cord than famenefs. Profe writers change the ftyle, turn, and ftructure of their pe- riods, and fometimes throw in exclama- tions, and fometimes interrogations, to roufe ELOCUTION. 233 roufe and keep alive the attention ; but all this art is entirely thrown away, if the reader does not enter into the fpirit of his author, and by a fimilar kind of ge- nius, render even variety itfelf more va- rious ; if he does not by an alteration in his voice, manner, tone, gefture, loud- nefs, foftnefs, quicknefs, flownefs, adopt every change of which the fubjet is fuf- ceptible. Every one, therefore, who would ac- quire a variety of tone in public reading or fpeaking, muft avoid as the greateft evil a loud and vociferous beginning ; and for that purpofe it would be prudent in a reader or fpeaker, to adapt his voice as if only to be heard by the perfon who is neareft to him ; if his voice has natural ftrength, and the fubjet any thing impa- fioned in it, a higher and louder tone will infenfibly fteal on him ; and his greateft addrefs muft be directed to keeping it within 234 ELEMENTS OF within bounds. For this purpofe, it will J)e frequently neceffary for him to recall his voice, as it were, from the extremities of his auditory, and direcT: it to thofe who are neareft to him. This it will be proper to do almoft at the beginning of every pa- ragraph in reading, and at the introdyc- tion of every part of the fubjecT: indifcourfe. Nothing will fo powerfully work on the voice, as fuppofing ourfelves converfmg at different intervals with different parts of the auditory. For though high and loud, and foft and low, are effentially diftincT:, our exprefling them fo frequently together makes it diffi- cult for us to avoid being too high when we are loud, and too foft when we are low ; but as loudnefs is apt to lead us into a vicious extreme, from which it is the moft difficult to recover ourfelves ; foftnefs has a tendency to reduce the voice to its natural pitch, and give it a frefh vigour, from ELOCUTION. 235 from bringing it again within the fphere of its greateft power and activity. A very judicious writer on this fubjecT: directs a reader or fpeaker, upon his firft addreffing his auditory, to fix his eyes upon that part of them from which he is the fartheft, and to pitch his voice fo as to reach them. This, I fear, would be at- tended with very ill confequences if the aflembly were very large ; as a fpeaker would be ftrongly tempted to raife his voice, as well as intreafe its force ; and by this means begin in a key much too high for the generality of his auditory, or for his own powers to continue it. The fafeft rule, therefore, is certainly to begin, as it were, with thofe of the aflembly that are neareft to us ; and if the voice be but articulate, however low the key may be, it will ftill be audible ; and thofe who have a fufficient ftrength of voice for a public auditory, find it fo much more difficult to bring *2 3 6 ELEMENTS OF bring down than to raife the pitch, that they will not wonder I employ my chief care to guard againft an error by far the moft common, as well as the moft dan- gerous. Few fpeakers have a voice too weak for the public, if properly managed ; as audi- bility depends much more on a proper pitch of voice, accompanied with diftinc- nefs of articulation, than on a boifterous and fonorous loudnefs ; this is evident from the diftinctnefs with which we hear a good actrefs in the eafy chit chat of genteel co- medy ; nay, even a fpeech afide, which is little more than a whifper, though uttered in a lower tone of voice, is fo articulated by a judicious ador, as to be equally audi- ble with the loudeft burfts of paflion. A voice, therefore, is feldom inaudible from its want of force, fo much as from its want of modulation ; and this modulation de- pends fo much on not fuffering the voice to ELOCUTION. 237 to begin above its natural pitch, that too much care cannot be taken to guard againft it. Much, undoubtedly, will depend on the fize and ftructure of the place we fpeak in : fome are fo immenfely large, as many of our churches and cathedrals, that the voice is nearly as much diffipated as in the open air ; and often with the ad- ditional inconvenience of a thoufand con- fufed echos and re-echos. Here a loud and vociferous fpeaker will render himfelf unintelligible in proportion to his exer- tion of voice : as departing and com- mencing founds will encounter each other, and defeat every intention of diftinctnefs and harmony. Nothing but good articulation will make a fpeaker audible in this fituation ; and a judicious attention to that tone of voice which is moll fuitable to the fize and imperfections of the place. If the place we fpeak 238 ELEMENTS OF fpeak in be but fmall, it will be fcarcely neceflary to obferve that the loudnefs of the voice mould be in proportion. Thofe who have not ears fufficiently delicate to difcern the true quantity of found necef- fary to fill the place they fpeak in, ought to take every poffible method to acquire fo effential a qualification. A knowlege of mufic, many trials of different degrees of loudnefs, and the friendly criticifm of good judges, may do much towards ac- quiring this accomplifhment ; and it muft ever be remembered, that high and low are eflentially diftintt from loud and foft ; as we may with the utmoft propriety be at the higheft note of our voice in the fmalleft room, provided we are not too loud, and ufe the loweft part of our voice in the largeft, provided we are not too foft and indiftinct to be heard. In order to reduce the foregoing ob- fervations to practice, it may not be unpro- ELOCUTION. 239 unprofitable to attend to the following rules. Rule I. To gain a habit of lowering the voice, it will be neceflary to drop the voice to a lower key upon the end of one fentence ; and to commence the next fen- tence in the fame low key with which we concluded the former ; for this purpofe it will be necefTary to felect fentences where this pronunciation is eligible, and pra&ife upon them. EXAMPLES. Our fight is the moil perfect and moft de- lightful of all our fenfes. It fills the mind with the largeft variety of ideas, converfes with its objects at the greateft diftance, and continues the longed in acYion without being tired or fatiated with its proper enjoyments. The fenfe of feeling can indeed give us a no- tion of extenfion, fhape, and all other ideas that enter at the eye, except colours ; but at the fame time it is very much ftraitened and confined in its operations to the number, bulk, and diftance of its particular objects. Spectator, N4ii. 240 ELEMENTS OP I fhall firft confider thofe pleafures of the imagination which arife from the actual view and furvey of outward objects ; and thefe, I think, all proceed from the fight of what is great, uncommon, or beautiful. There may, indeed, be fomething fo terrible or offenfive, that the horror or loathfomenefs of the object may overbear the pleafure which refults from its greatnefs, novelty, or beauty ; but ftill there will be fuch a mixture of delight in the very difguft it gives us, as any of thefe three qua- lifications are molt confpicuous and prevailing. SpeBator, N? 412. The fenfe of feeling in the firft example, and there may indeed, in the fecond, may- very properly commence in a low tone of voice, as this tone is generally fuitable to the conceffion contained in each of the fentences. Similes in poetry form proper exam- amples for gaining a habit of lowering the voice. He above the reft, In fhapc and gcfture proudly eminent, Stood ELOCUTION 24 r Stood like a tow'r. His form had not yet loft All her original brightnefs, nor appeared Lefs than archangel ruin'd and th' excefs Of glory obfcur'd ; as when the fun new ris'n Looks through the horizontal mifty air Shorn of his beams ; or from behind the moon In dim eelipfe difaft'rous twilight flieds On half the nations, and with fear of change Perplexes monarchs. Milton's Parad. Loft. In this example are two fimiles in fuccef* fion ; and it may be obferved, that in or- der to pronounce them properly the voice ought to be twice lowered; that is, on the firft fimile at as when the fun, and then at or from behind the moon, which laft fi- mile muft be in a lower tone of voice than the former, and both nearly in a mono* tone. Rule II. This lowering of the voice will be greatly facilitated if we begin the words we wifh to lower the voice upon, in a monotone or famenefs of found, ap- proaching to that produced by repeatedly Vol. IL R finking 242 ELEMENTS OF fhriking the fame key of a harpfichonf. Thus in the following paflage from Dr. AkenfidVs Pleafures of Imagination : With what atttadt-ive charms this goodly frame Of nature,, touches the consenting hearts Of mortal men ; and what the p4eafing ftores "Which beauteous imitation thence derives, To deck the poet's or the painter's toil,. My verfe unfolds. Attend ye gentle pow'rs Of mufical delight ! and while I fing Your gifts r your honors, dance around my ftrain*. Thou, fmiling queen of ev'ry tuneful breaftV Indulgent Fancy; from the fruitful banks Of Avon, whence thy rofy fingers cull Frefh flow'rs, and dews, to fprinkle on the turf Where Shakfpeare lies, be prefcnt : and with thee Let Fiction come upon her vagrant wings, Wafting ten thoufand colours through the air t,. And by the glances of her magic eye, Combining each in endlefs fairy forms Her wild Creation. Goddefs of the lyre, Which rules the accents of the moving fpherc ? Wilt ELOCUTION. 243 Wilt thou, eternal Harmony, defcend, And join this feftive train ? for with thee comes The guide, the guardian of their lovely fports, Majeftic Truth ; and whcreTruth deigns to come Her fifter Liberty will not be far. Be prefent all ye Genii, who conduct The wand'ring footfteps of the youthful bard, New to your fprings and fhades ; who touch his ear With finer founds ; who heighten to his eye The bloom of nature, and before him turn The gayeft, happieft, attitudes of things. Pleafures of Imagination, Book I. This exordium confifts of an invocation of feveral poetic powers, each of which ought to be addreffed in a manner fome- what different ; but none of them admits of a difference fufncient to give a variety to a long paragraph, except that of eter- nal harmony : and this from its nature re- quires a folemn monotone in a much lower key than the reft ; if therefore we pronounce the words, R 2 God- 244 ELEMENTS OF Goddefs of the lyre, Which rules the accents of the moving fpherej- if, I fay, we pronounce thefe words in a- low monotone, without any inflexion of voice on- them ; we (hall throw a great va*- riety into the whole invocation, and give it at the fame time that expreffion which- the importance of the fubjecT: demands. Rule III. As few voices are perfect ; thofe which have a good bottom often wanting a top, and iiwerfely ; care mould be taken to improve by practice that part of the voice which is molt deficient : for inftance ; if we want to gain a bottom, we ought to' pratife foeeches which require exertion, a little below the common pitch ; when we can do this with eafe, we may pra&ife them on a little lower note, and fo on till we are as low as we defire ; for thisr purpofe, it will be necefiary to repeat fuch paflfages as require a full audible tone of wpice in a low key : of this kind is the fpeecb X O C U T I O N, 245 fpeech of king John to Hubert, where he takes him afide, and tempts him to under- take the death of prince Arthur: Come hither Hubert. 0, my gentle Hubert," Wee owe thee much ; within this wall of ileih There is a foul counts thee her creditor, And with advantage means to pay thy love. And, my good friend, thy voluntary oath L,ives in this bofom, dearly cherifhed. Give me thy hand, I?had a thing to/fay But I will fit it with fome better time. By heav'n, Hubert, I'm almoft afham'd To fay what good refpect I have of thee. Hub, I am much bounded to your majefty. K. John. Good friend, thou haft no caufe to fay fo yet, But thou malt have and creep time ne'er (o flow, yet it fhall come -.for. me -to do thee. good. I had a.thing to fay,-^-but4etit go,; The fun is in the heav'n, and the .proud day Attended with the pleafures of the world, .Is all too, wanton and too full of gaudes Xo give me audience. If the midnight bell R 3 Pid 246 ELEMENTS OF Did with his iron tongue and brazen mduth Sound one unto the drowfy race of night ; If this fame were a church-yard where we (land, And thou pofleffed with a thoufand wrongs ; Or if that furly fpirit Melancholy Had bak'd thy blood, and made it heavy, & thick, Which elfe runs trickling up and down the veins, Making that ideot laughter keep men's eyes, And ftrain their cheeks to idle merriment, (A paffion hateful to my purpofes) Or if that thou couldft fee me without eyes, Hear me without thine ears, and make reply . Withe it a tongue, uflng conceit alone, Without eyes, ears, and harmful found of words, Then in defpight of broad-ey'd watchful day I would into thy bofom pour my thqughts : " But an,' I will not yet I love thee well, And by my troth, I think thou lov'ft me well. Hub. So well, that what you bid me under- take, Though that my death were adjunct to my act, By heav'n I'd do't. K, John. Do I not know thou wouldft? Goo4 EtOOUTIO N. 247 Good Hubert, Hubert, Hubert, throw thine eye On that young boy z I'll tell thee what, my friend, He is a very ferpent in my way, And wherefoe'er this foot of mine doth tread, He lies before me. Do'ft thou understand me? Thou art his keeper. Hub. And I'll keep him fo, That he fhall not offend your majefty, K. John. Death, Hub. My Lord ? K. John,. A grave. Hub. He ihall not live If. John. Enough. I could be merry now. Hubert, I love thee ; Well, Til not fay what I intend for thee:: Remember. I have quoted this beautiful pafTage at length, as I think almoft every part of it affords an opportunity of pracTifmg to fpeak with force and energy upon a lower tone of the voice ; for the whole fcene may be confidered as only an earnefi R 4 whif. 248 ELEMENTS OF whifper ; but as this whifper muft be heard by a whole audience, it is neceflfary while we lower the pitch, to add to the force of the voice : this, however, is no eafy operation, and none but good readers, and confummate actors, can do it per- fectly. It is no very difficult matter to be loud in a high tone of voice, but to fye loud and forcible in a low tone, requires great practice and management ; this, however, may be facilitated by pronounc- ing forcibly at firft in a low monotone ; a monotone, though in a low key, and without force, is much more fonorous and audible than when the voice Hides up and down at almoft every word, as it muft do to be various. This tone is adopted by actors when they repeat paflages afide. They are to give the idea of fpeaking to thcmfelves, in fuch a manner as not to be heard by the perfon with them on the ftage, and yet muft ncccflarily be heard ELOCUTION. 249 by the whole theatre. The monotone in a low key anfwers both thefe purpofes. It conveys the idea of being inaudible to the actors with them in the fcene, by be- ing in a lower tone than that ufed in the dialogue ; and by being in a monotone be- comes audible to the whole houfe. The monotone therefore, becomes an excellent vehicle for fuch pafTages as require force and audibility in a low tone, and in the hands of a judicious reader or fpeaker is a perpetual fource of variety. Rule IV. When we would Itrengthen the voice in a higher note, it will be ne- ceiTary to prattiie fuch pafTages as require a high tone of voice ; and if we find the voice grow thin, or approach to a fqueak upon the high note, it will be proper to fwell the voice a little below this high note, and to give it force and audibility by throw- ing it into a famenefs of tone approach- ing the monotone. A fpeech of Titus Quin- 2 5 o ELEMENTS OF Quiatius to the Roman people, ironically encouraging them to the greateft exceffes, U a g 00 ^ praxi^ , for the higher tone of voice. "When you are to contend with us, you can feize the Aventine hill, you can poffefs your- feives of the Mons Sacer, the enemy is at our gates, the jEfquiline is near being taken, and nobody ftirs to hinder it. But againft us you are valiant, againft us you can arm with all di- ligence. Come on then, befiege the Senate- houfe, make a camp of the forum, fill the jails with our chief nobles, and when you have at- . chieved thefe glorious exploits, then at the leaft, fally out at the TEfquiline gate with the fame fierce fpirits againft the enemy. Does your refolution fail you for this ? Go then, and behold from our walls, your lands ravag- ed, your houfes plundered and in flames, the ^A'hole country laid wafte with fire and fword. Have you any thing here to repair thefe da- mages ? Will the tribunes make up your lofTes to you? They will give ypu words as many as };ou pleafe ; bring impeachments in abundance againft ELOCUTION, 25* again ft the prime men of the ftate ; heap laws upon laws, afTemblies you ihall have without end; but will any of you return the richer from thefe afTemblies ? Extinguilh, O Romans! thefe fatal divifions; generouily break this curfed enchantment, which keeps you buried in a fcan-cjalous inaction.- Open your eyes, and confider the management of thofe ambitious men, who,- to make themfelves powerful in their party, ftudy. nothing but how they may foment divisions in the commonwealth. There are few voices fo ftrong in the, upper notes as to be able to pronounce this fpeech with the fpirit it demands; care muft be taken therefore, particularly in the ironical parts, to keep the voice from going too high, for which purpofe it ought to approach to a monotone in the high notes required upon the words > againjl us you are valiant againjl us you can arm 'with all diligence and particu- larly upon the questions Does your refo- twn fail you for this ? Have you any thing here 25* ELEMENTS O F here to repair thefe damages ? Will the tri- bunes make up your lojjes to you ? And the fame conduct of the voice muft be obferv- d upon the four fucceeding ironical mem- bers. But no exercife will be fo proper to inure the voice to high notes as frequently to pronounce a fuccellion of queftions, which require tlie rifing inflexion of voice at the end. Such is that in Cicero's Ora- tion againft Verres. O liberty'! O found once delightful to every Roman ear''. O facred privilege of Roman citizenfhip ! once facred/, now trampled up- pn / . But what then^ ? Is it come to this? Shall an inferior rn a giftr ate/, a governor, who holds his whole power of the Roman people/, in a Roman province/, within fight of Italy/, bind/, fcourge/, torture with fire, and red hot plates of iron, and at the laft put to the infa- inous death of the crofs a Roman citizen/.? Another inftance of a fucceflion of quef- fcions ending with the rifing inflexion, we find ELOCUTION. sy$ fkid in the Oration of Demofthenes on the Crown. What was the part of a faithful citizen ? of a prudent, an active, and honeft minifter ? "Was he not to fecure Eubcea, as our defence againftall attacks by fea'B Was he not to make Bceotia our barrier on the midland fide'? The cities bordering on Peloponnefus, our bulwark on that quarter *} Was he not to attend with due precaution to the importation of corn, that this trade might be protected through all its progrefs up to our own harbour/? Was he not to cover thofe diftridts, which we commanded by feafonable detachments* as the Proconefus, the Cherfonefus, and Tenedos/? To exert him- felf in the affembly for this purpofe'? While with equal zeal he laboured to gain others to our intereft and alliance, as Byzantium, Aby- dus, and Eubcea 7 ? Was he not to cut off the beft and moft important refources of our ene- mies, and to fupply thofe in which our coun- try was defe&ive'? And all this you gained by my counfels and my adminiflratiom Leland's Drmoftbenes on the Crown. It 2 54 . KXEMEKTS OF It will naturally occur to every judicious reader, that this ieries of queftions. ought to rife gradually in force as they proceed, and therefore it will be necefTary to keep the voice under at the beginning ; to which, this obfervation may be added, that as the riling inflexion ought to be adopted on each queftion, the voice will be very apt get too high near the end ; for which pur- pofe it will be necefiary to fwell the voice a little below its higheft pitch, and if we cannot rife with eafe and clearnefs on every particular to the laft, we ought to augment the force on each that the whole may form a fpecies of climax. ~, .^ "Rule V. When we would ItrengtMen the voice in the middle tone, it will be ne- ceflary to exerciie the voice on very paf- Jionate fpeeches by pronouncing them" in a loud tone, without iuffcring the voice to rife with the force, but pijierving all the energy and loudneis we are able, in the mid- t L O CJJT I O K, 25$ middle tone of vo ice. | The following ex-. ecration of Cbamont in the Orphan is a good praxis for this purpofe: So may this arm Throw him to th* earth, Kke a dead dog de fpifedr Lamenefs and leprofy, bKndnefs and lunacy, Poverty, Ihame, pride, and the name of villain Light on me, if Caftalio I forgive thee. Orphan, J5i iv. Scene 7. The challenge of Macbeth to Banquo's ghoft, is another proper paffage for this exercife of the middle tone of voice. What man dare I dare : Approach thou like the rugged Ruffian bear, The arm'd rhinoceros or Hyrcanian tyger ;. Take any fhape but that, and my firm nerves' Shall never tremble. Be alive again, And dare me to the defart with thy fword ; If trembling I inhibit, then proteft me The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible ihadow. Unreal mock'ry, hence ! Why fo, begone Rule ;6 ELEMENTS OF Rule VI. When we have exerted thg *oice to the higheft pitch, it will be neceT* iary to bring it down to a lower, by begins fling theiucceeding ientence in a lower tone ( of voice, if the nature of the ientence will permit ; and if we are speaking extem- pore, it will be proper to form the fen- tence in Tuch a manner as to make it na* turally require a lower toneT jA good praxis for recovering the voice when it is carried to its utmoft pitch is the furious reTent- ment and indignation of Pofthumus againft himfelf for giving credit to the infidelity of Imogen. Jachimo. This Pofthumus methinks I fee him now Po/h Ay, fo thou doft Italian fiend ! ah me, mod credulous fool, Egregious murderer, thief, any thing, That's due to all the villains pail:, in being, To come oh give me cord, or knife, or poifon, Some upright jufticer ! Thou king, {end out For torturers ingenious ; it is I That .?** ELOCUTION. 257 That all th' abhorred things o'th'earth amend By being worfe than they. I am Pofthumus That kill'd thy daughter ; villain-like I lye. That eaus'd a leffer villain than myfelf, A facrilegious thief to do't. The temple Of virtue was fhe, yea, and flie herfelf Spit and throw ftones, caft mire upon me, fet The dogs o'th' ftreet to bait me : every villain Be call'd Pofthumus Leonatus, and Be villainy lefs than 'twas. Oh ! Imogen, My queen, my life, my wife! Oh Imogen ! Imogen ! Imogen ! In this example, we find the fury of the paflion very apt to carry the voice too high, but the poet lias very judicioufly thrown in breaks and alterations in the paflion, which give the fpeaker an opportunity of lowering and altering his voice. Thus the voice is at its higheft pitch of rage at to come, when the break and different fhade of the fame pafnon at, Oh give me cord, &c. affords an opportunity of lower- ,ing the voice, by a mixture of intreaty. The voice is at its utmoft extent of height Vol. II. S at 258 ELEMENTS OF at kill'd thy daughter ; as in this paffager he declares openly his guilt, in order to provoke his punifhment ; but the next claufe, villain-like^ I lye 1 gives a different fhade of force to the voice by a mixture of remorfe. The next fentence The tem~ 'pie of virtue, &c. has a regret and ten- dernefs in it that affords an alteration of voice, but as this alteration Aides into ex- treme grief in which the voice is very apt to go too high, the next fentence Spit and throw fiones y &c. by the deep ha- tred it falls into, gives the fpeaker an Op- portunity of lowering and recovering the force of his voice, in order to conclude with that force and tendernefs which the latter part of the fpeech neceffarily re- quires. Thus, by properly drftinguifhing the different {hades and mixtures of the paflions, we not only produce variety, but afford the voice fuch refources of energy, as can alone ftipport it in the pronunciation. Rule ELOCUfldN. &CQ Rule VII. When we are fpeaking ex- tempore, and have carried the voice to its utmoft extent in a high key, in order to brine: it down to,a lower, we ought, if poffible, to adopt Tome paffion Which re-* quires a iow key ; fuch as fhame, hatred, admonition, &c. J Thus in the fpirited fpeech of T. Quintius to the Roman peo- ple, quoted under Rule IV. after the voice is raifed as high as it can go, by fet-> ting forth the ironical advantages they Will have from the tribunes, it falls Very properly into a low key, by exhorting the Romans to be afliamed of the divifions which expofe them to fuch miferies. Think we fuch toils fuch caresdifturb thepeace Of heav'n's bleft habitants ? alike I fcorn Thy perfon, and impofture* Milton. The former part of this paflage raifes the voice to the higheft pitch, and is finely relieved and contrafted by the low tone which fcorn requires in the conclufion. S 2 GES. 26o ELEMENTS OF GESTlJRt /^ ESTURE, confidered as a juft and ele- gant adaptation of every part of the body to the nature and import of the fub- ject we are pronouncing, has always been Confidered as one of the moft effentiaf parts of oratory. Its power, as Cicero obferves, h much greater than that of words. It is the language of nature in the ftri&eft fenfe, and makes its way to the heart, without the utterance of a fingle found. Ancient and modern orators are full of the power of action ; and action, as with the illuftrious Grecian orator, feems to form the beginning, the middle, and* end of oratory. Such, however, is the force of cuftom r that though we all confefs the power and neceflity of this branch of public fpeak- ing, we find few, in our own country at leaft, that are hardy enough to put it in prac- ELOCUTION. 261 practice. The mofl accomplifhed fpeak- ers in the Britifti fenate, are very faulty in their ufe of action, and it is remark- able that thofe who are excellent in every other part of oratory are very deficient in this. The truth is, though the reafon of action in fpeaking is in the nature of things, the difficulty of acquiring the other requifites of an orator, and the flill greater difficulty of attaining excellence in action, (which after all our pains is lefs efteemed than excellencies of another kind) thefe, I fay, feem to be the reafons why action is fo little cultivated among us ; to this we may add, that fo .different are national taftes in this particular, that hardly any two people agree in the juft proportion 1 of this fo celebrated quality of an orator. Perhaps the finifhed action of a Cicero, or a Demoflhenes, would fcarcely be borne in our times, though accompanied with -very other excellence. The Italians and S 3 French, 262 ELEMENTS OF French, though confefledly hitter public fpeakers than the Englifh, appear to us to overcharge their oratory with a&ion ; and fome of their fineft ftrokes of a&ion would, perhaps, excite our laughter. The oratory, therefore, of the Greeks and Rot mans in this point, is as ill fuited to a Bri- tifh auditor, as the accent and quantity of the ancients is to the Englifh language. The common feelings of nature, with the figns that exprefs them, undergo a kind of modification, which is fuitable to the tafle and genius of every nation ; and it is this national tafte which muft neceflarily be the vehicle of every thing we convey agreeably to the public we belong to. Whether the a&ion of the ancients was exceflive, or whether that of the Englifh is not toofcanty, is not the queftion : thofe who would fucceed as Englifli orators muft fpeak to Englifh tafte ; as a general muft learn the modern exercife of arms to com- ELOCUTION. 263 tnand modern armies, and not the difci- pline and weapons of the ancients. But though the oratory of the moderns does not require all thole various evolu- tions of gefture, which was almoft indif- penfabie in the ancient, yet a certain de- gree of it rnuft neceflarily enter into the compofition of every good fpeaker and reader. To be perfectly motionlefs while we are pronouncing words, which require force and energy, is not only depriving them of their neceflary fupport, but ren- dering them unnatural and ridiculous. A very vehement addrefs pronounced with- out any motion, but that of the lips and tongue, would be a burlefque upon the meaning, and produce laughter ; nay, fo unnatural is this total abfence of gesticu- lation, that it is not very eafy to fpeak in this manner. As fome action, therefore, muft necef- farily accompany our words, it is of the S 4 utrnoft 264 ELEMENTS OF utmoft confequence, that this be fuch a$ is fuitable and natural. No matter how little, if it be but a-kin to the words and paffion ; for if foreign to them, it coun- teracts and deftroys the very intention of delivery. The voice and gefture may be faid to be tuned to each other ; and if they are in a different key, as it may be called, difcord muft inevitably be the confequence. An awkward action, and fuch as is un-> fuitable to the words and paffion, is the body out of tune, and gives the eye as much pain as a difcord does the ear. In order, therefore, to gain ajuftidea of fuitable action and expreffion, it wilj be neceflary to obferve that every paffion, emotion, and fentiment, has a particular attitude of the body, caft off the eye, and tone of the voice that particularly belongs to that paflion, emotion, or fentiment : thefe mould be carefully fludied, and prac- tifpd before a glafs when we are alone ; and before ELOCUTION. 265 before a few friends, whofe candour and judgment we can rely on. Some good piece of compofition mould be then fe- lected, and every period or fentence be marked with that paffion, emotion, or fentiment, indicated by the words, that the eye in reading may be reminded of the paffion or fentiment to be aflumed. Thefe paffions and emotions, we mould xprefs with the utmoft force and energy we are able, when we are alone, that we may wear ourfelves into the habit of af- fuming them eafily in public. This for- cible practice in private will have the fame effect on our public delivery, that dancing a minuet has on our general air and de- portment. What Pope fays of writing is perfectly applicable to action in oratory. True cafe in action comes from art not chance, As thofe move eafieft who have learn'd to dance. To defcend, however, to a few of thofe 10ft ne^r ceflary particulars to which it feems the moft ne^ 2 66 ELEMENTS OF ceffary to attend ; it may not be improper to take notice, that in reading much lefs adion is required than in fpeaking. When we read to a few perfons only in private, it may not be ufelefs to obferve, that we fhould accuftom ourfelves to read ftand- ing ; that the book mould be held in the left hand ; that we mould take our eyes as often as poflible from the book, and direct them to thofe that hear us. The three or four laft words at leaft of every paragraph, or branch of a fubject, fhould be pronounced with the eye pointed to one of the auditors. When any thing fub- lime, lofty, or heavenly is expreffed, the eye and the right hand may be very pro- perly elevated ; and when any thing low, inferior, or grovelling is referred to, the eye and hand may be directed downwards : when any thing diftant or exteniive is mentioned, the hand may naturally de- fcribe the diftance or extent ; and when con^ ELOCUTION. 267 confcious virtue, or any heart-felt emotion, or tender fentiment occurs, we may as naturally clap the hand on the breaft. In fpeaking extempore we mould be y fparing of the uie of the left hand, which may not ungracefully be concealed under the waiftcoat, refting below the hip. The fight hand, when ii} action, ought to rife extending from the fide, that is in a direc- tion from left to right ; and then be pro- pelled forwards, with the ringers open, and eafily, and differently curved : the arm mould move chiefly from the elbow, the hand feldom be raifed higher than the {houlder, and when it has defcribed its object, or enforced its emphafis, ought to drop lifelefs down to the fide, ready to commence action afrefh. The utmou- care muft be taken to keep the elbow from inclining to the body, and to let the arms, when not hanging at reft by the fide, ap- proach to the action we call a-kimbow; we muft 68 ELEMENTS OF muft be cautious too, in all action but Tuch as defcribes extent or circumference, to keep the hand or lower part of the arm from cutting the perpendicular line that divides the body into right and left : but above all we mud be careful to let the jftroke of the hand which marks force, or emphafis, keep exact time with the force of pronunciation ;\ that is, the hand muft go downupon tneemphatical word, and no other : Thus in the execration of Brutus, in Julius Csefar. When Marcus Brutus grows fo covetous, To lock fuch rafcal-counters from his friends, Be ready gods with all your thunderbolts, Dafh him in pieces. Here the action of the arm which enforces the emphafis ought to be fo directed, that the flroke of the hand may be given ex- actly on the word dafli, this will give a concomitant action to the organs of pn> nunciation, and by this means the whole expref- ELOCUTION. 269 expreflion will be greatly augmented; This adfcion may be called beating time to the emphafis, and is as necelTary in for- cible and harmonious fpeaking, as the agreement between the motion of the feet and the mufic in dancing. Thefe are fome of the fimpleft. and moft neceffary directions, and fuch as may be followed with the greatefr. fafety r obferv- lng the action of the bell readers and fpeakers, may, with fome cautions, be re- commended to youth ; but cannot with the fame fafety be propofed to thofe, who, by long practice, are confirmed in habits of their own ; it may, inftead of a modeft and negative kind of awkwardnefs, which is fcarcely offenfive, fubftitute a real and difgufting kind of mimickry ; and this- by every perfon of the leaft tafte, will be looked upon as a bad exchange. To the generality of readers and fpeak- ers, therefore, it may be propofed to make ufe 270 ELEMENTS OF ufe of no more a&ion than they can helpi If they are really in earneft, as they ought to be, fome gefticulation will naturally break out, and if it is kept within bounds, it will always be tolerable. A man's own feelings will often tell him how far he may venture with fafety ; for in that fitua- tion which he finds the eafieft to himfelf, he will appear moft agreeable to his au- ditory. Such a fympathy do we find be-' tween fpeaker and hearer, that the one can- not be in an awkward fituation without communicating a feeling of it to the other. Thus have we endeavoured to delineate thofe outlines, which nothing but good fenfe and tafte will fill up. The more diflinclly thefe lines are marked, the eafier will be the finiftimg ; and if, inftead of leaving fo much to tafte, as is generally done, we were to pufh as far as poffible' our enquiries into thofe principles of truth and beauty in delivery, which arc immut- able ELOCUTION. 271 able and eternal ; if, I fay, we were to mark carefully, the feemingly infinite va- riety of voice and gefture in fpeaking and reading, and compare this variety with the various fenfes and paflions of which they are expreflive ; from the fimplicity of na- ture in her other operations, we have rea- fon to hope, that they might be fo claffed and arranged, as to be of much eafier at- tainment, and productive of much cer- tainty and improvement, in the very diffi- cult accomplifhment of a juft and agree- able delivery. THE 272 ELEMENTS OF THE PASSIONS. TT now remains to fay fomething of thofd tones which mark the paffions and emotions of the fpeaker. Thefe are in- tirely independent on the modulation of the voice, though often confounded with it : for modulation relates only to fpeak- ing either loudly or foftly, in a high or a low key ; while the tones of the paffions or emotions mean only that quality of ibund that indicates the feelings of the fpeaker, without any reference to the pitch or loudnefs of his voice ; and it is in being eafily fufceptible of every paflion and emotion that prefents itfelf, and be- ing able to exprefs them with that pecu- liar quality of found which belongs to them, that the great art of reading and fpeaking confifts. When we fpeak our own words, and are really impaffioned by the occafion of fpeaking, the paflion or emotion ELOCUTION. 27$ emotion precedes the words, and adopts fuch tones as are {likable to the paflion we feel ; but when we read, or repeat from memory, the paflion is to be taken up as the words occur ; and in doing this well, the whole difficulty of reading or repeat- ing from memory lies. But it will be demanded, how are we to acquire that peculiar quality of found that indicates the paflion we wifh to ex- prefs ? The anfwer is eafy : by feeling the paflion which exprefles itfelf by that pe- culiar quality of found. But the queftion will return, how are we to acquire a feel- ing of the paflion ? The anfwer to this 'queftion is rather difcouraging, as it will advife thofe who have not a power of im- ^aflioning themfelves upon reading or exprefling fome very pathetic paffage, to turn their ftudies to fome other department of learning, where nature may have bsca more favourable to their wiihes. But is Vol, IL T there 274 ELEMENTS OF there no method of affifting us in acquir- ing the tone of the paffion we want to ex- prefs ; no method of exciting the paffion in ourfelves when we wifh to exprefs it to others? The advice of Quintilian and Cicero on this occafion, is, to reprefent to our ima- gination, in the moil lively manner pof- fible, all the moft ftriking circumftances of the tranfaction we defcribe, or of the pamon we wifh to feel. " Thus," fays Quintilian, " if I complain of the fate of " a man who has been aflaffinated, may I ** not paint in my mind a lively picture, " of all that has probably happened on ** the occafion ? Shall not the aiTaffin ap- " pear to rufh forth fuddenly from his " lurking-place ? Shall not the other ap- " pear feized with horrors ? Shall he not " cry out, beg his life, or fly to fave it ? " Shall not I fee the afTaflin dealing the ct deadly blow, and the defencelefs wretch " falling dead at his feet ? Shall not I " figure ELOCUTION. 275 %t figure to my mind, and by a lively im* *' preflion, the blood gufhing from his * c wounds, his ghaftly face, his groans, *' and the lafl gafp he fetches ?" This muft be allowed to be a very na* tural method of exciting an emotion in the mind ; but fti-11 the woes of others, whether real or fictitious, will often make but a weak imprefiion on our own mind, and will fail of affecting us with a fuffi- cient force to excite the fame emotions in the minds of our hearers. In this exi- gence, it may not, perhaps, be unprofit- able, to call to our afliflance the device of the ancient Grecian actor Polus ; who, when he had the part of Ele&ra to per- form, and was to reprefent that princefs weeping over the afhes of her brother Oreftes, ordered the urn, which contained the afhes of his dear and only fon to be brought upon the ftage, and by this means excited in himfelf the pitch of* T 2 grief 276 ELEMENTS OF grief with which he wifhed to afFed his audience), Calling to mind, therefore, fuch paf- fages of our own life as are fimilar to thofe" we read or fpeak of, will, if I am not mif- taken, confiderably affift us in gaining that fervor and warmth of expreffion, which, by a certain fympathy, is lure to af- fect thofe who hear us. But our natural feelings are not always to be commanded ; and when they are, Hand in need of the regulation and em* belliftiments of art ; it is the bufmefs, therefore, of every reader and fpeaker in public to acquire fuch tones and geflures as nature gives to the paffions ; that he may be may be able to produce the fem- blance of them when he is not actually impamoned. The feelings of men when unpremeditatedly impaffioned will do won- ders. We feldom hear a perfon.exprefs love, rage, or pity, when thefe paffions are ELOCUTION. 277 are produced by a powerful object on the fpot, without feeling in ourielves the work- ings of the paffipns thus inftantaneouily produced. Here the reality of the fitua- tion contributes greatly to our own feel- ings, as well as to the feelings of the fpeaker. The fpeech of a malefactor fel-r dom fails to move us powerfully, however wretchedly delivered ; and a perfon really in the agonies of paffion moves us irreilhS- ibly. But thefe are fituations very dif- ferent from the reader and fpeaker in pub- lic. The reader has always a fictitious or abfent paffion to exhibit ; and the public fpeaker muft always produce his paffion at a certain time and place, and in a cer- tain order ; and in this iituation it is ge- rally fuppofed by our beft critics, that an excefs of feeling, fuch as we have when unpremeditately actuated by ftrong paf- iions, would render us incapable of ex- preffing ourfelves, fo as properly to affect T 3 others. 278 ELEMENTS OF others. I have myfelf feen Powel, in the chara&er of George Barnwell, fo over- whelmed with grief in that pathetic addrefs, Be warn'd ye youths who fee my fad de- fpair, &c. as to be incapable of expreffing himfelf in the moft pathetic manner to the audi- ence. However this be, certain it is, we. ought to ftudy the efFe&s and appear- ances of the paffions, that we may be able to exhibit them when we are not really impaffioned ; and when we are, to give paffion its moll agreeable expreflion. Mr. Burke has a very ingenious thought on this fubjecl: in his Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful. He ob- ferves, that there is fuch a conneclion be- tween the internal feeling of a paffion, and the external expreffion of it, that we cannot put ourfelves in the pofture, or attitude, of any paffion, without commu- nicating ELOCUTION. 279 nicating a certain degree of the paffion itfelf to the mind. The fame may be ob- ferved of the tone of voice which is pecu- liar to each paffion : each paffion produces an agitation of the body, which is accom- panied by a correfpondent agitation of the mind : certain founds naturally produce certain bodily agitations, fimilar to thofe produced by the paffions, and hence mufic has power over the mind, and can difpofe it alternately to joy, or forrow ; to pity, or revenge. When the voice, therefore, affumes that tone which a mufician would produce in order to exprefs certain paf- fions or fentiments in a fong, the fpeaker, like the performer on a mufical inflru- ment, is wrought upon by the found he creates ; and though active at the begin- ning, at length becomes paffive, by the found of his own voice on himfelf. Hence it is, that though we frequently begin to read or fpeak, without feeling any of the T 4 paf- 3S0 ELEMENTS OF fion we wUh to exprefs, we often end m full poffeffion of it. This may ferve to ihow the neceffity of fludying and imi- tating thofe tones, looks, and geftures, that accompany the paffions, that we may 4ifpofe ourfelves to feel them mechani- cally, and improve our expreffion of them \yhen we feel them fpontaneoufly ; for by the imitation of the paffion we meet it, as i.t were, half way. A paffion well defcribed, difpofes us to the feeling of it, and greatly affifts us in exprcffing it with force and propriety ; this mows the neceffity of a good defcrip- tion of the paffions, and how much the art of fpeaking depends upon it. Thofe who feel the paffions the moft powerfully, z>.nd unite with this feeling a power of defcribing their feelings, are thofe from whom we may expect the beft pictures of what paries in the foul. For this rea~ fan, good poets are generally the beft painters ELOCUTION. 2 8i painters of the paffions ; and for this rea-^ fon too, we find the greaceffc orators have been moft converfant with the beft poets ; for though it is not the buimefs of the poet, like that of the philosopher, to en- ter into a logical definition of the origin, extent, and various relations of the pa- fion he produces, he muft, however, feel it ftrongly, and exprefs it exactly as we fee it in nature, or it will fail in its effect on the foul, which, in this cafe, judges by a fort of inftincl:. This, it is prefum-. ed, will be a fufficient reaibn for drawing the examples that are given of the pa. fions chiefly from the poets ; and of thefe chiefly thofe in the dramatic line, as it is in thefe that the paffions are generally the moft delicately and forcibly touched. Aaron Hill, in his Eifay on the Art of Acting, has made a bold attempt at fuch a defcription of the paffions as may enable an actor to adopt them mechanically, by fhew- 282 - ELEMENTS OF fhewing, that all the paffions require either a braced or relaxed ftate of the finews, and a peculiar call of the eye. This fyf- tem he has fupported with much inge- nuity, and it were to be wifhed he had lived to give his original idea the finifh- ing he intended ; and to have feen it com- bated by oppofite opinions, that he might have removed feveral objections that lie againft it, and render the truth of it a lit- tle doubtful. It muft be owned, however, that this writer deferves great praife for the mere attempt he has made to form a new fyftem, which, under fome reftritions, may not be without its ufe. It is certain, that all the paflions, when violent, brace the finews ; grief, which, when moderate, may be faid to melt or relax the frame, when accompanied by anguifh and bitter complainings,becomes active and bracing*. * Sec Dr. Johnfon's excellent remark upon the Speech ef Lady Conflance in King John, Act Hi, fc. i. Pity ELOCUTION. 283 Pity feems never to rife to a fufficient de- gree of forrow to brace the finews ; and anger, even in the flighteft degree, feems to give a kind of tenfion to the voice and limbs. Thus Shakfpeare, as quoted by this writer, has given us an admirable pic- ture of this paffion in its violence, and has made this violent tenfion of the fi- news a confiderable part of its compo- fition : Now imitate the action of the tyger; Stiffen the finews, fummon up the blood ; Lend fierce and dreadful afpecl: to the eye ; Set the teeth clofe and ftretch the noflril wide; Hold hard the breath and bend up ev'ry fpirit To its full height To this may be added, that admirable pic- ture of violent anger which Shakfpeare puts in the mouth of Suffolk, in the Se- cond Part of Henry VI, Would curfes kill as doth the mandrake's groan, I would invent as bitter fearching terms, As 284 ELEMENTS OF As curft, as harfh, and horrible to hear, Delivered ftrongly through my fixed teeth With full as many figns of deadly hate As lean- faced Envy in her loath fome cave. My tongue mould ftumble in mine earnefl words, Mine eyes ihould fparkle like the beaten flint, Mine hair be fixt on end like one di [tract, Ay, ev'ry joint mould feem to curfe and ban : And, even now my burden'd heart would break, Should I not curfe them. Who can read thefe admirable defcriptiona of anger without finding his whole frame braced, and his mind ftrongly tinctured with the paffion delineated ! How much is it to be regretted that fo great a mafter of the pallions as Shakfpeare, has not left us a defer iption fimilar to this of every emotion of the foul ! But though he has not defcribed every other paffion like this, he has placed them all in fuch marking points of view, as enables us to fee the workings of the human heart from his writings, in a clearer and more affecting way ELOCUTION, 285 way than in any other of our poets ; and perhaps, the beft defcription that could be given us of the paffions in any language, may be extracted from the epithets he has made ufe of. But to return to the fyftem: Hill defines fcorn to be negligent anger, and adds, " it is exprefled by languid *' mufcles, with a fmile upon the eye in " the light fpecies, or a frown to hit the 66 ferious." The reafon he gives for this expreffion, is, " becaufe fcorn infinuates "by a voluntary flacknefs, or difarming " of the nerves, a known, or a concluded " abfence of all power in the infulted ob- " jecl:, even to make defence feem necef- " fary." This feems a very accurate pic- ture of the paffion, and the flacknefs of the nerves appears necefTarily to enter into the proper method of expreffing it. But what are we to think of his definition of Joy ? " Joy," fays he, " is pride pofleiTed *' of triumph." No author I have ever yet 286 ELEMENTS OF yet met with, has fuppofed pride to be a neceflary part of the compofition of joy ; though a degree of joy may form part of the compofition of pride. Pity, he de- fines to be active grief for another's af- flictions ; but this definition feems not to include the moft leading trait of pity, which is, benevolence and love ; and though pity is always accompanied with a degree of forrow, which often excites us to aflift thofe we pity, yet pity is often beftowed on objects we neither can nor endeavour to aflift. The poets have al- ways ftrongly marked this alliance be- tween pity and love, and with great pro- priety. When Blandford tells Oroonoko he pities him : Oroonoko anfwers, Do pity me ; Pity's a-kin to love, and ev'ry thought Of that foft kind is welcome to my foul. Oroonoko, Act ii. And ELOCUTION. 287 And Dryden, in his Alexander's Feaft, after defcribing the power of Timotheus in exciting his hero's pity for the fad fate of Darius, fays ; The mighty matter fmil'd to fee, That love was in the next degree ; 'Tvvas but a kindred found to move, For pity melts the foul to love. And Julia, in the Two Gentlemen of Ve- rona, fays of Proteus : Becaufe he loves her he defpifes me ; Becaufe I love him, I muft pity him. A3; iv. Poets, who, where the paflions are con- cerned, are generally the belt philofophers, conftantly defcribe love and pity as melt- ing the foul : but how does this agree with the intenfe mufcles with which Hill marks the expremon of both thefe paffions ? And how, according to this writer, can the mufcles be intenfe and the eye languid at the fame time., as he has defcribed them in 2 S8 ELEMENTS OF in. pity ; or is it conceivable that the eye can exprefs an emotion dire Oily contrary to the feelings of the whole frame ? The difiiaclion, therefore, of braced and un- braced imifdeSj upon which his whole iyfiem turns, feems at heft but a doubtful hypothecs ; and much too hidden and un- certain for the direction of fo important a matter as the expreffion of the paffions* Modelling the attitude, countenance, and voice, to the expreffion of a paffion, may not only give the beholder an idea of the pallion we imitate, but ferve, in forne mea- fore, to awaken a feeling of it in ourfelves ; this is agreeable to experience and found philefophy ; but bracing or relaxing the finews feems to be entering too boldly into the facrcd receffes of nature, and faking her peculiar work out of her own proper hands. In the following difpiay of the paffions, therefore* nothing farther is intended* than ELOCUTION. 289 than fuch a defcription of them as may ferve to give an idea of their external ap- pearance, and fuch examples of their ope- rations on the foul as may tend to awaken an original feeling of them in the bread of the reader. But it cannot be too care- fully noted that, if poffible, the expref- fion of every paffion ought to commence within. The imagination ought to be ftrongly impreffed with the idea of an ob- ject which naturally excites it, before the body is brought to correfpond to it by fuitable gefture. This order ought never to be reverfed, but when the mind is too cold and languid to imbibe the paffion firft, and in this cafe an adaptation of the body to an expreflion of the paffion, will either help to excite the paffion we wifh to feel, or in fome meafure fupply the ab- fence of it. The two circumftances that moil ftrongly mark the expreffion of paffion, are the Vol, II, U tone 200 ELEMENTS OF tone of the voice, and the external ap- pearance of countenance and gefture ; thefe we (hall endeavour to defcribe, and to each defer iption fubjoin an example for practice. In the following explanation and de- fcription of the paffions, [I have been greatly indebted to a very ingenious per- formance called the Art of Speaking * ; this work, though not without its imper- fections, is on a plan the moft ufeful that has hitherto been adopted. The paffions are firft defcribed, then paffages are pro- duced which contain the feveral paffions, and thefe paffions are marked in the mar- gin as they promifcuoufly occur in the the paffage. This plan I have adopted, and I hope not without fome degree of improvement. For after the defcription of the feveral paffions, in which I have * Attributed to the late Mr. Burgh, author of Political Difquiiitions. fre- ELOCUTION. 291 frequently departed widely from this au- thor, I have fubjoined examples to each paflion and emotion, which contain fcarcely any paflion or emotion but that defcribed ; and by thus keeping one paflion in view at a time, it is prefumed the pupil will more eafily acquire the imitation of it, than by pafling at once to thofe paffages where they are fcattered promifcuoufly in fmall portions. But though this aflbcia- tion of the fimilar paflions is certainly an advantage, the greateft merit is due to the author above mentioned ; who, by the di- vifion of a paffage into its feveral paf- fions, and marking thefe paflions as they occur, has done real fervice to the art of fpeaking, and rendered his book one of the moil ufeful that has been hitherto publifhed. U 2 Til AN- 292 ELEMENTS OF T R A N Q_U I L I T Y. OP H E firft pi&ure of the paffions (if it may be called fo) is tranquility. Tranquility appears by the compofure of the countenance, and general repofe of the whole body, without the exertion of any one mufcle. The countenance open, the forehead fmooth, the eyebrows arched, the mouth jufl not fhut, and the eyes paffing with an eafy motion from ob- ject to object, but not dwelling long upon any one. To diftinguifh it, however, from infenfibility, it feems neceffary to give it that call of happinefs which bor- ders on chearfulnefs. CHEAR FULNESS. When joy is fettled into a habit, or flows from a placid temper of mind, defiring to pleafe and be pleafed, it is called gaiety, good-humour, or chearfulnefs. Chearfulnefs adds a fmile to tranquility, and opens the mouth a little more. ELOCUTION, 293 Chearfulnefs in retirement. Now my co-mates, and brothers in exile, Hath not old cuftom made this life more fweet Than that of painted pomp? Are not thefe woods More free from peril than the envious court ? Here feel we but the penalty of Adam The feafon's difference ; as the icy phang And churlim chiding of the winter's wind, Which when it bites and blows upon my body Ev'n till I ihrink with cold, I fmile and fay, This is no flattery ; thefe are counfellors That feelingly perfuade me what lam; Sweet are the ufes of adversity, That like a toad, ugly and venemous, Wears yet a precious jewel in its head; And this our life exempt from public haunts, Finds tongues in frees-, books in the running; brooks, Sermons in ftones ? and good in every thing. Shakeff ear's As You Like It. MIR T H. When joy arifes from ludicrous or fugitive amufemenfs in which others U 3 ftare 194 ELEMENTS OF fhare with us, it is called merriment or mirth. Mirth, or laughter, opens the mouth horizontally, raifes the cheeks high, lef- fens the aperture of the eyes, and when violent, makes and convulfes the whole frame, fills the eyes with tears, and oc- cafions holding the fides from the pain the convulfive laughter gives them. Invocation of the Goddefs of Mirth. But come, thou goddefs, fair and free, In heav'n y'clep'd Euphrofyne, And of men heart-eafing Mirth ; Whom lovely Venus at a birth, With two filler graces more, To ivy-crowned Bacchus bore. Come thou nymph and bring with thee, Mirth and youthful Jollity ; Quips, and cranks, and wanton wiles ; Nods, and becks, and wreathed fmiles; Such as hang on Hebe's cheek, And love to live in dimples fleek : Sport, that wrinkl'd Care derides, And Laughter holding both his fides : Come ELOCUTION. 295 Come and trip it as ye go, On the light fantaftic toe ; And in thy right hand bring with thee, The mountain nymph fweet Liberty. Milton's Comus. Laughter on feeing a jhrewd buffoon. A fool, a fool, I met a fool i'th' foreft, A motley fool, a miferable varlet ; As I do live by food I met a fool, Who laid him down, and baik'd him in the fun And rail'd on lady Fortune in good terms; In good fet terms, and yet a motley fool ; Good morrow fool, quoth I, no fir, quoth he, Call me not fool, till heav'n hath fent me for- tune; And then he drew a dial from his poak And looking on it with lack-luftre eye, Says very wifely, it is ten o'clock ; Thus may we fee, quoth he, how the world wags, 'Tis but an hour ago fince it was nine, And after one bour more 'twill be eleven, And fo from Jiour to hour we ripe and ripe, And then from hour to hour we rot and rot, And thereby hangs a tale. When I did hear The motley fool thus moral on the time, U a. My 296 ELEMENTS OF My lungs began to crow like chanticleer, That fools fhould be fo deep contemplative And I did laugh fans intermiffion An hour by his dial. O noble fool ! A worthy fool ! motley's the only wear. Shakfpeares As you Like It, RAILLERY. Raillery without animofity, puts on the afpet pf chearfulnefs ; the countenance {miling, and the tone of voice fprightly. Rallying a per/on for being melancholy. Let re play the fool With n : .rth and laughter'; fo let wrinkles come 3 And lei my liver rather heat with wine, Than my heart cool with mortifying groans. Why.ih juld a man whofe blood is warm within, Sit like '.lis grandfire cut in alabafter ? Sleep when he wakes, and creep into the jaun- dice By beirg peevifh ? I tell thee what, Anthonio (I love thee, and it is my love that fpeaks) ; There are a fort of men whofe vifages Do cre^m and mantle like a Handing pond, And ELOCUTION. 297 And do a wilful flillnefs entertain, With purpofe to be dreft in an opinion Of wifdom, gravity, profound conceit, As who fhould fay, I am fir Oracle, And when I ope my lips, let no dog bark ! O my Anthonio, I do know of thofe, That therefore only are reputed wife, For faying nothing ; who I'm very fure If they fhould fpeak would almoft damn thofe ears, Which hearing them would call their brothers fools; I'll tell thee more of this- another time, But filh not with this melancholy bait A For this fool's gudgeon, this opinion, in Come, good Lorenzo, fare ye well a wJils J'll end my exhortation after dinner. SNEER. Sneer is ironical approbation : where with a voice and countenance of ; mirth fomewhat exaggerated we caft the fevereft cenfures ; it is hypocritical mirth and good humour, and differs from the real by the fly, arch, fatirical tone of voice, loo? , and gefture, that accompany it. 2^8 ELEMENTS OF Scoffing at fuppofed cowardice, Satan beheld their plight, And to his mates tlms in derifion call'd : O friends why come not on thofe victors proud ? Ere while they fierce were coming, and when we To entertain them fair with open front And bread (what could we more) propounded terms Of composition, ftraight they chang'd their minds, Flew off, and into ftrange vagaries fell As they would dance : yet for a dance they feem'd Somewhat extravagant and wild, perhaps For joy of offer'd peace, but I fuppofe If our propofals once again were heard We mould compel them to a quick refult. Milton's Paradife Lojf. JOY. A pleafing elation of mind, on the ac 7 tual or ailured attainment of good, or deli- verance from evil, is called Joy. Joy, when moderate, opens the coun- tenance with fmiles, and throws, as it were, a fun- ELOCUTION. 99 a funfhine of delegation over the whole frame : when it is fudden and violent, it exprefles itfelf by. clapping the hands, raifing the eyes towards heaven, and giv-p ing fuch a fpring to the body as to make it attempt to mount up as if it could fly : when joy is extreme, and goes into trans- port, rapture, and extacy, it has a wildnefs of look and gefture, that borders on folly, madnefs, and for row. Joy expeSfed, Ah Juliet^ if the meafure of thy joy Be heap'd like mine, and that thy ikill be more To blazon it, then fweeten with thy breath This neighbour air, and let rich mufic's tongue, Unfold the imagined happinefs that both, Receive in either by this dear encounter. Shakfpeare's Rom. and Jul. jfoy, approaching to tranfport. Oh joy, thou welcome ftranger, twice three years I have not felt thy vital beam, but now Jt warms my veins and plays about my heart; A fiery 5 od ELEMENTS OF A fiery infl:inay'ft thou thy leaden mace upon my boy, That plays thee muiic ? Gentle knave, good night ; I will not do thee fo much wrong to wake thee. If thou doft nod, thou break'ft thy inflrument; I'll take it from thee ; and, good boy, good night. Shakfpeares Jul, Caf, HOPE. Hope is a mixture of defire and joy, agitating the mind, and anticipating its enjoyment. It brightens the countenance, fpreads the arms with the hands open as to receive the object of its wifhes : the voice is plaintive, and inclining to eager-, nefs ; the breath drawn inwards more for- cibly than ufual, in order to exprefs our defires the more ftrongly, and our earneft expectation of receiving the object of them. Hope from approaching nuptials. Now fair Hippolita our nuptial hour Draws on apace, four happy days brings in ELOCUTION. 313 Another moon ; but oh ! methinks, how flow This old moon wains ! flie lingers my defires, Like to a ftep-dame, or a dowager J^ong-withering out a young man's revenue, Shakfpeares Mid/urn* Night* Hope of good tidings. O Hope, fweet flatterer, whofe deluflve touch Sheds on afflicted minds the balm of comfort Relieves the load of poverty ; fuftains The captive bending with the weight of bonds, And fmooths the pillow of difeafe and pain ; Send back th' exploring meffenger with joy, And let me hail thee from that friendly grove. Glover s Boadicea, HATRED, AVERSION, When by frequent reflexion on a dis- agreeable object our difapprobation of it is attended with a difmclination of mind towards it, it is called hatred. When our hatred and difapprobation of any object are accompanied with a painful fenfation upon the apprehenfion of its prefence or 2 ap- 5f !4 ELEMENTS OF approach, there follows an inclination to avoid it called averfion. Hatred or averfion draws back the body as* to avoid the hated object ; the hands at the fame time thrown out fpread, as if to keep it off. The face is turned away from that fide towards which the hands are thrown out ; the eyes looking angrily, and obliquely the fame way the hands are directed ; the . eye-brows are contracted, the upper lip difdainfully drawn up, and the teeth fet ; the pitch of the voice is low, but loud and harm, the tone chiding, unequal, furly, and vehement, the fentences are fhort and abrupt. A defcription and example of this paf- fion from Shakfpeare is given in the in- troduction to thefe examples, p. 283, to thefe we mail add a few others : K. Rich. So, madam, what you flill take , care, I fee, To let the world believe I love you not. This ELOCUTION. 315 Th49 outward mourning now has malice in'c, So have thefe fullen difobedient- tears. I'll have you tell the world I dote on you. Anne. I wifti I could, but 'twill not be be- liev'd : Have I deferv'd this ufage ? Rich. You have ; you do not pleafe me as at firft. Anne. What have I done ! what horrid crime committed ? Rich. To me the word of crimes, out-liv'd my liking. Anne. If that be criminal, juft heav'n be kind, And take me while my penitence is warm : O fir, forgive and kill me. Rich. Umh ! no, the meddling world will call it murder, And I would have them think me pitiful. Now wert thou not afraid of felf-deftruction, Thou haft a fair excufe for't. Anne. How fain would I be friends with death ! O name it ! Rich. Thy hufband's hate. Nor do I hate thee only From the dull'd edge of fated appetite, put from the eager love I bear another ; Some 316 ELEMENTS OF Some call me hypocrite What think'fl thou now ? Do I diffemble ? Anne. Thy vows of love to me were all dif- fembled. Rich, Not one for when I told thee fo, I lov'd ; Thou art the only foul I ne'er deceived, And 'tis my honefty that tells thee now, With all my heart I hate thee. Richard III. altered by Cibber. Hatred curjing the objedi hated. Poifon be their drink, Gall, worfe than gall, the daintiefl meat they tafte ; Their fweeteft fhade a grove of cyprefs trees, Their fweeteft profped murd'ring bafilifks, Their fofteft touch as fmart as lizard's flings, Their mufic frightful as the ferpent's hifs, And boading fcreech-owls make the concert full ; AH the foul terrors of dark-feated hell. Shakfpear's Hen. VI. This ELOCUTION, 317 Thisfeems imitated by Dr. Toung. Why get thee gone, horror and night go with thee. Sifters of Acheron go hand in hand, Go dance about the bow'r and clofe them in ; And tell them that I fent you to falute them. Prophane the ground, and for th'ambrofial rofe, And breath of jeflamin, let hemlock blacken, And deadly night-fhade poifon all the air : For the fweet nightingale may ravens croak, Toads pant, and adders ruftle through the leaves : May ferpents, winding up the trees, let fall Their hiding necks upon them from above, And mingle kifles fuch as I would give them, Toung's Revenge, Hatred of a rival in glory. He is my bane, I cannot bear him ; One heaven and earth can never hold us both ; Still {hall we hate, and with defiance deadly Keep rage alive till one be loft for ever, As if two funs fhould meet in one meridian And ftrive in fiery combat for the paffage. Rowe's Tamerlane* ANGER, 2i$ ELEMENTS OF . ANGER, RAGE, FURY. When hatred and difpleafure rife high oa a fudden from an apprehenfion of injury received, and perturbation of mind in con- fequence of it, it is called anger ; and rifl- ing to a very high degree and extinguish- ing humanity, becomes rage and fury. Anger, when violent, exprefles itfelf with rapidity, noife^Tiarfhnefs, and fome- times with interruption and hefitation, as if unable to utter itfelf with fufficient force. It wrinkles the brows, enlarges and - ^aves the noftrils, ftrains the muf- cles, clinches the fift, ftamps with the foot, and f wes a violent agitation to the whole body. The voice affumes the high eft tone it ci adopt confiftently with force and loudnefs, though fometimes to exprefs angei with uncommon energy, the voice aflun :S a low and forcible tone. Nar- ELOCUTION. 3 i Narrative in Anger, My liege, I did deny no prifoners. But I remember when the fight was done, When I was dry with rage, and extreme foil, Breathlefs and faint, leaning upon my fword, Came there a certain lord, neat, trimly drefs'd, Frefh as a bridegroom; and his chin, new reap'd, Show'd like a ftubble-land at harveft-home : He was perfumed like a milliner ; And 'twixt his finger and his thumb he held A pouncet-box, which ever and anon, He gave his nofe, and took't away again ;- Who, therewith angry when it next car , n there, Took it in fnurT and ftill he fmil'd and talk'd, And as the foldiers bore. dead bodies b ; t He call'd them untaught knaves unmannerly, To bring a floveniy unhandfome.corjfe Betwixt the wind and his nobility. With many holiday and lady terms, He queftion'd me, among the reft demoded My prifoners, in. yqur majefty's behalf I then all fmarting with my wounds be ; *- * cold, To be fo peftered with a popinjay, Out 320 ELEMENTS Of Out of my grief and my impatience Anfwer'd negledtingly, I know no what, He fhould, or he fhould not ; for he made md mad, To fee him fhine fo brifk, and fmell (o fweet, And talk fo like a waiting gentlewoman, Of guns, and drums, and wounds, (heav'n fave the mark !) And telling me the fovereign'ft thing on earthy Was parmacity for an inward bruife ; And that it was great pity, fo it was, That villainous falt-petre mould be digg'd Out of the bowels of the harmlefs earth, Which many a good tall fellow had deftroy'3 So cowardly ; and but for thefe vile guns, He would himfelf have been a foldier. This bald, unjointed chat of his, my lord, I anfwer'd indirectly as I faid, And I befeech you, let not his report, Come current for an accufation, Betwixt my love and your high majefty. Shakfpearis Hen. IV. Firft Part. Scorn and anger, reproving* Tut, tut ! Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle, I am ELOCUTION. 321 I am no traitor's uncle ; and that word grace In an ungracious mouth is but profane ; Why have thofe banifhed and forbidden legs Dax'd once to touch a duft of England's ground? But more than why Why have they dar'd to march So many miles upon her peaceful bofom ; Frighting her pale-fac'd villages with war, And oftentation of defpifed arms ? Com'ft thou becaufe the anointed king is hence ? Why foolifh boy, the king is left behind, And in my loyal bofom lies his power. Were I but now the lord of fuch hot youth As when brave Gaunt, thy father, and myfelf Refcu'd the Black Prince, that young Mars of men, From forth the ranks of many thoufand French; Oh, then, how quickly mould this arm of mine, Now prifoner to the palfy, chaftife thee, And minifter correction to thy fault ! Ibid. Rick IL Determined revenge* I know not : if they fpeak but truth of her, Thefe hands lhall tear her; if they wrong her honour, Vol. IL Y The 322 ELEMENTS OF The proudefl; of them fliall well hear of it. Time hath not yet fo dry'd this blood of mine, Nor age fo eat up my invention, Nor fortune made fuch havoc of my means, Nor my bad life 'reft me fo much of friends, But they lhall find awak'd in fuch a kind, Both ftrength of limb and policy of mind, Ability in means, and choice of friends To quit me of them throughly. Ibid. Much Ado. Eager Revenge, Oh, I could play the woman with mine eyes, And braggart with my tongue! But, gentle heaven, Cut fhort all intermiffion ; front to front, Bring thou this fiend of Scotland, and myfelf ; Within my fword's length fet him ; if he Ycape, Heaven forgive him too i Unrejlrainedfury. Alive ! in triumph ! and Mercutio flain ! Away to heaven refpeftive lenity r And fire-ey'd fury be my condud: now ! Vow Tybalt take the villain back again That ELOCUTION, 323 That late thou gav'ft me ; for Mercutio's foul Ts but a little way above our heads Staying for thine to keep him company, And thou or I, or both fhall follow him. Ibid. Rom. and Juliet* REVENGE. Revenge is a propensity and endeavour to injure the offender, which is attended with triumph and exultation when the in- jury is accomplifhed : it exprefles itfelf like malice, but more openly, loudly, and triumphantly. Revenge for having received a blow, Alon. O Zanga ! Zan. Do not tremble fo, but fpeak. Alon. I dare not. Zan. You will drown me with your tearg, Alon. Have I not caufe ? Zan. As yet you have no caufe. Alon. Doft thou too rave ? Zan. Your anguiih is to come : You have been much abus'd. Alon. Abus'd by whom ? Y 2 Zan. 324 ELEMENTS OF Zan. To know were little comfort. Aion. Oh, 'twere much ! Zan. Indeed ! Jlon. Oh give him to my fury ! Zan. Born for your ufe I live but to oblige you; Know then 'twas I Alon. Am I awake ? Zan. For ever. Thy wife is guiltlefs, that's one tranfport to me, And I I let thee know it that's another. I urg'd don Carlos to refign his miftrefs, I forg'd the letter, I difpos'd the picture, I hated, I defpis'd, and I deftroy. Why this is well; why this is blow for blow. Where are ye ? Crown me, fhadow me with laurels, Ye fpirits that delight in juft revenge ! Let Europe, and her pallid fons go weep, Let Afric, and her hundred thrones rejoice. my dear countrymen, look down and fee How I beftride your proftrate conqueror ! 1 tread on haughty Spain, and all her kings. Toungs Revenge. REPROACH. ELOCUTION. 325 REPROACH. Reproach is fettled anger or hatred chaftifing the object of diflike, by cafting in his teeth the fevereft cenfures upon his imperfections or mifconduct : the brow is contracted, the Up turned up with fcorn, the head fhaken, the voice low, as if ab- horring, and the whole body expreflive of averfion. Reproaching with jlupidity and inconftancy. Wherefore rejoice ? What conqueft brings he home ? What tributaries follow him to Rome, To grace in captive bonds his chariot wheels ? You blocks, you ftones, you worfe than fenfe- lefs things ! O, you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, Knew ye not Pompey ? Many a time and oft Have you climb'd up to walls and battlements, To towers and windows, yea, to chimney tops, Your infants in your arms, and there-have fat The live-long day, with patient expectation, Y 3 To 326 ELEMENTS OF To fee great Pompey pafs the ftreets of Rome : And when you favv his chariot but appear, Have you not made an univerfal fhout, That Tyber trembled underneath his banks, To hear the replication of your founds, Made in his concave mores ? And do you now put on your beft attire ? And do you now cull out a holiday ? And do you now ftrew flowers in his way, That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood } Be gone ; Run to your houfes ; fall upon your knees, Pray to the gods to intermit the plague, That needs mull light on this ingratitude. Shakfpeare's Jul. Caf. Reproaching with want of friend/hip. You have done that you mould be forry for. There is no terror, Cafhus, in your threats ; For I am arm'd fo ftrong in honefty, That they pafs by me, as the idle wind, Which I refpect not. I did fend to you For certain fums of gold, which you deny'dme; For I can raife no money by vile means ; No Caflius, I had rather coin my heart, And ELOCUTION. 327 And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring From the hard hands of peafants their vile tralh By any indirection. I did fend To you for gold to pay my legions, Which you fleny'd me : Was that done like Caffius ? Should I have anfwer'd Caius Caffius fo ? When Marcus Brutus grows fo covetous, To lock fuch rafcal-counters from his friends, Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts, Dafh him to pieces. Ibidem, Reproaching with want of manlineft. O proper fluff! This is the very painting of your fears ; This is the air-drawn dagger, which you faid, Led you to Duncan. Oh, thefe flaws and ftarts, (Impoftors to true fear) would well become A woman's flory, at a winter's fire, Authoriz'd by her grandam. Shame itfelf f Why do you make fuch fuch faces ? When all's done, You look but on a flool. Ibid. Macbeth, Y 4 Reproach-^ 328 ELEMENTS OF Reproachingivithwant of courage andfpirit* Thou flave, thou wretch, thou coward, Thou little valiant, great in villany ! Thou ever ftrong upon the ftronger fide ! Thou fortune's champion, thou dofl never fight But when her humorous Jadyfhip is by To teach thee fafety ! thou art perjur'd too And footh'ft up greatnefs. What a fool art thou, A ramping fool ; to brag and ftamp, and fwear, Upon my party ! Thou cold blooded Have, Haft thou not fpoke like thunder on my fide, Been fworn my foldier ? Bidding me depend Upon thy ftars, thy fortune, and thy ftrength ? And doft thou now fall over to my foes ? Thou wear a lion's hide ! doff it for lhame, And hang a calf 's fkin on thofe recreant limbs. FEAR AND TERROR. [Fear is a mixture of averfion and for- row, difcompofing and debilitating the rnind upon the approach or anticipation of evil. When this is attended with fur- prize ELOCUTION. 329 prize and much difcompofure, it grows into terror and confirmation. Fear violent and hidden, opens wide the eyes and mouth, fhortens the nofe, gives the countenance an air of wildnefs, covers it with deadly palenefs, draws back the elbows parallel with the fides, lifts up the open hands with the fingers fpread, to the height of the breaft, at fome diftance be- fore it, fo as to fhield it from the dread- ful object. One foot is drawn back be- hind the other, fo that the body feems fhrinking from the danger, and putting itfelf in a pofture for flight. The heart beats violently, the breath is fetched quick and (hort, and the whole body is thrown into a general tremor. The voice is weak and trembling, the fentences are fhort, and the meaning confufed and incoherent. Terror before dreadful affions dejcribed. Between the acting of a dreadful thing, Apd the firft motion, all the inserim is Like 339 ELEMENTS OF Like a phantafma, or a hideous dream ; The genius, and the mortal inftruments, Are then in council, and the ftate of man, Like to a little kingdom, fuffers then The nature of an infurre&ion. Sbakfp. Jul. C*f. Terror of evening and night defcribed* Light thickens ; and the crow Makes wing to the rooky wood ; Good things of day begin to droop and drowze; While night's black agtfnts to their prey do rouze. Thou marvell'ft at my words : but hold thee (till ; Things, bad begun, make ftrong themfelves by ill : So, pr*ythee, go with me. Ibid. Macbeth. Narrative of horrid fights. A common ilave (you know him well by fight) Held up his left hand, which didflame andburn, Like twenty torches joia'd ; and yet his hand, Not fenfible of fire, remain'd unfcorch'd.] ' Be- ELOCUTION, 331 Betides, (I have not iince put up my fword) Againft the capitol I met a Jion, Who glar'd upon me, and went furly by, Without annoying me : and there were drawn Upon a heap a hundred ghaftly women, Transformed with their fear ; who fwore, they faw Men, all in fire, walk up and down the ftreets. And, yefterday, the bird of night did fit, Even at noorwiay, upon the market-place, Hooting and flirieking. When thefe prodigies Do fo conjointly meet, let not men fay Thefe are the reafons, they are natural ; For, I believe, they are portentous things Unto the climate that they point upon. Ibid. Jul. Ca/l Fear from a dreadful objeB. Angels and miniflers of grace defend us Be thou a fpirit of health or goblin damn'd, Bring with thee airs from heav'n, or blafts from hell, Be thy intents wicked or charitable, Thou com'ft in fuch a queftionable fliape That I will fpeak to thee. Save 332 ELEMENTS OF Save, me, and hover o'er me with your wings, You heavenly guards ! what would your gra- cious figure ? Shakfp. Hamlet. Horror at a dreadful apparition. How ill this taper burns ! ha ! who comes here ? I think it is the weaknefs of my eyes, That fhapes this monftrous apparition . It comes upon me Art thou any thing ? Art thou fome god, fome angel, or fome devil, That mak'ft my blood cold, and my hair to ftare, Speak to me what thou art. Shakfp. Jul. C*f. Terror from committing murder* Ahc. I've done the deed didfl not thou hear a noife ? Lady. I heard the owl fcream,and thecrickets cry. Did you not fpeak ? Mac. When ? Lady. Now. Mac. As I defcended ? Lady. Ay. Mac. Hark ! who lies i'J^fecond chamber)? Lady* Donalbain. Mac. ELOCUTION. 333 .Mac. This is a forry fight. Lady. A foolifti thought to fay a forry fight. Mac. There's one did laugh in his fleep, and one cry'd, murder ! That they did wake each other ; I Hood and heard them : But they did fay their pray'rs, and acklreffed them Again to fleep. Fear of being difcovered in murder. Alas, I am afraid they have awak'd, And 'tis not done ; th* attempt and not the dzcd Confounds us Hark ! I laid the daggers ready, He could not mifs them. Had he not refem- bled My father as he flept, I had done it. Ibidem. SORROW. Sorrow is a painful depreffion of fpirit, upon the deprivation of good or arrival of evil ; when it is filent and thoughtful, it is fadnefs ; when Ifong indulged, fo as to prey upon and poflefs the mind, it be- comes 345 ELEMENTS OF comes habitual and grows into melan- choly ; when tofTed by hopes and fears, it is diffraction ; when thefe are fwallow- ed up by it, it fettles into defpair. In moderate forrow, the countenance is dejected, the eyes are caft downward, the arms hang loofe, fometimes a little raifed, fuddenly to fall again ; the hands open f the fingers fpread, and the voice plaintive, frequently interrupted with lighs. But when this paffion is in excefs, it diftorts the countenance, as if in agonies of pain ; it raifes the voice to the loudefl complain- ings, and fometimes even to cries and fhrieks ; it wrings the hands, beats the head and breaft, tears the hair, and throws itfelf on the ground ; and, like other paf- fions, in excefs, feems to border on phrenzy. Sadnefs, Anth. In footh, I know not why I am fa fad, It wearies me ; you fay it wearies you ; Eut ELOCUTION. 335 But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What fluff 'tis made of, whereof it is born, I am to learn. And fuch a want-wit fadnefs makes of me, That I have much ado to know myfelf. Gra. You look not well, fignor Anthonio, You have too much refpecl: upon the world : They lofe it that do buy it with much care, Believe me, you are marvelloufly chang'd. Anth. I hold the world, but as the world, Gratiano ; A ftage, where every one muft play his part, And mine's a fad one. Deep melancholy defcribed* She never told her love, But let concealment, like a worm iWbud Feed on herdamafk cheek. Shepin'd in thought, And with a green and yellow melancholy, She fat like Patience on a monument Smiling at grief. Penfive foreboding. My mother had a maid call'd Barbara, She was in love ; and he fhe loY'd prpv'd mad And 336 ELEMENTS OF And did forfake her : me had a fong of willdw, An old thing 'twas, but it exprcfs'd her fortune, And fhe dy'd iinging it : That fong to-night Will not go from my mind, I have much to do But to go hang my head all o' one fide, And Cmg it like poor Barbara. Shakefp* Oth. Silent grief. Seems, madam ! nay it is : I know not feems *Tis not alone my inky cloak good mother, Nor cuftomary fuits of folemn black, Nor windy fufpiration of fcrc'd breath* No nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected 'haviour of the vifage Together with all forms, modes, mows of grief That can denote me truly : Thefe indeed feem, For they are actions that a man might play ; But I have that within which paffeth fhow, Thefe but the trappings and the fuits of woe?. Ibid. Hamlet. Inward for row. Say that again. The flwdow of my forrow ! Ha! let's fee : 'Tis very true, my grief lies all within ; And thefe external manners of lament, Arc ELOCUTION. 337 3 i n i i r r Are merely inadows to the unfeen grief, That fwells with filence in my tortur'df foul ; There lies the fubftance : and I thank thee, king, For thy great bounty, that not only giv'ft Me caufe to wail, but teacheft me the way How to lament the caufe. I'll beg one boon, And then be gone, and trouble you no more. Shall I obtain it ? Shakefp. Rich, IL Sorrow forgetful of its intentions. Yet one word more > Grief boundeth where it falls, Not with the empty hollownefs, but weight; I take my leave before I have begun ; For forrow ends not, when it feemeth done. Commend me to my brother Edmund York, Lo this is all : -nay, yet depart not fo; Though this be all, do not fo quickly go, I fhall remember more. Bid him Oh, what ? With all good fpeed at Plalhy vifit me. Alack, and what fhall good old York there fee, But empty lodgings, and unfurnifh'd walls, Unpeopled offices, untrodden {tones ? ' And what hear there for welcome but my groans ? Vol. II. Z There- 338 ELEMENTS OF Therefore commend me ; let him not come there, To feek out forrow, that dwells every where ; Defolate, defolate, will I hence, and die ; The laft leave of thee takes my weeping eye. Ibid. Grief deploring lofs of ambition, I had been happy if the general camp, Pioneers and all, had wrong'd my love, So I had nothing known : O now for ever, Farewell the plumed troop and the big wars That make ambition virtue ! O farewel, Farewel the neighing fleed, and the flirill trump, The fpirit-ftirring drum, the ear-piercing fife, The royal banner, and all quality, Pride, pomp, and circumftance of glorious war I Farewel ! Othello's occupation's gone. Skakfpeare's Othello. Grief approaching to madnefs. Pand. Lady, you utter madnefs, and not for- row. Conft. Thou art unholy to belie me fo ; I am not mad : this hair I tear is mine ; My name is Conftanee ; I was Geffrey's wife j Young h O C U T I O N. 339 Young Arthur is my fon, and he is loft : I am not mad; ;r I would to.heaven,, I were ! For, then, 'tis Ijkp, I fhould -forget myfelf : Oh, if I could, what grief fhould I forget ! Preach fome philofophy to make me mad, And cardinal thou fhalt be canoniz'd f; For, being not mad, but fen fihle of grief, My reafonable part produces reafon How I may be delivered of thefe woes, And teaches me to kill or hang myfelf: If I were mad, I fhould forget my fon, Or madly think a babe of clouts were he ; I am not mad, too well, too well I feel The different plague of each calamity. Shakjpeare's King John, Grief mixed with pity, ajfuming a fmile % and approaching to phrenzy. Grief fills the room up of my abfent child, Lies in his bed, walks up and down with me; Puts on his pretty looks, repeats his words, Remembers me of all his gracious parts, Stuffs out his vacant garments with his form, Then have I reafon to be fond of grief. Ibid* Z % Grief 340 ELEMENTS OF Grief approaching to dijlraftion. Thou canft not fpeak of what thou doff not feel; Wert thou as young as I, Juliet thy love, An hour but married, Tybalt murder'd, Doatihg like me, and like me banifhed, Then might'fi: thou fpeak, then might'ft thou tear thy hair, And fall upon the ground as I do now, Taking the meafure of an unmade grave. Shakfp. Rom, and Juliet* . Grief choaking exprejfion. Macd. My children too ! Roffe, Wife, children, fervants, all that could be found ! Macd. And I muft be from thence ! my wife kill'd too ? Rofft. I'vefaid. Mai, Be comforted. Let's make us med'cines of our great revenge, To cure this deadly grief. Macd, He has no children ! What all my pretty ones ? Did you fay, all ? What all? ' MaL ELOCUTION, 34* Mai. Endure it like a man. Macd. I ihall. But I muft alfo feel it as a man." I cannot but remember fuch things were, That were moft precious to me : did heay'n look on, And would not take their part ? finful Macduff, They were all ftruck for thee ! naught that I am! Not for their own demerits, but for mine Fell flaughter on their fouls : heaven reft them now ! Ibid. Macbeth, REMORSE. Remorfe, or a painful remembrance of criminal actions or purfuits, cafts down the countenance, and clouds it with an- xiety, hangs down the head, (hakes it with regret, juft raifes the eyes as if to look up, and fuddenly cafts them down again, with fighs ; the right-hand fometimes beats the breaft, and the whole body writhes as with felf-averfion. The voice has a harfhnefs as in hatred, and inclines to a low and reproachful tone. Z 3 Kan 342 ELEME NT S O F Keen remorfefor drunkennefs, I remember a mafs of things, but nothing diftin&ly ;' a quarrel, nothing wherefore. O that men fhould put an enemy in their mouths, to fteal away their brains ! that we fhould with joy, pleafure, revel, and applaufe, transform ourfelves into beafts ! I will afk him for my place again ; he fhall tell me I am a drunkard : had 1 as many mouths as Hydra, fuch an an- fwer would flop them all. To be now a fen- fible man ; by and by a fool, and prefently a beaft ! O ftrange ! every inordinate cup is un- blelTed, and the ingredient is a devil. Shakfpeare's Othello. Remorse for treachery and ingratitude* I am alone the villain of the earth, And feel I am fo mod. O Anthony, Thou mine of bounty, how wouldit thou have paid My better fervice, when my turpitude Thou doft fo crown with gold ! This blows my heart : If fwift thought break it not, a fwifter mean Shall out-ftrike thought ; but thought will do't I feel ELOCUTION. 34g I fight againfl thee ! No : I will go feek Some ditch wherein to die ; the fouleft belt Befits my latter part of life. Sbakfpeare's Ant, and Clea. Reproach and remorfefor murder of an in- nocent child. Oh, when the laft account 'twixt heaven and earth Is to be made, then lhall this hand and feal Witnefs againfl: us to damnation 1 How oft the fight of means to do ill deeds, Makes deeds ill done ? Hadfl not thou been by, A fellow by the hand of nature mark'd, Quoted and fign'd, to do a deed of lhame, This murder had not come into my mind, But taking note of thy abhorr'd afpedt, Finding thee fit for bloody villainy Apt, liable to be employ'd in danger, I faintly broke with thee of Arthur's deaths And thou to be endeared to a king, Mad'ft it no confcience to deftroy a prince. Ibid. King John, Z4 DESPAIR. 344 ELEMENTS Of DESPAIR. Defpair, as in 3 condemned criminal, or one who. has loft all hope of falvation, bends the eye-brows downwards, clouds the forehead, rolls the eyes frightfully, opens the mouth horizontally, bites the lips, widens tne'noftrils, and gnaflies the teeth.. The arms are fometimes bent at the elbows, the Ms clinched hard, the veins and mufcles fwelled ; the {kin livid, the whole body {trained and violently agi- tated ; while groans of inward torture are more frequently uttered than words. If any words,. they are few, and exprefled with a fallen eager bitterncfs, the tone of the voice often loud and furious, and fome- times in the fame note for a confiderable time. This ftate of human nature is too frightful to dwell upon, and almofl im- proper for imitation ; for if death cannot be counterfeited without too much mock- ing ELOCUTION. 345 ing our humanity ; defpair, which exhi- bits a ftate ten thoufand times more terri- rible than death, ought to be viewed with a kind of reverence to the great Author of nature, who feems fometimes to exhibit to us this agony of mind as a warning to avoid that wickednefs Which produces it. Shakfpeare has moft exquifitely touched this fearful fituation of human nature, where he draws cardinal Beaufort, after a wicked life, dying in defpair, and terrified with the murder of duke Humphrey, to which he was acc'effary. K. Hen. How fares my lord ? fpeak Beau- fort to thy fovereign. Car, If thou be'ft Death, I'll give thee Eng- land's treafure, Enough to purchafe fuch another iuand, So thou wilt let me live and feel no pain. K. Hen. Ah, what a fign it is of evil life, When death's approach is feen fo terrible ! War. Beaufort it is thy fovereign fpeaks to thee. Car- 346 ELEMENTS OF Car* Bring me to my trial when you will, Dy*d he not in his bed ? where mould he die ? Can I make men live, whether they will or no ? Oh torture me no more, I will confefs. Alive again ? then fhow me where he is, 111 give a thottfand pound to look upon him. He 'hath- tip eyes, the duft hath blinded them. Comb down his hair ; look ! look I it (lands upright, Like Itme-twtgs fet to catch my winged foul ! Give me fome drink, and bid the apothecary, Bring the tlrong poifon that I bought of him. K. Hen. O thou eternal Mover of the heavens, Look with a gentle eye upon this wretch ; O beat away the bufy meddling fiend, That lays ftrong fiege unto this wretch's foul, And from his bofom purge this black defpair ! War* See how the pangs of death do make him grin. Sal. Difturb him not, let him pafs peaceably. K. Hen. Peace to his foul, if God's good pleafure be ! JLord Cardinal, if thou think'ft on heaven's blifs, Hold up thy hand, make fignal of thy hope, He ELOCUTION. 347 He dies and makes no fign : O God forgive him. Shakjpeare's id Part. Hen. VL The bare fituation of the characters, the paufe, and the few plain words of king Henry, he dies and makes nofign I have more of the real fublime in them than volumes of the laboured fpeeches in moft of our modern tragedies, which in the emphatical language of Shakfpeare may be faid to be " full of found and fury, fignifying nothing.'* SURPRIZE, WONDER, AMAZEMENT, ADMIRATION. An uncommon object produces wonder; if it appears fuddenly, it begets furprize ; furprize continuing, becomes amazement ; and if the objed: of wonder comes gently to the mind and arrefls the attention by its beauty or grandeur, it excites admiration, which is a mixture of approbation and wonder ; fo true is that obfervation of Dr. Young in the tragedy of the Revenge : Late 34 8 ELEMENTS OF Late times fhall wonder, that my joys mail raife For wonder is involuntary praife. Wonder or amazement, opens the eyes, and makes them appear very prominent. It fometimes raifes them to the fkies, but more frequently fixes them on the object: ; the mouth is open, and the hands are held up nearly in the attitude of fear ; the voice is at firft low, but fo emphatical, that every word is pronounced flowly and with energy : when, by the difcovery of fome- thing excellent in the object of wonder, the emotion may be called admiration, the eyes are raifed, the hands lifted up, or clapped together, and the voice elated with expreinons of rapture. Surprize at unexpected events. Gone to be marry'd, gone to fwear a peace ! Falfe blood to falfe blood join'd ! Gone to be friends ! Shall ELOCUTIdft. 34 9 Sha^l iLewis have Blanch ? and Blanch thofc provinces ? It is not fo : Thou haft mis-fpoke, mis-heard ? Be well-advis'd, tell o'er thy tale again : It cannot be ; thou ctoft but fay 'tis fo. What doft thou mean by making of thy head ? Why doft thou look fo fadly on my fon ? What 'means that Hand upon that bread of .thine ? Why' holds thine eye that lamentable rheum, Like a proud river peering o'er his bounds ? Be thefe fad fighs confirmers of thy words ? Then fpeak again ; not all thy former tale, But this one word, whether thy tale be true. Shakfpettrfs , John. Artia%eitieni at Jirange neivs, Old- men, and beldames, in the llreets, Do prophefy upon it dangeroufly ; Young Arthur's death is common in- their mouths ; And when they talk of him they fhake their heads, And whifper one another in the ear; And he, that fpeaks, doth gripe the hearer's wrift ; Whilft 35 o ELEMENTS OF "Whilft be, that hears, makes fearful action,' With wrinkled brows, with nods, with rolling eyes. I faw a fmith fland with his hammer, thus, The whilft his iron did on the anvil cool, With open mouth fwallowing a taylor's news ; Who, with his fliears and meafure in his hand, Standing on flippers (which his nimble hafte Had falfely thruft upon contrary feet) Told of a many thoufand warlike French,' That were embattled and rank'd in Kent : Another lean unwafh'd artificer, Cuts off his tale, and talks of Arthur's death. Ibidem, Emphatic climax of ajionifhment. Sir Richard, what think you ? Have you beheld, Or have you read, or heard ? or could you think ? Or do you almoft think, although you fee, That you do fee ? Could thought without this objedt Form fuch another ? This is the very top, The height, the creft, or creft unto the creft Of Murder's arms ; this is the bloodieft fhame, The ELOCUTION. 351 The wildeft favag'iy, the vilefl ftroke, That ever wall- ey'd Wrath, or ftarving Rage, Pr efented to the tears of foft Reraorfe. Ibid. P R IDE. When our efteem of ourfelves, or opi- nion of our own rank and merit Is fo high as to leffen the regard due to the rank and merit of others, it is called pride. When it fuppofes others below our regard, it is contempt, fcorn, or difdain. Pride affumes a lofty look, bordering upon the afpecl: and attitude of anger. The eyes full open, but with the eye- brows confiderably drawn down, the mouth pouting, moftly fhut, and the lips contraded. The words are uttered with a flow, ftiff, bombaftic affe&ation of im- portance ; the hands fometimes reft on the hips, with the elbows brought for- ward in the pofition called a-kimbo ; the legs at a diftance from eacli other, , the fteps large and (lately. Pride 35* ELEMENTS OF Pride ajferting independence Your grace mall pardon me, I will not back; I am too high-born to be property'd ; To be a fecondary at controul, Or ufeful ferving-man and inftrument, To any fovereign ftate throughout the world. Your breath firft kindled the dead coal of wars Between this chaftis'd kingdom and myfelf, And brought in matter that mould feed this fire ; And now 'tis far too huge to be blown out, With that fame weak wind which enkindled it. You taught me how to know the face of fight, Acquainted me with intereft to this land, Yea, thruft this enterprize into my heart ; And come ye now to tell me, John hath made His peace with Rome ? What is that peace to me ? I, by the honour of my marriage-bed, After young Arthur, claim this land for mine } And, now it is half-conquer'd, muft Fback, Becaufe that John hath made his peace with Rome ? Am I Rome's flave ? What penny hath Rome borne, What ELOCUTION. 353 What men provided, what munition fent, To underprop this action? Is't not I, That undergo this charge ? who elfe but I, And fuch as to my claim are liable, Sweat in this buflnefs, and maintain this war? Have I not heard thefe iflanders fhout out, Vive le Roy ! as I have bank'd their towns ? Have I not here the beft cards for the game, To win this eafy match played for a crown ? And fhall I now give o'er the yielded fet ? No, no, my foul, it never fhall be faid. Shakfp. K. John. Worcefler, get thee gone, for I do fee Danger and difobedience in thine eye : O, fir, your prefence is too bold and peremp- tory, And majefty might never yet endure The moody frontier of a fervant brow. You have good leave to leave us ; when we need Your ufc and counfel, we fhall fend for you. Ibid. Firft Part Hen. IK CONFIDENCE, COURAGE, BOASTING. Confidence is hope, elated by fecurity of fuccefs in obtaining its object ; and Vol, II. A a. cou- 354 ELEMENTS OF courage is the contempt of any unavoidK able danger in the execution of what is* refolved upon : in both the head is erect, the breaft projected, the countenance clear and open, the accents- are ftrong, round,, and not too rapid ; the voice firm and even* Boafting exaggerates thefe appear- ances, by loudnefs, bluftering, and what is not unaptly called fwaggering : the arms are placed a-kimbo,, the foot ftamped on the ground, the. head drawn back with pride, the legs take large ftridss, and the voice fwells into bombalL Confidence in one beloved* Bafe men that ufe them to fo bafe effect;. But truer ftars did govern Proteus birth, His words are bonds, his oaths are oracles, His love fincere, his thoughts immaculate, His tears pure meflengers fent from his heart,, His heart as far from fraud, as heav'n from earth. Sbakfp. Tzvo Gtni. of Va\ ConB~ ELOCUTION. 355 Confidence of fuccefs in combat, Soling. Oh, let no noble eye profane a tear For me, if I be gor'd with Mowbray's fpear : As confident, as is the faulcon's flight Againft a bird, do I with Mowbray fight. My loving lord, I take my leave of you ; * Of you, my noble coufm, lord Aumerle; Not lick, although I have to do with death ; But lufty, young, and chearly drawing breath.- Lo, as at Englifh f earls, fo I regreet The daintieft laft, to make the end raoft fweet. Oh thou, the earthly author of my blood, Whofe youthful fpirit in me regenerate, Doth with a two-fold vigour lift me up, To reach at victory above my head, Add proof unto mine armour with my prayers; That it may enter Mowbray's waxen coat, And furbiih new the name of John of Gaunt, Even in the lufty 'haviour of his fon. Ibid. Rid. II. Mowb. However heaven, or fortune call my lot, There lives or dies, true to king Richard's throne, A a 2 A loyal 35& ELEMENTS Ot A loyal, juft, and upright gentleman ; Never did captive with a freer heart, Call off his chains of bondage, and embrace: His golden, uncontrourd enfranchifement> More than my dancing foul doth celebrate, This feaft of battle, with mine adverfary. Moft mighty liege, and my companion peers, Take from my mouth, the wifh of happy years : As gentle and as . . . jocund, as to jeft, Go I to fight, truth- hath, a quiet breaft. Ibid. Firm determined refolution in battle* \ am fatisfy'd: Caelar fits down in Alexandria', where I will oppofe his fate. Our force by lam! Hath nobly held ; our fever'd navy too Have knit again, and fleet, threat'ning mofl fea-like. Where hall thou been my heart ? ~Doft thou hear lady r If from the field I fhould return once more, To kifs thefe lips, I will appear in blood ; I and my fword will cam my chronicle ; There is hope in it yet : I will be trebie-finew'd, hearted, brcath'd, And ELOCUTION. 257 And fight malicioufly : for when mine hours Were nice and lucky, men did ranfom lives Of me for jefts ; but now I'll fet my teeth, And fend to darknefs all that flop me. Ibid. Ant* and Ckop. * '"Boajling indignant challenge. Show me what thou'lt do : Woo't weep ? woo't fight ? woo't fad? woo't tear thyfelf '? Woo't drink up efil ? eat a crocodile ? Ill do't Do'ft thou come here to whine, To outface me with leaping in her grave ? Be buried quick with her, and {o will I: And if thou prate of mountains let them throw Millions of acres on us ; till our ground Singing its pate againft the burning zone, Make Oua like a wart ! Nay, an thou'lt mouth I'll rant as well as thou. Shakefp. Hamku PERPLEXITY, IRRESOLUTION, ANXIETY. Thcfe emotions colled: the body toge- gether as if for thoughtful confideration ; the eye-brows are contracted, the head Ranging on the breaft, the eyes call A a 3 down- 358 ELEMENTS OF downwards, the mouth (hut, the lips purfed together. Suddenly, the whole body alters its afpet as having difcovered fomething ; then falls into contemplation as before, the motions .of the .body are reftlefs and unequal, fometimes moving quick, and fometimes flow ; the paufes in fpeaking are long, the tone of the voice uneven, the fentences broken and unfinifhed, 'Perplexity from temptation to evil. From thee ; even from thy virtue,** What's this ? what's this ? Is this her fault or mine ? The tempter, or the tempted, who fins mod ? Not ihc ; nor doth fhe tempt; but it is \, That lying by the violet in the fun, Do as the carrion does, not as the flower, Corrupt with virtuous leaibn. Can it be, That modefty may more betray our fenfe, . ; Than woman's fightnefs ? having waLle ground enough, , .: . ... Shall wc deiire to rate the fandluarv, Mi ELOCUTIO N. 3^ And pitch our evils there ; oh, fie, fie, fie ! What doft thou ? or what art thou, Angelo ? Doft thou defire her foully, for thofe things That make her good ? O let her brother live; Thieves for their robbery have authority When judges (leal themfelves* What! do I ; love her, That I defire to hear her fpeak again, And feaft upon her eyes ? What is't I dream on ? Oh cunning enemy, that to catch a faint With faints do'ft bait thyhook! mod dangerous, Is that temptation that doth goad us on To fin in loving virtue ; neW could the ftrumpet With all her double vigour, art, and nature, Qnce ftir my temper ; but this virtuous maid Subdues me quite : ev'n till this very now, When men were fond, I fmil'd, and wonderM how.. Shahfp. Mtaf. for Meaf, Perplexity from unexpeBed events. Heaven for his mercy ! what a tide of woes Comes ruining on this woeful land at once I I know not what to do : I would to heaven, (So my untruth hath not provok'd him to it) Xhe king had cut off my head with my bro-^ tiler's. A a 4 What* 360 E L E M E N T S O F What, are there pofts difpatch'd for Ireland?* How mall we do for money for thefe wars ? Come, fitter, coufin I would fay ; pray par- don me. Go, fellow, get thee home, provide fome 'carts-, And bring away the armour that is there. Gentlemen, will you go to mufter men ? if I know How, or which way, to order thefe affairs, Thus diforderly thruft into my hands, Never believe me. Both dre my kinfmen : The one's my fovereign, whom both my oath And duty bids defend ; the other again Is my kinfman, whom the king has wrong'd ; Whom confcience and my kindred bids to right. Well, fomewhat we muit do Come Coufin, I'll Difpofe of you : Go mufter up your men, And meet me prefently at Berkley : Gentlemen, I mould to Plafhy too ; But time will not permit : All is uneven, And every thing is left at fix and feven. Shakfp.Rlch. IT. Perplexity, how to aft on Judden furprize. Yes; 'tis^Emilia: by and by. She'sdead. ? Jis like me comes to fpcak of-CamVs death ; The ELOCUTION. 3 6| The noife was high. Ha ! no more moving? Still as the grave. Shallfhe come in, wer'tgood ? 1 think (he ftirs again : No. what's the beft Jf flie come in fhe'll fure fpeak to my wife. Ibid. Othello. VEXATION. Vexation, befides expreffing itfelf with the looks, geftures, tone and reftleflhefs of perplexity, adds to thefe, complaint, fretting, and remorfe. Vexation at neglediing one's duty. Oh what a rogue and peafant Have am 1 1 Is it not monitrous that this player here But in a fiction, in a dream of paflion, Could force his foul fo to his own conceit That from her working, all his vifage warm'd, Tears in his eyes, diffraction in his afpect, A broken voice, and his whole function fuiting With forms to his conceit ? and all for nothing; for Hecuba 1 What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba yhat he fhould weep for her ? Shakf. Hatfikt. PEEVISH- gi&i ELEMENTS CKF J PEEVISHNESS. ... Peevifhnefs is an habitual pronenefs to anger on every flight occafion, and may be called a lower degree of anger : it ex- preffes itfelf therefore like anger but more moderately, with half Sentences and broken Speeches uttered Tiaftily. , The upper lip is disdainfully drawn up> and the eyes are caft obliquely upon the object of difplea- fure. Trm. What art thou angry, Pandarus ? "What with me ! Pati. Becaufe fhe's a- kin to me, therefore, fhe's not fo fair as Helen ; an me were not kin to me, fhe would be as fair on Friday as He- len is on Sunday. But what care I ? I care not an fhe were a black-amoor, 'tis all one to me. Trot. Say I fhe is not fair ? Pan. I do not care whether you do or no. She's ^ fool to (lay behind her father : let her to the Greeks and fo I'll tell her the next rime I fee her for my part, I'll meddle nor isaske no more i'th'matter. Treu ELOeUTIO N. 363 irou Pandarus .. Pan. Not I. Trou Sweet PandarUs Pan. Pray you fpeak no more tome I will leave all as I found it and there's an end. Shakfr. Troll, and Cre]f n E N V Y. Erivy is a mixture of joy, forrow, and hatred: it is a forrbw arifing from the happinefs of others enjoying a good which we defife, and think we deferve, or a pleafure we receive upon their lofing this good for Which we hated them. It is nearly a-kin to malice, but much more moderate in its tones and geftures. afide the devil turn'd, For envy, yet with jealous leer malign Ey'd them afkance, and to himfelf thus plain'd. Sight hateful, fight tormenting! thus thefe two Imparadis'd in one another's arms, The happier Eden fhall enjoy their fill Qi blifs on blifs ; while I to hell am thrult, Where 364 LEtM EN T S QF Where neither joy nor love, but fierce define Among our other torments not the.-leaft, Still unfulfill'd with.pai-a of longipg pines. - Milton s Ptimd.. Loji, Boek i v. v,\ 502.- -' .' . -- :; '. 1 I ziA.: ::r:.. ; u . , M A:X: I C E. Malice is art.habitual malevolence long continued, and watching occafion to exert itfelf on the hated. object. This Hateful difpofition fets the jaws, or gnames he teeth, fends blafting flames- from the eyes, Wretches the mouth horizontally, clinches both the fifts, and bends the ejbows in a IVaining manner to the body. The tone of voice and expreflion are much the fame as in anger, but not fo loud. How like a fawning publican he looks ; J hate him for he is a Chriftian, But more for that in low fimplicjty, He lends out money gratis, and brings down The rate of ufance here with us in Venice. If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ^ncient grudge I bear hjm. He ELOCUTION'. 365 He hates our facred nation, and he rails Ev'n there where merchants mod do congregate On me, my bargains, and my well- won thrift, Which he calls intereft. Curfed be my tribe If I forgive him. Shakfp* Merch. of Feu. SUSPICION, JEALOUSY. Fear of another's endeavouring to pre- vent our attainment of the good defired raifes our fufpicion ; and fufpicion of his having obtained, or of being likely to obtain it, raifes or conftitutes jealoufy. Jealoufy between the fexes is a ferment of love, hatred, hope, fear, (hame, an- xiety, grief, pity, envy, pride, rage, cru- elty, vengeance, madnefs, and every other tormenting paffion which can agitate the human mind. Therefore, to exprefs jea- loufy well, one ought to know how to re- prefent juftly all thefe paffions by turns, and often feveral of them together. Jea- loufy fhews itfelf by reftleflheis, peevifh- nefsj thoughtfuinefs, anxiety, and abfence of 366 ELEMENTS OF of mind. Sometimes, it burfts out into piteous complaint, and weeping ; then a gleam of hope, that all is yet well, lights up the countenance into a momentary fmile. Immediately the face, clouded with a general gloom, fhews the mind over- call again with horrid fufpicions and fright- ful imaginations. Thus the jealous man is a prey to the moft tormenting feelings, and is alternately tantalized by hope and plunged into defpair. Shakfpeare, as if unable to exprefs thefe feelings, makes Othello cry out : But oh ! what damned minutes tells he o'er Who doats yet doubts, fufpe&s yet ftrongly loves ! Surprize in jealoujy- commencing. Think, my lord ! Oh heav'n he echoes me! As if there were fome monfter in his thought Too hideous to be fhown. Thou doft mean fomething : I heard thee fay but now Thou lik'dft not that, When ELOCUTI-O Kg 3$? : When Caffio left my wife What didfl not like? And when I told thee he was qf my counfel, In my whole courfe of wooing, thou cry'dft, indeed! . And didft contract and purfe thy brow together* As if thou hadft ihut up within thy brain, Some horrible conceit : if thou do'ft love me f Show me thy thought. Shakfp. Othello* Sufpicion andjeahufy commencing. Leo. Too hot, too hot : To mingle friendfhip far, is mingling bloods. 1 have a tremor cordis on me : my heart dances ; But not for joy, not joy. This entertainment May a free face put on ; derive a liberty From heaftinefs, from bounty, fertile bofom ? And well become the agent : it may, I grant : But to be padling palms, and pinching fingers, As now they are ; and making pra&is'd fmites, As in a looking-glafs ; and then to figh as 'twere The mort o'the deer ; oh that is entertainment My bofom likes not, nor my brows ; Mamilius Art thou my boy I Ibid.. Winter s Tak, Jut. 368 ELEMENTS OF Jealoufy increafing* Go to, go to. How flie holds up the neb, the bill to him, And arms her with the boldnefs of a wife, To her allowing hufband ! Gone already ; Inch-thick knee-deep o'er head and ears a fork'd one.- Go, play, boy, play ; thy mother plays, and I Play too, but io difgrac'd a part, whofe iflue, Will hifs me to my grave ; contempt and cla- mour Will be my knell. Go> play, boy, play- There have been, Or I am much deceiv'd, cuckolds ere now, And many a man there is ev'n at this prefcnt, Now while I fpeak this, holds his wife by the arm, That little thinks Ihe hath been falfe in his ab- fence. Ibidem* Attempt to hide jealoufy. Her. Are you mov'd, my lord ? Leo. No, in good earneft. How fometimes nature will betray its folly, ' Its khOCVTIOtf. 369 Its tendernefs ; and make itfelf a paftime To harder bofoms ! looking on the lines Of my boy's face* methoughtSj I did recoil Twenty-three years; and fawmyfelf unbreech'd, In my green velvet coat ; my dagger muzzled^ Left it mould bite its mailer, and fo prove$ As ornament oft does* too dangerous. How like, methought, I then was to this kernel, This fquafh, this gentleman : Mine honeft friend^ Will you take eggs for money ? Ibidem* Jealoufy confirmed, Doft think I am fo muddy^ fo unfettled i To appoint myfelf in this vexation, fully The purity and whitenefs of my bed Which to preferve is fleep ; which being fpotted Is goads, thorns, nettles, tails of wafps ? Give fcandal to the blood o'th'prince my fon Who I do think is mine, and love as mine> Without ripe moving to't ? Would I do this ? Gould man fo blench ? Ibidem, jealoufy mixed with grief* How bleft am I In my juft cenfure ! in my true opinion ! V*bJLL B b Alack 370 ELEMENTS a F ; Alack for lefTer knowledge ! how accurst In being fo blefs'd ! There may be in the cup- A fpider fteep'd, and one may drink,- depart And yet partake no venom, for his knowledge Is not infected, but if one prefent The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his- fides, With violent hefts. I have drunk, and feen the fpider ! Ibidem. y'ealoujy mixed with rage and regret. This fellow's of exceeding honeity, And knows all qualities witha learned fpirit Of human dealings : if I do prove her haggard Though that her jeffes were my dear heart- ftrings, I'd whittle her off and let her down the wind To prey at fortune. Haply, for I am black And have not thofe foYt parts of converfation, That chamberers have, or for I am declin'd Into the vale of years yet that's not much ; She's gone, I am abus'd, and my relief Muft be to loath her. Oh the curfe of mar- riage, 1 ""Wat ELOCUTION. 371 That we can call thefe delicate creatures our's And not their appetites ! . Ibid. Othello. MODESTY, SUBMISSION. Modefty is a diffidence of ourfelves, ac-< companied with a delicacy in our fenfe of whatever is mean, indecent, or difhonour- able ; or a fear of doing thefe things, or of having them imputed to us. Submif- fion is an humble fenfe of our inferiority, and a quiet furrender of our powers to a fuperior. Modefty bends the body for- ward, has a placid downcaft countenance, levels the eyes to the breaft, if not to the feet of the fuperior character : the voice is low, the tone fubmifiive, and the words few. Submiffion adds to thefe a lower bending of the head, and a fpreading of the arms and hands downwards towards, the perfon we fubmit to. Modefiy on being appointed to a high fiat ion. Now, good my lord, Let there be fome more reft made of my metal, B b 2 Before 372 ELEMENTS OF Before fo noble, and fo great a figure Be flamp'd upon it. Shakfp. Meaf. for Meafi SubmiJJion on forgivenefs of crime?* O noble fir! Your over-kindnefs doth wring tears from m'er? I do embrace your offer, and difpofe From henceforth of poor Claudio. Ibid. Much Ado, 6&v S- H A M- E, Shame, or a fenfe of appearing to a dif~ advantage before one's fellow-creatures, turns away the face from the beholders ; covers it with bhtfhes, hangs the heady cafts down the eyes, draws down and con- tracts the eye-brows. It either ftrikes the perfon dumb, or, if he attempts to fay any thing in his own defence, caufes his tongue to faulter, confounds his utterance, and puts him upon making a thoufand ge< tures and grimaces to keep himfelf in countenance ; all which only heighten; liis confufion and embarrafrment. Shame BLOC U- T 10 N. $73 Shame at being convicted of a crime* Oh my dread lord I ihould be guiltier than my guiltinefs, To think I can be undifcernable When I perceive your grace like power divine, Hath look'd upon my paper; then, good prince, No longer feffion hold upon my fhame, But let my trial be mine own confeffion : Immediate fentence then, and fequent death Is all the grace I beg. Shakfp, Meaf. forMeaf. GRAVITY. Gravity, or ferioufnefs, as when the mind is fixed, or deliberating on fome im portant fubjecT:, fmooths the countenance, and gives it an air of melancholy, the eyebrows are lowered, the eyes caft down- wards, the mouth almoft fhnt, and fome- times a little contracted. The pofture of the body and limbs is compofed, and with- out much motion : the fpeech flow and folemn, the tone without much variety. 33 b 3 Grave J74 ELEMENTS OF ; Grave deliberation on war and peace* Fathers, we once again are met in council ; Casfar's approach has fummon'd us together, And Rome attends her fate from our refolves, How fhall we treat this bold afpiririg man ? Succefs dill follows him, and backs his crimes; tharfalia gave him Rome, iEgypt has next Receiv'd his yoke, and the whole Nile isCasfar's* Why ihould I mention Juba's overthrow, Or Scipio's death ? Numidia's burning fands Still fmoke with blood : 'Tis time we mould decree What courfe to take; our foe advances on us, And envies us even Lybia's fultry defarts. Fathers, pronounce your thoughts -, are they ftill.fix'd To hold it out and fight it to the lad? Or are your hearts lubdu'd at length, and wrought, By time and ill fuccefs, to a fubmiflion ? Sempronius fpeak. Addifons Cat 6, E N Q_U I R Y. Enquiry into fome difficult fubjecT:, fixes the body nearly in one pofture, the heacj E I O C U T I O N. 37^ :kead fomewhat ftooping, the eyes poring, and the eye-brows contracted. Enquiry mixed .wiifi fufpicion* o 1 - - - r Pr a V you, onee more n "not your father grown incapable Of reas'nable affairs ? is he not ftupid With age and altering rheums ? Can he fpeak, hear, ' Know, man from man, difpute his -own eftate? Lies he not bed-rid, and again does nothing I Sut what he did being childifh ? - . . . Sfrakf. Winter's Tale, .- ATTENTION. Attention to an efteemed or fuperios .character has nearly the fame afpeet as in* quiry, and requires filence ; the eyes oft ten caft down upon the ground ; fomer times fixed upon the face of the fpeaker, but not too familiarly. TEACHING OR INSTRUCTING. Teaching, explaining, or inculcating, Requires a mild ferene air, fometimes ap- b 4 proaching 376 ELEMENTS OP proaching to an authoritative gravity. The features and gefhire altering according to the age or dignity of the pupil, and im- portance of the fubjet inculcated. To youth it fhould be mild, open, ferene, and condefcending ; to equals and fuperiors, modeft, and diffident ; but when the fubr jedt is of great dignity or importance, the air and manner of conveying the inftruc- tion, ought to be firm and emphatical. The eye Heady and open, the eye-brow a little drawn down over it, but not fo much as to look furly or dogmatical j the pitch of voice ought to be ftrong, fteady, and clear, the articulation diftincl;, the utter- ance flow, and the manner approaching to confidence. Injiruciion to modeft youth. Pol. Wherefore, gentle maiden, Po you neglect your gilly-flowers and carna- tions ? Per. I have heard it faid, There ELOCUTION. 2fT There is an art which in their piednefs fhares With great creating nature, Pol. Say there be, Yet nature is made better by no mean, But nature makes that mean ; fo over that art "Which you fay adds to nature, is an art Which nature makes ; you fee, fweet maid, we marry A gentler fcyon to the wildeft: flock ; And inake costeiye a bark of bafer l^ind By bud of nobler race. This is an art Which does mend nature, change it rather ; but The art itfelf is nature, Sbakfp. Winter Talc, JnJiruBion to an inferior* Angelo -r There is a kind of character in thy life, That to the obferver doth thy hiftory Fully unfold : Thyfelf and thy belongings Are not thine own fo proper, as to wafte Thyfelf upon thy virtues, them on thee. Heav'n d ot H with us as we with torches do, Not light them for themfelves : for if our virtues Did not go forth of us, 'twere all as if We had them not. Spirits are not finely touch'd ELEMENTS OF : C " But to fine iifues ;. -nature never lends The fmalleft fcruptexxf her excellence ; But like a thrifty goddefs, Ike determines Herfelf the glor); of accreditor, ; ; - : -/< Both^tlyinks and ufe. Bpt I do bend my fpeech To one that can in my p^rt me advertise* Hold therefore, Angelo, , . Ih'bftr remove be thou at full ourfelf, \ . g ;: i Mortality and me^cy. in Vienna Live in thy tongue and r heart.: Old Efcalus, . Though firfi: in qyeffion, is thy fecondary : Take thy commifiion. Ib'uL Meaf. far M^fi 1 A R G U I N G: Arguing, requires a cool, fedate, atten- tive afpecl:, and a clear, flow, and empha- tical accent, with much demonstration by-* the hand ; . it affumes fomewhat of author rity, as if fully convinced of the truth of what it pleads for, and fbmetimes rifes to great vehemence and energy of afTer- tiort ; the . voice clear, hold, diftincl:, an pofe, Whether you had not fome time in your life - Err'd in this point you cenfure now in him, And pull'd the law upon you. Shakfy. Meaf.for Meqf. Reafoning warmly. By my white beard, You ofFer him, if this be fo, a wrong, Something unfiiial : Reafon, my fon, Should choofe himfelf a wife j but as good rea* 380 ELEMENTS OF The father (all whofe joy is nothing elfe Sut fair pofterity) -fhould hold fome counfel In fuch a bufinefs. Shakfp. Winter's ffcle, 'Argument ajferting right to property. As I was banifh'd, I was banifh'd Hereford i 'But as I come, I come for Lancafter. And, noble uncle, I befeeeh your grace, Look on my wrongs with an indifferent eye: You are my father, for, methinks, in you I fee old Gaunt alive ; O, then, my father ! Will you permit that I mould ftand condemn'^ A wandering vagabond ; my rights and royalties Pluck'd from my arms perforce, and given away To upftart unthrifts ? Wherefore was I born ? If that my coufin king be king of England, It mud be granted, I am duke of Lancafter. You have a fon, Aumerle, my noble kinfman ; Had you firft dy'd, and he been thus trod down, He fhould have found his uncle Gaunt a father, To roufe his wrongs, and chafe them to the bay. I am deny'd to fue my livery here, And yet my letter's-patents give and leave : My father's goods are all diftrain'd and fold ; <4nd thefe, and all are all amifs employed, What elocution: $fe What would you have me do ? I am a fubjeclv And' challenge law : Attornies are deny'd me ^ And therefore perfonaliy lay my claim To my inheritance of free defcent. Rich, IT, ADMONITION'. Admonition, aiTumes- a grave air, bor- dering on feverity ; the head is fometimes Siaken at the perfon we admonifh, as if we felt for the miferies he was likely to bring upon himfelf ; the right hand is di- rected to the perfon fpoken to, and the fore-finger projected from the reft, feems to point out more particularly the danger We give warning of; the voice aflumes a low tone, bordering on a monotone, witlj a mixture of feverity and fympathy, of pity and reproach- Admonition to execute laws JiricUy. 'Tis one thing to be tempted, Efcalus, Another thing to fall. I not deny The jury pairing on the prifoner's life, May on the fvvorn twelve have a thief or two, Guiltier 2fl& ELEMENTS Of Guiltier than him they try ; what's open made To juftice, that it feizes on. What know The laws that thieves do pafs on thieves ? 'tis * ' pregnant, The jewel that we. find, .we ftoop and tak'r, Becaufe we fee it ; but what we do not fee, We tread upon, and never think of it. You may not fo extenuate his offence, or I have had fuch faults , but rather tell me When I, that cenfure him, do fo offend, I^et mine own judgment pattern out my death, And nothing come in partial. He muft die. Shakfp. Meaf.for Meaf. Admonition to beware of complaifance in friend/hip. Ever note, Lucilius, When love begins to ficken and decay, It ufeth an enforced ceremony. There are no tricks in plain and fimple faith : But hollow men, like horfcs hot at hand, Make gallant fhew, and promife of their mettle; But when they fhould endure the bloody fpur, They fall their crefts, and, like deceitful jades, Sink in the trial. Comes his army on ? - J Shakfp. Jul. Caf. J ELOCUTION. Admonition to aB jujily*. Remember March) the ides of March re* member ! Did not great Julius bleed for juftice' fake ? What villain touch'd his body, that did jftab And not for juftice ? What fhaH one of us, That {truck the foremoft man of all this world*.. But for fupporting robbers ; mall we now Contaminate our fingers with bafe bribes ? " And fell the mighty fpace of our large honours, For fo much train, as may be grafped thus ? I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Than fuch a Roman. Ibidem," AUTHORITY. Authority opens the countenance, but draws down the eye-brows a little, fo as to give the look an air of gravity. Authority forbidding combatants to fight. Let them lay by their helmets and their fpears, $xA both return back to their chairs again : Withdraw with us, and let the trumpets found While 384 ELEMENTS OF While w return thefe dukes what we decree* Draw near - And lift what with our council we have dtfne. For that our kingdom's earth Should not be foil'd With that dear blood which it hath fofter'd ; And for our eyes doth hate the dire afpect Of civil wounds, plough'd up with neighbour's fwords, Therefore we banifh you our territories : You, coufin Hereford, upon pain of death, Till twice five fummers have enrich'd our fields^ Shall not regreet our fair dominions, But tread the ftranger paths of banifliment. Shakfpeares Richard IL COMMANDING. Commanding requires an air a little more peremptory, with 'a look a little fe- vere, or ftern. The hand is held out, and moved towards the perfon to whom the order is given with the palm upwards, and fometimes it is accompanied by a nod of the head to the perfon commanded. If the com- fe.LOCUTlONi 385 command be abfolute, and to a perfon un- willing to obey, the right hand is extend- ed and projected forcibly towards the per- ion commanded. Commanding combatants to fight. We were not born to fue but to command* Which fince we cannot do to make you friends, Be ready as your lives fhall anfwer it, At Coventry, upon St. Lambert's day ; There fhall your fwords and lances arbitrate The fwelling difference of your fettled hate. Since we cannot atone you, you fhall fee Juftice decide the victor's chivalry. Lord Marfhal command our officer's at arms, Be ready to direct thefe home alarms. Shakfp. Rich. II. FORBIDDING. . Forbidding, draws the head backwards, and pufhes the arm and hand forwards, with the palm downwards, as if going to lay it upon the perfon, and hold him down immoveable, that he may not do Vol. II. Cc what $80 ELEMENTS OF what is forbidden him ; the countenance has the air of averfion, the voice is har&y and the manner peremptory. Forbidding to break orders. On pain of death no perfon be fo bold r daring hardy as to touch the lifts, Except the marihal and fuch officers Appointed to direct thefe fair defigns. Shakefp. Rich. IK AFFIRIING. Affirming, with a judicial oath, is ex- prefled by lifting the right hand and eyes- towards heaven ; or if conference is ap- pealed to, by laying the right-hand open* upon the breaft exactly upon the heart ; the voice low and folemn, the words flow and deliberate : but when the affirmation is mixed with rage or refentment, the voice is more open and loud, the words quicker,, and the countenance has all the confidence of ftxong and peremptory aiTertion. Affirm* ft L O C U f I O N* tfj Affirming an accufation* My lord Aumerle, I know your daring tongue Scorns to unfay what once it hath deliver'd : In that dead time when Glofter's death was plotted^ I heard you fay, Is not my arm of length That reacheih from the rejiful Englifh court, As far as Calais to my uncle s head? Among much other talk, that very time I heard you fay, you rather had refufe The offer of a hundred thoufand crowns Than Bolingbroke return to England : Adding withal, how blefl: this land would be, In this your coufin's death. If that thy valour ftand on fympathies, There is my gage, Aumerle, in gage to thine, I heard thee fay, and vauntingly thou fpak'ft it, That thou wert caufe of noble Glofter's death ; If thou deny'ft it twenty-times, thou lieft ; And I will turn thy falfhood to thy heart "Where it was forged, with my rapier's point, Shakfp. Rich. II. C c 2 DENY- g88 ELEMENTS OF DENYING. Denying what is affirmed is but an af- firmation of the contrary, and is exprefled like affirmation. Denying a favour. See Refusing. Denying an accitfation* If I in act confent, or fin of thought, Be guilty of the ftealing that fweet breath, Which was embounded in that beauteous clay, Let hell want pains enough to torture me : I left him welt, , Shakfp. King John, DIFFERING. Differing m fentiment may be exprefled nearly as refufmg. See Refusing. Differing about the conduB of a war. Bru. Well, to our work alive. What do- you think Of marching to Philippi prefentl'y ? Caf. I do not think it good. Bru. Your reafon ? Caf. This it is i Ti* ELOCUTION, 389 *Tis better that the enemy feek us, So fhall he wafte his means, weary his foldiers. Doing himfelf offence ; whilft we lying frill, Are full of reft, defence, and nimblenefs. Bru. Good reafons muft of force give place to better. The people 'twixt Philippi and this ground, Do Hand but in a fore'd affection : For they have grudgM us contribution. The enemy marching along by them, By them lhaM make a fuller number up, Come on refrefh'd, new added, and encouraged; From which advantage (hall we cut him off, If at Philippi we do face him tijere, Thefe people at our backs. Caf. Hear me, good brother . Bru. Under your pardon. You muft note befide, That we have tried the utrnoft of our friends, Our legions are brimfull, our caufe is ripe; The enemy encreafeth every day, We, at the height, are ready to decline, There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune ; Omitted, all the voyage of their life C c 3 Is 590 ELEMENTS OF Is bound in ihallows and in miferies. On fuch a full fea are we now afloat, And we muft take the current when it ferves, Or lofe our ventures. Shakfy. Jul. Caf. AGREEING. Agreeing in opinion, or being convino ed, is exprefled nearly as granting. See Granting. Agreeing in an enterprize. Pqjl. I embrace thefe conditions ; let us have articles betwixt us, only thus far you fhall an- fwer, if you make your addreffes to her, and give me directly to underftand you have pre- vailed, I am no farther your enemy, fhe is not worth our debate. If me remain unfeduced, you not making it appear otherwife ; for your ill opinion, and the arlault you have made to her chaftity, you fhall anfwer me with your ftvord. Jac. Your hand, a covenant ; we will have thefe things fet down by lawful counfel, and frraightway for Britain, left the bargain mould catch cold and fmrve. I will ferch my gold and have our two wagers recorded. Shakf. Cynib. J U 1) G- ELOCUTION. 391 JUDGING. Judging, demands a grave fteady look, *wjth deep attention, the countenance alto- gether clear from any appearance either of difguft or favour. The pronunciation flow, diftindT:, and emphatical, accompa- nied with little action, and that very grave. fudging according to JlriSl law. Her, I befeech your grace that I may know, The worft that may befall me in this cafe& If I refufe to wed Demetrius. The/. Either to die the death, or to abjure For ever the fociety of men. Therefore, fair Hermia, queftion your defires, Know of your youth, examine well your bloody Whether not yielding to your father's choice, You can endure the livery of a nun, For aye to be in fhady cloifter mew'd, To live a barren lifter all your life, Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitiefs moon. Thrice bleffed they that matter fo their blood, To undergo fuch maiden pilgrimage ! C c 4 But 392 ELEMENTS OF But earthlier happy is the rofe diftill'd Than that which withering on the virgin thorn, Grows, lives, and dies in fingle bleffednefs. Her. So will I grow, fo live, fo die, my lord, Ere I will yield up my virginity Unto his lordmip, to whofe unwifh'd yoke My foul contents not to give fovereignty. The/. Take time to paufe, and by the next new moon, (The fealing day betwixt my love and me, For everlafting bond of fellowship) Upon that day either prepare to die For difobedience to your father's will, Or elfe to wed Demetrius, as lie would, Or on Diana's alrar to proreft For aye aufterity and fingle life. Shakfpcare's Midf. Night's Dream. REPROVING. Reproving, puts on aftern afpecl, rough- ens the voice, and is accompanied with geftures, not much different from thofe of threatening, but not fo lively. It is like Reproach, but without the fournefs and ill-nature. See Reproach. How ELOCUTION, 393 How comes it Caflio you are thus forgot, That you unlace your reputation thus, And fpend your rich opinion for the name, Of a night-brawler ? Give me anfwer to it. Shakfpearis Othello, A C Q_U I T T I N G. Acquitting, is performed with a benevo- lent tranquil countenance, and mild tone of voice ; the right hand is open, and waved gently towards the perfon acquitted exprefling difmimon. See Dismissing. CONDEMNING. Condemning, affumes a fevere look, but fometim.es mixed with pity. The fen- tence is exprelfed either with feverity or pity, according to the guilt of the perfon, condemned. Faffing fentence with feverity. For this new-marry'd man, approaching here, Whofe fait imagination yet hath wrong'd your well-defended honour; you muft pardon him For 394 ELEMENTS OF For Mariana's fake ; but as a judge, Being doubly criminal, in violation Of facred chaftiiy, and in promife breach, Thereon dependent for your brother's life, The very mercy of the law cries out Moft audible, even from his proper tongue, An Angelo for Claudio; death for death, fiafte flill pay* hafte, and lelfure anfwers lei- fure ; %Alg doth quit like, and meafure ftill for mea*- fure. Then Angelo, thy faults are manifeft; Which, t-ho' thou would'ft deny 'em, deny thee ^vantage. We do condemn thee to the very block Where Claudio ftuop'd to death; and with like hafte, Away with him,. hakjf. Meaf. for Meaf P offing font ence with pity and reluftance, God quit you in his mercy \ Hear your fen* tence : You have confpir'd again ft our royal perfon, Join'd with an enemy, and from his coffers Jleceiv'd the golden earneft of our death, Wherein ELOCUTION. 395 Wherein you would have fold your king to Slaughter, His princes and his peers to fervitude^ His fubjedts to oppreflion and contempt, And his whole kingdom into defolation. Touching our perfon, feek we no revenge ; But we our kingdom's fafety muft fo tender, Whofe ruin you three fought, that to her laws We do deliver you. Go therefore hence Poor miferable wretches, to your death, The tafte whereof God of his mercy give You patience to endure, and true repentance Qi all your dear offences. Bear them hence. Ibid. Ben. K PARDONING. Pardoning, differs from acquitting in this : the latter means clearing a perfon after trial of guilt, whereas the former fuppofes guilt, and fignifies merely deli- vering the guilty perfon from punifhment. Pardoning requires fome degree of feverity of afpecl: and tone of voice, becaufe the pardoned perfon is not an object of entire unmixed approbation. 396 ELEMENTS OF Pardoning a cruel profecution. That thou mayft fee the difference of our .fpirits, I pardon thee thy life before thou afk it : For half thy wealth, it is Anthonio's ; The other half comes to the general ftate Which humblenefs may drive into a fine. Shakfp. Merchant of Venice. DISMISSING. Pifmiffing with approbation is done with a kind afpect and tone of voice : the right iiand open, the palm upwards, gent- ly waved towards the perfon. Difmifling with difpleafure, befides the look and tone of voice which fuits difpleafure, the hand is haftily thrown out towards the perfon difmiffed, the back part of the hand to- wards him, and the countenance at I fpurn thee like a cur out of my way. Know, Casfar doth not wrong, nor without caufe Will he be fatisfled. lMd. Jul. Ca-f, GIVING, GRANTING, When done with unreferved good-will, Is accompanied with a benevolent afpect, and tone of voice ; the right hand open, with the palm upwards, extending towards the perfon we favour, as if delivering to- him what he afks ; the head at the fame time inclining forwards, as indicating a benevolent difpofition and entire confent, 400 ELEMENTS Of 1 Giving p daughter in marriage. Prof. If I .have too feverely punifhed yoi!j Your compenfation makes amends j for I Have given you here a thread of mine own life^ Or that for which I live, whom orice again I tender to thy" hand : all thy vexations Were but my trials of thy love, and thou Haft ftrangcly flood the teft. Here afore heav'n* I ratify this my rich gift : Ferdinand )o not fmile at me that I boaft her off; For thou wilt find (he will outftrip all praife, And make it halt behind her. Fer. I believe it iWainfr. an oracle* Frof. Then as my gift and thine own acqiu- fition Worthily purchas'd., take my daughter. Sbakfpaare's Temp$. GRATITUDE. Gratitude, puts on an afpect full of com- placency. If the objecl: of it be a charac- ter greatly fuperior, it exprefies much fubmiffion. The right hand open with the ELOCUTION. 401 the fingers fpread, arid prefled upon the breaft juft over the heart, exprelTes very properly a fincere arid hearty fenfibility of obligation. Grdtitude for great benefits, O great Sciolto ! O my more than father ! Let me not live, but at thy very name My eager heart fprings up and leaps with joy. "When I forget the vaft, vaft debt I owe thee- (Forget but 'tis impoffible) then let me Forget the ufe and privilege of reafon, Be banifh'd from the commerce of mankind, To wander in the defert among bruteSj To bear the various fury of the feafons, The midnight cold, and noon-tide fcorching heat, To be the fcorn of earth, and curfe of heaven. Rozve's Fair Penitent, CURIOSITY. Curiofity opens the eyes and mouth, lengthens the neck, bends the body for- wards, and fixes it in one pofture, nearly Vol. II, Dd as 402 ELEMENTS OF as in admiration. When it fpeaks, the voice, tone, and gefture, nearly as In- quiry. See Inquiry. Curiojity at firji feeing a fine objefi. Prof, The fringed curtains of thine eye ad- vance, And fay what thou feeft yond. Mir. What is't a fpirit ? Lo how it looks about ! believe me, fir, It carries a brave form. But 'tis a fpirit. Prof. No, wench, it eats and fleeps, and hath fuch fenfes, As we have, fuch. Mir. I might call him A thing divine, for nothing natural, I ever faw fo noble. PROMISING. Promifing is exprefled by benevolent looks, a foft but earneft voice, and fome- times by inclining the head, and hands open, with the palms upwards, towards the perfon to whom the promife is made. Sin- ELOCUTION* 403 Sincerity in promifing is expreffed by lay- ing the right hand gently on the left breaft. Promlfe of pro/per ous events, I'll deliver all, And promife you calm feas, aufpicious gales, And fail fo expeditious, it mall catch Your royal fleet far off. Shakf Tempeft* VENERATION. To parents, fuperiors, or perfons of eminent virtue, is an humble and reipect- ful acknowledgment of their excellence, and our own inferiority. The head and body is inclined a little forward, and the hand, with the palm downward, juft raifed as to meet the inclination of the body, and then let fall again with apparent timidity and diffidence ; the eye is fometimes lifted up, and then immediately caft downward, as if unworthy to behold the object be- fore it j the eye-brows are drawn down ; the features and the whole body and limbs, D d 2 are 404 ELEMENTS OF are all compofed to the mpft profound gravity. "When this rifes to adoration of the Almighty Creator and Dire&or of all things, it is too facred to be imitated, and feems to demand that humble annihi- lation of ourfelves, which muft ever be the confequence of a juft fenfe of the di- vine Majefty, and our own unworthinefs. RESPECT Is but a leffer degree of veneration, and is nearly allied to modefty. DESIRE. ExprefTes itfelf by bending the body forwards, and ftretching the arms towards the object, as to grafp it. The counte- nance fmiling, but eager and wifhful ; the eyes wide open, and eye-brows raifed ; the mouth open ; the tone of voice fup- pliant, but lively and chearful, unlefs there be diilrefs as well as defire ; the expref- fions fluent and copious ; if no words are ufed ELOCUTION. 405 ufed, fighs inftead of them ; but this is chiefly in diftrefs. COMMENDATION. Commendation is the expreflion of that approbation we have for any object in which we find any congruity to Our ideas of excellence, natural, or moral, fo as to communicate pleafure. As commenda- tion generally fuppofes fuperiority in the perfon commending, it aflumes the afpect of love, (but without defire and refpect) and expreffes itfelf in a mild tone of voice, with a fmall degree of confidence; the arms are gently fpread, the hands open with the palms upwards, directed towards the perfon approved, and fometimes gently lifted up and down as if pronouncing his praife. Commendation for obliging behaviour. You have done our pleafures very much grace, fair ladies ; Set a fair fafhion on our entertainment ; Which was not half fo beautiful and kind ; D d 1 You've 406 ELEMENTS OF YouVe added worth unto't, and lively luftre, And entertain'd me with mine own device : I am to thank you for it. Timon of Athens, Commendation for fidelity, O good old man, how well in thee appears The conftant fervice of the antique world, When fervice fweat for duty not for meed ; Thou art not for the fafhion of thefe times, Where none will fweat but for promotion, And having that, do choak their fervice up, Even with the having ; It is not fo with thee. As Ton Like It, EXHORTING. T~ Exhorting, or encouraging, is earned perfuafion attended with confidence of fuccefs. The voice, has the foftnefs of love, intermixed with the firmnefs of cou- rage ; the arms are fometimes fpread, with the hands open, as intreating, and fome- times the right hand is lifted up, and ftruck rapidly down as enforcing what we fay. Exhort- ELOCUTION. 407 Exhorting. But wherefore do you droop ? why look you fad? Be great in aft as you have been in thought; Let not the world fee fear and fad diftruft, Govern the motion of a kingly eye : Be ftirring as the time ; be fire with fire ; Threaten the threatener, and outface the brow Of bragging horror : fo (hall inferior eyes, That borrow their behaviours from the great, Grow great by your example ; and put on The dauntlefs fpirit of refolution ; Show boldnefs and afpiring confidence : What fhall they feek the lion in his den, And fright him there, and make him tremble there ? Oh let it not be faid ! Forage and run, To meet difpleafure farther from the doors,^ And grapple with him, ere he come fo nigh. Shakfp. K, John. COMPLAINING. Complaining, as when one is under violent bodily pain, diftorts the features, E> d 4 almoft 408 ELE'MPTS OF almoft clofes the eyes ; fometimes raifes them wiftfully ; opens the mouth, gnaflies the teeth, draws up the upper lip, draws down the head upon the breaft, and con- tracts the whole body. The arms are vio- lently bent at the elbows, and the fills flrongly clinched. The voice is uttered in groans, lamentations, and fometimes violent fcreams. Complaining of extreme pain. Search there, nay probe me, fearch my wounded reins Pull, draw it out Oh, I am Ihot ! A forked burning arrow Sticks crofs my fhoulders : the fad venom flies Like lightening through my flefii, my blood, my marrow. Ha ! what a change of torments I endure ! A bolt of ice runs hiffing through my bowels : 'Tis fure the arm of death ; give me a chair ; Cover me for I freeze, and my teeth chatter, And my knees knock together. Lee's Alexander* FA- ELOCUTION. 409 FATIGUE. Fatigue from hard labour, gives a ge- neral languor to the body; the counte- nance is dejecled, the arms hang liftlefs; the body, if not fitting or lying along, ftoops as in old age ; the legs, if walking, are dragged heavily along, and feem, at every ftep to bend under the weight of the body. The voice is weak and hardly ar- ticulate enough to be underflood. Fatigue from travelling, I fee a man's life is a tedious one : I've tir'd myfelf, and for two nights together Have made the ground my bed. I fhould be fick, But that my refolution helps me. Milford, When from the mountain top Pifanio Ihow'd thee, Thou waft within a ken. Oh me, I think Foundations fly the wretched, fuch I mean Where they ihould be reliev'd. Shakfpeares Cymhline. Full. 410 ELEMENTS OF Feeblenefs from hunger, Adam. Dear matter, I can go no farther; Oh, I die for food ! here lie I down and mea- fure out my grave. Farewel, kind mafter. Duke, Welcome : fet down your venerable burden And let him feed. Orla. I thank you mod for him. Adam. So had you need, I fcarce can fpeak to thank you for myfelf. Ibid. As You Like It. SICKNESS. Sicknefs, has infirmity or feeblenefs in every motion, and utterance ; the eyes dim and almoft clofed, the cheeks are pale and hollow, the jaw falls, the head hangs down as if too heavy to be fupported by the neck ; the voice feeble, trembling, and plaintive, the head making, and the whole body, as it were finking under the weight that opprefles it. Sick- ELOCUTION. 4-i Sicknefs approaching to death. And wherefore mould this good news make me fick ? I mould rejoice now at this happy news, And now my light fails, and my brain is gid- dy:_ me ! come near me, now I am much ill. 1 pray you take me up and bear me hence Into fome other chamber, fofcly pray Let there be no noiie made, my gentle friends, Unlefs fome dull and favourable hand Will whifper mufic to my weary fpirit. Shakfp. Hen. IF. zd Part: Trifling as this fele&ion of examples of the paffions may appear, it coft no fmall trouble to make it. The paffions are every where to be found in fmall por- tions, promifcuoufly mingled with each other, but not fo eafily met with in ex- amples of length, and where one paflion only operates at a time : fuch a fele&ion, however, feemed highly proper to facili- tate 412 ELEMENTS OF tate the ftudy of the paflions, as it is evi- dent, that the expreflion of any paflion may be fooner gained by confining our jfractice for a confiderable time to one paf- fion only, than by pafling abruptly from one to the other as they promifcuoufly oc- cur. I mail now give a few examples of the latter kind, and would earneftly re- commend it to every reader and fpeaker to analyze his compofition, and carefully to mark it with the feveral paflions, emo- tions, and fentiments it contains, by which he will diftinguifli and feparate what is often mixed and confounded, and be prompted to force and variery at almoft every fentence. I am well aware, that the paflions are fometimes fo flightly touched, and often melt fo infenfibly into each other, as to make it fomewhat difficult precifely to mark their boundaries ; but this is no ar- gument againft our marking them where they ELOCUTION. 413 they are diftinct and obvious ; nor againfl our fuggefting them to thofe who may not be quite fo clear-fighted as ourfelves. Indeed, the objection to this practice feems entirely founded on thefe two mifconcep- tions, becaufe we cannot perfectly deli- neate every fhade of found or paffion, we ought not to attempt any approaches to them ; and becaufe good readers and fpeak- ers have no need of thefe afliftances, therefore they are ufelefs to every one elfe : but this reafoning, I am convinced, is fo palpably wrong, as fufficiently to eftablifh the contrary opinion, without any other argument in its favour. NARRATIVE. Story of thejick atheift. I lhall conclude this paper with a ftory of an atheiftical author, who, at a time when he lay dangeroufly lick, and had defired the af- fiftance of a neighbouring curate, confeffed to him with great contrition (forrow)> that nothing fat 414 ELEMENTS OF fat more heavy at his heart, than the fenfe of his having feduced the age by his writings, and that their evil influence was likely to continue even after his death. The curate, upon far- ther examination, finding the penitent (terror) in the utmofl agonies of defpair (narrative) and being himfelf a man of learning, told him (ex- hortation and encouraging) that he hoped his cafe was not fo terrible as he apprehended, fince he found that he was fo very fenfible of his fault, and fo fincerely repented of it. The penitent Hill urged the evil tendency of his book to fubvert all religion, (fear) and the little ground ' of hope there could be for one, whofe writings would continue to do mifchief when his body was laid in afhes. The curate, finding no other way to comfort him, told him (encour- aging) that he did well in being afflicted for the evil defign with which he publifhed his book, but that he ought to be very thankful that there was no danger of its doing any hurt. (contempt) that his caufe was fo very bad, and his argumenrs fo weak, that he did not appre- hend any ill effects of it. In fhort, that he might reft fatisfkd, his book could do no more mif- ELOCUTION. 415 mifchief after his death, than it had done whilft he was living. To which he added, for his farther fatisfadtion, (indifference) that he did not believe any,befideshis particular friends and acquaintance, had ever been at the pains of reading it, or that any body after his death would ever enquire after it. The dying man had ftill fo much the frailty of an author in him, as to be cut to the heart with thefe con- folations ; and, without anfwering the good man, afked his friends about him (with a pee- vifhnefs that is natural to a fick perfon) (peevifh- nefs and refentment) where they had picked up fuch a blockhead, and whether they thought him a proper perfon to attend one in his con- dition ? The curate finding that the author did not expect to be dealt with as a real and fincere penitent, but as a penitent of importance, af- ter a fhort admonition, withdrew ; not quefiion- ing, but he mould be again fent for if the iick- nefs grew defperate. The author, however, recovered, and has fince written two or three other tracts with the fame fpirit, and very luckily for his poor foul with the fame fuccefs. Spectator, Ni67. OTHELLO's 4 i6 E LEME NTS OF OTHELLO's APOLOGY. (Deference, fubmijjion.) Mofl potent, grave, and reverend figniors, My very noble and approved good mailers : That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter, (Free acknowledgment, affirmation.) It is moil; true ; true, I have married her ; The very head and front of my offending (Bluntnefs.) Hath this extent ; no more. Rude am I in my fpeech, And little blefs'd with the foft phrafe of peace ; For fince thefe arms of mine had feven years pith, Till now fome nine moons wafted, they have ufed Their deareft a<5tion in the tented field ; And little of this great world can I fpeak, More than pertains to feats of broils and battle; And therefore little mall I grace my caufe, In fpeaking for myfelf. Yet, by your patience, I will a round unvarninYd tale deliver, Of my whole courfe of love ; what drugs, what charms, What ELOCUTION. 417 What conjuration, and what mighty magic, (For fuch proceeding I am charg'd withal,) I won his daughter with. (Plain Jimple narration.) Her father lov'd me, oft invited me; Still queftion'd me the flory of my life," From year to year ; the battles, lieges, fortunes, That I have paft. I ran it through even from my boyifh. days, To th' very moment, that he bad me tell it : (Concern mixed with fear.) Wherein I fpoke of mod difaftrous chances, Of moving accidents by flood and field ; Of hair-breadth Ycapes i' th' imminent deadly breach ; Of being taken by the infolent foe, And fold to flavery ; of my redemption thence, And with it all my travel's hiftory : ( Afionijhment , grand defcription.) Wherein of antres vail and defarts idle, Rough quarries, rocks and hills, whofe heads touch heaven, It was my hint to fpeak ; (Simple narration.) alj thefe to hear Would Defdemona ferioufly incline ; Vol. II. E e But 418 ELEMENTS OF But ftill the houfe-affairs would draw her thence,; Which ever as fhe could with hafte difpatch, (Eagernefs and impatience.) She'd come again, and with a greedy ear Devour up my difcourfe : which I obferving, Took once a pliant hour, and found good means To draw from her a prayer of earneft heart, That I would all my pilgrimage dilate, Whereof by parcels fhe had fomething heard^ But not diftin&ively : I did confent, (Tender nefs.) And often did beguile her of her tears, When I did fpeak of fome diftrefsful ftroke That my youth fuffered. My ftory being done, She gave me for my pains a world of fighs : She fwore in faith 'twas ftrange, 'twas paffing ftrange, 'Twas pitiful, 'twas wond'rous pitiful- She wifh'd fhe had not heard it, (Dejire.) yet fhe wifh'd That heaven had made her fuch a man (Sim- ple narration.) fhe thank'd me, And bad me, if I had a friend that lov'd her, -I fhould but teach him how to tell my ftory, (Cotti ELOCUTION. 419 And that would woo her. (Confidence.) On this hint I.fpake, She lov'd me for the dangers I had pall, . And I lov'd her, that fhe did pity them : ( Submtjjion.) This is the only witchcraft I have ufed, CASSIUS's INVECTIVE AGAINST CAESAR. Narrative], Contempt], indignation, Caf. I know that virtue to be in you, Brutus^ As well as I do know your outward favour. Well, honour is the fubject of my {lory. (Difcontent.) I cannot tell what you and other men Think of this life; but, for my fingle felfj lhad as lief not be, as live to be (Contempt.) In awe of fuch a thing as I myfelf. (Pride.) I was born free as Casfar ; fo were you : We both have fed as well ; and we can both Endure the winter's- cold, as well as he. (Narrative with contempt.) For once, upon a raw and gully day, The troubled Tyber chafing with his fhores % E 2 Csefa* - 420 ELEMENTS Of Csefar faid to me, dar'fl thou, CafiGus, nowV Leap in with me into this angry flood, And fwim to yonder point ? (Courage.) Upon the word, Accoutred as I was, I plunged in, And bade him follow : fo, indeed, he did. The torrent roar'd ; and we did buffet it With lufty finews, throwing it afide, And ftemming it with hearts of controverfy ; But ere we could arrive the point propos'd, (Fear y dijlrefs, in treaty.) Csefar cry'd, Help me, Caflius, or I fink ! (Boajling.) I, as JEneas our great anceftor, Did from the flames of Troy upon his fhoulder The old Anchifes bear, fo from the waves of Tyber Did I the tir'd Csefar : (Wonder.) And this man Is now become a god ; (Contempt.) and Caf- fius is A wretched creature, and mufl bend his body, If Caefar carelcfsly but nod on him. (Narrative with contempt.) He had a fever when he was in Spain, And, when the fit was on him, I did mark (Sneer.) ELOCUTION. 421 How he did make : (Sneer.) 'tis true, this god did lhake : His coward lips did from their colour fly ; And that fame eye, whofe bend doth awe ths world, Did lofe his luftre : (Scorn.) I did hear him groan : Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Ro- mans Mark him, and write his fpeeches in their books, ( Feeble nefs andficknefs.) Alas ! it cry'd, Give me fome drink, Titinius, As a fick girl. (Wonder.) Ye gods, it doth amaze me ! A man of fuch a feeble temper fhould, So get the Hart of the majeftic world, And bear the palm alone. Shakfp. Jul. Caf. HECTOR's TAKING LEAVE OF ANDROMACHE. Plaintive tendemefs. Thus having fpoke, th* illuftrious chief of Troy, Stretch'd forth his arms to clafp the lovely boy; The babe clung crying to his nurfe's breaft, Scar'd at the 'dazzling helm and nodding crefl : E e 3 With 422 ELEMENTS OF With fecret pleafure each fond parent fmU'd, And Hector hafced to relieve his child : The giitt'ring terrors from his brows unbound, And plac'd the beaming helmet on the ground; (Paternal qffeElion.) Then kifs'd the child, and lifting high in air, Thus to the gods preferr'd a father's prayer : (Solemn petition.) O thou whofe glory fills the etherial throne, And all ye deathlefs pow'rs, protect my fon I Grant him like me, to purchafe juft renown, To guard the Trojans, to defend the crown ; Againft his country's foes the war to wage, And rife the Hector of the future age : So when triumphant, from fuccefsful toils Of heroes flain, he bears the wreaking fpoils, (Admiration.) Whole hods may hail him with deferv'd ac- claim, And fay, this chief tranfeends his father's fame : ( ' Inexprejfible fatisfaclion. ) While pleas'd, amidft the general fliouts cf Troy, His mother's confeions heart o'erflows with joy ; {Fond- ELOCUTION. 423 '(Fondnefs.) He fpoke : and fondly gazing on her charms, Reftor'd ftie pleafing burden to her arms ; Soft on her fragrant breaft the babe fhe laid, Ilnm'd to repofe, and with a fmile furvey'd ; (Pity and tender nefs.) The troubled pleafure, foon chaftis'd by fear, She mingled with a fmile a tender tear; The foften'd chief, with kind companion view'd, And dry'd the falling drops, and thus pur- fu'd. (Encouragement.) Andromache ! my foul's far better part, Why with untimely forrow heaves thy heart ? No hoftile hand can antedate my doom, 'Till fate condemns me to the filent tomb ; (Regret.) Fix'd is the term of all the race of earth, And fuch the hard condition of our birth ; No force can then refill, no flight can fave, All link alike, the fearful, and the brave : . (Difmifling.) No more but haflen to thy talks at home ; There guide the fpindle, and direct the loom : Ee^ (Courage.) 424 ELEMENTS OF (Courage.) Me, glory fummons to the martial fcene, The field of combat is the fphere of men ; Where heroes war, the forcmoft place I claim, The fir ft in danger, as the firft in fame. CONCLUSION. As an effay towards reducing to prac- tice the fyftem of inflexions laid down in the prefent work, I have attempted to mark them as they occurred in Mrs. Yates's pronunciation of the Monody in Memory of Mr. Garrick. Not that by thefe marks I w T ould pretend to have con- veyed that jufthefs of paufe, that melody of voice, and that dignity of manner, which fo remarkably diltinguim the pro- nunciation of this great aclrefs Thefe are among thofc perifhable beauties fo finely defcribed in the Monody ; but there are beauties of an inferior kind which are not quite fo incommunicable, and it is pre- fumed that thofe who have attentively pe- ril fed ELOCUTION. 425 mfed what has ; been faid on the fubject in the prefent work, will not think that no- tation which conveys to us the inflexions of a good fpeaker, though unaccompanied by every other excellence, either an incu- rious or a ufelefs difcovery. N. B. In the notation, or marks an- nexed to the Monody, I have made ufe of the horizontal line, not as a mark of em- phafis or long quantity, but to exprefs that monotone, or famenefs of voice, which good pronouncers of verfe fo often introduce to the greater! advantage. This monotone generally falls into a lower key, and as it is naturally expreffive of awe, amazement, and admiration, is exceedingly fuitable to folemn, grand, and magnificent fubjecls. For a more particular account of this Monotone, fee Vol. I. p. 1 1 5, 248. MO- ( 4^6 ) MONODY i IN MEMORY OF G A R R I C g, By R.B. SHERIDAN, Efq. IF dying\ excellence/ deferves^ a tear/, If fond\ remembrance/ ftil^ is cherifhecj here/, Can\ we perfifl to bid your forrows flow^ For fabl'd/ fuff'rers, and delufive/ woe ? or with quaint failles difmlfs the plaintive ftrain, Point the quick jeft, indulge^ the comic/ vein Ere yet to buried Rofcius^ we affign/ One kind^ regret/ one\ tributary/ line^ ! His fame /requires we act atendererVpart;/ His memory/ claims^ the tear 7 you gave his artM The general voice,/ the meed of mournful^ verfe /, The fplendid forrows/that adorned^ hishcarfe/. The throng that mourn'd as their dead favour- ite pafs'd/, The ELOCUTION. , The grac'd^ refped 7 that claim'd 7 him to the laft\, While Shakfpear*s 7 imaged from its hallow'd) bafe 7 , Seem'd 7 to prefcribe^ the grave 7 , and point^ the placed, Nor thefe, nor all the sad regrets that flow From fond fidelity's domeitic' woe, - So much are Garrick's^ praife 7 fo muchA his due 7 As on this^ fpot 7 one^ tear f beftow'd by you.\ Amid^ the arts 7 which feek 7 ingenuous^ fame 7 , Our 7 toil attempts 7 the mod precarious^ claim! To him 7 , whofe mimic pencil 7 wins^ the prize 7 , Obedient^ fame 7 immortal wreaths 7 fupplies^: Whate'er of wonder Reynolds^ now may raife 7 , Raphael 7 ftili boafts 7 cotemporary^ praife : Each dazling light N , and gaudier 7 bjoorrA fnb- du'd 7 , With undiminifh'd^ awe 7 his^ works 7 are view'd^ : E'en beauty's^ portrait wears^ a fofter 7 prime\ Touch'd 7 by the tender^ hand 7 of mellowing 7 time\. The 428 ELEMENTS OF The patient^ fculptor/ owns 7 an humbler^ parr, A ruder/ toil\ and more/ mechanic^ art ; Content with flow and timorous ftr5ke to trace The lingering^ line/, and mould/ the tardy^ grace/: But once^ atchieved/. tho' barbarous wreck o'erthrow The sacred fane, and lay its glories^ low/, Yet (hall the fculptur'd/ ruin^ rife^ to day/, Grac'd^ by defedl/, and worfhip'd/ in decay^; Th'enduring/record^ bears /the artift's^ name/, Demands^ his honors,/ and aflerts/ his fameA Superior^ hopes the poet's/ bofom fire, O proud^ diftindtion/ of the facred/ lyfeV Wide/ as th' infpiring^ Phoebus^ darts^ his ray/, DifTufive^ fplendor/ gilds/ his votary's/ lay.\ Whether the long heroic woes rehearfe, With epic grandeur, and the pornp^ of verfe/; Or, fondly/ gay, with unambitious\ guile/ Attempt/ no^ prize/ but favouring/ beauty's/ fmile^ ; Or bear dejected to the lonely grove The foft> defpair/ of unprevailing^ love/, What- ELOCUTION. 429 Whate'er^ the theme' thro* every ageV and clime' 1 Congenial^ paffions'meet th' according rhyme^; The pride' of glory \ Pity's' figh^ fincere . Youth's' earlieft> blufh' and beauty's' vir- gin' tear\ Such is their^ meed' their' honors thus' fecure^, Whofe arts^ yield^ objects', and whofe works' endure^. The a hues/, tranfcends/ the dayM taflion's wild break- and frown that awes the fenfe/, And every charm/ ,of gentler^ eloquence/- All 7 periftiableM like th' elec~tric\ fire/ But itiike\ the frame/ and- as^ they flrike/ expire^ ; Inccnfe/ too pure^ a bodied^ flame to bear/, It's fragrance^ charms^ the fenfe/, and blends/ with airA. Where^ then/ while sOnk in cold decay he lies, And pale eclipfe/ for ever' vcils^ thofe eyes/.' Where is the bleft/ memorial^ that enfures/ Our Garrick's^ fame ? whofe is the truftV? 'tis yours\ And o ! by every charm his art^ efTay'd/ To footrA your cares/.' by every/ griefs al- lay'd/! By the hufh'd wonder which his accents drew ! By his laft/ parting^ tear/, repaid/ by youM By fe LX> CUTIO N. 431 By alKthofe thoughts^, which many a diftant^ night/, Shall mark his memory /with a'fad^ delight/!. Still in your heart's dear record bear^ his name/; Cherilh the keen^ regret/ that lifts/ his fame^ ; To you/ it is bequeath'd\ affeft/ the truft^, And to his worth/ 'tis all you can/ be juft^. What more is due/ from fandtifying^ time/; To chearful wit/, and many/ a favour'd^ rhyme/, O'er his grac'd^ urn/ mall bloom/, a deathlefs^ wreath/, Whofe blofTom'd^ fweets/ ihall deck^ the' mafk/ beneath . Forthefe/, when Sculpture's votive toil N flialt rear/ The due memorial/ of a lofs^ fo dear/! Olovlieft^ mourner/, gentle^ Mufe/J be thine/ The pleafmg\ woe/ to guard/ the laurell'd/ fhrineV As Fancy/, oft by Superftition^ led/ To roam the manfions of the fainted^ dead/, Has view'd/, by Ihadowy Eve's unfaithful gloom/, A weeping cherub/ on a martyr's^ tomb/ Sd 432 ELEMENTS, &c. So thou/, fweet> Mufe 7 , hang o'er his/ fculp- tur'd^ bier/, With patient^ woe', that loves^ the lingering' tear^ ; [With thoughts^ that mouriA nor yet defire^ relief/, With meekA regret/, and fond /enduring griefs ; With looks/ that fpeak/ he never^ lhall re- turn/ ! Chilling^ thy tender^ bofom/clafp/ his un^ ; And with soft sighs difperfe/ th' irreverend^ duft/, Which time\ may ftrew/upon his facred/buftV FINIS. KETU. iM LNIVERSIiYOt v -i^. .. Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamper -V JBCHMJGE-URL MAR 2 1 1 9 79 385 q ,,-: .. i m 3 1158 00078 1350 A A 000 032 135 6 PN 'till Wl^e v.2