PREFACE. THE distinguishing features of the present collection are, the ur usual variety and methodical arrangement of the materials; a comprehensive grouping, such as has not hitherto been attempted, of exercises from the most celebrated orators and popular debaters of ancient and modern times; the allotment of a liberal space to original translations from the French and other languages; and the introduction of notes, explanatory and biographical, with the dates of the birth and death of authors. Side by side with those pieces of acknowledged excellence, that justify the title of the work, will be found a large number that are now, for the first time, presented as exercises for recitation and declamation. In the case of selections, care has been taken to collate them with the latest and most authentic editions of the works from which they are extracted; and thus many current errors and mutilations have been avoided. Of the British parliamentary specimens, many are valuable, not only as models of style, but as illustrating the early history of our own country. Much original research has been bestowed on this part of the volume. The privilege of occasional compression being indispensable, it has been exercised with as scrupulous a regard as possible to the integrity of the text. Most of the extracts from Chatham, Pitt, Fox, and Sheridan: nearly all from Burke, Grattan, Curran, and Brougham; all but one from Canning and Macaulay; and all from Vane, Meredith, Wilkes, Sheil, Croker, Talfourd, Peel, Cobden, Palmerston, Russell and others, are now, for the first time, introduced into a Speaker." 66 Among the familiar masterpieces of American oratory will be four ċ many new extracts, not unworthy of the association. They belong to the whole country, and no sectional bias has influenced the choice. Of the brilliant specimens of the senatorial eloquence of France, all but two have been translated expressly for this work. In the other departments of the volume, there has also been a considerable expenditure of original editorial labor; all the highly effective exercises from Massillon, Hugs, Pichat, Mickiewicz, and many others, having been translated; all those from Homer, Schiller, Delavigne, Bulwer, Mazzini, Kossuth, and Browning, and nearly all from Knowles, Croly, Horace Smith, and others together with the comic dialogues from Morton, Mathews, and Coyne, Laving been selected or adapted for this collection. It will be seen that the oratory of the ancients has supplied an unusua number of exercises. A certain novelty has, however, in many instances. been imparted here, by original translations. We have had little, in modern times, to surpass the Philippics of Demosthenes or the fiery invective of Æschines. The putative speeches from Livy, Tacitus, and Sallust, have been newly translated or adapted. In two or three instances, the translation has been so liberal that a nearer relationship to the original than that of a paraphrase has not been claimed. The speeches of Brutus, Caius Marias, Canuleius, Virginius, and others, have been expanded or abridged, to serve the purpose of declamation. The two speeches of Spartacus, that of Regulus, with several others, are now, for the first time, published. The extracts from that strangely depreciated work, Cowper's Homer, have the vivid simplicity and force of the original, and are among the most appropriate exercises for elocution in the whole scope of Eng. lish blank verse. Throughout the present volume, in deciding upon the insertion of a piece, the question has been, not "Who wrote it?" or, "What country produced it?" but, "Is it good for the purpose?" Like other arts, that of eloquence is unhedged by geographical lines; and it is as inconsistent with true culture, to confine pupils to American models in this art, as it would be in sculpture or painting. While exercising great freedom of range in selection, however, it has been the editor's study to meet all the demands of a liberal patriotism; to do justice to all the noblest masters of eloquence, and to all schools and styles, from which a grace may be borrowed; and, above all, to admit nothing that could reasonably offend the ear of piety and good taste. The Introductory Treatise embodies the views, not only of the editor, but of many of our most experienced and distinguished teachers, in regard to the unprofitable character of those "systems" which profess to teach reading and speaking by the rule and plummet of sentential analysis or rhetorical notation. Of these attempts the pupil may well exclaim, in the words of Cowper, "Defend me, therefore, common sense, say I, Of dropping buckets into empty wells, 99 The preceptive portion of the Treatise presents no particular claim to origi nality; the object being merely to give a summary of all the discoveries and hints that can be serviceable to the student, in the development of his vocal and elocutionary powers. PART FIRST. Frayssinous, 37 40. Death is Compensation, . England, 4347. True Source of Reform, 9. Sonnet, • • White, 45 50. Problem for the U. States, 10. Man's Material Triumphs, . Fayet, 45 51. American Experiment, Anonymous, 46 52. The Ship of State, 12. The United States of Europe,.. Hugo, 46 52. Lines,. 13. The Peace Congress of the Union, 14. The Spirit of the Age,... Beckwith, 49 20. Sincerity the Soul of Eloquence, 22. Affectation in the Pulpit,. 1 Scipio to his Army,. 2 Hannibal to his Army, 6. Achilles' Reply, 7. Hector's Rebuke, 8. Hector's Exploit, Carlyle, 5159. The Battle-field, Cotton, 52 60. Dizzy Activities, Webster, 53 61. The Good Great Man, . Couper, 5564. Defence of Poetry, . . De Segur, 56 65. Great Ideas, Shirley, 58 67. Hallowed Ground, PART SECOND. MARTIAL AND POPULAR. . . .... Dewey, 6069. What we owe the Sword,.. Language, 73. International Sympathies, Page Livy, 10312. Caius Marins, and compiled, 10717. The Greeks' Return, Cowper's Homer, 108 18. Ode, Channing, 65 78. Triumphs of the English Language, Lyons, 99 3 Regulus to the Roman Senate, Orig'l, 105 14. Galgacus, 4. Leonidas to his Three Hundred, Pichat, 107 15. Icilius on Virginia's Seizure, 5. Brutus over the dead Lucretia, Orig'l 16. The Spartans' March, 36. The Patriot's Pass-word, Montgomery, 139 38. Richmond to his Men, . Shakspeare, 141 S3 Henry V. to his Men, Id., 142 17. Eulogium on Franklin, 18. Church and State, 26. Democracy adverse to . .... 1. Against Philip,. ...Demosthenes, 159 emocracy hateful to Philip, . Id., 161 Venality the Ruin of Greece,. Id., 162 5. Demosthenes Denounced, schines, 163 6. Exordium,. ..... Demosthenes, 165 7. Public Spirit of Athenians, 8. Demosthenes not Vanquished,. 9. Catiline Denounced, . Id., 166 • ... PART THIRD. Page Id, 202 41. Reconciliation with America, Chatham, 201 42. Repeal claimed as a Right, 48. Parliamentary Innovations, Beaufoy, 208 49. Religious Persecution,. Compilation, 209 50. America's Obligations,. Barré, 210 53. Conquest of Americans, 54. Reply to Duke of Grafton, Thurlow, 214 55. Present Popularity, Lord Mansfield, 214 Mirabeau, 171 56. Magnanimity in Politics, Id., 172 57. American Enterprise, Id., 173 58. American Taxation, Id., 174 59. Despotism Unrighteous, Id., 175 60. Impeachment of Hastings, Id., 177 61. Peroration against Hastings, Id., 177 62. To the Bristol Electors, Vergniaud, 178 63. Marie Antoinette, Robespierre, 180 65. Reply to Flood, Id, 181 66. National Gratitude, Id., 182 67. Catholic Disqualification, • • 75. Motion to Censure Ministry, . 76. Attempt to make him Resign, . 77. Barbarism of Ancient Britons, 78. Results of American War, . 79. Washington's Foreign Policy, 83. Atheist Government null, Id., 239 85. Popular and Kingly Examples,.. Id., 241 86. Reform in Parliament, . Lord Grey, 242 33. The End of Government, Pym, 192 35. Reducing the Army, Pulteney, 195 54. The Seminole's Defiance |
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