The variation of the emphasis must not only distinguish the various paffions defcribed, but the feveral forms and figures of fpeech in which they are expreffed.

In a Profopopæia, we mult change the voice as the perfon introduced would.

In an Antithefis, one contrary must be pronounced louder than the other.

In a Climax, the voice should always raise with it.

In Dialogues, it should alter with the parts.

In Repetitions, it should be loudeft in the second place. Words of quality and diftinction, or of praife or difpraife, must be pronounced with a strong emphafis.

No emphafis is better than a wrong or mifplaced one. For that only perplexes; this always mifleads the mind of the hearer.

Of Cadence.

THIS is directly oppofite to emphafis. Emphasis is raifing the voice, cadence is falling it; and when rightly managed, is very mufical. Befides cadence of voice, there is cadence of ftile-That is, when the fenfe being almost expreffed and perfectly difcerned by the reader, the remaining words, which are only neceffary to complete the period, gently fall of themfelves, without any emphatical word among them. If our author's language be pure and elegant, his cadence of ftile will naturally direct the cadence of voice.

Cadence generally takes place at the end of a fentence; unless it clofes with an emphatical word.

Every parenthefis is to be pronounced in cadence; that is, with a low voice, and quicker than ordinary; that it may not take off the attention too much from the fenfe of the period it interrupts. But all apoftrophes and profopopæias are to be pronounced in emphafis.

Obfervations.

IF you would acquire a juft pronunciation in reading, you muft not only take in the full fenfe, but enter into the spirit of your author: For you can never convey the force and fulness of his ideas to another, till you feel them yourself. can read an author he does not perfectly understa d and talle*.

No man

* The great rule which the masters of rhetoric fo much prefs, can never enough be remembered; that to make a man fpeak well, and pronounce with a right emphafis, he ought thoroughly to understand all that he fays, be fully perfuaded of it, and bring himself to have those affe Ations which he defires to infufe into others. He that is inwardiy

The fame rules are to be obferved in reading poetry and profe: Neither the rhyme nor the numbers fhould take off the attention from the sense and spirit of the author. It is this only that must direct the pronunciation in poetry as well as profe. When you read verfe, you must not at all favor the measure or rhyme; that often obfcures the sense and spoils the pronunciation: For the great end of pronunciation is to elucidate and heighten the fenfe; that is, to reprefent it not only in a clear, but a ftrong light. Whatever then obftructs this is carefully to be avoided, both in verfe and profe. Nay, this ought to be more carefully observed in reading verfe than profe; because the author, by a conftant attention to his measure and rhyme, and the exaltation of his language, is often very apt to obfcure his fenfe; which therefore requires the more care in the reader to discover and diftinguish it by the pronunciation. And if when you read verse with proper paufe, emphafis, and cadence, and a pronunciation varied and governed by the fenfe, it be not harmonious and beautiful, the fault is not in the reader but the author. And if the verse be good, to read it thus will improve its harmony; because it will take off that uniformity of found and accent which tires the ear, and makes the numbers heavy and disagreeable.

Another important rule to be observed in elocution isftudy Nature. By this I mean your own natural disposition, and affections. And thofe fubjects that are moft fuitable to them, you will eafily pronounce with a beautiful propriety: and to heighten the pronunciation, the natural warmth of the mind fhould be permitted to have its courfe under a proper rein and regulation.

Study the natural difpofitions and affections of others. For fome are much more eafily impreffed and moved one way, and fome another. And an orator should be acquainted with all the avenues to the heart.

Study the moft cafy and natural way of expreffing yourself both as to the tone of voice and the mode of fpeech. And this is beft learned by obfervations on common converfationwhere all is free, natural, and easy-where we are only intent on making ourselves underflood, and conveying our ideas in a ftrong, plain, and lively manner, by the moft natural language, perfuaded of the truth of what he fays, and that hath a concern about it in his mind, will pronounce with a natural vehemence that is far more lovely than all the rains that art can lead him to An orator muft endeavour to feel what he fays, and taen he will speak so as to make others feel it.

pronunciation and action. And the nearer our pronunciation. in public comes to the freedom and eafe of that we ufe i common difcourfe--provided we keep up the dignity of the fubject, and preferve a propriety of expreffion-the more juft, natural, and agreeable it will generally be.

Above all things, then, ftudy nature-avoid affectation-never use art, if you have not the art to conceal it. For whatever does not appear natural, can never be agreeable, much lels perfuafive.

Endeavor to keep your mind collected and composedGuard against that flutter and timidity of fpirit, which is the common infelicity of young, and efpecially bafhful perfons, when they first begin to fpeak or read in public. This is a great hindrance both to their pronunciation and invention; and at once gives both themfelves and their hearers an unneceffary pain. It will by conftant oppofition wear off---and the best way to give the mind a proper degree of affurance and felf-command at fuch a time, is to be entire master of the fubject and a confcioufnefs that you deliver to your audience nothing but what is well worth their hearing, will give you a trong degree of courage.

Endeavor to be wholly engaged in your fubject; and when the mind is intent upon and warmed with it, it will forget that awful deference it before paid to the audience, which was fo apt to difconcert it.

If the fight of your hearers, or any of them difcompofe you, keep your eyes from them.

Be fure to keep up a life, fpirit, and energy in the expreffion; and let the voice naturally vary according to the variation of the ftyle and fubject.

Whatever be the fubject, it will never be pleafing, if the ftyle be low and flat; nor will the beauty of the ftyle be difcocovered, if the pronunciation be vulgar.

Cicero obferves there must be a glow in our flyle if we would warm our hearers. And who does not obferve how ridiculous it is to pronounce the verbum ardens in a cold lifeless tone?The tranfition of the voice muft always correfpond with that of the fubject, and the paffions it was intended to excite.

To attain a juft and graceful pronunciation, you should accuftom yourself frequently to hear thofe who excel in it, whether at the bar or in the pulpit-where you will fee all the fore-mentioned rules exemplified, and be able to account for

C

all thofe graces and beauties of pronunciation which always pleafed you, but you did not know why.

Indeed, the Art of Pronunciation, like all others, is better learned by imitation than rule: But to be first acquainted with the rules of it, will make the imitation more eafy. You will obferve a certain agreeableness of manner in fome orators, that is natural to them, not to be reduced to any rule, and to be learnt by imitation only; nor by that, unless it be in fome degree natural to you.

You fhould frequently exercise yourself to read aloud according to the foregoing rules. It is practice only that muft give you the faculty of an elegant pronunciation. This, like other habits, is only to be attained by often repeated' acts.

Orators, as well as poets, must be born fo, or they will never excel in their respective arts: But that part of oratory which confills in a decent and graceful pronunciation, provided there be no defect in the organs of speech, may be attained by rule, imitation, and practice; and, when attained, will give a beauty to fpeech, a force to thoughts, and a pleasure to the hearers, not to be expreffed; and which all will admire, but none can imitate, unless they are first prepared for it by art and nature-In fhort, the great advantage of a just pronunciation is, that it will please all, whether they have no taste, a bad tafle, or a good taste.

of Action.

THE action fhould be as eafy and as natural as the elocution} and, like that, must be varied and directed by the paffions.

An affected violence of motion is as difguftful as an affected vehemence of voice; and no action, as bad as no emphasis→ which two faults commonly go together, as do the other two, juft before mentioned.

Thofe parts of the body that are to be principally employed in oratorical action, are the head, the face, the eyes, the hands, and the upper parts of the whole body.

The Head.

THIS generally should be in an erect posture; turning fome times on one fide, and fometimes on the other, that the voice may be heard by the whole audience, and a regard paid to the feveral parts of it.

It should always be on the fame fide with the action of the hands and body, except when we express an abhorrence, or a

refufal of any thing, which is done by rejecting it with the right-hand, and turning away the head to the left.

The Countenance.

IN this is the feat of the foul and the very life of action. Every paffion, whilft uttered with the tongue, fhould be painted in the face. There is often more eloquence in a look than any words can exprefs. By this we are awed, charmed, incenfed, foftened, grieved, rejoiced, raifed, or dejected, according as we catch the fire of the fpeaker's paffion from his face. There is no end in recounting the force and effects of this dumb oratory; which nature only teaches, and which perfons of low paffions lofe all the advantage of. Look well upon a good piece of painting where the paffions are ftrongly expreffed, and you will conceive the power of it.

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The Eyes.

THESE fhould be carried from one part of the audience to another, with a modest and decent refpect; which will tend to recall and fix their attention, and animate your own fpirit by obferving their attention fixed. But if their affections be strongly moved, and the obferving it be a means of raising your own too high, it will be neceffary then to keep the eye from off them-For though an orator fhould always be animated, he should never be overcome by his paffions.

In all appeals to heaven, and fometimes at the folemn mention of the name of the great God, the eyes and the head fhould be turned upwards.

In adoration, the hands and eyes fhould be lifted up, and the head and body bowing down.

In folemn vows, exclamations and appeals to heaven, the hands, head, and eyes thould all be lifted up; but in humiliation and confeffion, calt down.

The language of the eye is inexpreffible. It is the window of the foul-from which fometimes the whole heart locks out at once, and fpeaks more feelingly than all the warmeft ftrains of oratory; and comes effectually in aid of it, when the paffion is too ftrong to be uttered.

The Hands.

THE left hand should never be ufed alone, unless it be to attend the motion of the head and eyes in an address to the audience on the left fide.