CHAPTER III. OF THE COUNTENANCE. THE power of the countenance in oratory is ranked by Cicero, next to that of the voice. "To every thing which belongs to action, 66 66 (delivery,) nature has communicated a particular influence. "So that by it, the very illiterate, the vulgar, and even foreigners ignorant of the language, are much affected. Mere words can “influence none but those who are associated in their sense, by "the use of the same language; and it often happens that acute reasonings escape the notice of men who are not very acute. "But action, which is accompanied by the emotions of the mind, "affects every one. For the feelings of all men are excited by "emotions of the same kind, and they discover them in others by the same indications, which they use to express them in "themselves." ... * Quare in hac nostra actione secundum vocem vultus valet. . . . Atque in iis omnibus, quæ sunt actionis, inest quædam vis a naturâ data. Quare etiam hac imperiti, hac vulgus, hac denique barbari maxime commoventur. Verba enim neminem movent, nisi eum, qui ejusdem linguæ societate conjunctus est; sententiæque sæpe acutæ, non acutorum hominum sensus prætervolant. Actio, quæ præ se motum animi fert, omnes movet: iisdem enim omnium animi motibus concitantur et eos iisdem notis, et in aliis agnoscunt, et in se ipsi indicant. Cic. de Orat. l. iii. c. 59. And in another place, Vultus vero, qui secundum vocem plurimum potest, quantam affert tum dignitatem, tum venustatem? Orat. c. 18. The great principle of oratory is to impress the auditors with a belief that the speaker delivers his own genuine sentiments, and that he endeavours to persuade others only from the full conviction of his own mind. And of this sincerity, the natural indications are his earnestness of manner manifested by the tones of his voice, the expression of his countenance, and the force of his gestures of these all men are judges, and in these expressions of feeling, all participate; and hence it is that enthusiasm and absurdity succeed with the ignorant, whilst even the wise and the temperate, are cold in their attention to the most excellent instructions, and the strongest reasonings otherwise delivered. To the power of the countenance Quintilian bears also strong testimony. By the countenance, he says, every feeling is expressed," upon the countenance the hearers depend, and into it 66 they examine before the speaker opens his lips, the countenance "is the object of approbation or dislike, it gives a deeper knowledge of the speaker's sentiments than his words, and "often says more than language can express." And Pliny says, " to man alone is given a face, to other animals mouths or beaks. They have indeed the forehead, but man alone can " use it to express his grief or his joy, his clemency or severity.” Lavater has quoted from Herder the following beautiful descrip tion of the human countenance. Survey this soul beaming, 66 * Dominatur autem maxime vultus. Hoc supplices, hoc minaces, hoc blandi, hoc tristes, hoc hilares, hoc erecti, hoc summissi sumus: hoc pendent homines, hoc intuentur, hunc spectant etiam antequam dicamus: hoc quosdam amamus, hoc odimus, hoc plura intelligimus: hic est sæpe pro omnibus verbis. Quint. 3 Facies homini tantum; cæteris os et rostra. Frons et aliis; sed homini tantum, tristitiæ hilaritatis, clementiæ, severitatis, index. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. xi. c. 37. 66 "this divine countenance, the thoughtful brow, the penetrating eye, the spirit-breathing lips, the deep intelligence of the as"sembled features. How they all conspiring speak! What harmony!-A single ray including all possible colours. The picture of the fair immeasurable mind within.”* Upon the subject of the countenance, although we are far from intending physiognomical research, it will not be amiss to repeat a few of the observations of Lavater, who had so attentively studied all its powers. His distinction between physiognomy and pathognomy, will be found worthy the attention of the public speaker. Physiognomy (says Lavater) is the knowledge of the signs "of the powers and inclinations of men. Pathognomy is the "knowledge of the signs of the passions. "Physiognomy therefore teaches the knowledge of the charac“ter at rest, and pathognomy, of the character in motion. All "people read the countenance pathognomonically, (hence the expression of countenance necessary to the orator,) few indeed "read it physiognomonically. Pathognomy has to combat the “arts of dissimulation; physiognomy not." Accounting why a tranquil countenance is an indication of tranquillity of mind, he says; "when any passion is called into "action, such passion is depicted by the motions of the muscles, " and these motions are accompanied by a strong palpitation of Lavater's Essays on Physiognomy, Vol. I. Ed. Holcroft. 66 "the heart. If the countenance be tranquil, it always denotes tranquillity in the region of the heart and breast." Hence it that the orator who would move others, must appear to appears be moved himself: that is, he must express his emotions in his countenance and by his manner, otherwise his language will be contradicted by his looks; and his audience will be more inclined to believe them, which are the natural and sure indications of the inward mind, than his words, which may easily be feigned, and may differ much from his real sentiments." 6 A failure in the due expression of the voice and countenance gives that frigid character to a public speaker, which however it may instruct, can never excite any interest. It may perhaps suit public demonstrations in the abstract sciences, but is chilling and repulsive in a popular harangue. It may be proper for the solemnity of some judicial proceedings; and had formerly its 5 Ut ridentibus arrident, ita flentibus adsunt Aut ad humum mærore gravi deducit et angit: Post effert animi motus interprete lingua. Si dicentis erunt fortunis absona dicta Romani tollent equites peditesque cachinnum. Hor. de Arte Poet. 101. "Caussinus in his work de Eloquentia Sacra et Profana, speaking of frigid action, uses the following strong expressions and ludicrous image. Aliorum longe dispar est ratio, qui adeo misere et frigide dicunt, ut ubi irasci, tonare ac fulgurare oporteat, non magis ardescant, quam gallina madida, et lectoris tono Thyesteas execrationes decurrant. Causs. l. ix. c. 3. |