dress, and avenues to the passions, and consequently was the better prepared to guard against any attack on the latter. But neither his skill nor his resolution of mind was of sufficient force against the power of oratory; the conqueror of the world became a conquest to the charms of Cicero's eloquence; so that, contrary to his intention, he acceded to the plea of the orator and pardoned Ligarius. Now that oration is still extant, and appears exceedingly well calculated to touch the soft and tender passions and springs of the soul. But we believe it can scarcely be discernible to any in reading it, how it should have had such a surprising effect; which must therefore have been chiefly owing to the wonderful address and conduct of the speaker.

The more natural the pronunciation is, of consequence, the more moving it will be, since the perfection of art consists in its nearest resemblance to nature. And there

fore it is not without good reason, that the ancients make it one qualification of an orator, that he be a good man ; because a person of this character will make the cause he espouses his own, and the more sensibly he is touched with it himself, the more natural his action will be, and by that ineans affect others the more easily in the same manner. Cicero speaking upon this subject says, "It is certain that truth (by which he means nature) in every thing excels imitation; but if that was sufficient of itself in action, we should have no occasion for art." In his opinion therefore (and who was a better judge?) art in this case, as well as in many others, if well managed, will assist and improve nature. But this is not all, for sometimes we find the force of it so great and powerful, that where it is wholely counterfeit, it will for the time work the same effect, as if it were founded in truth. This is well known to those who have been conversant with the representations of the theatre. In tragedies, though we are sensible, that every thing we see and hear is counterfeit, yet such is the power of action, that we are often affected by it in the same manner, as if they were all realities. Anger and resentment at the appearance of cruelty, concern and soficitude for distrest virtue, rise in our breasts; and tears are extorted from us for opprest innocence: though at the same time perhaps we are ready to laugh at ourselves For being thus deluded. If art then has so great an influ

ence upon us, when supported only by fancy and imagi. nation, how powerful must be the effect of a just and lively representation of what we know to be true and real,

How agreeable it is both to nature and reason, that a. warmth of expression and vehemence of gesture should rise in proportion to the importance of the subject and concern of the speaker, will further appear, by looking a little into the more early and simple ages of the world. For the higher we go, the more we shall find of both. We shall give the observation of a great man upon this head in his own words. "The Romans," says he, "had a very great talent this way, and the Greeks a greater. The eastern nations excelled in it, and particularly the Hebrews. Nothing can equal the strength and vivacity of the figures they employed in their discourse; and the very actions they used to express their sentiments; such as putting ashes on their heads, and tearing their garments, and covering themselves with sack cloth, under any deep distress and sorrow of mind. I do not speak of what the prophets did to give a more lively representation of the things they foretold, because such figurative actions were the effects of divine inspiration. But even

in other cases we find those people understood much better than we do, how to express their grief, and fear, and other passions. And hence, no doubt, arose those surprising effects of eloquence, which we never experience now." Thus far this excellent writer. And what he says here, with respect to the action of the eastern nations, was in a great measure customary among the Greeks and Romans; if not entirely of the same kind, yet perhaps as vehement and expressive. They did not think language of itself sufficient to express the height of their passions, unless enforced by uncommon motions and gestures. Thus when Achilles had driven the Trojans into their city with the greatest precipitation and terror, and only Hector ventured to stay without the gates to engage him, Homer represents both king Priam and his queen under the greatest consternation for the danger of their son. And therefore. in order to prevail with him to come into the city, and not fight with Achilles, they not only entreat him from the walls, in the most tender and moving language imaginable; but the king tears off his grey locks with his bands; and the queen, in a flood of tears, exposes her

breasts, and adjures him by those paps, which suckled him, to comply with her request. The poet knew very well, that no words could of themselves represent those agonies of mind, he endeavoured to convey, unless heightened by the idea of such actions, as were expressive of the deepest sorrow. And indeed this was anciently esteemed so requisite in an orator, that, in matters of importance, he was scarcely thought to be in earnest who wanted it. In one of Cicero's orations, he does not scruple to argue in that manner with his adversary.

Would you talk thus," says he, "if you were seríous? Would you, who are wont to display your eloquence so warmly in the danger of others, act so coldly in your own? Where is that concern? that ardour, which used to extort pity even from children? Here is no emotion either of mind or body; neither the forehead struck nor the thigh, nor so much as a stamp of the foot. Therefore you have been so far from enflaming our minds, that you have scarcely kept us awake."

As action therefore was judged so necessary a qualification in an orator, among the ancients, so they made use of several methods and expedients for the better attaining it. The principal of which we shall briefly mention.

Decency of pronunciation is an habit. And as all habits are gained by time, so the sooner they are learned, with the greater case they are generally acquired. For while persons are young, they are not only more flexible, and capable of any particular bent; but they are likewise free from the trouble of encountering and subduing contrary habits, which doubles the labour, and encreases the difficulty of attaining any laudable quality. QuintiHan was very sensible of this, in the case before us, and therefore in order to have persons trained up to it, he begins with them in their childhood, and descends so low. as even to give directions, how they should be taught to pronounce when they first learn to read. And he advises, that they should then be instructed where to suspend their voice, and make their proper pauses, both in distinguishing the several parts of the same sentence, and in separating one sentence from another: likewise when to raise, or sink their voice, or give it a proper inflection: to be slower or faster, vehement or sedate, as the nature of the subject may require: and the tone of their voice to be

always manly and grave, but at the same time mixed with an agreeable sweetness. These things may perhaps appear in themselves small, but if duly attended to, they will be found of considerable use in order to bring us to a just and proper pronunciation. For in every thing that is to be attained by practice, it is a great advantage to set out right at first.

The ancients likewise had persons, whom they called Phonasci, whose proper business it was to teach them how to regulate and manage their voice. And others who instructed them in the whole art of pronunciation, both as to the voice and gesture. These latter were generally taken from the theatre, being some eminent and experienced actors. Hence Quintilian, treating of the province of these persons, says, "The commedian ought to teach them how to relate facts, with what authority to advise, with what vehemence to express anger, and with what softness, compassion." And speaking of gestures, he "He should admonish them to raise their counsays, tenance, not distort their lips, or stretch their mouths." To which he adds, several other directions of a similar kind, And we are told concerning the emperor M. Antoninus, usually called the philosopher, that his first masters were Euphoris the grammarian, and Geminus the commedian."

But though they employed actors to instruct their youth in forming their speech and gestures, yet the action of an orator was different from that of the theatre. Cicero very plainly represents this distinction, in the words of Crassus, when speaking of orators; he says, "The motions of the body ought to be suited to the expressions, not in a theatrical way, mimicking the words by particular gesticulations; but in a manner expressive of the general sense; with a sedate and manly inflection of the sides; not taken from the stage and actors, but from the exercise of arms and the Palestra." And Quinti lian says to the same purpose, Every gesture and motion of the commedians is not to be imitated, or adopted to its utmost degree." They thought the action of the theatre too light and extravagant for the imitation of an orator; and therefore though they employed actors to inform young persons in the first rudiments; yet they were. afterwards sent to the Palestra, or schools designed on

purpose to teach them a just and graceful management of their bodies. And such schools, as Quintilian informs us, were in use both among the Greeks and Romans: Just as in later times children learn to dance, in some measure, with the same intention.

Being thus far prepared, they were afterwards sent to the schools of the rhetoricians. And here, as their business was to cultivate their style, and gain the whole art of eloquence; so it was particularly to acquire a just and accurate pronunciation by those exercises, in which for that end they were constantly employed. And as the Greeks were most celebrated for their skill in all the polite arts, and especially oratory; the Roman gentry and nobility generally sent their sons abroad, and placed them under the tuition of some eminent Grecian master, to instruct them in the art of speaking, and by that means to fit them for the service of their country, either in the courts of judicature or the senate. Thus Cicero was sent

to Rhodes, to study under the famous Molo, and Brutus was placed under Pammenes; Cæsar was going to the same place, when he was taken by pirates; and Augustus afterwards studied there under Apollodorus.

This

Nor after all this pains and industry did they yet think themselves sufficiently qualified to take upon themselves the character of orators. But it was their constant custom to convene together some of their friends and acquaintance, who were proper judges of such performances, and declaim before them in private. The business of these persons was to make observations, both on their language and pronunciation. And they were allowed the greatest freedom in pointing out any thing they thought amiss, either as to inaccuracy of method, impropriety of style, or indecorum of voice or gesture. gave them an opportunity to correct any defects at first, before they had become habitual. What effects might not justly be expected from such an institution? Persons trained up in this manner, with all those advantages, joined to a good natural genius, could not fail of making very complete orators. Though even after they came to appear in public they did not lay aside the custom of declaiming. For Quintilian tells us that Carbo used to practice it daily in his tent. And Augustus is reported to have continued it during the war of Mutina, against