be done by a skilful use of a few words, and a rigorous rejection of all superfluities. In this view I hold a familiar knowledge of Dante to be next to Demosthenes. It is in vain to say that imitations of these models won't do for our times. First, I do not counsel any imitation, but only an imbibing of the same spirit. Secondly, I know from experience that nothing is half so successful in these times (bad though they be) as what has been formed on the Greek models. I use a very poor instance in giving my own experience; but I do assure you that both in courts of law and Parliament, and even to mobs, I have never made so much play (to use a very modern phrase) as when I was almost translating from the Greek. I composed the peroration of my speech for the Queen, in the Lords, after reading and repeating Demosthenes for three or four weeks, and I composed it twenty times over at least, and it certainly succeeded in a very extraordinary degree, and far above any merits of its own. This leads me to remark, that though speaking, with writing beforehand, is very well until the habit of easy speech is acquired, yet after that he can never write too much; this is quite clear. It is laborious, no doubt; and it is more difficult beyond comparison than speaking off-hand; but it is necessary to perfect oratory, and at any rate it is necessary to acquire the habit of correct diction. But I go further and say, even to the end of a man's life he must prepare word for word most of his finer passages. Now, would he be a great orator or no? In other words, would he have almost absolute power of doing good to mankind in a free country or no? So he wills this, he must follow these rules.

"Believe me, truly yours,

"H. BROUGHAM."

CHAPTER I.

ELOCUTION-ELEMENTARY LESSONS.

ELOCUTION is that pronunciation which is given to words when they are arranged in sentences, and form discourse. It includes the tones of the voice, the utterance and the enunciation of the speaker, with the proper accompaniments of countenance and gesture.

The art of elocution, therefore, may be defined to be that system of rules which teaches us to pronounce written or extempore compositions with justness, energy, variety, and ease; and, agreeably to this definition, good reading or speaking may be considered as that species of delivery which not only expresses the sense of the words so as to be barely understood, but, at the same time, gives them all the force, beauty, and variety, of which they are susceptible. In other words, elocution is the art or the act of so delivering our own thoughts and sentiments, or the thoughts and sentiments of others, as not only to convey to those around us, with precision, force, and harmony, the full purport and meaning of the words and sentences in which those thoughts are clothed, but also to excite and impress upon their minds the feelings, the imaginations, and the passions by which those thoughts are dictated, or with which they should naturally be accompanied.

Elocution, therefore, in its more ample and liberal signification, is not confined to the mere exercise of the organs of speech: it embraces the whole theory and practice of the exterior demonstration of the inward workings of the mind.

Like composition, elocution is an imitative art; but with this difference, that the latter speaks only to the

fancy, the former paints to the senses; consequently, the representation becomes more palpable. Like music, it addresses the ear; but with this superiority, that elocution has sounds adapted for convincing, as well as for pleasing and moving; for the contentious tone of argument seems to bear down all hesitation, and to compel assent. Like painting, it can fascinate the eye with all that is graceful, majestic, and expressive in attitude; but it, moreover, combines with them the variety and energy of life.

Considering the immense importance of correct public speaking in this country, it is gratifying to learn that more attention is now paid to the study of elocution than was formerly the case in our university colleges and schools, public and private, and that an emphatic style of reading, a forcible delivery, together with a taste for sound manly eloquence are being now more and more cultivated among all classes of people.

That the Greeks and Romans were particularly sedulous in acquiring a correct elocution is well known. Demosthenes being asked what was the first point in oratory, said-Delivery; and being asked what was the second, answered-Delivery; and upon the same question being put for the third time, he still replied-Delivery. Dionysius of Halicarnassus has left a treatise on the subject; and both Cicero and Quintillian dwelt, at considerable length, upon its importance.

The advantage of a good elocution is so generally admitted as to render any laboured disquisition on the subject wholly unnecessary. In no instance, however, is this acquirement so indispensable, but, unfortunately, so neglected, as in the profession of the Church, which is more than any other, dependent upon good readers, so far as human agency is concerned; and yet it is deplorable to reflect in how many places of worship, the beautiful and touching service of the Church of England may be heard mouthed and mumbled, or drawled out with disgusting and ridiculous affectation.

"We repeat," says a writer in a highly popular periodical, "that this mode of slurring the Liturgy is productive of positive injury. When the prayers and lessons

are mumbled over in this sing-song way (the derisive name in the sixteenth century was 'Mumble-Matins') much of the devotion of the first, and even more of the instruction of the second are lost. You preach the prayers' is the retort of the intoners to their objecting brethren. Now there may be, and often is, justice in the censure; but because Tomkins cannot play one of Mozart's masses upon the organ, is Bumble to try it on the hurdy-gurdy? Because A declaims Paul's pleading before Agrippa, as if he were Sir Thomas Wilde personating the indignation of Mr. Carus Wilson at some Jersey jurat, is that any reason why B should drop all emphasis, and stifle every inflexion of feeling, as if he were a Westminster scholar at Trinity, determined to outrage the Dean? The fact is, and, however mortifying, it ought to be told, that very few of the English Clergy know how to read. We can, if required, produce the highest authority for this assertion. We have ourselves heard the late Bishop of London express his surprise at the general deficiency in this most essential accomplishment, even among the Clergy of his own diocese. Yet why should he be surprised? Who can learn except he be taught? And, however favourable the Poetics of Aristotle, or the Mechanics of Whewell, may be to the growth of spiritual qualities, their most ardent admirers will scarcely claim for them any beneficial influence upon elocution. A partial remedy is easy and at hand. There is already, in full operation at Cambridge, a Theological Examination for students who have taken their B.A. degree. It is familiarly known as 'The Involuntary Voluntary;' for, while the University leaves it open, many of the Bishops have announced their intention of refusing ordination to all candidates who have not passed it. Now let reading the Liturgy form a branch of this examination, and let the certificate of the Examiner be essential to any Friday interview at London House. We confess that one obstacle remains to be removed, and that is, the difficulty of finding an examiner, although unquestionably it is possible to be a judge of reading, without being able to read; just as one may appreciate a landscape of Claude without having power to paint it."

Several of the heads of the Church also have of late expressed in their letters their conviction of the necessity of training theological students in public reading.

"I am of opinion that the faculty of reading or speaking intelligibly and impressively may be much improved, and often greatly requires to be improved, by attention and instruction."-Archbishop of Canterbury.

"I find no difficuity in answering your questions by saying that I do approve of candidates for ordination trying to acquire a distinct, natural, impressive, and devotional style of reading and delivery, free from all slovenliness and affectation."-Archbishop of York.

"It is, in my opinion, impossible to rate too highly the importance of distinct and articulate reading in the performance of divine service."-Bishop of Oxford.

"So far from esteeming correct and impressive reading to be of small, I consider it to be of very great, importance in a clergyman."-Bishop of Bangor.

"The power to read well is an important qualification for admission to holy orders. For want of attention to this point, our beautiful Liturgy is often ill understood and as ill appreciated."-Bishop of Ripon.

The following judicious remarks upon the eloquence of the pulpit, are from the pen of the Rev. James Fordyce, a Scotch divine of some note.

ON THE ELOCUTION OF THE PULPIT.

"I cannot forbear regretting," says the Rev. J. Fordyce, "that a matter of such vast importance to preaching as delivery, should be so generally neglected or misunderstood. A common apprehension prevails, indeed, that a strict regard to these rules would be deemed theatrical; and the dread, perhaps, of incurring this imputation, is a restraint upon many. But is it not possible to obtain a just and expressive manner, perfectly consistent with the gravity of the pulpit, and yet quite distinct from the more passionate, strong, and diversified action of the theatre? And is it not possible to hit off this manner so