436. STYLE, &c. To accomplish your ob-| ject, study the true meaning and character of the subject, so as to express the whole, in such a way as to be perfectly understood and felt thus, you will transport your hearers to the scene you describe, and your earnestness raise them on the tiptoe of expectation, and your just arguments sweep everything before them like a MOUNTAIN torrent: to excite, to agitate, and delight, are among the most powerful arts of persuasion: but the impressions must be enforced on the mind by a command of all the sensibilities and sympathies of the soul. That your course may be ever upward and onward, remember, none but a GOOD man can be a perfect orator; uncorrupted and incorruptible integrity is one Maxims. 1. Revenge, however sweet, is dearly bought. 2. Life is half spent, before we know what it is to live. 3. The world is a workshop, and the wise only know how to use its tools. 4. A man is valued, as he makes himself valuable. 5. Heaven is not to be had, merely by wishing for it. 6. As often as we do good, we sacrifice. 7. Be careful to keep your word, even in the most trifling matter. 8., Hearts may agree, tho' heads may dif fer. 9. Honest men are easily bound; but you can never bind a knave. 10. Experience keeps a dear school; but fools will learn in no other. Anecdote. Curious Patriotism. Some years ago, one of the convicts at Botany Bay, wrote a FARCE, which was acted with much applause in some of the theatres. Barring ton, the notorious pick-pocket, wrote the of the most powerful engines of persuasion.prologue; which ended with these lines: True patriots we; for, be it understood, was styled a vagabond, a quack; and persecuted, through life, by the medical profession. In the time of Francis I., Ambrose Pare-introduced the ligament, to staunch the blood of an amputated limb, instead of boiling hot pitch, in which the bleeding stump had formerly been dipped; and he was persecuted, with the most relentless rancour, by the Fa 437. IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. 1. Is any government-as important as the principles Ignorance-Willfulness. The ignorit should protect and extend? 2. Should we ant-oppose without discrimination. Harremain passive, when our country, or politi-vey, for asserting the circulation of the blood, cal rights are invaded? 3. Are banks beneficial? 4. Have the crusaders been the cause of more evil than good? 5. Was the war waged against the Seminoles of Florida, just? 6. Which is the more important acquisition, wealth, or knowledge? 7. Is there any neutral ground between good and evil, truth and falsehood? 8. Which should we fear most, the commission of a crime, or the fear of pun-culty, who ridiculed the idea of risking a ishment? 9. By binding the understanding, and forcing the judgment, can we mend the heart? 10. When proud people meet together, are they not always unhappy? 11. Is not common sense a very rare and valuable article? 12. What is the use of a body, with out a soul? 438. MANNER AND MATTER. The secret of success in Music, as well as in Elocution, is, to adapt the manner perfectly to the matter: if the subject be simple, such must be the manner if it be gay and lively, or solemn and dignified, such, or such must be the manner: in addition to which, the performer must forget himself, or rather lose himself in the subject, body and soul, and show his regard to his audience, by devoting himself to the subject and hence he must never try to show himself off: but hide behind the thought and feeling, and depend upon them to produce the effect: if there is any affectation, the hold on the heart is in that proportion relinquished. Oh, when shall we take our appropriate place and regard USE as the grand object! But sure to foreign climes we need not range, man's life upon a thread, when boiling pitch had stood the test for centuries. Medicines have been proscribed as poison, and then prescribed in great quantities; the proscriptions and prescriptions being both adopted with equal ignorance and credulity. There is no hope for man, but a thorough and correct education in the school of truth and goodness. Varieties. 1. Does the nature of things depend on the matter, of which they are formed; or on the laws of constitution, by which matter is arranged? 2. Is not vegetable matter formed from oxygen and hydrogen; and animal matter from these two and carbon? But what are their constituent parts? Were their essences created, or are they eternal? 3. What large portions of the world there are of which we know compara. tively nothing! and although we are familiar with our bodies, externally, yet how little of their internals do even the best physiologists know? 4. How much is really known of the nature of mind? and yet there is presumption enough in some, to decide at once, upon all the phenomena of the mind, and prescribe its limits. 5. Thus, man clothes himself with his fanciful knowledge, and plays such insane tricks before the world. es make the angels weep. The fisher-is out on the sunny sud, And the reindeer-bounds o'er the pasture free; And the pine-has a fringe of a softer green, And the moss-looks bright, where my foot hath lern. 439. EFFECTIVE STYLE. The more your Maxims. 1. Happiness is the shadow f reading and speaking partake of the freedom contentment, and rests, or moves forever with in and case of common discourse, (provided original 2. A drop of wisdom is worth a tun of you sustain the object and life of the compo- riches. 3. Whatever does not stand with credit, sition) the more just, natural, and effective will not stand long. 4. Business must be attend will be your style of delivery: hence the ne-ed to, at the expense of every thing else of less imcessity of studying nature, of avoiding all portance. 5. Our states of mind differ as muck as our spirits and temper. 6. Death--cannot kill affectation, and of never attempting that in what never dies,-mutual love. 7. If you will public, which is beyond your ability. Some mar, or spoil what they are going to say, by les. 8. Open rebuke is better than secret love. 9. not hear reason, she wil rap you over your knurkmaking so much ado over it, thinking they Good counsel is thrown away on the arrogan must do some great thing; when it isal most and self-conceited. 10. He, who resolves to amend, as simple as-wash and be clean: whatever has God, and all good beings on his fide. is not natural is not agreeable or persuasive. 440. IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. 1. Were any beings ever created angels? 2. Is it right ever to do wrong? 3. Why was a revelation necessary? 4. May we not protect our person and character from assault? 5. Does civilization increase happiness? 6. Which excites more curiosity, the works of nature, or the works of art? 7. Ought a witness to be questioned with regard to his religious opinions, or belief? 8. Was the general bankrupt law a benefit to the country? 9. Why are we disposed to laugh, even when our best friend falls down? 10. Which is the greatest, faith, hope, or charity? 11. Should controversy interrupt our friendship and esteem for each other? 12. Have christians any right to persecute each other for their opinions? Anecdote. Vanity Reproved "I am very thankful, that my mouth has been opened to preach without any learning,”—said an illiterate preacher, in speaking against educating ministers, to preach the gospel. A gentleman present replied, "Sir, a similar event took place in Baalam's time" Education should give us command of every faculty of body, and mind—call out all our powers of observation and reflection, change the creatures of impulse, prejudice and passion, to thinking, reasoning, and loving beings; lead to objects of pursuits, and habits of conduct, favorable to the happiness of every individual, and to the whole world, and multiply all the means of enjoyment, and diminish every temptation to vice and sensuality; and true education will do all this, Varieties. 1. What is moral virtue? 2. The greatest danger to public liberty, is from vice and idleness. 3. He, that showeth merCy, shall receive mercy. 4. Never attempt anything more, than there is a prospect of accomplishing. 5. Should not beasts-as well as men, be treated with kindness? 6. 441. It is much to be regretted, that our teachers are so illy qualified to instruct their pupils even in the first rudiments of reading: and they are all so much inclined to fall into bad habits, and the imitation of faulty speak ers, that it requires constant watchfulness to keep clear of the influences of a wrong bias, Rational liberty-is diametrically opposed and false, and merely arbitrary rules. We never can succeed in this important art, until to the wildness of anarchy. 7. We should we take elementary instruction out of the never ascribe bad motives, when we can suphands of ignoramuses, and insist upon hav-pose good ones. 8. Nothing is more preju ing persons fully competent to take charge of the cause. Away then with the idea, that any one can teach reading and speaking, merely because he can call the letters, and speak the words so as to be understood. Operating Circumstances. We are too apt, in estimating a law, passed at a remote period, to combine in our consideration, all the subsequent events, which have had an influence upon it; instead of conforming ourselves, as we ought, to the circumstances, existing at the time of its passage. So live, that, when thy summons comes-to join To the pale realms of shade, where each shall take dicial to the great interests of a nation, Why have those banished and forbidden legs Comest thou because the anointed king is heace? 1 442 ELOQUENCE. What were all the Maxims. 1. Old age and faded flowers, no attribu es of man, his personal accomplish-remedies can revive. 2. Something should be ments, and his boasted reason, without the learned every time a book is opened. 3. A truly faculty of SPEECH? To excel in its use great man never puts away the simplicity of the the highest of human arts. It enables man child. 4. The gem cannot be polished without to govern whole nations, and to enchant, friction, nor man-perfected, without adversity. 5. while he governs. The aristocracy of Elo-The full stomach cannot realize the evils of hunquence is supreme, and, in a free country, ger. 6. When thought is agitated, truth rises. 7. can never be subdued. It is the pride of A child requires books, as much as the merchant peare, and the glory of war: it rides upon does goods. 8. Learn by the vices of others, how the zephyr's wings, or thunders in the storm. detestable your own are. 9. Judge not of men or But there is in eloquence, in painting, the things, at first sight. 10. Reprove thy friend pri life of the canvas, which breathes, moves, vately, and commend him publicly. speaks, and is full of action: so is there in the dance, the poetry and music of motion, the eloquence of action; whose power consists in the wonderful adaptation of the graces of the body to the harmonies of mind. There is eloquence in every object of taste, both in art and nature; in sculpture, gardening, architecture, poetry and music; all of which come within the scope and plan of the orator, that he may comprehend that intellectual relation, that secret clause in the liberal professions, which, connecting ene with another, combines the influence of all. Virtue, alone, ennobles human kind, And power-should on her glorious footsteps wait. You pride you-on your golden hue; [too. "Tis good, and lovely, to be kind; A little learning-is a dangerous thing; em. As there is a great variety of affections, and states of affection in the human mind, so there is a great variety of tunes, through the medium of which these affections, and states of affection are manifested. There are three grand divisions of music, which, for the sake of distinction, may be denominated the upper, or that which relates to the Supreme Being; the middle, or that relating to created, rational beings, or social music; and the lower, or what appertains to that part of creation below man-called descriplive music. Ambition-is like love,-impatient- attorneys overtaking a wagoner, with two Anecdote. Sharp Reply. Two country his expense, asked him, "How it happened, span of horses, and, thinking to be witty at that his forward horses were so fat, and the rear ones so lean?" The wagoner, knowing them, answered, "That his fore span were lawyers, and the other-clients." Selfishness-seems to be the complex of all vices. The love of self, when predominant, excludes all goodness, and perverts all truth. It is the great enemy of individuals, societies, and communities. It is the cause of all irritation, the source of all 'evil. People, who are always thinking of themselves, have no time to be concerned about others; their own pleasure or profit, is the pivot, on which everything turns. They cannot even conceive of disinterestedness, and will laugh well as themselves. Selfishness-is the very to scorn all, who appear to love others, as essence of the first original sin, and it must be corrected, or we are lost. Varieties. 1. The wind, the falling of water, humming of bees, a sweet voice read. ing monotonously, tend to produce sleep; this is not so much the case with musical tones. 2. The trilling and quivering of the voice, which please so much, correspond to the glittering of light: as the moonbeams playing on the waves. 3. Falling from a discord to a concord, which produces so much sweetness in music, correspond to the affections, when brought out of a state of dislike; and also with the taste; which is soon cloyed with what is sweet alone. 4. Music has great effect on mind and body, making us warlike or the reverse, soft and effeminate, grave and light, gentle, kind and pitiful, &c., according to its nature, and perform ance; the reason is, because hearing is more closely associated with feeling or spirits, than the other senses. Observe the effect of Yankee Doodle, God save the King, Mar seilles Hymn, &c. 5. When music speaks to the affection, affection obeys, as when na ture speaks, nature replies. Let gratitude-in acts of goodness flow; 1 5. A man 444. There are also three great divisions Maxims. 1. Want of punctuality is a specica in POETRY, which is closely allied to music; of falsehood. 2. Pay as you go, and keep from and both of them originate in the WILL, or small scores. 3. He, that has his heart in his affections and hence, the words of the learning, will soon have his learning in his heart. psalm, hymn, poem, and the music in which 4. The empty stomach has no ears. they are sung, chanted, or played, constitute may talk like a wise man, and yet act like a fool. the forms, or mediums, through which the 6. Rather improve by the errors of others, than affections and sentiments are bodied forth. Is find fault with them. 7. The devil turns his not genuine music from heaven? and does it back, when he finds the door shut against him. not lead there if not perverted? May not the 8. Better be upright, with poverty, than der aved with abundance. 9. The value of things, is ever same be said of poetry? Woe betide the per- so strongly realized, as when we are deprived of son, that converts them into occasions of evil! them. 10. None are so deaf as those who will How blind is pride; what eagles are we still not hear. In matters that belong to other men ; What beetles-in our own. Who fights Nature-to each-allots his proper sphere; Reform. He, that looks back to the his tory of mankind, will often see, that in politics, jurisprudence, religion, and all the great concerns of society, reform-has usually been the work of reason, slowly awakening from the lethargy of ignorance, gradually acquiring confidence in her own strength, and ultimately triumphing over the dominion of prejudice and custom. Varieties. 1. What is mercy and its uses? 2. Individuals and nations, fail in nothing they boldly attempt, when sustained by virtuous purpose, and determined resolution. 3. Some persons' heads are like beehives: not because they are all in a buzz, but 445. THE USES OF ELOQUENCE. In every that they have separate cells for every kind situation, in all the pursuits of life, may be of store. 4. What nature offers, with a smilseen the usefulness and benefits of eloquence. ing face, fruit, herb, and grain--are just In whatever light we view this subject, it is what man's pure instinct would choose for evident that oratory is not a mere castle in food. 5. The majority-ought never to the air: a fairy palace of frost-work; desti- trample on the feelings, or violate the just tute of substance and support. It is like a rights-of the minority; they should not magnificent temple of Parian marble, ex- triumph over the fallen, nor make any but hibiting the most exact and admirable sym-temperate and equitable use of their power metry, and combining all the orders, varieties, 6. Death is the enacted penalty of nature's and beauties of architecture. violated laws. 7. Was it causeless, that a religions Habits of Industry. It is highly impor-washing-was introduced, as tant, that children should be taught to acquire rite, seeing that its observance is so essential habits of industry; for whatever be their habits to the preservation of health? while young, such, for the most part, must they continue to be in after life. Children-are apt to think it a great hardship, to be obliged to devote so much time to occupations, at present perhaps, disagreeable to them; but they ought to be made to believe, that their tasks are not only intended for the informing of their minds, but for the bending of their wills. Good habits are as easily acquired as bad ones; with the great advantage of being the only true way to prosperity and happiness. Anecdote. Conciseness. Louis XIV. who Argues an impotence of mind, that says,- And when the soul-is fullest, the hushed tongue, It is not in the surf's rough rear, famous, even in a prince; and virtue, honorable, even in a peasant. 3. Prefer loss-to unjust gain, and solid sense-to wit. 4. He, that would be well spoken of himself, must speak well of others. be mended. 6. A sound mind is not to be shaken 5. If every one would mend himself, we should all with popular applause. 7. The best way to see divine light, is to put out our own 8. Some blame themselves for the purpose of being praised. 9. Nothing needs a trick, but a trick; sincerity loathes one. 10. As virtue has its own reward, so vice has its own punishment. 446. OUR FIELD. The orator's field is the Maxims. 1. Poverty of mind is often con aniverse of mind and matter, and his sub-cealed under the garb of splendor. 2. Vice-is in. jects, all that is known of God and man. Study the principles of things, and never rest satisfied with the results and applications: All distinguished speakers, whether they ever paid any systematic attention to the principles of elocution or not, in their most successful efforts, conform to them; and their imperfections are the results of deviations from these principles. Think correctly-rather than finely; sound conclusions are much better than beautiful conceptions. Be useful, rather than showy; and speak to the purpose, or not speak at all. Persons become eminent, by the force of mind-the power of thinking comprehensively, deeply, closely, usefully Rest more on the thought, feeling, and expression, than on the style; for language is like the atmosphere-a medium of vision, intended not to be seen itself, but to make other objects seen; the more transpurent however, the better. Hast thou, in feverish, and unquiet sleep,— Not e'en a bush-to save thee, shouldst thou sweep And jagged ridge above, that seems as sand, 447. VOCAL MUSIC. In vocal music, there What is Worth? The spirit of the age says,-" Worth-means wealth; and wisnom-the art of getting it." To be rich is considered, by most persons-a merit; to be poor, an offence. By this false standard, it is not so important to be wise and good, as to be rich in worldly wealth; thus it is, every thing, as well as every person, has its price, and may be bought or sold; and thus-do we coin our hearts into gold, and exchange our souls-for earthly gain. Hence, it is said, "a man is worth so much;"-i. e. worth just I as much as his property or money, amount to, and no more. Thus, wealth, worth, or gain, is not applied to science, to knowledge, virtue, or happiness; but to pecuniary acquisition; as if nothing but gold were gain, and everything else were dross Thus the body-is Dives, clothed in purple and fine linen, and faring sumptuously every day; while the mind—is Lazarus, lying in rags at the gate, and fed with the crumbs, that fall from the tables of Time and Sense. Varieties. 1. Instead of dividing man 's a union of music and language—the lan- kind into the wise and foolish, the good and uage of affection and thought; which in- wicked, would it not be better to divide them cludes the whole man. Poetry and music into more or less wise and foolish, more or are sister arts; their relationship being one less good or wicked? 2. It was a proof of of heaven-like intimacy. The essence of low origin, among the ancient Romans, to poetry consists in fine perceptions, and vivid make mistakes in pronouncing words; for it expressions, of that subtle and mysterious indicated that one had not been instructed by analogy, that exists between the physical and a nursury maid: what is the inference? moral world; and it derives its power from That those maids were well educated; parthe correspondence of natural things with ticularly, in the pronunciation of the Latin spiritual. Its effect is to elevate the thoughts language, and were treated by families as and affections toward a higher state of ex-favorites. How many nursery maids of our istence. Anecdote. A powerful Stimulous. When Lord Erskine made his debut, at the bar, his agitation almost overcame him, and he was just about to sit down. "At that moment," said he, "I thought I felt my little children tugging at my gown, and the idea roused me to an exertion, of which I did not think myself capable." 'Tis not enough your counsel still be true; Blunt truths more mischief than nice falsehoods do. only makes superior sense-belov'd. day enjoy such a reputation, and exert such The seas-are quiet, when the winds are o'er; |