he chose the best model to be had of the qualities which fit men for happiness, and for heaven.

The student may gather from the remarks and illustrations, thus far, that the principles of elocution, as well as eloquence, are founded in nature and truth: that he must have an honest conviction of the truth and importance of what he utters; or a vivid imagination must so supply the place, as to make him feel, for the time, the full force of their reality and if he would be self-possessed, and free, he must train himself so well in gesture, and every thing else connected with a graceful elocution, as to be free from all embarrassing restraint; as in the case of the Indian, the honest carman, and the little child.

LESSON XXIV.

ACTION-V.

I HAVE alluded to the best examples found in conversation and public speaking, as the best guide for gestures, and other things pertaining to elocution: but, in all that speaks to the eye, I have ventured upon no illustrations; and it may be vain to attempt them here: but it seems to me that something can be done to render the subject plainer, and more practical; or, at least, to lead the student to mark more accurately, and with more profit, the rich field of improvement almost constantly

before his eyes. I will now offer him some familiar examples.

A gentleman calls to see me; and, after the first greetings, I say, "Please take a seat." "Please take a seat." While saying this, I bend my eyes from him to a chair; and nearly at the same time, gently bending my head and body, I extend my hand towards it. Now mark the order of movement: first the eyes, then the head, body and hand. All these movements are called forth as natural accompaniments to that simple expression; and I make them unconsciously from habit; and were they in any other order, they would appear unnatural, and constrained.

I pass a friend in Broadway: as our eyes meet, we greet each other with a smile, slightly incline our heads, -perhaps raise our hats, and pass on. I pass a female friend and I do the same as before; but incline my head yet lower, and raise my hat entirely, and pass on.

My friend and I are walking into the country: I behold a tree in full bloom, which my companion did not happen to observe; and I exclaim, "See that beautiful tree!" And as I say it, my eyes glance from him to the object, followed by my hand, with the fore-finger pointing towards it.

Soon, as we are moving on, he breaks out on a sudden, "See! that eagle soaring away above the height of the mountain!" His eyes are directed from me to the eagle, and instantly his hand is stretched forth and waved towards him.

We reach the summit of the mountain; and, as we look far off and around, we inwardly exclaim, "What a

boundless prospect !" and if we do so outwardly, we unconsciously at the same time extend both hands, as if to take it in.

My eye falls upon a beautiful stream winding its way, in the distance, along the valley: I point it out to my companion; and, in doing so, my hand naturally moves along with a curvilinear motion.

As I now look down upon the rich scene spread out far and wide, and up to the heavens, and think of the almighty Architect; were I to exclaim in the ardor of a devout spirit,

"These are thy glorious works, parent of good,
Almighty! thine this universal frame,

Thus wondrous fair, thyself how wondrous then!
Unspeakable! who sit'st above these heavens,
To us invisible, or dimly seen

In these thy lower works-"

it would be very natural for me to extend both hands over the landscape; and while uttering the words, gently to raise them with the palms upturned to the heavens.

Patrick Henry, while uttering the memorable words "Give me liberty! or give me death !"—is said to have raised himself to his utmost height, with both hands extended towards heaven, in the act of supplication, on the word liberty; and with the most thrilling effect: and it is likely they were suffered to fall, as if lifeless, in perfect resignation, on the word death, with an effect not less thrilling.

Pitt, while uttering this passage in Parliament, "You cannot, my lords, you can not conquer America,-it is

in vain for you to attempt it,"-must have brought down his arm with tremendous force on the word not the second time repeated; nor with much less, on vain.

Cicero, in his invective against Catiline, "How long, O Catiline, will you abuse our patience ?"-most likely raised his right hand, and shook it in a threatening attitude against the conspirator; and fastened his eyes upon him with stern indignation; and he continued to use his right arm, with proper variations, through the succeeding questions, till he came to the exclamations, "O the public morals! O the degeneracy of the times!" when he raised both hands with the palms towards the senators, in uttering the first member, and brought them down with energy by his sides, with them clenched, in nttering the second.

In speaking these lines from the "Sailor Boy,"

"He springs from his hammock, he flies to the deck; Amazement confronts him with images dire!"

it would be natural for the speaker, in uttering the first member, to fling himself forth with hands outstretched towards the right, or the left; and in a different direction, while uttering the second and to stop suddenly, with his feet braced, his head and body brought back, both hands raised, in the attitude of keeping off something horrid, the open palms towards it, with fingers apart, terror depicted in his countenance, and his voice. hurried, tremulous and explosive, while uttering the last line.

The word strike, in speaking the following lines from Halleck's Bozzaris, requires a strong emphasis; and the

right arm brought down with force; and at every repetition of the word, the emphasis a little increased; and the arm raised, together with the eyes, in uttering the word God,

"Strike | till the last armed foe expires;

Strike for your àltars and your fìres;
Strike for the gréen gràves of your sires,
God and your native land."

It may be well to remark again, that the eyes naturally precede every gesture; and are constantly employed. In the above lines, they flash with the same earnestness upon the audience, as if the words were really addressed to soldiers in furious conflict upon the battle-field.

LESSON XXV.

ACTION-VI.

THE preceding examples exhibit but few of the numerous and ever varying accompaniments of oral language.

As we look to colloquial habits, we discover a natural tendency to imitate by gesture whatever movement we describe by words: and that the more excited we become, the more forcible and the more frequent become our gestures. We find likewise in the tones of our voice, a tendency to sympathise with the different sounds we describe, and even with characters and qualities: