GENERAL Instruction for Speaking Oration on Eloquence Exhortation on Temperance in Pleasure The oppressive Landlord, a Dialogue Speech in the British Parliament, 1770 Christ triumphant over the apostate Angels Slaves in Barbary, a Drama in two Acts Dialogue on Cowardice and Knavery Speech in the British Parliament Extract from an Oration against Catiline Description of the first American Congress Speech of a French General to his army Reflections over the Grave of a Young Man Scene from the Drama of "Moses in the Bulrushes" Speech in the British Parliament, 1784 Dialogue between a Schoolmaster and School-Committee 158 Speech in the British Parliament, 1770 On the Works of Creation and Providence Speech in the British Parliament Speech in the British Parliament, 1775 Speech of the Caledonian General Speech in the British Parliament, 1777 Speech in Congress, on the British Treaty Oration on Independence, July 4, 1796 General Description of America, a Poem Dialogue between a Master and Slave Speech in the Irish Parliament Scene from the Tragedy of Tamerlane Speech in the British Parliament Speech in the British Parliament, 1777 Scene from the Tragedy of Cato Oration delivered at Boston, July 4, 1794 Dialogue between a White Man and an Indian THE COLUMBIAN ORATOR, &c. INTRODUCTION. GENERAL DIRECTIONS FOR SPEAKING; EXTRACTED FROM VARIOUS AUTHORS. OF PRONUNCIATION IN GENERAL. THE HE best judges among the ancients have represented Pronunciation, which they likewise called Action, as the principal part of an orator's province; from whence he is chiefly to expect success in the art of persuasion. When Cicero, in the person of Crassus, bas largely and elegantly discoursed upon all the other parts of oratory, coming at last to speak of this, he says, All the former have their effect as they are pronounced. It is the action alone which governs in speaking; without which the best orator is of no value; and is often defeated by one, in other respects, much his inferior." And he lets us know, that Demosthenes was of the same opinion; who, when he was asked what was the principal thing in oratory, replied, Action; and being asked again a second and a third time, what was next considerable, he still made the same answer. And, And, indeed, if he had not judged this highly necessary for an orator, he would scarcely have taken so much pains in correcting those natural defects, under which he laboured at first, in order to acquire it. For he had both a weak voice, and likewise an impediment in his speech, so that he could not pronounce distinctly some particular letters. The former of which defects he conquered, partly by speaking as loud as he could upon the shore, when the sea roared and was boisterous; and partly by pronouncing long periods as he walked up hill; both of which methods contributed to strengthen his voice. And he found means to render his pronunciation more clear and articulate, by the help of some little stones put under his tongue. Nor was he less careful in endeavouring to gain the habit of a becoming and decent gesture; for which purpose he used to pronounce his discourses alone before a large glass. And because he had an ill custom of drawing up his shoulders when he spoke, to amend that, he used to place them under a sword, which hung over him with the point downward. Such pains did this prince of the Grecian orators take to remove those difficulties, which would have been sufficient to discourage an inferiour, and less aspiring genius. And to how great a perfection he arrived in his action, under all these disadvantages, by his indefatigable diligence and application, is evident from the confession of his great adversary and rival in oratory, Eschines; who, when he could not bear the disgrace of being worsted by Demosthenes in the cause of Ctesiphon, retired to Rhodes. And being desired by the inhabitants, he recited to them his own oration upon that occasion; the next day they requested of him to let them hear that of Demosthenes; which, having pronounced in a most graceful manner, to the admiration of all who were present, "How much more (says he) would you have wondered, if you had heard him speak it himself!" We might add to these authorities the judgment of Quintilian; who says, that "It is not of so much mo ment |