572. The emphatic strokes of the hand accompany emphasis; its elevated termination suits high passion; horizontal-decision; downward movement disapprobation. Avoid excess, violence and constancy of action; gentleness, tranquillity and dignity prevail more. What is the appropriate gesture in this? Light are the outward signs of evil thought; within, within-twas there the spirit wrought." Middle finger of the right hand points to the body-its fore-finger gently laid in the palm of the left, in deliberation, proof, or argumentation-sometimes it is pressed hard on the Salm. The left hand often acts with great significancy with the right; rarely used alone in the principal gestures, except when something on the left hand is spoken of, as contradistinguished from something on the r ght, and when two things are contrasted. Motion of the hands should correspond with those of the eyes. Rules say, "Do not raise the hands above the head;" but if natural passion prompts them-it will be well done; for passion knows more than art. Our thoughts are boundless, tho' our frames are frail, The Muse of inspiration-plays Of those few fools who with ill stars are curst, In man or woman, but far most in man, Who handles things divine; and all-besides, Varieties. 1. Children learn but little 575. Stability of position, facility of change. and general grace of action, depend on the right use of the feet: [see the engravings of them.] the motions of children are graceful because prompt ed by nature: see how the different passions alfect their countenances; what a pity they are not kept on in this way, without be ng led by their teachers into captivity to bad habits. Keep your mind collected and composed: guard against bushfulness, which will wear off by opposition. One generally has confidence in doing anything with whose manner he is famii ar. Assurance is t.ttained by-1, entirely master ng your subject, Think'st thou-there are no serpents in the world, Anecdote. Somewhere. One gentleman riding in a stage-coach, with another, observed to him," Sir, I think, 1 have seen you somewhere." "I presume you here, Sir,” replied the other; "for I have been there very often." Brute force--may crush the heart, but cannot kill; Must, will, ere long, retire from Truth's fast dawi Varieties. 1. Mind may act on mind, though holies be far divided. 2. A bold man, lot with another. 3. A wise man,-scorneth or a fool must be he, who would change his nothing, be it ever so small or homely. 4. Mind-is a perpetual motion; for it is a running stream, from an unfathomable source, the depth of the DIVINE INTELLIGENCE. 5. Nature is the chart or Gol, mapping out all his attributes: Arf-the shalone of his wisdom, and copieth his resources. 6. In a dream, thou mayest live a lifetime, and all be forgotten in the morning. 7. A letter timely writ, is a rire to the chain of affec tion. S. As frost to the bud, and light to the blossom, even such is self-interest to friendship. 9. Confidence cannot dwell where selfishness is porter at the gate. 10. Those hours are not lost, that are spent in cementing affection. 11. Character-is main 576. Look at the limbs of a willow tree, gently and variously waving before the breeze, cutting curved lines, which are lines of beauty; and cultivate a graceful, easy, flowing and forcible gesticulation. Adapt your action, as well as vocal powers, to the occasion and circumstances the action to the word, and the word to the action. A young speaker may be more various than an old Do not act words instead of ideas; i, e. not make gestures to correspond, when you speak of any thing small, low. up, large. &c. Let the voice, countenance, men, and gesture, conspire to drive home to the judgmer and heart, your impassioned appeals, cogent arguments, strong conclusions, and deep convictions. Let Nature, guided by scence, be your oracle, and the voice of unsoph stocated feebng your monitor. Fill your soul with the mighty purpose of becoming an orator. and turn aside from no labor, shrink from no effort, that are essential to the enterprise. Self-Still holds its native rectitude, and bends made men are the glory of the world. But to recoil more forceful. modeled, by the cast of the minds that surround it. 12. The company a man choos elh, is a visible index of his heart. Man-is a harp, whose chords elude the sight; Ten thousand thousand strings at once go loose, A drainless shower Of light-is porsy; 'tis the supreme of power; Great minds, like Heaven, are pleased in doing Cowards-are scar'd with threat'nings; boys are A brain of feathers, and a heart of lead. of the prevalence of the pride of science in the literary world. 3. The true christian has no confidence in mere feelings, or in that sort of gort, which, being without truth, its appointed gile and protector, is transient and inoperative. 578. SUGGESTIONS. The author is aware, from experience, that there are many things tending to discourage a new beginner in declamation; one is, a consciousness of his own awkwardness; which teaches us the importance of knowing how to do a thing, before attempting it in the presence of others. Let him select a short, and ordinary piece, first, and commit it perfectly to memory, and be sure that he understands every word of the author. Never appear in an improper dress; let your clothing be clean and neat, and pro-"that a man of the world could not be so old perly adjusted to the body; neither too loose, nor too fight. Never be influenced, one way or another, by what your companions may say, or do; be your own master, and feel determined to succeed; at the same time, you may be as modest and unassuming as you please, the more so the better: let your sub- | ject and object be to you ALL IN ALL. Applause- Waits on success: the fickle multitude, 579. Our Boox. In this abridged outline of the Principles of Elocution, the author has endeavored to appreciate the age and state of those, who will be likely to read, or study the work; for it is designed for both purposes; and if the reader, or student, shall experience a tithe of the pleasure in rightly using it, as the author has in writing it, his aspirations will be fully realized. The more these subjects are examined, and their principles applied to practice, the more will it be seen and fell, that no one can become a GOOD ELOCUTIONIST, unless he studies BODY and MIND, MATTER and SPIRIT; and makes the results his own, by actual appropriation; science and art, theory and pruchice, must go hand in hand, to develop and perfect us for EARTH or HEAVEN. If you did know-to whom I gave the ring, Miscellaneous. 1. A wise man-is willing to prt by the errors of others; because he does net, under the impulse of pride, condemn and despise them; but, while his judg. ment-disapproves, his heart-pities them. 2. It is the constant tendency of man, when in a perverted state of the will, and according to the state of such perversion, to make the reason, or understanding, everything, and to pay file or no attention to the state of the affections; and also to regulate his actions more by external, than internal considerations; this state and tendency is the cause Anecdote. A Wise Decision. Eliza Ambert, a young Parisian lady, resolutely discarded a gentiman, to whom she was to have been married, because he ridiculed religion. Having given him a gentle reproof, he replied, fashioned, as to regard God and religion” Eliza storted; but, on recovering herself, said, "From this moment, sir, when I discover that you do not regard religion, I cease to be yours. He, who does not love and honor God, can never love his wife, constantly and sincerely," Yes, love indeed is light from Heaven; A spark of that immortal fire To lift from earth our low desire Thou sun. (said I.) fair light! And thou enlightened earth, so fresh, and gay; N. B. The latter part of the work is much ab idged, and por tons of the original matter omitted, to make more room for the Readings and Recitations, and still keep the book, within what are deemed proper lin.its: this will rationally account for its in coherency, as well as brevity,-One more last word to the pupů FEEL RIGHT-THINK RIGHT, AND ACT RIGHT, AND YOU SHALL BECOME ALL, THAT YOU ARE CAPABLƏ oF, AND ALL THAT YOU CAN DESIRE, Notes. In these exercises, there is a continual recurrence of the preceding principles, and all designel for thinkers and workers. As there are no such things as TIME and SPACE be onging to the mind, the nearer we approach to their annihilation, the more readily can we memorize: for which reason small type are used; and also variety, for the purpose of assisting in the preservation of the sight, and maintaining our independence of spectacles: in consideration of which, it should be observed, that books must be read, by varying their distances from the eyes; sometimes quite near, at others farther off: also practice the sight in looking at surrounding objects, in their proper positions from Nearest to farthest. 580. IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. Among various excellent arguments-for the immortality of the soul, there is one drawn from the perpetual progress of the soul to its perfection, without a possibility of ever arriving at it. How can it enter into the thoughts of man, that the soul, which is capable of such immense perfections, and of receiving new improvements to all eternity, shall fall away into nothing, almost as soon as it is created! Are such abilities made for no purpose? A brute arrives at a point of perfection that he can never pass: in a few years, he has all the endowments he is capable of; and, were he to live ten thousand inore, would be the same thing he is at present. 581. FANCIED INFALLIBILITY. When man has looked about him, as far as he can, he concludes there is no more to be seen; when he is at the end of his line, he is at the bottom of the ocean; when he has shot his best, he is sure none ever did, nor ever can shoot better, or beyond it; his own reason is the certain measure of truth; his own knowledge, of what is possible in nature; though his mind and his thoughts, change every seven years, as well as his strength and his features: nay, though his opinions change every week or every day, yet he is sure, or at least confident, that his present thoughts and conclusions are just and true, and cannot be deceived. OUR TOILS AND THEIR REWARD. He, who ascends to mountain-tops, shall find Contending tempests, on his naked head, fled. 582. PARTS OF THE WHOLE. This sun, Man does not seem born to enjoy life, but with all its attendant planets, is but a very to deliver it down to others. This is not sur- little part of the grand machine of the uniprising to consider in animals, which are verse; every star, though no bigger in apformed for our use, and can finish their busi-pearance than the diamond, that glitters ness in a short life. The silk-worm, after hav-on a lady's ring, is really, a vast globe, like ing spun her task, lays her eggs, and dies. But a man-can never have taken in his full measure of knowledge, has not time to subdue his passions, establish his soul in virtue, and come up to the perfection of his nature, before he is hurried off the stage. Would an infinitely wise Being-make such glorious creatures for so mean a purpose? Can he delight in the production of such abortive intelligences, such short-lived reasonable beings? Would he give us talents, that are not to be exerted! capacities that are never to be gratified? How can we find that wisdom, which shines through all his works, in the formation of man, without looking on this world as only a nursery for the next, and believing, that the several generations of rational creatures, which rise up and disappear, in such quick successions, are only to receive their first rudiments of existence here, and afterwards, to be transplanted into a more friendly climate, where they may spread, and flourish-to all eternity!--Addison. VIRTUOUS FRIENDSHIP. Is aught so fair, That-I gave,--that--I have; the sun in size, and in glory; no less spacious, no less luminous, than the radiant source of the day: so that every star is not barely a world, but the centre of a magnificent system; has a retinue of worlds irradiated by its beams, and revolving round its at tractive influence,-all which are lost to our sight, in unmeasurable wilds of ether. SHE WALKS IN BEAUTY. She walks in beauty, like the night Of cloudless climes, and starry skies; A mind at peace, with all below, Of unsupported mind, whose steady will Will he be idle, who has much t' enjoy 585. BALANCE OF HAPPINESS EQUAL. An extensive contemplat on of Luman affairs, will lead us to the conclusion,-that among the different conditions, and ranks of men, the balance of happiness--is preserved, in a great measure, equal; and that the high and the low, the rich and the poor, approach, in point of real enjoyment, much nearer to each other, than is commonly imagined. In the lot of man, mutual compensations, both of pleasure, and of pain, universally take place. Providence never intended, that any state here, should be either completely happy, 583. CHANGING AND UNCHANGING. When we have looked on the pleasures of life, and they have vanished away; when we have looked on the works of nature, and perceived that they were changing; on the monuments of art, and seen that they would not stand; on our friends, and they have fed while we were gazing; on ourselves, and felt that we were as fleeting as they; when we have looked on every object to which we could turn our arious eyes, and they have all told us that they could give us no hope nor support, because they were so feeble themselves; we can look to the throne of God: change and decay have never reached that; the revolution of ages has never moved it; the waves of an eternity have been rush-or entirely miserable. If the feelings of pleas ing past it, but it has remained unshaken; the waves of another eternity are rushing toward it, but it is fixed, and can never be disturbed. INFANT SLEEPING IN A GARDEN. Sleep on, sweet babe! the flowers, that wake To make thy infant slumbers bless'd. As ever bowed the summer rose.-Dawes. 584. The estimate and valor of a man, consist in the heart, and in the will; there, his true honor lives; valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage, and the soul; it does not lie in the valor of our horse, nor of our arms, but in ourselves, He, that falls obstinate in his courage, Si succilerit de genu pugnat; if his legs fail him, fights upon his knees. A MOTHER'S LOVE. Hast thou sounded the depths-of yonder sea, ure are more numerous, and more lively, in the higher departments of life, such, also, are those of pain. If greatness flatters our vanity, it multiplies our dangers. If opulence in creases our gratifications, it increases, in the same proportion, our desires and demands. If the poor--are confined to a more narrow circle, yet, within that circle, le most of those natural satisfactions, which, after all the refinements of art, are found to be the most genuine and true. In a state, therefore, where there is neither so much to be coveted, on the one hand, nor to be dreaded, on the other, as at first appears, how submissive ought we to be--to the disposal of Provi dence! how temperate--in our desires, and pursuits! how much more attentive--to preserve our virtue, and to improve our minds, than to gain the doubtful, and equivocal advantages of worldly prosperity.-Blair. A RAINY DAY. It rains. What lady-loves a rainy day? Heaven's great view is one, and that-the whole. |