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ings have been held in many cities and towns at the North,-in Boston, Cambridge, Worcester, Salem, Newburyport, Lowell, &c., in Massachusetts; Manchester, Concord, New Market, &c., in New Hampshire; Portland, Bangor, &c., in Maine; Burlington, Montpelier, &c., in Vermont; Hartford, New Haven, &c., in Connecticut; New York City, Brooklyn, Troy, Albany, Utica, Syracuse, Auburn, Rochester, Buffalo, Poughkeepsie, &c., in New York; Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, &c., in Ohio; Chicago, in Illinois, and many other places.

Such an assault as that committed upon Mr. Sumner, instead of suppressing the spirit of liberty, will only tend to infuse and circulate it more extensively. Brute violence cannot confine or destroy that glorious principle which glows in the hearts of freemen. Among the noblest sentiments that ever came from the lips of the eloquent Kossuth, were those which he uttered in thrilling tones, when standing on Bunker Hill, and speaking of the gushing fountain of liberty. He said: "ITS WATERS WILL FLOW; EVERY NEW DROP OF MARTYR BLOOD WILL INCREASE THE TIDE. DESPOTS MAY DAM ITS FLOOD, BUT NEVER STOP IT. THE HIGHER ITS

DAM, THE HIGHER THE TIDE; IT WILL OVERFLOW, OR BREAK THROUGH."

CHAPTER XII.

Gratori sharacter of Mr. Sumner-his person-his delivery-his voice- intellect--his learning-his imagination, &c.-his love of freedom--his style of composition-compared to Fisher Ames -concluding remarks.

WE proceed to delineate the oratorical.character of Mr. Sumner-to mention some of the grand and prominent qualities of his sweet, persuasive eloquence. Possessing most of those high characteristics which are requisite in the formation of a natural orator, he is one of the most graceful and accomplished of our public speakers.

In the first place, he is favored with a noble, commanding person, every way well-proportioned, with a dignified countenance and attractive eyes, indicative of intelligence and sensibility. When excited in debate, his eye brightens and becomes almost radiant with what is passing within.* What force does the beaming, piercing eye of an accomplished orator add to his eloquent effusions! Chatham and Erskine are illustrious examples of

As the countenance is the image of the mind, so are the eyes the informers as to what is going on within it.-CICERO.

this. It is said that much of the force anu splen. dor of their eloquence arose from the fire of their eye, and the animation of their countenance. By a single glance of scorn or contempt, Chatham was often able to overwhelm his opponents with terror, and throw them into confusion, in the midst of their own speeches; and of the piercing keenness and power of Erskine's eye, Brougham remarks: "Juries have declared that they felt it impossible to remove their looks from him, when he had riveted, and, as it were, fascinated them by his first glance."

The first and most important requisite to genuine eloquence, is a good delivery: the "action-action-action" of Demosthenes. It is to such a delivery that Mr. Sumner owes, in an eminent degree, his success as an orator. In public address his manner is captivating; his gestures are graceful, animated, and often velement, and every motion is made with suitable dignity, and only when necessary to produce an effect. The principal attractions of his oratory, as is the case with that of all accomplished public speakers, centre in delivery; and, with reference to his manner, we may say:

"There's a charm in delivery, a magical art,

That thrills, like a kiss, from the lip to the heart;
'Tis the glance-the expression-the well-chosen word-
By whose magic the depths of the spirit are stirred-

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The smile the mute gesture-the soul-stirring pause-
The eye's sweet expression, that melts while it awes-
The lip's soft persuasion-its musical tone:

Oh! such are the charms of that eloquent one!"

Another distinguishing quality which adds grace to Mr. Sumner's oratory, is a singularly sweet*~ and melodious voice, whose tones are perfectly suited to descriptive, pathetic, indignant, and impassioned declamation. An orator must possess a voice which is easily accommodated to every variety of use, or else he will fail to produce the most powerful impressions upon an audience. There is something very seductive and thrilling in the full, rich, base voice of Mr. Sumner, and his melodious tones have repeatedly enchained large and brilliant assemblies. A hearer might well say, as he listens to the charming accents of his musical voice:

"Thy sweet words drop upon the ear as soft
As rose leaves on a well: and I could listen,

As though the immortal melody of Heaven

Were wrought into one word-that word a whisper,
That whisper all I want from all I love."

Without regard to the words which he utters, it is pleasing to listen to a speaker whose voice possesses a great variety of note, softness of sound, and melody of tone. There is a magic in this, which sways our feelings and thrills our very souls.

* The voice requires to be sweet as well as strong, in an accomplished orator.-Quintilian.

Lord Erskine's voice was one of surpassing s veetness, richness, and melody; and so was that of those other renowned orators and statesmen, Patrick Henry, Chatham, Sheridan, Ames, and Clay. Much of the splendor and fascination of their eloquence came from their tones of music, which stirred the spirit of their auditors like the notes of some heavenly instrument visited ever and anon by "an angel touch." A clear, strong, musical voice, capable of expressing all human feelings and passions, is among the most desirable qualities in the formation of a consummate orator. "A good voice," says Cicero, "is a thing to be desired; it is not naturally implanted in us, but practice and use give it to us. Therefore, the consummate orator will vary and change his voice; and sometimes straining it, sometimes lowering it, he will go through every degree of tone."

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We regard the voice of Mr. Sumner as one of the most charming attributes of his eloquence: its variations are truly captivating, and its base tones thrill through one's whole frame like the blast of a bugle.

His words have such a melting flow,
And speak of truth so sweetly well,
They drop like heaven's serenest snow,
And all is brightness where they fall.

Mr. Sumner possesses a mind of the highest order, capable of embracing the widest range of

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