Which he did thrice REFUSE

-Was THIS AMBITION?

Yet BRUTUS says

-he was AMBITIOUS

And sure HE is an honourable man

I speak not to disprove what BRUTUS spoke-
But here I am to speak what I do KNOW-

You ALL did love him ONCE- -not without cause
What cause withholds you then to MOURN for him?-
O JUDGMENT-thou art fled to brutish BEASTS
And MEN have lost their reason!- -Bear with me-
My heart is in the coffin THERE- -with CESAR-

And I must pause- -till it come back to me

At this point of pause, artfully introduced, the mob exhibits signs of being swayed by the speaker,—they are beginning to veer round again.

1st Cit. Methinks, there is much reason in his sayings.

2nd Cit. If thou consider rightly of the matter, Cæsar had great WRONG

3rd Cit.

I fear there will a worse come in his place. 4th Cit. Marked ye his words

crown

Has he masters,—

- he would not take the

Therefore 'tis certain he was not AMBITIOUS

1st Cit. If it be found so, SOME will dear abide it.

2nd Cit. Poor soul- -his eyes are red as fire with WEEPING. 3rd Cit. There's not a nobler man in Rome than ANTONY. 4th Cit. Now mark him, he begins again to speak.

The orator perceives the impression he has made, and now addresses himself to their great love for his friend and the memory of Cæsar's former greatness. His tones express profound emotion.

But YESTERDAY- -the WORD of Cæsar might

Have stood against the world--NOW-he lies THERE -
And none so poor to do him reverence·

O masters!- -if I were disposed to stir

Your hearts-and minds- -to mutiny and rage-
I should do BRUTUS wrong—and Cassius wrong-
Who-you all know-are honourable men

I will NOT do them wrong

-I rather choose

To wrong the dead- -to wrong myself—and You

Than I will wrong SUCH honourable men—

But here's a parchment—with the seal of CÆSAR-
I found it in his closet't is his WILL-

Let but the commons hear THIS testament

Which-pardon me- -I do not mean to read-
And they would go—- -and kiss DEAD Cæsar's wounds-
And dip their napkins in his sacred BLOOD-
Yea-beg a hair of him- -for MEMORY
And-dying-mention it within their wills-
Bequeathing it -as a rich legacy—

Unto their issue.

4th Cit. We'll hear the wILL.Cits. The WILL-the WILL

-Read it, Mark Antony.

-we will hear Cæsar's WILL.

Ant. Have patience-gentle friends

it

It is not meet you know how Cæsar loved you-
You are not WOOD-

And being MEN

-I MUST not read

-but men

-you are not STONES-hearing the will of CÆSARIt will inflame you— -it will make you MAD'T is good you know not that YOU are his HEIRSFor-if you SHOULD-O what would come of it!

4th Cit. Read the will-we'll hear it, AntonyYou shall read us the will-CESAR's will.

Ant. Will you be patient?- -Will you stay awhile ?-I have o'ershot myself to tell you of it

I fear I wrong the HONOURABLE men

Whose DAGGERS have stabbed Cæsar-I DO fear it.

4th Cit. They were traitors

Cits. The WILL -the TESTAMENT.

-HONOURABLE men

2nd Cit. They were VILLAINS- -MURDERERS

read the WILL.

Ant. You will COMPEL me then to read the will?-
Then make a ring about the corpse of CÆSAR
And let me show you him that made the WILL—————
Shall I descend-
-and will you give me leave?

Cit. Come down!

2nd Cit. Descend!

The will

3rd Cit. You shall have leave. 4th Cit. A ring-stand round. Antony. If you have TEARSYou-ALL-do know this mantle

-prepare to shed them now-
-I remember

The first time ever Cæsar put it on

'Twas on a summer evening- -in his tent

That day he overcame the Nervii

LOOK!- -in this place ran Cassius' DAGGER through—
See- -what a rent the envious CASCA made-

Through THIS

-the well-beloved BRUTUS stabbed

And as he plucked his CURSED steel away-
Mark- -how the BLOOD of Cæsar followed it
As rushing out of doors to be assured

If BRUTUS So unkindly knocked

-or no

For BRUTUS- -as you know- -was Cæsar's ANGEL-
Judge! O you GODS-how DEARLY Cæsar loved him-
This was the most unkindest cut of ALL-

For when the noble Cæsar saw HIM stab-
Ingratitude- -more strong than traitor's arms-
Quite vanquished him- -then burst his MIGHTY heart
And in his mantle muffling up his face-

Even at the base of Pompey's statue

That all the while ran BLOOD

-great-CESAR

Owhat a FALL was there- -my countrymen—
Then I--and you and all of us fell down-
Whilst bloody TREASON flourished over us-
Oh-now you weep and I perceive you feel
The dint of PITY-

KIND Souls

-FELL

-these are gracious drops-
—what—weep you when you but behold

Our Cæsar's vesture wounded?- -Look you HERE

1st Cit. Oh piteous spectacle!

2nd Cit. Oh noble Cæsar!

4th Cit. Oh traitors-VILLAINS!

about--seek-burn-fire-kill-slay--let not a traitor

1st Cit. Peace there

-hear the noble Antony

-let me not stir you up

2nd Cit. We'll hear him-we'll follow him—we'll die with him.

Ant. GOOD friends- -SWEET friends

To such a sudden flood of MUTINY

They that have done this deed are honourable

What PRIVATE griefs they have-alas !-I know not-
That made them do it-they are wise and honourable-
And will no doubt-with reasons answer you-

I come not

—friends—to steal away your hearts-
-as BRUTUS is-

I am no orator—

But- -as you know me all-a plain-blunt man-
That love my friend- -and that they know full well-
That gave me public leave to speak of him-
For I have neither wit-nor words-
-nor worth-
Action- -nor utterance- -nor the power of speech
To stir men's blood- -I only speak right on——
I tell you that which you yourselves do KNOW—————
Show you sweet Caesar's WOUNDS
-poor - poor --

MOUTHS

And bid THEM speak for me- -But were I Brutus

And Brutus ANTONY

-there were an Antony

Would ruffle up your spirits-
In every wound of CÆSAR-

-and put a tongue

-that should make

The STONES of ROME to rise--and MUTINY.

dumb

LETTER XLVI.

SOCIAL ORATORY.

I COME now to that which, until you have tried it, appears the easiest of all forms of oratory, but which is in truth the most difficult of all, and to which I propose to give the significant name of Social Oratory, meaning by that the speech-makings that are addressed to small parties assembled not for business, but for festive or other social purposes, so large a proportion of which is demanded at one kind of gathering, said to be so peculiarly English, that the title of "Dinner-table Oratory" might have been given to it with almost equal propriety.

Doubtless you will exclaim, "A speech after dinner— a toast proposed-thanks returned-surely anybody who can say anything can do that!" You need not try it to be satisfied that it is very much more difficult than you have thought it to be. Sit at any table where toasts are given and responded to, and seeing what a mess four out of five of the speakers make of it, you will begin to suspect that it is not quite so easy an accomplishment. Vacuity of thought and confusion of