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 CÆSAR-
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.

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-o
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.- -Read it, Mark Antony.
Cits. The WILL- the WILL -We will hear Cæsar's WILL.
Ant. Have patience-gentle friends- I MUST not read

it-
It is not meet you know how Cæsar loved you
You are not WOOD -you are not STONES—but men
And being MEN- -hearing the will of CÆSAR-
It will inflame you-

-it will make you MAD-
'T is good you know not that you are his HEIRS-
For—if you SHOULD—0 what would come of it !-

4th Cit. Read the will—we'll hear it, AntonyYou shall read us the will- -CÆSAR'S will.

or no

3rd Cit. You shall have leave. 4th Cit. A ring- -stand round.

Antony. If you have TEARS- -prepare to shed them now-
You-ALL-do know this mantle- 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-
For BRUTUS as you know was Cæsar's ANGEL-
Judge ! O you GOD8—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-CÆSAR- FELL-
0 -what 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 these are gracious drops--
KIND souls -what- --weep you when you but behold
Our Cæsar's vesture wounded ?- -Look you HERE-
HERE is HIMSELF marred

as you see with TRAITORS 2nd Cit. We will be revenged1st Cit. Oh piteous spectacle ! 2nd Cit. Oh noble Cæsar! 4th Cit. Oh traitors—VILLAINS !

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

live. Ant. Stay-COUNTRYMEN.

REVENGE

P

1st Cit. Peace there- -hear the noble Antony2nd Cit. We'll hear him-we'll follow him- -we'll die with

him.
Ant. Good friends- -SWEET friends- let me not stir you up
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
I am no orator—as BRUTUS is-
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 Cæsar's WOUNDS -poor

poor -

- dumb

MOUTHS

And bid THEM speak for me- -But were I Brutus
And Brutus ANTONY- -there were an Antony
Would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue
In every wound of CÆSAR- that should make
The STONES of ROME to rise--and MUTINY.

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 dinnera 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