afterwards, run into a very irregular and confufed manof expreffing their words; either by misplacing the accent, confounding the found of the letters, or huddling the fyllables one upon another fo as to render what they fay often unintelligible. Indeed, fometimes this arifes from a natural defect, as in the case of Demofthenes; who found a method to rectify that, as well as the weakness of his voice. But in faults of this kind, which proceed from habit, doubtlefs the moft likely way to mend them is to speak deliberately.

OF GESTURE.

BY this is meant, a fuitable conformity of the motions of the countenance, and several parts of the body in fpeaking, to the fubject-matter of the difcourfe. It is not agreed among the learned, whether voice or gefture has the greater influence upon us. But as the latter affects us by the eye as the former does by the ear, gefture in the nature of it feems to have this advantage, that it conveys the impreffion more fpeedily to the mind; for the fight is the quickest of all our fenfes. Nor is its influence lefs upon our paffions; nay, in some instances, it appears to act more powerfully. A caft of the eye will exprefs defire in as moving a manner as the fofteft language; and a different motion of it, refentment.

To wring the hands, tear the hair, or ftrike the breaft, are all ftrong indications of forrow. And he, who claps his hand to his fword, throws us into a greater panic than one who only threatens to kill us. Nor is it in fome refpects lefs various and extensive language. Cicero tells us, he often diverted himself by trying this with Rofcius the comedian; who could exprefs a sentence as many ways by his geftures, as he himfelf could by words. And fome dramas, called pantomimes, have been carried on wholly by mutes, who

have performed every part by geftures only, without words, in a way very intelligible.

But with refpect to oratory, gefture may very properly be called the fecond part of pronunciation; in which, as the voice fhould be fuited to the impreffions it receives from the mind, fo the feveral motions of the body ought to be accommodated to the various tones and inflections of the voice. When the voice is even and moderate, little gefture is required: and nothing is more unnatural than violent motion, in difcourfing upon ordinary and familiar fubjects. The motions of the body should rise therefore in proportion to the vehemence and energy of the expreffion, as the natural and genuine effect of it.

But as gefture is very different and various as to the manner of it, which depends upon the decent conduct of feveral parts of the body, it will not be amifs to confider more particularly the proper management of each of thofe parts. Now all gefture is either natural, or from imitation. By natural gefture, we mean fuch actions and motions of the body, as naturally accompany our words, as thefe do the impreffions of our mind. And these either refpect the whole body, or fome particular part of it.

The fpeaker fhould not long continue standing in the fame pofition, like a ftatue, but be conftantly changing, though the motion be very moderate. There ought to be no appearance of stiffness, but a certain eafe and pliablenefs, naturally fuiting itself to every expreffion; by which means, when a greater degree of motion is neceffary, it will appear lefs fudden and vehement for as the raifing, finking, and various inflections of the voice muft be gradual, fo likewise fhould the motions of the body. It is only on fome particular occafions that a hafty vehemence and impetuofity is proper in either cafe.

As to the feveral parts of the body, the head is the moft confiderable. To lift it up too high has the air of arrogance and pride; to ftretch it out too far, or throw it

back, looks clownish and unmannerly; to hang it downwards on the breast, shows an unmanly bashfulness and want of fpirit and to fuffer it to lean on either fhoulder, argues both floth and indolence. Wherefore, in calm and fedate difcourfe, it ought to keep its natural ftate, an upright pofture. However, it fhould not be long without motion, nor yet always moving; but gently turn fometimes on one fide, and fometimes on the other, as occafion requires, that the voice may be heard by all who are prefent; and then return again to its natural pofition. It fhould always accompany the other actions of the body, and turn on the fame fide with them; except when averfion to any thing is expreffed; which is done by ftretching out the right hand, and turning the head to the left.

But it is the countenance that chiefly reprefents both the paffions and difpofitions of the mind. By this we exprefs love, hatred, joy, forrow, modefty, and confidence by this we fupplicate, threaten, foothe, invite, forbid, confent, or refufe; and all this without fpeaking. Nay, from hence we form a judgment not only of a perfon's prefent temper, but of his capacity and natural difpofition. And therefore it is common to fay, fuch a one has a "promifing countenance," or that "he promifes little by his countenance." It is true, this is no certain rule of judging; nor is it in the power of any one to alter the natural make of his countenance.

But the feveral parts of the face bear their part, and contribute to the proper and decent motion of the whole. In a calm and fedate difcourfe, all the features retain their natural ftate and situation. In forrow, the forehead and eyebrows lour, and the cheeks hang down. But in expreffions of joy and cheerfulness, the forehead and eyebrows are expanded, the cheeks contracted, and the corners of the mouth drawn upwards. Anger and refentment contract the forehead, draw the brows together, and thruft out the lips. And terror elevates both the brows and forehead. As thefe

are the natural figns of fuch paffions, the orator fhould endeavor to conform to them.

But as the eyes are most active and fignificant, it is the advice of Cicero that the greatest care fhould be taken in their management. And he gives this reafon for it. "Because other parts of the countenance have but few motions; whereas all the paffions of the foul are expreffed in the eyes, by fo many different actions; which cannot poffibly be reprefented by any geftures of thebody, if the eyes are kept in a fixed pofture." Common experience does in a great measure confirm the truth of this obfervation. We readily guess at a perfon's intention, or how he is affected to us by his eyes. And any fudden change or emotion of the mind is Prefently followed by an alteration in the look.

In fpeaking, therefore, upon pleafant and delightful fubjects, the eyes are brifk and cheerful: as, on the contrary, they fink and are languid in delivering any thing melancholy and forrowful. This is fo agreeable to nature, that before a perfon fpeaks, we are prepared with the expectation of one or the other from his different afpect. So likewife in anger, a certain vehemence and intenseness appears in the eyes, which, for want of proper words to exprefs it by, we endeavor to represent by metaphors taken from fire, the moft violent and rapid element; and fay in fuch cafes, the eyes fparkle, burn, or are inflamed. In expreffions of hatred or deteftation, it is natural to alter the looks, either by turning the eyes afide, or downwards.

Indeed, the eyes are fometimes turned downwards upon other occafions, as to exprefs modefty. And if at any time a particular object be addreffed, whatever it be, the eyes fhould be turned that way. And therefore Philoftratus very defervedly ridicules a certain rhetorician as guilty of a folecifm in gefture, who, upon faying, O Jupiter! turned his eyes downwards: and when he faid, O Earth! looked upward. A staring look has the appearance of giddinefs and want of thought and to contract the eyes gives fufpicion of

craft and defign. A fixed look may be occafioned from intenseness of thought; but at the fame time fhows a difregard to the audience; and a too quick and wandering motion of the eyes denotes levity and wantonnefs. A gentle and moderate motion of the eyes is, therefore, in common, moft fuitable; always directed to fome of the audience, and gradually turning. from fide to fide with an air of respect and modefty, and looking them decently in the face, as in common difcourse. Such a behavior will of course draw an attention.

As to the other parts of the body diftinct from the head, the shoulders ought not to be elevated; for this is not only in itself indecent; but it likewife contracts the neck, and hinders the proper motion of the head. Nor, on the other hand, fhould they be drawn down and depreffed; becaufe this occafions a fiffness both to the neck and the whole body. Their natural pofture therefore is beft, as being moft eafy and graceful. To fhrug the fhoulders has an abject and fervile air; and frequently to heave them upwards and downwards is a very difagreeable fight. A continued motion of the arms any way, is by all means to be avoided. Their actions fhould generally be very moderate, and follow' that of the hands; unlefs in very pathetic expreffions, where it may be proper to give them a more lively fpring.

Now all bodily motion is either upward or downward, to the right or left, forward or backward, or elfe circular. The hands are employed by the orator in all these except the laft. And as they ought to correfpond with our expreffions, fo they ought to begin and end with them. In admiration, and addreffes to heaven, they must be elevated, but never raised above the eyes; and in fpeaking of things below us, they are directed downwards. Side motion fhould generally begin from the left, and terminate gently on the right. In demonftrating, addreffing, and on feveral other occafions, they are moved forward; and in threatening,