THE PASSIONS.

The principal Rhetorical Figures are the Metonymy, and the Prosopopeia.

a When Music, heavenly maid! was young, While yet in early Greece she sung,

C

The Passions oft, to hear her shell,

Throng'd around her magic cell,

Exulting! trembling! raging! fainting! Possess'd beyond the Muse's painting. By turns, they felt the glowing mind d Disturb'd, delighted, raised, refined! 'Till once, 'tis said, when all were fired,— Fill'd with fury ! rapt! inspired!

e

From the supporting myrtles round,

f

They snatch'd her instruments of sound;
And, as they oft had heard apart
Sweet lessons of her forceful art,
Each-for & Madness ruled the hour-
Would prove his own expressive power.

h

First, Fear, his hand, its skill to try,
Amid the chords bewilder'd laid;
And back recoil'd, he knew not why,

Even at the sound himself had made.

a When this fine piece is recited on the stage, it is accompanied with Music, and the Speaker comes on slowly, during the Symphony. He then assumes the usual attitude of delivery, gracefully extending one

hand.

b Both hands should be here raised, the eyes being at the same time elevated.

These Emotions must be represented while described.

d This Climax requires a considerable power of sustentation of voice, each word being pronounced slowly, with the rising Inflection.

e These words require a powerful Emphasis.

f The action must be suited to the word.

g With a wild and frenzied look.

h See Fear, P. 55.

1 The Speaker should here start back.

k

Next, Anger rush'd, his eyes on fire,

In lightnings own'd his secret stings:
In one rude clash he struck the lyre,

And swept, with hurried hands, the strings.
With woeful measures, wan" Despair-
Low sullen sounds!-his grief beguiled;
A solemn, strange, and mingled air;
"Twas sad, by fits-by starts, 'twas wild.
P But thou, O Hope! with eyes so fair,
What was thy delighted measure?
Still it whisper'd promised pleasure,
And bade the lovely scenes at distance hail !
Still would her touch the strain prolong;
And, from the rocks, the woods, the vale,

She call'd on Echo still through all her song.
And, where her sweetest theme she chose,

A soft responsive voice was heard at every close; And Hope, enchanted, smiled, and 9 waved her golden hair.

And longer had she sung-but with a frown,

Revenge impatient rose.

He threw his blood-stain'd sword in thunder down!

And, with a withering look,

S

The war-denouncing trumpet took,

And blew a blast, so loud and dread,
Were ne'er prophetic sounds so full of wo!
And, ever and anon, het beat

The doubling drum, with furious heat.

k See Anger, P. 55.

1 The Speaker should strike his breast.

m The action of striking the lyre must be imitated.

n The tone of voice must be most solemn and deep.

• This requires a start, with a corresponding look.

P Here is a transition to the sweetest and most cheerful utterance, with the most divine and animated expression of countenance.

This should be represented gracefully, with the left hand.

The Speaker should rush forward with clenched fists. See Revenge, Page 55.

Let the action be suited to the word. "Blast" requires a powerful Emphasis, with the falling Inflection; "loud and dread" also require a powerful Emphasis, with the rising Inflection.

The action should be imitated carefully

u

And though, sometimes, " each dreary pause between, Dejected Pity, at his side,

X

Her soul-subduing voice applied,

Yet still he kept his wild unalter'd mien;

> While each strain'd ball of sight-seem'd bursting from his head.

Thy numbers, Jealousy, to nought were fix'd;
Sad proof of thy distressful state!

Of differing themes the veering song was mix'd:

And, now, it courted a Love; now, raving, call'd on
Hate.

b With eyes upraised, as one inspired,
Pale Melancholy sat retired;

And, from her wild sequester'd seat,

In notes by distance made more sweet,

Pour'd through the mellow horn her pensive soul:
And, dashing soft, from rocks around,

Bubbling runnels join'd the sound.

Through glades and glooms the mingled measure stole ; Or o'er some haunted streams, with fond delayRound a holy calm diffusing,

Love of peace and lonely musing

d In hollow murmurs died away.

e But, oh, how alter'd was its sprightlier tone! When Cheerfulness, a nymph of healthiest hue, Her bow across her shoulder flung,

"This requires a protracted utterance.

* See Pity, P. 54. The voice should assume the softest tones, and the rate of utterance be particularly slow.

y Extreme Rage.

z See Page 56.

a This transition from Love to Hatred requires a corresponding tone and gesture" Love" should have the softest tone, with the eyes beaming with sweetness, and the hands either extended or clasped. Hatred requires a loud and high tone, with the most angry looks. See Hatred, Page 55.

See Melancholy, Page 55. The rate of utterance should be particularly slow, and the voice soft and deep.

The blowing of the horn should be represented.

d This line requires a particularly protructed utterance.

e See P. 54.-This passion forms a striking contrast with the last.

Her buskins gemm'd with morning dew,

Blew an inspiring air, that dale and thicket rung; The hunter's call, to Faun and Dryad known.

The oak-crown'd sisters, and their chaste-eyed queen,
Satyrs, and sylvan boys, were seen,

Peeping from forth their alleys green;

Brown Exercise rejoiced to hear;

And f Sport leapt up, and seized his beechen spear.

8 Last came Joy's ecstatic trial,

He, with viny crown advancing,

First to the lively pipe his hand address'd;

But soon he saw the brisk awakening viol,
Whose sweet entrancing voice he loved the best.
They would have thought who heard the strain,
They saw in Tempe's vale her native maids,
Amid the festal-sounding shades,

To some unwearied minstrel dancing;
h While, as his flying fingers kiss'd the strings,
Love framed with Mirth a gay fantastic round—
Loose were her tresses seen, her zone unbound;
And he, amid his frolic play,

As if he would the charming air repay,
Shook thousand odours from his dewy wings.
O Music! sphere-descended maid,
Friend of Pleasure, wisdom's aid,
Why, goodness, why to us denied
Lay'st thou thine ancient lyre aside?
As in that loved Athenian bower,
You learned an all-commanding power.
Thy mimic soul, O Nymph endeared!
Can well recall what then it heard
Where is thy native, simple heart,
Devote to virtue, fancy, art?
Arise, as in that elder time,
Warm, energetic, chaste, sublime!

f Let the action be imitated.

This requires the greatest animation; it is the extreme of Cheerfulness.-See Page 54.

h Let the action be represented.

The remainder of this piece requires but little more than good level speaking.

Thy wonders in that god-like age,
Fill thy recording sister's page.
'Tis said, (and I believe the tale !)
Thy humble reed could more prevail,
Had more of strength, diviner rage,
Than all which charms this laggard page.
E'en all at once together found
Cecilia's mingled world of sound.

O, bid our vain endeavour cease,
Revive the just designs of Greece;
Return in all thy simple state,
Confirm the tales her sons relate!

COLLINS.