MEANS OF IMPROVING IN ELOQUENCE,

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YHETHER Nature or Art contribute moft to form an Orator, is a trifling inquiry. In all attainments whatever, Nature must be the prime agent. She muft beftow the original talents. She muft fow the feeds; but culture is requifite for bringing these feeds to perfection. Nature must always have done fomewhat; but a great deal will always be left to be done by Art.

What ftands higheft in the order of means, is perfonal character and difpofition. In order to be a truly eloquent or perfuafive Speaker, nothing is more neceflary than to be a virtuous

man.

For, confider firft, whether any thing contribute more to persuasion, than the opinion which we entertain of the probity, disinterestedness, candour, and other good moral qualities of the person who endeavours to perfuade? Thefe give weight and force to every thing which he utters; nay, they add a beauty to it; they difpofe us to liften with attention and pleasure; and create a fecret partiality in favour of that fide which he efpoufes. Whereas, if we entertain a fufpicion of

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craft and difingenuity, of a corrupt, or a base mind, in the Speaker, his Eloquence lofes all its real effect. It may entertain and amufe; but it is viewed as artifice, as trick, as the play only of Speech; and, viewed in this light, whom can it perfuade? We even read a book with more pleasure, when we think favourably of its Author; but when we have the living Speaker before our eyes, addreffing us perfonally on fome fubject of importance, the opinion we entertain of his character must have a much more powerful effect.

Next to moral qualifications, what, in the fecond place, is moft neceffary to an Orator, is at fund of knowledge. We must never forget that good fenfe and knowledge are the foundation of all good fpeaking. There is no art that can teach one to be eloquent, in any sphere, without a fufficient acquaintance with what belongs to that sphere; or if there were an art that made fuch pretenfions, it would be mere quackery, like the pretenfions of the Sophifts of old, to teach their disciples to speak for and against every subject; and would be deservedly exploded by all wife men. Attention to Style, to Compofition, and all the Arts of Speech, can only affift an Orator in fetting off, to advantage, the stock of materials which he poffeffes; but the stock, the

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materials themselves, must be brought from other quarters than from Rhetoric. He who is to plead at the Bar, muft make himself thoroughly mafter of the knowledge of the Law; of all the learning and experience that can be useful in his profeffion, for supporting a cause, or convincing. a Judge. He who is to speak from the Pulpit, must apply himself closely to the study of divinity, of practical religion, of morals, of human nature; that he may be rich in all the topics, both of inftruction and of perfuafion. He who would fit himself for being a Member of the Supreme Council of the Nation, or of any Public Affembly, must be thoroughly acquainted with the business that belongs to fuch Affembly; he muft ftudy the forms of Court, the course of procedure; and must attend minutely to all the facts that may be the fubject of question or deliberation.

Befides the knowledge that properly belongs to his profeffion, a Public Speaker, if ever he expects to be eminent, must make himself acquainted, as far as his neceffary occupations allow, with the general circle of polite literature. The ftudy of Poetry may be useful to him, on many occafions, for embellishing his Style, for fuggesting lively images, or agreeable allufions. The study of History may be ftill more useful to

him; as the knowledge of facts, of eminent characters, and of the courfe of human affairs, finds place on many occafions. There are few great occafions of Public Speaking, in which one may not derive affiftance from cultivated tafte, and extensive knowledge. They will often yield him materials for proper ornament; fometimes, for argument and real use. A deficiency of knowledge, even in fubjects that belong not directly to his own profeffion, will expofe him to many disadvantages, and give better qualified rivals a great fuperiority over him.

Allow me to recommend, in the third place, a habit of application and industry. Without this, it is impoffible to excel in any thing. We muft not imagine, that it is by a fort of mushroom growth, that one can rife to be a distinguished Pleader, or Preacher, or Speaker in any affembly. It is not by ftarts of application, or by a few years preparation of study afterwards difcontinued, that eminence can be attained. No; it can be attained only by means of regular induftry, grown up into a habit, and ready to be exerted on every occafion that calls for industry. This is the fixed law of our nature; and he must have a very high opinion of his own genius indeed, that can believe himself an exception to it.

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In the fourth place, Attention to the best mo dels will contribute greatly towards improvement. Every one who speaks or writes fhould, indeed, endeavour to have fomewhat that is his own, that is peculiar to himself, and that characterises his Compofition and Style. Slavifh Imitation depreffes Genius, or rather betrays the want of it. But withal, there is no Genius fo original, but may be profited and affifted by the aid of proper examples, in Style, Compofition, and Delivery. They always open fome new ideas; they ferve to enlarge and correct our own. They quicken the current of thought, and excite emulation.

In the fifth place, Befides attention to the beft models, frequent exercise both in composing and speaking, will be admitted to be a neceffary mean of improvement. That fort of Compofition is, doubtless, moft ufeful, which relates to the profeffion, or kind of Public Speaking, to which perfons addict themselves. This they fhould keep ever in their eye, and be gradually inuring themselves to it. But let me alfo advise them, not to allow themfelves in negligent Compofition of any kind. He who has it for his aim to write, or to speak correctly, fhould, in the most trivial kind of Compofition, in writing a letter, nay, even in common difcourfe, ftudy to acquit himself with propriety. There is, in every thing,

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