and should be careful not to confine his action to one side only of his audience. His action should enforce the emphasis of his language, yet, at the same time, preserve a degree of dignity suited to the solemnity of his subject, and the sacredness of his station and character: any thing, therefore, which looks like mimickry, affectation, or violence, must be not only unappropriate, but highly disgusting. "The character of the discourses delivered from our pulpits in general, is such,” says a judicious modern critic," that gesture is rather properly to be omitted. They are no more than quiet dissertations. Sermons admitting rhetorical delivery must be composed in rhetorical spirit. A portico, supported upon Corinthian columns, would be a very incongruous entrance into a simple neat cottage."

The attention of the barrister is confined to two parties, generally one on each side of him-the judges and the jury. The sphere of his address thus limited, his gesture should be accommodated thereto; and being of an argumentative nature, and admitting of less ornament of language than that of the divine in an animated and rhetorical sermon, should of course be less enforced by the emphasis of action. That which is used should be chaste, moderate, and graceful.

"The local position of a public speaker at the bar," says the above quoted author, "is most unfavourable to the general practice of gesture, crowded as he is, and embarrassed by benches and desks, and placed below the judges, and sometimes below the jury whom he is principally to address. The local situation of the preacher is not much better: he is inclosed nearly as high as his breast, and bolstered up with cushions in a narrow pulpit, or species of tub, from which he generally reads his discourse with his face almost close to his book, while little more than his head and shoulders can be seen. Such a place of confinement is certainly not favourable for the graces or energies of oratory."

The statesman, in the senate or legislative assembly, has a wider field for the display of gesture, than either of the preceding characters-his person being exposed to public observation, and therefore requiring more attention to attitude and ease of carriage-his appeals to the feelings and the imagination being also more frequent, his action must consequently be more forcible, extended, and various.

But, for a full exemplification of the wonderous potency of action to give energy to sentiment and animation to description, we must turn our attention to the stage. Tis there the impulse of the mind is at liberty to express its sentiments and emotions without restraint. There, description by action, mimickry, and variety of attitude, is to be indulged without limitation, and consequently the most minute and exten

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sive study of the art of gesticulation is necessary. That gesture is indeed capable of being used altogether as the signs of ideas, without the aid of language, and therefore of being substituted for it, the excellence of the art of ancient and modern pantomimes forcibly evinces. A correct and general actor, therefore, must have a perfect command of his voice, his countenance and his person; and this command must originate in an active and delicate sensibility. The art of feeling, which is best learned from nature and from habit, is the true, the only art which leads to just theatric expression, as well as to that in every other species of oratory. This is well expressed by an ingenious modern poet:

The player's profession

Lies not in trick, or attitude, or start:
Nature's true knowledge is the only art.
The strong felt passion bolts into his face:
The mind untouch'd, what is it but grimace?
To this one standard make your just appeal,
Here lies the golden secret-learn to feel.
Or fool or monarch, happy or distress'd,
No actor pleases that is not possess'd.

The true expression of countenance is well described by the same author:

A single look more marks th' internal wo,
Than all the windings of the lengthen'd Oh;
Up to the face the quick sensation flies,

And darts its meaning from the speaking eyes;
Love, transport, madness, anger, scorn, despair,
And all the passions, all the soul is there. Lloyd.

In fine, the power of sentiment and energy of language can never be justly communicated without the aid of correct action; and that can be acquired only by "learning to feel," and by the perusal of the best writers upon elocution, and the exemplification of their precepts by an experienced and judicious instructor.

I shall conclude this lecture with an extract from Caussinus's learned and eloquent treatise De Eloquentia acra et prophana, published at Lyons in 1620, and deservedly held L. he best critics in high estimation.

"It is principally by the practice of speaking that graceful action is usually acquired, the force of which is very great and most efficacious in the power of persuasion. For action is a kind of eloquence of the body, by which the mind abounding in the finest sentiments flows out upon the body, and impresses upon it a noble image of itself. As light, therefore, proceeds from the sun, so does just action proceed from the inmost recesses of the mind. Nay, the mind displays itself VOL. III.

N n

by action as if in a mirror, and makes itself known externally, by the countenance, by the eyes, by the hands, and by the voice, the most excellent organ of eloquence. And since the internal feelings are not easily disclosed to the conception of the multitude who are accustomed to estimate every thing by the eyes: and since, on the contrary, whatever is seen and heard, when transmitted through the senses affects the feelings most powerfully, it has always been observed that those speakers, who excelled in action, never failed to make a successful impression upon their audience. And, therefore, it was not without reason that Demosthenes recognized it as the first, if not the single excellence in oratory."

FOR THE PORT FOLIO.

THELWALL'S LECTURES.

MR. OLDSCHOOL,

I SEND to you what I deem a literary curiosity. It has afforded me much amusement, and I doubt not that it will greatly contribute to that of your readers. I am at a loss which to admire most, the novelty of the plan of instruction, the ingenuity displayed in the minute division of the various cases of defective utterance, with the relative accommodation of thefees, or the extravagant value which the professor sets upon his labours. No one after a moment's reflection, can suppose that they are at all proportioned; but Thelwall knows mankind too well, at least the genius of his own countrymen, to set a small price upon his lessons; for the certain consequence would be a total disregard of him and his lectures. In London, importance and value are always attached to expense and show. The gouty citizen, although roaring out from pain, refused to admit the doctor to his chamber, notwithstanding his promised speedy cure, because he came on foot; and the infallible cures for consumption are readily sold at one and two guineas the pot or vial. When we consider how much greater service Lancaster, Pestalozzi, or his pupil, our Neff, would render in the way of literary instruction, we must be struck with the monstrous extravagance of Thelwall's charges. But enough. Here it is.

PUBLIC LECTURES AND PRIVATE INSTRUCTION. Institution for the improvement of English elocution, the cure of impediments of speech, and the instruction of foreigners in the idiom and

pronunciation of the English language, No. 40, Bedford Place, Russel square, Bloomsbury, on Monday evening the 7th of December, 1807, and the Monday evenings following, at eight o'clock, Mr. Thelwall will deliver a miscellaneous course of lectures, on the genius, composition, and utterance of the English language, and its capabilities for poetical harmony and oratorical expression; including strictures on the stage, the bar, the pulpit, and the senate, and on the elocution of the most distinguished characters of the age; an exposition of the causes of impediments, defects and ungraceful modes of speech; and illustrations of the studies, habits, exercises and endowments most essential to the graceful reader, the finished actor, and the accomplished orator. The lectures will be further illustrated by readings and recitations from the most classical and celebrated authors, particularly Milton, Shakspeare, and Dryden; Sterne, Johnson, Goldsmith, Thomson, &c. and with critical dissertations and orations on popular and interesting topics. Transferrable ticket, for the season, 21. 2s. Single admission 5s. Nine tickets, 11. 1s. Selections of the articles to be read and recited, on the respective evenings, may be had at the door.

The lecture room is fitted up with every accommodation for a select and fashionable audience; and is adorned with the following appropriate and emblematical decorations:

In the recess of the platform are figures of the Muses, &c. in imitation of bronze relief, surrounded with festoons and classical devices; and in the front are two Egyptian tripods, surmounted with groups of graces supporting branches of lights. On the pedestals of the tripods, and the basement of the platform, are emblematical devices of Eloquence crowning Virtue with the wreath of Fame, Venus sending Cupid to be instructed by the Sciences, and Oratory deciding the fate of empires, executed by Mr. Phelps. Over the chimney piece and in the adjoining compartments, are the portrait of lord Erskine, busts of Lord Chatham, E. Burke, Lord Mansfield, Mr. Pitt, and Mr. Fox; the two last by Gahagan; and a small whole length of Mr. Fox, by the same. Facing the platform are the busts of Seneca, Plato, Cicero, Demosthenes, Isocrates and Xenophon; facing the chimney-piece, those of Pythagoras, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, and Aristotle; over the door Homer, Virgil, and Milton; and over the platform, Garrick, Mrs. Siddons, and master Betty (the last by Gahagan.) Some of the busts, &c. will be occasionally changed, as the subjects of the respective lectures may require. TERMS OF PRIVATE INSTRUCTION

To boarders, day classes, and private pupils, in the various branches of reading, recitation, conversational propriety, and public speak

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ing; the elements of criticism and literary composition; and the requisite accomplishments for the senate, pulpit, bar, stage, &c. 1.-Private lessons to ladies or gentlemen, at the house of the professor, and in cases where there is no impediment: first course of six lessons, 3 guineas. Each succeeding course of six lessons, 2 guineas; or 24 lessons 6 guineas. Single lesson, 1 guinea. Each succeeding lesson, not taken in regular series, half a guinea. Book of selections and exercises, half a guinea.

2-Private lessons to ladies or gentlemen, having no impediment, at their own respective residences: First lesson, 2 guineas. Each succeeding course of three lessons, 2 guineas: or 24 lessons 12 guineas, single lessons, not taken in regular series, 2 guineas. 3.-Private lessons to foreigners, in the idiom and pronunciation of the English language, at the house of the professor; First course of six lessons, 5 guineas. Each succeeding course of six lessons, 3 guineas; or 24 lessons 10 guineas. Single lessons, not taken in regular series, 1 guinea. 4.-Private lessons to foreigners at their own respective residences; First lesson, 2 guineas. Each succeeding course of four lessons, 3 guineas; or 24 lessons 15 guineas. Single lessons not taken in regular series, 2 guineas.

5.-Cases of impediment, whether arising from deficiencies and malconformation of the organs, constitutional debility, or habitual ¡mitation, &c. at the house of the professor. Consultation fee, when advice only, and no lessons are required, 5 guineas. First course of ten lessons, 10 guineas. Each succeeding course of six lessons, 4 guineas; or 24 lessons 13 guineas. Single lessons, not taken in regular series, 1 guinea. 6.-Private lessons to ladies or gentlemen with impediments, at their own residences; First course of six lessons, 10 guineas. Each succeeding course of six lessons, 5 guineas. Consultation fee, where no lessons are taken, 5 guineas.

Classes. Where two or more pupils reside in the same house, or can make it convenient to attend in classes, a correspondent abatement will be made in the terms, proportioned to the number so attending; as, also, in cases where the pupil chooses to engage by the quarter, or for any longer term.

The fees for every course of instruction, to be paid on receiving the first lesson.

House Pupils.-Students of oratory, persons with impediments, &c. may be accommodated with board and instruction, on the following terms:

7.--Pupils contracting by the year, 200 guineas; the first quarter to be paid at the time of entrance, and all further instalments, &c.