XLVIII.

rough. For the one grates as difagreably LECT. upon the ear, as the other gives it pleasure and delight.

FROM the confideration of these several properties of the voice, we may conclude that to be the beft, and fittest for an orator, which is moderate, diftinct, firm, clear, and smooth, and withal eafily flexible to the feveral degrees and variations of found, which every part of the discourse may require.

THE other part of pronunciation, which is gesture, will be the fubject of my next difcourfe.

LECT.
XLIX.

* Voff.

AR

LECTURE XLIX.

Of Gesture.

S one part of a juft and graceful pronunciation confifts in the voice, I confidered the feveral properties of it, and how to render them moft ferviceable to an orator, in my laft difcourfe. And I fhall now procede to the other part of pronunciation, which relates to gefture; by which is meant, A fuitable conformity of the motions of the countenance, and several parts of the body in Speaking, to the subject matter of the difcourfe. The word gesture is here ufed in a larger fenfe, than is ordinarily done in common language. For we rarely make use of that word to denote the motions of the countenance, or any parts of it; but as these make a confiderable part of my present fubject, they must here be comprehended under this term. And I thought it neceffary to lay in this caution, to prevent being misunderstood.

Ir is not agreed among the learned, whether voice or gefture has the greater Inft. orat. influence upon us. But as the latter affects us by the eye, as the former does by

Lib. vi.

c. 10.

the

XLIX.

the ear; gefture in the nature of it feems LECT. to have this advantage, that it conveys the impreffion more speedily to the mind: for fight is the quickest of all our fenfes. Nor is its influence lefs upon our paffions: nay, in fome inftances it appears to act more powerfully. A caft of the eye fhall 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 breast, 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 extenfive than language. Cicero tells us, he often diverted himself, by trying this with Rofcius the comedian; who could express a sentence as many ways by his gestures, as he himfelf by words. And fome dramas have been carried on wholly by mutes, who have peformed every part by gestures only, without words, in a way very intelligent, as well as entertaining to the fpectators. Well therefore might Cicero call action (or gefture) the language of the body, fince1 De Orat. it is capable in fo lively a manner to convey both our ideas and paffions. But with refpect

Lib. iii.

c. 59.

XLIX.

LECT. refpect to oratory, gefture may very properly be called the second 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 rife 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 several parts of the body; it will not be amis to confider more particularly, the proper management of each of those parts. Now all gefture is either natural, or from imitation. By natural gefture I mean fuch actions and motions of the body, as naturally accompany our words, as these do the impreffions of our minds. And these either refpect the whole body, or fome particular part of it. But before I enter upon this, give me leave just to observe, that it

has

LECT.
XLIX.

I Gen.

has been customary in all ages and coun÷ tries, in making a fet difcourfe before an affembly, to do it ftanding. Thus we read, that, Abraham ftood up, and spake unto the children of Heth. And it seems as if xxiii. v.3. he fat down, when he had ended his fpeech; because, immediately after the ac count of their answer, it is faid again, that, Abraham ftood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, the children of Heth 22 V.7. In like manner Homer reprefents the Gre cian princes, as ftanding up, when they made a fpeech, either to the army, or in their councils. So when Achilles has affembled the army, to inquire into the reafon of the great plague, which at that time raged among them, he rises up before he begins to fpeak, and fits down again, when he has done. After him the prophet Calchas rifes, and charges it upon Agamemnon; who rifing up in a paffion, does not refuse to comply with what Calchas propofed, but expreffes his refentment at him for faying it 3. And upon another: occafion, 3 Iliad. a. both Agamemnon and Neftor do the fame in council, And Cicero acquaints us, 4 Iliad. C. that when Lentulus had been charged in v. 76. the fenate, as an affociate with Catiline, he stood up to made his defence 5. Nor iii. c. 5.

does

v. 58.

5 In Catil.