PART III.

REASONING AND EXPRESSION

By the time the pupil or student shall have reached this part of the work, it is assumed that he will have acquired the habits of correct enunciation, graceful deportment, facility of discrimination, and tenacity of memory; and before any further advancement be attempted, it will be prudent in him to consider whether he have attained these several requisites. Patience and perseverance are necessary in every valuable acquisition, nor can the art of public speaking be obtained without them. The student, therefore, had better devote a little more time to the previous parts, if he still perceive a deficiency, than impetuously proceed without sufficient preparation.

The reason is now to be employed on its own resources. In the last preceding part of the work, the student had narratives, descriptions, and arguments, which had been already prepared, and the substance of which he had to discriminate, retain, and deliver. If those exercises were performed before several other persons, it may reasonably be hoped, that he has dismissed childish diffidence, and has now acquired that share of modest confidence which will enable him respectfully to look persons in the face, and state his sentiments upon any subject he understands.

It should be premised, that in all the following exercises, great attention should be paid to the articulation, emphasis, tones, pauses, &c.; but that in the earlier ones, and until the student shall arrive at the complete discussion of a subject, no particular gesture need be used. He will stand firmly, steadily, and gracefully, according to the directions given in Part the First; but he need not as yet employ his hands in action.

Rule 1.—In all the succeeding exercises avoid the affectation of inflated or unusual expressions: use such words only as are natural and familiar.

Rule 2. Do not hesitate or stammer, but

speak openly and plainly what first occurs. Do not go back to correct words: if this habit be once indulged, it will never be subdued: attention and practice will gradually produce correct, as well as graceful language.

Elegance of diction, and harmony in arrangement, are by no means to be disregarded; but they must not be attempted, until fluency of familiar language shall have been attained. These ulterior accomplishments will be insensibly acquired hereafter, from a careful perusal of works of taste, the example of living orators of eminence, and the efficacy of continued practice. Moreover, it is necessary to employ the reason, before we attend to the niceties of style. A man with easy elocution, good sense, and plain language, will seldom be heard without patience and pleasure: a man with graceful enunciation and elaborate phraseology, but without sound reason, will please few and convince none.

Rule 3. When a subject is proposed for discussion, observe whether it be a simple subject; as, honour, friendship, flattery, &c. : or a general proposition; as, delays are dangerous, riches have wings, no man is rich who has not more than he wants or a question, admitting as an answer, only a simple affirmation or negative; as, is he guilty or not guilty of murder? is eloquence beneficial? is the proposed measure likely to be advantageous?

Rule 4.

-If the subject proposed be, what has been termed a simple subject, begin by a clear and correct definition of it.

For this purpose, observe carefully the following directions for the student must not proceed until he can readily define any simple subject which may be proposed to him. But it may assist him to be told that the definition is to be just such an explanation, as he would put after the word if he were writing a dictionary.

Rule 5.-Let the definition be clear and plain.

Rule 6.-Let the definition be short, having no superfluity of words.

Rule 7.-Let the definition be peculiar to the thing defined, and agree to that alone.

Rule 8. Let the definition be an explanation of the thing to be defined, and not consist of synonymous names.

Adversity,

Improvement,

thought before action.

false praise.

the restraint of passion.

the principle of rendering to every one his right.

an inordinate opinion of self-superiority.

retributive suffering.

the violation of established princi-
ples of conduct.

the assumption of false manners.
a feeling of disgust and anger.
the continued account of public

events.

a consciousness of severe privation.

advancement toward perfection.

Rule 9. As the object of all reasoning is to prove the truth of some opinion (or, as it is called, judgment); observe what your own opinion is, not only that it is good or bad, desirable or dangerous, but that it is so in some particular

Rule 10. If the discussion be intended for practical utility, an inference or practical application may be raised from the judgment. will always have allusion to future time.

The following are examples.

SUBJECT.

This ·

PRACTICAL APPLICATION.

History,

Adversity,

Improvement,

should be studied.

should be endured with resignation.
should be accelerated.

Rule 11.- Ascertain and state the two chief reasons upon which the judgment is founded. These will be the propositions, or leading arguments, by which the judgment is to be proved.

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For this purpose the student should ask himself, "How does thought before action' conduce to safety?" that is, how does the subject, so defined, produce the judgment stated? The two most com

prehensive answers to this inquiry, will be the pro