occafion to write a whole paper on the subject of valour, and explain how that quality, which must be poffeffed by whole armies, is fo highly preferable in one man rather than another; and how the fame actions are but mere acts of duty in fome, and instances of the most heroic virtue in others. He advises me not to fail, in this discourse, to mention the gallantry of the Prince of Nassau in his laft engagement; who, when a battalion, made a halt in the face of the enemy, fnatched the colours out of the hands of the Enfign, and planted them juft before the line of the enemy, calling to that battalion to take care of their colours, if they had no regard: to him. Mr. Kidney has my promise to obey him in this particular, on the firft occafion that offers. "Mr. Bickerstaff is now compiling exact accounts of the pay of the Militia, and the commiffion-officers un"der the respective lieutenancies of Great-Britain; in "the first place, of thofe of London and Westminster; and "in regard that there are no common foldiers, but all. houfe-keepers, or reprefentatives of houfe-keepers in. "these bodies, the fums raised by the officers fhall be "looked into; and their fellow-foldiers, or rather fel"low-travellers from one part of the town to the other, "not defrauded of the ten pounds allowed for the sub"fiftence of the troops. "Whereas not very long fince, at a tavern between Fleet-Bridge and Charing Cross, fome certain polite"Gentlemen thought fit to perform the Bacchanalian "exercises of devotion by dancing without clothes on, ❝ after the manner of the Pre-Adamites: This is to cer"tify thofe perfons, that there is no manner of wit or "humour in the faid practice; and that the beadles of "the parish are to be at their next meeting, where it is to be examined, whether they are arrived at want of feeling, as well as want of fhame? "Whereas a chapel-clerk was lately taken in a gar ret on a flock bed with two of the fair Sex, who are "ufually employed in fifting cinders: This is to let "him know, that if he perfifts in being a fcandal both "to laity and clergy, as being as it were both and neither, the names of the nymphs who were with him 66 fhall * fhall be printed; therefore he is defired, as he tenders "the reputation of his ladies, to repent. "Mr. Bickerftaff has received information, that an "eminent and noble preacher in the chief congregation of Great-Britain, for fear of being thought guilty of Prefbyterian fervency and extemporary prayer, lately read his, before fermon; but the fame advices ac"knowledging that he made the congregation large "amends by the fhortnefs of his difcourfe, it is thought "fit to make no further obfervation upon it." N° 70. Tuesday, September 20, 1.709. Quicquid agunt homines noftri farrago libelli. T Whatever good is done, whatever ill- From my own Apartment, September 19 HE following Letter, in profecution of what E have lately afferted, has urged that matter fo much better than I had, that I infert it as I received it. These teftimonials are cuftomary with us learned men, and. fometimes are fufpected to be written by the Author but I fear no one will suspect me of this. SIR, London, Sept. 15, 1709. AVING. read your Lucubrations of the tenth inftant, I cannot but entirely agree with you in. your notion of the fcarcity of men who can either "read or speak. For my part, I have lived thefe thirty years in the world, and yet have obferved but very "few who could do either in any tolerable manner; among which few, you must understand that I reckon 66. 66. myself.. "myself. How far eloquence, fet off with the proper ornaments of voice and gefture, will prevail over the paffions, and how cold and unaffecting the beft ora"tion in the world would be without them, there are two remarkable inftances in the cafe of Ligarius, and "that of Milo. Cafar had condemned Ligarius. He "came indeed to hear what might be faid; but thinking himself his own master, refolved not to be biassed "by any thing Cicero could fay in his behalf: But in "this he was mistaken; for when the Orator began to "fpeak, the Hero is moved, he is vanquished, and at length the criminal abfolved. It must be obferved, "that this famous Orator was lefs renowned for his cou→ rage than his eloquence; for though he came, at ano"ther time, prepared to defend Milo with one of the 46 beft orations that antiquity has produced; yet being "feized with a fudden fear by feeing fome armed men "furrounding the Forum, he faltered in his fpeech, and "became unable to exert that irrefiftible force and ་་ beauty of action which would have faved his client, "and for want of which he was condemned to banish66 ment. As the fuccefs the former of these orations "met with, appears chiefly owing to the life and grace"ful manner with which it was recited, (for fome there are who think it may be read without tranfport) fo "the latter feems to have failed of fuccefs for no other "reason, but because the Orator was not in a condition "to fet it off with thofe ornaments. It must be con"feffed, that artful found will with the croud prevail BR even more than fenfe; but those who are masters of "both, will ever gain the admiration of all their hearers : "And there is, I think, a very natural account to be given of this matter; for the fenfation of the head and "heart are caused in each of these parts by the outward organs of the eye and ear: That therefore which is conveyed to the understanding and paffions by only one of thefe organs, will not affect us fo much as that "which is tranfmitted through both. I cannot but "think your charge is juft against a great part of the "learned Clergy of Great Britain, who deliver the most "excellent difcourfes with such coldness and indiffer"ence, that it is no great wonder the unintelligent ་་ 46 66 "Many 66 "Many of their congregations fall asleep. Thus it "happens that their orations meet with a quite contrary fate to that of Demofthenes you mentioned; for as that "loft much of its beauty and force, by being repeated "to the magistrates of Rhodes without the winning ac*tion of that great Orator; fo the performances of these "Gentlemen never appear with fo little grace, and to "fo much difadvantage, as when delivered by them"felves from the pulpit. Hippocrates, being fent for to it a patient in this city, and having felt his pulfe, enquired into the fymptoms of his diftemper; and find"ing that it proceeded in great measure for want of fleep, advises his patient with an air of gravity to be "carried to church to hear a fermon, not doubting but that it would difpofe him for the rest he wanted. If "fome of the rules Horace gives for the theatre were, "not improperly, applied to our pulpits, we fhould "not hear a fermon preferibed as a good opiate. -Si vis me flere, dolendum eft Primum ipfe tibi HOR. Ars Poet. ver. 102. If you would have me weep, begin the ftrain. FRANCIS. "A man muft himself exprefs fome concern and af "fection in delivering his difcourfe, if he expects his auditory fhould intereft themselves in what he propofes. For otherwife, notwithstanding the dignity and importance of the subject he treats of; notwith"ftanding the weight and argument of the difcourfe itfelf; yet too many will fay, ▪Malè fi mandata loquêris, Aut dormitabo, aut ridebo HOR. Ars Poet. ver. 104 But if, unmov'd, you act not what you fay, "If there be a deficiency in the Speaker, there will not be a fufficient attention and regard paid to the thing thing spoken: But, Mr. Bickerftaff, you know, that ་་ as too little action is cold, so too much is fulsom. "Some indeed may think themselves accomplished 66 166 Speakers, for no other reafon than because they can "be loud and noify; for furely Stentor must have fome defign in his vociferations. But, dear Mr. Bickerstaff, convince them, that as harsh and irregular found is "not harmony; fo neither is banging a cushion, oratory: "And therefore, in my humble opinion, a certain Di"vine of the firft order, whom I allow otherwife to be a great man, would do well to leave this off; for I "think his fermons would be more perfuafive, if he 66 gave his auditory lefs difturbance. Though I cannot fay, that this action would be wholly improper to a prophane oration; yet, I think, in a religious affembly, it gives a man too warlike, or perhaps too the"atrical a figure, to be fuitable to a Chriftian congre"gation. I am, 46 Sir, Your humble fervant, &c. The moft learned and ingenious Mr. Rofehet is alfo pleased to write to me on this subject. SIR, I Read with great pleasure in the Tatler of Saturday laft the converfation upon Eloquence: Permit me "to hint to you one thing the great Roman Orator ob"ferves upon this fubject: Caput enim arbitrabatur Ora toris, (he quotes Menedemus an Athenian,) ut ipfis apud quos ageret talis qualem ipfe optaret videretur; id fieri "vita dignitate. Tull. de Orat. It is the first rule in oratory, that a man muft appear fuch as he would perfuade others to be; and that can be accomplished only by the force of his life. I believe it might be "of great fervice to let our public Orators know, that "an unnatural gravity, or an unbecoming levity in their "behaviour out of the pulpit, will take very much from "the force of their eloquence in it. Excufe another fcrap 6.6. |