OF

ELOQUENCE.

A..

ORIGINAL ARTICLES,

ORATORICAL AND POETICAL,

INTENDED

As Exercises in Recitation, at the Institution,
Bedford Place, Russell Square.

BY JOHN THELWALL, ESQ.

PROFESSOR OF THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF ELOCUTION.

LONDON:

PRINTED, FOR THE AUTHOR,

BY J. M'CREERY, BLACK HORSE COURT,

AND SOLD BY MESSRS. ARCH, CORNHILL; RIDGEWAY, PICCADILLY;

KENT, HOLBORN, &c.

and with Trident of Altern.

MARVARE COLLEGE

AUG 7.1918

LIBRARY

Welsh find

29-146

39

THE CONTENTS

OF THIS VOLUME ARE AS FOLLOWS.

1. The Plan and Terms of the Institution.

2. An Introductory Discourse on the Nature and

Objects of Elocutionary Science

3. The Trident of Albion; an Epic Effusion on

the Death of Lord Nelson

25

4. An Oration on Martial Enthusiasm; with the

Eulogies of Epaminondas and Alfred. 39

5. Odes for Recitation-

To the energies of Britain, in behalf of the Spa-

For the Anniversary of the Humane Society. 78

TO EDWARD RUSHTON, on his restoration to

Sight, after a blindness of thirty years

The SONG of ALI, the Lion of God.

To Peace (written in 1801)

To Benevolence

"From Mate and Nestlings far away"

To the English Long Bow

To Despair

81

85

89

94

97

98

102

8. The first Gray Hair; a Moral Rhapsody 150

The earlier articles, having been printed for some
years, are already in the hands of many persons, and
may, therefore, be had separately.

The price of this book will shew that it does not aim at
extensive circulation. The fact is, that only a very small
edition has been printed of the additional articles, merely
for the use of the institution; and it is only pub-
bished, because it is the wish of the professor that every
thing relating to the exercises of his pupils should be open
to public inspection. For satisfaction on more important
points, the reader is referred to the Letter, just published,
by the same author, "To HENRY CLINE, Esq. on
imperfect developements of the Faculties, mental and
moral, as well as constitutional and organic;" and to
the miscellaneous articles assembled in the Appendix to
that Letter.

PLAN AND OBJECTS, &c.

THE imperfect state of Elocution, in this country,—so iuconsistent with the state of knowledge and refinement, in every other respect,—and the deficiency of grace, harmony and facility, even in the tones and enunciation of our professed Instructors, our Advocates and public speakers, are 'phenomena that cannot have escaped the animadversion of critical observers; and that have even brought a stigma upon our language itself, for which there is no other foundation; while the frequent occurrence of every species of degrading and troublesome impediment, has been noticed by foreigners, as one of the unfortunate peculiarities of the English nation. These considerations have induced Mr. Thelwall to devote several years of his life, to a Theoretical and Practical Analysis of the Phenomena of Spoken Language; to a minute examination of the organization, on which those Phenomena depend; and an accurate investigation of the Physiological, Rational, and Musical Principles, by which the powers, both of Conversational and Oratorical Delivery, may, most effectually, be regulated and improved.

Of the point of view in which these researches have led him ` to consider the subject, the principles that form the basis of his general system of Instruction, and the progressive developement and practical operation of those principles, some sketches will be found in his "Vestibule of Eloquence"