22. Marcellus reproving the fickleness of the Roman Mob.

VEHEMENT EXPRESSION:

2

4

Contempt and Reproach, Eagerness and Admiration, Contempt and Reproach, Anger.

5

Wherefore rejoice? That Cæsar comes in triumph! What conquests brings he home?

What tributaries follow him to Rome

To grace,

in captive bonds, his chariot wheels? 'You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things,

O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome!
Knew you not Pompey? 2 Many a time and oft
Have you climbed up to walls and battlements,
To towers and windows, yea, to chimney tops,
Your infants in your arms, and there have sat
The livelong day in patient expectation
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome.
And when you saw his chariot but appear,
3 Have you not made a universal shout,
That Tiber trembled underneath his banks
To hear the replication of your sound,
Made in his concave shores?

* And do you now put on your best attire?
And do you now cull out a holiday?
And do you now strew flowers in his way
That comes in triumph over Pompey's blood?

5 Begone,

Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,
Pray to the Gods to intermit the plagues
That needs must light on this ingratitude.

SHAKSPEARE.

23. David's Lamentation over Saul and

2

3

Jonathan.

PLAINTIVE EXPRESSION:

Shame, Reproach; Vaunting, 'Plaintive, Vaunting, Plaintive.

The beauty of Israel is fallen upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 2 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in death they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me thy love to

5

4

3

6

me was wonderful, passing the love of women. How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

2 SAM. I.

24. An Elegy to Pity.

PLAINTIVE EXPRESSION :

2

The manner throughout should be affectionate, mingled with an expression of 'Delight; occasionally Solemn; sometimes Firm; relaxing into the predominant tone, and concluding with 'Solemnity.

Hail, lovely power, whose bosom heaves the sigh
When fancy paints the scene of deep distress;
Whose tears spontaneous crystallize the eye,
When rigid fate denies the power to bless.
Not all the sweets Arabia's gales convey
From flowery meads, can, with that sigh,

compare;

Not dew-drops glittering in the morning ray
Seem near so beauteous as that falling tear.
1 Devoid of fear, the fawns around thee play;
Emblem of peace, the dove before thee flies;
No blood-stained traces mark thy blameless way;
Beneath thy feet no hapless insect dies.
Come, lovely nymph, and range the mead with

me,

To spring the partridge from the guileful foe, From secret snares the struggling bird to free, And stop the hand upraised to give the blow.

2 And when the air with heat meridian glows, And nature droops beneath the conquering gleam,

Let us, slow wandering where the current flows,

Save sinking flies that float along the stream. 3 Or turn to nobler, greater tasks thy care;

To me thy sympathetic gifts impart, Teach me in friendship's griefs to bear a share,

And justly boast the generous feeling heart. Teach me to sooth the helpless orphan's grief, With timely aid the widow's woes assuage, To' misery's moving cries to yield relief,

And be the sure resource of drooping age. So when the genial spring of life shall fade, And sinking nature owns the dread decay, Some soul congenial then may lend its aid, And gild the close of life's eventful day.

ANON.

5

25. Advice to an Affected Speaker.

2

LIVELY AND COLLOQUIAL EXPRESSION:

6

7

1 Doubt, Hesitation, Polite Entreaty, Hesitation and Apology, Quick Recollection, Plain Narrative Manner, Surprise and Expostulation, Contempt, Surprise, 10 Frankness, "Warning with Archness, 19 Frankness.

1 What do

8

?

9

you say do not understand you. plain yourself again.

6

not-oh! now I know: you mean to tell me it is a cold day: 'why did not you say at once "it is cold to-day." If you wish to inform me, it rains or snows, pray say "it rains," "it snows:" or if you think I look well, and you choose to compliment me, say, "I think you look well." "But," you answer, 866 that is so common, and so plain, and what every body can say." "Well, and what if they can? Is it so great a misfortune to be understood when one speaks, and to speak like the rest of the world? 10 I will tell you what, my friend; you and your fine spoken brethren want one thing --"you do not suspect it, and I shall astonish you-13 you want common sense. Nay, this is not all you have something too much; you possess an opinion that you have more sense than others. That is the source of all your pompous nothings, your cloudy sentences, and your big words without a meaning. Before you accost a person, or enter a room, let me pull you by your sleeve and whisper in your ear, "Do not try to shew off your sense: have none at allthat is your part. Use plain language, if you can; just such as you find others use, who, in your idea, have no understanding; and then, perhaps, you will get credit for having some."

12

LA BRUYERE.