THE EPITOM E; PROSE EP Ó R, EXTRACTS, ELEGANT, INSTRUCTIVE AND ENTERTAINING, ABRIDGED FROM THE LARGER VOLUME: INTENDED TO ASSIST IN INTRODUCING SCHOLARS AT CLASSICAL AND OTHER SCHOOLS, TO AN ACQUAINTANCE WITH USEFUL AND ORNAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE. Omne tulit pun&tum, qui mifcuit utile dulci, Rev. Vicesimus Kinox LONDON: Printed for Meffrs. Rivingtons, Longman, Law, Dodfley, Whites, THE favourable reception of the large Volume of ELEGANT EXTRACTS in PROSE, has fufficiently expreffed the public opinion respecting the utility of fuch Compilations. It has, however, been fuggefted to the Proprietors, that the fize to which the Work was extended, rendered it inconvenient, to feveral defcriptions of purchasers; and that an abridgement of it, adapted to the pocket, was much wished for by many Conductors of School Education. The fame obfervation was applied to the ELEGANT EXTRACTS in POETRY. On this account the PROSE EPITOME, and the POETICAL EPITOME, have been published; that it may be in the option of Mafters, or Scholars, to provide themselves either with thefe fmaller Works, or with the LARGE OCTAVO Volumes, as fhall beft fuit their own convenience. 286806 APR 1 1800 iv INTRODUCTION. ON PRONUNCIATION, OR DELIVERY. FROM DR. BLAIR'S LECTURES. I. OW much stress was laid upon ProHow much refs we ya by the most end of all public fpeaking, Perfuafion; and therefore deferves the ftudy of the most grave and ferious treas the of whofe only aim is to please. Now eloquent of all orators, Demofthenes, appears For, let it be confidered, whenever we adfrom a noted faying of his, related both by Cicero and Quinctilian; when being asked, drefs ourselves to others by words, our intenWhat was the first point in oratory he an- tion certainly is to make fome impreffion on fwered Delivery; and being afked, What was thofe to whom we speak; it is to convey the fecond and afterwards, What was the to them our own ideas and emotions. third he ftill answered Delivery. There is the tone of our voice, our looks and gestures, no wonder, that he should have rated this fo interpret our ideas and emotions no less than high, and that for improving himself in it, he words do; nay, the impreffion they make on fhould have employed thofe affiduous and pain- others, is frequently much ftronger than any ful labours, which all the Ancients take fo that words can make. We often fee that an much notice of; for, beyond doubt, nothing expreffive look, or a paffionate cry, unaccom-. is of more importance. To fuperficial think-panied by words, conveys to others more ers, the management of the voice and gef- forcible ideas, and roufes within them stronger The fignification ture, in public speaking, may appear to relate paffions, than can be communicated by the to decoration only, and to be one of the in-moft eloquent difcourfe. ferior arts of catching an audience. But this is far from being the cafe. It is intimately connected with what is, or ought to be, the of our fentiments, made by tones and geftures, has this advantage above that made by words, that it is the language of na tore. obfervations as appear to me most useful to be made on this head. The great objects which every public speakwill naturally have in his eye in forming his Delivery, are, firft, to fpeak fo as to be fully and eafily understood by all who hear him; and next, to speak with grace and force, fo as to pleafe and to move his audience. Let us confider what is most important with refpect to each of these ". In order to be fully and eafily understood, the four chief requifites are, A due degree of loudnefs of voice; Diftin&tnefs; Slowness; and Propriety of Pronunciation. ture. It is that method of interpreting our mind, which nature has dictated to all, and which is understood by all; whereas, words are only arbitrary, conventional fym-er bols of our ideas; and, by confequence, muft make a more feeble impreffion. So true is this, that to render words fully fignificant, they muft, almoft in every cafe, receive fome aid from the manner of Pronunciation and Delivery; and he who, in fpeaking, should employ bare words, without enforcing them by proper tones and accents, would leave us with a faint and indiftinct impreffion, often with a doubtful and ambiguous conception of what he had delivered. Nay, fo clofe is the The first attention of every public speaker, connection between certain fentiments and doubtlefs, must be, to make himself be heard the proper manner of pronouncing them, that by all thofe to whom he speaks. He muft he who does not pronounce them after that endeavour to fill with his voice the space ocmanner, can never perfuade us, that he be-cupied by the affembly. This power of lieves, or feels, the fentiments themfelves. His delivery may be fuch, as to give the lie to all that he afferts. When Marcus Callidius accufed one of an attempt to poifon him, but enforced his accufation in a languid manner, and without any warmth or carneftness of delivery, Cicero, who pleaded for the accufed perfon, improved this into an argument of the falfity of the charge, "An tu, M. "Callidi nifi fingeres, fic ageres?" In Shakefpeare's Richard II. the Duchefs of York thus impeaches the fincerity of her husband: Pleads he in earneft?-Look upon his face, His eyes do drop no tears; his prayers are jest ; His words come from his mouth; ours, from our breaft: He prays but faintly, and would be denied ; But, I believe it is needlefs to fay any more, in order to fhew the high importance of a good Delivery. I proceed, therefore to fuch voice, it may be thought, is wholly a natural talent. It is fo in a good meafure; but, however, may receive confiderable affiftance from art. Much depends for this purpose on the proper pitch, and management of the voice. Every man has three pitches in his voice; the high, the middle, and the low one. The high, is that which he ufes in calling aloud to fome one at a diftance. The low is, when he approaches to a whisper. The middle is, that which he employs in common converfation, and which he thould generally use in public difcourfe. For it is a great mistake, to imagine that one must take the highest pitch of his voice, in order to be well heard by a great affembly. This is confounding two things which are different, loudness, or |