a large Stock of natural Beauty, to be able to bear this ornamental Drefs, which always looks ridiculous when beftow'd on petty Subjects: For there's no greater Contradiction to the Rules of Art, than to deck and garnish that which does not deferve its Attire: And 'tis no common Maftery in Eloquence rightly Quædam to apprehend, what ought, and what ought etiam neg. not, to be neglected. We greatly mistake, if ligentia eft diligens. we are fond of Nothing but what is gay and Cic.Orat, glittering; and fhall find, by Experience, that what fhines most in a Difcourfe, is commonly the greatest Cheat. And therefore all remote and foreign Metaphors, all nice Antitheses, and pompous Epithets, are not always the most confiftent with good Senfe. True Eloquence never dazles the Fancy, but infenfibly works it felf into the Soul. Ariftotle Topick 14 has told us, that the most common and obvious Reasons are generally the most capable of moving: And the most natural Language, fuch as flows from a bare Defire of being underftood, is certainly the trueft and the best. Difcourfes that require the greatest Brightness of Wit, fuch as Panegyricks, and Funeral Orations, for the most part, owe their Succefs purely to the Grace with which they are deliver'd. This kind of Eloquence is little more than Shew and Flourish, which proposes to divert the Fancy without influencing the Heart, and feeks rather to please, than perfuade. Indeed Panegyrick, which has not fo ftrong Paffions to excite, need not go farther than the Politeness of Language, the Compafs of Matter, and the Variety of Figures: Because its whole Aim is to affect the Mind with the Memory, the Efteem, the Veneration, and Admiration of the Perfon commended.

XXIII.

It requires lefs Genius in Eloquence, to invent Things, than to range and difpofe them: That agreeable Turn which must be given them 'ere they can be fet in their right Place, cofts much more, than the Trouble of conceiving them. For every rational Man is capable of Thinking rationally: But 'tis fomewhat very peculiar, to cloath a Thought with thofe Graces which alone can render it charming, and attractive of Love, and Admiration. And 'tis in this that Eloquence confifts: Not the Eloquence of Words, in which we are commonly too Skilful, but the Eloquence of Things, to which we are almoft utter Strangers, which can rarely be taught, and which ought not to be hop'd for, but from a Felicity of Nature. We may apprehend the great Worth and Importance of this Advantage, by confidering the wide Distance that we find be tween the fame Things variously exprefs'd. It is the Turn we give to what we fay, that composes all its Beauty and Life: And tho' this fine Air is commonly the Refult of a fine Genius, yet there are other Means by which it may be acquir'd, in defect of that; as by the frequent Exercife of Compofition under a good Master, or with a judicious Friend; and by a familiar Converfe with ancient Authors. 'Tis from thefe we are to learn the exact Juftnefs and Propriety that form the Mind into this taking Character, which afterwards it imprints on all that it conceives, if it does not labour under a natural Incapacity. 'Tis a great and admirable Secret in Eloquence, to know how to make Ufe even of our own De

fects,

fects, and to profit by our Imperfections: At which the Ambaffador in Tacitus was an excellent Master, who disguis'd his Talent of Ora tory under a pretended Timidity and Concern, and affected never to fpeak without trembling, because he always fpoke better than other Men: And 'twas by this Art, that he fav'd his Country, when condemn'd to Waft and Pillage by Vitellius. I have known a Perfon at Court, of the fame Character: Being confeious of his Superiority in Wit and Senfe, he chose to conceal a Part of it under an habitual Lifp in his Speech; that by not putting out all himself, he might the better keep the Level of thofe with whom he treated, and might avoid the Miftruft and Jealousy of overtopping them. Thus he entred, without oppofition, into the Hearts of his Hearers; and by the artful Addrefs of fhewing but littlet Abilities in what he faid, he perfuaded more effectually than thofe who were wont to fhew! the greatest.

XXIV.

There can be no true Eloquence, in the EloquenJudgment of Cicero, that does not gain Admi- tiam, quæ ration. And there's nothing, according to admiratiothe fame Great Man, that fo much contributes nem non babet, nulto the rendring of Eloquence admirable, as am judithe juft Pourtraits of the Manners, and regu- co. Ćic.in lar Movements of the Paffions. This cannot Brut. be duly practised without a perfect Acquain-. tance and Intimacy with the Heart of Man, which ought, therefore, to be the chief Study of an Orator, and his Mafter-piece of Knowledge. The Pictures he draws of the Manners can never be falfe or unrefembling, when he through

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throughly understands their Rule and Principle, which is the Heart; nor can he fail of fuccefsfully moving all the Springs of the Paffions, when he knows their common Seat and Original, which is likewife the Heart. The little Care that Men take to found this great Abyfs, may be given as a general Reason, Why there are fo few that fignalize themselves in Oratory. Thofe who profefs the Art of Speaking, would do well to reflect upon this. For, all Things confider'd, a Man is fo far only Eloquent, as he knows the fecret Folds and natural Turnings of the Heart, and can lay them open to publick View.

XXV.

The Character of a fine Speaker ought to be adorn'd with Gentility and Modefty. If Men once difpenfe with thofe Decencies that become a Perfon of Breeding, they are fo far from keeping their Reputation, as to expofe themselves to Contempt: Nor will any Man be heard with Patience, that does not speak with Civility. For the Publick, to which we apply our felves, demands our Refpect, and requires fome fort of Gravity in our Addreffes. And, therefore, all low and trivial Phrafes, all Proverbs that are grown too vulgar, all bafe and obfolete Terms, and whatfoever fa vours of too much Familiarity, or Buffoonry, fhould be left to the Comedians, and does by no means become a ferious and popular Dif courfe, in which good Manners, and true De corum ought to be the governing Qualities.

XXVI.

The evil Education of Youth, occafion'd by the Luxury, and Effeminacy, of the Age, (which are grown to a great Excefs) by the Indulgence of Parents, by the Inexperience of Mafters, and by the false Taste of the Generality of those with whom we converse: This evil Education, I fay, is one of the most infallible Caufes of the Scarcity of Orators, and the chief Barrier in the Way to Eloquence. Young Men are led by falfe Tracks, and wandring Paths, and by a vitious Method, which being corrupt in its very Principles, no wonder that its Event fhould be fo inaufpicious, and Confequences fo unfuccessful.

XXVII.

Not but that, after all, there are fome Sparks of Genius, that fhine among the Orators of the prefent Age, and give them a juft Claim to Reputation and Applause. But because an Eloquence which is purely Natural, can accomplish no great Defign, without the Succours of Art, being commonly destitute of thefe Succours, either by the Force of wrong Principles, or through want of Industry and Labour, it does not bring it felf into general Efteem, by thofe wonderful Effects which it muft produce upon the Hearts of Men, if in its full Height and Vigour.

These are the Reflexions that may be pafs'd on the Eloquence of our Times, confider'd in general, and on the chief Obstacles to its Succefs, when it has occasion to exert its Power: Let us now fee what we are to make

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