The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-09-23

Of Commons jargon as we'll as scholastic
petlantry in this gentleman's style OF ora
tory, which is very displeasing to all but pro-
fessional ears. "'rhe Honorable and learned
Gentleman" and "his Honorable and gallant
Friend" are trolled over the tongue OF the
Honorable Speaker, "loud as trumpet with
a silver sound" "and fill up the pauses Of the
sense or the gaps in the logic with degree
cf burlesque self-complacency and pompous
inanty. Mr.. Canning speaks by rote; and
il the words he utters become the mouth and
round a period well, he cares little how cheap
ly he comes by them, or how dear they cost
the country Such mechanic helps to style
and technical flourishes and trappings OF up
start sclf-importance are however, unworthy
of the meanest underling of Office.
There is, notwithstanding, facility, a bril-
liancy, and an elegance i'll Mr.. Gaming S
general style, always graceful, never abrupt,
never meagre, never dry, copious without
stiffness, perspicuous yet remote from COM
mon life, that must excite surprise i'll an e.r-
temhore speaker. Mr. Canning, we appre.
hend, is nat an e.rtemhore speaker lie only
makes set speeches on set occasions. lie III
deed hooks them in as answers to some one
that has gone before him in the debate, by
taking up and commenting on single SEN
tence or so, but he Immediately rccurs to
some old and favorite topic, launches into
the middle Of the stream, or mounts upon
the higii horse, and rides it to the end OF the
chapter. He never Chat we are aware OF
grappled with powerful Antagonist, over
threw him Oh the spot, or contested the
point with him foot to foot. Mr. Gaming
replies are eJasioaS. he indeed madea cap
ital and very deservedly-admircd reply to
h,ttA ln1A hI
riyen notice of all his motions a month be-
forehand, and Mr.. Canning had only to lie
in ambush for him with whole magazine of
facts, arguments, allitcrations, quotations,
tests, and squibs, prepared ready to explode
and blow him up into the air in an instant.
In this manner he contrives to slip into the
debate and speak to the question, as il he had
lately entered the House and heard the ar
guments on the other side Stated for the FIRST
time in his life. He has conned his speeches
over for a week or a month previously, but
he gives these prcmeditatcd cfi'usions the ef-
feet of witty impromptus-the spontaneous
ebullitions of the laughter or Indignation On
lofty enthusiasm of the moment. His man
ner tells this. 1t is that of person trying
to recollect a speech, and reciting it from be-
ginning to end with studied gesture, and il
an emphatic but monotonous and somewhat
affected tone OF voice, rather than apersol
uttering words and thoughts that have oc.
Cured to him for the first time, and hurried
away by an involuntary impulse, speaking
with more or less hesitation, faster or slower
and with more or less passion, according as
the occasion requires.
Mr. Canning, when on tour to the Lakes
did Mr. Wordsworth the honor of paying him
no ,lul ut II buf
quite unex xpccted.-Rcally, we do not know an.
one SO little capable of apprcciatinS the Lgrica
BaHuiS
I We once heard it said that " Mr.. Canning
had the most elegant mind since Virgil Blu
we could not assent to this remark, as we jus
then happened to think Of Claude Lorraine.
{ Io be continued