New-York tribune., 1841-11-16
DIR. DlTID PAUL BROWNS LECTURE
gefore the Ncw-York Lyoeun.

I
1 PAUL BRowS's Lecture on "THs ARlsTocRAcr
OF ELoQuENcE" The following sketch will con-
veg but a faint idea of that Lecture. The elo-
spence alas refuses to be transferred to paper in
the hurried rotations Of an auditor
Mr.. BRowS, after dcleren,ia tribute to the
numbers and intelligence of his auditory, observed
that to succeed where success cannot be doubtful
confsrs no honor; to fail where there is no hope
of success incurs no disgrace; but discharge a
duty Faithfully is The summit Of human endeayor.
This should be his aim on The present occasion.
ii. common and p-rnicions msraks to sup
pose that. ia the system OF the Universe, Man l.
an insignificant being. Let him never forget that
he i lmmortal-that his mind
Rests and expaliates in a world to core
God formed Man in his own express image, and
gave mm dominion over all the earth The SUI
shall perish. the heavens be TO led together a
scroll, vet Man shall survive lbs wreck of matter
and the crush Of worlds Yet all his vast powers
would be comparatively useless without the faculty
of inpartng his thoughts and emotions. Il; is this
master faculty which forms the subject OF our cor
sidcraton this evening, AID to which invite your
! serious attention.
in Inviting Your attention TO the subject OF
Speech, refer not to the abstract faculty, but to
tremendous influence tic dcstinics OF the
world. |, is more powerful than even the Press :;
the tongue is the only formidable antagonist of the
types. The Press has mainly wrought The great
Revolutions of the last century; combined and
welldrected it is irresistible; but the voice OF one
great orator can raise and support armies, govern
nations, overture kingdoms, by the weight of Elo
qeencc 1t is lever which moves the intellectual
world.
Eloquence, thus spoken of, is the perfection
Of Speech. With us it is of rare attainment: the
world through its whole history has furnished few
complete orators, though many groat men in every
other department Of human excellence. The rca-
is that the faculty has not been studiously I'M
proved. Perfection in Eoquencc is the work of
lifetime. The difference between ancient and
slodcrn orators Is thls-thc former have
;has nature but with them art is tributary to
turc the lat er have nature, but il is not 'us
ianed aad b, autiiied by art. With all is rude,
native energy; the grace the music, the fascination
Of Eloqucncc is wanting
There is the element of vast power here, which
is not improved ar appreciated. Travellers report
Us truly Us money-gettlng moucy-Sving, and
rcgrc; TO add moncy-loSing people. 1t ofends slc
20 the soul TO hear robusous periwig-patcd
elbow ranfiug of the superiority of things Euro
pcan including Government, and Eoquencc.-
LIBERTY is one of the essentials OF Eloqucncc
though ii is not the only Liberty is the soil,
but refinement and culture also necessary It's
growth. In support of this theory, ii will be found
that Demosthenes in Greece and Cicero in Rome
tlourishcd in the meridian just before the decline
OF Freedom; with the fall OF Liberty Elequence
departed The Romans retained their love of Elo
quence, but the successors of Caesar could not toll
crate the successors of Cicero Longinus truly said
,lo, =, b,, a. q
ii slave become an orator; the habit of .ubjcc;ion
overrulcs and beats down his spirit. This de-
porable deficiency is oten owing the want oi
cpporiuniiy-Death being the penalty OF free
speech.
An orator is always created BY himself. Demos
themes cong cred Unprecedented difficulties, and
became the rival Of Homer in fame. Despotism
cnervaics the mind, deaden. the energies and dis
couages cxcrtion. 10y deprving 1t Of It's due reward.
The want OF its proper inducement is the reason
why we have no orators like those of antiquity.
PIT, Fox, Wesley, Whiefed were effective speal,-
srs, but with them ora,ory but an incident, and
the force OF their oratory has already nearly per
ishcd But in histionic or dramatic excellence
there has been no CORES spending determination, be-
cause the rewards OF excellence, and consequently
the efforts 20 attain it, great now ever
So OF the operate art, in winch the modern mas
ters equal to any predecessors. Dancing elo-
| qucnce-it may be allowed so violent transi-
non .om the head to the heels-wil illustrate ny
| Idea. Ii demonstrates what Demosthcnss
oy saving that action is, the soul Of sloqueuce.
Dancing is the poetic adaptation of human motion
10 music So of the eloqnence OF Painting; for
painting too has its eloquence /; a Chinese picture
Hat $ the wall en- which il hangs: compare tin,
with the speaking productions of yandyke, b.
! bcns, West and the masters o: the art.
Why should not age produce orators cquai
to those OF antiquity Two reason. only exist:
Wan, of opportunity and vast of application. 4
life devoted to orarory would be one Of labor but
at great enjoyment also. Labor is the doom but
the solacc also OF terrestrial condition.
Incc-sant study loses its fancicd severity By be-
ing universal. The mind of the orator should b.
cary and ardenly directed TO History. Literature.
and all the Fine Arts. No,ng which tends 10
improvement should be omitted. Caius Gracious,
when haranguing the populace of Rome, placed
musician behind him. and regulated his voice by
the pilch-piPe In our age this would be thought
ridiculous. any thing IS which costs more than
II comes 10.
It is great mistake to suppose that great
orator cannot be great lawyer or divine II ha>
been os,ered by those who are neither. The great
lawyers have generally been great orators-vitncss
trsSine Marshall. Bruusham. How far superior
- 49, 49, '.Na'c W tue mere laWNer- ciuQ ieece l.
necessary IN al departments of human effort The
physician swectens his pills with it. 1t is the
'ures' 1t not the best endowment of YOUR ehurches
ana the heart which resi.,s it ght resist the
arch TempIer himself.
BY eloquence we do not mean mere fuency
thou: h the command of words is not to be despised
those egregiously CTR who consider the command
OF language the commencement of the orators &c
QUESTIONS j, is the last and most difficult OF ALL
| Words may be said 10 be things, and most i'm
portant things, as connected with subject. Il
some modern orators shall fastidiously theii
uo,hings, grea, men may derive instruction from