On the Nature and Utility of Eloquence. 317 



his ESSAY ON RIDICULE, and the latter in his dis- 

 sertation ON THE PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN ELO- 

 QJ/ENCE. 



Dr. Browne fpeaks thus : " As eloquence is of 

 *' a vague, unfteady naturCj merely relative to 

 '*' the imaginations and pafTions of mankind, 

 " fo there muft be feveral orders and degrees 

 " of it, fubordinate to each other in dignity, 

 " yet each perfedl in its kind. The common 

 " end of each is perfuafion : the means are dif- 

 *' ferent, according to the various capacities, 

 *' fancies and affections of thofe whom the artift 

 "attempts to perfuade. The pathetic orator 

 " v^ho throws a congregation of enthufialls into 

 *' tears and groans, would raife affeflions of 

 " a very different nature, fhould he attempt to 

 *' profelyte an Englifh parliament. As on the 

 " other hand, the fineft fpeaker that ever com - 

 " manded the houfe, would in vain point 

 " the thunder of his eloquence on a quaker 

 *' meeting. " Effay on Ridicule, feft. III. 

 p. 32. 



Of this paffage, fays Dr. Leland ; " This is 

 *' piaufibly and ingenioufly urged, but the whole 

 " argument is founded on the fuppofition, that 

 " eloquence and perfuafion are one and the 

 " fame, and that to be denominated an orator, 

 "no more is neceffary than to influence and 

 *' move the hearer. A fuppofition which can- 

 " not be admitted, however witty men may 



" have 



