On the Nature and Utility of Eloquence. 319 



*' man without any one of the appofttai the ra- 

 ** tional excellencies and engaging qualities of 

 ** fpeech, be faid to poffefs a degree of elo- 

 " quence perfeft in its kind." Leland's Difler- 

 tation, ch. XIV. 



What Leland fays of Browne's, may be as 

 juftly faid of his own argument, that it is plau- 

 fibly and ingenioufly urged ; but probably the 

 opinion of neither is true. Although it may 

 be acknowledged that *' Eloquence is relative to 

 the imaginations and pafTions of men," yet 

 it does not therefore follow, that it is of a 

 *' vague, unfteady nature." It might as juftly 

 be faid, that the art of mufic is of a vague, 

 unfteady nature, becaufe it produces compo- 

 fitions fo infinitely various; or that the art of 

 the painter is liable to the fame refleftion, be- 

 caufe it is fometimes exercifed on copper and 

 fometimes on canvas. The arts themfelves are 

 fixed, fteady and immutable ; it is only the ob- 

 jefts on which they operate, that are various and 

 periftiable. Neither is it true, that the only end 

 of all eloquence, is perfuafion. An orator un- 

 doubtedly often aims to perfuade, but he ge- 

 nerally has fome other end in view. Pie fre- 

 quently wifties to alarm, to roufe, to deprefs, 

 to excite our pity, or to fire our indignation, and 

 fometimes is only defirous to delight the ima- 

 gination. Now thefe different objects can ne- 

 ver be reduced under the general head of per- 

 fuafion. 



