320 On the Nature and Utility of Eloquence. 



fuafion, without departing moft unwarrantably 

 from the common acceptation of that term. 

 The ingenious inftances adduced in the laft fen- 

 tence of the quotation from Browne, are certain- 

 ly not fufficient to prove either of his pofitions, 

 namely, that eloquence is of a vague, unfteady 

 nature, or that the common end of all eloquent 

 difcourfes, is perfuafion. The anfwer juft given 

 to the principles themfelves, will alfo deftroy 

 the application of thefe inftances. And, in 

 truth, the fadls which he takes notice of may 

 be accounted for, in a much more reafonable and 

 unobjeftionable manner. 



That the methodift preacher would produce 

 no other effeft, in parliament, but that of making 

 himfelf ridiculous, is unqueftionable, and why ? 

 becaufe, in attempting to affeft the houfe, by 

 the ufe of the fame means as thofe that are fuc- 

 cefsful in his own pulpit, he would ceafe to be 

 eloquent. He v/ould be violating one of the 

 fundamental rules of rhetoric, which teaches 

 us, that a fpeaker ought to have a conftant re- 

 gard to the quality of his audience. His ill fuc- 

 cefs, therefore, would be owing to his want of 

 art. He would fail, becaufe he was ineloquenr. 

 The eloquence which he had difplayed on his own 

 ground would Hill remain unimpeachable, and 

 he would be in a fituation fimilar to that of a 

 ftatuarv, who is able to exercife his art only up- 

 on marble. 



The 



