322 On the Nature and Utility of Eloquence. 



Moft writers, it muft be confeffed, employ tropes 

 and figures becaufe they <?rf tropes and figures, and 

 nor becaufe they are calculated to produce certain 

 effedls on the minds of their readers or hearers. 

 The term conciliating is itfelf relative, and fup- 

 pofes fomebody to be conciliated ; and thefe 

 conciliating qualities of fpeech muft vary, as 

 much as the tempers and underftandings of thofe 

 who are to be conciliated. That which is a con- 

 ciliatory quality in a methodift congregation is 

 not fo in parliament, and that which is fo in par- 

 liament, is not fo in a quaker-meeting. 



The grimaces and rueful exclamations, which 

 Leland fuppofes are fo efFeftual in a conventicle, 

 are certainly more ufeful than even his concili- 

 ating qualities and rational excellencies of fpeech j 

 but it is alfo true, that exclamations more pathe- 

 tic, and geftures more natural, would be ftill 

 more efi^edlual, even in an aflembly of enthu- 

 fiafts; and the tears and groans produced by thefe 

 grimaces only fhew the great advantage of ap- 

 propriating and adapting both ftyle and gefture, 

 fince he himfelf allov/s, that thefe 'awkward at- 

 tempts at fpeciality and adaptation, have more 

 eff^ed: than the moft polite and fplendid oration, 

 if compofed and delivered without any regard to 

 the peculiarities of the audience. Yet although 

 the variety of temper, intelligence, cuftoms, 

 opinions and prejudices, among mankind, is very 



"Treat 



