London Philosophical Society, 227 



the mind of Britons with the strength and judgement of 

 the Greeks and Latins, as philosophers, they cannot be 

 conceived inferior; and if we proceed further to consider 

 the premeditated examples of the oratory of the latter, 

 and the ofF-hand extemporaneous specimens of the former 

 in their senate and courts of law, as disputants and meta- 

 physicians, let us see whether the modern Britons appear 

 far behind the Grecians or Romans ? 



To proceed : In those remote ages, to be enabled to dis» 

 course fur six, eight, or ten hours, or for a whole day, was 

 regarded as something worthy of the highest admiration ! 

 An orator, then, (to use the language of one of Ouincti- 

 lian's orators in his celebrated dialogue,) cotrprised a tedious 

 introduction, circumstantial narrative, division upon divi- 

 sion, and subdivision upon subdivision. All this w^as 

 certainly wonderful, for it argues that they must have been 

 physically powerful as well as mentally strong ; and also, 

 that the people must have been very fond of hearing long 

 specimens of premeditated oratory. But this extreme en- 

 thusiasm, as well as their excessive fondness for the drama, 

 when kines and princes descended from their sacred offices 

 to personify on the stage, evidently prove depravity of taste, 

 rather than accuracy of discernment. On the other hand, 

 when we are given to understand that the tedious harangue 

 of Demosthenes against his guardians served only to prove 

 his insufficiency, and likewise that the cgolized specimens 

 of Cicero in the former part of his practice did not assist 

 to establish his character, we give the ancients credit for 

 their judgement. — With us it is very different ; and what 

 Oumctilian insinuates concerning the orators of his day, 

 se§pis to apply in a most pointed manner in favour of our 

 senatorial and leaislalive orators. " The auditory prescribes 

 the limits of the orator's speech ; it will not wait calmly 

 until /;6' pleases to return to the point; but it openly calls 

 up07i him, and testifies its impatience, whenever he seems 

 disposed to wander from the question." 



After endeavouring to prove the progress towards perfec- 

 tion of this valuable attainment among the Britons, with 4 

 minuteness which does him great credit, he proceeded to 

 reconnnend the application of logic and the whole circle of 

 science, with the study of rhetoric in our schools of elo- 

 quence; without which, our orators will ever be as dry, 

 sour,and morosi--,a:; llit declining- Romans, unassisted bylaw 

 and philosophy, were whining, mawkish, and insipid, 

 Mr. W, then decided in favour of the modern Britons 3^$ 

 P 2 dispiitanU 



