146 Philosophical Society of London. 



the modulation does not vary: this, and an accurate observ- 

 ance of the proper inflexion, should he studied careFully be- 

 fore ar.N f'urtt er attempt is made. This being sufficiently prac- 

 tised, it may be said that one octave of the student's voice is 

 in tune. The same course should be pursued one note 

 higher, with a like observance of inflexion ; and so on till 

 the whole is pracli'sed upwards. The lower or under voices 

 should then be j)roceeded with, using the same inflexions 

 till completed. 



" To express our common ideas, we make use, then, of 

 that key from which we lune our whole compass. This is 

 the key in which our voice is susceptible of the greatest 

 variety of modulation. It is on this that all our efforts to 

 improve the voice should be directed. 



" The situation," the lecturer continued, " of a public 

 speaker, with relation to his audience, as regards compass 

 and variety of voice, is one exacting the nicest art and dis- 

 crinunation. fic would wish to address a whole assembly 

 with as much apparent ease to himself, and pleasure to his 

 audience, as though it were composed but ol one person. 



"A public speaker, in addressing himself to his auditorVj 

 who n)cet either to be informed or amused, should adopt, 

 to convev his sentiments, his ordinary and familiar tone of 

 voice. He should endeavour to be heard in this familiar 

 tone and facility of utterance by the most distant person, 

 without offending tlie ear of the closest : in a word, a pub- 

 lic speaker should be solicitous that the tones of his voice 

 should b'e sufficiently audible, distinct, and natural, to every 

 person in the whole assembly." 



To attain these important objects the lecturer afforded 

 many practical rules, to offer any al)ridgement of which 

 would be doing ihcm injustice : dismissing, then, the sub- 

 ject, he passed on to consider the "vjGenera of Causes," the 

 chstribution of which into Demonsirative, Deliberative, and 

 Judicial, is said to ha\e been invented by Aristotle. The 

 definitions and elucidations of these genera occupied the 

 jei-rtainder of the eighth lecture. 



" A nnixed Hssemt)Iy, a concourse of men, women, and 

 .children, are not insusceptible to logical induction, or to 

 the effect occasioned bv the beauties of rhetorical refine- 

 ment ; to excite their attention to just notions and feelings, 

 to stimulate the action^ ol their wills, demand the whole 

 strength of oratory, fatliciilar assen)blies may be more 

 refineil ; and these assenddies we recognize in the oratory 

 of the Bar and the Senate. The former accords with that 

 genus termed by the ancients Judicial 3 controversy arising 



! from 



