of perfuafion depends moft on a natural 
melodious tone of voice, a natural graceful- 
nefs of perfon and of action, a naturally 
expreffive and interefting form and dilpofi- 
tion of features : by interefting, I rather mean 
what the French exprefs by the word preve- 
nante, for which we have no equivalent in 
our language I fay, the power of an Ora- 
tor over his audience, will always depend, 
in a great degree, on that which art cannot 
beftow : neverthelefs, the beft gifts of nature 
want a little poliming. I have heard fome 
eloquent members in the Houfe of Com- 
mons, who would have been much more 
perfuafive fpeakers, if they had ever learnt 
to dance: and though grammars, or fyftems 
of Rhetoric, may contribute nothing to the 
creation or embelliftiment of a fine fpeaker^ 
yet thofe who are intended for the pulpit, 
the bar, or have any profpect of a feat in 
Parliament, will gather much ufeful in- 
flection and improvement, from a careful 
and frequent reading of Longinus and Quin- 
tilian, and, for illuftration and example, 
Demofthenes and Cicero -, nor fhould they 
neglect, in our own language, Sheridan 's 
Letfures on Elocution: they contain a great 
deal of excellent matter. 
As 
