4 BENEFIT OF 
demy, i am obliged upon undertaking this 
province to fay fomething before fo illuftrioUs 
a circle of fathers and citizens *, i confefs that 
all thofe circumftances, each of which is apt 
to ftrike terror into the mind of man, offer 
themfelves together in a croud before my eyes 
on this occafion. For whether i confider the 
amplenefs of the place, or the dignity of the 
audience, or the multitude of chofen people, 
©r laftly my little talents in the arts of fpeeeh $, 
all thefe circumftances, i ingenuoufly confefs, 
throw me into no fmall confufion. 
For if the molt eloquent men, when they 
come to fpeak in public, have been known to 
tremble, and become incapable of uttering a 
Angle word *, what muft i feel who have none 
of the common advantages, either from art or 
nature, in the readinefs and elegance of fpeeeh ? 
However, fince i am under a neceffity of fay- 
ing fomething, i muft fly for refuge to that fa- 
vor, and humanity, which you never refufe to 
thofe who fpeak on thefe occaflons *, and thus 
i doubt not but that, however deficient i may 
be from want of talents, or want of exercife, 
i fhall not wholly fail of the end i aim at. I 
, fhall therefore, moft honorable auditors, under- 
take to treat on a fubjeft neither unfuitable to 
DSf ,h0 
