CHAPTER V.

OF READING.

Of public speaking in general-Different modes of public speakingReading the simplest and most useful-Its divisions-The intelligible reader—Acquirements necessary for him, and offices suited to his talent-The correct reader-His acquirements and offices-The impressive reader-His acquirements and public reading--Reading of the Liturgy and of the holy Scriptures-Frequent repetition of the church service-Its effects on the feelings of the reader-The efforts necessary to be made and persevered in by a minister of the GospelThe rhetorical reader-Requisites for him-The value of accomplished reading-Of dramatic reading-Private dramatic readers-Public dramatic readers- Of dramatic reading in which the characters are distributed among several persons in private company-Reading of history-Of epic poetry-Of novels-Reflections on this last species of writing.

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CHAPTER V.

Of Reading.

HAVING treated in general of the three great divisions of the external part of oratory, the voice, the countenance and gesture; and having maintained their importance both by argument, and by authority; I proceed to enquire under what circumstances and in what degree, they should be brought into exercise by the public speaker. This will appear best, by considering the general objects and modes of public speaking.

The general objects of public speaking are, instruction, persuasion, or entertainment. These objects are sometimes kept distinct, sometimes they are combined in various proportions.

In their various modes of exercise, these objects will obtain their ends, that is succeed in influencing the hearer in the degree proposed, not only by the interesting matter which may be presented to him, but also by the manner in which it is presented. The manner is called the delivery. And the advantages of good delivery are such, as to conceal in some degree the blemishes of the composition, or the matter delivered, and to add lustre to its beauties: insomuch that a good composition well delivered, shall, with any popular audience, succeed better

in its object (as we have already proved from high authorities), whether that be instruction, persuasion or entertainment, than a superior composition not delivered so well. The following among many reasons may be assigned for this.

First, because the majority are incapable of appreciating the matter of a discourse, separately from the manner; and secondly, because the manner has naturally considerable influence, in proportion to the degree of persuasion which it impresses on the hearer, of the sincerity of the speaker.

The modes adopted in public speaking are, Reading, Recitation, Declamation, Oratory, and Acting. Of which the three first are often practised for the purpose of exercise or preparation, as well as on real occasions.

Of these different modes of public speaking, I shall first treat briefly, and then proceed to the detail of a system of gesture.

Reading, if not the simplest mode of public speaking, is, among cultivated nations, the most useful and the easiest. Because any man can in this mode, deliver the sentiments of the wisest of all ages and nations, in language already prepared and approved: and the public speaker has, on ordinary occasions, only to pronounce intelligibly, what he has before him; or, if he would perfectly discharge his office on higher occasions, impressively. But it may be proper to speak more particularly of reading in all its degrees, in order to distinguish more accurately the characteristics of the different species.