and fro; jerking the body forward at every emphatic word; keeping the elbows pinioned to the sides and sawing the air with one hand, with one unvaried and ungraceful motion. As gesture is used for the illustration and enforcement of language, it should be limited, in its application, to such words and passages as admit of or require it, frequent change giving the idea of anxiety or instability. A judicious speaker will not only adapt the general style and manner of action to the subject, the place, and the occasion, but even when allowing himself the greatest latitude, he will reserve the force and ornament of gesture for those parts of his discourse containing his boldest thoughts or most brilliant expressions.

As the head gives the chief grace to the person, so does it principally contribute to the expression of grace in delivery. Its position should be erect and natural; for, when drooping, it indicates humility or diffidence; when thrown back, arrogance; when inclined to one side, languor or indifference; when stiff and rigid, a lack of ease and self-possession. - The eyes, which are of greatest importance in aiding the expression of the orator, should generally be directed as the gesture points, excepting when we wish to condemn, refuse, or require any object to be removed; in which case we should at the same moment express aversion in the countenance, and rejection by the gesture.-A listless, inanimate expression will always detract from the effect of the most eloquent sentiments, and the most appropriate utterance.

The bow of the speaker to his audience should be graceful and dignified, free from a careless, jerking abruptness, or from a formal, unnecessary flourish.

Some of the most frequent gestures, to which the various members of the body contribute, are as follow:

The Head and Face. The hanging down of the head denotes shame, or grief: holding it up, pride or courage: to nod forward implies assent to toss the head back, dissent: the inclination of the head implies bashfulness or languor: it is averted in dislike or horror: it leans forward in attention.

The Eyes. The eyes are raised, in prayer: they weep in sorrow: burn, in anger: they are cast on vacancy, in thought: they are thrown in different directions, in doubt and anxiety.

The Arms. The arms are projected forward, in authority: both arms are spread extended, in admiration: they are held forward, in imploring help: they both fall suddenly, in disappointment: folded, they denote thoughtfulness.

The arm, when not employed in preparing for the terminating act of gesture, should never exhibit an angle at the elbow, but be always freely extended, yet without the rigidness of a straight line; a moderate bending of the elbow being requisite to freedom and grace.

The Hands. The hand on the head indicates pain or distress; also thoughtfulness: on the eyes, shame: on the lips, an injunction of silence: on the breast, it appeals to conscience, or to the affections. It waves, or flourishes, in joy or contempt. Both hands are held supine, or clasped, in prayer both descend prone, in blessing: they are clasped or wrung in affliction. The outstretched hands, with the knuckles opposite the speaker's face, express fear, abhorrence, rejection, or dismissal; with the palms towards the face of the speaker, they denote approval, acceptation, welcoming, and love.

"The other parts of the body aid the speaker; these, I can almost say, speak themselves. By them, we ask, promise, call, dismiss, threaten, supplicate, detest, fear, display joy, sorrow, doubt, acknowledgment, penitence, manner, abundance, number, time. Do they not excite? restrain? implore? approve? wonder at? express shame? Do they not obtain the place of adverbs and pronouns in pointing out places and persons? So that amid the great diversity of language among all races and nations, this appears to me to be the common speech of all men." - Quintilian.

The Body. The body, held erect, indicates steadiness and courage; thrown back, pride; stooping forward, condescension, or compassion; bending, reverence, or respect. Prostration indicates the utmost humility or abasement.

The Lower Limbs. Their firm position signifies courage or obstinacy; bended knees, timidity, or weakness, -reverence: frequent change, disturbed thoughts. They advance in desire or courage; retire, in aversion or fear; start, in terror; stamp, in authority, or anger; kneel, in submission and prayer.

Motions towards the body indicate self-esteem, egotism, or invitation; from the body, command or repulsion; expanding gestures express liberality, distribution, acquiescence, or candor; contracting gestures, frugality, reserve, or collection; rising motions express suspension, climax, or appeal; falling, completion, declaration, or response; a sudden stop in gesture denotes doubt, meditation, or listening; a sudden movement, decision or discovery; a broad and sweeping range of gesture illustrates a general statement, or expresses boldness, freedom, and self-possession; a limited range denotes diffidence or constraint, or illustrates a subordinate point; rigidity of muscle denotes firmness, strength, or effort; laxity, languor or weakness; slow motions are expressive of gentleness, caution, and deliberation; quick motions, of harshness, temerity, haste, &c.

The principal lines of gestures are: —

The descending, used with great energy in strong assertion and vehement argumentation, in emphatic declaration and forcible appeal.

The horizontal, (the hand rising to a horizontal leve with the shoulders,) appropriate in elevated and general thought cr description, and in geographical and historical allusions.

The ascending, (the hand rising nearly to a level with the head,) expressive of sublimity of thought or feeling.

From these arise three others:

The gesture in front, appropriately used in strong or emphatic statements, and terminating in the descending, horizontal, or ascending lines, according to the character of the thought and the language.

The gesture oblique, falling in an intermediate line between one drawn in front of the speaker's body, and one drawn from his side. This has neither the force of the gesture in front, nor the peculiarity of the gesture extended, terminating upward, downward, or horizontally, according to the nature of the sentiment expressed.

The gesture extended, (falling in a line with the side,) appropriate in the expression of ideas of extent and space, or forming the terminating point to a wave or sweep of gesture, in negation, rejection, &c., and closing in an upward or downward position, as before.

The movement or sweep of the arm, in preparing for gesture, should always be free and graceful, but avoiding too much extent of space, and performed in strict time with the movement of the voice in utterance. (In impassioned declamation, the gesture may immediately precede the utterance of the words.) The line of motion in gesture describes a curve, and avoids in all action but that of the humorous style, a confined or angular movement.

The frequency of gesture must be prescribed by the character of the sentiment, and the style of language, as moderate and plain, or impassioned and figurative.

All action must arise directly from the sense of what is spoken, and never from arbitrary notions of variety or grace. True variety is the result of a due observance of the preparatory and terminating lines of gesture; and grace consists merely in preserving these from awkward deviations.

The use of the left hand, whether singly or in conjunction with the right, depends not on arbitrary opinions of propriety or grace, but usually on necessity, felt by the speaker, either as regards himself or his audience. This form of gesture, as far as it is a matter of choice, should be rarely adopted.

Gesture should be fluent and connected, not abrupt and desultory, or appearing and disappearing in a capricious manner.

"A truly natural manner is free from local faults; it is formed on broad views and general principles; it is true to nature as a whole, not to some confined or accidental part of it. It is enlightened by comprehensive judgment, and refined by pure taste. In claiming nature as our standard, we are too prone to forget that habit becomes a second nature, and that to judge correctly, we must see beyond its narrow limits, and reach to principles and laws everywhere applicable, and recognized by all cultivated minds."

SELECTIONS.

SCENE FROM "JULIUS CÆSAR."

Shakespeare.

SPEECHES OF BRUTUS AND ANTONY, ON THE DEATH OF CESAR.

Had

Bru. Romans, countrymen, and lovers! hear me for my cause; and be silent, that you may hear: believe me for mine honour; and have respect to mine honour, that you may believe; censure me in your wisdom; and awake your senses, that you may the better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of Cæsar's, to him I say, that Brutus' love to Cæsar was no less than his. If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Cæsar, this is my answer, -Not that I loved Cæsar less, but that I loved Rome more. you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slaves; than that Cæsar were dead, to live all free men? As Cæsar loved me, I weep for him; as he was fortunate, I rejoice at it; as he was valiant, I honour him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him: There is tears, for his love; joy, for his fortune; honour, for his valour; and death, for his ambition. Who is here so base, that would be a bondman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so rude, that would not be a Roman? If any, speak; for him have I offended. Who is here so vile, that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him have I offended. I pause for a reply. Cit. None, Brutus, none. (Several speaking at once.)

I have done no more to The question of his death

Bru. Then none have I offended. Cæsar, than you should do to Brutus. is enrolled in the Capitol; his glory not extenuated, wherein he was worthy; nor his offences enforced, for which he suffered death.

Enter ANTONY and others, with CESAR's body.

Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony: who, though he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying, a place in the commonwealth; As which of you shall not? With this I depart; That, as I slew my best lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my country to need my death.

Cit. Live, Brutus, live! live!

1 Cit. Bring him with triumph home unto his house.

2 Cit. Give him a statue with his ancestors.

8 Cit. Let him be Cæsar.