which the Academical and Theological Seminaries of our country afford, and that it scrupulously confines its patronage to those who will consent to such a course.

Another feature of this Institution, worthy of special notice, is its system of pastoral supervision. It is made the duty of the Secretary and other Agents of the Society, to visit the academies and colleges, where the young men are situated, as often as practicable, for the purpose of knowing them as thoroughly as possible, of cultivating their piety, advising and exhorting them, and of presenting all possible inducements to excel in learning and personal religion, and of raising their Christian and ministerial qualifications to the highest possible standard. We have had personal opportunity to observe, in several of our Literary and Theological Institutions, that this supervision is of great and salutary influence.

The catholic and generous spirit of the A. E. Society is a trait of peculiar interest, and one which promises effectual usefulness. It stands upon the broad basis of Evangelical Christianity, and excludes no sect from its patronage, that legitimately comes within these limits. It is at this moment extending patronage to young men in the Methodist, the Baptist, the Episcopal, the Presbyterian, and Congregational denominations. In this particular, it has adapted itself to the enlarged spirit of the age, not heeding the distracting claims of the various standards of Paul, and Apollos, and Cephas, but only asking,' Are you of Christ?'-We are aware, that sectarian interests are opposed to such an enterprise. But so far as we have observed the operation of extended charitable associations, nothing so effectually checks and limits their success, or so much constrains the spirit, ties up the main arteries, and stagnates the vital currents of a healthful system, as putting on the turban of a sect. Our doctrine is: Let particular churches, in their own particular limits, guard their creeds. It is their right. But in regard to large, voluntary associations of Christians, professing one Lord, one faith, one baptism,' and who desire to cooperate for the common interests of Evangelical religion, we say, Let them meet together on common ground. And surely, if there be any object that can justify such enlarged enterprise, it is the raising up of a Christian ministry, adequate to the necessities of the world. And we hazard nothing in predicting the increasing purity and enlargement of that church, whose individual members act on these catholic principles.

Of one thing we are fully persuaded, that Christianity can never gain its destined triumph by sectarian influence. A particular church, as an ecclesiastical polity, is incapacitated, from its very structure, for enlarged catholic enterprise. It is too stiff, too unaccommodating, too regardful of self, to march upon the world in the spirit of the present age. Its appropriate province is to maintain, as far as convenient, its own faith and order among its own 40

VOL. III.NO. VI.

adherents. But we regard it as the highest and most sacred duty of individual Christians of all sects, to lend their mightiest energies, by voluntary associations, to advance the great interests of a common Christianity.

We regard the specific work of modern Education Societies, as a leading influence to the conversion of the world. God is constantly producing, by his Spirit, abundant fit materials for this great work. They are only to be looked up, and formed, and the work is done. An Apostle has said, and the law is an eternal one: 'Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how shall they call on him, in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear, without a preacher? And how can they preach except they be sent ?'-Here, then, is the end of the matter, so far as the argument is concerned. And, in our opinion, the beginning of the work on which the Christian world is entering the great and mighty impulse, in its incipient stages, is involved in the design of Education Societies.

ANALYSIS OF THE PRINCIPLES OF RHETORICAL DELIVERY, AS APPLIED IN READING AND SPEAKING. By Ebenezer Porter, D. D. Bartlett Professor of Sacred Rhetoric in the Theological Seminary, Andover. Third Edition. Andover; Flagg & Gould. 1830.

ELOCUTION, as a science, has not in modern times received that attention which its importance demands. While the work of improvement has been prosecuted with zeal and success in other departments of education, little has been accomplished in this. So far as Rhetoric relates to the graces of composition, it has not, indeed, been overlooked. And the success of efforts to elevate the standard of style is manifest in the multiplying specimens of fine writing, with which our literature is enriched.

That such progress is making in the Philosophy of Rhetoric is a subject of sincere gratulation. It is to be regretted, however, that no more has been attained in rhetorical delivery-that art which gives to eloquence its charms and its power. No small part of the labor bestowed in acquiring a classical and commanding style is lost to the speaker, if he is deficient in his manner of delivery. A good speaker, though wanting in literary attainments, has been in every age more acceptable, than one of richer mental resources, whose elocution was defective. People in general are more affected by the manner of a discourse, than by the matter.

In the golden age of Grecian and Roman literature, no branch was studied with such assiduity and enthusiasm, as the science of elocution. The child who was intended for a public speaker was nursed in the bosom of eloquence, and trained with persevering care by approved masters, till he was thoroughly prepared, in the judgement of his tutors, to risk his reputation at the Forum. If the young orator failed in the proprieties of elocution, public sentiment would not endure his performances, however rich his thoughts, or refined his style. The great Athenian orator, with all his intellectual brilliancy, was hissed from the stage on his first appearance. The power of his mighty genius had never shaken the throne of Macedon, if he had not corrected the habits of a defective elocution. Cicero did not become an orator without being subjected to a rigid and protracted discipline. At the commencement of his career be was chargeable with defects, to remedy which he travelled into Asia, and sought the aid of the most accomplished rhetoricians of the age. See Middleton's Life of Cicero.

From the Augustan age till the eighteenth century, the literary world seemed to slumber over the science of rhetoric, as though no advances from the ancient masters were necessary or practicable. As Campbell expresses it, 'The observations and rules transmitted to us from those distinguished names in the learned world, Aristotle, Cicero and Quinctilian, have been, for the most part, only translated by later critics, or put into a modish dress and new arrangement.'

We owe a tribute of respect to the memory of Sheridan, who was among the first to attempt an advance from the Institutes of Quinctilian, and summon the English literati to the long neglected subject. With the independence of a Bacon, he ventured to encounter incumbent difficulties, and his acute investigations prepared the way for others to follow up his suggested improvements. The labors of Mr. Walker succeeded, and rendered important service to the science of delivery, chiefly by means of the analysis of vocal tones and inflections, first reduced by him to a system.

The discoveries and labors of Walker were not, however, appreciated, as he had anticipated. Some years after the publication of his Treatise, of the popularity of which he had cherished extravagant hopes, he remarks: "The sanguine expectations I had once entertained, that this analysis of the human voice would be received by the learned with avidity and applause, are now over." His pronunciation was extensively adopted, but his theory of inflections was encumbered with such prolixity and obscurity, that the task of reducing it to practice seemed appalling and discouraging to common minds. Even his own pupils persisted in their old method of reading, without, as he says, any reason for it.

The same formidable difficulty, which discouraged the English pupil, has produced a like effect in our own country. The avow

ed imitators of the disappointed English master have been few; and some of these have succeeded little better than Hamlet's strutting players in their attempt to imitate humanity. The rhetoricians who have succeeded Walker, as Wright and Knowles, do not seem to have made any important advances towards relieving the subject of its embarrassing perplexities. The recent Treatise by Dr. Rush, on the philosophy of the human voice, though it furnishes an exhibition of patient and minute analysis and acute discrimination, is embarrassed with a nomenclature and multifarious distinctions, which few, we presume, will have courage to en

counter.

Our knowledge of Professor [now President] Porter's discriminating taste and judgement on the subject of elocution, and his patient investigation of the system of Walker, prepared us, when his design was first announced, to expect a work, better adapted to the end in view, and more fortunate in its reception, than any thing of the kind previously attempted. Nor have we been disappointed. In passing from the Elements of Walker to the Analysis of Rhetorical Delivery, we felt a relief, not unlike that of the traveller, when emerging from a shadowy, pathless thicket into an open, cultivated lawn, where he can lay his course with precision, and pursue it with pleasure. After repeated examination, and a two years' observation of the success of Dr. Porter's Experiment,' we are confirmed in the impression, that this work has now fallen into competent hands.

Not

The importance of a correct and impressive elocution to the preacher of the Gospel is so obviously great, that we cannot but feel a lively interest in every effort, designed to awaken public attention to the subject. We have no fellowship with that affected concern for the honor of religion, which regards pulpit eloquence as a 'carnal weapon,' with which the ambassador of Christ has no right to meddle. We have long been sick of that dull monotony, and sluggish manner of delivery, which still pervade too many pulpits. There are a goodly number, indeed, of whom it may be said, that their delivery is tolerable; but how few are heard, who speak well. And to what must these defects be attributed? to any deficiency of vocal organs, or any other physical impediment. The evil must be ascribed chiefly to early habits, contracted in schools, and to the want of adequate precepts in books on reading and speaking.' Offensive habits, when once acquired, are not corrected without laborious and persevering effort. And the efforts which will avail in correcting such habits may be essentially aided, by helps such as have been attempted by Walker, and, we think, essentially improved by the author of the Analysis. With him we can sincerely say, that for the purpose of accomplishing the ends, at which Walker aimed in his Elements of Elocution, we have much desired to see a manual for students, free both from the obscurity, and the extreme particularity of his system.'

The work before us is an attempt to furnish such a manual ;—or, in the reserved language of the author-" an experiment on a subject environed with difficulty." If the experiment should not succeed to the extent of our anticipations, the failure will not be attributed, as in the case of its predecessor, to prolixity and puzzling particularity. Considering the nature of the subject, less could not have been said; and what is said, does not appear wanting, either in appropriateness or perspicuity. Some of the articles, we think, would have admitted a more extended illustration; and we are not alone in the wish that the science of rhetoric may be elucidated and enriched with additional contributions from the respected author of the Analysis. From a remark in the preface to the second edition we are encouraged to expect something farther, from Dr. P. in this department of professional education; and his labors we hope, may be so appreciated, by those especially whom it is his anxious desire to aid in their preparation to preach the Gospel, that he will have no occasion to say, with the indefatigable Walker,"I have almost worn out a long life in laborious exertions; and yet I have had the mortification to find few of my pupils listen to me."

The plan of the work under review comprehends Reading, Articulation, Inflection, Accent, Emphasis, Modulation, and Khetorical Action. Appended is a selection of exercises, to a part of which a notation is applied, to assist the pupil in the modulation of his voice.

Tones express a language powerfully significant, and it is the inflection of the voice, that gives them significancy. There is nothing very moving in a protracted monotone. To analyze these delicate qualities of elocution requires accurate discrimination. The chapter on this subject contains a series of observations and rules, founded on the repeated analysis of tones and inflections, as they are expressed in easy and animated conversation. Objections have been raised against the application of these principles, on the ground that they serve only to fetter and embarrass the learner. The practical utility of them is therefore doubted.

"The same doubt," says Dr. P., "may as well be extended to every department of practical knowledge. To think of the rules of syntax, every sentence we speak, or of the rules of orthography and style, every time we take up our pen to write, would indeed be perplexing. The remedy prescribed by common sense in all such cases is, not to discard correct theories, but to make them so familiar, as to govern our practice spontaneously, and without reflection."

If there are fixed principles of elocution, why does it not devolve on the teacher to explain them; and when a passage is read well, to give the reason why it is read well? The rules of delivery, we are prepared to believe after an examination of the work before us, are capable of being stated with nearly as much precision, and comprehended with as much ease, as the rules of syntax. That this has not, to a greater extent, been done, must be attributed chiefly to the fact, that the classification of vocal inflections is quite