fincere without it, and will not for that Reason obtain Belief, scarcely Attention.

THIS indeed is more variable from Custom, than are the Tones of the Voice. The Inhabitants, for Inftance, of warmer Climates, ufe more Action than thofe of the colder; our Neighbours on the Continent more than we : Which Difference we fhould in speaking have Regard to; because univerfal Custom is to be confidered as Nature. There is not therefore required among us the fame Variety in Gesture as in Pronunciation; nor is it an Article of equal Importance,-although by no Means to be neglected.

ONE Thing let me add farther: A fcrupulous Adherence to Rules, the Meditating and Practifing beforehand Gestures, and affixing to each Period or Member of each its peculiar one, is, I believe, however recommended, very prejudicial. For the Effort ufed in recollecting and applying thefe rightly, according to the pre-established Purpose, employeth the Mind, distracteth greatly the Attention, and must embarrass the Delivery: And the Confequence will be, that you fhall become, through this divided Care, faulty in speaking, and affected in Action.

THE better Way is, "After fome general "Care in obferving what is graceful, what "unbecoming; make yourself perfect Mafter "of what you are to fay, and of the Manner "in which you are to pronounce it: This done, leave your Action to Nature. She

"will faithfully attend, and accompany your "Sentiments and Words as they flow, with aptly-correfponding Gestures.

ONE Limitation add:-There are few who do not in their younger Years contract fome Aukwardness or Ungracefulness of Manner, which groweth imperceptibly, and becometh confirmed by Habit. This we should ever be fufpicious of, and confult fome well-judging Friend concerning it. When we have been informed of any fuch, we should endeavour to retain always during the Time of speaking fo much Attention to Gesture, as may be fufficient to guard against this ill Custom, ever ready to return upon us.

THUS to comprize in few Words this Article: "You should employ Gesture; Nature " and Truth require it. Suit it to the receiv"ed Custom; that is Nature with you. Much

Study herein is hurtful; only correct faulty "Habits. Beware of taking Models from the

Stage; they fit not the Gravity of this Place "and Subject. Lean to the moderate Side: "Too much Gesture in our Climate is offenfively Faulty; too little, but Imperfection."

THE Conclufion of the Whole is this: The great Endeavour of every one who preaches the Gospel should be to acquire, with his Audience, Authority. It is not to be expected, that all should arrive near to Perfection in the feveral Articles treated of, in solid Reasoning, good Compofition, true Ornaments; neither çan the Bulk of Mankind diftinguish nicely in

these

these Points: But this Authority, if obtained, will make up abundantly for whatever may be wanting in your Genius, or defective in their Conceptions. It fets every Thing you say in a favourable Light, hiding Imperfections, and doubling the Value of what is good. It giveth Spirit to your Diction, Force to your Arguments, Strength and Weight to your Advice. It rendereth you beloved and reverenced, and by Means thereof useful; indeed, a publick Bleffing.

How then shall we obtain this fo valuable Authority? Ye may be affured of it by a reafonable Attention to what hath been delivered: "By establishing a Belief, that you are poffeft "of a competent Degree of Knowledge, of perfect Sincerity, of Diligence. By compofing your Difcourfes with due Care; by "exact Attention in the right Choice of Subjects; difpofing them with clear Method;

treating them with close Reason, well mo"derated Paffion, and chaste Fancy; by ex

preffing your Senfe properly, with Perfpi"cuity, and Shortnefs; and by delivering the "Whole with a natural, becoming Warmth " and Variety."

AND more efpecially, if you would do Good by Preaching, or maintain any Degree of this Authority, "Preferve a ftrict Conformity of "Manners to your Doctrines: Be what "recommend."

you

LECTURE

LECTURE the Twenty-third.

H

Of modern LATIN POESY.

AVING finished the feveral Articles propofed in the Beginning of these Lectures to be treated of, I had intended to have closed the whole Course with the preceding one: And it is a Reason of a particular Kind, which hath occafioned the Addition of the prefent Difcourfe. Some Things accidentally mentioned in the Series of the foregoing Lectures have been thought liable to Objection, and, as I am farther informed, have even offended.

"IT is faid, that I have spoken with too "much Contempt of modern Latin Poefy: I

have, it is urged, rafhly condemned At"tempts, ever held useful, recommended by "the Learned, and authorised by the Practice "of the moft eminent Perfons; to an Excellence, in which fome of the most diftinguished Names in the Commonwealth of "Letters owe their whole Splendor."

IT seems to me of Importance to clear up this Point: As the beft Means to which I fhall deliver my Sentiments concerning it, as briefly

as I can.

THE

THE Article which gave Rife to the Objecti on was a Comparison between the Writing of Verfe in one's own Tongue, and in a dead Language; wherein I did not hesitate to pronounce the former to be clearly preferable [a]: Which Decifion, however difpleafing it may be to fome, upon reconfidering the Affair, appeareth to me right.

IN poetical Performances, which are to be Works of Length and Care, (for I speak not of Trifles) you are to regard chiefly three Things:

How you may be most useful. How you may moft generally pleafe. And in which Particular Kind you are most likely to excel.

CONCERNING the two former of thefe no Doubt can be entertained: A Poet in his native Language hath manifeftly the Advantage. If his Compofitions be fuch as are capable of giving Pleasure, or of being useful, they will produce these Effects more generally than the others, because they are written in a Tongue univerfally spoken and understood; whereas the others are confined to the Few versed in claffical Literature; and that to a certain Degree of Proficiency, lefs common, perhaps, than is ufually imagined.

THE People of Syracuse, after the Victory obtained over Nicias, fpared thofe among the Athenian Prisoners who could repeat Verfes of Euripides; for he was then alive, and his Works had not reached Sicily: A Proof, how F f fenfible

[a] See Lectures v, vi, xiii.