A System of Rhetoric

power, for plunder, and extended rule.-WE, for our country, our altars, and our homes.-They, follow an Adventurer whom they fear-and obey a power which they hate,-WE ferve a Monarch whom we love-a God whom we adore. When

e'er they move in anger, defolation tracks their progrefs!-Where'er they paufe in amity, affliction mourns their friendship!-They boat, they come but to improve our ftate,-enlarge our thoughts, and free us from the yoke of error !Yes-THEY will give enlightened freedom to our minds, who are themselves the flaves of pafsion, avarice, and pride. They offer us their protection.-Yes, fuch protection as vultures give to lambs -covering and devouring them! They call on us to barter all our goods we have inherited and proved, for the desperate chance of fomething better which they promise. Be our plain answer this: The throne we honour is the PEOPLE'S CHOICE the law's we reverence are our brave Father's legacy-the faith we follow teaches us to live in bonds of charity with all mankind, and die with hope of blifs beyond the grave Tell your invaders this, and tell them too, we seek no change; and, leaft of all, fuch change as they would bring

us.

B. SHERIDAN.

CON

CONCLUSIO N.

Directions for Speaking.

SPEAK the Speech (I pray you) as I pronounc'd it to you, trippingly on the tongue. But, if you mouth it, as many of our Speakers do, I had as lieve the town-crier had spoken my lines. And do not faw the air too much with your hand, thus; but use all gently: for in the very torrent, tempest, and (as I may fay) whirl-wind of your pafsion, you must acquire and beget a temperance, that' may give it smoothnefs.-Oh, it offends me to the foul, to hear a robouftous periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, to very rags; to fplit the ears of the groundlings, who (for the most part) are capable of nothing, but inexplicable dumbfhows and noise: I would have fuch a fellow whipt, for o'er-doing termagant; it out-berods Herod.Pray you, avoid it!

Be not too tame neither: but let your own difcretion be your tutor. Suit the Action to the Word, the Word to the Action; with this fpecial obfervance, that you o'er-step not the modesty of nature for any thing fo over-done, is from the purpose of speaking. Now THIS, over-done or come tardy off, tho' it make the unskilful laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve; the cenfure of which one, muft (in your allowance) o'er-fway a whole crowd of others.

HAMLET, A&t. 3. Sc. 4