Bolf sh

BR

veg w

him have I offended. I pause for a reply. None!

she sw

Then none have I offended. I have done no more

a R2

shf n

nef

br-R

to Cæsar, than you should do to Brutus.

a

ihf n

a

The

rLI

ieb n

question of his death is enrolled in the Capitol;

Antony, who, though he had no hand in his death,

shall receive the benefit of his dying,-a place in

B shc

the commonwealth; as which of you shall not?

With this, I depart that, as I slew my best

BR
:

lover for the good of Rome, I have the same dagger

br st-R

B pef

for myself, when it shall please my country to

REMARKS ON THE NOTATION OF THE SPEECH OF BRUTUS.

I have introduced this speech, and noted it, for the purpose of showing that the gestures necessary for delivering it in the true spirit, are principally the suspending and the emphatic. These are suited to the vehemence of the speaker's manner, which seeks no ornament, but hastens to produce the main impression on his hearers, by the most direct method. An inspection of the notation will make this evident; for, even though the reader may wish to alter many

particular gestures which are here noted, he must change them for others of the same nature, if he would preserve the character of the speech. The suspending and the emphatic gestures must still abound, and he will find little opportunity for introducing the other descriptions, which are, in general, too tame for the abrupt and vehement style of this speech.

"Be silent that you may hear." On these words I have marked the gesture for the left hand, as well as that for the right, and also on the words, "have respect unto mine honour." This last is an auxiliary gesture, but of the vehement kind. The exordium of this singular oration ends at "better judge;" after which, the arms should fall to rest, and there should be a considerable pause. Another division, which may be called the proposition, takes place at "live all freemen ;" another, the narration, at "death for his ambition ;" and that which may be called the pathetic, or appeal to the passions, finishes at "I pause for a reply." The argument, or reasoning, ends at "suffered death;" and the peroration follows.

"I weep for him." This is noted E-R, the right hand on the eyes, the left at rest.

"Him have I offended;" noted on "him," ihf rc, recoiling. In this action the finger is pointed suddenly, and scornfully; then immediately withdrawn.

Frequent changes in the positions of the feet indicate anxiety; they are, therefore, noted, in this speech.

"His body, mourned;" auxiliary gesture. When the right hand is brought up on “mourned," both hands become supine; and, on the next words, "by Mark Antony," they make the action of noting. At "Here comes," noted B, the speaker looks back; at "Mark Antony," noted F, he looks forward to those whom he addresses. It would be tedious to point out all the suspending gestures, succeeded immediately by the emphatic, for they abound. In all the antitheses, which are numerous, the suspending will be found over the first member, and the emphatic over the last.

B shf st

B nef

We take no note of time

U

rRl

ief

But from its loss: to give it then a tongue

ief

-idq

R st

It is the knell of my departed hours.

RB vhc

rt

Bvhf p

Where are they? With the years beyond the flood.

At home, a stranger,

V vef sp-....

Thought wanders up and down, surpris'd, aghast,

What can preserve my life? or what destroy?

REMARKS ON THE EXTRACT FROM YOUNG'S NIGHT-THOUGHTS.

The peculiarities of Young's style, especially in his NightThoughts, render his poetry particularly difficult for recitation. His use of epithets is faulty to excess. He heaps them profusely, and in every manner, on the principal idea. Man is here his subject, which he colours with every variety of tint, exhibits in every light, and touches and re-touches almost to disgust. And yet he has here produced many sublime images; and his very faults, his labour, his antitheses and his catachreses,* are the source of his beauties. This passage is particularly difficult to recite. The dif

* Cătachrēsis, a figure of speech by which one word is abusively put for another.

ficulty arises chiefly from the multiplicity of the images, and the brevity of the expression; consequently, if the speaker is not careful to pronounce every line with due deliberation, his gesture makes confusion only, and gives an air of mummery to his recitation. This condensation of images occurs in almost every line; but the twenty-sixth line, which consists of only four words, is remarkable. 'Helpless immortal! insect infinite!"

16

To give force and variety, and, at the same time, simplicity and gracefulness to gestures so heaped on each other, is attended with no inconsiderable difficulty. But even should the speaker's manner, in the recitation of these lines, prove unexceptionable in this respect, the difficulty is but half conquered. They do not, indeed, require any considerable variety of voice; but the eye and the countenance of the speaker must be full of expression and intelligence: he must appear to be rapt in meditation, which rises into sublimity as it proceeds, and inflames, as it catches the rapid succession of thought. On these accounts, this passage is seldom recited successfully.

After what has been said in the analysis of the other pieces, a few observations will suffice for this.

Line 4, "aright," continuous gesture to the end of the 5th line, where the hand falls to rest with some degree of force, noted R st, rest, striking. The hand, generally, in falling to rest, drops quietly and imperceptibly by its own gravity, and it is then noted with a simple R; but sometimes the hand is struck down forcibly, and then it is noted, as above, R st.

Line 8. "How much," the x, in the fourth place, means that the arms are to be extended forwards eagerly.

Line 14, 15, 16, six epithets, antithesis, and a climax: the voice and gesture must increase in energy, and on "he," in the 16th line, complete the climax. The first, in each pair of gestures, is preparatory to the subsequent, in the antithesis.

Line 23 to 25. Antitheses and catachreses heaped on each other, each requiring a separate gesture, strongly contrasted with that to which it is opposed.

Line 29. Fst, the hand striking the forehead.

GENERAL REMARKS.

In order to render every circumstance perfectly intelligible, I have marked with the notation letters the gestures in the preceding examples more minutely than is necessary for general use. For general use, it is sufficient to note the most important circumstances, leaving the filling up to the judgment of the speaker.