and successful. In the course of fifty years he travelled extensively through the United States, as a minister, and several times into Canada. In the year 1828, being then eighty years old, he made a visit to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and Indiana, much to the satisfaction and surprise of Friends in those parts. Shortly after his return home, his wife died. The summer following, he visited the northern and western parts of the state of New York. He attended the Monthly and Quarterly Meetings in New York frequently after this; and we are told that even at this advanced age, he preached with great clearness and power. On the 14th of February, 1830, just after writing a very long and spirited letter to a western friend, he was taken with a paralysis of the right side, which terminated his life on the 27th of that month. Mr. Hicks was always a zealous advocate of the African slaves. He abhorred slavery and every thing pertaining to it or arising from it. During his illness, he was observed repeatedly to throw off a portion of his covering. His friends finally asked him why he did so-he articulated "cotton." He would have no product of slave labour about him. He was tidy and careful about his farm-a very early riser, and always industrious. A friend informs us, that he saw him in his 80th year, coming out of the field on a load of hay at five o'clock in the morning. He possessed this same activity and vigour of mind and body until the time of his last illness. An incident occurred in the latter part of his life, which furnishes, perhaps, a strong evidence of his prevailing conscientiousness and integrity. An acquaintance of his, who owed him borrowed money, failed. A son-in-law informed Mr. Hicks of the fact, at the same time showing him that he had been made secure. "But how is this?" said Mr. Hicks, "does he not owe thee?" "Yes." "And has he secured thee?" "Yes." "And all his creditors?" “No, he could not do that." "Then he should not have secured thee or me." Whereupon Mr. Hicks immediately directed his debtor to place him upon the same footing with the rest; it not appearing strictly right to him that a distinction should be made between confidential and other creditors. Mr. Hicks died at his residence in Jericho, Long Island. His most important writings are his letters and his journal. From the Western Monthly Magazine. SUBSTANCE OF A DISCOURSE ON ELOCUTION. BY DONALD MACLEOD, A. M. style of speaking prevalent in our legislative and popular assemblies, at the bar, in the pulpit, the chair of professorship, and among the students of all our seminaries of learning, is, so far as respects delivery, faulty in the extreme. In the humbler branch of reading, there are deficiencies quite as flagrant, and much more numerous. The English language is greatly impaired-almost destroyed by of the rest are accustomed to give to it all the perthe majority of those who employ it; and very few spicuity, energy, and elegance of which it is susceptible. Where shall we look for the causes of this corrup tion? Not, surely, in any insensibility on the part of the mass of our fellow-citizens to the value of good reading and speaking. Delivery is, by no means, a matter of indifference to them. It is the very reverse. It is held in the highest estimation. Let any one, who would satisfy himself of this, listen to the remarks of his friends and neighbours in regard to some distinguished pleader, or preacher, or political orator, who had just before moved or delighted them with his eloquence. For one remark, which would lead an observing man to suppose that their attention had been engaged by the subjectthe soundness of his reasoning-or the rhetorical matter the large or correct views of the speaker— beauties of the composition, he will hear a dozen observations which show that they were chiefly interested by his appearance and manner-by looks, tones, and gestures. This is the case, whether the speaker be a man of genius, or very moderate abilities. Nothing is more unquestionable, than a speech quite faultless in point of composition-combining with excellence of matter, the purest graces, and utmost energy of style-will produce little immediate ing delivery. On the other hand, persons of the impression on the audience without a correspondtruest taste and most solid erudition, will listen for hours with fixed attention, admiration, and delight, and not unfrequently with conviction, to men possessing an earnest, unaffected, and harmonious elotion besides. In fact, so much are people in general cution, although they have no great recommendagoverned by the externals in oratory, and so essential, therefore, is this branch, that no powers of mind, and no other rhetorical accomplishments, whatever, did and powerful passage in the records of ancient can fully supply a deficiency in it. The most splenor modern eloquence-the most impassioned and beautiful productions of the poets-the masculine vigour of Dryden-the wit of Congreve-the pathos of Otway-the glowing inspiration of Shakspeare himself, unless illustrated and enforced by a suitable elocution, will fall upon the ear spiritless and unsuccessful. And yet, notwithstanding the high consideration in which this branch appears to be held by the publick, so seldom do we meet with excellence or any great proficiency in it, that it may be said with entire truth, a good delivery is the rarest of all accomplishments. Among the causes of this deficiency, we may justly designate as by far the most productive, the narrow and unphilosophical plans of rhetorical education which have been adopted in our colleges and other seminaries. In some of these no The low state of elocution amongst us is univer-attention whatever is given to delivery-the persons sally admitted. It is agreed, on all hands, that the under whose charge the students are placed, think Delivered before the Western Literary Institute and College of Professional Teachers, at their Fifth Annual Meeting, held in Cincinnati, October, 1835. logue :-" Now I'll rouse your passions-now I'll melt you to tears-now I'll give you peal after peal of lofty and swelling declamation?" Finally, we not unfrequently find all these faults combined in the same individuals. How many there are who have taken no pains about delivery, and yet are accustomed to employ tones and gestures, which it would be impossible for the most unwearied perverse industry, to make more completely the opposite of what nature would suggest, either in her rude or civilized state. ing it of no value-and being influenced to that opinion by qualifications similar to those which prompted Scaliger to pronounce his absurd diatribe against the usefulness of mathematicks, and Dr. Johnson to underrate the importance of the natural sciences, namely, an overweening vanity in their own pursuits, and shallowness in those which they decry. In others, some time and attention are given to the subject, but unfortunately, a beginning is made at the wrong end. The student is required to exercise himself occasionally in reciting poetry, or declaiming passages from the orators; but be- Such being the present condition of this subject, fore he has spent an hour in studying the principles it becomes a very serious question, one worthy of of the art, either as to voice or action. And even in the profound consideration of this most respectable this careless and untutored practice, he is left prin- meeting, and of every reflecting man in the commucipally to his own guidance; all that is usually in- nity-" Can any system be devised, which will fursisted upon being the pronunciation of some pas-nish correctives for the prevailing faults in reading sage in some manner or other, once or twice during and speaking, and enable the student to discharge the term. In other institutions, again, the place, of his duties in the higher walks of oratory with satisa rational and comprehensive scheme of instruction faction and success?" I answer this question in is supplied by a most pernicious system, which can the affirmative; and it gives me great pleasure to have only produce habits of speaking in no way adapted an opportunity of presenting to the college of profesto the character of earnest debate and oratory, and sional teachers, and to the liberal and enlightened altogether inconsistent with natural effect. The community among whom I hope to spend the rebad effects of these systems may be clearly distin-mainder of my life, some outlines of what I consider guished in all the succeeding rhetorical pursuits of a rational system of instruction in elocution, and of students who pass through college, and on every oc- illustrating them by a reference to the method of casion when in the discharge of professional, aca- tuition, I have been accustomed to pursue in my demical, or political duties, they are called upon to own lecture-room. In doing this, I am perfectly speak or read in publick. The majority of them aware I shall meet with some very strong objections. either labour under the most painful constraint and There are two classes of persons, more particularly embarrassment, from not having been accustomed to from whom little favour is expected. The first comface an audience, or hear the sound of their own prises all those, to whom every species of elemenvoices; or else they have confirmed the habits of tary discipline is an intolerable hardship. They incorrect, pompous, and noisy declamation, acquired must have a more easy and familiar method, at school and college, by practice after the manner than is consistent with the philosophy of elocution. of their old academical exercises: by attending de- The present, therefore, will not serve their purpose. bating societies and spouting clubs, and there at- They tell you that in conversation men always speak tempting to declaim the glorious eloquence of with spirit and energy, just emphasis and expresChatham and Burke, or enact Hamlet and Macbeth. sion; and, therefore, that the surest and shortest Alas! they imitate "humanity abominably !"-in road to the attainment of a good delivery, is to asdaring to give utterance to written spells of genius, sume, on every occasion, the conversational manner. before they have bestowed any pains on the mechan- When you read, talk-when you speak, talk!" is ical, or intellectual part of elocution-before they their maxim; and they think, they may safely venhave learned to perform on that most potent and ex-ture on their task of reading and speaking in publick, pressive of all instruments, the human voice, or even subjected the compositions selected for this idle display, to the close and searching analysis, without which no man ought to presume to read aloud the highly-wrought passages of a great orator or poet. Others there are, possessing a partial and imperfect knowledge of rules, and some of the mechanical resources of the elocutionist-powers of voice and gesture-who deform their reading and speaking, by what they, no doubt, consider highly ornamental action and intonation, but which are such affected and meaningless ornaments, as could only be tolerated by persons of the most sophisticated tastes. You will find this class of persons continually straining after effect. All is done merely for the purpose of displaying their powers: and their looks and attitudes seem to keep up a running commentary on the whole performance, thus :-" Was not that a spiritstirring note?" "Did I not make a most harmonious cadence there?" "What think you of that majestick sweep of the arm?"-or serve the purpose of a pro* Vide Inaugural Discourse of Thomas Campbell, author of 'Pleasures of Hope.' Glasgow, 1827. VOL. III.-45 if they can only throw diffidence and hesitancy to the winds, and utter the spontaneous suggestions of their own minds, or deliver the thoughts and sentiments contained in the book or manuscript before them, with the ease and earnestness that characterize their manner in the social circle. Now it is admitted, that the tones, and looks, and gestures, which accompany spirited colloquial discourse, do approach the desired excellence more nearly, than the publick speaking we generally hear, or the early efforts of the pupil in reading or recitation. But still the colloquial style is deformed by the faults we have hinted at, and for which we are now in search of a corrective. How often is the utterance of the most fluent and animated conversationist, in a great degree, spoiled by indistinct articulation-discordant and inexpressive intonation-a constantly-recurring monotony-and such violent perversion of the vocal elements, as not only destroy all grace and beauty, but hazard even the perspicuity of the expression. The subjects and occasions of familiar discourse, indeed, from their very nature, are apt to give habits of hasty, insipid, and meager enunciation, which cling to us when we go up to act a part in the great scenes | mon, to turn away from all artificial culture in eloof publick business; and constitute some of the worst cution. They know that nothing great in any branch and most dangerous faults a speaker can possess. of human knowledge or improvement was ever done A man may display most of the characteristick qualities of earnest conversation, and yet be a poor reader or orator after all. without labour; and they are willing to pay the tax of labour imposed on every important acquisition. But they have found the means offered by teachers of elocution entirely inadequate to accomplish their object. They have reason to believe, that the majority of persons, who have applied themselves to the systématick study of delivery, have failed; or, (worse still,) acquired a formal, unnatural style, infinitely more objectionable than their former faulty manner. They have consequently come to the conclusion, that elocution cannot be taught that all rules and systems are at the best useless. They have resolved to go on as before-acknowledging their delivery to be extremely defective, but yet holding that with all its faults, it is the best attainable by them, and that the superiority of others is either a gift of nature, or the accidental acquirement of practice.* Nor is there any necessity or room for surprise at this prejudice, when we look at the qualifications of the men, who have come amongst us professing to teach elocution. They have been generally persons of feeble intellect, and unregulated fancy, or at least entirely ignorant of the great principles of the art. The most popular of our instructers, if we may judge by systems and their results, appear to have no idea of delivery but as an exhibition of merely mechanical power, addressed to the eyes and ears of the audience. What ought to be the real design and purpose of the reader and speaker-to address the mind-is altogether forgotten, or made a subordinate subject of assiduity. It is undoubtedly true, that persons of very strong and delicate feelings will occasionally exhibit the highest beauties of elocution, merely by giving themselves up to the impulse of sentiment and emotion. But this only proves that genuine feeling, by itself, can accomplish much: and by no means shows that they would produce less effect, if they possessed the skill and resources, which art can bestow. On the other hand, it is equally true and important, that were they able to call in the aid of artificial culture, they might do that always, and with infallible certainty, which nature, to be sure, prompts occasionally, but only in her "rare moments of enthusiasm." Rare, indeed, have been the instançes of perfect elocution, which have not been the results of patient, constant, and animated previous exertions. Years of even careless practice may greatly improve the capabilities of the voice, and impart habitual ease and freedom to the attitudes and movements. A man of little aptitude for rhetorical pursuits, may, in this way, become a fluent, unembarrassed speaker; for fluency and self possession are matters almost entirely mechanical, and have little to do with high intellectual or moral endowments. But never can a man be made truly eloquent, by such a process. Attend to the performances of the most of those, who contend for this, as they call it, NATURAL MANNER, and point out, if you can, a single felicity of vocal expression or gesture. The powerful argu- It would be hard, however, if the incompetency of ments, the apposite reflections, the striking and ori- the professors of an art, should be allowed to bring ginal imagery may frequently command your admi- the art itself into discredit. And notwithstanding ration, and impress your hearts, in spite of the tones the failure of other systems, I come here to-day to and motions which accompany them. But though maintain that ELOCUTION CAN BE TAUGHT; that by a the speaker is able to stand before you without con- more philosophical, close, and vigorous method of tuistraint or embarrassment, and though his language tion than has hitherto found a place in our seminaries, flows in one continued stream, yet the poor and some degree of excellence in this branch may be meager qualities of his voice, his inability to employ attained. When I introduce to your notice the systhe signs of many varieties of thought and emotion, tem which has been pursued in my lecture-room, I and his absolute incompetency to give to any of am very far from presuming that it is the best that them the clearest, most forcible, and agreeable ex- can be devised. Many alterations and additions pression, will deprive him of all claim to the attri- may undoubtedly be made with advantage; but bute of eloquent. As well might he attempt to take however imperfect it may appear, it has been found a high rank among painters and sculptors, by mere by experience to serve some of the most valuable practice, without possessing any knowledge of the purposes of a course of instruction in rhetorical deprinciples exemplified in all the immortal produc-livery, namely, the correcting of existing faults, and tions of the chisel and pencil, as to become eminent furnishing means, whereby the student of vigorous in elocution, without studying the established prin- faculties and generous ambition, may approach perciples and rules of this art. But we have been long fection in this art. It is believed, gentlemen, that enough engaged in combating this idea. They are those who have knocked at the doors of your schools only the idle and vainly ambitious, who can bring and colleges, seeking the means of improvement in forward such an argument. It is a cloak for their this branch, and have sought in vain, may find what own indolence. They think theirs the easier meth- they desiderate in this system-a system, which od; and with great reason; for so far from being while it requires the student to confine himself, in difficult is the talking style referred to, that any the first place, to the study of principles and rulesman who chooses to try, and can look an audi- to acquire a mastery over them, before he enters upence in the face without being discomposed, may on the more genial and inviting business of reading acquire it with as much rapidity, and as little de- and recitation, is yet opposed altogether to quenchmand on his intellect, as any other merely mechani-ing the ardour of youthful emulation-a system cal habit. The other class to whom allusion has been made, comprises persons of the highest respect-although among them, likewise, it is an errour no less com. which, so far from discouraging, actually urges the daring aspirant to oratorical distinction to use his own powers-follow the suggestions of imagination • Whately's Rhetorick, part 4th, chap. 1, sec. 1. and emotion-and thus, with nature for his "law and impulse," "Snatch a grace beyond the reach of art." THE INDEPENDENCE BELL. The bell hanging in the steeple of the old State House, in Chestnut street, in this city, which is rung on special occasions, is the one that assembled the people together to hear the Declaration of Independence read, fifty-nine years ago. The metal of which this bell is composed, was imported in the whilst at the same time it impresses upon his mind, that, in spite of occasional exceptions, the great things in elocution have been achieved through intense labour. Let me say to the youthful and ambitious students at present to the boy-orators-De-year 1752, in the shape of another bell, which having become injured by an accident at the trial ringplore no longer the absence of means of improve-ing, after its arrival, it became necessary to have it ment. If you have marks of improveable disposi- recast. Whether the remarkable inscription upon tions, mentioned by Quinctilian, "Puer mihi ille detur, quem laus excitat, quem gloria juvat, qui victus fleat," then only be faithful to yourselves "Shun delights and live laborious days,❞— it was or was not upon the original bell, we have no means of ascertaining, but Watson, in his annals of Philadelphia, expresses the opinion that we are indebted for it to Isaac Norris, Esq., at that time speaker of the colonial assembly, under whose di and the facilities which have been supplied by the close observation and indefatigible industry of Walk-rection the bell was recast. This supposition is er, Sheridan, and particularly RUSH, will render the acquisition of a good delivery a comparatively easy task. (To be continued.) CARRIER PIGEON. possibly correct, for it is hardly probable that the assembly which ordered the bell from England, would have encountered the risk of being suspected of the rebellious intentions which might have been inferred from its terms. The inscription was copied from Singular Fact.-A pigeon was recently observed the twenty-fifth chapter of the book of Leviticus, sitting upon a fence, at Flatbush, L. I. The observerse ten, in these words: "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land, unto all the inhabitants thereof." ver approached it, and through seeming fatigue, the bird permitted itself to be taken up. On examination it was found to be a carrier-pigeon, and bore, fastened under one of its wings, a scrap of English paper, containing the London sales of stocks, &c. It is surmised that the bird was sent with that despatch, intended for Antwerp, but that it was either pursued by a bird of prey, or driven out of its course by heavy winds, and alighted on Long Island, after the prodigiously long and fatiguing flight of three thousand miles! OUR COUNTRY'S CALL. Raise the heart-raise the hand; To defend your Father-land. By the name 'mid men ye bear By your country's freedom, swear it- Fling abroad the starry banner- Raise the heart-raise the hand; Swear to uphold our Father-land! Floating foremost on the field, None shall tremble-none shall yield. Raise the heart-raise the hand; Fling abroad the starry banner Ever live our country's honour Ever bloom our native land. Raise the heart-raise the hand; Let the soul 'bove earth expand, Sway each action, word, and will- Fling abroad the starry banner- Ever bloom our native land. This prophetick command was literally obeyed by the bell on the 4th of July, 1776, and as it was the first bell in the United States that spoke treason, it was thought prudent to remove it from Philadelphia for safe keeping in 1777, when the British were about to visit Philadelphia, although its weight was two thousand and eighty pounds. NEW ENGLAND. The vales of New England The woods of New England, The streams of New England, God shield thee, New England, Phil. Gazette. Ex. News Letter. Of all the various pursuits of agriculture, the cul- | cramme us with the wares and fruits of their countivation of the hop is unquestionably among the most trie, and doe anye thing that myght put impediment interesting. The whole process, from the formation to our cultivating the hoppe, discommending ger of the hills, the planting of the set, and its growth, soyle and climate, sending us to Flanders for that to the polling of the plant, its arriving at maturity, which we can finde better at home." The eloand the season of hop-picking, is fraught with inter-quence of "Mayster Reynolde Scott," would seem est and when nature, in due season, clothes the to have produced little effect upon the worthy citivine with innumerable bunches of yellow flowers, hanging majestically from the pole, then the hopgarden presents a scene rivalling in beauty and variety the vineyards of the south of Europe; and the hop-growers and their friends are accustomed to tread the maze of the hop-garden, to watch the progress of the plant, and to calculate upon the probable recompense for the labour and many anxieties suffered during the season, lest the drought or the wet, the lightning, the wind, the worm, or the thousand other contingencies to which this sensitive plant is liable, should have injured it, or blasted its ripening maturity. The hop would appear to have been introduced into England at the commencement of the sixteenth century. It was first cultivated there in 1524, in the fifteenth year of Henry VIII. It prospered much, and shortly afterwards Reynolde Scott published a book of black letter recommending its culture; and he complains, in his "eräte Platforme of a oppe Garden," that the "Flemmings envye our practice herein, who altogether tende their own profite, seeking to impounde us in ignorance, to zen of London; for soon after we find them petitioning parliament against "two anusancies," Newcastle coals, and hops, alleging, that the latter would spoil the taste of the drink, and endanger the people's health. And accordingly there was a law passed to prevent the use of that "perniciouse weed," the hop. The prejudice against it, however, wore off by degrees. In the course of about sixty years the merits and utility of this plant became more generally known; towards the latter part of the reign of Elizabeth, and at the beginning of the reign of James I. hop-gardens appear to have become numerous, and the hops produced in abundance. They were introduced into this country by the earliest settlers, and have been cultivated in small quantities ever since. You will now find them growing in the eastern, western, and middle states, and in the eastern states particularly they have become quite an important article of commerce. The largest and most thriving hop-gardens are found in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Particular attention is paid to the culture of hops east of Boston, and also in the neighbourhood of that city. |