Browning, and nearly all from Knowles, Croly, Horace Smith, and others together with the comic dialogues from Morton, Mathews, and Coyne, having been selected or adapted for this collection. It will be seen that the oratory of the ancients has supplied an unusua number of exercises. A certain novelty has, however, in many instances. been imparted here, by original translations. We have had little, in modern times, to surpass the Philippics of Demosthenes or the fiery invective of Æschines. The putative speeches from Livy, Tacitus, and Sallust, have been newly translated or adapted. In two or three instances, the translation has been so liberal that a nearer relationship to the original than that of a paraphrase has not been claimed. The speeches of Brutus, Caius Marius, Canuleius, Virginius, and others, have been expanded or abridged, to serve the purpose of declamation. The two speeches of Spartacus, that of Regulus, with several others, are now, for the first time, published. The extracts from that strangely depreciated work, Cowper's Homer, have the vivid simplicity and force of the original, and are among the most appropriate exercises for elocution in the whole scope of Eng lish blank verse. Throughout the present volume, in deciding upon the insertion of a piece, the question has been, not "Who wrote it?" or, "What country produced it?" but, "Is it good for the purpose?" Like other arts, that of eloquence is unhedged by geographical lines; and it is as inconsistent with true culture, to confine pupils to American models in this art, as it would be in sculpture or painting. While exercising great freedom of range in selection, however, it has been the editor's study to meet all the demands of a liberal patriotism; to do justice to all the noblest masters of eloquence, and to all schools and styles, from which a grace may be borrowed; and, above all, to admit nothing that could reasonably offend the ear of piety and good taste. The Introductory Treatise embodies the views, not only of the editor, but of many of our most experienced and distinguished teachers, in regard to the unprofitable character of those "systems" which profess to teach reading and speaking by the rule and plummet of sentential analysis or rhetorical notation. Of these attempts the pupil may well exclaim, in the words of Cowper, The preceptive portion of the Treatise presents no particular claim to origi nality; the object being merely to give a summary of all the discoveries and hints that can be serviceable to the student, in the development of his vocal and elocutionary powers. 9. Sonnet, . Talfourd, 4144. Nature a Hard Creditor,. Carlyle, 73 . Kennedy, 4145. Time's Midnight Voice,... Young, 74 Withington, 42 46. The Common Lot, England, 4347. True Source of Reform, Cotton, 5260. Dizzy Activities, Webster, 53 61. The Good Great Man, 25. Death's Final Conquest, ... Shirley, 58 67. Hallowed Ground, . Livy, 103 12. Caius Marius, 3 Regulus to the Roman Senate, Orig'l, 10514. Galgacus, 4. Leonidas to his Three Hundred, Pichat, 107 15. Icilius on Virginia's Seizure, |