those which are less brilliant; the gestures of this kind allowed to the orator are still more rare and more reserved. And this circumstance forms one material point of difference between rhetorical and dramatic action. But if the orator is precluded from the general use of significant gestures, it is evident also that gesture of some other kind is required to illustrate and enforce his sentiments. The gestures more particularly suited to him are enumerated in the 15th Chapter; and they will be found to constitute the great mass of those which must also be introduced on the theatre."

In the very ingenious work of M. Engel, it appears that Sulzer, a German author whom he quotes, proposed as a measure likely to open a just theory of gesture, that certain scenes should be analysed with respect of the pantomime or action suitable to them." And in another place he quotes him as suggesting a plan of making a collection of gestures (evidently those of the significant class,) which should be classed in order,

31 Alii sunt, qui res imitatione significant: ut si ægrum, tentantis venas medici similitu dine, aut citharœdum, formatis ad modum percutientis nervos manibus ostendas, quod est genus quam longissime in actione fugiendum. Abesse enim plurimum a saltatore debet orator, ut sit gestus ad sensus magis, quam ad verba, accommodatus: quod etiam histrionibus paullo gravioribus facere moris fuit. Ergo ut ad se manum referre, cum de seipso loquatur, et in eum, quem demonstret intendere, et aliqua his similia permiserim: ita non, effingere status quosdam, et, quicquid dicet, ostendere. Neque id in manibus solum, sed in omni gestu ac voce servandum est. Non enim aut in illa periodo, stetit soleatus populi Romani, inclinatio incumbentis in mulierculam Verris effingenda est: aut in illa, Cædebatur in medio foro Messana, motus lateruin, qualis esse ad verba, solet, torquendus: aut vox, qualis dolore exprimitur, eruenda. Quint. B. p. 1018.

See also Quint. B. p. 1036, already quoted, ch. xv. p. 20.

32 Le vœu de Sulzer que beaucoup des scenes isolées soient developpées par une sage critique relativement à la pantomime, n'a pas été rempli jusque à ce jour si l'on en excepte quelques légers essais. Recueil de Pieces intéressantes. Tom. III. p. 358.

and arranged in the manner of natural history." He does not decide upon the advantages of such a collection: But the probability is, from what may be observed with relation to the favour with which such publications are received as contain portraits of celebrated actors in their most remarkable attitudes, that such a work would prove highly entertaining and very acceptable to the public in general, and might also be of some advantage to theatrical students; if it should not contribute to carry them away by the ambition of attitude, before they studied precision, and all the more laborious but more necessary arts of their difficult profession.

To the orator such collections would be of little service, and to the mere reader of the drama they would convey little more information relative to the entire action of celebrated performers, than portraits and sketches of great actions in history convey concerning the chain of the facts. The portrait, and the attitude, and the historical picture, are pleasing and valuable so far as they delineate the simple action of the individual, or the complex actions of many at some particular and interesting moment of the drama or the history. They support and refresh the imagination through the aid of the "faithful eye" as far as the momentary comprehension of the painting extends: but unless they were carried through a whole drama, or a whole history, in the manner of those little figures which illustrate the connexion and transition of gesture in the portion of the fable of the Miser and Plutus, they must leave many unavoidable chasms. Now to execute a whole play according

33

Pourquoi une collection de gestes expressifs ne seroit-elle aussi possible et aussi utile qu'une collection des desseins de coquilles, de plantes, et des insectes? Ib. p. 381.

to that plan would be a work of enormous expense and difficulty; this system of notation precludes in a great measure the necessity for such labour and expense: for if it were desired, a great orator or actor by its means could with little trouble record every action as faithfully as if each was correctly depicted. This system has also the advantage over all possible collections of particular gestures, however extensive, in much the same manner, and nearly in the same degree, as the communication of ideas by words formed of elementary or alphabetic characters has over hieroglyphic or picture writing. And it will not be considered unimportant that it possesses this further advantage, that it is not to be considered as assuming any exclusive power of illustration. On the contrary, it is offered only as an additional and intermediate bond of connection, and as an auxiliary both to the literary and to the representative art, with each of which it coalesces perfectly, uniting the facility of execution and of reproduction of the one, with something of the vivacity and precision of the other; and it is at the same time free from some unavoidable imperfections of both. The description of gesture, but especially of many gestures in words at large, however possible, we have already seen would be attended with such a diffuseness of writing, as would rather disgust than inform. And painting, whatever may be its powers, is subject to interruption and chasms, and is besides operose, expensive, confined to the powers of the artist alone, and limited to the single attitude or moment of the action. Whereas this art of notation is much more brief than the written expressions which it is calculated to illustrate; and may be used, according to the pleasure of the annotator, either for marking precisely with their proper gestures and tones, every passage throughout

a whole drama or oration, from the beginning to the conclusion; or, which is perhaps the better method for annexing them, according to the most deliberate judgment, to such passages only, as require in the delivery more particular energy or expression.

CHAPTER XXII.

OF GRACE.

Grace depends partly on the person and partly on the mind-Must be acquired by imitation of the best models—Natural grace may appear when the mind is agitated beyond the power of all restraint-The influence of graceful delivery-Wherein the grace of oratorical action consists-Of timidity-its effects injurious to grace-Conditions necessary to graceful delivery-Of affectation and vanity-Why the action of children is never deficient in grace-Hogarth's opinions concerning grace-Grace of decorum or suitableness—Quintilian's directions relative to grace-The speaker should study his own powers.