1. Bright, bright is the path thou hast left of thy glory, Amid the world's darkness, which ne'er shall decline, For the light of thy fame on the ages before thee, With splendor unsullied, forever will shine; 5. Thou art gone! thy pure soul on its voyage hath started ; From its ashes the phoenix of freedom hath flown, To join the bright phalanx of heroes departed, Who dwell in the light of a fame like thine own. 6. With Washington's blended, for ever thy glory Shall form the proud theme of our bard's burning lays While the banner of freedom shall proudly wave o'er thee, Thou mighty departed! thou light of our days; But still! my wild harp, all in vain we lament him; His praise must be sung by some loftier lyre; Let the soul-raptured bard use the gift heaven hath lent And weave for our hero a requiem of fire! [him, LESSON CXXI, ELOQUENCE. 1. THAT I may not stand alone in my views on the subject. of genuine eloquence, I will give the language of those able statesmen of our country, John Adams and Daniel Webster. a Phoenix; a fabled bird, which the ancients supposed to live for a long period, and finally to burn itself, and rise again from its own ashes. b The departed heroes of the American Revolution. 2. Mr. Adams remarked, "Oratory, as it consists in the expression of the countenance, graces of attitude and inotion, and intonation of voice, although it is altogether superficial and ornamental, will always command admiration, yet it deserves little veneration. 3. "Flashes of wit, coruscations of imagination, and gay pictures; what are they? Strict truth, rapid reason, ano pure integrity, are the only essential ingredients in oratory. I flatter myself that Demosthenes, by his action, action, action,' meant to express the same opinion." 4. Mr. Webster observes, "When public bodies are to be addressed on momentous occasions, when great interests are at stake, and strong passions excited, nothing is valuable in speech further than it is connected with high intellectual and moral endowments. Clearness, force, and earnestness, are qualities that produce conviction. 5. "True eloquence, indeed, does not consist in speech. It cannot be brought from far. Labor and learning may toil for it; but they toil in vain. Words and phrases may be marshaled in every way; but they cannot compass it. It must exist in the man, in the subject, and in the occasion. Affected passion, intense expression, the pomp of declamation, all may aspire after it, but they cannot reach it. It comes, if it comes at all, like the outbreaking of a fountain from the earth, or the bursting forth of volcanic fires, with spontaneous, original, native force. 6. "The graces taught in schocls, the courtly ornaments and studied contrivances of speech, shock and disgust men, when their own lives, and the lives of their wives and children, and their country, hang on the decision of an hour. Then words have lost their power, rhetoric is vain, and all elaborate oratory contemptible. Then, even genius feels rebuked and subdued, as if in the presence of higher qualities. Then patriotism is eloquent, then self-devotion is eloquent. 7. "The clear conception, outrunning the deductions of logic; the high purpose, the firm resolve, the dauntless spirit speaking on the tongue, beaming from the eye, informing giving offence, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings. 2. Mr. President, it is natural for man to indulge in the llusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren, till she trans forms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those, who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it. 3. I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judg ing of the future but by the past. And, judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry, for the last ten years, to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the house? Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. 4. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies neces sary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. 5. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir; she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. 6. And what have we to oppose them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we any thing new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find, which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves longer. 7. Sir, we have done every thing that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult, our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne. 8. In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free; if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending; if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon, until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained; we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms, and to the God of hosts, is all that is left us. 9. They tell us, sir, we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? vill it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual ro-isturce by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound as hand and foot? 10. Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. Three millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God, who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat, but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged. Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable; and let it come!! I repeat it, sir, let it come !!! Gentlemen 11. It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. may cry, Peace, peace; but there is no peace. The war has actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but, as for me, give me liberty, or give me death! What would they have? LESSON CXLIII. INDUSTRY NECESSARY TO FORM THE ORATOR. WARE. 1. THE history of the world is full of testimony to prove how much depends upon industry; not an eminent orator has lived, but is an example of it. Yet, in contradiction to ali this, the almost universal feeling appears to be, that industry |