Select British Eloquence

ings; three of Mr. CURRAN'S; Sir JAMES MACKINTOSH's famous speech for Peltier; four of Mr. CANNING's; and five of Lord BROUGHAM's, including his instructive discourse on the study of eloquence in the Greek orators. Some of the most finished letters of JUNIUS are given in their proper place, with remarks on his style as an admirable model of condensation, elegance, and force. In the first fifty pages will be found nearly all the celebrated speeches before the days of Lord Chatham, from Sir ROBERT WALPOLE, Lord CHESTERFIELD, Mr. PULTENEY, Lord BELHAVEN, Sir JOHN DIGBY, the Earl of STRAFFORD, and Sir JOHN ELIOT. The selections in this volume extend through a period of two hundred years, and embrace a very large proportion of the most powerful eloquence of Great Britain.

The following are the aids afforded for the study of these speeches:

(1.) A memoir of each orator, designed to show his early training in eloquence, the leading events of his public life, the peculiar cast of his genius, and the distinctive characteristics of his oratory. It ought to be said, in justice to the author, that these sketches were completed in every essential particular, long before the publication of Lord Brougham's work upon British Statesmen.

(2.) A historical introduction to each of the speeches, explaining minutely the circumstances of the case, the state of parties, and the exact point at issue, being intended to place the reader in the midst of the scene as an actual spectator of the contest. These introductions, with the memoirs just mentioned, form a slight but continuous thread of political history, embracing the most important topics discussed in the British Parliament for more than a century. (3.) An analysis of the longer speeches in side-notes, giving the divisions and subdivisions of thought, and thus enabling the reader to perceive at once the connection and bearing of the several parts.

(4.) A large body of explanatory notes, bringing out minuter facts. A few of these, on CHATHAM's early speeches, are from the Modern Orator, and also some definitions of law terms in two of ERSKINE'S, p. 637-83.

(5.) Critical notes, as specimens of the kind of analysis which the author has been accustomed to apply to the several parts of an oration, and which every student in oratory should be continually making out for himself.

(6.) Translations of the passages quoted from the ancient and foreign languages, with the poetry rendered into English verse. The passages are usually traced to their sources, and the train of thought given as it appears in the original, without a knowledge of which most quotations have but little force or beauty. For the same reason, the classical and other allusions are traced out and explained.

(7.) A concluding statement of the way in which the question was decided, with occasional remarks upon its merits, or the results produced by the decision.

Great compression has been used in preparing this volume, that all who are interested in the study of eloquence may be able to possess it. Each page contains the matter of three ordinary octavo pages in Pica type; and the whole work has in it one sixth more than Chapman's Select Speeches, or Willison's American Eloquence, in five octavo volumes each.

In conclusion, the author may be permitted to say, that while he has aimed to produce a volume worthy of lying at all times on the table of every one engaged in speaking or writing for the public, he has hoped it might prove peculiarly useful to men of his own profession; since nothing is more desirable, at the present day, than a larger infusion into our sacred eloquence of the freedom, boldness, and strength which distinguish our secular oratory. Sept. 1st, 1852.

CONTENTS.

SIR ROBERT WALPOLE.

His birth and early education, 27; enters Parliament as a
Whig, ib.; early traits of character, ib.; made Prime
Minister, ib.; his extreme jealousy of all who might be.
come his competitors, 28; character of the Opposition
and of Bolingbroke as its leader, ib.; Walpole's system
of corruption, ib.; falsely accused as to most of his
leading measures, ib.; errors of his ministry, 29; char-
acter of his eloquence and that of his contemporaries,
29, 30.

SPEECH on the Septennial Act....

Walpole, ib.; deprived of his commission, ib.; becomes

leader of the Opposition, 54-5; comparison between

him and Lord Mansfield, 55; gains a complete ascend.

ancy in the House, 56; unites with Mr. Pelham, and is

made Paymaster of the Forces, ib.; exhibition of dis-

interestedness, 56-7; on the death of Pelham comes out

against Newcastle, his successor, 58; attack on Mans-

field, "Felix trembles," ib.; attack on Fox, "conflux of

the Rhone and Soane," 59; drives Mansfield out of the

House, ib.; is made Prime Minister on Newcastle's res-

ignation, 60; dismissed soon after, and all England in

commotion, ib.; restored, his influence over all con-

nected with him in government, ib.; power of his elo-

quence, "Is there an Austrian among you?" "Ut videre

virum," 61; Opposition extinguished, 62; triumphs of

his policy and arms in all quarters of the globe, ib.;

France sues for peace, 63; Spain joins her, ib.; he pro-

poses war against her, but overruled by Lord Bute, ih.;

resigns, ib.; makes his "Sitting Speech" against Lord

Bute's peace, 64; attack on Mr. Grenville, "Gentle Shep

herd," 65; opposes the King respecting John Wilkes and

American taxation, ib.; contemptuous retort on Justice

Moreton, 66; withholds his support from the Rocking

ham administration, ib.; forms his third ministry, and

is raised into the House of Lords, 67; his loss of health

and inability to administer the government, 68; resigns

and retires, ib.; comes out at the end of three years

against the Grafton ministry, 69; it falls before him, ib.;

support of America, 70; declines in health, ib.; his

death, 71; characteristics of his eloquence, 71-5.

SPEECH on a Motion for an Address on the Marriage of

the Prince of Wales...

SPEECH on the Spanish Convention.

SPEECH on the Impressment of Seamen..

SPEECH in reply to Horatio Walpole..

SPEECH in favor of Inquiring into the conduct of Sir

Robert Walpole...

Page 76

SECOND SPEECH in favor of Inquiring into the conduct

of Sir Robert Walpole..

126

SPEECH in favor of an immediate Removal of the British

Troops from Boston.

.128

31
SPEECH on Addressing the King for his Removal..... 35
MR. PULTENEY.

His early life and study of oratory, 43; gradual develop.
ment of his powers, ib.; becomes one of the ablest of
English debaters, ib.; breaks down the power of Wal-
pole, ib.; fails to succeed him, ib. ; created Earl of Bath,
ib.; his general unpopularity, ib.; his death, ib.
SPEECH on Reducing the Army...

LORD CHESTERFIELD..

139

LAST SPEECH upon America, with the circumstances of

his Death.

141

His birth, 143; descended from the Stormont family, which
adhered to the Stuarts, ib.; sent early to the Westmin-
ster school, ib.; his great proficiency, ib.; removed to
Oxford, ib.; his studies in rhetoric, ib.; commences the
study of the law, ib.; laborious training in extempora
neous speaking, ib.; historical studies, 144; practice in
elocution, ib.; a favorite of Pope, ib.; extent of his
business as a lawyer, ib.; made Solicitor General, ib. ;
comparison between him and the elder Pitt, ib.; made
Attorney General, 145; appointed Chief Justice with
title of Lord Mansfield, ib.; specch at taking leave of
his associates at Lincoln's Inn, 145-6; his qualifications
as Chief Justice, 146; testimony of Justice Story, ib.;
his political course in the House of Lords, 147; resigna

His Letters have taken a permanent place in our elo-

quence, 163; the rhetorical skill which they manifest,

ib.; the result of severe and protracted effort, ib.; labor

bestowed on the selection and arrangement of his ideas,

ib.; logical cast of his mind, 163-4; peculiar benefits to

the young orator from the study of his style, 164; his

extraordinary powers of condensation, ib.; of insinu-

ating ideas without expressing them in form, 164-5;

reasons why indirect attack by insinuation is so pecul

iarly painful to cultivated minds, 165; Junius' means of

secret information, ib.; characteristics of his style, 166-

7; the perfection of his imagery, 167; who was Juni
us? 168-9; his political relations, 170; had previously
written under other signatures, ib.; reasons for his
now coming out with increased strength and boldness,
ib.; impression made by his first letter, 171; attacked
by Sir William Draper, and thus made an object of pub-
lic attention, ib.; his triumph over Sir William, 171-2;
the power he gained as a writer, ib.; his efforts second-
ed by Lord Chatham, ib.; the King predicts that Junius
will cease writing, ib.; he discontinues his Letters at
the end of three years, and Sir Philip Francis is sent to
India, ib.

LETTER to the Printer of the Public Advertiser

Sheridan, 230; writes his Reflections on the Revolu

tion in France, 231; characteristics of the work, ib.,

its errors, ib.; its excellences, 231-32; his separation

from Mr. Fox, 232-33; loss of his son, 234-35; pension

granted him, 235; his Letter to a Noble Lord on the

subject of his pension, ib.; his Letters on a Regicide

Peace, ib.; errors of Mr. Burke respecting the war with

France, 235-36; decline of his health, 237; his death,

ib.; characteristics of his genius and eloquence, 237-40

SPEECH on American Taxation

SPEECH on Conciliation with America

SPEECH previous to the Bristol Election

SPEECH on declining the Election at Bristol

SPEECH on the East India Bill of Mr. Fox

SPEECH on the Nabob of Arcot's Debts...

PERORATION of Speech against Warren Hastings
EXTRACTS from works on the French Revolution.

MISCELLANEOUS..

MR. BURKE on the Death of his son

CHARACTER of Sir Joshua Reynolds
DETACHED SENTIMENTS AND MAXIMS..

382

His birth and education in Dublin, 382; study of the law

in London, ib.; study of Lord Chatham as an orator,

ib.; settlement in Dublin as an advocate, ib.; election

to the Irish Parliament, ib.; moves a Declaration of

Irish right, 383; unsuccessful, ib.; moves it again at the

end of two years, 384; prevails, ib.; opposed by Mr.

Flood, ib.; invective against him, ib.; opposed to the

Union, ib.; chosen to the Imperial Parliament, ib.; de-

voted to the cause of Emancipation, ib.; his death, ib.;

personal qualities and character as an orator, 385.

SPEECH on moving a Declaration of Irish Right ....

SPEECH on making a second motion for a Declaration of

Irish Right...

38€

INVECTIVE against Mr. Flood

180

INVECTIVE against Mr. Corry.

CHARACTER of Lord Chatham..

399

LETTER to the Duke of Bedford.

RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN

REMARKS on the Character of the Duke of Bedford (by His parentage and connection with the stage, 399; early

206

His birth and delicate constitution, 206; educated at a

Quaker school in Ballitore, ib.; early training, ib.; re-

moved to Trinity College, Dublin, ib.; account of his

studies, 207; early philosophical spirit, ib.; leaves col-

lege and studies law in London, ib.; his severe mental

labor, 208; applies unsuccessfully for a professorship in

Glasgow, ib.; publishes his Vindication of Natural So-

ciety, ib.; publishes his Essay on the Sublime and Beau

tiful, 209; his society courted by the most distinguished

literary men, ib. ; his conversational powers, 210; com-

mences the Annual Register, ib. ; goes to Ireland as sec-

retary to Single Speech Hamilton, 211; comes into Par-

liament as a supporter of Lord Rockingham, 212; his

maiden speech, highly praised by Lord Chatham, ib. ;

goes out with Lord Rockingham, and becomes leader

of the Whigs in the House, 213; Speech on American

Taxation, its powerful impression, 214; elected mem-

ber for Bristol, 215; circumstances leading to his speech

on conciliation with America, ib.; comparison between

this and his speech on American Taxation, 215–16;

speech on Economical Reform, "King's turnspit a

member of Parliament," 216; speech at Bristol previ

ous to the election, 216-17; declines the polls, and re-

turned for Malton, 217; speech against the continuance

of the American war, "shearing the wolf," 217-218;

after the fall of Lord North, comes in with Lord Rock-

ingham as Paymaster of the Forces, 218; carries his

measures for economical reform, 219; originates the

East India Bill of Mr. Fox, ib.; his intimate acquaint-

ance with India and its concerns, 220; his speech on

Fox's East India Bill, 221; speech on the Nabob of Ar-

cot's debts, ib. ; procures the impeachment of Warren

Hastings, 221-22; draws up the articles of impeach.

ment, 223; delivers the opening speech against Hast-

ings, ib.; delivers his closing speech at the end of nearly

seven years, 224; reasons for the acquittal of Hastings,

225; King becomes deranged, 226; his ground respect

ing a Regency, ib.; his unpopularity and abusive treat-

ment in the house, ib. ; his early jealousy of the French

Revolution, 227; reasons, 227-28; his first collision

with Mr. Fox on the subject, 229; his breach with Mr.

dramatic productions, ib.; purchase of Drury Lane

Theater, ib.; election to Parliament, ib.; made Under

Secretary of State, 400; keen retort on Pitt, ib.; speech

against Hastings in the House, ib.; speech before the

House of Lords under the impeachment, 401; Lord

Byron's lines thereon, ib.; indolence and effrontery as

a speaker, 402; his wit and humor, ib.; habits of intem-

perance, 403; unhappy death, ib.; personal appearance

and character as an orator, 404.

SPEECH against Warren Hastings when impeached be-

fore the House of Lords

His birth and early genius, 437; indulgence of his father,

ib.; produces habits of dissipation, 438; eminence in

classical literature, ib.; distinction at Eaton and Oxford,

ib.; early extravagance, 439; enters Parliament, ib.;

first a Tory and in office under Lord North, 440; turn-

ed out abruptly, ib.; joins the Whigs as a pupil of

Burke, 441; his labors to form himself as a debater,

443; becomes head of the Whig party, ib.; is made Sec.

retary of State under Lord Rockingham, 444; disap.

pointed in not becoming Prime Minister on the death

of Rockingham, ib.; forms his Coalition with Lord

North, 445; drives out the ministry and becomes Sec-

retary of State, ib.; his East India Bill, 446; speech in

support of it, 447; carried in the House, ib.; defeated

in the Lords, ib.; his speech against secret influence,

448; displaced and Mr. Pitt made Prime Minister, ib.;

unsuccessful efforts to drive Pitt from power, ib.; West-

minster election, 449; Mr. Fox's speech on the subject,

450; decision of the House in his favor, ib.; derange-

ment of the King, ib.; Mr. Fox asserts the right of the

Prince of Wales to the Regency, 451; King recovers,

452; Mr. Fox's speech against Mr. Pitt for arming against

Russia, 453; his Libel bill, ib.; his views of the French

Revolution, 454; his speech on Mr. Pitt's rejection of

Bonaparte's overtures for peace, 458; comes in under

Lord Grenville as Secretary of Foreign Affairs, 459; his

death, personal appearance, 460; characteristics of his

oratory, ib.

WILLIAM PITT.

.. Page 551

His early ill health and inability to attend a public school,

551; his remarkable proficiency at home, ib.; goes to

Cambridge at fourteen, ib.; his ambition from boyhood

to be an orator, ib.; his training with that view at col

lege, 552; his mode of studying the classics, ib.; his em-

inence in the mathematics, ib.; his severe discipline in

logic, 553; in mental science and political economy, ib.;

his early social habits, 554; comparison between him

and Lord Chatham, 555; his call to the bar, ib.; his

election to Parliament, 556; remarkable success of his

maiden speech, ib.; joins the Whigs, ib.; his sarcasm

on Lords North and Germaine, 557; comes in with Lord

Shelburne as Chancellor of the Exchequer at the age

of twenty-three, ib.; his brilliant speech against Mr.

Fox and the Coalitionists, 558; his felicitous quotation

from Horace, 561; is driven out with Lord Shelburne

by the Coalition, ib.; attacks Mr. Fox's East India Bill,

562; made Prime Minister at twenty-four, 563; Mr.

Fox's efforts to drive him out, ib.; his energetic resist

ance, 564; extraordinary scene in the House, 565; his

keen rebuke of General Conway, ib.; his ultimate tri-

umph, 568; his East India Bill, ib.; motion for reform

in Parliament, 569; plan of paying the public debt, 570;

his admirable speech against the Slave Trade, ib.; war

with France, 571; eloquent speech when his proposals

of peace were rejected by the French, 575; speech of

great compass and power when he refused to treat

with Bonaparte, 576; resigns at the end of seventeen

years, ib.; returns to power, 577; his death, ib.; per-

sonal appearance and characteristics of his eloquence,

577-8.

His birth at Edinburgh, 629; early education at Edin.
burgh and St. Andrews, ib.; his remarkable versatility
of mind and liveliness of feeling, ib.; goes to sea at
fourteen as a midshipman, ib.; enters the army as an
ensign at eighteen, 630; marries at twenty, ib.; his
studies in English literature, ib.; determines to study
law, 631; his call to the bar, ib. ; his first retainer and
remarkable success, ib.; his instantaneous overflow of
business, 633; case of Admiral Keppel, ib.; enters Par-
liament and supports Fox, ib.; chief peculiarities as
an advocate, 634; State Trials, ib.; made Lord Chan-
cellor under the Grenville ministry, 635; his retire-
ment and death, ib.; personal appearance and char-
acter of his eloquence, 635-6.

SPEECH in behalf of Lord George Gordon..

SPEECH on the Rights of Juries

SPEECH in behalf of Stockdale

SPEECH in behalf of Frost

637

His birth near Inverness, Scotland, 821; precocity and
early love of reading, ib.; distinction at school, ib.; per.
suades his school-fellows to practice extemporaneous
speaking, ib.; goes to the university, ib.; early attach-
ment to metaphysical inquiries, ib.; intimacy and union
of studies with Robert Hall, 821-22; studies medicine at
Edinburgh, 822; removes to London, and supports him.
self by writing for the periodical press, ib.; publishes
his Vindicia Gallica in answer to Burke on the French
Revolution, ib.; studies law, and is called to the bar,
823; delivers his lectures on the Law of Nature and Na-
tions, ib.; beautiful character of Grotius in his Intro-
ductory Lecture, 823-24; success as an advocate. 824;
his speech in defense of Peltier when prosecuted for a
libel on Bonaparte, ib.; encomiums of Lord Erskine and
Robert Hall on this speech, 825; is appointed Recorder
of Bombay, and raised to the honors of knighthood, ib.;
spends eight years in India, and returns with a broken
constitution, ib.; enters Parliament, ib.; becomes Pro-
fessor of Law and General Politics in Haileybury Col
lege, 826; his literary labors, ib.; his character as a par
liamentary orator, ib.; his death, ib.

SPEECH in behalf of Peltier
CHARACTER of Charles J. Fox..

GEORGE CANNING..

827
850

851

His birth in London, 851; descended from an Irish fam-
ily of distinction, ib.; premature death of his father, ib. ;
dependent condition of his mother, who goes on to the
stage for her support, ib.; his early proficiency at school,
ib.; his love of English literature, ib.; is removed to
Eton, ib.; induces his companions to establish a paper
called the Microcosm, ib.; takes the lead in a debating
society, 852; leaves Eton with its highest honors, and
enters the University of Oxford, ib.; when freshman,
gains the Chancellor's prize for Latin composition, ib.;
high standing at Oxford, ib.; influence of competition,
ib.; leaves the university and commences the study of
the law, ib.; is invited by Mr. Pitt to become his polit-
ical adherent, ib.; elected to Parliament, ib.; his early
character as a speaker, 853; unites in establishing the
Anti-Jacobin Review, ib.; author of the most striking
poetical effusions in the work, ib.; the Needy Knife-
grinder, 853-4; made Under Secretary of State, and aft
erward Treasurer of the Navy by Mr. Pitt, 854; becomes
Secretary of Foreign Affairs under the Duke of Port-
land, ib.; fights a duel with Lord Castlereagh, and goes
out of office, ib.; is chosen member of Parliament for
Liverpool, 855; goes as embassador extraordinary to
Lisbon, ib.; appointed Governor General of India, ib. ;
is appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs, ib.; his strong
stand against the invasion of Spain by France, ib.; his
celebrated speech on giving aid to Portugal when in-
vaded from Spain, 856; is made Prime Minister, ib.;
his health soon after fails him, ib. ; his death, ib.; sketch
of his character by Sir James Mackintosh, 856-8.
SPEECH on the Fall of Bonaparte