dicular, but inclined so as to bring the centre of the body into the line of the supporting foot. The perpendicular, rigid position of the supporting leg produces the error we would here describe; and in this erroneous position of the body, there will be less sympathy with the movements of the arms, and consequently less of ease and grace, than in the position represented in the figure.

2. The elevating and retracting of the head too much.This position presents an air of arrogance or at least of indifference; and generally arises from the erroneous position of the lower limbs represented in Fig. 12, page 230, which position has a tendency to throw the body also back too far from the audience.-The error opposed to this, is the hanging of the head bashfully down.

3. The reclining of the head towards the shoulder, presenting the appearance of languor or indolence.

4. The motion of the head in gesture, unaccompanied with the arm and hand. This error is more common with those who have been accustomed to read from a manuscript, than with those who have trained themselves properly to the practice of oratory. Indeed some motion of the head is allowable in situations where gestures of the hand are not admitted, as in private conversation, or when one is reading or lecturing in a sitting posture.

5. The exposing of the side to the audience, instead of the breast. This generally arises from pointing the toes straight forward in the movements which lead to changes of position, instead of keeping them turned outward according to the rule.

6. The inclination of the body forward, as when the sustaining limb is bent at the knee, or the weight of the body rests on the ball of the foot.

Fig. 14.7. The swaggering protrusion of the body represented in Fig. 14, which most commonly originates in too wide a separation of the feet.

8. The inclination of the body to one side. This may arise from a faulty position of the feet, or from a habit of inclining too much in the direction of the arm which is employed in gesture.

9. The shrugging of the shoulders, Quintilian condemns; and Demosthenes, to cure this habit, practiced speaking with a spear hanging over his shoulder.

SECTION IV.

OF THE EYES AND COUNTENANCE.

THERE is a singular sympathy between the real feelings of the heart, and the expression of the countenance. Says Lavater," When any passion is called into action, such passion is depicted by the motion of the muscles, and these motions are accompanied by a strong palpitation of the heart. If the countenance be tranquil, it always denotes tranquillity in the region of the heart and breast." "Hence it appears," says the author of the Chironomia, "that the orator who would move others, must appear to be moved himself: that is, he must express his emotions in his countenance and by his manner; otherwise his language will be contradicted by his looks, and his audience will be more inclined to believe them, which are the natural and sure indications of the inward mind, than his words, which

may easily be feigned, and may differ much from his real sentiments."

The power of expression is not possessed equally by all; but when possessed, "it has," in the language of Sir Charles Bell, "a great share in human beauty; whether in the living countenance, or in that which the pencil presents. How different the tame regularity of a merely placid countenance, from what strikes the spectator when he beholds the indications of a great mind in that susceptibility of emotion and energy, which marks the brow and animates the eye of the hero even in the calmest scenes of life. How fascinating, when compared with the insipid prettiness and regular features of an inanimate beauty, is that susceptibility which lightens up the countenance and plays upon the features of a woman of sensibility, even while she is unmoved by any particular affection.-The full clear eye, the arched and movable eyebrow, the smooth and polished forehead, as indicating this kind of capacity, this susceptibility of emotion and power of expression, are grand features of human character and beauty."*

The eyes, more than any other feature by far, give character to the expression of the countenance. Thus children early learn to look at the eyes of the parent or nurse to determine the real meaning of the words they may have uttered. Even the dog learns to read the human countenance, and finds in his master's eyes the surest indications of his will.-Who cannot distinguish between the honest look of conscious innocence, and the impudent gaze of hardened guilt; or between the downcast eye of modesty, and the averted and unsteady look of him whose heart is

*Bell's Anatomy of Expression.

the seat of dark designs and purposes? And how different is the expression of the eye when suffused with tears, and when flashing forth the expression of mirthfulness and of joy! The eye-lids, the eyebrows-which are peculiar to man, and even the cheeks, contribute to the production of the various expressions of the eye.

The orator, then, should never wear spectacles, but as a matter of extreme necessity. This, however, may perhaps be preferable to the habitual squint of the eye, which, without great care, is acquired by near-sighted persons. On the contrary, the eyes should be uncovered, and always with a calm-and unaffected expression be directed to the audience, though without being fixed on any individual so as to make him a special object of address.

The power possessed even by the eye of the brute has been recognised in all ages. To man alone, however, is given the expressive forehead, the movable brow, the blushing cheek, and the lip which can express derision, -contempt, and pride. In one respect, it is more important to attend to the lips, than even to the eyes. The mouth in particular being formed by soft parts, may, by bad habits or by indulgence in any depraved passion, permanently lose even its original characteristics of beauty; while homely features may acquire a beauty and symmetry not their own, by the exercise of benevolence, candor, and fidelity, and the habitual practice of self-control. It is not to be doubted, that the innocent beauty which characterizes the face of early childhood, in thousands of instances has its soft outlines irretrievably marred and defaced by habits acquired perhaps by imitation, or by excessive indulgence in passion. In later life, habitual sorrow, or anxiety, or envy, or a sour temper, as well as habits of in

temperance and voluptuousness, may drive from the countenance even distinguished beauty, and may impart to it traits which are not only devoid of all interest, but forbidding and offensive.*

With the power possessed by the countenance of expressing the stronger emotions and passions, oratory rarely has to do. But with its characteristics of grace-those native lineaments which bespeak moral excellence, wisdom, integrity, and discretion, it has much to do.-Pliny has described the mouth of Pompey as a "mouth of probity”—os probum; and a foreign writer has spoken of the mouth of our Washington, as presented in the picture by Stewart, as strongly suggesting the idea of this os probum. The orator then should not be indifferent to the expression of the countenance; he should have even the forehead bare, and should take special care that the mouth and the lips be in no way distorted during delivery, but remain the true emblems of a dignified self-possession.

Among the common errors to which these instructions are opposed, may be mentioned the following:

Errors relating to the Eyes and Countenance.

1. The closing of the eyes; the staring, the vague wandering or the motionless abstraction of the eyes; the fixing of the eyes upon any individual of the audience; or the turning of the eyes away from the audience.-No bad habits would more certainly attract attention than these, and none

"The parts of the human face the most movable and the most expressive, are the inner extremities of the eyebrow, and the angle of the mouth, and these are precisely the parts of the face which in brutes have least expression; for the brutes have no eyebrows, and no power of elevating or depressing the angle of the mouth. It is in these features therefore that we should expect to find the muscles of expression peculiar to man."-Anatomy of Expression.