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 CHESTER. FIELD, 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, anl 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 ev ery 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. 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- Walpole, b.; deprived of his commission, ., 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, ib.; 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 the Spanish Convention.. SPEECH on the Impressment of Seamen.. SPEECH in reply to Horatio Walpole.. SPEECH on the Right of Taxing America.. 82 SPEECH against the Quartering of British Soldiers on the SPEECH on the Septennial Act..... SPEECH on Addressing the King for his Removal..... 35 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, SPEECH in Relation to the Seizure of the Falkland Islands SPEECH on a Motion for an Address to put a stop to Hos- SPEECH on a Motion for an Address to the Throne at the Opening of Parliament, November 18th, 1777..... 134 SPEECH against a Motion for adjourning Parliament, De His birth, 143; descended from the Stormont family, which His Letters have taken a permanent place in our elo- 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- India, ib. REMARKS on the character of the Duke of Grafton (by the ESTIMATE OF JUNIUS by Mr. Burke and Dr. Johnson. 204 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 inaiden 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 trent- Sheridan, 230; writes his Reflections on the Revolu i 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... 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, 333; 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 386 398 ..... 399 His parentage and connection with the stage, 399; early His birth and early genius, 437; indulgence of his father, ib.; produces habits of dissipation, 438; eminence ir classical literature, ib.; distinction at Eaton and Oxford, ib.; early extravagance, 439; enters Parliament, id., first a Tory and in office under Lord North, 440-, tury 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 Lore 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 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- flis birth at Edinburgh, 629; early education at Edin His birth near Inverness, Scotland, 821; pr SPEECH in behalf of Peltier His birth in London, 851; descended from an 11 Tim stage for her support, ib.; his early proficiency at ch 698 His birth and parentage, 785; the family, though in low circumstances, remarkable for intellectual vigor, ib.; his early love of sport and wild adventure, ib.; is sent to school and to the university by a clergyman of the neighborhood, ib.; distinguished for his classical attain ments and love of metaphysical inquiry, 786; studies law in London, ib.; his unwearied efforts to remove his defects and gain fluency as a public speaker, ib.; settles in Dublin and riees to early distinction. ib.; forms the Society of the Monks of the Screw, ib.; his celebra- ted address to Lord Avonmore respecting that Society, 787; enters the Irish House of Commons, ib.; his bold. ness and eloquence during the State Trials, 787-8; SPEECH in behalf of Rowan... Descended from one of the most ancient familief Wat moreland, England, 886; born at Edinburgh in cated at the High School under Dr. Adara, il rap of his mind from early life, ib.; enters the University of Edinburgh, ib.; distinguished for his me attainments, ib.; early election to the Royal Edinburgh, ib.; studies law, ib.; his training : Px poraneous debate, ib.; publishes his work C Cole at Policy, ib.; removes to London and comm practice of the law, 887; is a regular contrib tark "t Edinburgh Review, ib.; becomes a member ment, ib.; subjects of his published speeches ' acter of his oratory, 888; comparison between lin and Mr. Canning, ib.; his attack upon Canning in the latter gave him the lie, 889, 890. SPEECH on the Army Estimates.. SPEECH in behalf of Williams.. SPEECH on the Invasion of Spain by France.. SPEECH on Parliamentary Reform. |