ings; three of Mr. Curran's; Sir James MACKINTOSH's famous speech for Peltior; 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, anil 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 yne 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 eloquenca of the freedom, boldness, and strength which distinguish our secular oratory

Sept 1si. 1852.

!

CON TEN T S.

Page 1

.... 15

Page 76

HR JOHN ELIOT .....

Walpole, ib. ; deprived of his commission, 15., tecorner

Ilis early life, 1; elected to the House at the opening of

leader of the Opposition, 54-5; comparison between
the contest with Charles I., ib.; imprisoned by the

him and Lord Mansfield, 55; gains a completo ascend.
King, ib.; again elected while in jail, ib. ; Petition of ancy in the House, 56; unites with Mr. Pelham, and is
Right, 2; Charles tries to evade it, ib. ; Eliot's speech,

made Paymaster of the Forces, ib.; exhibition of dis.
ib.; characteristics of his eloquence, ib.; imprisoned,

interestedness, 56-7; on the death of Pelham comes out
dies the first martyr to liberty, 6.

against Newcastle, his sticceseor, 58; attack on Mans

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

BPEECH on the Petition of Right .

3

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

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

FARL OF STRAFFORD

7

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

Ilis birth and education, 7; early traits, ib.; ill-treated by commotion, ib.; restored, his influence over all con.

Buckingham, ib. ; assumes the character of a patriot, nected with him in government, ib. ; power of his elo.

ib.; defends the Petition of Right, 8; bought off by the quence, " Is there an Austrian among yout" "Ut videre

court, ib.; becomes favorite of Charles I., ib.; his ex. virum,” 61; Opposition extinguished, 62; triumphs of

actions and cruelties, ib.; impeached by the Commons, his policy and arms in all quarters of the globe, ib.,

9; description of the trial, ib.

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

SPEECH when Impeached of High Treason.......... 11 poses war against her, but overruled by Lord Butc, ib.;

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

LORD DIGBY....

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

Ilis enrly life, 15: enters the House as an opponent of the

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

American taxation, ib., contemptuous retort on Justice

government, ib.; employed against Buckingham, ib. ;

Moreton, 66; withholds his support from the Rocking:

appointed one of the managers for the impeachment of

Strafford, ib.; changes sides and comes out against the

ham administration, ib.; forms his third ministry, and
bill of attainder, ib. ; his eloquence characterized, ib.

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

and inability to administer the government, 68; resigns

SPEECH against the Attainder of Strafford.

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

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

LORD BELHAVEN.

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

'Tis extraction and character, 19; evils resulting from a death, 71 ; characteristics of his eloquence, 71-5.
union of the crowns of Scotland and England, and their

SPEECH on a Motion for an Address on the Marriage of
separation in all other respects, ib.; jealousy of the En. the Prince of Wales..
glish as to the trade of Scotland, ib.; retaliatory meas. SPEECH on the Spanish Convention..

77

ures of the Scotch, ib.; plan of a Legislative Union, 20;

SPEECH on the Impressment of Seamen.

79

violent hostility against it in Scotland, ib.; circumstan. SPEECH in reply to Horatio Walpole..

81

ces of Lord Belhaven's speech against it, ib.

SPEECH in favor of Inquiring into the conduct of Sir

SPEECH against the Legislative Union of England and Robert Walpole...

82

Scotland...

21 SECOND SPEECH in favor of Inquiring into the conduct

of Sir Robert Walpole...

SIR ROBERT WALPOLE.....

27 SPEECH on taking the Ilanoverian Troops into the pay of not

His birth and early education, 27; enters Parliament as a

Great Britain.

93

SPEECH on a Motion for an Address of Thanks after the

Whig, ib.; early traits of character, ib.; made Prime

Battle of Dettingen.

95

Minister, ib.; his extreme jealousy of all who might be.

come his competitors

, 28;

character of the Opposition Speech in Reply

to Lord Mansfield in Relation to the

SPEECH on the Right of Taxing America..

103

and of Bolingbroke as its leader, ib.; Walpole's system

of corruption, ib.: falsely accused as to most of his

Case of John Wilkes

108

leading measures, ib. ; errors of his ministry, 29; char.

SPEECH on a Motion to Inquire into the State of the Na.
acter of his eloquence and that of his contemporaries, Sretch in Relation to the Seizure of the Falkland Islands

114

29, 30.

by Spain.....

118

SPEECH on the Septennial Act....

31

SPEECH against the Quartering of British Soldiers on the

SPEECH on Addressing the King for his Removal.. .. 35

Inhabitants of Boston..

126

SPEECH in favor of an immediate Removal of the British

MR. PULTENEY.....

43

Troops from Boston...

128

His early life and study of oratory, 43; gradual develop Speech on a Motion for an Address to put a stop to Hos-

ment of his powers, ib.; becomes one of the ablest of tilities in America...

132

English debaters, ib.; breaks down the power of Wal. SPEECH on a Motion for an Address to the Throne at the

pole, ib.; fails to succeed him, ib.; created Earl of Bath, Opening of Parliament, November 18th, 1777..... 134

ib.; his general unpopularity, ib. ; his death, ib. SPEECH against a Motion for adjourning Parliament, Do
Sreech on Reducing the Army.

43
cember 11th, 1777..

139

LAST SPEECH upon America, with the circumstances of

LORD CHESTERFIELD.

his Death

141

His birth, 45; early love of polite literature, ib.; elegance LORD MANSFIELD..

143
of his manners, ib.; his acuteness and wit as a public His birth, 143; descended from the Stormont family, which
speaker, ib.,

his various public employments, ib.; re.
tires from office and devotes himself to literature, ib.;

adhered to the Stuarts, ib.; sent carly to the Westmin.
his unhappiness in old age, ib.; his death, ib.

ster school, ib.; his great proficiency, ib. ; remuved to

Oxford, ib.; his studies in rhetoric, ib. ; commences the

SPEECH against Licensing Gin-Shops.

46

... 362

386

CONTENTS.

as Chief Justice at the age of eighty-three, ib.; his death, Sheridan, 230; writes his Reflections on the Revolut
ib.; personal appearance and characteristics of his elo: tion in France, 231; characteristics of the work, ib.,
quence, ió.

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

BPEECH on the right of Taxing America....... Page 148

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

REMARKS on the foregoing speech with the American ar.

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

gument (by the Editor)

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

SPEECH when surrounded by a Mob in the Court of

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

King's Bench.

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

SPEECH in the case of Allan Evans, Esq.

155

ib.; characteristics of his genius and eloquence, 37-40

SPEECH on a Bill depriving Peers of certain Privi. SPEECH on American Taxation

Page 241

leges .

160 SPEECH on Conciliation with America ............. 265
SPEECH previous to the Bristol Election

292

JUNIUS

103 SPEECH on declining the Election at Bristol

310

311

Llis Letters have taken a permanent place in our elo SPEECH on the East India Bill of Mr. Fox

329

quence. 163; the rhetorical skill which they manifest, SPEECH on the Nabob of Arcot's Debts.

ib.; the result of severe and protracted effort, ib.; labor PERORATION of Speech against Warren Hastings

bestowed on the selection and arrangement of his ideas, Extracts from works on the French Revolution... 367

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

MISCELLANEOUS ..

376

378

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

his Nr. BURKE on the Death of his son

378

extraordinary powers of condensation, ib. ; of insinu. CHARACTER of Sir Joshua Reynolds

379

ating ideas without expressing them in form, 161-5; DETACHED SENTIMENTS AND MAXIMS.

reasons why indirect attack by insinuation is so pecul.

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

382

secret information, ib. ; characteristics of his style, 166- Ilis birth and education in Dublin, 382; study of the law

7; the perfection of his imagery, 167; who was Juni. in London, ib. ; study of Lord Chatham as an orator,

us? 168-9; his political relations, 170; had previously ib. ; settlement in Dublin as an advocate, ib.; election

written under other sigoatures, ib. ; reasons for his to the Irish Parliament, ib.; moves a Declaration of

now coming out with increased strength and boldness, Irish right, 383; unsuccessful, ib.; moves it again at the

ib.; impression made by his first letter, 171; attacked end of two years, 384; prevails, ib. ; opposed by Mr.

by Sir William Draper, and thus made an object of pub- Flood, ib.; invective against him, ib.; opposed to the

lic attention, ib.; his triumph over Sir William, 171-2; Union, ib. ; chosen to the Imperial Parliament, ib., de-

the power he gnined as a writer, ib.; his etforts second

ed by Lord Chatham, ib.; the King predicts that Junius

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

will cease writing, ib.; he discontinues his Letters at SPEECH on moving a Declaration of Irish Right .,

personal qualities and character as an orator, 385.

the end of three years, and Sir Philip Francis is sent to SPEECH on making a second motion for a Declaration of

WILLIAM PITT......

Page 552

SIR JAMES MACKINTOSH

llis early ill health and inability to attend a public school, Ilis birth near Inverness, Scotland, 821; pr«

551 ; his remarkable proficiency at home, ib.; goes to early love of reading, ib.; distinction at sche

Cambridge at fourteen, ib. ; his ambition from boyhood suades bis school-tellows to practice extet

to be an orntor, ib.; his training with that view at col. speaking. ib. ; goes to the university, ib.; €

lege, 552; his mode of studying the classics, ib. ; his em. ment to inetaphysical inquiries, ib. ; intimac

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

with Robert Hall, 821-22; studies

logic, 553; in mental science and political economy, ib.; Edinburgh, 822; removes to London, and su

his early social habits, 554 ; comparison between him self by writing for the periodical press, ib

and Lord Chatham, 555; his call to the bar, ib.; his his Vindiciæ Gallicae in answer to Burke or

election to Parliament, 556; remarkable success of his Revolution, ib. ; studies law, and is called

maiden speech, ib. ; joins the Whigs, ib.; his sarcasm 823; delivers his lectures on the Law of Nai.

on Lords North and Germaine, 557; comes in with Lord tions, .; beautiful character of Grotius i

Shelburne as Chancellor of the Exchequer at the age ductory Lecture, 823-24; success as an ad:

of twenty-three, ib.; his brilliant speech against Mr. his speech in defense of Peltier when prose

Fox and the Coalitionists, 558; his felicitous quotation libeton Bonaparte, ib.; encomiums of Lord

from Horace, 561; is driven out with Lord Shelburne Robert Hall on this speech, 825; is appoint

by the Coalition, ib.; attacks Mr. Fox's East India Bill, of Bornbny, and raised to the honors of knig

562; made Prime Minister at twenty-four, 563 ; Mr. spends eight years in India, and returns willinen

Fox's efforts to drive him out, ib.; his energetic resist. constitution, ib.; enters Parliament, ib. ; be
ance, 564; extraordinary scene in the House, 565; his fessor of Law and General Politics in llail
keen rebuke of General Conway, ib.; his ultimate tri. lege, 826; his literary labors, ib. ; his charac
umph, 568; his East India Bill, ih.; motion for reform liamentary orator, ib.; his death, ib.
in Parliament, 569; plan of paying the public debt, 570; SPEECH in behalf of Peltier
his admirable speech against the Slave Trade, ib., war CHARACTER of Charles J. Fox..
with France, 57l : eloquent specch when his proposals ,
of peace were rejected by the French, 575 ; speech of

GEORGE CANNING..
great compass and power when he refused to treat
with Bonaparte, 576; resigns at the end of seventeen

His birth in London, 831; descended from an lion
years, ib. ; returns to power, 577; his death, ib.; per.

ily of distinction, ib.; premature death of his ini. inho,
sonal appearance and characteristics of his eloquence,

dependent condition of his mother, who goe
577-8.

stage for her support, ib.; his early proficiency * nt",

ib.; his love of English literature, ib.; is to

SPEECH on the Abolition of the Slave Trade.

573

Eton, ib. ; induces his companions to estab

SPEECH On the Rupture of Negotiations with France.1593

called the Microcosm, ib, ; takes the lead in die

SPEETI on Refusing to Negotiate with Bonaparte 604

society, 852; leaves Eton with its highest

enters the University of Oxford, ib. ; when

LORD ERSKINE....

629

gains the Chancellor's prize for Latin comp

His birth at Edinburgh. 629; early education at Edin.

high standing at Oxford, ib.; influence of c

ib. ; leaves the university and commences ti
burgh and St. Andrews, ib.; his remarkable versatility

the law, ib.; is invited by Mr. Pitt to becon
of mind and liveliness of feeling, ib. ; goes to sea at

ical adherent, ib.; elected to Parliament, ib.
fourteen as a midshipman, ib. ; enters the army as an

charocter ng a speaker, 33, unit, in esta
ensign at eighteen, 630; marries at twenty, ib. ; his Anti Jacobin Review, ib.; author of the most
studies in English literature, ib.; determines to study poetical etłusions in the work, ib.; the No. 5)
law, 631; his call to the bar, ib.; his first retainer and

grinder, 853-4; made Under Secretary of Stitt sini 1
remarkable succese, ib. ; his instantaneous overflow of

erward Treasurer of the Navy by Mr. Pitt, 854;
business, 633; case of Admiral Keppel, ib.; enters Par.

Secretary of Foreign Affairs under the Duke care
liament and supports Fox, ib.; chief peculiarities as

land, ib.; tights a duel with Lord Castlereag! .
an advocate, 634; State Trials, ib.; made Lord Chan-

out of office, ib., is chosen member of Parison
cellor under the Grenville ministry, 635; his retire.

Liverpool, 855; goes as embassador extrao dos
ment and death, ib.; personal appearance and char.

Lisbon, ib.; appointed Governor General oms, id),
acter of his eloquence, 635-6.

is appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs, ib.,

Speech in behalf of Lord George Gordon..

637 stand against the invasion of Spain by Frane

SrZech on the Rights of Juries

655 celebrated speech on giving aid to Portugi

Speech in behalf of Stockdale

683 vaded from Spain, 856 ; is made Prime M 55, 10)

SPEEch in behalf of Frost

698 his health soon after fails him, ib. ; his death, 13

SPEECH in behalf of Bingham

708 of his character by Sir James Mackintosh, 8

SPEECH in behalf of Hardy

713

PEEEcu on the Fall of Bonaparte

-SPEECH against Williams for the publication of Paine's

SPEECH on Radical Reform

Age of Reason ....

761

Speech delivered at Plymouth..

SPEECH in behalf of Hadfield.

700

SPEECH on Affording Aid to Portugal

SPEECH in behalf of Markham.

778

EXTRACTS ..

JOHN PIIILPOT CURRAN

785 LORD BROUGHAM

llis birth and parentage, 785: the family, though in low Descended from one of the most ancient familia of W:

circumstances, remarkable for intellectual vigor, ib.; his moreland, England, 886 ; born at Edinburgh ibinu

early love of sport and wild adventure, ib. ; is sent to cated at the High School under Dr. Adan, il

school and to the university by a clergyman of the of his mind from early life, ib.; enters the inversity

neighborhood, ib.; distinguished for his classical attain. of Edinburgh, ib.; distinguished for his matiem! iral

ments and love of metaphysical inquiry, 786; studies attainments, ib.; early election to the Royal -n!

law in London, ib.; his unwearied efforts to remove his Edinburgh, ib.; studies law, ib.; his training

defects and gain fluency as a public speaker, ib.; settes poraneous debate, ib.; publishes his work €

in Dublin and riecs to early distinction, ib.; forms the Policy, ib.; removes to London and comn.

Society of the Monks of the Screw, ib.; his celebra- practice of the law, 887; is a regular contrib

ted address to Lord Avonmore respecting that Society, Edinburgh Review, ib.; becomes a member in.

787; enters the Irish House of Commons, ib.; his bold. ment, ib. ; subjects of his published speeches ??

ness and eloquence during the State Trials, 787-8; acter of his oratory, 888; comparison betwer1.17 and
Robert Emmett and Sarah Curran, 788; is appointed Mr. Canning, ib.; his attack upon Canning in ben
Master of the Rolls, ib.; his misfortunes and decline the latter gave him the lie, 889, 89C.
of health, 788–9; resigns his office, 789; his death, Speecy on the Army Estimates...
ib.; his characteristic excellences and faults as an or. SPEECH in behalf of Williams..
ator, ib.