language employed, and the personal energy and temperament of the speaker, not only perfects and determines the action, but will be found to increase materially the due weight or percussion of the voice. It must be remembered that the right hand is essentially the hand of action, and that the left hand is almost always used in mere subordination to the right. The late well known writer and teacher of elocution, Mr. B. H. Smart, was accustomed in his instruction to pupils to group all gesture under four heads, which he classified under the names of I. Emphatic; II. Referential; III. Impassioned; IV. Imitative. Of these four groups what is meant by emphatic action is sufficiently explained by the term.

"REFERENTIAL GESTURE is of frequent occurrence. By it the speaker calls attention to what is actually present, or to what is imagined for the moment to be present, or to the direction, real, or for the moment conceived, in which anything has happened, or may happen. When Lord Chatham speaks of the figure in the tapestry frowning on a degenerate representative of his race, he refers to the place by correspondent action. When Canute is described ordering his chair to be placed on the shore, the narrator, by action, fixes attention to some particular spot, as if the sea were really present. When a picture of any kind is to be exhibited to the mental view, the speaker will convey a lively impression in proportion as he himself conceives it clearly, and by action refers consistently to its different parts, as if the scene were before the eyes of his auditors.

"Of IMPASSIONED GESTURE it may be observed in this place, that, though all gesture of this kind ought to be the effect of natural impulse, yet the assumption of the outward signs of expression is one of the means of rousing in the speaker the real feeling. This consideration, and this alone, can justify any preceptive directions where nature seems to offer herself as sole instructor.

"IMITATIVE GESTURE often takes place with good effect in speaking, particularly in narration or description of a comic kind. To use it in serious description would generally be to burlesque the subject; though even here, if sparingly and gracefully introduced, it is not always misplaced. For instance, in Collins' 'Ode on the Passions,' the narrator may use imitative action when he tells us that

"Fear his hand its skill to try

Amid the chords bewildered laid,
And back recoil'd :'

and that

"Anger rush'd

In one rude clash he struck the lyre,

And swept with hurried hands the strings :'

and so, throughout the ode, wherever imitative action is possible without extravagance.

"Of gesture thus discriminated, it will not be difficult to determine the species which this or that department of speaking calls most into play. The pulpit, for instance, hardly admits of other than emphatic gesture, seldom of referential, not very often of impassioned, never of imitative. The senate and the bar may more frequently admit of referential and impassioned gesture, very seldom of imitative. It is only the stage that makes full use of gesture drawn from all the four sources that have been indicated. Yet the practice of the pupil, whatever may be his destined profession, ought not to be confined only to one or two of these species of gesture. For, in order to bring forth the powers of intellect and sensibility, a wide range of subjects must be chosen; and in all these, his business will be, to 'suit the action to the word, the word to the action.""

I shall enter more fully in my next Lecture into the subject of the Expression of the Emotions by countenance and gesture, and examine their influence in the pourtrayal of the various passions and feelings of human nature in detail. It is a subject well deserving our attentive consideration, when it is remembered that intonation, inflection, modulation, and all the other elements that combined give true vocal expression fail, however perfect they may be, to give delivery its full effect, if the countenance, and indeed the whole body, do not sympathise and express in harmony all those passions and feelings which are manifested in the tones of the voice. Nothing can be more at variance with nature and destructive of all effect, than for an orator to maintain a rigid stillness and an unvarying countenance. Indeed, where there exists anything like imagination and warmth of natural feeling, it will be seen that the tendency to manifest emotion is so spontaneous, alike as regards the play of countenance and gesticulation, that the aid of any instruction will more likely be required to chasten and subdue than to stimulate the manifestation of the emotions by gesture and facial expression. In the order of nature, as we see in the case of uncivilised races, and in the children of all races, civilised as well as uncivilised, we shall, I think, invariably find that in the manifestation of any passion or emotion it is first indicated in the expression of the countenance, then by gestures, and, last of all, by articulate speech. In calmer feelings, and in the expression of the milder sentiments, I have noticed that in general gesture does not precede but accompanies language. Dr. Erasmus Darwin in his "Temple of Nature" notices the manifestation of the emotions by external signs in the following verses :

"When strong desires or soft sensations move
The astonish'd intellect to rage or love,

Associate tribes of fibrous motions rise,
Flush the red cheek or light the laughing eyes.

Whence ever active imitation finds

Th' ideal trains that pass through kindred minds;
Her mimic acts associate thoughts excite,

And the first language enters at the sight.

'Association's mystic power combines

Internal passion with external signs;

From these dumb gestures first th' exchange began
Of viewless thought in bird, and beast, and man:

And still the stage by mimic art displays
Historic pantomime in modern days;
And hence the enthusiast orator affords
Force to the feebler eloquence of words.

LECTURE XIV.

The Expression of the Emotions by the Human Countenance-Quinctilian's remarks on the Head and Face generally-Diagrams of the Muscles of the Face from Sir Charles Bell's work, and Henle's "Anatomie des Menschen "-The ForeheadThe eyes-Remarks of Dr. Austin-Buffon's description of the Eyes and their Power of Expression-Engel's Views on this Subject-Delsarte's opinions in regard to the Eyes-Letter from Mr. Darwin on the question-The Eyebrows and Eyelids as Adjuncts in Expression-Quinctilian's Observations-The Nostrils-The Mouth and Lips-Quotation from Buffon and Dr. Austin-The Functions of the Mouth and Lips in the Expression of the Emotions.

N this Lecture I propose entering into an examination at some length of those different features of the human countenance which express so vividly the various passions and emotions of human nature. The authorities I have consulted have been many, but I am chiefly indebted for the results I shall present you with this evening, to Dr. Gilbert Austin's "Chironomia," Sir Charles Bell's "Anatomy and Philosophy of Expression," Moreau's edition of "Lavater on Physiognomy," the last edition of the Abbé Thibout's admirable work, entitled, "Action Oratoire," and Mr. Charles Darwin's most deeply interesting book "On the Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals."

As regards the head and face generally, no better remarks can be offered than those made by Quinctilian, who says, "As the head gives the crowning grace to the whole body, so does it principally contribute to the expression of grace in delivery. It should be held in an erect and natural position. For when hung down it expresses humility, when thrown backwards arrogance, when inclined to either side languor, and when stiff and rigid it exhibits a want of polish and refinement. Its movements should be suited to the character of the delivery, and be in harmony with the actions of the hands and the movements of the body. The eyes are in general directed to the quarter to which gesture points, except when we have occasion to condemn, to refuse, or to require any object to be removed; on which occasions we should at the same moment express aversion in the countenance and reject by the gesture, as in these lines, 'Banish ye gods this monster from the earth.' "I hold myself not worthy of such honour."