_Rules for expressing with Propriety, the principal Passions and Humours
which occur in Reading or public Speaking_.
Every part of the human frame contributes to express the passions and
emotions of the mind, and to shew, in general, its present state. The
head is sometimes erected, sometimes hung down, sometimes drawn suddenly
back with an air of disdain, sometimes shews by a nod, a particular
person or object; gives assent or denial, by different motions;
threatens by one sort of movement, approves by another, and expresses
suspicion by a third.
The arms are sometimes both thrown out, sometimes the right alone.
Sometimes they are lifted up as high as the face, to express wonder;
sometimes held out before the breast, to shew fear; spread forth with
the hands open to express desire or affection; the hands clapped in
surprise, and in sudden joy and grief; the right hand clenched, and the
arms brandished, to threaten; the two arms set a-kimbo, to look big, and
express contempt or courage. With the hands, we solicit, we refuse, we
promise, we threaten, we dismiss, we invite, we in treat, we express
aversion, fear, doubting, denial, asking, affirmation, negation, joy,
grief, confession, penitence. With the hands we describe, and point out
all circumstances of time, place and manner of what we relate; we excite
the passions of others, and soothe them: we approve and disapprove,
permit or prohibit, admire or despise. The hands serve us instead of
many sorts of words, and where the language of the tongue is unknown,
that of the hands is understood, being universal and common to all
nations.
The legs advance, or retreat, to express desire, or aversion, love or
hatred, courage or fear, and produce exultation, or leaping in sudden
joy; and the stamping of the foot expresses earnestness, anger, and
threatening.
Especially the face, being furnished with a variety of muscles, does
more in expressing the passions of the mind, than the whole human frame
besides. The change of colour (in white people) shews, by turns, anger
by redness, and sometimes by paleness; fear likewise by paleness, and
shame by blushing. Every feature contributes its part. The mouth open,
shews one state of the mind, shut, another; the gnashing of the teeth
another. The forehead smooth, eyebrows arched and easy, shew tranquility
or joy. Mirth opens the mouth towards the ears, crisps the nose, half
shuts the eyes, and sometimes fills them with tears. The front wrinkled
into frowns, and the eyebrows overhanging the eyes, like clouds fraught
with tempest, shew a mind agitated with fury. Above all, the eye shews
the very spirit in a visible form. In every different state of the mind,
it assumes a different appearance. Joy brightens and opens it. Grief
half-closes, and drowns it in tears. Hatred and anger, flash from it
like lightning. Love darts from it in glances, like the orient beam.
Jealousy, and squinting envy, dart their contagious blasts from the eye.
And devotion raises it to the skies, as if the soul of the holy man were
going to take its flight to heaven.
The force of attitude and looks alone appears in a wonderously striking
manner, in the works of the painter and statuary, who have the delicate
art of making the flat canvas and rocky marble utter every passion of
the human mind, and touch the soul of the spectator, as if the picture,
or statue, spoke the pathetic language of Shakspear. It is no wonder,
then, that masterly action, joined with powerful elocution, should be
irresistible. And the variety of expression, by looks and gestures, is
so great, that, as is well known, a whole play can be represented
without a word spoken.
The following are, I believe, the principal passions, humours,
sentiments and intentions, which are to be expressed by speech and
action. And I hope it will be allowed by the reader, that it is nearly
in the following manner, that nature expresses them.
_Tranquility_, or _apathy_, appears by the composure of the countenance,
and general repose of the body and limbs, without the exertion of any
one muscle. The countenance open; the forehead smooth; the eyebrows
arched; the mouth just not shut; and the eyes passing with an easy
motion from object to object, but not dwelling long upon any one.
_Cheerfulness_, adds a smile, opening the mouth a little more.
_Mirth_, or _laughter_, opens the mouth still more towards the ears;
crisps the nose; lessens the aperture of the eyes, and sometimes fills
them with tears; shakes and convulses the whole frame, giving
considerable pain, which occasions holding the sides.
_Raillery_, in sport, without real animosity, puts on the aspect of
cheerfulness. The tone of voice is sprightly. With contempt, or disgust,
it casts a look asquint, from time to time, at the object; and quits the
cheerful aspect for one mixed between an affected grin and sourness--the
upper lip is drawn up with an air of disdain. The arms are set a-kimbo
on the hips, and the right hand now and then thrown out toward the
object, as if one were going to strike another a slight back-handed
blow. The pitch of the voice rather loud, the tone arch and sneering;
the sentences short; the expressions satyrical, with mock-praise
intermixed. There are instances of raillery in scripture itself, as 1
Kings xviii. and Isa. xliv. It is not, therefore, beneath the dignity
of the pulpit-orator, occasionally to use it, in the cause of virtue, by
exhibiting vice in a ludicrus appearance. Nor should I think raillery
unworthy the attention of the lawyer; as it may occasionally come in,
not unusefully, in his pleadings, as well as any other stroke of
ornament, or entertainment.
_Buffoonery_ assumes an arch, sly, leering gravity. Must not quit its
serious aspect, though all should laugh to burst ribs of steel. This
command of face is somewhat difficult, though not so hard, I should
think, as to restrain the contrary sympathy, I mean of weeping with
those who weep.
_Joy_, when sudden and violent, expresses itself by clapping of hands,
and exultation, or leaping. The eyes are opened wide; perhaps filled
with tears; often raised to heaven, especially by devout persons. The
countenance is smiling; not composedly, but with features aggravated.
The voice rises from time to time, to very high notes.
_Delight_, or _pleasure_, as when one is entertained, or ravished with
music, painting, oratory, or any such elegancy, shews itself by the
looks, gestures, and utterance of joy; but moderated.
_Gravity_, or _seriousness_, the mind fixed upon some important subject,
draws down the eyebrows a little; casts down, or shuts, or raises the
eyes to heaven; shuts the mouth, and pinches the lips close. The posture
of the body and limbs is composed, and without much motion. The speech,
if any, slow and solemn; the tone unvarying.
_Enquiry_ into an obscure subject, fixes the body in one posture, the
head stooping, and the eye poring, the eyebrows drawn down.
_Attention_ to an esteemed, or superior character, has the same aspect,
and requires silence; the eyes often cast down upon the ground;
sometimes fixed on the face of the speaker; but not too pertly.
_Modesty_, or _submission_, bends the body forward; levels the eyes, to
the breast, if not to the feet, of the superior character. The voice
low; the tone submissive; and words few.
_Perplexity_, or _anxiety_, which is always attended with some degree of
fear and uneasiness, draws all the parts of the body together; gathers
up the arms upon the breast, unless one hand covers the eyes, or rubs
the forehead; draws down the eyebrows; hangs the head upon the breast;
casts down the eyes; shuts and pinches the eye-lids close; shuts the
month, and pinches the lips close, or bites them. Suddenly the whole
body is vehemently agitated. The person walks about busily; stops
abruptly: then he talks to himself, or makes grimaces. If he speaks to
another, his pauses are very long; the tone of his voice, unvarying, and
his sentences broken, expressing half, and keeping in half of what
arises in his mind.
_Vexation_, occasioned by some real or imaginary misfortune, agitates
the whole frame; and, besides expressing itself with the looks,
gestures, restlessness, and tone of perplexity, it adds complaint,
fretting, and lamenting.
_Pity_, a mixed passion of love and grief, looks down upon distress with
lifted hands; eyebrows drawn down; mouth open, and features drawn
together. Its expression, as to looks and gesture, is the same with
those of suffering, (see _Suffering_) but more moderate, as the painful
feelings are only sympathetic, and therefore one remove, as it were,
more distant from the soul, than what one feels in his own person.
_Grief_, sudden and violent, expresses itself by beating the head;
groveling on the ground; tearing of garments, hair, and flesh; screaming
aloud, weeping, stamping with the feet, lifting the eyes, from time to
time, to heaven; hurrying to and fro, running distracted, or fainting
away, sometimes without recovery. Sometimes violent grief produces a
torpid silence, resembling total apathy.
_Melancholy_, or fixed grief, is gloomy, sedentary, motionless. The
lower jaw falls; the lips pale; the eyes are cast down, half shut,
eye-lids swelled and red, or livid, tears trickling silent, and unwiped;
with a total inattention to every thing that passes. Words, if any, few,
and those dragged out, rather than spoken; the accents weak, and
interrupted, sighs breaking into the middle of sentences and words.
_Despair_, as in a condemned criminal, or one who has lost all hope of
salvation, bends the eyebrows downward; clouds the forehead; roils the
eyes around frightfully; opens the mouth towards the ears; bites the
lips; widens the nostrils; gnashes with the teeth, like a fierce wild
beast. The heart is too much hardened to suffer tears to flow; yet the
eye-balls will be red and inflamed, like those of an animal in a rabid
state. The head is hung down upon the breast. The arms are bended at the
elbows, the fists are clenched hard; the veins and muscles swelled; the
skin livid; and the whole body strained and violently agitated; groans,
expressive of inward torture, more frequently uttered than words. If any
words, they are few, and expressed with a sullen, eager bitterness; the
tone of voice often loud and furious. As it often drives people to
distraction, and self-murder, it can hardly be over-acted by one who
would represent it.
_Fear_, violent and sudden, opens very wide the eyes and mouth; shortens
the nose; draws down the eyebrows; gives the countenance an air of
wildness; covers it with a deadly paleness; draws back the elbows
parallel with the sides; lifts up the open hands, the fingers together,
to the height of the breast, so that the palms face the dreadful object,
as shields opposed against it. One foot is drawn back behind the other,
so that the body seems shrinking from the danger, and putting itself in
a posture for flight. The heart beats violently; the breath is fetched
quick and short; the whole body is thrown into a general tremor. The
voice is weak and trembling; the sentences are short, and the meaning
confused and incoherent. Imminent danger, real or fancied, produces in
timorous persons, as women and children, violent shrieks, without any
articulate sound of words; and sometimes irrecoverably confounds the
understanding; produces fainting, which is sometimes followed by death.
_Shame_, or a sense of one's appearing to a disadvantage, before one's
fellow-creatures; turns away the face from the beholders, covers it with
blushes, hangs the head, casts down the eyes, draws down the eyebrows,
either strikes the person dumb, or, if he attempts to say any thing in
his own defence, causes his tongue to faulter, and confounds his
utterance, and puts him upon making a thousand gestures and grimaces, to
keep himself in countenance; all of which only heighten the confusion of
his appearance.
_Remorse_, or a painful sense of guilt; casts down the countenance, and
clouds it with anxiety; hangs down the head, draws the eyebrows down
upon the eyes; the right hand beats the breast; the teeth gnash with
anguish; the whole body is strained and violently agitated. If this
strong remorse is succeeded by the more gracious disposition of
penitence, or contrition, then the eyes are raised (but with great
appearance of doubting and fear) to the throne of heavenly mercy; and
immediately cast down again to the earth. Then floods of tears are seen
to flow. The knees are bended, or the body prostrated on the ground. The
arms are spread in a suppliant posture, and the voice of deprecation is
uttered with sighs, groans, timidity, hesitation and trembling.
_Courage_, steady, and cool, opens the countenance, gives the whole form
an erect and graceful air. The accents are strong, full-mouthed and
articulate, the voice firm and even.
_Boasting_, or affected courage, is loud, blustering, threatening. The
eyes stare; the eyebrows draw down; the face red and bloated; the mouth
pouts out; the voice hollow and thundering; the arms are set a-kimbo;
the head often nodding in a menacing manner; and the right fist,
clenched, is brandished, from time to time, at the person threatened.
The right foot is often stamped upon the ground, and the legs take such
large strides, and the steps are so heavy, that the earth seems to
tremble under them.
_Pride_, assumes a lofty look, bordering upon the aspect and attitude of
anger. The eyes open, but with the eyebrows considerably drawn down; the
mouth pouting out, mostly shut, and the lips pinched close. The words
walk out a-strut, with a slow, stiff bombastic affectation of
importance. The arms generally a-kimbo, and the legs at a distance from
one another, taking large tragedy strides.
_Obstinacy_ adds to the aspect of pride, a dodged sourness, like that of
malice. See _Malice_.
_Authority_, opens the countenance, but draws down the eyebrows a
little, so far as to give the look of gravity. See _Gravity_.
_Commanding_ requires an air a little more peremptory, with a look a
little severe or stern. The hand is held out, and moved toward the
person to whom the order is given, with the palm upwards, and the head
nods towards him.
_Forbidding_, on the contrary, draws the head backwards, and pushes the
hand from one with the palm downward, as if going to lay it upon the
person, to hold him down immoveable, that he may not do what is
forbidden him.
_Affirming_, especially with a judicial oath, is expressed by lifting
the open right hand and eyes toward heaven; or if conscience is appealed
to, by laying the right hand upon the breast.
_Denying_ is expressed by pushing the open right hand from one, and
turning the face the contrary way. See _Aversion_.
_Differing_ in sentiment may be expressed as refusing. See _Refusing_.
_Agreeing_ in opinion, or _Conviction_, as granting. See _Granting_.
_Exhorting_, as by a general at the head of his army, requires a kind,
complacent look; unless matter of offence has passed, as neglect of
duty, or the like.
_Judging_ demands a grave, steady look, with deep attention; the
countenance altogether clear from any appearance of either disgust or
favour. The accents slow, distinct, emphatical, accompanied with little
action, and that very grave.
_Reproving_ puts on a stern aspect, roughens the voice, and is
accompanied with gestures not much different from those of
_Threatening_, but not so lively.
_Acquitting_ is performed with a benevolent, tranquil countenance and
tone of voice; the right hand, if not both, open, waved gently toward
the person acquitted, expressing dismission. See _Dismissing_.
_Condemning_ assumes a severe look, but mixed with pity. The sentence is
to be expressed as with reluctance.
_Teaching_, explaining, inculcating, or giving orders to an inferior,
requires an air of superiority to be assumed. The features are to be
composed of an authoritative gravity. The eye steady, and open, the
eye-brow a little drawn down over it; but not so much as to look surly
or dogmatical. The tone of voice varying according as the emphasis
requires, of which a good deal is necessary in expressing matter of this
sort. The pitch of the voice to be strong and clear; the articulation
distinct; the utterance slow, and the manner peremptory. This is the
proper manner of pronouncing the commandments in the communion office.
But (I am sorry to say it) they are too commonly spoken in the same
manner as the prayers, than which nothing can be more unnatural.
_Pardoning_ differs from acquitting, in that the latter means clearing a
person, after trial, of guilt; whereas the former supposes guilt, and
signifies merely delivering the guilty person from punishment. Pardoning
requires some degree of severity of aspect and tone of voice, because
the pardoned person is not an object of entire unmixed approbation;
otherwise its expression is much the same as granting. See _Granting_.
_Arguing_ requires a cool, sedate, attentive aspect, and a clear, slow,
emphatical accent, with much demonstration by the hand. It differs from
teaching (see _Teaching_) in that the look of authority is not wanting
in arguing.
_Dismissing_, with approbation, is done with a kind aspect and tone of
voice; the right hand open, gently waved toward the person. With
displeasure, besides the look and tone of voice which suits displeasure,
the hand is hastily thrown out toward the person dismissed, the back
part toward him, the countenance at the same time turned away from him.
_Refusing_, when accompanied with displeasure, is expressed nearly in
the same way. Without displeasure, it is done with a visible reluctance,
which occasions the bringing out the words slowly, with such a shake of
the head, and shrug of the shoulders, as is natural upon hearing of
somewhat which gives us concern.
_Granting_, when done with unreserved good-will, is accompanied with a
benevolent aspect and tone of voice; the right hand pressed to the left
breast, to signify how heartily the favour is granted, and the
benefactor's joy in conferring it.
_Dependence_. See _Modesty_.
_Veneration_, or _Worshipping_, comprehends several articles, as
ascription, confession, remorse, intercession, thanksgiving,
deprecation, petition, &c. Ascription of honour and praise to the
peerless, supreme Majesty of Heaven, and confession and deprecation, are
to be uttered with all that humility of looks and gesture, which can
exhibit the most profound self-abasement, and annihilation, before One;
whose superiority is infinite. The head is a little raised, but with
the most apparent timidity and dread; the eye is lifted, but immediately
cast down again, or closed for a moment; the eyebrows are drawn down in
the most respectful manner; the features, and the whole body and limbs,
are all composed to the most profound gravity; one posture continuing,
without considerable change, during the whole performance of the duty.
The knees bended, or the whole body prostrate, or if the posture be
standing, which scripture does not disallow, bending forward, as ready
to prostrate itself. The arms spread out, but modestly, as high as the
breast; the hands open. The tone of the voice will be submissive, timid,
equal trembling, weak, suppliant. The words will be brought out with a
visible anxiety and diffidence, approaching to hesitation; few and slow;
nothing of vain repetition, haranguing, flowers of rhetoric, or affected
figures of speech; all simplicity, humility, and lowliness, such as
becomes a reptile of the dust, when presuming to address Him, whose
greatness is tremenduous beyond all created conception. In intercession
for our fellow creatures, which is prescribed in the scriptures, and in
thanksgiving, the countenance will naturally assume a small degree of
cheerfulness beyond what it was clothed with in confession of sin, and
deprecation of punishment. But all affected ornament of speech, or
gesture in devotion, deserves the severest censure, as being somewhat
much worse than absurd.
_Respect_ for a superior, puts on the looks and gesture of modesty. See
_Modesty_.
_Hope_ brightens the countenance; arches the eyebrows; gives the eyes an
eager, wishful look; opens the mouth to half a smile; bends the body a
little forward, the feet equal; spreads the arms, with the hands open,
as to receive the object of its longings. The tone of the voice is eager
and unevenly, inclining to that of joy, but curbed by a degree of doubt
and anxiety. Desire differs from hope as to expression, in this
particular, that there is more appearance of doubt and anxiety in the
former than in the latter. For it is one thing to desire what is
agreeable, and another to have a prospect of actually obtaining it.
_Desire_ expresses itself by bending the body forward, and stretching
the arms toward the object, as to grasp it. The countenance smiling, but
eager and wishful; the eyes wide open, and eyebrows raised; the mouth
open; the tone of voice suppliant, but lively and cheerful, unless there
be distress as well as desire; the expressions fluent and copious: if no
words are used, sighs instead of them; but this is chiefly in distress.
_Love_ (successful) lights up the countenance into smiles. The forehead
is smoothed and enlarged; the eyebrows are arched; the mouth a little
open, and smiling; the eyes languishing, and half shut, doat upon the
beloved object. The countenance assumes the eager and wishful look of
desire, (see _Desire_ above) but mixed with an air of satisfaction and
repose. The accents are soft and winning; the tone of voice persuasive,
flattering, pathetic, various, musical, rapturous, as in joy. (See
_Joy_.) The attitude much the same with that of desire. Sometimes both
hands pressed eagerly to the bosom. Love, unsuccessful, adds an air of
anxiety and melancholy. See _Perplexity_ and _Melancholy_.
_Giving_, _Inviting_, _Soliciting_. and such-like actions, which suppose
some degree of affection, real or pretended, are accompanied with much
the same looks and gestures as express love, but more moderate.
_Wonder_, or _Amazement_, (without any other _interesting_ passion, as
_Love_, _Esteem_, &c.) opens the eyes, and makes them appear very
prominent; sometimes raises them to the skies; but oftener, and more
expressively, fixes them on the object, if the cause of the passion be a
present and visible object, with the look, all except the wildness, of
fear. (See _Fear_.) If the hands hold any thing, at the time when the
object of wonder appears, they immediately let it drop, unconscious, and
the whole body fixes in the contracted, stooping posture of amazement;
the mouth open; the hands held up open, nearly in the attitude of fear.
(See _Fear_.) The first excess of this passion stops all utterance; but
it makes amends afterwards by a copious flow of words, and exclamations.
_Admiration_, a mixed passion, consisting of wonder, with love or
esteem, takes away the familiar gesture and expression of simple love.
(See _Love_.) Keeps the respectful look and gesture. (See _Modesty_ and
_Veneration_.) The eyes are opened wide, and now and then raised toward
heaven. The mouth is opened. The hands are lifted up. The tone of the
voice rapturous. This passion expresses itself copiously, making great
use of the figure hyperbole.
_Gratitude_ puts on an aspect full of complacency. (See _Love_.) If the
object of it is a character greatly superior, it expresses much
submission. (See _Modesty_.) The right hand pressed upon the breast,
accompanies, very properly, the expression of a sincere and hearty
sensibility of obligation.
_Curiosity_, as of a busy-body, opens the eyes and mouth, lengthens the
neck, bends the body forward, and fixes it in one posture, with the
hands nearly in that of admiration. See _Admiration_. See also _Desire_,
_Attention_, _Hope_, _Enquiry_, and _Perplexity_.
_Persuasion_ puts on the looks of moderate love. (See _Love_.) Its
accents are soft, flattering, emphatical and articulate.
_Tempting_, or _Wheedling_, expresses itself much in the same way, only
carrying the fawning part to excess.
_Promising_ is expressed with benevolent looks, the nod of consent, and
the open hands gently moved towards the person to whom the promise is
made, the palms upwards. The sincerity of the promiser may be expressed
by laying the right hand gently on the breast.
_Affectation_ displays itself in a thousand different gestures, motions,
airs and looks, according to the character which the person affects.
Affectation of learning gives a stiff formality to the whole person. The
words come stalking out with the pace of a funeral procession, and every
sentence has the solemnity of an oracle. Affectation of piety turns up
the goggling whites of the eyes to heaven, as if the person were in a
trance, and fixes them in that posture so long that the brain of the
beholder grows giddy. Then comes up, deep grumbling, a holy groan from
the lower parts of the thorax; but so tremendous in sound, and so long
protracted, that you expect to see a goblin rise, like an exhalation
through the solid earth. Then he begins to rock from side to side, or
backward and forward, like an aged pine on the side of a hill, when a
brisk wind blows. The hands are clasped together, and often lifted, and
the head often shaken with foolish vehemence. The tone of the voice is
canting, or sing-song lullaby, not much distant from an Irish howl, and
the words godly doggrell. Affectation of beauty, and killing, puts a
fine woman by turns into all sorts of forms, appearances and attitudes,
but amiable ones. She undoes by art, or rather by aukwardness, (for true
art conceals itself) all that nature had done for her. Nature formed her
almost an angel, and she, with infinite pains, makes herself a monkey.
Therefore, this species of affectation is easily imitated, or taken off.
Make as many and as ugly grimaces, motions and gestures as can be made,
and take care that nature never peep out, and you represent coquetish
affectation to the life.
_Sloth_ appears by yawning, dosing, snoring; the head dangling sometimes
to one side, sometimes to the other; the arms and legs stretched out,
and every sinew of the body unstrung; the eyes heavy, or closed; the
words, if any, crawl out of the mouth but half formed, scarcely audible
to any ear, and broken off in the middle by powerful sleep.
People who walk in their sleep (of which our inimitable Shakespear has,
in his tragedy of MACBETH, drawn out a fine scene) are said to have
their eyes open; though they are not, the more for that, conscious of
any thing, but the dream which has got possession of their imagination.
I never saw one of those persons, therefore cannot describe their manner
from nature; but I suppose their speech is pretty much like that of
persons dreaming, inarticulate, incoherent, and very different, in its
tone, from what it is when waking.
_Intoxication_ shews itself by the eyes half shut, sleepy, stupid,
inflamed. An idiot smile, a ridiculous surliness, an affected bravado,
disgraces the bloated countenance. The mouth open tumbles out nonsense
in heaps, without articulation enough for any ear to take it in, and
unworthy of attention, if it could be taken In. The head seems too heavy
for the neck. The arms dangle from the shoulders; as if they were almost
cut away, and hung by shreds. The legs totter and bend at the knees, as
ready to sink under the weight of the reeling body. And a general
incapacity, corporeal and mental, exhibits human nature sunk below the
brutal.
_Anger_, (violent) or _Rage_ expresses itself with rapidity,
interruption, noise, harshness, and trepidation. The neck stretched
out; the head forward, often nodding and shaken in a menacing manner,
against the object of the passion. The eyes red, inflamed, staring,
rolling, and sparkling; the eyebrows drawn down over them; and the
forehead wrinkled into clouds. The nostrils stretched wide; every vein
swelled; every muscle strained; the breast heaving, and the breath
fetched hard. The mouth open, and drawn on each side toward the ears,
shewing the teeth in a gnashing posture. The face bloated, pale, red, or
sometimes almost black. The feet stamping: the right arm often thrown
out, and menacing with the clenched fist shaken, and a general end
violent agitation of the whole body.
_Peevishism_ or _Ill-nature_ is a lower degree of anger; and is
therefore expressed in the above manner, only more moderate, with half
sentences, and broken speeches, uttered hastily; the upper lip drawn up
disdainfully; the eyes asquint upon the object of displeasure.
_Malice_ or _Spite_, sets the jaws, or gnashes with the teeth; sends
blasting flashes from the eyes; draws the mouth toward the ears;
clenches both fists, and bends the elbows in a straining manner. The
tone of voice and expression, are much the same with that of anger; but
the pitch not so loud.
_Envy_ is a little more moderate in its gestures than malice, but much
the same in kind.
_Revenge_ expresses itself as malice.
_Cruelty_. See _Anger_, _Aversion_, _Malice_ and the other irrascible
passions.
_Complaining_ as when one is under violent bodily pain, distorts the
features; almost closes the eyes; sometimes raises them wishfully; opens
the mouth; gnashes with the teeth; draws up the upper lip; draws down
the head upon the breast, and the whole body together. The arms are
violently bent at the elbows, and the fists strongly clenched. The voice
is uttered in groans, lamentations, and violent screams. Extreme torture
produces fainting, and death.
_Fatigue_ from severe labour, gives a general languor to the whole body.
The countenance is dejected. (See _Grief_.) The arms hang listless; the
body (if sitting or lying along be not the posture) stoops, as in
old-age. (See _Dotage_.) The legs, if walking, are dragged heavily
along, and seem at every step ready to bend under the weight of the
body. The voice is weak, and the words hardly enough articulated to be
understood.
_Aversion_, or _Hatred_, expressed to, or of any person or thing, that
is odious to the speaker, occasions his drawing back, as avoiding the
approach of what he hates; the hands, at the same time, thrown out
spread, as if to keep it off. The face turned away from that side toward
which the hands are thrown out; the eyes looking angrily and asquint the
same way the hands are directed; the eyebrows drawn downwards; the upper
lip disdainfully drawn up; but the teeth set. The pitch of the voice
loud; the tone chiding, unequal, surly, vehement. The sentences short
and abrupt.
_Commendation_, or _Approbation_ from a superior, puts on the aspect of
love (excluding desire and respect) and expresses itself in a mild tone
of voice; the arms gently spread; the palms of the hands toward the
person approved. Exhorting or encouraging, as of an army by a general,
is expressed with some part of the looks and action of courage.
_Jealousy_ would be likely to be well expressed by one, who had often
seen prisoners tortured in the dungeons of the inquisition, or who had
seen what the dungeons of the inquisition are the best earthly emblem
of; I mean Hell. For next to being in the Pope's or in Satan's prison,
is the torture of him who is possessed with the spirit of jealousy.
Being a mixture of passions directly contrary to one another, the
person, whose soul is the seat of such confusion and tumult, must be in
as much greater misery than Prometheus, with the vulture tearing his
liver, as the pains of the mind are greater than those of the body.
Jealousy is a ferment of love, hatred, hope, fear, shame, anxiety,
suspicion, grief, pity, envy, pride, rage, cruelty, vengeance, madness,
and if there be any other tormenting passion which can agitate the human
mind. Therefore to express jealousy well, requires that one know how to
represent justly all these passions by turns, (see _Love_, _Hatred_,
&c.) and often several of them together. Jealousy shews itself by
restlessness, peevishness, thoughtfulness, anxiety, absence of mind.
Sometimes it bursts out in piteous complaint and weeping; then a gleam
of hope, that all is yet well, lights up the countenance into a
momentary smile. Immediately the face, clouded with a general gloom,
shews the mind overcast again with horrid suspicions and frightful
imaginations. Then the arms are folded upon the breast; the fists
violently clenched; the rolling, bloody eyes dart fury. He hurries to
and fro; he has no more rest than a ship in a troubled sea, the sport of
winds and waves. Again, he composes himself a little to reflect on the
charms of the suspected person. She appears to his imagination like the
sweetness of the rising dawn. Then his monster-breeding fancy represents
her as false as she is fair. Then he roars out as one on the rack, when
the cruel engine rends every joint, and every sinew bursts. Then he
throws himself on the ground. He beats his head against the pavement.
Then he springs up, and with the look and action of a fury bursting hot
from the abyss, he snatches the instrument of death, and, after ripping
up the bosom of the loved, suspected, hated, lamented, fair one, he
stabs himself to the heart, and exhibits a striking proof, how terrible
a creature a puny mortal is, when agitated by an infernal passion.
_Dotage_ or _infirm old age_, shews itself by talkativeness, boasting of
the past, hollowness of the eyes and cheeks, dimness of sight, deafness,
tremor of voice, the accents, through default of teeth, scarce
intelligible; hams weak, knees tottering, head paralytic, hollow
coughing, frequent expectoration, breathless wheezing, laborious
groaning, the body stooping under the insupportable load of years, which
soon shall crush it into the dust, from whence it had its origin.
_Folly_, that is, of a natural ideot, gives the face an habitual
thoughtless, brainless grin. The eyes dance from object to object,
without ever fixing steadily upon any one. A thousand different and
incoherent passions, looks, gestures, speeches and absurdities, are
played off every moment.
_Distraction_ opens the eyes to a frightful wideness, rolls them hastily
and wildly from object to object; distorts every feature; gnashes with
the teeth; agitates all parts of the body; rolls in the dust; foams at
the mouth; utters, with hideous bellowings, execrations, blasphemies,
and all that is fierce and outrageous, rushes furiously on all who
approach; and, if not restrained, tears its own fiesh, and destroys
itself.
_Sickness_ has infirmity and feebleness in every motion and utterance.
The eyes dim, and almost closed; cheeks pale and hollow; the jaw fallen;
the head hung down, as if too heavy to be supported by the neck. A
general inertia prevails. The voice trembling; the utterance through the
nose; every sentence accompanied with a groan; the hand shaking, and the
knees tottering under the body; or the body stretched helpless on the
bed.
_Fainting_ produces a sudden relaxation of all that holds the human
frame together, every sinew and ligament unstrung. The colour flies from
the vermilion cheek; the sparkling eye grows dim. Down the body drops,
as helpless, and senseless, as a mass of clay, to which, by its colour
and appearance, it seems hastening to resolve itself--Which leads me to
conclude with:
_Death_ the awful end of all flesh; which exhibits nothing in appearance
different from what I have been just describing; for fainting continued
ends in death,--a subject almost too serious to be made a matter of
artificial imitation.
_Lower_ degrees of every passion are to be expressed by more moderate
exertions of voice and gesture; as every public speaker's discretion
will suggest to him.
_Mixed_ passions, or emotions of the mind, require a mixed expression.
_Pity_, for example, is composed of grief and love. It is therefore
evident, that a correct speaker must, by his looks and gestures, and by
the tone and pitch of his voice, express both grief and love, in
expressing pity, and so of the rest.
It is to be remembered, that the action, in expressing the various
humours and passions, for which I have here given rules, is to be suited
to the age, sex, condition, and circumstances of the character. Violent
anger, or rage, for example, is to be expressed with great agitation;
(see _Anger_) but the rage of an infirm old man, of a woman, and of a
youth, are all different from one another, and from that of a man in the
flower of his age, as every speaker's discretion will suggest. A hero
may shew fear, or sensibility of pain; but not in the same manner as a
girl would express those sensations. Grief may be expressed by a person
reading a melancholy story or description of a room. It may be acted
upon the stage. It may be dwelt upon by the pleader at the bar; or it
may have a place in a sermon. The passion is still grief. But the manner
of expressing it will be different in each of the speakers, if they have
judgment.
A correct speaker does not make a movement of limb, or feature, for
which he has not a reason. If he addresses heaven, he looks upward. If
he speaks to his fellow-creatures, he looks round upon them. The spirit
of what he says, or is said to him, appears in his look. If he expresses
amazement, or would excite it, he lifts up his hands and eyes. If he
invites to virtue and happiness, he spreads his arms, and looks
benevolent. If he threatens the vengeance of heaven against vice, he
bends his eye-brow into wrath and menaces with his arm and countenance.
He does not needlessly saw the air with his arm, nor stab himself with
his finger. He does not clap his right hand upon his breast, unless he
has occasion to speak of himself, or to introduce conscience, or
somewhat sentimental. He does not start back, unless he wants to express
horror or aversion. He does not come forward, but when he has occasion
to solicit. He does not raise his voice, but to express somewhat
peculiarly emphatical. He does not lower it, but to contrast the raising
of it. His eyes, by turns, according to the humour of the matter he has
to express, sparkle fury, brighten into joy, glance disdain, melt into
grief, frown disgust and hatred, languish into love, or glare
distraction.
_On Reading and Speaking_.
FROM BLAIR'S LECTURES.
The first object of a reader or speaker, is, to be clearly understood by
his hearers. In order for this, it is necessary that he should pronounce
his words distinctly, and deliberately; that he should carefully avoid
the two extremes of uttering either too fast, or too slow; and that his
tone of voice should be perfectly natural.
A reader or speaker should endeavor to acquire a perfect command of his
voice; so as neither to stun his hearers by pitching it upon too high a
key; nor tire their patience by obliging them to listen to sounds which
are scarcely audible. It is not the loudest speaker, who is always the
best understood; but he who pronounces upon that key which fills the
space occupied by the audience. That pitch of voice, which is used in
ordinary conversation, is usually the best for a public speaker.
Early attention ought to be paid to the pauses; but the rules for these
are so indefinite and arbitrary, and so difficult to be comprehended,
that long experience is necessary in order to acquire a perfect
knowledge of their use. With regard to the length of the several pauses,
no precise rules can be given. This, together with the variety of tones
which accompany them, depends much upon the nature of the subject.
Perhaps nothing is of more importance to a reader or speaker, than a
proper attention to accent, emphasis, and cadence. Every word in our
language, of more than one syllable, has, at least, one accented
syllable. This syllable ought to be rightly known, and the word should
be pronounced by the reader or speaker in the same manner as he would
pronounce it in ordinary conversation.
By emphasis, we distinguish those words in a sentence which we esteem
the most important, by laying a greater stress of voice upon them than
we do upon the others. And it is surprising to observe how the sense of
a phrase may be altered by varying the emphasis. The following example
will serve as an illustration.
This short question, "Will you ride to town to-day?" may be understood
in four different ways, and consequently, may receive four different
answers, according to the placing of the emphasis.
If it be pronounced thus; Will _you_ ride to town to-day? the answer may
properly be, no; I shall send my son. If thus; Will you _ride_ to town
to-day; Answer, no; I intend to walk. Will you ride to _town_ to-day?
No; I shall ride into the country. Will you ride to town _to-day_? No;
but I shall to-morrow.
This shows how necessary it is that a reader or speaker should know
where to place his emphasis. And the only rule for this is, that he
study to attain a just conception of the force and spirit of the
sentiments which he delivers. There is as great a difference between one
who lays his emphasis properly, and one who pays no regard to it, or
places it wrong, as there is between one who plays on an instrument with
a masterly hand, and the most bungling performer.
Cadence is the reverse of emphasis. It is a depression or lowering of
the voice; and commonly falls upon the last syllable in a sentence. It
is varied, however, according to the sense. When a question is asked, it
seldom falls upon the last word; and many sentences require no cadence
at all.
In addition to what has been said, it is of great importance to attend
particularly to tones and gestures. To almost every sentiment we utter,
more especially, to every strong emotion, nature has adapted some
peculiar tone of voice. And we may observe, that every man, when he is
much in earnest in common discourse, when he is speaking on some subject
which interests him nearly, has an eloquent or persuasive tone and
manner.
If one were to tell another that he was very angry, or very much
grieved, in a tone which did not suit such emotions, instead of being
believed, he would be laughed at. The best direction which can be given,
is, to copy the proper tones for expressing every sentiment from those
which nature dictates to us in conversation with others.
With respect to gesture, the few following hints may be of some service.
When speaking in public, one should endeavor to preserve as much dignity
as possible in the whole attitude of the body. An erect posture is
generally to be chosen; standing firm so as to have the fullest command
of all his motions. Any inclination, which is used, should be forwards
towards the hearers, which is a natural expression of earnestness.
As for the countenance, the chief rule is, that it should correspond
with the nature of the discourse; and when no particular emotion is
expressed, a serious and manly look is always the best. The eyes should
never be fixed close on any one object, but more easily round upon the
whole audience.
In the motions made with the hands consists the chief part of gesture in
speaking. The right hand should be used more frequently than the left.
Warm emotions demand the motion of both hands corresponding together.
All the gestures should be free and easy. Perpendicular movements with
the hands, that is, in a straight line up and down are seldom good.
Oblique motions are, in general, the most graceful.
Motions made with the hands should proceed rather from the shoulders
than from the elbows; for they appear much more easy. Too sudden and
nimble motions should be avoided. Earnestness can be fully expressed
without them. Above all things, a speaker should guard against
affectation, which is always disgustful.
_FINIS_.