GESTURE.
As more or less action must necessarily accompany the words of every
speaker who delivers his sentiments in earnest, as they ought to be to move
and persuade, it is of the utmost importance to him that that action be
appropriate and natural--never forced and awkward, but easy and graceful,
except where the nature of the subject requires it to be bold and vehement.
If argument were necessary to enforce the importance of cultivation in
gesticulation, one sufficiently cogent might be drawn from the graceful
skill and power displayed in this art by the best actors on the stage. No
truth is clearer than that their excellence in this is due to their own
industry.
But, in applying art to the aid of Oratory, and especially in copying the
gesture of those who excel in it, great caution is to be observed. No true
orator can be formed after any model. He that copies or borrows from any
one, should be careful in the first place, not to copy his peculiarities or
defects: and whatever is copied, should be so completely brought under
command, by long practice, as to appear perfectly natural. Art should never
be allowed to put any restraint upon nature; but should be so completely
refined and subdued as to appear to be the work of nature herself; for
whenever art is allowed to supersede nature, it is immediately detected,
shows affectation, and is sure to disgust, rather than please and impress,
the hearer.
In general terms, force and grace may be considered the leading qualities
of good action. In pleasing emotions the eye of the speaker follows the
gesture, but in negative expressions the head is averted. The stroke of the
hand terminates on the emphatic word. Be careful not to "saw the air" with
the hands, but to move them in graceful curved lines. They should move
steadily, and rest on the emphatic word, returning to the side after the
emotion is expressed that called them into action.
The following positions and directions are as good as any, that can be
expressed in a small compass, and they are given here for practice. One
caution must be noted, which is, that excess of action is nearly as
detrimental in oratory as no action. It becomes the speaker, therefore, in
this, as well as in everything else, that pertains to elocution and
oratory, to _avoid extremes_.
I. POSITION OF THE HAND.
1. Supine; open hand, fingers relaxed, palm upward; used in appeal,
entreaty, in expressing light, joyous emotions, etc.
2. Prone; open hand, palm downward; used in negative expressions, etc.
3. Vertical; open hand, palm outward; for repelling, warding off, etc.
4. Clenched; hand tightly closed; used in defiance, courage, threatening,
etc.
5 Pointing; prone hand, loosely closed, with index finger extended; used in
pointing out, designating, etc.
II. DIRECTION.
1. Front; the hand descending below the hip, extending horizontally, or
ascending to a level or above the head, at right angles with the speaker's
body.
2. Oblique; at an angle of forty-five degrees from the speaker's body.
3. Extended; direct from the speaker's side.
4. Backward; reversely corresponding to the oblique.
ABBREVIATIONS.
R. H. S. Right Hand Supine.
R. H. P. Right Hand Prone.
R. H. V. Right Hand Vertical.
B. H. S. Both Hands Supine.
B. H. P. Both Hands Prone.
B. H. V. Both Hands Vertical.
D. f. Descending Front.
H. f. Horizontal Front.
A. f. Ascending Front.
D. o. Descending Oblique.
H. o. Horizontal Oblique.
A. o. Ascending Oblique.
D. e. Descending Extended.
H. e. Horizontal Extended.
A. e. Ascending Extended.
D. b. Descending Backward.
H. b. Horizontal Backward.
A. b. Ascending Backward.
DIRECTIONS.
The dotted words indicate where the hand is to be raised in preparation.
The gesture is made upon the words in capitals.
The hand drops upon the italicized word or syllable following the word in
capitals. If italicized words precede the word in capitals, it indicates
that the hand is to follow the line of gesture.
The following examples have appeared in several works on Elocution--"The
New York Speaker," "Reading and Elocution," etc.
R. H. S.
_D.f._ This sentiment I* will* maintain* | with the last
breath of LIFE.
_H.f._ I* appeal* | to YOU, sir, for your de _cis_ ion.
_A.f._ I* appeal* | to the great Searcher of HEARTS for
the truth of what I _ut_ ter.
_D. o._ Of* all* mistakes* | NONE are so _fa_ tal as those
which we incur through prejudice.
_H. o._ Truth*, honour*, | JUS tice were his _mo_ tives.
_A. o._ Fix* your* eye* | on the prize of a truly NO ble am-
_bi_ tion.
_D. e._ AWAY* | with an idea so absurd!
_H. e._ The* breeze* of* morning* | wafted IN cense on the
_air_.
_A. e._ In dreams thro'* camp* and* court* he* bore* | the
trophies of a CON queror.
_D. b._ AWAY* | with an idea so abhorrent to humanity!
_H. b._ Search* the* records* of* the* remotest* an TI quity for
a _par_allel to this.
_A. b._ Then* rang* their proud HURRAH!
R. H. P.
_D. f._ Put* DOWN | the unworthy feeling!
_H. f._ Re* STRAIN the unhallowed pro _pen_ sity.
_D. o._ Let every one who* would* merit* the* Christian* name*
| re PRESS | such a feeling.
_H. o._ I* charge* you* as* men* and* as* Christians* | to lay a
re STRAINT on all such dispo _si_ tions!
_A. o._ Ye* gods* | with HOLD your _ven_ geance!
_D. e._ The* hand* of* affection* | shall _smooth the_ TURF for
your last _pil_ low!
_H. e._ The* cloud* of* adver* | sity threw its gloom _over all
his_ PROS pects.
_A. e._ So* darkly* glooms* yon* thunder* cloud* that* swathes*
| as with a purple SHROUD Benledi's distant _hill_.
R. H. V.
_H. f._ Arise!* meet* | and re PEL your _foe!_
_A. f._ For* BID it, Almighty _God!_
_H. o._ He generously extended* the* arm* of* power* | to
ward OFF the _blow_.
_A. o._ May* Heaven* a VERT the cal _am_ ity!
_H. e._ Out* of* my* SIGHT, | thou serpent!
_H. b._ Thou* tempting* fiend,* a VAUNT!
B. H. S.
_D. f._ All personal feeling he* de* POS ited on the _al_ tar
of his country's good.
_H. f._ Listen,* I* im PLORE you, to the voice of _rea_ son!
_A. f._ HAIL, universal _Lord_!
_D. o._ Every* personal* advantage* | he sur REN dered to
the common _good_.
_H. o._ WELCOME!* once more to your early _home_!
_A. o._ HAIL! holy _Light_!
_D. e._ I* utterly* re NOUNCE | all the supposed advantages
of such a station.
_H. e._ They* yet* slept* | in the wide a BYSS of possi _bil_ ity.
_A. e._ Joy,* joy* | for EVER.
B. H. P.
_D. f._ Lie* LIGHT ly on him, _earth_--his step was light on
thee.
_H. f._ Now* all* the* blessings* of* a* glad* father* LIGHT on
_thee!_
_A. f._ Blessed* be* Thy* NAME, O Lord Most _High_.
_D. o._ We* are* in* Thy* sight* | but as the _worms_ of the
DUST!
_H. o._ May* the* grace* of* God* | _abide with you for_ EVER.
_A. o._ And* let* the* triple* rainbow* rest* | _o'er all the
mountain_ TOPS.
_D. e._ Here* let* the* tumults* of* passion* | _forever_ CEASE!
_H. e._ Spread* _wide_ a ROUND the heaven-breathing _calm_!
_A. e._ Heaven* | _opened_ WIDE her ever-during _gates_.
B. H. V.
_H. f._ HENCE*, hideous _spectre_!
_A. f._ AVERT*, O _God_, the frown of Thy indignation!
_H. o._ Far* from* OUR _hearts_ be so inhuman a feeling.
_A. o._ Let* me* not* | NAME it to _you_, ye chaste stars!
_H. e._ And* if* the* night* have* gathered* aught* of* evil* or*
concealed*, dis PERSE it.
_A. e._ Melt* and* dis* PEL, ye spectre _doubts_!
* * * * *