It  would  be  well  even  for  accomplished  and  successful
speakers  frequently  to  review  the  elements  of  Elocu-
tion, and  to  keep  themselves  in  practice,  just  as  the
most  successful  musicians  do  in  their  art.
27.  True  Eloquence  requires  a  noble  Character. — But
Elocution  embraces  an  element  still  higher  than  the
mechanical  part,  and  an  intellectual  appreciation  of
the  power  of  voice  and  manner.  It  is  pre-eminently
a  virtue,  and  summons  to  its  aid  all  modes  of  legiti-
mate influence  by  which  mind  acts  upon  mind.  A

*  Part  I.  of  the  "  Fifth  Reader  of  the  School  and  Family  Series,  by
Marcius  Willson,"  contains  an  excellent  summary  and  illustration  of
the  elements  of  Elocution.
OPINIONS    OF    WEBSTER   AND    MILTON.      371

speaker  needs  to  be  respected  by  his  hearers  for  sin-
cerity, ability,  earn'estness,  and  power,  He  must  be,
or  be  believed  to  be,  what  he  seems.  Otherwise  he
is  only  an  actor,  and  though  he  may  be  eloquent  as
such,  the  people  are  merely  amused  or  entertained.
