Examples." Let me, upon my knee, prevail in this!" "O God of battles! steel my soldiers' hearts,

Pluck their hearts from them not to-day, O Lord!
Oh! not to-day!"

ADMIRATION, when (1.) deliberate, leans back, to enjoy the contemplation of its object; when (2.) earnest and intense, it leans forward toward, or hangs over, its object. In the former of these moods, (1.) it is thus expressed in action: arms and hands expanded, or elevated, or both. The expression in the features is marked by the placid brow and smiling mouth and eye. In the latter mood, (2,) the gesture is that of both arms extended, parallel toward the object; hands open or clasped; the features a-glow with earnest and ardent expression, combining love and joy.

Examples.-(1.) "Fair stars! are not your beings pure ?"

(2.) "Perdition catch my soul, but I do love thee!"

REVENGE when (1.) deep-seated and deliberate, braces the attitude of the whole body, as in deep determination. In action, the arm is thrown violently downward, the hand clinched. The facial expression is marked by a fierce frown, glaring eye, set teeth, mouth drawn down, lips wide apart. (2.) When revenge is violently impassioned, it becomes violent in movement, and exaggerated in every one of the preceding details of gesture and aspect.

Examples.

(1.) "If it feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge."
(2.) "Oh! that the slave had forty thousand lives-

My great revenge had stomach for them all!”

PRIDE erects the whole frame, and throws the head upward and backward, moves with a wide and firm step, folds the arms, or places one akimbo, waves away, superciliously, the person who excites it, turns the eye upward, expands the nostrils, and curves the mouth downward.

Example.-"The hand of Douglas is his own,
And never shall in friendly grasp

The hand of such as Marmion clasp !"

(1.) HAUGHTINESS, (2.) CONTEMPT, and (3.) SCORN, have the same general traits as Pride, but much more strongly marked. In the expression of these emotions, the attitude is yet more erect, the whole bearing more lofty and disdainful; the back turned towards the opposite party. Haughtiness prefers the gestures and expression of Pride: Contempt and Scorn are expressed, in action, by an occasional disdainful downward and outward sweep of the arm and hand. The features exhibit the eyebrows alternately rising and falling; the eye glancing from head to foot of the person who excites the emotion; the nostrils widely distended; lips curled and projected.

Examples.-(1.) " Then, when I am thy captive, talk of chains, Proud limitary cherub!"

(2.)," You, wretch!-you could live and enjoy yourself while the noble-minded are betrayed,-while nameless and birthless villains tread on the neck of the brave and long-descended !” (3.) "You common cry of curs—I banish you!”

HUMILITY keeps attitude confined and subdued, and avoids movement, or change of posture; the head sinking; the body bent; the arm and hand waving submissively downward, or drawn inward, and laid upon the chest over the heart; the hands sometimes folded and gently sinking in front of the body.

Example.-"I humbly thank your Grace!"

DEFIANCE. When (1.) it anticipates being attacked, braces itself in the attitude of resistance, inclining backward; but when (2.) it becomes bold and violent, it takes the attitude of attack, faces the opponent, and approaches him. The action, in defiant resistance, (1.) is exhibited thus: arms braced, and hands clinched, but held downwards, the features marked by

the fiercely-knit brow, glaring eye, expanded nostrils, and curled lips. The action of (2.) aggressive defiance throws the arm violently forward, hand clinched, and the countenance as in (1.), but marked more by fierce hostility and violence.

Examples.—(1.) "Thy threats, thy mercy I defy !"

(2.) "I do defy him, and I spit at him!"

SUBMISSION and RESIGNATION have the same style of attitude and gesture as Humility, but more expressively marked.

Example.-"I am stripped of all my honors. Prostrate on the earth, I humbly recognize the Divine justice."

THREATENING, when personal, moves toward the party threatened; raises the arm, clinches and shakes the hand, knits the brows, kindles the eye, expands the nostrils, parts the lips widely, sets the teeth.

Example.

"If thou speak'st false,

Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive,

Till famine cling thee!"

MEEKNESS has the same general style of expression as Humility, but less characteristically manifested. The attitude is not confined or bent, but merely unassuming and quiet. The hands usually hanging motionless, by the sides; the eyes inclining upward.

Example." Pour on! I can endure."

TRANQUILLITY, CALMNESS, and COMPOSURE, are indicated by the attitude of repose, steady and fixed; gentle and subdued action of the arm and hand; features calm, or serene.

Examples.

"O'er all the peaceful world the smile of Heaven shall lie !'

"My thoughts, I must confess, are turned on peace.”

COMMON FAULTS IN GESTURE.

The student who has carefully perused the preceding examples of the attitude and action which naturally give expression to various emotions, and who has faithfully practiced the gestures indicated and described, is now prepared for a still closer study of the character of gesture as marked by the details of line and motion. Previous, however, to this course of application, it may be useful to advert to some of the common faults incurred in consequence of neglected habit or erroneous practice.

And, first may be mentioned the obvious fault of keeping the hands down by the sides, during a whole speech or piece. This style, as it has no action, has neither life nor power. It exhibits a statue of flesh, instead of a living, expressive human being.

2. The opposite fault of incessant gesticulation, which makes the declaimer resemble the toy wooden figure of a monkey, moved by mechanism.

3. Gesture coming before or after it is due, because before or after the emphatic word, instead of along with it.

4. Little, insignificant gestures, made with the elbow sunken down to the side, instead of being well raised so as to be free. from the body.

5. Angular jerks, instead of free, flowing gestures.

6. Feeble and girlish movements of the arm, instead of manly action.

7. The opposite style of violent, thrashing action, and huge sweeps of the arm.

8. Skimming gestures, which sail horizontally through the air, instead of descending with emphatic energy.

9. Inward gestures which drive towards the speaker's body, instead of outward, downward, or upward.

10. Monotonous action, in consequence of repeating the same gesture at every emphatic word, instead of changing its mode of action as that of the piece changes its style of language and sentiment.

11. Poetic and florid gestures, used in speaking plain prose. 12. Prosaic and mechanical gestures, applied to poetry. 13. Stiff action, arising from a perfectly flat position of the hand, with the thumb and fingers close together.

14. Holding the hand half-open, as if to receive or beg something.

15. Too frequent use of both hands in the same gesture, instead of reserving such action for expansive thought and extensive description, or for warm appeals to a whole assembly.

ANALYSIS OF THE APPROPRIATE STYLE OF GESTURE.

The common gestures of conversation, being addressed to a few persons close by the speaker, are too small, slight, and angular, for the style of public speaking. The orator, to appeal to all the individuals of a large audience, must raise and extend his arm freely and fully. The gestures of the public speaker, may, from their large and forcible style, be easily analyzed and subjected to study.

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A full gesture, such as is required in declamation and recitation, resolves itself into three parts, or a first, second, and third movement, as follows: the 1st raises the arm,—straight, but not rigid, to a level with the shoulder, and in a line oblique from the speaker's face,—with the hand edgewise; the 2d raises the fore-arm, and draws the hand toward the temples, without letting the elbow sink; the 3d extends the whole arm in whatever line-downward, upward, or outward-the gesture of a given sentiment requires.

KEY TO THE ANALYSIS OF GESTURE.—There are three principal lines of gesture, and on these all others are founded: 1st, descending, in which the hand descends as low as the level of the hip-joint; 2d, horizontal, on a level with the shoulder; 3d, ascending, the hand rising as high as the head.