Select Speeches of the Late Peter Burrowes, Esq., K.C., at the Bar and in Parliament (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1850. Excerpt: ... MEMOIR. " Non posse oratorem esse nisi virum bonum." CHAPTER T. It was a favourite position among the ancient rhetoricians that, in order to be a truly eloquent or persuasive speaker, nothing was more necessary than to be a virtuous man. To find any such connexion between probity and one of the highest liberal arts must undoubtedly give us pleasure. We think it will be found that the character we are about to describe possessed most of those important qualifications which clearly exemplify the truth and reason of the alleged connexion. If modesty, disinterestedness, candour, --if the love of justice, of honesty, the love of liberty, of country, --if indignation at insolence or oppression, and detestation of fraud, meanness, or corruption, are the sentiments and disposition which contribute to lend weight and force to everything which a speaker utters, and create in the minds of his audience a secret partiality in favour of the side which he espouses, how eminently did Mr. Burrowes support the truth of this connexion. Gifted with a strong and warm imagina r; tion, a quick sensibility of heart, joined with solid judgment, good sense, and great presence of mind; possessing, too, an immense stock of materials, drawn from his extensive acquaintance with the general circle of polite literature; inspired with that honourable enthusiasm which he cultivated at the College Historical Society, surrounded by those great living examples of eloquence, of which the age was so fruitful;--how little reason to wonder at the encomiums that have been bestowed on Mr. Burrowes's eloquence. And yet it must be observed that, with his great merit, which was never disputed, he wanted those exterior accomplishments of voice and gesture which all concur in admitting to be indispensabl...