The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 3, November, 1834Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 3, November, 1834
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
After all this avowal of stupendous strength of argument, we are told
in a subsequent paragraph, that say what we will of Mr. Pinkney's
argument, he the author, never saw him yet--no never, pursue his
argument steadily for ten minutes at a time. Then how can it be so
overwhelming and convincing? Nothing lessens so much the force of
argument as a perpetual aberration from the subject. Again; "God never
meant him for an orator; he has no property of mind or body," &c. &c.
Not to say any thing of the presumption and impiety of determining for
God, I would ask what are the _bodily properties_ of an orator? This
writer has not condescended to define them, although he dwells at large
upon such as he thinks cast discredit upon Mr. Pinkney. It is scarcely
necessary to observe that Demosthenes was ungraceful in figure and
action; and that not only _orators_, but very wise and learned men,
have been repulsive in their persons, their features, and their manners
also. Though Cæsar and Cicero were exempt from defect in this respect,
as far as I remember Demosthenes stuttered--Socrates was bald and
flatnosed--Anthony a rough soldier--Lord Chatham's eloquence was
forcible, but uniform and ungraceful--Fox was a fop of Bond street, and
wore high heeled morocco shoes. Mr. Pinkney therefore may, without
reproach, be a "_thick, stout man, with a red fat English face_," and
Mr. Fox will keep him in countenance as a fashionable man. The
facetious Peter Pindar has said, that
Love hates your large fat lubberly fellows,
Panting and blowing like a blacksmith's bellows;
but I never heard that oratory did.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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