LONDON,June 21,O.S.1748.
DEAR BOY:Your very bad enunciation runs so much in my head,and gives me such real concern,that it will be the subject of this,and,I believe,of many more letters.I congratulate both you and myself,that,was informed of it (as I hope)in time to prevent it:and shall ever think myself,as hereafter you will,I am sure think yourself,infinitely obliged to Sir Charles Williams for informing me of it.Good God!if this ungraceful and disagreeable manner of speaking had,either by your negligence or mine,become habitual to you,as in a couple of years more it would have been,what a figure would you have made in company,or in a public assembly?Who would have liked you in the one or attended you;in the other?Read what Cicero and Quintilian say of enunciation,and see what a stress they lay upon the gracefulness of it;nay,Cicero goes further,and even maintains,that a good figure is necessary for an orator;and particularly that he must not be vastus,that is,overgrown and clumsy.He shows by it that he knew mankind well,and knew the powers of an agreeable figure and a graceful,manner.Men,as well as women,are much oftener led by their hearts than by their understandings.
The way to the heart is through the senses;please their eyes and their ears and the work is half done.I have frequently known a man's fortune decided for ever by his first address.If it is pleasing,people are hurried involuntarily into a persuasion that he has a merit,which possibly he has not;as,on the other hand,if it is ungraceful,they are immediately prejudiced against him,and unwilling to allow him the merit which it may be he has.Nor is this sentiment so unjust and unreasonable as at first it may seem;for if a man has parts,he must know of what infinite consequence it is to him to have a graceful manner of speaking,and a genteel and pleasing address;he will cultivate and improve them to the utmost.Your figure is a good one;you have no natural defect in the organs of speech;your address may be engaging,and your manner of speaking graceful,if you will;so that if you are not so,neither I nor the world can ascribe it to anything but your want of parts.What is the constant and just observation as to all actors upon the stage?Is it not,that those who have the best sense,always speak the best,though they may happen not to have the best voices?They will speak plainly,distinctly,and with the proper emphasis,be their voices ever so bad.
