Howmanymenhaveappearedinmytimewhohavemadetheseessayswithsuccess，andhavemadenoprogressafterwards？Somehavedropped，fromtheirfirstflights，downintothevulgarcrowd，havebeendistinguished，nayheardof，nomore！Otherswithbetterparts，perhapswithmorepresumption，butcertainlywithgreaterridicule，havepersistedinmakingtheseessaystowardsbusinessalltheirlives，andhaveneverbeenabletoadvancefarther，intheirpoliticalcourse，thanapremeditatedharangueonsomechoicesubject。Ineversawoneoftheseimportantpersonssitdownafterhisoration，withrepeatedhear—himsringinginhisears，andinwardraptureglowinginhiseyes，thathedidnotrecalltomymemorythestoryofaconceitedmemberofsomeparlementinFrance，whowasoverheard，afterhistediousharangue，mutteringmostdevoutlytohimself，Nonnobis，Domine，nonnobis，sednominituodagloriam！
Eloquence，thatleadsmankindbytheears，givesanoblersuperioritythanpowerthateveryduncemayuse，orfraudthateveryknavemayemploy，toleadthembythenose。Buteloquencemustflowlikeastreamthatisfedbyanabundantspring，andnotspoutforthalittlefrothywateronsomegaudyday，andremaindrytherestoftheyear。ThefamousoratorsofGreeceandRomewerethestatesmenandministersofthosecommonwealths。Thenatureoftheirgovernmentsandthehumourofthoseagesmadeelaborateorationsnecessary。Theyharanguedoftenerthantheydebated:andthearsdicendi，requiredmorestudyandmoreexerciseofmind，andofbodytoo，amongthem，thanarenecessaryamongus。Butasmuchpainsastheytookinlearninghowtoconductthestreamofeloquence，theytookmoretoenlargethefountainfromwhichitflowed。HearDemosthenes，hearCicerothunderagainstPhilip，CatilineandAnthony。IchoosetheexampleofthefirstratherthanthatofPericleswhomheimitated，orofPhocionwhomheopposed，orofanyotherconsiderablepersonageinGreece;andtheexampleofCiceroratherthanthatofCrassus，orofHortensius，orofanyotherofthegreatmenofRome;becausetheeloquenceofthesetwohasbeensocelebratedthatweareaccustomedtolookuponthemalmostasmereorators。Theywereoratorsindeed，andnomanwhohasasoulcanreadtheirorations，aftertherevolutionofsomanyages，aftertheextinctionofthegovernments，andofthepeopleforwhomtheywerecomposed，withoutfeelingatthishourthepassionstheyweredesignedtomove，andthespirittheyweredesignedtoraise。Butifwelookintothehistoryofthesetwomen，andconsiderthepartstheyacted，weshallseetheminanotherlight，andadmiretheminanhighersphereofaction。
Demostheneshadbeenneglected，inhiseducation，bythesametutorswhocheatedhimofhisinheritance。Cicerowasbredwithgreateradvantage:andPlutarch，Ithink，saysthatwhenhefirstappearedthepeopleusedtocallhim，bywayofderision，theGreek，andthescholar。Butwhateveradvantageofthiskindthelattermighthaveovertheformer，andtowhichofthemsoeveryouascribethesuperiorgenius，theprogresswhichbothofthemmadeineverypartofpoliticalknowledge，bytheirindustryandapplication，wasmarvellous。Ciceromightbeabetterphilosopher，butDemostheneswasnolessastatesman:andbothofthemperformedactionsandacquiredfame，abovethereachofeloquencealone。Demosthenesusedtocompareeloquencetoaweapon，aptlyenough;foreloquence，likeeveryotherweapon，isoflittleusetotheowner，unlesshehavetheforceandtheskilltouseit。
ThisforceandthisskillDemostheneshadinaneminentdegree。Observetheminoneinstanceamongmany。ItwasofmightyimportancetoPhiliptopreventtheaccessionofThebestothegrandalliancethatDemosthenes，attheheadoftheAtheniancommonwealth，formedagainstthegrowingpoweroftheMacedonians。
PhiliphademissariesandhisambassadorsonthespottoopposetothoseofAthens，andwemaybeassuredthatheneglectednoneofthoseartsuponthisoccasionthatheemployedsosuccessfullyonothers。Thestrugglewasgreat，butDemosthenesprevailed，andtheThebansengagedinthewaragainstPhilip。Wasitbyhiseloquencealonethatheprevailedinadividedstate，overallthesubtletyofintrigue，allthedexterityofnegotiation，alltheseduction，allthecorruption，andalltheterrorthattheablestandmostpowerfulprincecouldemploy？WasDemostheneswhollytakenupwithcomposingorations，andharanguingthepeople，inthisremarkablecrisis？HeharanguedthemnodoubtatThebes，aswellasatAthens，andintherestofGreece，whereallthegreatresolutionsofmakingalliances，wagingwar，orconcludingpeace，weredeterminedindemocraticalassemblies。Butyetharanguingwasnodoubttheleastpartofhisbusiness，andeloquencewasneitherthesole，northeprincipaltalent，asthestyleofwriterswouldinduceustobelieve，onwhichhissuccessdepended。Hemusthavebeenmasterofotherarts，subservientlytowhichhiseloquencewasemployed，andmusthavehadathoroughknowledgeofhisownstate，andoftheotherstatesofGreece，oftheirdispositions，andoftheirinterestsrelativelytooneanother，andrelativelytotheirneighbours，tothePersiansparticularly，withwhomheheldacorrespondence，notmuchtohishonour:Isay，hemusthavepossessedanimmensefundofknowledge，tomakehiseloquenceineverycasesuccessful，andevenpertinentorseasonableinsome，aswellastodirectitandtofurnishitwithmatterwheneverhethoughtpropertoemploythisweapon。
LetusconsiderTullyonthegreatesttheatreoftheknownworld，andinthemostdifficultcircumstances。WearebetteracquaintedwithhimthanwearewithDemosthenes;forweseehimnearer，asitwere，andinmoredifferentlights。HowperfectaknowledgehadheacquiredoftheRomanconstitutionofgovernment，ecclesiasticalandcivil;oftheoriginalandprogress，ofthegeneralreasonsandparticularoccasionsofthelawsandcustomsofhiscountry;ofthegreatrulesofequity，andthelowpracticeofcourts;ofthedutyofeverymagistracyandofficeinthestate，fromthedictatordowntothelictor;andofallthestepsbywhichRomehadrisenfromherinfancy，toliberty，topowerandgrandeuranddominion，aswellasofallthosebywhichshebegantodecline，alittlebeforehisage，tothatservitudewhichhediedforopposing，butlivedtoseeestablished，andinwhichnotherlibertyalone，butherpowerandgrandeuranddominionwerelost？HowwellwasheacquaintedwiththeRomancoloniesandprovinces，withthealliesandenemiesoftheempire，withtherightsandprivilegesoftheformer，thedispositionsandconditionsofthelatter，withtheinterestsofthemallrelativelytoRome，andwiththeinterestsofRomerelativelytothem？