[W. Taylor], “Review of A Commentary Illustrating the Poetic of Aristotle by Henry James Pye”

Taylor comments on Spanish preachers’ gesticulation and the tendency of Italian improvisatori to strike their mandolino. They performed rhythmically, similar to the Greeks.

Performer Name:
 
Performance Venue:
 
Performance Date:
 
Author:
[Taylor, W.]
Date Written:
 
Language:
English
Publication Title:
The Monthly Review
Article Title:
Review of A Commentary Illustrating the Poetic of Aristotle by Henry James Pye
Page Numbers:
18:125
Additional Info:
 
Publisher:
R. Griffiths
Place of Publication:
London
Date Published:
1795

Text:

It is no uncommon thing to see a Spanish preacher, in the fervour of his eloquence, sawing the air with his hand, in order to mark the tact by which his periods are to be measured; and the Italian improvisator never attempts a ballad without striking his mandolino. That a similar tendency to recitative characterized the utterance of the Greeks is evident from their whole manner of writing relative to elocution.

Notes:

 
Collected by:
AE