A Discourse Being Introductory to his Course of Lectures on Elocution and the English Language (1759)

In this spirited 18th‑century lecture, Thomas Sheridan welcomes listeners to the first part of his systematic course on elocution, a subject that once dominated English rhetorical practice. Delivered before audiences at Oxford, Cambridge and a London spring‑garden, the address shares the personal journey of a stage actor turned language reformer, eager to lift everyday speech to a higher art. Sheridan’s own theatrical background and his connections to figures like Dean Swift colour his call for a more thoughtful, expressive use of the English tongue.

The discourse sketches the core elements of elocution—tone, diction, gesture and proper pronunciation—explaining why each mattered to educated speakers of the time. It also places these ideas within the wider elocutionary movement, illustrating how a network of teachers, actors and scholars sought to standardise and elevate public speaking. Listeners gain a clear sense of Sheridan’s zeal and the cultural moment that treated spoken English as a civilising force, making the work both a historical portrait and a practical guide to early modern presentation.