THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES aNIVEKSITY of CALrFOK>,l/ AT LOS AiNGELRS lEytcmporaneoue ©rator^ professional an5 Hinateur SpeaUers ffouctcentb G;bou3an& " ' J«) O,, 'j.) New York : Eaton & Mains Cincinnati : Jennings & Graham ■A i I'^JObJ Copyright by " EATON & MAINS, 1898. • "^ c c < < . ^ « r « * c' t « • »-» cc ccct f « « * I • I « « < c « BSBe CONTENTS CHAPTER PAOB Exordium v-viii I. Oratory 1 II. Definition and Explanation ... 6 III. Comparison of Modes — Reading . , 12 IV. Reciting 18 V. Mixed Methods 24 VI. Comparative Danger OF Failure . . 27 vii. General Preparation 33 viii. Uses op Language 35 IX. Physiological Basis of Speech . . 42 X. Factors in Evolution of Speech . . 54 XI. Syllabic Suggestion 59 xiL Words and Their Proper Use . . 67 xiiL Enriching the Vocabulary .... 76 XIV. Assimilation of Words 85 XV. General Preparation of Thought . 98 xvL Ideas 106 xvii. Items, Anecdotes, Similes, and Illus- trations 113 XVIII. The Value and Tyranny of Remi- niscences 118 XIX. General Preparation of Feeling . 124 XX. Elocution for the Extemporizer . 130 XXI. The Voice 139 xxii. Voice Strengthening and Articula- tion 153 iii Contents CHAPTER PAUE XXIII. Pitch and Tones 1,61 XXIV. Pkonunciation 1V7 XXV. Tested Helps 185 XXVI. Gesture 197 XXVII. Okigin and Psychology of Gesture 209 xxviii. Mechanism of Gesture . . . .219 XXIX. Improper Gestures and Their Remedy 224 XXX. Public Oral Debate 234 xxxL Character as a General Prepara- tion 245 xxxii. Special Preparation .... 249 XXXIII. Preliminary Physical Prepara- tion 263 XXXIV. Special Preparation of Feeling . 275 XXXV. Addressing the Assembly . . ,281 XXXVI. Teaiptations of the Extempora- neous Speaker 287 XXXVII. Defects and Difficulties . . . 307 xxxviiL Protecting One's Self Against Failure 326 xxxix. Celebrated Extemporizers — The Old World 343 XL. Celebrated Extemporizers — The New World 379 XLi. Can All Extemporize ? . . . . 408 xLii. Suggestions TO Neophytes . . . 413 xliii. Ever the Highest Ideal . . . 430 Index 451-480 iv Eyorbium Before entering college I determined to studv law, and accordingly took great interest in debate, in attending courts, and in reading accounts or cases. But young men frequently change, and a few years later I had become a minister, and was obliged to make choice among different methods, of public speaking. After experiments with all [ adopted the extemporaneous, and ever since have systematically practiced and studied this art. In searching for the excellencies of others I dis- covered many defects in myself, and while con- templating others' imperfections, saw that some methods might be improved which had been fan- cied perfect. I discerned that many who thought themselves extemporizers were not so. Under erroneous instruction I fought against the deepest tendencies of my ov/n nature, and wasted energy in the pursuit of fixed ideals. 1 found that ancient authors and some com- paratively modern (especially Fenelon, in his Dialogues on Eloquence) had treated the subject more satisfactorily than recent writers. The 3E£orC>tum monograph of M. Bautain, Vicar General and Professor at the Sorbonne, is admirable, but adapted chiefly to a type of mind in which exquisite sensibility plays the most prominent part. Several years ago I was invited to lecture upon extemporaneous speaking before theological sem- inaries and law schools. Various unrevised re- ports of those lectures were published, some of which inadvertently misrepresented fundamental principles, and placed me in the attitude of prac- ticing and recommending methods which I believe incompatible with a union of accuracy, animation, and ease. On this account I had almost decided to write upon the subject, when I was simul- taneously requested to do so by the faculty of a law school and by a committee appointed to pre- pare a course of study for the ministers of the denomination with which I am connected. No cast-iron rules can be found in this book, although jome of its precepts may be compared to the best steel, which is elastic. Except when moral elements are involved, there is no principle taught which the extemporizer may not some- times be compelled to violate. VI The pervading idea is that whatever aid he derives from study or from teachers, every man must be his own final authority. The reader who follows his mature judgment, where it differs from that of the author, will pay the highest tribute to the purpose of this work. Quotations have in some instances been intro- duced to acquaint the reader with books found useful; in others to show tliat their authors are authority for facts stated ; and, wherever possible, to make known that the most competent judges concur in the views herein supported. When necessary to antagonize the teaching of another I have given him the privilege of stating his own views. While the effort is made to aid orators in every stage of progress to secure the art which is ex- pounded, the character kept steadfastly in view is the young man on the threshold of his career. When for the first time 1 read Rush on the Voice \ was unable to understand more than half of it; ten years later 1 read it again, and under- stood two thirds of it. Allowing a considerable period to elapse, I read it the third time, compre- hending all and accepting much more than I had vn JEjor5ium thought reasonable on the second reading. Since much that this work contains is verifiable only by experience, I suggest to the novice that he write upon the margin his opinions and doubts, and at a later period compare with his ripened views the statements which at first he questioned. TIU lExtemporaneous ©ratorp CHAPTER I ©ratorg Oratory is the greatest of arts. It includes the elements of all, and in every age and nation has wielded a more general and potent influence than any other. The voice, susceptible of modulation in tone, EiementB. pitch, and rhythm ; the figure, attitude, and action, together with light and shade, which are the ele- ments of music, sculpture, and painting, are in- volved in oratory. In the form and voice of the speaker oratory appeals directly to sight and hear- ing, and to the other senses by representative imagination; as in Shakespeare's " O, my offense is rank; it smells to heaven;" in Milton's repast, "light and choice, of Attic taste;" and Tennyson's "touch of a vanished hand." For ordinary effects it may, and for its higher effects it must, appeal to the intellect, the sensibilities, and the deeper emo- tions; and as it appeals to these, it must employ them, its ultimate object being to influence the will Ejtcmporaneoue ©ratorg by convincing the judgment, arousing the con- science, or moving the heart. Ttttim^. In the youth of the world oratory was the sole means of distributing information. The press in some measure has superseded it in the discharge of this function, but by no means wholly, for in critical times and on momentous themes oratory infuses information with a life which magnifies a thousandfold the power of mere ideas. By oratory the oppressed are roused to revolution and tyrants overthrown; by it, in times of peace, are made known the need and the methods of reform, and the heroic virtue necessary to accomplish them is enkindled, sustained, and guided. Oratory is the soul of discussion and the unifier of sentiment, by which alone representative govern- ments are maintained. From the humble town meeting to the highest legislative assemblies it is indispensable in the transaction of public business; and by it judges are convinced and juries instructed and persuaded. Lord Macaulay in his sketch of the career and analysis of the character and gifts of William Pitt affirms that "Parliamentary gov- ernment is government by speaking." While he deplores the fact that "that power may exist in the highest degree without judgment, without fortitude, without skill in reading the characters of men or the signs of the times, without any knowl- edge of the principles of legislation or of political ©ratorg economy, and without any skill in diplomacy or in the administration of war," his luminous pen portrays its stupendous achievements when forti- fied by the learning, accomplishments, and patriot- ism of his hero. By oratory every form of religion was established and is maintained ; in particular, Christianity, whose Founder "spake as never man spake," and whose last commission to his disciples was, "Go, preach!" Acquaintance with the principles of oratory uo wbom should not be left to clergymen, lawyers, statesmen, ""'=^^^'^' professors, lecturers, and politicians, since no one can be sure that there will not come a time when it will be of great advantage to him to possess the ability to speak distinctly, to the purpose, gracefully, and with genuine fire. Those engaged in different trades, professions, and departments of commerce are organized for the protection and promotionoftheir respective specialties, and practi- cally their associations have become debating so- cieties, reaching conclusions and forming rules which those cannot safely ignore whose business interests are involved. There is one profession, that of medicine, whose members fill an increasingly important place in civilization, but who, with a few notable excep- tions, seldom appear to advantage in public speech. They are often summoned to testify in courts of justice, where their resources of expression may be 3 J£i-tcn)porancou0 ©ratorg taxed for hours. They are frequently placed on boards of education, upon committees dealing with sanitary conditions, and upon the common councils of cities. In meetings of citizens they are asked for their views of proposals affecting the public health, and if successful in their professional careers, may be associated with the faculties of medical colleges. They are also members of med- ical associations, city, county. State, and national, where debate is had upon papers read and ques- tions relating to the rights, privileges, or standing of the profession or regulations for the management of the organizations. Yet for such positions many otherwise qualified are unsuited because they have neglected the study and practice of free expression. For some years it has been the habit of several of the most dis- tinguished members of the profession to deplore this lack and to urge upon medical students the importance of attending to the subject. jEnfcowment It is often held that orators, like poets, are born, or acquisition. ^^^ made. CiCERO explicitly affirms the opposite: " The poet is born such; the orator is made such." Lord Chesterfield, in his letters to his son, de- clares: "I am not only persuaded by theory, but convinced by my experience, that (supposing a certain degree of common sense) what is called a good speaker is as much a mechanic as a good shoemaker; and that the two trades are equally 4 plcmcnt nas turc. Orators to be learned by the same degree of applica- tion."* These are extreme views, for no man could be trained into an effective orator if he were without a spark of genuine fire, although he might become Bvt must sup. a pleasing speaker. Most persons possess suffi- cient intelligence and susceptibility to admit of being trained to a high degree of perfection, but few, without special training, have enough of either or both to make orators. Hence it is true that the capability of oratory is born, and the orator made. Like every mighty human agency, oratory is capable of being employed for the basest purposes, but it is by the noblest and most disinterested eloquence that the evil wrought by fanatics and demagogues is counteracted. • Bradshaw's Letters of Lord Chesterjield, No. 320. 5 poraneousnese. JE£temporaneous ©ratocfi CHAPTER n Definition anD Ejplanation There can be no clear thinking nor valuable exchange of thought without a definition and a common understanding of its meaning, Concern- »(verfl«nt ing extemporaneous speaking, there exist unusual TOraneousnerJ! confusion of mind and diversity of Opinion. Much public speaking supposed to be extemporaneous is not so in any sense of the v/ord. Some effective orators compose their sentences without writing, subsequently delivering sermons, lectures, or ad- dresses in the language previously prepared. It is reported of certain men that after the lapse of years they could redeliver unwritten discourses without omission or addition. Such an utterance is in no respect extemporaneous, since there is no radical difference in the mental processes, as regards pro- ductiveness during speaking, between the repeti- tion of matter previously written and that which by meditation has been directly recorded in the verbal memory. Rising without previous preparation, without even the selection of a theme, and speaking in public, is unquestionably an extemporaneous per- formance, but in most instances it does not equal ordinary conversation. It may be described as ex- 6 Definition anD ;iEjplanatfon hortation or ranting, but not as oratory. Such un- premeditated speaking was all that was implied in ©ft anb new the original meaning of the word "extempore:" '"*^"'"''** " Arising from or at or of the time, the occasion; quick, sudden, prompt; and thus opposed to pre- pared, premeditated, deliberate."* Ben Jonson, Hooker, Bishop Taylor, John Locke, Boyle, South, Addison, and Macaulay use the word in this way. Jonson says, "A poet — I will challenge him myself presently at extempore. " And Shakespeare uses it in a satirical way in "Midsummer Night's Dream:" " ' Have you the lion's part written ? Pray you, if it be, give it me, for I am slow of study.' 'You may do it extempore, for it is nothing but roaring. ' " A new application of the words "extempore" and "extemporaneous " has come into use within the last half century, and is now recognized in most authoritative dictionaries. Although the speaker may have prepared everything but language and form, if the speech be neither read nor recited, it is classed as extemporaneous. Unpremeditated, impromptu, or the colloquial off-hand, at present signify what was originally the sole meaning of extempore, as applied to public speech. Whatever, within certain limitations or under iRcdprocai certain definitions, metaphysicians may maintain, J^cm'uta*'* practically it is impossible to think without words, an^ wov^e. * RichardsotC s English Dictionary, vol. i,p. 743. 7 JSjtemporaneoue ©ratorg and equally so to conceive ideas witliout nouns and verbs or their equivalents. The researches of Harvey Peet, LL.D., among the most philosophical ever made, show that before receiving instruc- tion in the use of words or signs the deaf have crude symbols of their own invention for every distinct idea, and think wholly by means of them.* The conclusions of Dr. Peet rest upon thousands of inquiries made in the course of his forty years' experience as superintendent of the New York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. Similar induc- tions have been made by those whose specialty is the education of the blind, and the mental methods of those remarkable characters, Julia Brace, Laura Bridgman, and Helen Keller, reflect additional light upon this abstruse subject, ■native The unlearned and untrained may think as clearly and deeply, within the circle of their powers, as the accomplished; and frequently, on account of freedom from the abstraction or dis- traction produced by a multiplicity of ideas, they penetrate to the heart of a subject, and reason more shrewdly and correctly than do the educated. It is because of this that many eminent men, among them Moliere, were in the habit of reading their works to humble people, and regarded such as their most valuable critics. There can be no preparation for the delivery of •Observations on the Deaf and Dumb, N, A mer. Mcd.-Chir. Rev., 1858. , etc. 8 penetratfon. S)ctT(nlt{on auD JEjplanatlon thought without the use of nouns and verbs; and if comparisons of quality of substance or mode of communica= action are to be made, adjectives and adverbs t'^^» ^^« ^"^^^"'J'^t- muj;t also pass before the mind's eye. The con- struction of sentences, paragraphs, sections, or of an entire discourse or book is a much more com- plex matter, involving the choice of the best word among several, and the fixing of its accidents of mode, tense, person, and number; articles, con- junctions, prepositions, and interjections are also required, and many other elements must receive attention. Yet, though the nouns, verbs, and expletives which contain these ideas are in the minds of the uncultivated, they cannot grammatically express them, and fail as writers and speakers; neverthe- less there are exceptional instances in public address where the very errors intensify transient effects. Hence, when such persons reach high positions in the mercantile or political world, as in free countries they frequently do, they need amanuenses or private secretaries to whom they may communicate their nouns, verbs, and quali- fying terms, that these may be arranged accord- ing to the technical rules of spoken or written discourse. There are experts who receive large fees for properly expressing in writing the ideas of unedu- cated politicians and others whose position or am- C^) 9 jejtemporaneous ©raiorg bition leads them to speak in public. The great- est of men have not always disdained such assist- ance. Compositions attributed by history to kings, military commanders of high rank, and, in conspic- uous instances, to governors of States and Presi- dents of the United States, and many of the speeches read or recited in Congress are known to have been prepared in this way. Sasai The extemporaneous oratory the philosophy ftefinttion. of which it is the aim of this work to elucidate is : The delivery, in an arrangement of words, sen- tences, and paragraphs, entirely the birth of the occasion, of ideas previously conceived and adopted with more or less fullness and precision, together with such thoughts and feelings as may arise and btain utterance. To the consciousness of the speaker his own mental state is similar to that of one participating in an animated conversation — there being no effort to recollect, no anticipation of what is to come, but entire absorption in the process of evolving, in correct forms of speech, the thoughts intended to be impressed. If words, phrases, or sentences which have been previously thought are uttered, they are fresh products of thinking, coming without recollection and without summons of the will. They are not brought forth as crystals from a cabinet, but rise as a stream from an overflowing fountain. lO definition anO JEjplanation This method is compatible with protracted special preparation; but if there has been much h caution, writing, additional meditation of a peculiar kind is necessary, after the manuscript is laid aside, in order to efface utterly the impression which the writing may have made upon the conscious memory. If this be not done, the perturbed mind can neither extemporize nor recite perfectly; and he who is in such a case is of all public speakers most miserable. II Bxtcmpoianeous ©ratorg CHAPTER III Compaii6on of jfflboDee— IReaDlng The orator may read, recite, or speak extempo- raneously. Reading and reciting have much in common, but the extempore process radically dif- fers from both. To determine the relative value of these methods the standard must be the best in each kind. Inferior extemporaneous speaking, in compar- ison with a badly-composed and feebly-delivered manuscript or recited address, may have the ad- vantage of a more natural use of the voice and the possibility of being roused into unwonted energy by some unforeseen occurrence or unusual impulse ; but it is exposed to the danger of unen- durable dullness, puerile repetition, and incoherent rambling, ©uaiifici. If the production is to be published and this use of it be deemed more important than the effect upon the audience, the superiority of reading to extemporizing must be conceded; but in other cases this consideration should be allowed no weight, since the primary object of speaking is to be heard. Nor should this concession be allowed without exceptions, for some of the best extem- porizers have attained a beauty and finish of style 12 concession. Comparison ot /IBoDcs— TReaDlncj which rendered their discourses suitable for pub- lication exactly as delivered. In these rare in- stances, however, there is reason to suspect that they lost by their precision something of power in delivery, and there is also room for the further suspicion that passages had been thought out and virtually memorized. The extemporaneous process, in comparison luocai with reading, has the advantage of greater ease a^^a"tagcs. and power of vocalization. The voice of the speaker is deeper, stronger, and more flexible, and the effort required to produce it much less. The head being held erect, there is no constriction of the throat, the lungs are fully expanded, and the respiratory muscles are free to perform their func- tions. Platform reading cannot, with propriety, be called a health-promoting exercise of the vocal organs. Professors of elocution and public read- ers who are in constant practice, whose reading is reciting, who pass rapidly from grave to gay, who read from tragedies and comedies and dialogues requiring frequent transitions, and who rest during applause, may not find it injurious; but it is indis- putable that reading discourses verbatim is not a healthful exercise, while extemporaneous speak- ing, properly performed, is one of the most bene- ficial. John Wesley attributed his long life, among other things, to preaching extemporaneously every 13 jEjtcmporaneous ©ratorg day. Charles H. Spurgeon * gives similar testi- mony to its healthfulness. The clergyman's sore tiiroat is peculiarly the disease of the reader. The exploits performed by many evangelists and by speakers in political campaigns place the question beyond doubt; for no one confined to a manuscript could equal them in audibility and endurance, jetfectupon Naturalness, force, and variety of delivery are fceUrcris. i\^q characteristics of the extemporizer; the mind, the voice, and every muscle, nerve, and gland em- ployed in the effort acting in sympathy. The per- fection of this condition is impossible to the reader. The best extemporizers are graceful, and even a peculiarity which in itself would seem awkward harmonizes with the general movement, not lessening, but often augmenting, power. They are never monotonous, for the same reason that a good converser is never insipid. The influence of the countenance, especially of the eye, deserves emphasis. The reader loses this in a great degree, since, when intent upon the manuscript, his eye cannot be seen by the audi- ence; the play of his features is lost. When look- ing away from the paper and repeating a sentence his face cannot light up as does his who speaks directly to the people. The "blood earnestness" of Chalmers could rise above this disability, but it was a triumph involving some loss of power. * Lectures to My Students. 14 Comparison of /llbo&e0— IRea&lng Complete sympathy with an audience, including the effect of action and reaction, is attained only tRcflot by the extemporizer; and its effect is incalculable '"^"«"*«» upon the nature which can respond to it. There is no more powerful extraneous intellectual and moral stimulant. William Pitt's reply when ac- cused of unduly exciting the people was, "Elo- quence is not in the man; it is in the assembly." On one occasion a part of the manuscript of Lyman Beecher, founder of the Beecher genus of orators, slipped away from him. A gentleman attempting to return them was met with this exclamation, "Let them alone; they have been a trouble to me all the time ; this bottle won't hold the wine of this press." Upon the announcement of the death of Presi- Aocmorabie dent Garfield a memorial meeting was held in '""stcation. Exeter Hall, London. James Russell Lowell, then minister of the United States to the Court of St. James, presided, and read with classic elegance a tribute. Nothing could have been more fitting. It was received with calmness, intellectual interest, and a due sense of its pathos. After another had spoken Bishop Simpson, of Philadelphia, Pa., was introduced, and for a few moments spoke with a singular intonation and manner characteristic of him. As he proceeded his voice became trem- ulous, and there was pathos in his aspect; he stood as one entranced; there came a spontaneous »5 Extemporaneous ©rator^ burst in which he referred to the intimate relations between Enghind and the United States; to the queen, her sore bereavement when Prince Albert died, her message of sympathy to Mrs. Garfield, and with intense fervor exclaimed, " God bless Queen Victoria!" It was so unexpected that the whole audience rose and cheered. Mr. Lowell appeared perplexed, as if not quite understanding the situation or recognizing the propriety of such an outburst, but as it continued and the people seemed to lose themselves he joined in the dem- onstration. In the midst of the tumult the orator stood with folded arms, apparently as calm as though he were some fabled god invoking a mighty force. He placidly resumed, but afterward there were two similar responsive manifestations. A few days later I said to him, "Bishop, was the paragraph which produced that wonderful result committed ?" "No," he replied; "I will confess to you I was as much surprised as Mr. Lowell at the effect of my words." Bishop Simpson was in that half- trance into which an earnest speaker sometimes ; Hutocrat falls. The fidelity of the generic descriptions com- posed long before by Oliver Wendell Holmes was that day confirmed. "And so the orator— 1 do not mean the poor slave of a manuscript who takes his thought 16 m frcsb inspi; ration. Gompar(son of /IftoDes— IRcaMnci starched and stiffened from its mold, but the im- passioned speaker who pours it forth as it flows coruscating from the furnace — the orator only be- comes our master at the moment when he him- self is surpassed, captured, taken possession of, by a sudden rush of fresh inspiration. How well we know the flash of the eye, the thrill of the voice, which are the signal and the symbol of nascent thought — thought just merging into conscious- ness, in which condition, as is the case with the chemist's elements, it has a combining force at other times wholly unknown! " * It must not be supposed that Bishop Simpson had neglected preparation. His thoughts in va- rious parts of the address bore the marks of care- ful premeditation, A great advantage possessed by a spontaneous n^aptabiutv speaker is that he can adapt himself to circum- stances. If a reader has adequately prepared, and the situation is what he expected it to be, he may achieve a high oratorical triumph; but if the cir- cumstances have materially altered, and he be wholly confined to notes, he is powerless. * Mechanism in Thought and Morals, p. 54. 17 3£jtemporaneou6 ©ratocg CHAPTER IV TRecttfng Memorizers may attain extraordinary power. Examples are found in Demosthenes, Massillon, Thomas Guthrie, William Morley Punshon, Ed- ward Everett, George Whitefield — to a consider- able extent a reciter — and Daniel Webster, in most ol his formal orations. This method is liable to certain defects which cannot be avoided except by an amount of preparatory study and repetition not compatible with frequent appearances before the same audience, unless as the result of labors so great as to threaten premature mental or physical failure. Ttbec^efn Natural expression of the eye is frequently de- eciipsc. stroyed or obscured during recitation; it turns inward and upward, and a skilled observer can determine whether the speaker is unwinding or weaving his paragraphs. This incipient turning appears when the individual, though but for the fraction of a second, finds his phraseology not at his tongue's end. When the expression of the eye is thus changed one cannot affect his hearers by it, except those who, perceiving the eye in that con- dition, are so innocent as to imagine that the orator is obtaining inspiration from some mystic source. i8 IRccltinQ An actor does not purpose to address the au- dience. When not soliloquizing he is attending to what is going on about him on the stage. He addresses only the one to whom he is speaking, who on his part is watching for the word which is his cue. The audience listen and observe as though these proceedings were in real life and the actors unconscious of observation. Hence the ex- pression of the actor's eye is not, ordinarily, one of the principal means of communicating to the audience his sentiments and feelings. The effect upon gesticulation of reciting is un- ©botmctten favorable, since unprepared gestures, to be appro- **' ^^'^^^ priate, must receive their impulse from the com- mon centers of thought and feeling. But when words have been previously elaborated without gestures the orator must select those suitable, and so impress them upon the memory that they will accompany that which is spoken. This requires as much study as the actor gives to his part, yet only thus can the reciter fully pre- pare for his performance. While an occasional oration may be thus composed and rehearsed, and one often repeated may thus be delivered, he who addresses the same audience frequently, or is com- pelled to do so at short notice, rarely has time for such arduous toil, and is in risk of being mechan- ical and incongruous. The contrast in effectiveness between the 19 lErtemporariCOus ©rator^ efforts of such speakers, when they have had adequate time to prepare and when they have hastily composed and committed a discourse, viv- idly illustrates the operation of these principles. Reflex action from the audience, so helpful to the extemporizer, is liable to disturb the declaimer of committed passages. One of the most eminent of those employing this method was constantly fearful of some influence from the assembly which would distract him. He was accustomed to say that he never felt himself fully ready until he could deliver his address without hesitation in an empty house, and never deemed himself out of danger when speaking in public until the audience had heard the last word. scif=forgc& The production of the speaker from memory frequently partakes too much of the nature of a completed fabric. He begins at a high rate of speed before he has established sympathetic rela- tions with his audience, to whom he seems "full of sound and fury," This peculiarity adheres to some who have attained success. Those who listen to them regularly do not notice it, but fre- quently strangers are amused or perturbed by it until conquered by the orator's real force, intel- lectual, physical, and moral. A. Melville Bell upon this subject wisely says : "Repetition from memory requires a very high degree of elocutionary skill to counteract the ten 20 chains. TRccitlnci dency to hurry in delivery; to continuative and indefinite tones; to the drawling, sentential tune, and other mannerisms, as exemplified by unskill- ful memoriter speakers of all classes, sacred and profane, on the stage, not less than in the pulpit."* Like the reader, one who speaks absolutely memoriter can take no advantage of an unex- pected situation. Although the public mind may be absorbed in a momentous event which has oc- curred, or is imminent, which the speaker did not contemplate in his preparation, and though a ludicrous or startling circumstance should tran- spire, he is incapable either of protecting himself from or assisting himself by it. If called upon suddenly, he is weak; and unless his memory be stored with compositions suited to various emergencies, he is compelled to decline or disap- point expectations. The effort to commit to memory and deliver as at great cost written is a severe tax on mind and body, and no galley slave ever worked harder than do most u'ho pursue this method. On this account many who in early life have spoken memoriter, unable to en- dure the perpetual strain, have resorted to the man- uscript. The system has likewise a pernicious effect upon spontaneous intellectual fertility. The noted George Duefiei.d, of the Presbyterian com- munion, who was long settled in Detroit, Mich., ♦Address on Sermon Reading and Memoriter Delivery. Edinburgh. 21 JEjtempoi'ancou5 ©latoiy informed me that during a quarter of a century he spoke memoriter, and that after composing a dis- course he could commit it to memory in from two to three hours so as to deliver it verbatim, but find- ing that it diminished the productiveness of his mind, he adopted the method of reading. Uwe perilous A few orators, able to write on the paper and ^^' the brain at the same instant, on rising from the completion of their task have been capable of repeating what they had written without the change of a syllable. Such gifts are rare, unless the writing be done with extreme slowness, ac- companied by careful meditation upon each word. There is a type of mind that works at fever heat and often under the influence of stimulants, writ- ing up to the moment of delivery, and then recit- ing with apparent fervor and with substantial ad- herence to the manuscript. These orators reduce the defects of the process to a minimum, but they do so usually at serious cost. The former class lose in enthusiasm and moving power; the latter pay the price of a profuse expenditure of vital- ity, besides being extremely liable to fall into the pernicious practice of extemporaneous writ- ing, a spcdai form A peculiar form of speaking memoriter is that of memort3tnfl. practiced by those who, having composed every sentence mentally without writing, deliver what has thus been perfected without omissions or addi- 22 IRccttlng tions. Because less mechanical this mode is pref- erable to taking the forms into the mind through the eye after having placed them upon the paper. But it has several defects, the most important of which are that it is didactic in style and monot- onous in delivery; hence it does not usually kindle enthusiasm or move the passions, although it may please, instruct, and convince. It is best adapted to an assembly of scholars, the lectures of a professor, and the delivery of arguments be- fore courts of appeal. The extemporizer has a capital advantage over Hnfnestfmabu the reader and the reciter, in that at all times he is «^^»"*»8«* ready to expound, defend, illustrate, or enforce his opinions. He can speak in the shop or in the drawing room as readily as upon the rostrum, in courts of justice, halls of legislation, or in the pulpit; and every conversation in private the better prepares him for what may be demanded of him in public. Whereas many a profound and elegant writer is mute without his manuscript, and many an impressive and convincing declaimer is unable, in conversation, to vindicate or eluci- date his sentiments. 23 Extemporaneous ©ratorg possible impvcvcnictit on rcatiiui eiclusivclg. CHAPTER V /IRijeD /llbetboDs The combining of reading and reciting in tiie same address is an improvement upon either alone, since wlien tiie speaker turns from his manu- script and recites a passage it may have the effect of an outburst. Yet if the recited matter be similar in style to the other parts, the discriminating soon discern that it is merely reading without the book. As a rule, reading is the best manner of pre- senting matter which is written to be read, and of which in any event the greater part must be read. Reading in part and extemporizing in part are more effective than the use of the manuscript ex- clusively. This was one of the methods of that many-sided man, Henry Ward Beecher. Yet ordi- narily the attempt is hazardous if the orator be a good extemporaneous speaker, and disastrous if he be not. It encounters the perils of length and repetition. On several occasions I saw Mr. Beecher turn away and with marvelous power speak ex- temporaneously, then return to the manuscript and repeat the substance of what he had delivered with so much force. Before the repetition became offensively noticeable, under the influence of an- other inspiration he would so fascinate his hear- 24 fti'S as to make them torget that he had a manu- script. Without genius this would have been impossible. Unless the orator has mastered the invaluable arts of composing in the style in which the best extemporizers speak, and reading as though he were speaking, there is a marked difference be- tween what is read and what is improvised. A few fine samples of this work have appeared (par- ticularly in the United States) in several professions, so that the orations, if published as read, would be supposed to have been delivered extemporaneously. In such a case a person having his memory so trained as not to repeat what he had read might extemporize without a marked transition of style, and turn to the manuscript for his peroration. One of the most com;non and injurious effects of this method is that the speaker, enjoying his own oratory, will continue until he has the ap- pearance of having run down, and then, with a blank expression of countenance, be compelled to fly for refuge to his notes. As eloquence consists in weaving a spell over the assembly, a disappear- ance of expression from a speaker's face for even a second may cause a relaxation of his grasp, dif- ficult, perhaps impossible, for him to renew. A joint use of the extemporaneous and the recitative has marked advantages, and is to be uncertain, commended to those who cannot trust themselves C3) 25 promlsfrnj but Ejtemporaneou0 ©ratocg TUnfeuc eiblbb t(on of mental macblnerK. wholly to the former. But it is extremely difficult to adjust it gracefully and forcefully. Transitions of style are usually obvious, extemporized portions being spoken more swiftly or more slowly than the recited. Emphasis and accent are different, and gesticulation undergoes a noticeable change. The reciter is prone to proceed more rapidly than when he extemporizes; at other times, according to the strength of his memory or his excitability when uttering words not previously prepared, he may speak more slowly. A lawyer delivered a Fourth of July oration in preparation for which he had composed perhaps ten epigrams and half as many paragraphs, some consisting of at least three times that number of sentences, and had committed theSe to memory, expecting to extem- porize the connective tissue. What he had learned he recited perfectly; what he extemporized he delivered under slight embarrassment, and his course resembled that of a man crossing a bridge some of the planks of which were weak and others strong. He fairly leaped when he came to one of his committed paragraphs, and it was obvious that he rejoiced in spirit; but more than once his hesitation and awkwardness were pitiable. The highest gift of extemporization is usually like a spirited steed, which cannot be driven double, or like a jealous maiden, who will not brook divided attentions. 26 Comparative Banger ot jfailure CHAPTER VI Comparative Danger ot failure It is pertinent to inquire whetlier tlie extem- porizer be not more liable to fail than he who pur- sues one of the other methods. That the best extemporizer may fail must be ac- ubemcmo* knowledged, since for their effects all the organs rt3er'8evcr= ^ ' . , , ., present &an^er, employed depend upon change of particles; but if master of the art, he is much less liable to do so than the memorizer. Of the intellectual faculties memory — considered as servant of the will — is the most treacherous because most subject to impair- ment. It is most dependent upon physical condi- tions; its decline is usually coincident with the earliest, and frequently the unrecognized, ap- proaches of old age; its failure is often the first symptom of that characteristic malady of a high civilization — neurasthenia; and extreme bodily or mental fatigue temporarily paralyzes it. Whoever commits a written composition to memory does so chiefly either by sound or sight, although a few nearly equally combine both methods. If by sight, one has a memorial image of the page and of the words upon the page as he recites. Should there be the slightest failure of memory, he cannot con- tinue unless he can catch a mental glimpse of that 27 ^Extemporaneous ©ratorg page. Hence many after rewriting a discourse find that, if the character of the paper has been changed and the relation of sentences to the lines has been modified, they have to recommit the entire discourse. Others make much use of the page, but learn by reading and speaking aloud and maintain their fluency by sound, so that the real stimulator of their minds is the sound of the last word. Therefore the rate of speed must be quite uniform. An unusual pause from any cause may completely confuse them. Of all failures those of famous memorizing preachers have sometimes been the most hopeless and pitiful. I knew one of them to meet with a disaster in this way, which led him forever to re- nounce public speaking. The renowned French orator, Bourdaloue, often preached w^'th his eyes partly or wholly shut, lest he should see some- thing which would cause him to forget. The possessor of a well-written manuscript, the contents of which are appropriate to the situation, Cbc reader's Cannot utterly fail, provided he does not encounter pitfalls. fQ^,| ,,jj.^ unfavorable acoustics, or imperfect light. Manuscripts, however, may be lost, stolen, acci- dentally left at home, or in a trunk which has gone astray. A clergyman of New York had prepared with greatest care a farewell sermon. It was completed on Saturday afternoon, and leaving it upon the 28 Comparative Danger of failure table, he went forth for relaxation. On his return, it had disappeared. The brownstone house in which he lived was in the suburbs, and in the vacant lots adjacent to it goats had free range. Looking out of the open window, with dismay he beheld one of those undiscriminating gourmands in the act of devouring the last page of his manu- script. It did not console him to be told that the goat might be expected to give " the sincere milk of the word." A Baptist minister, proposing to exchange with the pastor of a neighboring Presbyterian church, selected four of his discourses and laid them upon the study table to be examined upon his return from a pastoral call. He made the choice, and the next morning ascended the Presbyterian pulpit, Emban-assiiw and at the fit time began to read. In a little while, position. to his horror, he found himself in the midst of a denunciation of infant baptism, but he had read so much that it was impossible to make a change. Pausing, he said: "1 trust that the congregation will not suppose me capable of taking advantage of a pulpit exchange to attack one of its cherished tenets. 1 did not think when selecting this dis- course that it contained such a passage as this, but I must ask you to allow me to read to the con- clusion of it, for 1 am sure that something more suited to the occasion will reward your indul- gence." After reading a few paragraphs he es- 29 rcmtntsccncc. E|temporancou0 ©ratocg caped from the inappropriate theme and led the people out of their perplexity into green pastures and beside still waters. Inquiry elicited the fact that the maid, while sweeping, had raised the windows, and a breeze had scattered the leaves of these four discourses, which were written upon paper of two different sizes. She had gathered and classified them by shape, and the passage of infant baptism thus became a part of the one which he had chosen. ®r. iparfe'0 When delivering a course of lectures upon this subject at Andover (Mass.) Theological Seminary I passed an evening with Professor Edwards A. Park, who informed me that an incident of which he was cognizant had caused him to urge upon students the mastery of the extemporaneous method. The members of a local Congregational associa- tion came together for one of the regular meetings. A minister had been appointed to preach, but owing to a difficulty of the throat he was unable to fulfill the engagement; information of his dis- qualification did not arrive until the congregation had assembled. The committee went in succes- sion to nearly every member of the association, hoping to secure a substitute. Some had no manu- scripts with them, others none that were suitable, others none with which they were so familiar as to be able to serve at short notice; and so, from 30 Comparative Danger ot ^failure one cause or another, all declined. They were about to dismiss the congregation, when some one noticed a neighboring Methodist preacher; the situation being explained to him, he consented to preach. "Whether," said Professor Park, "he intended to satirize the dependence of Congregational min- isters upon manuscripts I do not know, but he ascended the pulpit and delivered a sound and dis- criminating discourse from the text, 'Then the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.' " So numerous are the dangers of those who de- pend wholly upon reading that one of the most celebrated of them confessed that he never felt quite at ease until he had reconnoitered the ground. A public speaker proficient in the art of extem- ©rcatcr secure porizmg, and never voluntarily neglecting prepara- tcmponjcr. tion,seldom or never fails; should he do so, it is from causes which would make success by any method impossible. Few successful jury lawyers, who attend strictly to the duties of their profession, meet with disaster, and the best extemporaneous preachers are among the most reliable. Wherever they go they carry their acquisitions, their force of abstract thought, their calm reliance upon the laws of association, and the certainty that, if while they are musing the fire burns, they will be able to speak with their tongues. They know, further, 31 JEjtemporaneous ©ratorg that if, unhappily, their emotions are not stirred, they will still be able to elaborate thought in a lucid and instructive manner. The genuine extern porizer is never exactly the same on two occasions. He may frequently dis- cuss the same subject, but he cannot repeat ser- mons or speeches. He will always be moved, if not by the emotion which is produced by the operation of a divine afflatus, by that which is untuitivc inherent in this form of mental and physical ac- asaptation. ^^^^^ jj- j^^ addresses scholars, and is himself a man of culture, by a reflex influence he will in style be elevated to their height. If he speaks to colliers, he may without conscious effort so speak that they will hear gladly because they will under- stand him and feel him. 1 doubt whether even to the reader should be conceded greater security, for when he might be too ill to read the extemporizer might reach, and under such circumstances often has reached, his highest altitude. 33 ©encral ipreparatton CHAPl'ER Vn ©encial {Preparation Every extemporaneous address is the product of the whole man — mind, heart, voice — every supporting and expressing organ contributing in varying degrees of energy. If there be thought only, the impulse to speak will be wanting; if there be feeling only, the sole products must be exclamations and gestures; and though there be thought and feelmg, in the absence of language the result must be pantomime. Relatively to a particular public effort general comparative , ^, . • importance of preparation is more necessary to the extemporizer .^cncrai ans than to the reader oi the reciter; and special special prcpa ^preparation more important to the reader, who must prepare a manuscript, and to the reciter, who must not only prepare his words, but so deeply impress them upon his memory that no external or mterna! distraction can cause him to omit or falter. An extemporaneous address is an emergency in every form of activity which can affect thought, emotion, language, and expression. The grade of the effort rises or falls according to the normal strength and unimpeded exercise of the faculties, and to the character of the instruments provided for their use. 33 Bjtcmporancous ©ratorfi Neither law books, commentaries, cyclopedias, dictionaries, nor works ot particular authors in art, literature, theology, or science can be consulted by the extemporizer while speaking, but they may be leisurely examined by him who is preparing to read or recite. The former must aim to be an animate cyclopedia with reference to those sub- jects on which he presumes to speak, and must have the power of criticising the facts, principles, and expressions which seek utterance, rejecting the doubtful, the indelicate, the inaccurate.and sum- moning on the instant words which, if fitly spoken, shall be as '* apples of gold in pictures of silver." iLanmiage an6 It is frequently asserted that a speaker should tbouabt. attend primarily to thought, and that then language may be trusted to take care of itself. This is true with respect to a particular effort about to be made; but since, with the possible exceptions previously noted, there can be no thought without mental root words or signs, and every word, the meaning of which is understood, deposits a thought in the mind at the same instant that it imbeds itself in the brain, the acquisition of lan- guage is the acquisition of ideas and facts under such circumstances that ever afterward the thought will suggest the word and the word the thought. Therefore, in securing a general preparation for extemporaneous oratorv. language precedes the intentional accumulation of thought, 34 fSieee ot Xanguage CHAPTER Vin "dses of Xanguaae The primary use of language is to express thought. The saying is attributed to Talleyrand that "a tongue was given to man in order that he might conceal his thought; " but the only way in which a man can conceal thought by the use of the tongue is by the utterance of false thought. Even in that case the purpose of words is to express thought which, though false to the man who utters it, is intended to seem true to the man who hears it. A secondary, but in modern Anglo-Saxon civil- ization fundamental, use of language is to express feeling, to do which one may make choice among several methods. The simplest is to state his feel- ings; affirm that he is glad or sad, angry or afraid. Or he may employ exclamations which in their root forms are common to people of every kindred, tribe, and tongue, and which the heart of human nature will interpret. A refined and often the most impressive way of making one's feelings known is merely to describe them. When John Wesley promulgated his peculiar view of the higher life various names were speed- 35 Vehicle of tbougbt. IRcvealcr of emotion. Bjtemporaneous ©ratorg Expression of tbougbt an^ feeling compace^. ily attached to it, such as "Perfection," "Chris- tian perfection," "Entire sanctification," "The higher life," and such cant phrases as " The second blessing" or "The having attained." This was displeasing to Wesley, who instructed his votaries not to give any name to the blessing. "Avoid," said he, "all magnificent, pompous words; indeed, you need give it no general name — neither perfec- tion, sanctification, the second blessing, nor the having attained. Rather speak of the things which God hath wrought for you." Another method is to portray the situation and permit human nature, which answers to itself "as in water face answereth to face," to infer the condition. A pioneer missionary, who afterward rose to a position of world-wide influence, was, during his absence from home, bereaved of a daughter who was fatally burned. She had always been first to welcome him when he returned from long mis- sionary journeys. Speaking of it to an assembly, he told how she used to hasten to greet him, and tremulously said, " I asked for my daughter, and they showed me a handful of ashes." Such sim- plicity and pathos made far deeper impression than could have resulted from the most elaborate rhetorical delineation. A radical difference exists between the effect of words in the communication of thought and 36 "dses ot Xanguage their effect in tlie expression of feeling. If one has made known an idea, it is in the possession of his audience. He knows that he has uttered it, and if he possesses the oratorical instinct, discerns , , T- • 1 Exasperating that they understand. To reiterate may be per- repetition, mitted once or endured twice, but a speaker will be contemned who is perceived to be diluting his thought or lepeating his words. It "is not so with the expression of feeling. One may affirm that he has reason to be angry; as he affirms this he becomes more angry, and if his auditors sympathize with him, their indignation is increased. If there be common cause, he may re- peat until he approaches a crisis of emotion. Unde\ such conditions there is no perception of repetition in the speaker's own consciousness or in that of the assembly, for they are fused into one mind and one heart. This peculiarity is illustrated in political campaigns, religious revivals, and in time of war. When a high state of feeling is ex- cited, provided the speaker expresses his own feelings and those of the people, and so long as yet more feeling is aroused or that which exists is not checked, it matters little what words are uttered. A stenographer taking down what is said on such extraordinary occasions will discover afterward nothing sufficient to account for the effect. Often official reporters become absorbed in the universal contagion and are unable to record 37 12 00^ * Bjtemporaneous ©ratorg Suftortfnatc to pereoiialit^. Werbal wiles. the words, or if they make the attempt, to interpret their own signs. A speaker addressed the Reichstag in a most effective manner, and Bismarck, noticing one of his acquaintances weeping, made a somewhat satirical remark to him, receiving the reply, " You have no heart." The next morning, when a ver- batim report of that speech appeared, Bismarck took it to his friend, and said, "Now, will you point out to me the passage which would have melted me to tears if 1 had what you call a heart .f*" The man eagerly took the paper, but on reading it acknowledged that the speech was re- ported correctly, yet confessed that it did not seem to him then as it did the day before. Language can be used as an adornment of thought, and it may be so used in the absence of sense or in direct contradiction of it. Much gen- uine poetry is incapable of literal interpretation without being reduced to absurdity. This accounts for many erroneous interpretations of the Holy Scriptures. There remain those who believe that the figures in the Book of Revelation are liter- ally true, notwithstanding the fact that in parts of that book explicit statements are made of their symbolical character. The poverty of human lan- guage is such that the grandest ideas require figura- tive utterances, and the Church sings of "the saints' secure abode beyond the bounds of time 38 TUscs of Xanguage and space," and "looks forward to that heavenly place" with glorious hope. The rhythm of poetry sometimes obscures the fact that sense is contradicted. A poem which opposed reason in every figure was recited so beautifully that hardly anyone in the audience discerned its utter nonsense: ■* 'Tis sweet to roam when morning's light Resounds across the glen ; When the laughing lights of the woodbine bright Haunt the ethereal fen ; When at noon the bloodshot moon Is bathed in crumbling dew. And the wolf rings out his glittering shout. To-whit. to-whit, to-v/hoo.'* He IS fortunate or unobservant who has not senseless learned that some orators of fame have delighted pbraseoioas. their auditors with passages destitute of meaning. A minister, widely known in New England, thus addressed an assembly of twelve hundred: "Often, beloved friends, in my meditations have I tried to fancy the exact location of that blest abode to which, after the vicissitudes of this earthly life, we all hope to come. And one evening as I sat gazing with rapture upon the most splendid setting sun which, as I thought, 1 had ever witnessed, 1 seemed to hear a whisper, sweetly, softly, saying, ' Heaven is back, far back, of the celestial hills that circumscribe the precincts of the eternal sphere.' " 39 JEjtemporaneous ©ratorg The audience received this geographical state- ment with expressions of delight and rapturous hope, and one more enthusiastic than others, or less restrained by the revelation, ejaculated. "Glory." But what had the would-be seer affirmed ? Heaven is back — a simple conception. Far back — the conception becomes slightly com- plex, but easily comprehended. Far back of the celestial hills — lofty mountain ranges bounded the horizon where this rhapsody was uttered and the mind hastened on in search of the climax. Heaven is back, far back, of the celestial hills that circumscribe — this almost revealed "the gates ajar;" it is a clear boundary line. That circum- scribe the precincts — the heart stands still. That circumscribe the precincts of the eternal — that is. the heavenly — sphere. Translated into plain English: Heaven is fai back of what is a long distance in front of it. This was all; yet it was delightful to hear; the voice of the speaker was mellifluous, and his ex- pression of countenance that of one rapt. Eitemporucrs Doubtless he who intends to extemporize hopes cannot seek to make a temperate use of the ornamental, but ornaments. ^^\-^\\Q speaking he cannot turn aside for flowers or diamonds. If the current of his thoughts and feelmgs conducts him where flowers bloom or jewels sparkle, he may take them up. but it is possible that a fragment of granite will follow 40 "Qlscs of Xanguage a sapphire, a sunflower a rose, and the root of a tree a graceful vine. His speech is rathei like the diversified luxuriousness of a semi- tropical region, where tropical flowers bloom side by side with those of the temperate zone, with an occasional specimen of growth indigenous in regions beyond the Arctic circle. All that he can hope for is that the granite will be genuine, the flower perfect of its kind, and that no soil will cling to the root. (4) 41 Ejtempovancous Oratorg Us tberc an organ of language 1 CHAPTER DC pbgslological asasls of Speecb The earlier phrenologists assumed the existence of an organ of language, and professed ability to determine its relative size. I was examined by O. S. Fowler on two occa- sions, with an interval of eight years, and was mortified to be informed that my organ of lan- guage is small, and that I should be embarrassed through life on account of difficulty in finding words to express ideas. The diagnosis and prog- nosis were so interesting that 1 requested the ex- aminer to write them for me, which he did. On the second occasion, not recognizing me as the individual whom he had previously examined, though again referring to my defect, he suggested that 1 might derive some aid in expression from mental activity, which would enable an "inferior organ of language " to do more than ordinary work, " as a small engine with an unusual pres- sure of steam might do more work than a larger engine with less steam." On my relating this circumstance to Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes he responded, "As well might you undertake to tell by the knobs on a fireproof safe the denomination and amount of money 42 Ipbgsiologlcal JBasis or Speecb inside as to tell by the bumps on a man's head what are his characteristics." Within the last forty years astonishing progress has been made in the study of the anatomy, physi- ology, and pathology of the brain, and within two decades a flood of light has been shed upon its re- lation to memory in the revival and combination of words. In hospitals for the mentally diseased can be 2,igbt6bc6on found many cases of aphasia, a condition in which abnormal, there is partial or complete loss either of the ex- pression or the comprehension of the conven- tional signs of language; these not springing from a defect in any of the external organs or nerves, but from a difficulty in the cortical centers of the brain. There are many forms of this disease. In some there is an inability to execute the move- ments of the mouth, the muscles not being paralyzed, though not coordinated. There are cases of agraphia, in which, when complete, there is an inability to write spontaneously or from dictation, or to copy any letter or word ; not as a result of the disease known as writer's cramp, but of some deep-seated difficulty in the brain. Some aphasics can write correctly, but cannot speak; others can speak, but are unable to write. The x\^^x\-\t amnesia is given to another malady which appears some- times in a simple loss of memory of words. Again the patient may be unable to understand spoken 43 Extemporaneous ©ratorg words, or the defect may include only those writ- ten or printed. There are those who have lost the power of communicating ideas in the proper words, while others can utter the words, but cannot frame them grammatically. Still others cannot arrange words in properly connected sentences; others produce the words, but with an abnormal, strangely per- plexing slowness of speech, while some pour forth many words in such a manner as to express no meaning. These diseases can exist without being accompanied by illusion, delusion, or hallucination, and they have appeared in masters of their native tongue, either m writing or speaking, and occa- sionally in those who have been masters of both writing and speaking, ©rfgjn of these The dependence of all these upon the state ol maladies, ^]^g brain has been demonstrated by various ex- periments and by post-mortem examinations. Professor H. Charlton Bastian, M.D., F.R.S., Censor of the Royal College of Physicians of Lon- don, delivered, beginning April i, 1897, a series of lectures, which have been published in The Lan- cet, on *' Some Problems in Connection with Aphasia and Other Speech Defects." They are based upon and illustrate the present state of scientific knowledge concerning the faculty of articulate language. His opening paragraph is: "The modern interest in and development of 44 Mscovcttcg, pbBslologlcal asasls of Spcecb knowledge concerning aphasia and other speech defects date from the publication of certain memoirs by Broca, some six and thirty years since, when he attempted to localize what he termed the 'faculty of articulate language' in a limited convolutional region of the left cerebral jBroca'a hemisphere. The publication of his cases and conclusions formed the starting point for a whole new series of investigations, whose result has been a remarkable development in our knowledge of the localization of functions in the cerebral cortex, while the discussions to which these investigations have given rise have materially helped to lead to a better understanding of the working of the com- plex cerebral mechanism needed for the carrying on of speech and thought. We are thus at the present day capable of dealing with the subject of speech defects from a much broader basis of discovered facts, as well as with a greater critical insight, than was at all possible at, or even long after, the time when Broca wrote his famous memoir. Very much, however, remains to be discovered before the many differences of opinion that exist concern- ing obscure and complicated points in connection with the nature and exact mode of the production of speech defects are likely to be set at rest." Professor Bastian states that, though he cannot accept the hypothesis of a complete topographical distinctness of the several sensory centers in the 45 Extemporaneous ©ratorg Summar^S of prof. 36aes tian's invcss tigations. cerebral hemispheres, he considers it clear that the cortex must contain certain sets of struc- turally related cell and fiber mechanisms, whose activity is associated with one or with another of the several kinds of sensory endowment. From a consideration of "the extremely important part that words, either spoken or written, play in our intellectual life, and the manner in which they are interwoven with all thought processes," he holds that "it is highly probable that most important sections of the auditory and visual sensory centers are devoted to the reception, and, secondly, to the revival in thought, of impressions of words; and for convenience of reference it is permissible to speak of these operations as auditory and visual word centers respectively." In his first lecture he discusses the revival of words for speech, shows it to be a very complex process, and analyzes the mental operation and the physical in reading aloud and in writing from dic- tation. The substance of the views of Dr. Bastian is that there are two centers of kinaesthetic type — that is, of sensations having a quality whereby one is aware of one's positions and movements, espe- cially those of the automatic type — a quality distinct from the muscular sense. One of these centers is related to articulation, and is named by him the glosso-kincesthetic center; and the Other is related to 46 ff)bg6ioloc}ical JSasis ot Spcecb the movements connected with writing, and named the chiro-kiiuesthetic center. Of the location of the former there is Httle doubt, the place assigned to it being m the foot of the third frontal and the inferior part of the ascending frontal convolutions of the brain. Concerning the location of the other center, Bastian admits much more uncertainty, though he has an opinion upon the subject. But besides these are the auditory word center, and the visual word center, devoted to the reception and to the revival in thought of centers ass impressions of words. The existence of these is 't("n^uI;sett°S! generally recognized, though the position in the brain which they respectively occupy is a matter of some uncertainty. He holds, also, that besides these four centers there must be connecting fibers, and maintains that lesions relating to speech defects are to be looked for in the word centers, in the commissures connecting them, in the fibers uniting the two kinoesthetic centers to their related motor centers, and in the motor centers themselves. Although, when an object makes an impression on the brain, it strikes first on the perception cen- ter to which it is naturally related, to prevent mis- understanding Bastian emphasizes the fact that "It immediately radiates so as to impinge upon functionally related structures, all this taking place so rapidly that the several excitations are practically 47 JEjtcmporaneous ©ratorg ffrcncb autboritics. JSramwcIl's conclusions. simultaneous, and so the combined effects are fused into one single perceptive act." The value of these studies in speech defects is in their contribution to a full understanding of the normal methods of producing perfect speech. Dejerine, a famous French authority, denies the existence of a separate writing speech center, as distinct from the ordinary motor centers for the movements of the hand, maintaining that no case has yet been recorded of pure agraphia without other speech defects, and no undoubted case has been placed on record in which a lesion of the supposed writing speech center alone has produced agraphia. Charcot, the late French specialist on diseases of the brain, assumes the existence of a center for articulate language, which he believes to be divided into subcenters — a visual for words and an auditory for words, indicating respectively the route by which words enter the brain, and corresponding to these a motor center of spoken, and a motor center of written, language. All speech defects originating in the brain he explains in harmony with these distinctions. Dr. Bramwell, a high English authority, pro- ceeds upon the assumption, and furnishes instances to prove that the action of the motor writing cen- ter is, for the most part, under the direct control of the visual speech center; but the existence of a 48 pbBsiological JSasis of Speccb separate writing center is assumed by him and supposed to be close to speech center.* In support of this view he brings forward cases of "word blindness," in which the patient is un- able to write spontaneously — that is, from within as ibis gl•oun^8. the result of stimulation from the visible speech center — yet the power of writing to dictation is preserved. In such cases it is reasonable to sup- pose that there is a direct connection between the auditory speech center and the motor writing cen- ter. He holds that in persons who are accustomed to write much, and especially in those who write to dictation, it is probable that the motor writing speech center may be thrown into action either by the visual speech center or by the auditory speech center — that is, whether the person sees or hears what he is to write. He argues, contrary to the usually accepted opinion, that when the nerv- ous impulses are excited the act of writing passes directly from the visual speech center to the writing center, and not, as is usually supposed, indirectly through the motor vocal speech center. Dr. Bramwell also claims that while the leading or driving speech center is in the left hemisphere of the brain this does not show that the corre- sponding center in the right hemisphere is inert and has no speech function; and he adduces cases to show that when the left center is disturbed by *Dr. Byrom Bramwell's Lectures, London Lancet, March 20, 1897, 49 jEi'temporaneoue ©ratorg ^'rfcslngcr's analysis. Jfacts access eible to all. disease the right has been found capable of being trained to tai3 auD XLbcix ipropcc Tllse ministers to avoid references to history and to confine themselves chiefly to the simpler methods which proved so successful. It is possible to account for the young man's fail- ure on another hypothesis. His bookish style ne- Hnotber cessitated a didactic delivery. Had he described the sufferings of the martyrs in language suited to affect the heart, neither the lapse of time since the events nor the special historical references would have prevented the result at which he aimed. I heard Father " Tom " Burke, the renowned Domin- ican friar, when he was replying to a lecture by the historian Froude, and had occasion to de- scribe the sufferings of the Irish heroes of a century agone, while reading the history and comment- ing upon it, arouse a tempest of emotion. His most striking outburst, consisting in large part of Latin and Greek derivatives, culminated in this brief apostrophe: " Shade of O'Connell, arise and vindicate thy native land!" The natural and feeling description, in words fitly chosen, of a genuinely pathetic scene deliv- ered by one who receives the entire confidence of his listeners, can render them oblivious to the conditions of time and space, and their hearts will throb in sympathy with sorrows felt in the ear- liest ages and remotest parts of the world as quickly as to the sufferings of the preceding day. 75 Bjtcmporaneous ©ratorg CHAPTER Xin Enrlcblng tbe Docabularg No one is born with a vocabulary. By slow degrees it is built up, but since undesirable words are added and words unused slip away, unless it is constantly pruned and improved the memory will be so meagerly supplied as to compel wearisome and debilitating repetitions. The most effective means of enlarging the store is the reading and close study of the best books, cbc cbdstian Xhe Bible, which contains nearly six thousand of the most significant and expressive words, is the richest mine. I refer to King James's version ; — the revised, invaluable as giving new shades of meaning, shedding light upon dark passages, and substituting a correct for an incorrect render- ing, is, in the character of its English, inferior to the old. In studying King James's version it is necessary to note words that are obsolete or obsolescent, so as not to allow them to impress themselves upon the mind except as such words, lest they should subsequently appear in speech. Such study of the Bible is as useful to the law- yer as to the clergyman. Erskine and Webster, Abraham Lincoln and his opponent, Stephen A. Douglas — in truth, almost all lawyers of emi- 76 Scriptures. Hvon. jEiirlcbincj tbc Docabularg nence in England and the United States have ex- hibited their indebtedness to the Bible, and many of them have acknovv'ledged it not only because it is a part of the law of every Christian nation, whether recognized as such or not, but because of its influence upon their style. Such was its effect upon Webster that one of his biographers draws the conclusion "that the young man who would be a writer that will be read, or an orator whom people will hear, should study the English Bible." Next in importance to the Bible are the works •cbc36al•^of of Shakespeare, equally valuable for the number of distinct words which they contain and their application to every period and vicissitude of in- diyidual, social, and political life. Professor Alexander Bain, when treating the subject of language, its uses and the modes of acquiring it, says: "A man's vocabulary will show with whom he has kept company, what books he has studied, what departments he knows; it will reveal, farther, his predominating tastes, emotions, or likings. We see in Milton, for example, his peculiar erudition and his strong fascination for whatever was large, lofty, vast, powerful, or sub- lime. In Shakespeare the adhesiveness for lan- guage as such was so great that it seemed to include every species of terms in nearly equal pro- portions. Only a very narrow examination enables 77 Bjtcmporancoiis ©ratorg "®nls to tbe commonplace is anv;tb(ng commonplace." US to detect his prefererce^>, or his lines of study, and veins of more special interest."* An habitual student of Shakespearean literature, I have reached the conclusion that the knowledge and powers of language displayed by Shakespeare are to be attributed in a large degree to his placing in the mouths of his characters language acquired from contemporary or prior productions, or from conversations with specialists in trades and pro- fessions; frequently practically transferring bodily, without quotation marks, and at other times with but slight modifications, what he needed to fur- nish his characters with suitable expressions. The sublime conceptions, the penetrating discrimina- tions, were his, but it is improbable that in conver- sation or composition he would have been able, uttering his own sentiments, to draw upon the resources, either of knowledge or language, which are displaved in his dramatic writings. I must believe, therefore, that the profound general and extensive particular knowledge of the separate professions predicated of him has been carried further than the facts would justify. However this may be, all concede that, although in the realms of fancy, logic, philosophy, poetry, pathos, oratory, morals, religion, and the supernatural, words, usual and unusual, are often seen in un- expected situations, they rarely fail to justify their * Jlfen/a/ a/id ^fora/ Sci'i'/ice, Alexander Bain, A. M.,p. 117, paragraph 52. 78 Bnricbing tbe tDocabularg appearance by their intimate relation to the needs and wishes, the appetites, passions, yearnings, hopes and fears, the weaknesses and the strength of universal humanity. Next to Shakespeare, I would place the works 5obn3Bumean'8 of John Bunyan. The best of these is Pilgrim's ^*^'^* Progress, but his sermons are not to be despised as a means of attaining a mastery of the most expressive English. Long after I had read Pil- grim's Progress several times, and had formed this opinion of its worth, I was gratified to come upon a passage in Macaulay which gives the authority of his name to the recommenda- tion, and, more important even than that, pre- sents the grounds upon which his judgment is founded: "The style of Bunyan is delightful to every reader and invaluable as a study to every person who wishes to obtain a wide command over the English language. His vocabulary is the vocabu- lary of the common people. There is not an ex- pression, if we except a few terms of theology, which would puzzle the rudest peasant. We have observed several pages which do not contain a single word of more than two syllables. Yet no writer has said more exactly what he wanted to say. For magnificence, for pathos, for vehement exhortation, for subtle disquisition, for every pur- pose of the poet, the orator, and the divine, this 79 Bjtemporancous ©catorg flDflton an& /more mobent authors. XTbe • iFcberalist.' homely dialect, this dialect of plain workingmen, was sufficient," Most cultivated men are familiar with Milton's poetry; the study of his prose is equally remu- nerative. The works of Edmund Burke should on no account be neglected. To read critically Addison's papers in the Spectator is helpful. One may ask a hundred times whether he could substi- tute a better word than that which Addison em- ploys to express the same idea, without finding a single instance in which it could have been done. But since literary style and the language of the common people are constantly changing, it will not suffice to confine one's attention to works written several hundred years ago. The best Eng- lish authors of the present generation should be studied. Two American writers are especially useful — Washington Irving and Nathaniel Haw- thorne. The former excels in lucid narration; the latter, in giving a mysterious power to familiar words, because of their recording his relentless analysis of human nature, his deep speculations upon life and the springs of character, and the portrayal of the consequences of sin, vice, or crime. The Federalist, a series of papers written over the nom deplume Publius, and the Appendix, above the signatures of Pacificus and Helvetius, for the purpose of commending to the people of the State 80 jenricbtng tbe Docabularg of New York the proposed Constitution of the United States of America, were the works of Alex- ander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Decided differences exist in the literary style of these statesmen. That of Hamilton was marked by richness, elegance, and force; that of Jay by conciseness and point; while Madison's, not so florid as that of Hamilton, nor so pithy as that of Jay, was exceedingly clear, in many passages glowing. Controversies early arose concerning the authorship of the respective parts. All au- thorities agree that Hamilton wrote, by far, the largest and Jay much the smallest; that Hamilton wrote numbers i, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, and many others; that Jay wrote numbers 2, 3, 4, 5; and that Madison wrote numbers 10 and 14, and 37 to 48, inclusive. The collection places in the possession of the student the linguistic resources of these men, writing under the deepest feeling in the most crit- ical period of their public lives and with a fixed intention to be clear and cogent. Great Speeches by Great Lazvyers — a Collect/on jorcneic of Arguments and Speeches before Courts and Juries by Eminent Lawyers, by William L. Snyder, of the New York bar, published by Baker, Voorhis & Co., of New York, is to be commended to all public speakers as furnishing examples of the style and a large part of the 81 orations. ;ejtemporancou6 Quatorg vocabulary of Patrick Henry, William Pinckney, William Wirt, Daniel Webster, Sargent S. Prentiss, David Paul Brown, William H. Seward, Sir James Macintosh, Charles O'Conor, Rufus Choate, Edwin M. Stanton, James T. Brady, William M. Evarts, John Philpot Curran, Thomas Erskine, and many others, in the mightiest argu- ments and often during the most exciting forensic crises. Erskine's speech was for the prosecution against Thomas Williams for publishing Paine's Age of Reason. That of Sir James Macintosh was in be- half of a Frenchman indicted for a libel against Napoleon Bonaparte. Accounts and analyses of the different cases are given, some of which are more thrilling than the plots of the most famous works of fiction; the reader can readily follow the course of argument and estimate the force of language. There is not an orator nor a reasoner who, if he has not read this collection, would not by doing so find it a delightful and strengthening intellectual exercise and a valuable addition to his vocabulary. jEngHsb an6 The habitual and critical reading of the best Hmer^ican English and American poets is not only service- able, but indispensable, to one who would be pre- pared to speak effectively at any time upon any theme; and these maybe easily divided into poets 82 poets. jEnrlcbino tbe Docabularg of the heart, of the intellect, of pure imagination, of literature, of nature, and of religion. William Pinckney, considered the greatest orator of the American bar, when he began was almost destitute of language adapted to express feeling, and he afterward declared that to attain it had cost him more effort than any other acquisition. RuFUS Choate continued to improve his vocabu- lary so long as he lived. Professor Bain states the ground of this neces- language of gj^y . Jfccllngs. "The Language of Feelings, both in their natural manifestations and in their verbal expres- sion, has to be acquired. The meaning of the smile and the frown is learnt in inf^mcy by observ- ing what circumstances they go along with. The various modifications of the features, tones, and gestures for pleasure, pain, love, anger, fear, wonder, are connected with known occasions that show what they mean. Animals understand this language. There is a certain intrinsic efficacy in some modes of expression, as when soft and gentle tones are used for affection, and harsh, emphatic utterances for anger; but the play of the features has no original meaning; it must be understood by experience. "Verbal expression greatly enlarges the compass of the language of the feelings. Every emotion has its characteristic forms of speech, expressing 83 Bjtcmporancous ©ratorg its shades with great delicacy. Poets who wish to depict and excite the emotions require an un- usual command of these forms and of all the images and associated circumstances that have the power to resuscitate the varieties of feeling." * What is stated of the necessities of poets with respect to the Language of Feelings is equally true of orators. * Mental and Moral Science, Alexander Bain, A.M., p. 107, paragraph 36. 84 Zlsstmllatlon of MorDs CHAPTER XIV Bssimtlation of TMorDs Unless words are incorporated with the general furnishings and natural movements of the whole mind, it is impossible to evolve them in extem- poraneous speech. I had the pleasure of meeting the author of an interesting work upon the Trees of America, but was unable to converse with him satisfactorily on account of unfamiliarity with the strictly scientific terminology which he employed. Reduced to silence and humiliated, I immediately took up the study of his book, and others upon the subject, and in a subsequent interview suffered no embarrass- ment. My difficulty arose from the fact that what little technical knowledge 1 possessed on the sub- ject had been acquired only by reading, and I was incapable of freely using the appropriate terms in extemporaneous speech. Ordinary thoughts, as the result of involuntary imitation and reproduction of phrases heard in early life, exist in the minds of rational adults in set forms, such as "It rains," or " Man is mortal." Most of these are so imbedded in the mind that no mental process is necessary to select words for their expression, the form being associated with 85 HAcccssftg of assimilation i^llstl■atc^. tbougbts an5 proverbs. anotbcv but as sweet a name. JErtcmporancou^ ©ratoig the germ; even as the skilled accountant sees the figures in the column, and the answer presents itself contemporaneously with the perception of the factors. Proverbs obtain circulation because of their brevity and pith. But the speaker must possess H rose with the ability of translating such into other language, and of amplifying them. For example, a clergyman purposing to preach on human mortality, selects as a text, "It is ap- pointed unto men once to die." His object being to create the emotions which reasonable beings should have in view of their mortality, he presents the subject in every suitable aspect. Should he at the end of every paragraph repeat the text, in a short time it would lose its effect, it is necessary for him to present that root idea in many forms. This power is of even greater importance to a lawyer. A minister's congregation disperses, each going his way and deciding for himself whether to yield to the instructions he has received. But a jury cannot disperse until it has agreed upon a verdict, or spent a long time in fruitlessly trying to do so; therefore, unless the advocate can em- ploy various ways of stating the familiar facts and principles involved in his cases, he will not succeed in persuading twelve men to his view, or in fur- nishing a majority with arguments and force of statement with which to convince the minority. 86 Bs6imllation of imorDs Charles James Fox, England's unsurpassed parliamentary debater, held that it is better that some of the audience should observe that the speaker is repeating material observations than that any should not understand. Prrr, Brougham, and Erskine emphasized the importance of ampli- fication, and De Quin'CEY, writing on Greek litera- ture, maintains that a great orator must have the "gift of tautology.'" "Could he say the same thmg three times over in direct sequence ? for without this talent of iteration, of repeating the same thought in diversified forms, a man may utter good heads of an oration, but not an ora- tion." Nevertheless, unless he has the rare art to lead his hearers to believe that they are hearing some- thing new, they will not bear his repetitions. These facts show that the dictionary should be piacc of tbc the constant companion of the man who aims to speak correctly. In this manner and by the con- stant reading of all forms of literature Rufus Choate accumulated his wonderful vocabulary. It is said that when a new dictionary was pub- lished containing ten thousand additional words, Chief Justice Shaw, before whom the great advo- cate frequently practiced, and between whom and himself there were many encounters, cried out, "Keep it from Choate, for if he gets it, all the rest of us must have it." Daniel Webster, when 87 Iciicon. Extemporaneous ©catorg asked what books he intended to study during the recess of Congress, replied, "The Dictionary." One of the most effective speakers of my acquaintance, who has steadily improved for thirty years, makes it a point to read daily a page of a standard dictionary. It is not desirable to confine oneself to a single authority, for dictionaries may reflect the predilec- tions of their editors and compilers. Fanciful etymologies, peculiar pronunciations, and partial or strained definitions have thus been imposed upon the language. iDaiuc of babtt The habit of translating classical Latin and of translating. Greek into English, especially in the early life of a public speaker, will give variety and freshness of style, particularly if the attempt be made to translate not into Latin and Greek derivatives which have found their way into English, but into Anglo-Saxon. The former will fasten themselves upon the mind naturally, while the choice, so far as possible, of Anglo-Saxon equivalents will double the number of words in the memory. There are few words in Greek or Latin which cannot be translated into Anglo-Saxon, for, though the Greeks and Latins possessed distinctions of meaning growing out of their civilization, they had few fundamental ideas not common to uni- versal man. Our Anglo-Saxon ancestors had these conceptions and used their own words to translate 88 Bssimllatioii of TlClorOs them, which accounts — together with the effect of the primitive directness and poetic fervor of the Hebrew mind and forms of expression — in large part for the simplicity and beauty of the Scriptures as they appear in " King James's version." Trans- lations from modern languages will also yield good results. Each word, to express its different shades of meaning, may require many English words, and the translator in discriminating among them must unconsciously impress them all upon his mind; the more important will spontaneously attach themselves. An excellent exercise is that of translating written thought into other language as rapidly as possible. This can be applied to standard poetical and prose works, or to passages of one's own which have been carefully prepared with the pen. It should be done orally, and with as much vigor and vari- ety of voice and utterance as the subject would naturally suggest. The habit of listening critically to the best speak- Ubc critical ers must be maintained. The extemporizer can ^*'^^* never safely allow himself to listen without noting the words of the speaker, except when his emo- tions are profoundly stirred. A critical spirit dur- ing worship is a foe to devotion, and, in its last analysis, is irreverent. The hearer who does not prefer an increase of the spirit of devotion to an elegant style, which contributes nothing to the (7) 89 Bjtemporancous ©ratorg Ubis mctboS successfully followed. depth of religious feeling, is not in a worshipful frame. Neither would one pause, when a Patrick Henry speaks, to consider whether each sentence is constructed in harmony with the technical rules of rhetoric. But in general the critical spirit must be pre- served. He who, without perceiving the error, listens to one who speaks ungrammatically, is certain himself to speak incorrectly. Eternal vig- ilance is the price of the correct use of language; for in this department, as elsewhere, "Evil com- munications corrupt good manners." On a Sabbath morning 1 invited a venerable minister to offer prayer, and was surprised by the facility of his utterance and the beauty of his style. That the prayer was not a recitation was manifest from local applications and references, some of them to the hymns and Scriptures which he had just heard, and others to events of public interest which had taken place within a day or two. This man had been retired for many years, and was disabled physically, but was able, without excite- ment, when unexpectedly called upon, to utter a prayer suitable for publication as an example of the elegant and correct use of the English lan- guage. At the close of the service I said, " How did you acquire your vocabulary .^" and received this response: " I am an Englishman, and entered the ministry at the age of nineteen years, after 90 assimilatfcn ot MorCtg having been engaged in mechanical pursuits from childhood, with little or no opportunity for educa- tion. When I began to preach, knowing my de- ficiencies, and possessing but few books, the only thing I could do was to listen to every speaker, and when I heard what seemed ^o me a good word go immediately home and ascertain its meaning. Having done this, I used it as soon as I found a suitable opportunity." One who wishes to speak extemporaneously iPH^atc cons should converse much in private, and as cor- jui. rectly as if in public. While careful to avoid a bookish style, he should complete every sentence, and select, as he speaks, the words which exactly express his idea, when mingling with all classes — the refined, the uncultivated, and especially with children. Of all methods of acquiring the art of speaking impressively to an audience, at- tempting to interest children from five to fifteen years of age is the most helpful. He who suc- ceeds in this, without the lingo known as baby talk, by the use of Anglo-Saxon, principally, though not wholly — for children can gather quickly the meaning of a word in its setting, which taken by itself would puzzle them — has power to interest any audience, provided his topic is in itself interesting. Most addresses to children and most conversa- tions with them proceed upon the fallacious as- 91 Bjtempci-aneous ©ratori^ sumptions that one must "come down to them;" that they cannot be interested without an approach to buffoonery; that they cannot reason, and are in- terested only in things which appeal to their senses. ■Jiwo remari!= Being of an argumentative turn of mind, I able speafters. thought that I could not speak to children, and for five years declined to make the attempt. Cir- cumstances led to a change in my views. I heard extraordinary accounts of the power a certain minister had displayed in addressing children upon the most metaphysical subjects imaginable ^such as the immortality of the soul, the dis- tinctions of morals, and the relation of the will to responsibility. He could hold them spell- bound by speech as pure as that of Addison. I could scarcely believe such an achievement pos- sible, as the average speaker in attempting to "come down" to the children frequently falls so far as to excite their contempt. I invited him to visit me, and though his advanced years would not allow him to preach, induced him to address the Sunday school. For fifteen minutes, with a diffused animation, without rapid contrasts, he spoke to them upon manhood and womanhood as developed from little men and little women. He illustrated graphically, but did not linger upon illustration; asked the children no questions — a refuge and often the snare of speakers who can- not interest. He used scarcely a gesture, but 92 Bsaimllation of MorDs whenever he paused the children were so absorbed that the ticking of the clock was distinctly heard. A minister in the prime of life, whom from childhood I had been taught to respect, gave a Sunday school address in a smooth, flowing, anecdotal way; one incident led to another, all were interesting, each had a moral, and he be- guiled the children into the belief that he was going on merely because they pleased him so much that he could not cease. When he closed they gave many indications of wishing him to proceed. To each of these men I propounded this ques- ube secret, tion: " How did you learn your art?" The older said : " I always loved children, wished to do them good, and talked with them a great deal. 1 have no art except to use words that they can under- stand about things that they would like to under- stand, or need to know, or feel." The other said, "I talk with children whenever 1 have an oppor- tunity, and speak with them in public just as I do in private." Ihere are men who have made fame by writing about modern methods of teaching children, who cannot interest them. An advantage of conversing with children is that, if encouraged to do so, they will frankly reply, and their suggestions and the reflection necessary to rectify their errors will often open 93 nature. Extemporaneous ©ratorg whole fields of thought and suggest illustrations that might never have been thought of without such necessity. I have found that the methods which are most successful in holding the atten- tion of children are those which will secure the attention of an assembly chiefly of the common people, even though there be a large percentage of cultivated persons among them. The passive state of the audience is favorable to the reception of the best ideas in the simplest form; and the docility of childhood is a type of the simplicity of receptiveness in all ages and conditions. Cbe^rt of Dr. JoHN P. DuRBiN, one of the most eloquent of American orators, was able to speak to a child with such beauty of expression and propriety of enunciation that a company of educated ladies and gentlemen were entranced. , Conversation was suspended and regret felt when the doctor turned from the delighted child to the rest of the com- pany. In an earlier period, when enfeebled voice compelled him to suspend public efforts, he had gone from cabin to cabin among the Negroes on the plantations of Kentucky, conversing with them on religion, and claimed that by this process he acquired his marvelously simple style. While talking in private may be carried so far as to develop a monologist — a tedious, prosaic monopolizer of conversation — this defect arises from a lack of self-control, and nature's principle 94 Bssimllation of 'CClor&8 is the development of impulses to be restrained by ekcss (n tbe an intelligent exercise of the will. The abnormal '"^^^i^fjuj"' devotee of music who cannot restrain himself from singing, and is liable to interrupt public proceed- ings by unconsciously humming, cannot be ad- duced against that supreme devotion to the art which is the price of the highest proficiency. Charles James Fox was in the habit of saying that he knew he should speak well when he found himself talking aloud upon the subject he intended to discuss. Thus the experience of the parliamentary de- bater illustrates the physiological effect senten- tiously announced by Oliver Wendell Holmes: "■Worded thought is attended with a distinct im- pulse toward the organs of speech; in fact, the effort often goes so far that we 'think aloud,' as we say."* More important than any previous single sug- gestion, and necessary if one would derive the greatest benefit from all, is the habit of using new words extemporaneously as soon as learned, and in such relations that the. reflex influence of their use upon the mind will be strong. A man may be able to recite ten thousand words merely as words, and be wholly unable to speak extem- poraneously. As an illustration of what may be done in the * Mechanism in Thought and Morals, p. 29. 95 Brtemporancous ©ratorg H sclf=:ma^c acquisition of language under the most adverse master. circumstances, I adduce one of the greatest mas- ters of language "ever produced by the English race " — Abraham Lincoln. Professor John P. Gulliver, late of Andover, Mass., who was intimately acquainted with Mr. Lincoln before the war, asked him how he ac- quired such a remarkable control of language, and reports this as his reply: "Well, if I have got any power that way, I will tell you how I suppose I came to get it. You see, when I was a boy over in Indiana all the local politicians used to come to our cabin to discuss politics with my father. I used to sit by and lis- ten to them, but father would not let me ask many questions, and there were a good many things I did not understand. Well, I'd go up to my room in the attic and sit down or pace back and forth till 1 made out just what they meant. And then I'd lie awake for hours just a- putting their ideas into words that the boys around our way could understand." Whether Mr. Lincoln said more or less on that occasion, there can be no doubt that from the earliest period he gave great attention to language, and to practicing in private, no less than in public, in the selection and utterance of words for the purpose of influencing others. This, however, would not wholly account for Mr. Lincoln's 96 afar. assimilation of XCloiDs marvelous mastery of language, both in speech and deliberate composition. The London Spectator, in discussing his char- naurcis from acter, recently said : "No criticism of Mr. Lincoln can be in any sense adequate that does not deal with his aston- ishing power over words; and it is not too much to say of him that he is among the greatest masters of prose ever produced by the English race. Mr. Lincoln did not get his ability to handle prose through his gift of speech. That these are separate though coordinate faculties is a matter beyond dispute ; for many of the great orators of the world prove themselves exceedingly inefficient in the matter of deliberate composition." It further states that every line that Lincoln ever wrote shows that "the writer is master of his materials; that he guides his words, never the words him." His speeches in the debate with Stephen A. Douglas, often in replication when it was impos- sible for him to prepare, demonstrate his possession of the same marvelous power over words in ex- temporization. He may, therefore, be presented as an example of what can be done in the acquisition and mastery of words under the most unpropitious circumstances. 97 JEjtemporaneous ©catorg H " minute man." "natural science. CHAPTER XV ©eneral iprcparation ot tCbougbt The memory of the extemporaneous speaker must be well stored with facts, since he cannot foresee the moment when he will be called upon to vindicate his views by an appeal to them. Whatever his profession, a knowledge of facts re- lating to human nature in general is of the utmost value. Neither in public nor private, by speech or writing, can men influence men unless they have acted upon the principle that the "proper study of mankind is man." Nor can the number of normal facts which embody or illustrate human nature be too large. Even upon subjects with which he is familiar the orator should glance at every fact which any one of the senses may present; for one that is new may differ in some degree from others of the same class — or at least give freshness to the conception and stimulate the memory. Facts of Natural Science are of increasing utility. Induction is no longer peculiar to scien- tists, but has reached the common mmd, and deduction is remanded more and more to the lucubrations of the theologian, the metaphysician, and the jurist. To the educated and uneduCc ted gS Ocncral jpreparatton of Q;bougbt alike Natural Science is now the most interest- ing of themes. The daily press, weekly and monthly periodicals, thousands of monographs, and more elaborate scientific treatises constantly direct the public mind to these subjects. Lec- turers here find fruitful fields, and every cable dispatch is scanned with an expectation of the aiici?bWtb announcement of some discovery. The extem- "-''(I'^t"^' pore speaker must be abreast of the times, ca- pable of discriminating between the immature statements of reporters and genuine phenomena. A great change has taken place in this particular since the days of Chesterfield. Referring to the dictum of Cicero, that an orator must know every great art and science, Chesterfield says: "With submission to so great an authority, my definition of an orator is extremely different from, and I believe much truer than, his. I call that man an orator who reasons justly and expresses him- self elegantly upon whatever subject he treats. Problems in Geometry, Equations in Algebra, Processes in Chemistry, and Experiments in Anat- omy are never, that I have heard of, the objects of eloquence; and therefore I humbly conceive that a man may be a very fine speaker and yet know nothing of Geometry, Algebra, Chemistrv, or Anatomy. The subjects of all parliamentary de- bates are subjects of common sense singly." * Letter 121. 99 Bjtemporaneous ©ratorg "Cbe marcb of science. Culture an6 criticlam. This letter places in a clear light the amazing advance of science during the past one hundred years, and its changed relation to oratory. What then was relegated to the realm of the imagination has now been brought under the dominion of natural law, without losing, except in the most insensate natures, its power to charm or its influ- ence over diction. A mistake in allusions to science may cover with confusion a really eloquent speaker. Thus a min- ister whose theme was "The Lord God is a sun and a shield," began a noble passage in this way: "Have you, my brethren, considered the debt that we owe to the sun, the triumphant king of day, the great revolving sphere which brings all things into visibility ? Were it not for the sun we should have to be content with the pale and insufficient light of the moon." But while more attention is given to Natural Science, a renaissance of Literary Culture and Criti- cism has extended to every sphere of learning. The classic and mediaeval poets and the works of worthy successors who have recently passed away, leaving a sad dearth, are all read, interpreted, and made the subject of intellectual and emotional controversy; and he who can make a just or a suggestive ref- erence, brief and pointed, to questions growing out of such studies, or quote an appropriate line to enforce a thought, is certain to receive atten- lOO General ipreparatton ot tiboufibt tion from a considerable portion of any audience. The day of long quotations in public speech is past, but not that of the pertinent and the piquant. A thorough knowledge of General History and ibistor? an& Biography is indispensable to a free speaker. He ^'oflrapb^. must be cyclopedic in the range of his information upon these subjects, if for no other purpose than to protect himself from errors which will excite contempt. Dr. John P. Durbin, in his early min- istry, preached in the presence of Justice McLean, of the Supreme Court of the United States, and in a glowing passage uttered the phrase, "When Hannibal, the great Roman general." At the close Judge McLean said to him, " My friend, Hannibal was a Carthaginian general." The criticism led the young preacher to pursue the study of history systematically, until his knowledge of it became such that he could refer to any renowned military leader and give a succinct statement of his career. There is no History of which Biography is not the chief part. Laws are made, battles planned and fought, revolutions fomented and carried to success, and institutions upreared and maintained by men. Arms and armor, cannon and ammu- nition, are invented and utilized by men. There is no History without Biography, and no Biography which does not require History to render it intel- ligible. That Biography is frequently a romance founded on fact, but quite independent of it, and lOI JEjtemporaneous ©ratovg that History may be less true than fiction, students of mature years are aware. But Biography often pricks the rhetorical bubbles of the writer of fic- titious History, and truthful History frequently reduces the hero to his proper place in the per- spective of human progress. The extemporizer, therefore, to steady his flight, especially in the realms of eulogy and censure, needs to be thor- iprcvaicnt but oughly grounded in these cognate branches. inexcusable. Ignorance of the history of one's own country is unpardonable, and it is impossible to be familiar with it without being acquainted to a considerable degree with the history of other countries. That an extemporaneous speaker should be mas- ter of the Institutions under which he lives is self- evident; for of these the people know so much that ignorance on his part will cost him their re- spect; and it is a strong tendency of human nature to believe a man unreliable in everything if he is discovered to be so in anything with which the hearer is conversant. In consideration of the fact that Christianity is a part of the common law of England, and that the institutions of this country have been largely in- fluencea by English common law, as well as by Christianity apart therefrom, a knowledge of Sa- cred History is of inestimable value to every public speaker. Lawyers, political speakers, poets, nov- elists, and often antichristian lecturers draw their I02 General g>reparat(on of Hbougbt most striking similes, historical allusions, and aphoristic statements from the Bible. The clergyman must be a specialist in Christian peculiar ncc^6 History and Biography. He must not only know ^^tbeministv^. that of his own, but of other communions, since he will be called upon to defend his principles and his constituents. He will frequently be ques- tioned by the undecided with respect to the body with which they should affiliate. He may be at- tacked and the views of others held up in glowing contrast to his own. If he knows that only which appertains primarily to his own faith, forms, and discipline, he may fall into an error with respect to others, which, when exposed, will cheapen him in the public eye. He should be able to give extemporaneously a fair account of every denomination — orthodox, heterodox, or paradox. For him to be ignorant of the Bible is a disgrace. To be unable to har- monize with it the views which he professes to have drawn from it will render him contemptible. The lawyer cannot be content with a general ubc lawyer's knowledge of the principles of law, but must ac- efcciaits. cumulate a multitude of authoritative precedents, be familiar with the great cases, with judicial de- cisions, with the Constitution of the United States, of his own State and adjacent States, keep abreast of legislation, and hold all in such relentk^ss grasp that at a moment's notice he can represent 103 ini instinct. Extemporaneous ©ratorg them correctly. Great as is this burden, it is heavier in England than in the United States, from the fact that the British Constitution resembles an im- mortal personality, ever changing, yet without the exhibition of authorized records, and requiring constant vigilance on the part of students to keep pace with its development. ube factssecfta In Order to accumulate facts there must be per- petual alertness of mind. The professional detect- ive perceives a thousand things which an ordinary observer would not notice. The hunter listens to every sound and notices every broken leaf. The extemporizer should have as keen a scent for facts as the hound for game, and also needs the spirit ol the detective. The memory of facts may oper- ate in either of two ways: there may be a remem- brance of a fact by its title, so that the man's brain is like a library catalogue; but this sort of memory is of little worth to the extemporizer. It trans- forms the mind into a mere iiidex rentm. One who has it can sit down, pen in hand, and call up facts, select those that he considers appropriate, and associate them in the body of an essay; but the extemporizer can make scant progress thus. He must bound and measure every fact when he adopts it, determine in what class it belongs and what it will prove or illustrate. When he thus weighs and authenticates he may be assured that the facts are incorporated in the raw material of 104 (Sencral preparation of Cbougbt thought, and that the laws of association will cer- tainly revive them whenever they are necessary to the work in hand. He need not exhaust him- self by the ceaseless iteration of the question, "What have I ever seen or heard that will serve my purpose now?" By an inexorable law,med- itation will summon from every recess of his mind everything bearing upon it. Attention is the open pcrpctuaiiv sesame to his treasures. rccompci«c& So far is this ceaseless search and scrutiny from being a life of slavery that it becomes almost auto- matic; it is a preventive of ennui, a remedy for depression and loneliness, and a marvelous econ- omy of time; rendering it possible for one, though lost in a s^vamp, or detained a week at quarantine, to discover something which will subsequently reconcile him to what otherwise would seem an irretrievable loss of time. (8) 105 jEitcmporaneous ©catorg profitable to fcirect." ^Inc bomes 0pun. CHAPTER XVI 1[^ea0 To store the memory with proverbs, apothegms, aphorisms, and sayings upon all subjects and in various languages is desirable, but unless the speaker is sufficiently familiar with such lan- guages as to think in them, those originating in non-English-speaking countries should be com- mitted in translations. It is essential to master the idea, and not merely to commit the proverb, otherwise the association will be strictly verbal; whereas, if it be valued chiefly for its meaning, it will be susceptible of revival in memory by any one of countless combinations. The value of such short sentences is incalculable in giving pith to paragraphs, in recapitulation, or graphic rendering of ideas in the rough already in possession of the hearer, but which must be outlined distinctly in his field of vision. Common men in various walks of life, without a consciousness on their own part of saying any- thing new, strange, or strong, often express them- selves in sentences superior in force and conden- sation to most proverbs. Mark Guy Pearse wrote a book entitled Dan'el Quorm, practically the biography and sharp sayings of a plain, unedu- io6 •ffDeas cated man who had singular penetration of mind and force of speech. Reading that work I thought of various acquaintances who had impressed me with the brightness or shrewdness of their obser- vations, and can recall several of whom as inter- esting a book might be written. Educated foreigners, in their efforts to express themselves in an adopted tongue, often utter strik- ing epigrams. Their vocabulary not being large, they are compelled to make the words which they are able to use carry all possible significations. To listen to them, therefore, is frequently an educa- tion in the possibilities of one's native tongue. The extemporizer who has formed the habit of listening to every person of intelligence and indi- viduality may be without access to a library for a long time, but will never lack opportunities to learn "the art of putting things." These may be called ideas in verbal forms. The extemporizer should be accurately ac- Ocneraif3as quainted with the great general conceptions in- cluded in the thoughts of the learned. It is not difficult for those who read, think, and mingle with men to comprehend all these conceptions, since the number of fundamental generalizations must be limited. Certain broad views underlie Science as a whole and the sciences respectively; certain theories are generally held concerning hu- man nature, and there is no subject upon which a 107 tions. classifications. Bjtempoianeous ©ratovg general view can exist upon which opposing or divergent theories have not at some time been held by minds of no small degree of power. The opinions of other men may be of great use, and oftentimes a knowledge of them be of prime necessity. Most generalizations are acquired in the course of an education, so that it is necessary only to consider from time to time the whole field of thought and to test one's mental furnishing by the chief authorities, comptebensive The Weakness of many ordinarily eloquent and convincing speakers is occasionally pitifully re- vealed by a remark which shows that they are ignorant of the outlines of some important domain of science or philosophy. It is possible to respect other thinkers without concurring in their opin- ions; but if one intends to oppose errors, he must be acquainted with them. There are many things which each thinker firmly holds. Sydney Smith once said that he wished he was as sure of anything as Macaulay was of everything. But it is impossible to advocate with convincing force what one does not believe. There are lawyers who defend with zeal and apparent sincerity any case, however unfounded, but no man is truly eloquent, though he be a pro- fessional advocate, unless he can find some point which he fully accepts. If his client be charged with murder, he may show a flaw in the indict- io8 ment; bring forward witnesses to prove an alibi; endeavor to demonstrate that the provocation was so great that the man was rendered irresponsible by it; or that he acted in self-defense. He may show that the father of the accused was insane or a drunkard, and that the defendant is an epileptic, or that he inherited such an unstable, nervous sys- tem as to make him incapable of self-control. It is related of Charles Chapman, a famous ad- Ube magnet oi vocate in his day, that when he had nothing else ""''«"""• to say he made an eloquent appeal based on the fact that the victim was so obnoxious that the murderer had conferred a public service. This being beyond the privileges of counsel, he resorted to a stratagem to introduce it, to this effect: " Human life is a sacred thing. I do not stand here to say that it should ever be taken with im- punity. But it is proper for you, gentlemen of the jury, in considering all the circumstances of this case, to remember that, if at any time during the past fifteen years a decree had gone forth from some higher power that one of the citizens of Litchfield County should suddenly disappear and be seen no more, and that the person who was to receive this honor should be selected by ballot, the deceased, on whose account this proceeding was brought, would have received an immense majority of the votes of his fellow-citizens." The ingenuity of the criminal lawyer, and even 109 Bjtcmporancous ©ratorg of the civil lawyer, is often taxed to the utmost to find a point which he believes to be true; for he knows that if he does not find such a standing ground, his efforts will prove abortive. Ideas upon which the extemporizer has no settled conviction may bear the presumptive aspect of importance, but he is thus far uncertain whether they are true or false. He respects their proponents too highly to treat with contempt the results of their lucubrations. It is vital that he should be able to distinguish his beliefs from his disbeliefs, and both from his state of mind upon questions yet unsettled. At any time he may be brought to the necessity of referring to one of these, or be questioned by those to whom he has spoken. If he has not clearly classified his ideas, and, when speaking, a question on which he has no definite opinion springs up in his mind, in excitement he may utter, as his own, sentiments which are foreign to his nature and life. His audience will feel this, and, though he be speaking brilliantly, he will be disparaged, floustbcan It is necessary for the professional extemporizer babituaianb ^ j^ settled Opinions. To do this he must oricjinal Invcss r tigator. reflect and examine for himself, since neither a prejudice nor a prepossession is an opinion. Habitual reserve is fatal to eloquence, and the public will resent it. There cannot be convictions without opinions, and he who touches an opinion no iroeas which is the root of a strong conviction will para- lyze himself if he attempts to avoid the necessity of expressing the conviction, or to utter such an opinion otherwise than in the accents of conviction. If it be supposed — in view of the progress of ideas and the contributions of invention and dis- covery — that one must be continually reinvestiga- tinof, it should be remembered that an instantaneous perception with respect to subjects already thor- oughly investigated will determine in most in- stances the bearing and weight of an additional consideration or fact. A master of the principles upon which our constitution rests, having carefully considered the arguments in favor of a monarchy and all that can be adduced in favor of a republic, need not consume his time reading new books upon the subject. The institutions under which he Hves justify themselves daily to him. He who has settled his religious faith, and as he "^^^ son&rocft. acts upon it receives a confirmation of his fun- damental ideas, a supply for the needs and a remedy for the maladies of his moral nature, need not disturb himself nor allow others to do so; if principles are advocated that directly tend to vice, he is capable of antagonizing them without rein- vestigation. In the neutral ground between the settled and the unsettled there are many notions and not a few working hypotheses of such slight importance III Bjtcmporancous ©ratorg that it makes little difference whether they are true or not; so that before deciding to investigate he should consider whether the subject be of suf- ficient importance. On the other hand, he will find some so complex that they must be left to special- ists. "DCiben silence It should be a fixed principle of the extemporizer <8goi6cn. ^Q i^g reticent upon every subject which he has not thoroughly investigated and with respect to which his opinions are not settled. Solomon's wisdom will condemn him if he speak: " He that answer- eth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him." 112 Htcma, BnccOotes, Similes, anD llUustratlons CHAPTER XVn Htcms, BnccDotes, Similes, anJ) Ullustratlon^ The proper method of availing oneself of the stores of information and misinformation daily spread before the world by the press is to clip from the newspapers items relating to whatever he desires to propagate or to oppose ; also, those treating questions which he purposes to inves- tigate. From the accumulation of such clippings he may cull such as prove worthy of permanent preservation. In order to test what the press conveys to him, "prove an his library should contain one or more standard authorities upon the whole scope of human thought. He should have at hand the newest general text-books in the progressive sciences, pre- pared for schools and colleges, so that when a journalist has had an interview with a scientist and lucidly described the same the speaker, by means of his knowledge of the fundamental principles and by reference to the highest authority, can protect himself from any inadvertent errors which such communications may contain. The best papers convey a vast amount of correct information. Yet mingled therewith are numer- ous inaccurate items concerning history, biog- 113 tbinfls.' Extemporaneous ©rators Ube fasclnas tion of "once upon a time." miumfnatfng tbe patb. raphy, literature, science, law, medicine, and the- ology. Following blindly one of these misleading items (often correct when originally published, but hav- ing through typographical errors or mistakes of the copyist become incorrect), an orator of much fame delivered a splendid paragraph based on the distance of the moon from the earth; but there was an error of one hundred thousand miles in his calculations. The extemporizer must be an habitual verifier of his references. Midway between the domain of facts and that of ideas are anecdotes, illustrations, and similes An appropriate anecdote, well told, affords the best means of enlivening an audience and illustra- ting an abstruse theme. The spoken style of Abraham Lincoln derived much of its magical power from his pertinent anecdotes. Yet it is due his fame to note that, though his anecdotal re- sources of memory and facility of creation were almost infinite, on important occasions he used them sparingly. Poetic or semipoetic similes, if not too numer- ous, render a discourse sparkling and have a pecu- liar charm, and the extemporizer should count that day not lost in which he finds a new and striking illustration. This method is an essential aid to the apprehen- sion of new truth or novel phases of truth. When a 114 litems, BnccDotes, Similes, atiD •ffllustrations statement of a new idea is brought forward, unless there be something already known with which one or more of its terms may be com- pared, that idea will remain unintelligible. Thus trades are taught. The apprentice advances, step by step, from a known to an unknown resembling it in many particulars. So science is acquired; for there is among the sciences a mutual de- pendence, one facilitating the understanding of another. The most celebrated Protestant ministers of modern times, Charles Haddon Spurgeon and Henry Ward Beecher, dissimilar in doctrine, character, and career, resembled each other in the facility and effectiveness with which they employed illustrations. And the key to the mystery of the style of Him who taught scribe, lawyer, and philosopher, and of whom it was said, "The common people heard him gladly," is in the words, "Whereunto shall the kingdom of heaven be likened ? " This is, however, the stumbling-stone of the carrv no ^al■fc extemporizer, for an illustration to be effective '^"t^:'""^- must be within the comprehension of those to whom it is addressed; otherwise it will need illus- trating. References to trades and sciences, to the heavenly bodies, to electricity, to the circulation of the blood, have often been made with a view of illustrating something comparatively simple, "5 JEjtcmporancous ©ratorg which, not being understood, left the original subject in impenetrable obscurity. Illustrations must resemble, at least in one re- spect, that which they are designed to illustrate. A Western orator became envious of a speaker who excelled in this art, and advertised that he would deliver an illustrated discourse. After pro- ceeding for a while in his usual dry and laconic method he uttered a passage entirely discon- nected with anything that had gone before: "I see before me a young man of noble form, the fire of ambition gleaming in his eye, determination vis- ible in his firmly-set lips, his bosom expanding with the consciousness of power, intent upon the pursuit of fame. 1 see him start from home, full of hope and life, hastening across the plain. Now he descends a sharp declivity; at the base is a dark, dismal swamp ; but, undaunted, he plunges in; there let us leave him and pass on to the con- sideration of our second thought." Enougb better Illustrations must not be too absorbing lest they divert the attention of the hearer from the original theme. Nor should they be numerous or long drawn out; one so clear that all can see its aptness is sufficient. They should be adapted to impress the memory, suggest the truth, and kindle the ap- propriate emotion. This requires that they consist of things natural, yet not too familiar, and that they be vividly portrayed. ii6 tban a feast. litems, BiiecOotcs, Similes, anD llliiisirations The habit of reflecting upon anecdotes, inci- dents, or facts of any kind, with reference to their utility as illuminators of discourse, and not merely to their value as proof or to their intrinsic interest as inform.ation, will so impress them upon the mind that, as the time draws near for an address, the speaker will have no difficulty in making a se- lection which, by its novelty, will stimulate the attention of the hearer and perhaps influence his feelings or judgment. Should he at any time be compelled to speak without adequate special preparation, illustrations will flow toward his lips under the guidance of the ruling thought, requiring only that prompt and intelligent discrimination in their use which is the habit of his life. "7 'Crainc^ pci = ccption aiiJ Msciiminatioii Extemporaneous oraiotB CHAPTER XVm . ^be Dalue anD tT^ranng ot IRcminisccnces In spontaneous memory the thoughts come and go through the mind, but unless one is conscious that he has had them before, he cannot be said to remember them. There is also a higher state than remembrance where the differences among men come more clearly into view; for many who re- member cannot recollect. When anything which they have previously experienced occurs to them, or they are reminded of it by others, they recog- nize it, but when called upon to relate certain facts they have little power to recall the details. mamcs for -^ '^ cacb manifcsa To the ability to respond at will has been given tation of mcms ^^le name recollection. It is the art of sending the mind to rummage the bram, as one might search a library for a book which he knows is there. In former times reminiscence was used exclusively as the equivalent of recollection, but more recently the word has been more generally restricted to a narration of the circumstances, sensations, and reflections of individual experience. The rem- iniscent mood is not mere spontaneous memory or remembrance, nor yet laborious recollection, but habitually dwelling upon the past ; especially incidents, characteristics, events, within one's own Ii8 ^be IDaluc an5 Cgrannv? ot IReminisccnces knowledge, including the books that he has read and the conversations he has had. Such remi- niscences may at any time glide into mere remem- brance, and the thoughts may come and go as in a dream or a reverie, not departing from the regular track made in the mind. At other times, when in a reminiscent mood, one's curiosity may be excited and the greatest intellectual effort per- formed in endeavoring to recollect. The value of reminiscences, as distinguished from mere remembrance and from the arduous labors of recollection, cannot be overestimated. Facts of local experience and the fruits of travel should not be allowed to flit through the mind, or go "glimmering through the dream of things that were, a schoolboy's tale, the wonder of an hour." What one has felt, seen, smelled, tasted, or heard he knows to be a reality, provided he has educated his judgment and taught it to test one sense by another, and all by the exercise of reason. Others may resort to the same methods of acquiring knowledge which he has used in the various departments of learning, but his experiences and reminiscences are his own, and one who is master of himself can be placed in no position where he cannot say something pertinent and which has not already been said. Recollection searches a garden; reminiscence presents the diversified products of the universe. 119 personal propertie. fRcfresbfncj epriiujs. Bjtemporaneoug ©ratorg They furnish all the mat-rials of discursive thought; for the mind, when not locked in dreamless slum- ber or bent to particular tasks, ranges over the entire field of previous investigation, contempla- tion, and experience. Hence reminiscences are the fountains of spontaneity. Rooted in person- ality, they are practically the hooks upon which are hung new acquisitions preparatory to assim- ilation. When one thinks of his first railway Journey his own reminiscences present to him a contrast with the visible improvements of the day, so that, without conscious effort, he traces the evolution of that which is from that which was. It is by this means that many are qualified to deliver, with little special preparation, addresses upon an end- less variety of topics. TUnfcer secret Reminiscences need neither patent nor copy- '*'"foch?'°" right, for it is inconceivable that the reminiscences of two individuals can be precisely the same. They are, therefore, the primary source of orig- inality in oratory, poetry, and conversation. Their specific character accounts for the ever-varied and fresh manner in which real orators are able to treat the same topic, and in a series of meetings may entrance audiences by eloquence upon a sub- ject which, to the common mind, would not seem likely to furnish the materials for an hour's good speaking. I20 XLbc IDalue an& tTgrannB ot 1Rem(n(sccnces During five annual meetings of the American Antislavery Associaiion in Boston I heard George B. Cheever, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, Theodore Parker, Parker Pillsbury, Henry C. Wright, Wendell Phillips, Stephen S. Foster, Abby Kelly Foster, Lucretia Mott, and others, on successive days, morning, afternoon, and evening. The peculiar fascination exerted by each was in his or her reminiscences, expressed or implied, and even their predictions were born of their past. During the same pregnant epoch equal elo- quence was displayed in the Southern States by conscientious defenders of slavery, so that the his- tory of ' ' the irrepressible conflict " may be searched in vain for passages surpassing the vivid and truthful descriptions of the satisfactory rela- tions subsisting between the slave and his master, based on the reminiscences of men who had seen the better phase of the "peculiar insti- tution." Reminiscences ever increase in value as a means ^F?.1Id^o6cop(c of economizing power. They give to the lawyer tccuuMtg. of long practice much of his readiness and per- tinency. It is not merely the remembrance, nor the recollection, but the habit of going over one's own past, which, in response to a slight suggestion of the will, causes to pass before the mind, in new and striking forms, every thought (9) 121 ffollowlng an ignis fatuus. pessimistic or optimistic egos tism. Sitemporaneous ©ratoc^ and feeling incorporated in the ever-increasing ex- periences of the speaker. There are, however, serious dangers attendant upon a reminiscent tendency. For when one is absorbed in his own past he cannot be attentively regarding the present; hence the reminiscent are inclined to make their previous acquisitions a sub- stitute for study. Since close thinking is fati- guing, and the reminiscential mood is not so, many hallucinate themselves into the belief that they are thinking when they are merely indulging in retro- spective reverie. Dr. Johnson truly says, "As few men will endure the labor of intense meditation without necessity, he that has learned enough for his profit or his want seldom endeavors after fur- ther acquisitions." Under such circumstances, when one is invited to speak, he is liable to begin with a reminis- cence, which might be quite proper if it did not lead to another, which could be endured did it not conduct to a third. Important meetings have been ruined by excellent men who have yielded them- selves to a stream of reminiscences, consuming the time of other speakers and exhausting the patience of the audience. Reminiscences are liable to render one incapable of properly estimating the age in which he lives. If its drift coincides with his views, he is prone to regard the age as advancing with rapidity toward 122 Zbc Ualue an^ tTgranng of IRcmlntscences perfection, and in tiie midst of vice, absurdities, and crazes to declare that "there has never been a time since the creation of the world when there was so much of everything desirable and so little of anything undesirable as now." But if the age is moving in a direction contrary to his own life, he sees nothing to commend. Optimists and pessimists alike are made such by their reminis- cences, and the extemporizer is insensibly con- trolled by them to a high degree. This accounts for the extreme bitterness and censoriousness which some extemporizers exhibit in public, who in private display a spirit quite the opposite. In social life they are restrained by po- liteness, but when absorbed they pour forth, some- times in strains of exalted eloquence, a jaundiced view, which produces an impalpable, but real, opposition of feeling in a large part of any assem- bly which they may address. The reader or the reciter, composing in the un- intoxicating atmosphere of the study, might per- ceive the impropriety of " uttering all his mind;" but the extemporizer may be hurried on, to the impairment or destruction of his influence. Reminiscences are to be dealt with as the chem- "fjanMc witt ist deals with indispensable elements of an ex- plosive nature. They produce excellent results, but must be delicately manipulated and strict at- tention must be given to proportion. ■23 care Ejtemporancou6 ©ratorg Evanescent sensibilitv;. '(Fn^uratfng Influences. CHAPTER XIX ©encral iprcparatton of ffecling Those who naturally respond to the sympathetic demands of every situation, with such strength of feeling as to make necessary the practice of self- control, need give little thought to the necessity of being generally prepared in this realm. Their gift for a while may be depended upon; although they would do well to note whether the springs of emo- tion are drying up with the flight of time; for there have been orators dependent chiefly upon feeling, who, neglecting intellectual preparation, in the midst of their years lost their power and sank into ante-mortem oblivion. A distinction must be noted between true feeling and that lachrymose condition implying merely nervous susceptibility, which grows upon some until they weep, what- ever the theme or occasion, whenever they speak in public. In childhood and youth feeling predominates over reason. An instantaneous response is made to every influence adapted to stimulate appetite, emotion, and affection. The spectacle of an in- sensible youth suggests imbecility, vice, or abnor- mal criminal instincts. Contact with society, con- flict, disappointment, the perils and bitter lessons 124 ©cneral preparation of Reeling of experience, the absorption of energy in work and study, and especially the bearing of burden- some responsibilities, tend to diminish feeling and to repress its signs. Men especially are chagrined and ashamed when they cannot control them- selves, and in the attritions of democratic society women may become more self-contained than was the average man a few years ago. A speaker who practices habitual self-control, and especially one who represses every emotion, will fail to attain or soon lose the power of effect- ive speech where persuasion is essential to suc- cess. A minister without genuine religious feel- ing and personal devotion to those to whom he speaks cannot reach the hearts of men. M. L'Abbe Mullois, who was chaplain to the an expert's Emperor Napoleon 111, and Missionary Apostolic, tcstcmonie. observes: "An Arab proverb runs thus: 'The neck is bent by the sword; but heart is only bent by heart.' If you love, you yourself will beloved; the truth from you will be loved; . . . You may employ the most splendid reasonings, clothed in the grandest phraseology, and yet the mind of man will find wherewith to elude them. Who knows but that French wit by one malicious word may not upset all at once your elaborate structure of arguments ? What is required in sacred elo- quence is something new, something unexpected. See, you, what it is ? it is love; for, loving, you 125 Bjtcmporancous ©ratorg will surprise and captivate; you will be irresist- ible."* In contrast with this many ministers deliver truth without earnestness and without sympathy. met bianftets. Many while preaching seem to be sympathetic, but avoid rather than seek the people to whom they preach ; and when compelled to meet them in times of affliction exhibit a chilling reserve or an irritating nonchalance. A successful pleader before juries must be alive with feeling, stimulated by the causes he represents, sympathetic with his clients, capable of being stirred to his depths by the responsibilities of his position. It must be conceded that strong emotion is a foe to pure reason; in fact, to all strictly intellectual work. In poetry inaccuracy in phraseology, ex- cept in the iambic style, is not an important de- fect, and in some forms of oratory exaggeration seems to be one of the means of producing im- pressions when it is the involuntary and uncon- scious result of the excitement of strong pas- sions, though it often destroys the influence of those who habitually yield to the pernicious ten- dency. Yet in all that he says the extemporizer should be as susceptible to emotion as is compat- ible with coherence of thought, and as close and sound in reasoning as is compatible with sufficient feeling to move the heart. * TAe Clergy and the Pulpit in Their Relation to the People, 126 General preparation ot Jfeellng Whatever abstract reasoners and casuists may KicnMngoftbc say, human actions are the results of mingled mo- ^"^ motives, tives. The orator should cultivate high personal ambition; he should never willingly fall below his best, never rest upon his reputation, never think it a light thing to address an assembly, and should aim to equal or surpass his contemporaries. It is possible to be "rivals in glory without personal animosity." The feelings natural to a situation should not be resisted. Only those liable to become unmanned are justified in endeavoring to suppress natural emotion. The best prescription for any orator is in the precept issued to Christians by an apostle, " Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."' Be righteously indignant with those that are righteously indignant. Be en- thusiastic with those who are zealous in a good cause. Except where one suspects the motives of an orator he should yield himself to be wrought into ebullitions of delight by eloquent descriptions or melted by appeals. There is no foe to eloquence ]ike the condition expressed by the word b/ase. Emotion may be variously expressed, but it will be difficult to adduce an instance of marked effects attending an insensate preacher. Temporarily such a person, addressing a congregation in which religious feeling has been developed and 127 JEjtcmporancous ©ratorg ■Cbe letter of tbcologis an6 law antU emotional. which retains its ordinary forms of expression, may seem to enkindle emotion, and the church may receive accessions, but only the unobservant will attribute the result to the pastor; in a few years the congregation itself will undergo a change and become irresponsive, cold, and apathetic. There is no form of oratory in which strong feeling will not contribute greatly to success, or the entire absence of it prove an insurmountable barrier. The habitual cultivation of feeling is important, and the more so in the proportion that one's cir- cumstances or occupation naturally contribute to its suppression. The protracted study of theology — except when it deals with topics interwoven with experience — exerts this influence over many temperaments. The too technical study of law may deaden the heartstrings similarly. A great criminal lawyer who became a judge and was conscious of his defects of preparation determined to comprehend every prin- ciple and to study thoroughly every case, being re- solved to disappoint the predictions of those who condemned his appointment. By intense application he took rank among judges famous for correct de- cisions and luminous and convincing opinions. When his term of service expired he resumed practice. But, though in earlier life his feelings were easily aroused by anv case which directly or indirectly involved life, liberty, or individual rights, 138 tbe emotions. General preparation ot jfeellng he found that years of abstract study had dried the springs of emotion, and afier making abortive efforts to be what he once was he gradually drifted exclusively into civil cases. The methods of cultivating the emotional nature ifcrtiujers of are few. but the results of habitually pursuing them are sure. It is within the reach of all to read the best pathetic writings, the masterpieces of emotional oratory, meditating upon the most mov- ing terms and similes, and vividly conceiving the scenes depicted. To hear orators who seem to feel and are the cause of feeling in others is an inspiration. Responsiveness to the varying scenes of human life should be counted a virtue and cultivated. The love of wife and children, a grateful devotion to the comfort of parents, the cherishing of tender recollections of faces "loved and lost a while," and warm personal interest in the sorrows no less than in the joys of one's neighbors and friends are as effectual in the promotion of genuine sensibility as are the forsaking of home for business, dissipa- tion, or club-life in deadening it. But more effectual than all other helps, because It includes and purifies all. is an earnest, reverent Christian life, equally removed from cant and superstition. Its roots being faith, hope, and love, the fruit is a perennial flow of pure and healthful emotion. I2g jejtcmporancous ©ratorg • CHAPTER XX Elocution for tbc Bjtemporl3er The scope of elocution is frequently misappre- hended ; hence its utility is much debated. A typical conversation upon the subject consists ot one person's affirming that the greatest orators knew nothing about elocution; that the study is generally injurious, as all whom he has known to pursue it have been harmed ; and another's main- taining that a majority of celebrated orators have been close students of this art- The first will reply that we learn to talk naturally and easily; that all we have to do is to speak in public as we talk in private, and we become orators; that the study of elocution renders speakers artificial and robs them of power, jf ai0e premfscs When this plausible statement is tested by facts ano mi0lca^inc, j^ j^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^ -^^ substance untrue. We learn cottclustons. to talk easily, and the process of learning is nat- ural, but the chief instrument of it is spontaneous imitation. He, therefore, who is reared among the uncouth and the passionate may talk easily, perhaps far too easily for the comfort of those with whom he associates; but unless his nat- urally acquired evil habits are eradicated by the most arduous labor, he will bear their marks 130 tbat prove tbe rule. Elocution for tbc Bitcmporljcr while he lives and perpetuate them in his chil- dren. All are not eloquent in conversation; indeed, good conversers are rare. The articulation of many persons is indistinct if they are rapid in speech; and if slow, they are often hesitating, beginning sentences which they do not finish. Some mumble; others speak so loudly as to render themselves nuisances in public conveyances and in company. I maintain that with comparatively few excep- Exceptions tionsall unusually fine orators have devoted them- selves to elocution, most of them under teachers; and that most of those who have succeeded with- out professional instruction have applied to self- criticism systematic thought and the results of observation with such persistent thoroughness as to be equivalent to a special study. Of prominent orators who never studied the technique of the oratorical art there are a few, like Patrick Henry, who have attained the highest grade. They are to be likened to a few poets without a knowledge of general literature or the laws of versification, or to a few singers and play- ers upon instruments, who, with extraordinary sensibility, have been able to dispense with in- struction. Many preachers have arisen in the dif- ferent denominations who, without a knowledge of elocution, when under strong excitement rose to 131 Ejtemporancous ©ratorg lofty heights of oratory, but these ordinarily moved upon a lower plane and exhibited numerous im- perfections. The prejudice against the study of this art has arisen from a variety of causes, among which are that It has been made extremely technical, and that many have given attention to it only so far as to destroy or deteriorate whatever is natural to them without the substitution of a cultivated second nature. iVlany of little oratorical susceptibility have stud- ied elocution and boldly appeared in public as orators, but have been unsuccessful. Real or al- leged students have become ostentatious and theatrical in style, in conspicuous contrast to for- mer simplicity, which, with all its imperfections, was preferable to stilted accuracy. Such often presume to be critics of ordinary speakers, yet in effectiveness fall so far below as to subject them- selves to ridicule. The elocutionary preparation of the extempo- rizer must be general ; for, while it is possible for the reader and the reciter to determine in advance ranbat tbe free the tones with which particular phrases, sen- epcafter cannot ^ences. and paragraphs should be uttered, it is. impossible for the extemporizer to do so, for he does not foreknow what phrases, sentences, or par- agraphs he will utter. Hence he can learn little by observation of the actor, or from one who in- 132 Elocution tor tbe Bitemporl3cr structs actors, except general principles, and these will be of no value unless assimilated and he acts in harmony with them. Sometimes the sole purpose of a speaker is to entertain, as when one narrates an incident for its wit, general interest, humor, extravagance, or other quality which maybe pleasing. Under such circumstances the speaker is sure of attention, un- less he is preternaturally dull. It is in relation to the other and more necessary functions of speech that it is necessary to emphasize the importance of being heard with satisfaction. Instruction delivered in an unattractive way is ©uiincss rarely received with interest. Those who need to "<:'P'^°'^»' be convinced are quite willing to have their atten- tion distracted, while to stir the emotions of those who find no pleasure in listening is difficult and often impossible. He is unwise and often discov- ers that people will not listen to him who says within himself or in the hearing of others: "I do not care how 1 speak. I have something to say that the people ought to hear, and I will make them hear it." The most necessary parts of every important discourse will fail unless the speaker's pronunci- ation enchains attention. That which promotes these results can be called reasonable elocution; that which neither helps nor hinders is not so; that which hinders opposes rea- 133 Extemporaneous ©ratorg HuMbiUt:e not 6epen^ent on volume of sound. son. The practical question is, How far is such common-sense elocution natural, and how far may it be improved by art ? To be heard is not the ultimate end of the speaker's efforts, but being heard is requisite to the achievement of his purpose. In a Friends' meet- ing on a summer day a speaker maundered on inaudibly for three quarters of an hour. On the "high seat" was one greatly respected ' for piety and noted for the pertinency and quaintness of her remarks. When the unintelligible speaker had finished she rose and said, "Dear friends, 1 feel that we have had a time of perspiration mingled with meditation, and it is borne in upon me that the main object of speaking is to be heard." It is possible to be heard in any building. No speaker ever attempted to address an audience who would not have been heard at twice the dis- tance from the platform to the door had he dis- covered the house to be on fire. The feeblest organs, if capable of properly articulating a distinct vocal sound, will be effective at great distance; even a whisper can be heard at a distance of sixty- five feet. For some months an audience of several hundred listened to a pastor who could not speak above a whisper, yet was able by the aid of their intense and loving attention to make himself heard. 134 Blocutlou for tbc JEi-tcmporijer Many are unintelligible because of loudness. A man partially deaf said to his pastor, *' You speak so loudly that I cannot hear you." A peculiar effect is often produced after the first few minutes by a very loud speaker, especially if in monotone. Auditors are delighted to hear his strong, melodi- ous voice, but after listening for a while they be- come conscious of difficulty, and before he closes have lost the power to attend. The impact upon the tympanum and upon the finer fibers within has dulled sensibility. A speaker should be heard easily. Many are in- comprehensible on account of a habit of mouth- ing. Words are heard, but the mind cannot com- prehend them as fast as they are uttered, owing to an unconscious but very real effort necessary to identify them. Some speakers employ but two tones, one low pitched and the other a piercing shriek, which they alternate with uniformity now and again with no regard to sense or length of the intervals. This results simply from the accumula- tion of energy under the excitement of public speech, the loud yells being an effort necessary to reestablish nervous equilibrium. Such speakers should learn to diffuse this accumulated energy progressively through the discourse. Others al- low the voice to M\ at the end of sentences, and occasionally on emphatic words. Two celebrated professors in the same institution respectively il- 135 Smotbcrc^ eouni'S anS iv= rltating con= trasts. Bitemporaneous ©ratorg lustrated these errors in utterance; the first, until his immense intellectual and moral power ab- sorbed their attention, threw strangers almost into convulsions of mirth; the other was not heard by more than a third of the audience, those who did hear being delighted. Many speakers who are easily heard have little voice. They are unable to talk down an uproari- ous, hostile mob, but in assemblies that wish to hear them they can be understood in the largest buildings. Other orators of high grade, possess- ing powerful voices, for the sake of emphasis often lower their tones on special words, which, nevertheless, are heard by the whole audience. There are speakers not ordinarily easily heard who, when obliged to speak to the audience upon a matter unconnected with the discourse, are understood without difficulty, ©ntbestfitsof I was present at a large political meeting in seifsconsdousa Exeter, N. H., where the presiding officer was a highly respected citizen, who was a member of the bar, and had represented the State in Con- gress and the Federal Government in an important office. The orator was General N. P. Banks, at that time Speaker of the Federal House of Representa- tives. A nobler voice than his no public speaker ever possessed — an organ-toned basso of unusual range. The chairman delivered the opening ad- dress in a strained tone, somewhat higher than 136 MBS. Elocution for tbe Eitemporlscr his natural pitch, which, though the matter was excellent, did not command the attention because of the difficulty of hearing; even upon the plat- form he was not easily heard. While General Banks was speaking "certain lewd fellows of the baser sort" were running in and out, making con- fusion near the door. The president, thinking it his duty to reprove them, requested General Banks to pause a moment, and, in a perfectly natural tone, audible in every part of the house, made some remarks to the effect that the reputation of Exeter was at stake, and that he would be obliged to those persons either to remain quiet or to ab- sent themselves permanently. The newspaper report showed the contents of the chairman's opening speech to be as worthy of being heard as any part of the magnificent oration which it introduced. Had he delivered it as he made these remarks, the assembly, instead of showing restlessness, would have been charmed. To attain high success the speaker must be t\onc com- heard agreeably, and, if possible, his voice be musical; under no circumstances should he be content to allow it to remain rough, harsh, or grating. The vital importance of this appears from the fact that all hearing is voluntary. Gen- erally, outside of prisons and places of compulsory instruction, the presence of the auditor is volun- tary. To assume that, in the absence of an in- (lOj 137 pcHci to listen. JEjtemporancous ©ratorg tense desire to hear, human beings are capable of sustained attention to sounds which are repellant, is as unreasonable as to believe that usually they are longing to learn what they should know, or to be told what to do. If a voice is unpleasant, men will not give attention; if it is very disagree- able, they will make intentional or unconscious efforts not to hear. 138 ^be XDoicc CHAPTER XXI ^be Voice A KNOWLEDGE of Certain facts relating to the 3Foun^ation formation and sound of the human voice is essen- ^"■■'"cipics. tial to its intelligent cultivation, and these are more easily understood by the aid of sound-producing instruments. Why are the tones of the clarionet, flute, and violin, vibrating in the same key, dif- ferent ? Tyndall assumes that if their pure fun- damental tones were detached, they would be undistinguishable, but the dissimilar admixture of their tones in the respective instruments renders their claug-tiiits diverse. By the clang-tint he means the result of the primary tone and the harmonics or overtones sounding at the same time, and by the admixture of the tones in the different instruments he means that the shape and character of the sounding boards connected with them renders them diverse. Professor Zahm* shows how the softness and richness of the tones of the harp and guitar result chiefly from their being plucked with the finger, and the shriller and more tinkling sounds of the zither and the mandolin from their being plucked with a point of wood or metal. The pure, rich tones of * Sound and Music, '39 Bitcmporancous ©ratorg limftations of tbe pbonos grapb. the piano follow from the striking of the strings with soft, elastic hammers of felt, and the extraor- dinary overtones, both high and low, which give the notes of the violin their charm are produced by bowing. I asked Mr. Edison why the tones imitated by the phonograph were so unsatisfactory. Accent and emphasis are rendered to the least peculiarity in pronunciation, and a certain similarity exists in the sound emitted by the instrument and the speaker's voice, yet the ear is not satisfied. He replied that it is because the phonograph does not give the overtones. He is endeavoring to con- struct a machine which will give them perfectly, and believes that he is on the verge of completing an instrument which will reproduce every quality of the most exquisite voices. The fundamental tone of the voice is caused by the vibration of the chords, but it is affected by the length of the vocal pipe and a variety of cir- cumstances, many of which are common to all human beings, and others, peculiar to the indi- vidual. These are explained at length in the few truly scientific works on elocution and voice pro- duction, but more thoroughly in the best and most elaborate works on physiology. Men's voices, like their souls, are set in different keys : In joyful or in minor chords tune they life's harmonies; but the clang-tint of the human voice is usually 140 ^be Voice agreeable and so thoroughly individual as to be one of the things most easily remembered. A gentle- man who had not seen the present chaplain of the United States Senate for forty years thus addressed the man, whose soul-sight is penetrating, but whose eyesight is gone forever: " Dr. MiLBURN, do you know me?" -Concimprcss "Yes; you are John, son of my old friend, the publisher." This was made possible by the clang-tint. The voice may undergo changes in whatever is de- pendent upon its accidents, but so long as one speaks without an attempt to disguise the under- tone it is sufficient to distinguish him from every other human being. That training is necessary and productive of such gratifying results is because the resonance of the voice, except the tone produced by the vibra- tion of the vocal chords, depends upon the posi- tion of the vocal organs, the shape and condition of the mouth, throat, chest, head, and the other marvel- ous sounding-board passages, together with the lin- ing membrane; — all constructed with infinite skill. It is possible that perfect vocal chords may be comparatively useless because of the imperfection of the sounding machinery. In the evolution fully as much depends upon the arrangements for magnifying and modulating the sound as upon the string itself. 141 Bjtemporaneous ©ratorg experiment. Defects res moves bi? tratning. Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated this when professor in the Boston University. Before a class in the School of Oratory he adjusted the vocal cavities according to the principles of visible speech, and then produced sound by tapping on the throat, placing a lead pencil across the larynx, altering the cavity of the mouth by changing the position of the tongue, then snapping the lead pencil with his finger, and without making any vocal effort ran up and down the scale with ap- parent facility.* The needs of training are best illustrated by the defects which all can perceive in others' voices, yet rarely when they exist in their own. The ad- vantages of training are best seen when defects under its influence disappear. Many voices are spoiled by the misuse of breath. Too much air passing over the vocal chords will give to the voice a reedy sound, which diminishes its carrying power. In order to pro- duce a clear and strong tone there must be a habit of physical exercise in pure air, a capacity for both deep and rapid breathing, and a voluntary control of the muscles regulating inhalation and expira- tion. This is in some degree possessed by all almost from birth, and during the sports of child- hood maintained and increased. It is retained by the workingman, whether mechanic or farmer. ■^ Kirby, Vocal and Action Lan^itage^ Culture and Expression. 142 ^be Dolce But unless systematic exercises are taken at fixed intervals and for regular periods, a sedentary life is unfavorable to it. All vocalization being the result of forced breath- ing, the power of controlling the muscles so as to determine the pressure of the air cannot be ac- quired without special practice. Contrast the ability in this respect of a trained and an untrained singer. The one, by a combination of economy and endurance, will sing with a single breath twice as many notes as can a person of double physical power who has not been trained. The effects of training seem almost incredible. Professor Kirby states that the late Dr. Guilmette exhibited to him several photographs taken at dif- ferent periods of his life. One taken in his younger days showed shoulders bent forward, chest flat, the general appearance indicating a del- icate man. The others showed successive stages of development after he began practice until the time when he stood before Professor Kirby, erect, with deep and broad chest. He could inhale three hundred and eighty cubic inches with one breath, and his voice was immense. Talma, "the first tragedian of his time, and the SRiiifui ^e. regenerator of dramatic art, "had an unsatisfactory voice, but his chief defect in his early days was an inability to control the muscles of respiration. After some passages he was so exhausted that im- 143 tcction. Bjtcmporaneous ©ratorg mediately after leaving the stage he was com- pelled to lean against a wing for support, panting, puffing, and blowing like an overworked ox. There was at that time an actor named Dorival, who, though thin, consumptive looking, and weak voiced, played certain tragic parts with suc- cess. Talma said to himself: ** I am ten times stronger, yet he goes through his work with ten times less fatigue. I must ask him for his secret." Dorival put him off with a compliment. " 0, Monsieur Talma, you are too successful a tragedian to stand in need of any poor lesson of mine." ■Mberc This piqued Talma, who, determining to solve his secret, took a seat in the prompter's box, where he could not be seen. At the end of an important passage he left his hiding place, exclaiming, " Hurrah! 1 have got you now! " But v/hat had he discovered ? Nothing more nor less than this — that his rival's art depended on his knowing how to take breath. I abridge the narrative of Legouve, Art of Read- ing, but the words of Talma are quoted verbatim: " He always made sure to take breath just be- fore his lungs were entirely exhausted of air; and in order effectively to conceal his continuous inhalations, which would have broken up his speech and even often interrupted the current of his emotion, he took in breath more particularly 144 tbcre's a will tbcrc'sawas." Ubc Voice before the a's, or e's, or o's, never before the i's or u's. That is to say, only at the very place where the mouth, already open, permitted him to breathe so lightly as never to be heard by the audience." Subsequently Talma reduced all his rules on breathing to one maxim: "Every artist who lets himself run out of breath is nothing more than mediocre." Among the most common faults is nasality. sxagueKng Commonly such speakers are said to "speak *au[t. through the nose," but the opposite is the case, as one may discover by compressing his nostrils while speaking. The unpleasant effects upon the sound of the voice produced by a cold in the head or by chronic catarrh are explained by the stoppage of the passages. But one without a cold or other disease may have acquired in school, by imitation, or in any of several ways, the habit of contracting the muscles of the throat or of those which regulate the passage from the throat to the nose, and so produce this disagreeable tone. A master of the theory and practice of vocal music had no difficulty in securing a situation in New York as a bass singer, but after a short time was discharged. He felt bitterly this unaccount- able evidence of dissatisfaction, and said to a friend, " I am a victim of race prejudice; I am a Hebrew." 145 jEstcmpouancous ©ratorg B bat) babit an6 Its mo^= iflcations. aSimetalUc voicee. "No," said his friend, "your voice has a hor- rible nasal twang, that does not always show itself in such a selection as you will sing to secure the position, but is frequently heard, especially if you are enfeebled nervously or otherwise. What you need to do is to sing into a phonograph, and then study your own voice." This he did, and for the first time heard his voice as it sounded to others. He acknowledged at once the existence of grounds for dissatisfac- tion, and set himself to train out those offensive sounds. Dentality is another fault. The teeth are held so close together that the effect is to chop the sound in pieces, making it impossible to pro- nounce vowels, which are the carrying sounds. By this habit, in combination with a compression of the throat, a squeaking tone is frequently caused. Add to this a drawl, with a raising of the pitch, and a squealing sound is the consequence. In some cases the shape of the movable jaw, or its relation to the muscles attached to it, is such that it is impossible for the speaker, until he is conscious of the defect, to develop a full, clear sound of O without so compressing the vocal tube as to impart to the voice a rasping quality. Metallic voices are quite common. For years I supposed that in most instances the clang-tint was responsible for this; but observation and ex- 146 Cbc \s)oicc periment have convinced me that this is not the case. The voice of the late William Morley PuNSHON, a noted English preacher and lecturer, struck me disagreeably when 1 heard it for the first time. Its metallic quality was so pronounced that it suggested nothing but a tin pan struck by a heavy iron spoon. During the preliminary serv- ices, and for five minutes after he began to preach, this tone continued, gradually wearing away, and from then until the close of the discourse it was not perceptible, but in the reading of the final hymn it was again noticeable. The difference was caused by the fact that as his feelings became excited he opened his mouth more widely and breathed more deeply. Legouve gives an account of the manner in which his father, a professor in the College of France, and an excellent reader, was dealt with by a hostile critic and a candid friend. The criti- cism was this : "Yesterday Monsieur Legouve gave us two curfoua, (n= , . n • » 1 • • 1 u 1 0truct(vc, anC scenes from 'Racine, his voice as sepulchral as (nfmftabip ever. " toi&. Legouve then proceeds : "A good-natured friend, Parse val-Grandmai- SON, the elegant poet, seeing the article, instantly says to himself: ' Poor Legouve will be put out by this slander. Really I must run and console him a little.' 147 Bjtemporancous ©ratoris "He finds my father stretched on the sofa, and looking decidedly out of sorts. " ' Ah, my dear Parseval, is that you ? ' " ' Hello ! LEGOUvg. What's the matter? A lit- tle sick, eh ? ' ' ' ' No-o, throat a little sore — that's all ! But say, Parseval, what do you think of my voice ?' '•'I think it is a splendid voice — a first-class voice.' " ' Yes, yes — but how would you characterize it ? What is its style ? Its quality ? Would you call it — hem — a brilliant voice ? ' " ' Brilliant — well, no. Brilliant is not exactly the epithet by which I would characterize your voice. I should rather call it a sonorous voice.' " 'Sonorous — that's it, isn't it.? Mine is a so- norous voice ? ' " ' Well — though your voice is decidedly a so- norous voice, sonorous is not exactly the best term to describe it. Perhaps it would be better to call your voice a grave voice.' " ' Grave — well ! Grave be it. But not dis- mal ? ' " * Dismal ! O, not at all dismal ! By no man- ner of means dismal ! However — occasionally — ' " ' But you can't call it a hollow voice, eh ? or a croaking voice, or a cavernous voice, or — }' " 'Certainly not ! Neither hollow, nor croak- ing, nor cavernous ! Far from it ! Still — ' 148 XTbc IDolce "'Enough,' cried my father, bursting into a merry laugh. ' I see you have not only read this infernal critic's article, but you actually believe his criticism ! Sepulchral is the epithet you are look- ing for, isn't it ? Ha ! ha ! ha ! ' "The story is not without its moral. From that day my father was exceedingly careful and even cautious regarding the use of his low notes; by mingling them judiciously with the other two registers he at last succeeded in reaching that nat- ural variety of intonations which is at once a charm for the hearer and a rest for the reader." Voices are heard from pulpits and in courts of justice to which each of those terms mentioned by Legouv6 could be accurately applied; and others that could be correctly described as "rasping," and for some no term is so appropriate as " maud- lin." All these could be improved, and most of them so modified that only the critical listener would suppose them to be other than the speak- er's natural tones. 1 inherited from a long line of bass singers a low-pitched voice, and an activity of the nervous system which disposed to rapid utterance. Some- tiercMts what vain of so heavy a voice, 1 lost no opportu- nity of singing, and on becoming a public speaker continued to use it in speech, always with a rapid utterance. The consequence was serious injury to the vocal organs, making it almost impossible 149 overcome. Brtcmporaneous ©ratorg to speaK without danger. An itinerant elocution- ist, of whom 1 took a few lessons, told me that it would be necessary either to raise the pitch of my speaking voice or greatly to diminish the speed of my utterance. 1 believed neither to be possible, but was assured that both could be done. He perceived that in an ordinary building I be- gan to speak on the key of ^^ and declared that it must be raised to c, and by this method : Each morning for a half hour I was to speak upon c, avoiding a singing tone ; and 1 was to begin upon c whenever 1 spoke in public. The former I com- plied with, and pained the ears of all in the house by ejaculations of every possible kind upon c. But so prone was I to forget myself and begin to read a hymn or a text upon g that for a while I took a tuning fork into the pulpit, and, unperceived ©tactfce by the audience, struck it so as to catch the note. ■makes peticct. This practice gave remarkable results. As one must speak to his keynote as well as sing to it, a range of at least five notes higher than I had been able to attain either in singing or speaking was gradually acquired. Correspondingly, the strength of the low tones diminished. But to this day, if I omit public speaking for a month, and during the same time sing bass a half hour a day, the original tones return, it becomes possible to reach low b and sometimes a, and the original tendency to a low pitch reappears on rising to speak. i';o Cbc Doice Some years later I met a noted bass singer confirmatory whose voice was as really manufactured as was ^"stances, that of DuPREZ. He had been taunted by a com- panion with having a woman's voice, and imme- diately devoted himself to the study of the voice and to the theory and practice of bass singing. Probably no speaker now living possesses a deeper or more melodious voice than Dr. William H. MiLBURN. In an article upon the late Professor Taverner he thus refers to himself : " 1 knew a man who, when he began work with the professor, weighed about one hundred and fifteen pounds, the girth of his chest was twenty-eight inches, and his health infirm. He -low weighs one hundred and seventy pounds, his chest measure is between forty and forty-two inches, his voice has gained nearly an octave, chiefly in the bass notes, and his health is robust and as nearly perfect as often falls to the lot of a son of Adam. This change is not to be attributed wholly to the Taverner system, but that gave a start in the right direction." That system Dr. Milburn summarizes thus : ' it begins with the thorough training of the voice until every note that can be produced by the vocal chords is perfectly formed and delivered to the organs of articulation, which must always be schooled to give every vowel and consonant sound of the language in its true form ; and in corre- 151 Ejtemporancous ©ratorg spondence with these the ear must be tuned and disciplined to detect and castigate all falsity, pro- vincialism, conventionalism, and other impurities of tone, all limping and impotence of articulation. To this end the whole breathing apparatus, from the abdominal muscles and diaphragm to the clav- icle, must be got well in hand and work automat- ically. Step by step with these vocal exercises the mind must proceed to grasp and use its parts of the work, inviting the sensibilities and affec- tions to loan their aid, and the will to reinforce them with its energy." Xigbtfroma Ventriloquism illustrates this subjects. Most m:B8tif:eing imagine, as the etymology of the word implies, that the fictitious ventriloquist's voice, proceeds from the abdomen, whereas it is formed in the inner parts of the mouth and throat. Many of those who know this fancy that it depends on a particular structure or organization of those parts, which is also an error. The true definition of ventriloquism is that adopted by the French Academy : "The art con- sists in the accurate imitation of any given sound as it reaches the ear." What the ventriloquist learns to do in imitation of the voices of sub-animals and speakers whose sounds are brutish is natural to many who distort the muscles, cannot properly use the tongue, and who hold the under jaw rigid. 152 Dolce Strengtbening auD Brticulatton CHAPTER XXII Dolce Strcngtbcning an& Brticulatlon The self-evident disadvantage of a weak voice or of speaking habitually in a feeble manner is the not being heard at all or with difficulty. But a more subtle and pernicious consequence is that it reacts unfavorably upon the mode of thought and ex- pression. Professor H. N. Day, who believes that this effect finds frequent illustration, thinks that a naturally imaginative and highly impassioned style mav — by the continual influence of the conviction that one is unable properly to deliver strongly im- passioned discourses — be changed gradually into one that is dry and tame. No one by nature, or as the result of ordinary "ccibs strcnatb* exercises, finds his vocal organs in such a condition ^"a"c ncc^ct^'^^ relatively to adaptation and energy as to be able to meet the demands of a protracted public speech. The most robust man. unaccustomed to it, would be more wearied by reading in public one hour, in a loud voice, than he would by sawing wood for twice that time. And this is not all — the voice would grow husky, and an irritation of the throat, perhaps of a serious nature, might be set up. In public speech various muscles on which in ordinary life there is no strain are brought into (11) 153 KStemporancous ©ratorg action. Some of these have no exercise worthy the name, except it is undertaken for purposes of training. 1 he muscles of the chest and of the abdomen must be strong. Much is said about the diaphragm, and its importance cannot be exag- gerated; but the dorsal, intercostal, and antecostal muscles play an important part, and lung exercises must be taken systematically. One may by prac- tice in a gymnasium pile up mountains of mus- cle upon his arms, shoulders, and chest without adding much to his lung capacity, and even be on the verge of a decline. /Beans of fns Those vital organs must be expanded by the air creasing vocal v/hich they are intended to breathe. Gymnastic capabilttB. . / ,,. , , , . . , exercises mtelligently used promote this, since the more physical effort, the deeper or more frequent will be the respiration. The pedestrian who climbs hills, breathing meanwhile exclusively through the nostrils, exercises his lungs, and there is no form of effort more beneficial. Walking on level ground, though a healthful practice, will not give the capacity of breathing required. Cycling, a wholesome general exercise, is not especially healthful for the lungs, and because of bad meth- ods of riding is often harmful to them. The position is unfavorable, since the abdominal and coordinate muscles are seldom free to do the best work. The cyclist, the pedestrian, and the equestrian require additional exercises for the 154 Voice strengtbcnlng auD articulation chest, arms, back, and diaphragm. Cycling in most parts of the country cannot be practiced in the winter and early spring, hence during that period special exercises should be taken for the upper parts of the body. A useful way to exercise the lungs, within the reach of everyone, is systematic inhaling through the nostrils and expelling through the mouth, the lips being held firmly in the position for whist- ling. One who speaks, standing, several hours each day, as did Wesley, Whitefield, and others, needs no exercises for this purpose. But those who speak at intervals of a week or more should not neglect breathing exercises. There is a tube which many have used to ad- Unstrumcntai vantage, so constructed as to admit the air with- out obstruction, but requiring its expiration through a small orifice. After entering upon editorial work I spoke in public less frequently than before, and found a diminution of vocal energy, and, in the heat of summer, considerable reactionary physical fatigue followed protracted addresses to large audiences in the open air. I have for the last twelve years been in the habit of using the inhaling tube daily for several weeks before filling such engagements. As one of the chief sources of sustaining power I have recom- mended the tube to hundreds of speakers who have attested its value. 155 jEjtemporaneous (S>rator$ The great conservator of health is activity in the open air. This promotes a habit of deep breath- ing, purifies the blood and keeps it pure. As the voice is closely connected with the nerves, over- work and loss of sleep are among its most insid- ious foes. The attitude in speaking should be erect; when words are being uttered the mouth should be well opened. An excellent method of vocal practice is to declaim with a cork an inch in length between the teeth. If there be pain, inconvenience, or any consciousness of the mechanism of vocalizing, something is wrong, (particular M= Whenever possible the speaker should breathe rections. through the nostrils. It is well for him thus to take a deep inspiration as he begins, and for the same purpose to utilize pauses. I emphasize the statement that while speaking too low is a fatal impediment, it is detrimental to speak too loud; for the ear is pained, the attention distracted, emphasis defective or excessive, the nerves of the hearers irritated, and if the voice be in any degree strained, it will be neither sweet, soft, nor agreeable. The unnecessary labor de- volving upon the speaker will in time unfavorably affect his health and even without this may effect a permanent change in his natural tones. Nature and Art furnish a method of economiz- ing the strength of the loud-voiced speaker, and 156 Voice StrengtbcnltiG an5 Biticulation intensifying the effect of those very few feeble voices which from some constitutional cause are not amenable to strengthening treatment. The most important word in the vocabulary of xcssonsfrom elocution is articulation. The distinct articula- *"« '"3®*'^'■^• tion of consonants is more important to the speak- er than to the singer, and it is easier for the former. There has been much dispute whether the articu- lation of consonants or vowels should receive greater attention. The conclusion which 1 have reached is that consonants should be articulated distinctly, but not to the neglect of the vowels, in which inhere all the best qualities of the voice as well as its carrying power. In order to strengthen the voice and qualify the speaker to produce the vowel sounds effectively Delsarte required his pupils to practice daily the syllables po, la, mo on every note within the compass of their voices. Regnier, "a master of masters," gave a pre- scription as simple as it is effective for perfect- ing the articulation, it is based upon what one would do if he wished to confide a secret to a friend, and was fearful of being overheard. ' ' You face your friend exactly, and pronouncing your words distinctly, but in an underbreath, you com- mand your articulation to convey them to your friend's eyes rather than his cars, for he is as care- fully watching how you speak as he is intently 157 Extemporaneous ©rator^ listening to wnat you say. Articulation having here a double duty to perform, that of sound as well as its own peculiar function, is compelled, as it were, to dwell strongly on each syllable, so as to land it safely within the intelligence of your hearer." Another master says of this method: "In a very few months' steady practice at this exercise for a few hours a day you will find that your most obdurate articulatory muscles become flexi- ble as well as strong; that they rise elastically and respond harmoniously to every movement of the thought and to every call of the pronunciation." Serving a jj^g enunciation of new words, or of such as pose. one discovers that he has been in the habit of mispronouncing, should be connected with this practice; thus from either point of view the time will be well expended. Breathing exercises without the use of words are often distasteful and wearisome, which ac- counts for the fact that they are so seldom prac- ticed sufficiently to avail much. There is no reason why one should not produce tones while practicing them. If one possess the other qualities, he need not be deterred, by the fact that nature has allotted to him a feeble voice, from entering upon any pro- fession essential to which is the power of being distinctly heard in public speech. 158 Voice Strenfltbenfng anD Brticulation Robert Hall, one of the most celebrated of pulpit orators, had a feeble voice, which he made still weaker by working upon the theory that mo- mentum is the result of power and velocity, and that the less power, the. more velocity there should be. But, in spite of these impediments, because of the distinctness of his articulation he was heard with pleasure. Edmund Kean, one of the greatest actors that ever lived, had by nature a conspicuously feeble voice. WiLBERFORCE, a power in Parliament, was little more than a pygmy, and his voice was not only weak, but disagreeably shrill. W. J. Fox, a famous preacher of South Place Chapel, London, " whose voice was neither loud nor strong, was heard in every part and all over Covent Garden Theater, when he made anti-corn- iaw orations there, by the clearness with which he pronounced the final consonants of the words he spoke."* " MoNVEL, one of the most famous of French actors, had scarcely any voice. He had not even teeth, and yet, according to high authority, not only did his hearers never lose one of his words, but no artist had ever more pathos or fascination. The secret of his success was his exquisite articu- lation." Of Andrieux, Legouve says: "He was one of * Public Speakini; and Debate, \>y ij. J. Holyoake, revised edition, p. lo. Splcn^i^ Irf- umpbs over nature's ^iss abilitie. Ejtcmporancous ©ratoris the most finished orators I have ever heard ; his voice was worse than weak — it was feeble, ragged, husky. How did he win such triumphs in spite of such serious drawbacks ? Splendid articula- tion again ! By making you listen to him he made you hear him. His incomparable articulation made not to listen to him an impossibility." * These all possessed great intellectual and emo- tional powers, determination of character, and am- bition, and took the pains to make the utmost of ' their limited vocal resources, ibaif a loaf Notwithstanding all this has been accomplished, better tban no there are thousands of ministers and lawyers whose abilities, though not sunicient to achieve success when impeded by imperfect or feeble articulation, are adequate to admit of their accomplishing incred- ibly more than they do, were they assiduously to cultivate their voices upon rational principles. * Art of Reading, p. 51. 160 t5 fMtcb an^ ^onee CHAPTER XXin Ipitcb anO Cones The pitch of the human voice depends chiefly upon the number per second of vibrations of the vocal chords, and the length, thickness, and de- gree of tension of the chords determine the num- ber of vibrations. The greater the length, the lower the pitch ; the more tense the chords, the higher the pitch. It is held by some that the pitch can be influenced by the ascent or descent of the larynx, which shortens or lengthens the vocal pipe. The possession of power to discern pitch by the B>crccption of ear, and to remember it, at least in some degree, *'^^^^' IS of vital importance. It is a natural gift, and high authorities do not believe that it is capable of cultivation to any considerable extent. R. H. M. BosANdUET, Professor of Acoustics in the Royal College of Music, London, in the discussion of its scientific basis, says: "Roughly speaking, and in the absence of reliable statistics, we may say that the possession of the absolute pitch is distributed as follows: Say one per cent possess it; one per cent are entirely destitute of it. so as to be said to have no ear; and the remaining ninety-eight per cent possess it in a more or less modified form." i6i :i£rtcmporancou6 ©ratorg Charles Darwin was unable to distinguish dis- cord from harmony. Most persons, however, have this facuhy sufficiently to distinguish be- tween high, low, and medium pitch in the ordi- nary use of the voice. 1 he medium pitch should be the basis of speech. From it one may rise or fall, according to intellec- tual and emotional requirements. Height and depth are necessary. "He who has no height in the compass of his voice can only with difficulty make men fear or rejoice; he who has no depth to his voice cannot make men adequately feel the solemnity or the majesty of any truth," says Pro- fessor H. M. Whitney, in an admirable paper on " The Ideal of Public Speaking." iRciatfvc value It was a maxim of Mole, a celebrated actor of of tbemeMum ^^^ ^^^^ centurv, that "The middle voice is the pttCD. - ' , father; without it no posterity." Legouve, in commenting on this, says: "The low notes are not without great power, the high notes are occa- sionally brilliant; but they should be employed only when certain unusual effects are to be pro- duced." He compares the high notes to cavalry; their province to make dashing charges and initi- ate strong attacks. The low he likens to artillery, as "denoting strength, effort, the putting forth of unusual power." But "the middle voice is our infantry." The precept, therefore, which he most earnestly impresses is: "To the middle voice ac- 162 HMtcb anO Xloncs cord the supremacy first, last, and always." In pointing out the. effects of employing the high notes too often or too continuously he declares that "they wear out, are falsitied and made squeaky." The abuse of the lower notes infuses monotony, gloom, dullness, heaviness. Henry Ward Beecher said to me: "What a speaker most needs is to strengthen his ordinary conversational voice, without giving it a hard, firm quality; that is, without destroying its flex- ibility and power of adaptation to every mood." The best practical method, requiring no teacher, uo improve tbe of strengthening the middle voice 1 found to be mi^6levotcc. the discussion with a personal friend, at a distance of two hundred feet in the open air, of questions on which we were conscientiously opposed. Our friendship and the fact that we were alone pre- vented undue excitement and the involuntary use of querulous or vociferating tones. The subjects were more or less abstruse, and .in so conversing for half an hour two or three times a week my tones were improved, and an extraordinary effect was wrought upon his, for he h;id always made too much use of the higher notes. The excite- ment of speaking had caused him to raise his tone before he had spoken five minutes, and higher and higher until it became almost inaudible; this de- fect was remedied. It IS a fine ait to be able to lower one's pitch. 163 Brtemporaneous ©ratorg Some scream on to the end ; from sheer exhaus- tion others spasmodically fall to a low note, but immediately they forget themselves and run up to the same pitch, vociferating there till out of breath. Hrt of cbang= Berryer, One of the greatest of French advo- ing tbe pitcb. ^^^^^^ seldom lost a case, but told a friend that one day he lost a very good cause by unconsciously starting his speech in too high a key. His temples soon felt the unusual fatigue of the larynx; from the temples it passed to the brain; the strain being too great, the brain gave way ; thought be- came confused, language disarranged, and utter- ance indistinct. There is a gentleman in an important repre- sentative position whose elocution is nearly per- fect, and for the first ten minutes much in the style of Wendell Phillips. After that he rises in pitch to tones resembling those of an angry man, and the members of the deliberative body in which he speaks cease to listen. To avoid this evil one should retain sufficient self-possession to know whether he is speaking too high. He should break himself of the com- mon habit of raising his voice in the beginning of a sentence, and fix in his mind the conviction that without raising the pitch any note may be strengthened by an additional exercise of power. If one finds himself too high, practice will enable him to change the pitch. 164 liiitcb anD tTones An excellent method is to introduce a brief jfadiitvof quotation. This makes it natural to lower the t"^'*"^""'"- pitch, and in the same tone he can add a commen- tary upon the quotation and retain the lower key. Professional elocutionists have no difficulty in doing this. They pass from grave to gay, read comedy and tragedy, change their keys according to the subject, and read to the key until the selec- tion is finished. It is not difficult to master this common defect if once the attention is fixed upon it with deter- mination. Should other methods fail, introduce an anecdote; this will compel it. A lawyer thus embarrassed resorted to an ingenious stratagem. He paused, demanded more air, compelled the janitor to raise a window, then complained that he had raised it too high, had it adjusted to suit him, and resumed his speech in a conversational manner. In all speech the fundamental requisite is the effect upon the ear, for its influence upon the emotions depends upon the report made by the ear to the higher regions of the brain, whence it reacts upon the entire nervous and circulatory system. The singer has this con- stantly in view, but there is reason to believe that comparatively few speakers have ever thought seriously of how their voices sound to their hearers. « 165 jEjtemporancous (S>rators lufrtue anfe vfce Improper use of the semitone is a common ^* ^toncr*"'' ^^^^^ of oratorical debility. "The semitone is the vocal sign of tenderness, petition, complaint, and doubtful supplication, but never of manly confidence and the authoritative self-reliance of truth. It is this which betrays the sycophant, and even the crafty hypocrite himself. They assume a plaintive persuasion, or a tuneful cant, not merely to imply that they are prompted by a kindly and affectionate state of mind, but some- times because they unconsciously distrust or de- spise themselves, and are therefore influenced by the mental state of servility." * Rush therefore teaches that \\hene\'er the semi- tone is used to indicate a state of mind which does not call for it suspicion should be awake, and illustrates his meaning by the statement that a beggar should "by the instinct of his voice plain- tively implore; and it is equally a law of nature, which abhors hypocrisy no less than a vacuum, that he should give the truth of his narrative in a more confident intonation." f Hn analogous In its effects the upward inflection is closely inflection. ^Y\x\ to the semitoue, and is also an indication of insincerity or conscious weakness. In the opinion of Professor Taverner the continual use of the upward inflection implies hypocrisy, and he displayed what seemed almost an intuitive * Rush, on the Voice, p. 570. + Ibid, 166 Ipltcb anO Zones power of discerning character. Upon hearing certain ministers he declared them insincere; his judgment was proved true, for some years later they were justly exposed to public contempt. Listening to a noted congressional orator, then in high repute as a lawyer and legis- lator, and a deliverer of addresses in educational institutions, most frequently at those devoted to the education of women, but since disgraced by the exposure of his protracted hypocrisy and licentiousness, he said: "That man is a hypocrite; there is nothing genuine about him; the open, shameless sinner is genuine, but he is fraudulent throughout." " Why this harsh judgment ?" "That regular upward inflection is an infallible proof of hypocrisy in a man of ability." No incongruity is more enfeebling than the use ubc tone un= of a plaintive tone continuously in extempore prayer, reading of the Scriptures, or delivery of ting, a sermon or address of any kind. Yet it is not uncommon to hear men in prayer giving thanks, praising God, confess sins, implore pardon, pray for the delivery of a country from an appalling calamity, in the same unvarying tone suited indeed to penitence and deprecation, but not to any other state which the words of the speaker express. Even a funeral discourse, if the object be in any part support to the sinking spirit, should contain 167 cbangc^ bc= comes unfits Bjtemporaneous ©ratorg some sentiments which require calm, confident as- sertion and a hopeful spirit. Hcoustfc props Legouv£ gives a suggestive account of his first '^^""ngs!'""^' venture in writing and reading poetry. It was soon after he left college. He was to read at the Conservatoire de Musique et de Declamation. Be- fore going he read the composition to his guardian, BouiLLY, who said to him: "Dear boy, you are hardly doing justice to your goods. Better call on my friend pEBVEand get him to give you a few lessons." Paying a high tribute to Febve, Legouve quotes one passage from him that states a princi- ple which, till I found it there, 1 thought I had discovered, and on which 1 had long acted. It is this: "The auditorium of the Conservatoire re- sembles an excellent Stradivarius. No violin sur- passes it in harmonious resonance. The sounds that you send forth are returned to you by its melodious walls, fuller, rounder, sweeter. Your voice can play on these walls as your fingers play on the keys of a fine musical instrument. Be very careful, therefore, to avoid too high a pitch. And lay down this rule as a principle: always adapt and proportion your voice not only to the size of the hall in which you speak, but also to its acous- tic properties." The acoustic properties of most edifices are im- perfect. But these defects generally have a physical cause which admits of being guarded 1 68 science. pitcb anC» Cone» against by the adaptation of the speakei's position and tone. Probably the worst building in the United States, ipractkai aps acoustically considered, is the beautiful Memorial pi'<:ation of -^ science* Church at St. Augustine, Fla, There, unless properly managed, the noblest voices are reduced to the level of the feeblest and most unmusical, and a babel of echoes results. Yet by scientifically estimating the situation an experienced speaker, without unusual strength of voice, ascertained the key, and by preserving a monotone made his words audible throughout the edifice. An acute musical ear and, in the absence of that, experi- ment will enable a speaker to determine what tone is requisite, and he should feel for it in beginning until he finds it. There is, however, one remarkable fact expli- cable by the laws of vibration. Two buildings may be of exactly the same size, the walls of similar materials and thickness, and the fixed con- tents of the halls the same, yet one may be acoustically perfect and the other inferior. The architect of several imposing churches and music halls informed me that the chance of this is not great, but is sufficient to keep him anxious till experiment demonstrates success. Frequent changes of position should be avoided, but, when necessary, should not be made with ra- pidity. When a speaker utters a word the air (12) 169 Extemporaneous ©ratorg vibrates in all directions, but its rate of motion is greatest in front; tiiose before liim receive tiie volume of sound at its greatest force, those to the right and left have equal facilities for hearing at the same distance, but less than those in front. All will in a little while become accus- tomed to such sound waves as they receive. Should the speaker suddenly turn to either side of the house, the vibrations will come into col- lision, and for some moments, in a large building, all will be confused and many words lost. Hence changes of position should be made during pauses. An irregular or inadequate reflection of sound waves, in many buildings, accounts for the diffi- culty of speaking. The ventilation of the second House of Parliament in London was so arranged that in the middle of the hall there was a draft of air from the floor to the ceiling, and it was im- possible for speakers to be heard in opposite sides of the room. Since the form as well as the length of the vibrations depends much upon the way in which the tone begins, which is not the same in all persons, it follows that in some rooms one place may not be equally well adapted to two individuals as a point from which to speak. iRbietbm. The natural tendency of earnestness is to become rhythmical. Abbott and Seeley say: "When we talk or write continuously about any 170 Ipitcb aiiD Zonc3 subject that appeals to the passions we gratify a natural instinct by falling into a certain regularity. Both the voice and the arrangement of the words fall under this regular influence; the voice is modulated, and the words are regulated in a kind of flow called rhythm. Without rhythm the ex- pression of passion becomes spasmodic and pain- ful, like the sobbing of a child. Rhythm averts this pain by giving a sense of order controlling and directing passion. Hence rhythm is in place wherever speech is in passion and intended at the same time to be pleasurable; an impassioned speech without rhythm is, when long continued, unpleasing." * In ordinary conversation there is usually no perceptible"tone," except with monologists, who, like Coleridge, practically preach whenever they converse. But rhythm carried too far becomes a "tone," and this, when characteristic of a leader, may be intentionally or unconsciously imitated by his followers. Theodore Watts, an English writer, aifirms that "the rhythm of language is the rhythm of life itself, and that it is deeper than all the rhythms of art. it can be caught," he teaches, "by prose as well as by poetry, such prose, for instance, as that of the English Bible and of Shakespeare's greatest writings. There is nothing more and "English Lessons /or English Ptople, section 91. 171 Utc pleasing "unftrcss" of familiar cons versation. Bjtemporaneous ©ratorg nothing less than the meter of that energy of the spirit, which surges within the bosom of him who speaks, whether he speak in verse or in impas- sioned prose." Such was the origin, no doubt, of the early rhythms of all religious movements that began in deep emotion. The imitation of them by the successors of the prophets and preachers, after the emotion has subsided or freedom of utterance has been affected by conventional rules, is but a monotonous and powerless caricature. 2)cnom(na= Each denomination has its peculiar tone, and tional tones. . ■ , , , r i • • sometmies a special branch of a denommation has a special rhythm. That employed by what are called the Hard-shell Baptists, in the South and West, has been variously popularized. The Friends have a peculiar tone; this originated in awe inspired by a belief that they were receiving special spiritual aid. A recurring " ah " at the end of words, characteristic of many of the early Meth- odists — which John Wesley abominated and did all in his power to suppress — sprang from vehe- mence and loss of self-control, accompanied by exhaustion of breath, producing a positive gasp at the end of a sentence or when pauses were neces- sary to prevent convulsions. Liturgical Churches do not escape. I do not refer to intentional intoning, which belongs to the sphere of music, but to the rendition of the service. 172 imitators. pitcb atiD Zones While reading an elaborate ritual with others, in a limited time, unconscious imitation has produced an easily recognized tone, which, as is the case with the characteristic tones of other denomina- tions, some deliberately affect. Imitation is at the base of modern denomi- "Unconsdous national canting. Speaking of the influence of imitation, Dr. Milburn says: "Educated people have been accustomed to sneer and laugh at the holy tone of the Hard-shell Baptist, old-fashioned Methodist, and Quaker preachers. But you may blindfold a man of quick ear, whose habits of close observation have been trained, and take him on a tour to visit the various churches in any of our cities, and in a few minutes he will tell you without fail, from the voice, its tones and manner- ism in the giving out and reading of the hymns and of the Scripture lessons, and the utterance of the prayer, to what branch of the Church the per- son belongs, the part of the country from which he comes, the theological school in which he was trained, and even that where his earlier studies were pursued. Andover, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Union, the General Theological Seminary, and all the rest have each their shibboleth; their speech bewrayeth them. They have forsaken nature and become the copyists of a man or a school — pup- pets, marionettes." Severe as this seems, it is not extravagant. 173 :£jtemporancous ©ratorg cbaractedstfc The burden of what is to come contributes to intonations, ^j^^ singing inflection. Instead of concentrating the mind wholly upon the sentence that is being uttered, the partial extemporizer anticipates, pro- ducing a degree of connection in some respects similar to that in the mind of a person improvising poetry. Many have a mistaken notion of orator- ical manner, and in aiming at high, lofty, and swelling passages fall into a monotonous chant. In all professions orators arise who have tones peculiar to themselves. A general cause is unusual weakness or strength of voice. He who has a weak voice finds a relief in singing his sentences, and his voice derives carrying power from it. One whose voice is unusually strong and whose feelings are excited finds difficulty of control, and thus resorts to the unconscious song. All haranguers sing; they do not speak. Ac- cording to Plutarch, Julius C^sar, while yet a youth, hearing some person read in a canting tone, said: " Are you reading or singing ? If you sing, you sing badly; and if you read, you never- theless sing." iburtfui effects The chief evil of a tone is that it destroys of tbc singing natural emphasis, frequently compelling the tone upon ora= '^ . ' , , . . tov^\ speaker to roar unimportant words, producmg, in fact, upon his prose the effect which an excess of rhythm produces in poetry. To one of these speakers I listened, impressed by the tiemendous 174 Ipltcb anD Clones voice with which he uttered the word Noah, as though angrily calling to him from a great dis- tance. With pencil and paper 1 recorded his notes, and found that he sang with the precision of one who had learned a tune; that the most un- important words were frequently emphasized, and the very key words of his sentences slurred. Toward the close of his discourse a general un- conscious wave of the audience m harmony with his rhythm was perceptible, and a venerable woman near the speaker bowed her head at each pulsation with uniform regularity. This tendency is best seen in a Negro congregation, to which the repressing influence of mutual criticism has not extended. There the effect sometimes approxi- mates the wonders of hypnotism. "Monotony is frequently the vice of speakers ubeWgb who address large assemblies, and who have monotone not," says Rush, "that clear vocality and distinct articulation which would insure the required reach of voice. They rise, therefore, to the utmost limit of the natural compass, and continue their current just below the falsetto." He pertinently adds: "This cause operates on the enthusiasts of the pulpit; on many of the speakers and always on the clerk of the lower house of the American Congress, where the scrambling cries to be first heard, with the uproar of titular Honorables, over- rule the gentlemanly rights and duties of the 175 Extemporaneous ©ratorg voice; but it is most remarkable in the mouth of the stump and scaffold demagogue, whose own political designs lead him to address great crowds in the open air ! " An infrequent but pernicious defect in vocali- zation is the use of the falsetto. The irregular efflux of energy sometimes pro- duces a reflex influence, which to a certain degree checks the speaker, and he instinctively takes refuge in the falsetto to escape a total suspension of voice. A sudden turning of the neck to the right or left, out of time with the movements of the vocal organs, will generally suffice to diminish the flow of energy. The introduction of long recited passages having a rhythm of their own, unlike that natural to the speaker, frequently sends the voice of the speaker up the scale, and he does not descend until his speech is finished. u lullaby. Monotony on a low pitch exerts a soporific in- fluence over an audience, which no strength of thought nor beauty of language can wholly counteract; and if there be regularly recurring minor notes, the most startling expressions lose their power; even to those who do not sleep the sounds bear no sense. 176 Ipconunciatton CHAPTER XXIV pronunciation The extemporizer must pronounce correctly at all times and complete his sentences; for as in private so will he pronounce in public. Special attention should be paid to accent. This may be done by quantity or by a gliding pitch or stress. The ordinary idea of iiccents being the application of a greater force of voice upon a syllable is true, so far as it goes; but there are other very impor- tant modes whereby a syllable may be made conspicuous. In English, German, and Italian accent is of the utmost importance. " It is," says Rush, "an abundant source of variety in speech; forms in part the measure of our versification; and when skillfully disposed, by the adjustment of a delicate ear, produces, with the assistance of quantity and pause, the varied rhythmic measure of prose."* The standard of pronunciation should be some- what elastic. Although a speaker should not in- dulge himself in pronunciations that have not the support of some generally accepted modern au- thority, he should endeavor to speak so that his hearers will not be diverted from the reception of ♦Rush, on the Voice, p. 419. 177 Bccent. Stan^ar^ of pronunciation Sjtemporaneous ©ratoig the idea to the pronunciation of the word " Ac- cessory " affords a good example. The prevailing practice, supported by almost all authorities, ac- cents the second syllable; but there is consider- able authority for accenting the fust. In most assemblies, should a speaker say ^^-cessory, a majority would recognize it as a new pronuncia- tion, some wondering if it were correct, and many believing it to be wrong. When the com- mon pronunciation is plainly wrong it would be advisable, in all cases where the emotions are to be mo mcrcs for Stirred, to avoid the use of that word ; but if used, tbe inaccurate, jt should be correctly pronounced, since the edu- cated public speaker should regard himself as a conservator of the vernacular. There is no final authority in pronunciation, except the concurrence of several of the best orthoepists. I have found it an advantage to have within reach Cooley and Cull, Webster, Worcester, Walker, Johnson, Richardson, the Encyclopedic, the Standard, the Century, and sev- eral other dictionaries. I found Richardson's Dic- tionary valuable in its specialty. The Century in considerable degree fills the same place, besides having many features peculiar to itself as .m encyclopedia of language as well as a dictionary A comparison of all these works often affords much aid. As there are more than a thousand words on the pronunciation of which high author- 178 pronunciation ities differ, a speaker should not blindly follow any, but leisurely compare and decide. It is a serious defect in some of the best diction- OmfssCon bg aries that they do not inform the reader that differ- u\'cTn^(^ ent opinions are held and different usages prevail, ortbocptsts. The consequence is that those who consult ex- clusively a work with this defect are liable to suppose speakers to be in error who are supported by other authorities, and when corrections are not accepted and other authorities are adduced they are humiliated to find themselves suspected of pedantry, and their confidence in the standard which they had supposed final is shaken. How to pronounce proper names imported from ipvommcfatJon foreign languages is one of the chief difficulties; ° * ,,^,'„°JJ ' ' especially of young and inexperienced speakers. Some maintain that such words should be pro- nounced according to the analogy of the language to which they belong. Several literary men met casually in a bookstore and fell into conversation, during which reference was made to Kamtschatka. The speaker uttered it after the manner taught in schoolbooks of half a century ago, giving the ch the sound of k. He was patronizingly corrected by a foreign traveler, who said, "Those who have been in that part of the world call it Kam-shat- ka." Somewhat nettled, the one interrupted after a short time turned the conversation to the south of France, and hesitating as though forgetting the 179 couvtcsv. JEjtemporaneous ©catorg name of the city which presented Marie Antoi- nette with the magnificent couch preserved at Fontainebleau, was aided by the pedant who had just criticised him, "You mean Lyons." Where- upon he was promptly asked if the French pro- nounce the name of the city in that way. abaractcdstic Cultivated Frenchmen pronounce the names of foreign countries after the analogy of their own language; if they speak other tongues, they con- form to the analogy of the language to which the names belong. A simple rule with which it is possible to be consistent is this: Foreign names may be classified as having been or having not been anglicized. When one is speaking English those belonging to the former class should be pronounced as anglicized. Some have not been changed in the process; others, such as Paris and Vienna, have been; the rule is the same for names of persons. If a proper name has not been anglicized, the speaker should endeavor to pro- nounce it according to the analogy of the language to which it belongs. This in Bohemian, Hun- garian, Russian, Arabic, and Welsh would defy most English speakers, whatever their general culture. Hence it is well to follow the pronunci- ation given in the authorities, and should there be none, to pronounce after the analogy of English, so far as possible. All countries are becoming more and more cos- iSo pronunciation mopolitan, the United States in particular. It Is not easy to determine tlie pronunciation of tlie names of persons wiio have risen to eminence, for many names undergo a change, often in har- mony with the desire of naturalized foreigners. The confusion which has resulted from the irreg- ular application of rules to this subject is seen in the case of the name Quixote and its derivatives. A lecturer who had traveled in Spain thought it necessary to speak of the hero of Cervantes's im- mortal work as Don Kee-ho-te, but several times during his lecture used the words quixotic and quixotically. Dialectic pronunciations in different sections of girovfndau the United States are sources of embarrassment to ^^^^' many speakers who find themselves in a region remote from that in which they received their early training. The most striking example relates to the Italian a. Walker's Dictionary was for many years a standard authority in the Middle States. He was opposed to the introduction of that a into the language. Consequently, in the region of which Philadelphia may be said to be the center, including Princeton College during its early history, the word calm was pronounced so that it rhymed with clam. I was trained in that school, and on removing to New England found myself generally criticised for pronouncing the frequently recurring word psalm so as to make it i8i Bjtemporancous ©rator^ sound like an abbreviation of Samuel, This led me to a study of tlie subject, to wliich 1 found tliat Noah Webster had devoted much attention in the introduction to his dictionary, and I adopted the nov/ general pronunciation of that class of words. On returning to my native town I was charged with affectation, and Walker's Dictionary was produced to prove the allegation, sisastrous During the late war Daniel S. Dickinson, once '''""^*^"^^' Attorney General of the State of New York, changed his political attitude, and delivered an oration in support of the Federal Government. He was in- vited to Boston, and was received by a splen- did audience. Near him on the platform were Edward Everett, Wendell Phillips, and others of distinguished position. In front of him, with several thousand, I sat, listening with intense in- terest. In order not to be misunderstood or mis- represented, the orator read all that he delivered upon political questions. Poetry he quoted from memory, and after a magnificent passage raised his head, pushed back his long white locks, and indicating by gestures the cardinal points, uttered in thrilling tones: " All are but parts of one stupendiious whole, Whose body Nature is. and God the soul." Mr. Everett did not exhibit amusement or as- tonishment ; his self-possession was absolute. Mr. Phillips slightly raised his eyebrows; some in the 182 pionunciation audience laughed, but Mr. Dickinson did not know why they were amused. At an institution in North Carolina a visiting clergyman, not educated in early life, was asked to offer prayer. He did so most appropriately. The solemn tones of his voice awed the students, and his pathetic references to the civil war, fresh in every mind, brought tears to many eyes. Toward the close of the prayer he uttered these words: " Bless this institution, and let thy special blessing rest upon our kind friends in the North, whose money sustains this great work; and grant thy blessing upon the school, upon the president, and the whole corpse of teachers." Since a large part of verbal capital is accumu- lated before the period of self-criticism arrives, it is desirable to listen to public speakers of repute and to accomplished conversers, and note, for prompt investigation, the pronunciation of any word which differs from that with which one is familiar. Also, in learning new words, it is important to constant viof: ascertain their pronunciation, and before uttering '^JJ"c*u^^a%'.' them in public to pronounce them aloud fre- quently. This is the only effective method of correcting a discovered habit of mispronunciation. The lips will automatically pronounce as they have pronounced, and a new automatism must be made by practice with every such word. 183 JEitcmporaneous ©ratorg fitter but sau This I learned by painful experience within utars. eighteen months after beginning to speak regularly in public. The city in which 1 resided was the home of John P. Hale, of national reputation as an orator. With his accomplished daughters he sometimes attended my service. One day, when contrasting the spiritual nature of heaven as re- vealed in the Scriptures with that described in the Koran, I exclaimed, "What is the heaven of Mohammed but a species of se-rag-lio?" The senator's countenance was impassive, but his daughters exchanged glances. The next day a friend said to me, "Did you say se-rag-lio yester- day.^" "Yes," said I. He replied, with a quiz- zical smile, " Even 1 was classic enough to know that it is pronounced se-ral-yo." It was a morti- fying but valuable lesson. From that day I have not adopted a word ac- quired in reading without determining its pro- nunciation, and, where authorities differ, deciding by which to regulate my practice. 184 ^egtcD Ibclps CHAPTER XXV CesteD "toelpa The mastery of the art of reading has an excel- zbc cbarm of lent reactionary effect upon the extemporizer. i"^'^-'^"^"^^- That art, understood by few and often least known by those who fancy themselves proficient, requires exercise in the intelligent use of the pause, accent, and emphasis; practice therein modifies rate of utterance, tends to eradicate artificial tones, and improves articulation. That the extemporizer may derive benefit from the practice of reading he should bear in mind a distinction forcibly stated by A. Melville Bell: "To a speaker the thought precedes the words, and dictates them; and hence the words, as they arise, express spontaneously the thought, with all its relations of subordination or prominence to the general subject. To a reader, the words precede the thought, and dictate it; but, as it is more easy to see the words which lie before the eye than to discern the thought which lies beneath the surface, there is a fatal facility of utterance, which tempts the reader to pass on to the words, without first making the thought his own, as it is in speaking." The stu- dent should be particular not to imitate peculiari- ties of his preceptor, nor to surrender his own (13) 185 ^extemporaneous ©ratorg judgment concerning the proper method of ex- pressing the author's ideas. It would be better to conceive an erroneous notion of the author's mean- ing and to read in harmony with it than to follow slavishly another's interpretation. The personal element in reading is so predominant that, ex- cept for the avowed purpose of impersonation, no one should attempt to read like another. "Bnercciient The extemporizer should be willing to learn ""•" from critics either hostile or friendly. I had a habit of roaring, and on one occasion a venerable man said, " Will you accept a criticism from one who was in the ministry before you were born?" "Certainly." "Let me suggest, then, that in speaking of Christ's agony in the garden of Gethsemane you do not use the same tone which you employ in denouncing atrocious crimes." I made efforts toward reformation, but ten years later a man who had attained fame as an elocu- tionist uttered this sententious criticism, "You are too steadily stentorian to be effective." Meeting my old preceptor, Professor Taverner, I engaged him to attend a service in the church of which I was pastor, sit where I could see him, and note all defects with a view to unsparing criticism. Later, to avoid being Tavernerized, 1 employed another expert, having a different sys- tem. He detected some of the defects which Taverner had pointed out, and declared that some i86 ^eeteD Ibelps things which the former had inculcated were se- rious errors. This led to careful comparison of the views of these teachers. It is a misfortune to exhibit the indubitable impress of any preceptor. Except in the case of some lawyers, lecturers, and ministers in constant practice, averaging several public appearances each week, and who abstain from talking in private because they have so much of it to do in public, 1 doubt if an instance can be found of a successful extemporizer who is not what would be called a "great talker." 1 tremble in view of the responsibility of the recommendation, and must implore the kind con- sideration of the victims of those who, in order to prepare for public work, will besiege all accessible ears. Harry Campbell, M.D., F.R.C.P., Physician of the North West London Hospital, recently read and published a paper on "The Therapeutic Aspects of Talking, Shouting, Singing, Laughing, Crying, Sighing, and Yawning." What is said upon talk- ing, both upon its physical and psychic aspects, is concise and pertinent to my suggestion: ' 'As regards the psychic aspect of talking, thought becomes much more vivid if it finds expression, whether in speech, writing, music, or artistic pro- duction, than if it remains unexpressed. The physical effects of thought are more pronounced in talking than in writing. The cortical nervous discharges underlying it send a stream of energy 187 St;mpatbet(c listcnitui tbc inspiration of eloquence. /IDuItum in parvo. Bjteniporancou6 ©ratocg toward the muscles involved in speech and gesture, and both voice and gesture can be modified to convey subtle shades of thought and feeling which cannot find expression in writing. The very ex- pression of these refinements enhances the vivid- ness and intensity of mentation. Talking is for this reason stimulating, and its influence in this re- spect is in a measure proportional to the gesture accompanying it. Few things are more calculated to stimulate the body, to rouse it from lethargy, than 'animated' conversation. In talking, as in laughing, shouting, singing, and crying, inspira- tion is short, while expiration is prolonged, the exit of air being checked partly by obstruction in the glottis and partly, perhaps, by the action of -the inspiratory muscles. '•The actual amount of work done in talking is far more than might at first sight be supposed, and should always be taken into account in reckoning the quantity of exercise taken during the day. The amount of talking done by barristers, politicians, and others enables them to dispense largely with exercise as ordinarily understood; for not only do they in this way expend a considerable amount of muscular energy, but they experience the mani- fold advantages of active respiratory movements continued for a long period together; indeed, I believe talking to be distinctly conducive to lon- gevity. That talking involves a considerable ex- i88 TTesteO tbelps penditure of energy is shown by the exhaustion which it induces in those who are nervously run down. Such are often greatly exhausted, even after a moderate day's talking. This exhaustion is due to mental as well as to muscular expendi- ture; indeed, in the very neurasthenic the bare process of thought maybe an effort, and the mere effort to think may alone cause exhaustion; and if such is the case, how much more likely is the putting of thought into speech to do so, seeing that, apart from the muscular expenditure involved in speech, thought is so much more intent when spoken than when unexpressed. "Talking is a beneficial exercise in heart disease, especially in those forms in which the blood tends to be dammed back upon the lungs. The good effect is here doubtless due to the increased ampli- tude of the respiratory movements and to the health thus afforded to the pulmonary circulation. It is for this reason that I always encourage talking in those suffering from passive engorgement of the lungs. * The breathlessness due to dilatation,' ob- serves Sir William Broadbent, Ms often relieved by exercise of the voice. 1 have met with numer- ous instances in which a clergyman has climbed into the pulpit with the utmost difficulty, and has not only preached a sermon comfortably, but has been all the better for it.' The good result, I take it, in these cases, is attributable to the deep in- 189 Bjtemporancous ©rators spiration required by the loud voice necessary to fill a large building." Sir George A. Macfarren, Professor of Music in the University of Cambridge, and author of the article on "Music" in the Encyclopaedia Bn'taniiica, defines music as "an art which employs signs as a medium of artistic expression of whatever is not in the province of literature, of sculpture, of paint- ing, of acting, or of architecture." After critically stating what is accomplished by the other arts he says that "Acting adds speech to the written words of the dramatist, which can only describe or state man's perceptions or impressions, and even qualifies their meaning by vocal inflections and illustrates it by changeful gesture. Music, and music alone, embodies the inward feelings, of which all other arts can but exhibit the effect." Singer anb I maintain that the extemporaneous orator, when spcaftcr. Y\Q reaches complete absorption, in a sense not true of the actor, as really embodies the inward feelings, the special, individual, and personal utter- ances, and every variety of passion, as the singer. It is true that words and gestures are employed in expression, but the essential power of music is developed in the voice without the indefiniteness of wholly musical expression. And as music sug- gests still more than it communicates, so the voice of the entirely absorbed speaker, who improvises everything he utters except the primary thought 190 CcstcO Ibclps and the feeling, is employing music in the only true sense in which it maybe called "the uni- versal language," and sometimes in a Whitefield or in a Patrick Henry it produced effects tran- scending any ever produced by mere words, in- b ^cca^cnt ac flections, and gestures. In the primitive ages ""'P^^bmcnt. poets, priests, and orators all sang. Some professors of elocution, themselves unable to sing, and perhaps a few who understand that art, have discouraged the orator from its pursuit. One at least has taught that speaking and singing involve different principles and, as exercises, are in a large degree antagonistic. Nevertheless, I rec- ommend to a speaker the acquisition of a knowl- edge of the principles of vocal music and habitual practice of the art as a most valuable aid to the mastery of the voice, and to its most effective use in public speech. That the voice has a different timbre in singing and in speaking depends only on the different forms of the sound waves, which in singing are much more favorable to the timbre than it is pos- sible for them to be in speaking, and consequently a greater number of harmonic overtones are pro- duced.* in speaking the cavity of the mouth is smaller; in singing much more time is given to the forma- tion of vocal tones. The sounds of speaking ♦ Madam Seiler, The Voice in Singing. igi Bstcmporancous ©ratorg "quickly follow and crowd after one another." "Slurring of words is unavoidable in singing." Principally the differences are in the direction of the breath, the roominess of the cavity of the mouth, and in the length of time afforded for the development of the vocal tones.* The ability to sing enables a speaker to deter- mine at will the pitch of his voice, which without that is extremely difficult and usually impossible. The habit of singing materially aids in permanently changing the pitch. If a natural tenor will con- fine himself to baritone singing, the effect on his speaking voice will soon be perceived. If the basso, as an exercise, will sing music intended for the baritone, or even for the "robustuous tenor," he will not be so liable to sway downward in speaking. H^vantagc8 of The practice of singing gives power to diminish vocal music. ^^ increase at will the strength of the voice. It is particularly favorable to the cultivation of the dis- tinctions among vowel sounds, the depth and vol- ume of which it increases. It has an excellent effect upon naturally unemotional speakers and upon those who from any cause have acquired a choppy style of articulation, and gives a pleasing rhythm to their style. It is beneficial to health, and thus adds greatly to the extemporizer's resources. Dr. Campbell, discussing the subject from a ♦Madam Seik-r, /'/;(? Voire in Speaking. I(j2 ^estcO tbelps medical point of view, shows the fine influence of singing upon health: "In singing there is a great disproportion between inspiration and ex- piration, the former being much the shorter. . . . From the medical standpoint singing is the most important exercise, both by virtue of its influence upon the emotions, on the respiratory movements, and on the development of the lungs. . . . Such therapeutic importance do I attach to singing that I recommend it whenever opportunity affords. It is especially useful in defective chest development and in chronic heart disease." He quotes from Von Ziemssen's General Therapeutics: " in consequence of the reports sent in from various quarters on the healthy influence of singing on the restoration of circulation and on the strengthening and nutrition of the lung, the practice of singing has been intro- duced even into prisons in order to antagonize pulmonary consumption, which generally develops in a short time among the convicts." In recommending the study of music I refer particularly to the mastery of sight singing, which anyone who can sing at all can master if willing to persevere. The speaker who sings much must be careful b cautton. lest he contract a chanting tone when speaking, and the orator who attempts to sing as an amateur for the entertainment of his friends or the public, unless in choruses, must be ever watchful lest he 193 :iEa:tempoi:aneou8 ©ratorg H ^(8t(nctfon of supreme moment. contract an exclusively staccato method. One of the most famous both in speech and song escapes the influence of excessive singing upon speaking, but not that of speaking upon singing. Force is not vivacity. One should never use more force than is necessary. If requested to speak louder, he should beware of raising the pitch of his voice; by a slight increase of volume on the same key he can make anyone whose organs of hearing are not defective hear distinctly. The groundwork of true oratory is the tone of lively conversation. Vivacity is not force, yet many, to evoke interest, use more force, when the only means of gaining what they seek is increasing animation. I have not elsewhere met with so clear a setting forth of this distinction as is found in a passage by Dr. Henry Mandeville: " We should be careful not to confound force with vivacity. Force is strength, energy; vivacity is life, animation. Force has respect to the hearer, vivacity to the subject. . . . Force, to the verge of vociferation, especially if uniform, may be asso- ciated with dullness; vivacity never; and yet there may be great vivacity in speakers who have little force. . . . Force is under the control of the will, and is measured and regulated by the judgment; vivacity depends upon the feelings and their sus- ceptibility of excitement from the progress of dis- cussion. The one is therefore voluntai y : the other 194 involuntary. A speaker can command force at any time; but vivacity, if it comes at all, comes with- out being summoned or solicited. It appears only when the speaker begins to be interested in his subject; and as this penetrates and warms and ab- sorbs him it grows apace independently both of judgment and volition."* Although vivacity in speech cannot be com- wivacfts a mat. manded at will, the habit of conceiving vividly and *" of acaui6i= moving and speaking quickly can be cultivated. On this possibility there is a suggestive passage in Bos- well's Johnson. The incomparable biographer re- lates that he and his master visited Peter Garrick, the brother of David, Johnson's whilom pupil and lasting friend, in whose fame the great critic took unceasing pride. Peter had that morning received a letter from David, announcing their coming. The family likeness of the Garricks was very noticeable, and, says Boswell, "Johnson thought that David's vivacity was not so peculiar to him- self as was supposed. * Sir, ' said he, ' I don't know but if Peter had cultivated all the arts of gayety as much as David had done, he might have been as brisk and lively. Depend upon it, sir, vivacity is much an art, and depends greatly on habit.'" There is much truth in this; vivacity is usually a natural gift; but it can be lost and acquired. Voluntary indolence accounts for the dullness of * Elements of Readi)ig and Oratory, p. 63. Bjtemporaneous ©ratorg many in private, and wliatever their susceptibility to stimulus from an audience, it will diminish rapidly after middle life if they indulge themselves in slothful mental and physical action. After mastering the principles of a reasonable ©(Btoftbc elocution and remedying obvious defects, the extempore orator must be his preceptor and ultimate authority, ever guarding against the be- guiling influence of self-love, which under such conditions predisposes the judgment of master and pupil to a favorable estimate. ig6 matter. ©esture CHAPTER XXVI Gesture Actors and other declaimers from memory are duly impressed with the importance of gesture, but extemporizers, as a class, give the subject scant attention, and appear to be under the delu- sion that any motion they may chance to make will be effective. Only those who are ignorant of even the rudiments of the philosophy of gesture can entertain such an opinion, and the majority who act upon it display automatic movements as repe- titious as those of a windmill. They make no use of an influence often far greater than that of words. "The judges of the Areopagus learned by ex- perience the power of gesture, and to avoid com- sagacUv; of tbe ing under its spell [sometimes] adopted the plan »«opagitc0. of hearing pleas only in the darkness."* They are also supposed on certain occasions to have compelled orators to wear masks. The power of gesture is illustrated in pantomime and in the modern system of sign language. E. M. Gallaudet, LL.D., President of the Gov- ernment College for the Deaf and Dumb, Kendall Green, Washington, D. C., informed me that in conversation among themselves educated deaf * Art of Oratory , System o£ Delsartc. Bjtemporancous ©ratorg mutes now seldom spell words — they use a system of signs for subjects, objects, qualities, states, and movements, whereby the equivalent of several words or a whole sentence may be represented by one or two gestures. He told me that in his travels in Europe he has met many deaf mutes of Italian, German, French, or other nationalities, and could address them at the same time, his signs being understood by all, who would write out his ideas in the language of the country to which each belonged. H new soul No Sensitive person can behold without intense experience, emotion an accomplished deaf mute interpreting Longfellow's " Psalm of Life." Familiar with that poem, I never comprehended its whole import until I heard it solemnly recited by Dr. Peet, of the New York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, while at the same time the senior class rendered it in the sign language. The eloquence of Louis Kossuth depended as much upon his strangely fascinating gestures as upon his tones and words. A remarkable instance of his power was displayed in Philadelphia, when by one gesture he exhibited the depressed con- dition of his people, and by another the exalted position attained through freedom by the people of this country. Kossuth was the first to impress \ me with the power of gesture to aid comprehen- j sion and encM'n the mind. : 198 taut part un= icpovtablc. Gesture Great as is the power of words, it is restricted to their meaning, melody, association, emphasis, and inflection. A renowned pulpit orator, soon after hisordina- move impor tion as bishop, visited Cincinnati to preach. The announcement of his coming awakened much in- terest, and the editor of one of the city papers de- termined to secure a verbatim report of his dis- course. In the hope of pleasing both the orator and his readers, he employed the most expert stenographer, one usually engaged in reporting testimony, arguments, and charges to juries. Be- fore the report was in type the editor informed the bishop that he possessed it, and the latter expressed a desire to see it. After reading for a time he ex- claimed, "This is a miserable report, and I would not have it published on any account." The short- hand writer declared that he would make affidavit that every word uttered was reported, and that not one word had been added. This being communi- cated to the puzzled orator, with a thorough in- dorsement of the stenographer's competency, he pondered it for a long time, at last exclaiming, " The man has got my words, but he has utterly missed my thought ; and, to be just to myself and your readers, I shall have to write the whole over again." A demonstration was thus afforded that in impassioned oratory — a marked characteristic of the bishop's public efforts when at his best — 199 :Ejtemporaneou0 ©ratorg words in their literal significance take a secondary place to gestures and inflection. For a short time after birth a child "has no language but a cry." Its cries diminish as it be- gins to gesticulate voluntarily, and even before it can speak the germs of significant gestures can be traced. I had not the opportunity in my youth of closely observing infants, but later I was domesticated with the family of a physician whose firstborn was but three months old; and during a year the development of the child was scientifically studied by his parents and myself. 1 noticed many things which might have escaped attention had I been familiar with young children, among others pantomime of these: The child found much pleasure in being Infants. taken up and held by the mother, who indulged this desire until it became too great a tax; the infant when less than five months old made coax- ing gestures, and, if denied, screamed at the top of his voice. When the attempt was made to re- place him in the cot he resisted in an unmistak- able way. The mother, urged by her husband, determined to escape from the thraldom, and re- fused to take up the child. After crying for a time he would become silent and fall asleep. But one day he cried himself into a violent fit of coughing. The mother could not resist this, and exclaiming, "What if the baby should die!" took him up. 200 Ocsture That child reproduced the cough the next day, and was again humored, until it became apparent, even to the mother, that he had connected the cough with being taken up; and it became so plainly an intentional performance that she was compelled to ignore it, though it cost her a great effort to do so. When he found he could not gain his wish there was no more coughing. Unable to pronounce a word, he had a series of gestures, some of much violence, indicating in- dignation; and if his playthings slipped beyond his reach, he would make gestures to the nurse, indicating his inability to get them and his desire to have them. I observed that as he began to talk he ceased to use some gestures, but continued to point toward the thing which he desired until he obtained it. I have frequently spoken and written upon this subject, and my views are confirmed by Max MiJLLER : " Some philosophers try to get back even further, floar /louucr on They observe that breathing of a certain sort is 7„'°f;,\fX" crying, and that children have no language but a cry. As the muscles of the child increase in strength he begins to gesticulate, and his cries diminish in proportion to the increase of his ges- tures. His cries become also more differentiated, and they again accompany certain of his acts and wishes with such regularity that a nurse can often (14) 20I Evtcmporancous ©raters understand the different meanings of these cries. See an able article by Dr. J. M. Buckley, ' The Philosophy of Gesture,' in Werner's Voice Maga- ^/ne, November, 1890."* Darwin's ei= When Darwin's work on Expression appeared in perlments. ^ t 1 ■ , ■ , 1872 I was prepared to receive his statement that " It is difficult to prove that our children in- stinctively recognize any expression. 1 attended to this point in my firstborn infant, who could not have learned anything by associating with other children, and I was convinced that he understood a smile and received pleasure from seeing one, answering it by another, at much too early an age to have learned anything by experience. When this child was about four months old I made in his presence many odd noises and strange grimaces, and tried to look savage; but the noises, if not too loud, as well as the grimaces, were all taken as good jokes, and I attributed this at the time to their being preceded or accompanied by smiles. When five months old he seemed to understand the compassionate expression and tone of voice, "f Indian languages have comparatively few words, but all savage races abound in gestures. These are so similar to the modern deaf mute system that when a delegation of Indians visited the Government Deaf Mute Institution, at Kendall * Max Miiller, Anthropological Religion, pp. 66, 67. t Darwin, Expression 0/ the Emotions in Man and Atu'inal, p. 359. 202 Gesture Green, Washington, D, C, they were able to con- verse with the deaf mutes. It is very important to know the history of a race before attempting to deduce theories from the different fashions in which they express their emotions. The gestures of oriental peoples are more elaborate than those of the nations of Europe; but a marked similarity can be traced between those of the Spaniards and those of the more cultivated Moors. Decided differences are seen by all observing travelers among the various nations of Europe. Between the French and the Italians there are many similarities; the latter, however, make more use of gesture. The phlegmatic temperament of the Dutch has a repressing effect, and their few and usually placid gestures in turn perpetuate that temperament. The gestures of the Russians, and to a less extent of the Germans, indicate a rude force, and among the peasantry an undertone of pathos. In comparison with the orators of most other Ocstfcuiation nations, the English are singularly destitute of sig- °,^j^°a"ffii-(tain nificant and persuasive gesticulation. Addison, in anb m-ciant). 1 712, described the forensic and pulpit eloquence of England, and I found his description, with a few noticeable exceptions, applicable to all the speaking I heard in Parliament during a period of six weeks' occasional attendance. Says Addison: "Our preachers stand stock still in the pulpit, 203 teacbcr of oras tors. Bstcmporaneous ©ratorg and will not so much as move a finger to set off the best sermons in the world. We meet with the same speaking statues at our bars and in all public places of debate. . . . We can talk of life and death in cold blood, and keep our temper in a discourse which turns upon everything that is dear to us. Though our zeal breaks out in the finest tropes and figures, it is not able to stir a limb about us. . . . One who has not seen an Italian in the pulpit will not know what to make of that •Kapbaeiaaa noble gesture in Raphael's picture of St. Paul preaching at Athens, where the apostle is repre- sented as lifting up both his arms and pouring out the thunder of his rhetoric amidst an audience of pagan philosophers. . . . The truth of it is there is often nothing more ridiculous than the gestures of the English speaker; you see some of them running their hands into their pockets as far as ever they can thrust them, and others looking with great attention on a piece of paper that has nothing written on it ; you may see many a smart rhetorician turning his hat in his hands, molding it into several different cocks, examining some- times the lining of it and sometimes the button, during the whole course of his harangue. A deaf man would think he was cheapening a beaver, when, perhaps, he is talking of the fate of the British nation." * * spectator. No. 407. 204 ©csturc The difference between typical Scotch and English gesticulation is the clearest indication of their subtle intellectual and temperamental dis- similarity. The gestures of the Irish apart from the element of pugnacity resemble those of the French. The Welsh, perhaps the most susceptible and fervid in eloquence of all Europeans, while less vivacious than the French or the Italians, have gestures so characteristic that, unless he has be- come fluent in English, or has trained himself under a system of elocution, the Welsh orator can be identified as far as he can be seen. The Welsh variety of oratory, when the speaker is un- der the influence of fervent emotion, is well de- scribed by the word "melting." The United States until within forty years pre- sented striking differences. The New England type of public speaking was at one extreme and the Southern at another, while the middle Atlantic States partook of the qualities of both. The types were produced not by one difference, but by many; those of gesture were fully as pronounced as those of inflection, language, articulation, and rhythm. In the Western States, settled by foreigners from all parts of Europe and by those who migrated from the older States, a manner of oratory grew up, modified by the vastness and roughness of the 205 flOobiflcations in tbe Tanltes States. ;ejtemporaneous ©ratorg country, the freedom of intercourse, and the habit of speaking in forests or on the banlcs of great streams — a vehement style, in which gesticulation makes more use of the thrust, the blow, the clenched fist, than of the argumentative point or the languid curve. But as schools, colleges, and all the institutions of the older civilization press forward those States come under the spell which has modified the others. The pioneer stump speaker disappears, and a common American type will soon obliterate the traces of those differences which invested with such interest an orator from one of the great sections when he appeared in another. Amid all these varieties can be traced certain conditions affecting particular individuals. Paolo Mantegazza, Director of the Anthropo- logical Museum at Florence, deplores the fact that racial and national differences frequently arouse vulgar impertinences instead of inciting to an analytical and profound study of the psychical constitution of the different human families. Hnntaitan " The Italians of animated expression say of the uCrStl Engli^^l^' 'They feel nothing!' And the English national Nffcvs say of the Italians, 'They are buffoons.' Neither of these two impertinences has any foundation. The Italian nerve cell discharges at once the centrif- ugal energy which accumulates there; unfortu- nate for it if, by the thousand telegraphic threads of expression, it should not find as many safety 206 ences. Qcsture valves! The English cell is deeply charged, and slowly imprisons the accumulated force."* One cannot visit Turin, Milan, Venice, Florence, and Naples without noting great differences among Italians in their conventional signs of feeling, as well as in their spontaneous expressions. These are to be accounted for by the character and his- torical experiences of the conglomerate population of that country. Mantegazza gives a striking instance of the lia- bility to erroneous conclusions: " The Scandinavians are taciturn, sober in their ipcrsfstence of ,, 1 i-iii • -i j-i • ancestral terns movements; they have little vivacity; their ways perament. of expression are full of reserve, I would say con- centric. " In traveling leisurely through Denmark, Sweden, and Norway I revised the opinion formed by read- ing upon this subject. The reserve which affects the Scandinavians, particularly the Norwegians, is removed by acquaintance ; they then seem to have much vivacity and are the very reverse of taciturn. In Drontheim and other parts of Norway I attended religious services and found the people intensely and expressively emotional, and socially as effusive as the middle classes in England and the people generally in the United States. Of course the Scan- dinavians are by no means as vivacious as the coun- trymen of the learned writer from whom I quote. * Physiognomy and Expression, p. 85. 207 ^Extemporaneous ©ratorg Mantegazza proceeds: " But go to Bergen, one of the largest towns in Norway. You will see, on the contrary, gay, noisy people, with eccentric and exuberant manners of expression. What does this mean ? It is still cold at Bergen ! Why, then, should expression there be quite different from that of Drontheim and Christiania ? It is be- cause at Bergen a number of centuries ago a large quantity of Irish slaves were imported. "It is with the Celtic people that the telegraph of gestures, the vivacity of expression, was intro- duced. You have compared amongst them people dwelling in Norway, but springing from different races." * * Physiognomy and Expression, p. 231. 208 ©rigtn aiiD psgcbologK of Gesture CHAPTER XXVn ©rig{n anD ipsscbologg ot Gesture The Darwinian theory of the origin of species sfanfficant and that of special creation do not collide funda- '"''"of °^ brutes. mentally when applied to the origin of gesture. For the sub-animals, unprovided with words, and in many species incapable of inflecting their voices, unquestionably make gestures whereby they un- derstand each other. Those animals which have associated with man generally have a greater variety of expressive motions than those which have remained undomesticated. If the idea of an individual man, created by ^cncsfs of biu direct exercise of the power of God and without "'^"^" ""^'■^* experience, be made the subject of analysis, it will appear that most of his gestures have been ac- quired by experiment, which fact, under the law of heredity, would speedily give rise to a genera- tion having a predisposition to perform certain acts. Were a human being left alone from birth, its physical wants provided for, gestures would spring from mental excitement, or from an efflux of unused energy, and either might contribute to the production of a habit. It is probable that such a being would add various signs of ideas to aid his own thinking processes. 2og Estemporaneous ©ratorg When an animal is attracted to something ex- ternal to itself it immediately directs its eye and ear toward the object. The cat, endeavoring to capture a bird or watching at a hole for a mouse, presents a remarkable illustration of concentrated attention. In man, also, attention begins in the direction of the eye and ear, and every part of the human system which can be affected by ideas and sensations is involved, while sympathetic influ- ences pervade the vital organism, ©s'ecboiogkai Spontaneous gestures originate in impulses bearings. ^^j^-h reach every part of the bodye It is this which explains the almost irresistible tendency in those who are trying to master the bicycle to run into trees or other objects which they wish to avoid. There is an unconscious impulse toward everything at which we look. It is this, too, which makes possible that form of mind reading which should properly be characterized as muscle reading. Here I find the root of spontaneous gestures connected with thought and feeling, and also the explanation of the sudden increase of gestures in a man when he becomes greatly enraged who has schooled himself to make but few, and has con- centrated his whole mental power upon the selec- tion, pronunciation, andproper inflection of words. It accounts for the extraordinary increase of ges- tures when orators have passed from explanation 2IO ©riciln an? percbolOGg of Gesture and argument to denunciation or patlietic delinea- tion. Every figure of speech used to express abstract f^^" *"*'"= ideas produces an impulse, weaker than, but of isticst^ie.' the same nature as, that which would be caused by a physical evil or good. For example, if one were to perceive an assassin, with drawn dagger stealthily creeping toward him, instinctively he would retreat; and if the murderer rapidly ap- proached, would thrust out the hands to protect himself; and if, in speaking of subtle tempters, he should, under the influence of strong passion, call them assassins of the soul, there would be an impulse to the same gestures. Even in writ- ing an oration which one expects to deliver memoriter or extemporaneously, as the thought arises in his mind it will generate an emotion which, if not obstructed by the constrained posi- tion, would develop a gesture. It is this which accounts for the effect upon the brain and nervous system of composing in a real- istic style. Not until the fires of nature burn low, only the reasoning and perceptive faculties re- maining active, is it possible for one to sit com- posing or thinking without the sympathy of the entire system; much less can he speak without it. Hence there need be no fear that suitable gestures will not be suggested, provided habits of expression have been properly acquired. 211 Sei, a^e, an^ temperament. TTbe vfrago cosmopolitan. ;Ejtcmporaneoii0 ©ratorg Sex influences gesticulation. Women are more fluent in speecli tiian men, and naturally need fewer gestures; but as the impulse to speak im- pels to gesticulation, they make quite as many, yet from various physiological causes, as well as from the fact that until recently they were — and the majority still are — unaccustomed to public discussion, their gestures are shorter in range. The sports of children, being determined in a large degree by sex, lay the foundation of a ditfer- ent class of gestures. The clenched fist is the type of manly vigor, but not of womanly energy. In- dividual temperament, however, maybe independ- ent of sex; hence the brawling woman and the effeminate man. The aged make few gestures. The gesticulation of French women is more animated than that of the males of most other countries, particularly in the lower classes, such as Les Dames aitx Halles, ''half unsexed by the masculine nature of their employments and en- tirely so by the ferocity of their manners," who participated in the horrors of the first French Revo- lution, and were more violent even than the men of their own country.* He who visits the Billingsgate Fish Market, in London, and observes the disturbances continually occurring among the viragoes who have made the name of the market a synonym for violence of * Scott's X//> of Napoleon, vol. i, p. 79. 212 ©rfgln m\t> psgcbologg of Gceture language and action, will perceive little difference between men and women as respects furious ges- ticulation. A walk through Donnybrook Fair as it was, or the markets of Cork, would convince the most skeptical that the gentle sex may, under excitement, go to greater lengths than the un- gentle in vehemence of gesture and vulgarity of language. There is no reason to suppose that there was any difference between the gesticula- tion of the women and that of the men of Sparta, or that there is any dissimilarity in manners be- tween the Amazonian warriors of Africa and com- batants of the opposite sex. Imitated gestures can be traced through families, neighborhoods, and sects. The supposed likeness of children to their parents often consists chietly in similarity of attitude and gesture unconsciously imitated. It is an advantage to a speaker to observe nar- Crftfcaiis rowly the gestures of extemporaneous orators whom he may chance to hear. He soon perceives that the gestures of some express feelings in a striking way, while others contradict the sen- timent they are uttering; some looking down- ward when speaking of heaven, and toward the sky when describing abysses, literal or figurative; some smiling when they should weep, or tear- ful without occasion, others using fierce gestures where all should be mild. 2T3 obdccvaiiti imitation. )Eitc!npoiancou3 ©ratoi-g Habitually a close observer, the extern porizer should practice, in private, gestures which he ap- proves; but should by no means resolve to make them in public. The attempt to do so is fatal to extemporization. Let him incorporate them with his capital stock; he may then be assured that as with words so with gestures — those that he prac- tices in private will control to a large degree those which he spontaneously employs in public. The intentional imitation of other men's ges- tures and postures excites contempt, and is a foe to original eloquence. 3Beware of Daniel Webster was five feet and eleven inches in height, with an immense chest and hollow back. Many young lawyers, without regard to their physical proportions, much less to their mental inequalities, attempted to imitate him until shamed off the stage by the caricaturists of the time. The late Bishop Wiley was at one time president of a seminary. He made one peculiar gesture, and on a commencement occasion the assembly al- most became uproarious as at least five of the students imitated that characteristic act, the natural result of their president's physical proportions. In the most intense agitations of the antislavery conventions in Boston, where the earnestness of speakers and people was almost appalling, I saw several young men imitate Wendell Phillips so closely that the audience smiled, and Mr. 2M ©vigin an& jp^scboloiivj of Gestuic Phillips in his closing speech facetiously alluded to the compliment they had paid him. The most gifted of these imitators was a Negro, who, however, soon burst forth with strains and gestures so unlike the self-possessed but burn- ing eloquence of Phillips that the people forgot the parrot tones and monkey movements of his introduction. A striking instance of the reciprocal influence irnfiucncc of of thought and gesture is furnished by the differ- 1^^^^^^% Jj! ent styles of gesticulation in the dissenting de- li^ious. nominations, as compared with the representatives of religions established by the state. Dissenters, in the beginning, progress by argumentative attack and defense. They are obliged to prove their right to be; hence they make much use of the in- dex finger, the downward stroke of the arm and blow of the fist. The contrast between the representatives of different religions appears even in a republic, and was strongly marked between the descendants of the Church of England and the settlers of New England, accentuated by the reflex influence of the gown upon the representatives of the Churches which make a distinction in pulpit garb. The gown is an embarrassment to an argumentative speaker, provided he gesticulates, but is of assist- ance to those who assume principles upon authority and treat them rhetorically. Gestures in which 215 Bitcmporancous ©ratorg the curve predominates are magnified and made impressive by the gown; those of an angular nature impeded by it. I discovered this by experience. Invited to preach on a special subject, requiring discrimina- tions and argumentation, I was asked on arriving if I would wear the gown. I replied, " I invaria- bly conform to the custom of the church in which I speak." Immediately after beginning 1 found the gown becoming entangled and my motions obstructed, so that 1 was compelled to adopt the curved gestures; but the reactionary effect upon the speech was such that most of my formal proofs evaporated, and I declaimed rather than argued, and asserted rather than distinguished, umagcs zrit> The character of gesticulation is noticeably 6rama«c^?ra° affected by the orator's visual perception of the tors. images and pictures which are found in the Roman Catholic and Greek Churches. In San Antonio, Tex., I heard a Spanish priest preach four Lenten sermons and have never seen more graceful or expressive gestures. He turned to the images of Christ and to the pictures of saints and angels as he apostrophized them, and could not have been more eloquent had they been visibly present. I have seen in the Russo-Greek Churches similar apos- trophizings which greatly moved the spectators. ■Keiigfous ccrs The Ceremonies of various denominations are emoniai. largely systems of gesture — a species of etiquette 216 ©rlgln an5 ips^cbologs of (Besture observed by worshipers in the presence of each other and of God. The Roman, the Greek, and the Armenian Churches illustrate it in the highest de- veloped form. Visitors to Jerusalem may see in the Abyssinian Church a strange blending of the barbaric element with early Greek forms. A Christian is rarely admitted during the serv- ices of the Mohammedan mosques; but a single opportunity enabled me to perceive the operation upon gesture and attitude of the influence of the rules of direction derived from the birthplace and tomb of the prophet and of various events in his career. These appear in grotesque forms in the howling, and in graceful, in the spinning, dervishes. Friends, Methodists, and Baptists exhibit religion with the least ceremonial. The study of the operation of spontaneous ges- ture must begin with conversation, for, with cer- tain exceptions to be noted, one is natural when thus engaged. 1 refer to casual conversations at the dinner table, the accidental meeting of ac- quaintances or strangers, and to informal business interviews. Primarily the gestures of conversation are those of the eye, the face, and the pose ; and in close conversation others will be few and short unless a protracted monologue is entered upon. In the more delicate relations of life, however, little can be accomplished by mere words; in gestures chiefly resides persuasive power. (16) 217 Spontancltis of action (n conversation. Bjtemporaneoue ©ratorg TTbe spirit of government emboMefc In gesture. Etiquette is mainly a system of gesture, origi- nating in the general spirit of the people. Its fun- damental principles are "attraction, humility, and reserve." Hence the etiquette of free governments differs from that of despotisms. George Wash- ington struggled with the forms of both. When the republic was born he desired to perpetuate many of the ceremonies of the English court, and was severely criticised by the radical party for his aristocratic sentiment and bearing. The President of the United States must nov/ be on his guard or the average citizen will slap him on the back and say, "How are you, Mr. President?" And Justices of the Federal Supreme Court may be accosted by comparative strangers with, "Good morning, Judge; how are you, old boy?" Both these im- pertinences have been perpetrated by persons who did not feel guilty of an impropriety until their attention was directed to it. The evil effect of the prevailing tendency has been seen in diminished respect for law; but for- tunately there are indications of a reaction against the general disregard of the honor due to office and age. 218 /IRccbanism of uesture CHAPTER XXVIII /Bbccbaniatn of Gesture The orator who recites may prepare gestures, ©cciaimers Daniel Webster in his formal orations illustrated *"^ ^^^^"' this. Edward Everett made elaborate prepara- tion, and after hearing his famous lecture on Washington a few times one could foresee each motion. But it would have been impossible for Patrick. Henry to prepare a gesture. An actor's gestures being prearranged, their pertinency should be estimated from his point of view; hence there may be different Hamlets of equal merit. The relation of gesticulation to extemporaneous ©eveiopment oratory is best discerned by observing a speaker f^^^^p^^^^H who addresses an audience assembled solely to forta. hear him. He comes forward and begins in the sphere of the intellect. Words being sufficient to convey his meaning, gestures are unnecessary. But though he moves wholly in the realm of rea- son, gestures of energy and rhythm subsequently appear. He waxes warm, and the changes that take place are such as are seen in men who begin to walk after long sitting. At first the limbs move stiffly, but after a short time rhythmical motion spontaneously appears. The soldier long ago 219 JEstemporaneous ©ratorg posture. Autinous members. mustered out, after he has marched a mile on a gala day, will "keep rank" like a cadet ready for graduation. As the orator proceeds, the cerebral cells, vocal chords, respiratory muscles, arms, and legs act in unison, and if he has any genuine feeling, he will make significant gestures; the pent-up fires must find outlet. Gesture is a natural protection from collapse. To perfect one's self herein is not a light task. Comparatively few even know how to stand in an easy yet firm attitude. Standing motionless is exhausting, yet it can be made endurable without the slightest change in the position of the feet, by transferring the weight at intervals from one leg to the other. Some do this so regularly as to ex- cite remark and diminish their dignity. Usually there is a feeling of diffidence when a speaker rises, and under its influence he may assume an attitude which will demean him. To prevent this he should form a habit of standing properly, however unimportant the occasion, and in formal interviews should maintain a position becoming his office. There are those who stand correctly, but find it difficult to change their posi- tion gracefully; hence the advantage of private practice. Irregular or inappropriate use of the hands is sure to excite criticism. But few know how to 220 /iRecbanlsm ot (Besture manage their legs; these supporting pillars are often allowed to assume ungainly postures, or to move so grotesquely as to excite ridicule. The face, however, is more important than any other part of the body. Without a single gesture or motion some have been able to maintain inter- est through long discourses ; others whose ges- tures, as a result of slavery to habits, were uncouth and some great orators unfortunately lame or maimed, have by the magic of their speaking countenances caused their defects or infirmities to be forgotten. Hence says Delsarte: "The expression of the face should make the ges- tures of the arms forgotten. Here the talent of the orator shines forth. He must so fascinate his auditors that they cannot ask the reason of their fascination, nor remark that he gesticulates at all."* Defects of facial expression are very common. There are habitual muscular contractions and nervous twitchings originating in embarrassment in early life, and some men have a habit of speaking only from one side of the month. Many from the beginning to the end wear an inane smile, or in passages supposed to be im- passioned disfigure their countenances by mean- ingless contortions. The eyes of some are fixed •All quotations relating to Delsarte arc Irom Art o/ Oratory, System of Delsarte, translated from the trench of M. L'Abbc Dclaiiniosiie by Francis M. Shaw. 221 "Cbe cbfef (na strumcnt of Cfprcssion. abnormalities of countcs nance. Bjtcmporancoue ©rators in a stony stare, and those of others incessantly move. He who employs numerous words and manifold gestures to express the same idea or feeling seri- ously errs. Gesture weakens if it does not add to the force of words. Words diminish the force of a speaker if they do not augment or explain the significance of the gestures. Delsarte says : "A written discourse must con- tain various epithets and adjectives to illustrate the subject. In a spoken discourse a great number of adjectives are worse than useless. Gesture and inflection of the voice supply their place. The intelligent man makes few gestures. To multiply gestures indicates a lack of intelligence. The face is the thermometer of intelligence. Let as much expression as possible be given to the face. Bn error often A gesture made by the hand is wrong when not unrecogni3eb, y^.^^-^f^^^ j^ advance by the face. Intelligence is manifested by the face." Excess of gesture was termed by the classic writers "the babbling of the hands." It is a griev- ous defect, and usually consists of the meaningless repetition of a few simple movements, some of which are liable to be uncouth, there being no reason in the nature of things for their appearance. The gestures of Whitefield were indeed inces- sant, but they were always graceful. "They gave significance to every sentence, and 222 ^ccbanl^m of Gesture brought before his audience each scene that he described as vividly as though it were present to their eyes, ... He was contemporary with Garrick, and so perfect was his gesticulation that the people, instead of paying him the compliment of calling him the Garrick of the pulpit, paid him the far higher compliment of calling Garrick the Whitefield of the stage." * Without his natural gifts and his extraordinary cultivation of them, had his gestures been as nu- merous as they were, and as insignificant as are the majority of those made by ordinary speakers, they would have rendered him unpopular. * Orators and Oratory^ Matthews, pp. 385, 386. 223 Extemporaneous ©ratorg CHAPTER XXK ITmpropet ©eetures an5 ^belr IRemeDig Every speaker should be willing to receive in- telligent criticism even if it come from an enemy. An ordinary speaker was transformed into a genu- ine orator from being told that he placed his hand over his liver whenever he referred to his heart, for it prompted him to give years to the study of the philosophy of gesture. ®r(g(n of most The majority of improper gestures result from infci(citk0. ^ want of rhythm in the movement. Instead of every responsive muscle and nerve acting in har- mony with the fundamental impulse from the brain, some are involuntarily or intentionally re- strained or forced forward. 1 knew an orator who apparently could not speak with satisfaction to himself until he had hitched up one leg of his trousers to the top of his old-fashioned boot. Charles G. Finney, the masterful evangelist, was ill at ease unless his thumb was hooked in his sus- pender; and on one occasion, when speaking to a thousand people, the button came off, and he be- came so agitated that he had to retire and fasten the suspender before he could resume. A minister preaching upon the text, " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and 1 will 224 Umproper Gestures anD {Tbeir IReme^B give you rest," and making a most earnest appeal, gesticulated with the clenched fist with such vehe- mence that, though his tones were soft, a surgeon present said to him afterward, " Had 1 judged your intentions by your gestures, 1 should have been afraid to come forward." Whenever one per- ceives in another such a contradiction of sense and sound he should inquire what unfitting ges- tures he may himself unconsciously make. Forcelessness in gesture is a characteristic of many speakers. Angularity of motion another defect; — such as a striking, pointing, or thrusting from the shoulder, varied by attitudes suggesting a fencer on guard. Neither walking, cycling, horseback riding, nor heavy gymnastics will give a speaker the condition of nerve and muscle essential to easy, forcible, and graceful gesticulation. Cycling, though heahhful in moderation, tends to stiffen the mus- cles of the arm. Walking, when the arms are swung, is beneficial, but, except in a hilly country, is a constant repetition of the same motions. Light gymnastics, such as the Swedish Movement Cure and many so-called Delsarte exercises, are valuable. Nevertheless, the student or sedentary person, in order to keep his arms and hands in suitable con- dition to gesticulate, should take daily exercises, with or without apparatus, which will bring into 225 Scrutiny of BClf. 1Ina^cquat6 cicvciecB, Ipractfccs of special utility. Bjtempoianeoue ©ratorg a condition to respond with vigor and rapidity to the slightest impulse every muscle of the arm, every sinew of the hand, the ligaments and mus- cles connecting the shoulders with the trunk, those of the neck and head, and those which admit of the body's turning quickly from side to side. Dumb- bells and Indian clubs are suited to this purpose, but it is not necessary to have apparatus; for if the fists be clenched, one may strike out without damage to the organism. Twenty minutes a day of this work will keep one so in condition that whenever he gesticulates all will feel that a battery of force is before them, /iccntai an& Connected with such exercises, or as a substitute optical rcflccs ^ , , , . ^ ^ . tion. for them on alternate days, is a form of practice essential to everyone who would speak well. He should master, either from illustrated books or under the instruction of competent teachers, the gestures which express the principal emotions and generic ideas ; and should practice these merely as exercise, without regard to the ideas or emotions which they are intended to express, and should do so before a mirror. It is common to sneer at practicing before a mirror, and to intimate that it is inconceivable for a true minister of the Gospel to be so vain. Against this ignorance I quote the instructions given to his young ministers by the learned, elo- quent, and devout John Wesley: 226 Umproper Gestures an?? Cbcir IRcmeDg "It is more difficult to find out tlie faults of your own gesture than those of your pronuncia- tion. For a man may hear his own voice, but cannot see his own face; neither can he observe the several motions of his own body; at least but imperfectly. To remedy this you may use a large looking-glass, as Demosthenes did, and there- by observe and learn to avoid every disagreeable or unhandsome gesture. . . . But it is the face which gives the greatest life to action; of this, therefore, you must take the greatest care, that nothing may appear disagreeable in it, since it is continually in the view of all but yourself. And there is nothing can prevent this but the looking- glass, or a friend who will deal faithfully with you. " Exercise is especially important to speakers ad- sucb practice vancing in years. After a sedentary man is forty, "omutet)!"^ and often before, his muscles begin to stiffen, his range of gesticulation to shorten, and he stoops, leans, and frequently, except in the latter part of a discourse when he is aroused, his motions are feeble, repetitious, and insignificant. But he who daily practices may, till the close of a long life, preserve grace and energy; as the aged blacksmith, while perhaps weak in his lower limbs, still swings the hammer with sufficient vigor to earn his daily bread; or as the letter carrier, whose hands • IVorJts of the Rev. John Wesley ^ A.M.^ third American edition, vol. vii, p. 493. 227 Extemporaneous ©ratorg Seeming con« trabiction bco twecn biflb autborities. tremble, can still walk swiftly. But the cessation of practice for a single month might render it dif- ficult for either of Ihem to resume satisfactorily. Such exercises alone as have been mentioned would in a single year transform many now barely tolerable speakers into effective orators. Says Delsarte: "If the gestures are good, the most wretched speaking is tolerated. So much the better if the speaking is good, but gesture is the all-important thing." Between Taverner and Delsarte there exists a seeming difference on a vital point. "Gestures," says the former, "must fall on the word that calls them up. The hand, being quicker than the mind, must be held back to keep time with conventional language, in which the primary word is often near the end of the sentence." Delsarte says: "Gesture must always precede speech. In fact, speech is reflected expression. It must come after gesture, which is parallel with the impression received. Nature incites a move- ment; speech names this movement. Speech is only the title, the label of what gesture has antici- pated. Speech comes only to confirm what the audience already comprehend. . . . Priority of gesture may be thus explained : First, a movement responds to the sensation; then a gesture, which depicts the emotion, responds to the imagina- tion, which colors the sensation. Then comes the ?28 ■ffmproper (Sesturee anO Zbcit IRemcDB judgment, which approves. Finally we consider the audience, and this view of the audience sug- gests the appropriate expression for that which has already been expressed by gesture. . . . Elo- quence is composed of many things which are not named, but must be named by slight gestures. In this eloquence consists. Thus a smack of the tongue, a blow upon the hand, an utterance of the vowel u as if one would remove a stain from his coat. The writer cannot do all this. The mere rendition of the written discourse is nothing for the orator; his talent consists in taking advan- tage of a great number of little nameless sounds " and gestures. The apparently radical difference between these Httemptto authorities becomes less manifest when we con- ^"f]!!!!!'^*^ sider that Taverner referred more particularly to gestures of significance in the plane of the intel- lect, while Delsarte gives all gesture primarily the office of persuasion, maintaining that the mind can be interested by speech, but must be per- suaded by gesture. "An audience," he maintains, "is never intelligent; it is a multiple being pos- sessed of sense and sentiment. The greater the numbers, the less intelligence has it. . . . An audience is persuaded not by reasoning, but by gesture. . . . It is not ideas that move the masses; it is gestures. . . . The mind and the life are active only for the satisfaction of the heart; then, 229 lEitemporaneoug ©ratorfi since the heart controls all our actions, gesture must control all other languages." When Professor Taverner treated gesture in relation to persuasion he taught, although less dogmatically, the substance of what Delsarte maintained of all gesture. All that 1 have thus far recommended in the way of exercise is preliminary to one form which to some extent includes all others, ipsscboiogicai Let the speaker imagine himself in a foreign land where he does not know the alphabet and is unable to understand a single word or to read the street signs; also that he is angry and that it is necessary to exhibit his feelings to the natives. He must then try to conceive by what looks and gestures he would cause the people to perceive his indignation; and having formed the ideal, he should throw himself into those attitudes, take on the expressions of countenance, and execute the gestures. He must not present a caricature, but so make known his anger that they will sympa- thize with him. Then let him imagine himself afraid ; and so proceed through the circle of human sympathies and antipathies. While attempting this he should not perplex him- ' 'self by striving to remember gestures learned from books or from the elocutionist, but should con- centrate his whole fancy and feeling upon the supposed situation. It would be better to overdo 230 Ilmproper Gestures anD Zbciv iReme&g than to underdo. The one essential is that he shall throw into every feature and motion the feeling which he is supposed to possess. He will improve his imagination by this process, and as he progresses should complicate the situation and exercises until he is prepared in pantomime to represent them all. This naturally is a strictly private exercise. Criticism from spectators while he is practicing cannot aid him who proposes to extemporize; though it might be of considerable importance to one who intended to be an actor either on the stage or in the pulpit. The philosophy of this practice is that when uts pbiiosopbs. one surrenders himself to the delivery of an ora- tion, and the sentiment agitating his brain seeks avenues of expression through every part of the responsive organism, the gestures which he has so frequently employed to express such concep- tions will be those which he will unconsciously make. Only by such practice can he eradicate evil habits and prevent the formation of others no less defective. I have asserted that actors prearrange their ges- stdhfiw fHus= tures. There is a comedy entitled Come Here, ^>^^"°"- which illustrates this method of private practice. It assumes that a manager has advertised for "a leading lady" and has become disgusted with the conceit of incompetent applicants. He determines to pay no attention to lofty recommendations or 231 Bltcmporaneous ©ratorg to self-praise, but to test all. At this moment a lady is announced. She expresses a willingness to submit to such a trial, and he says, " I require only two words, ' Come here,' and with the words, the meaning, emphasis, and expressions that situa- tion, character, and surroundings would command." He tells her to imagine herself a queen who deigns to call one of her maids of honor; to command a courtier not in favor; to summon to the foot of the throne a hero that his glorious deeds may be rewarded. He directs her to fancy herself a mother who calls her little daughter whom she tenderly loves, then a stepdaughter with whom she is vexed, and so through a dozen typical situations. Bn unequal Madam Seiler, in her useful work on The Voice in Speaking, states that she had often witnessed this comedy, but not until she saw Janauschek act this part was she made to share in the various emo- tions expressed, and she says: "Simply by vary- ing the vocal tones, the shadings, intonations, the tempi of these tones, the artist was able so to utter these two syllables as to produce in the hearer one state of feeling after another of the most different and opposite character, with a success not to be attained by the most elaborate and vivid descrip- tion. And this effect was secured simply by the Modulation of the Voice." In aggrandizing her profession Madam Seiler 232 Ilmpiopcr ©esturcs atiD Cbeic IRemeOg has ignored what, in the opinion of all whom I have met who have heard Janauschek in this role, is the principal element in the representation, namely, the gestures by which the different scenes are pantomimically represented; gestures which include every possible expression of the face, turn of the head, poise of the trunk, and movements of the limbs, with varying degrees of grace and energy. It is demonstrable that gestures alone, with so limited a vocabulary as the test allowed, would be far more illuminating and effective than the two words without gesture, whatever the mod- ulation of the voice. Different systems of gesticulation are valuable Unfleifbic ruica only as their root principles are comprehended and *^ u^-iess. assimilated. I reached this conclusion early in my study of the subject, and it was gratifying to fmd long afterward so admirable a statement of the principles in Delaumosne's system of Delsarte: "When the law is known each applies it in ac- cordance with his own idea. . . . The student of oratory should not be a servile copyist. In the arrangement of his effects he must copy, imitate, and compose. Let him first reproduce a fixed model, the lesson of the master. This is to copy. Let him then reproduce the lesson in the absence of the master. This is to imitate. Finally let him reproduce a fugitive model. This is to compose." (iti) 233 ;Ejtcmporaneous ©catorg CHAPTER XXX public ©ral 2)ctiate It is the opinion of many that public debate is nearly always useless; that it leaves those who participate stronger in prejudice or prepossession than before, and divides audiences into bitter par- tisans of the speakers. I hold the exact opposite of this view, believing the general effect of public debate to be excellent, and that there is no stimu- lant to thought and thorough examination compar- able with it. ■atiiftiBof A distinguished professional debater of England says: " Men may read on both sides, but it seldom happens that men who are impressed by one side care to read the other. In discussions they are obliged to hear both sides. If men do read both sides, unless they read a discussion, they do not find all the facts stated on one side especially con- sidered by the other." * I have seen the protracted work of large com- mittees overthrown by a single luminous address, and a compact party, which for years had been preparing for a crisis, scattered to the winds by one speech delivered by a venerable man, sup- posed, when he began, to be in a helpless minority. *G. J. Holyoake. 234 discussion. public ©ral 2)ebate I have observed similar changes in the Senate of the United States, in the House of Commons, and in the ruling bodies of the great religious com- m.unions. These are not always the most remarkable effects of debate. Particular speakers, in certain discus- sions, have been hissed from the platform, and personal violence has been done them, but, though obstinacy and vanity forbade immediate confes- sion, those who had derided and assaulted have subsequently adopted the views which had roused their antagonism. An old English proverb says, "Disputations leave truth in the middle and party at both ends." Without doubt this is often true, but, disputations over, moderate men and some from " both ends," turning longingly toward the truth in the mid- dle, and conciliating each other, frame a rational platform which becomes the basis of enduring prosperity or efficiency. The Constitution of the United States, the greatest achievement of the human intellect, was thus adopted by the conven- tion and confirmed by the thirteen independent commonwealths. The debates of patriotic men with divergent and ever-clashing interests over- came prejudice, united discordant sections, and made that actual which many statesmen believed impossible. Debates in the legal profession take place under 235 Hn tmmortal ofCspcina o( biecuseion. JEjtemporancous ©ratovg Courts of justice. specified conditions. The judge, an authoritative expositor of the law, presides. The jurymen are the sole judges of facts, having also power to apply the law under judicial instruction. There are two or more lawyers seeking to control the ver- dict ; the statements of each are sure to be traversed by the other and to be reviewed by the court. Success depends upon a thorough knowledge of the questions allowed, of the law, of the highest confirmatory decisions, of the testimony of wit- nesses, facility in interlocution, and preparation for the final arguments. It must be remembered that it is possible to fail by overproving and by too minute attention to details. An understanding of the rules of procedure is tbc^nicarnes" essential. Not only the opposing counsel, but the judge, will object at the slightest departure from them. These rules, though not understood by the general public, and by many believed to be prejudicial to the interests of truth, are based upon philosophical principles whose mastery demands the exercise of the highest faculties of the mind. They rest upon these restrictions: The lawyer is not allowed to address the jury upon matters which have not been admitted in evidence; noth- ing can be admitted which is irrelevant or not within the knowledge of the witnesses; lead- ing questions, those which can be answered by yes or no, or those in which the question shall 236 ©bilosopbfcal public ©ral ©cbate suggest the answer, are forbidden; because if such be permitted, the mind of the counsel may be the source of the knowledge rather than that of the witness ; in which case, either the truth will not be told, or only a part of it, or something contrary to it will be added. The purpose of the cross- examination being to test the credibility, the recollection, the motives of the witness, and the pertinency of what he presents, there are few re- strictions, except those implied in the requirement of relevancy. Except in specified instances, hear- say evidence is excluded, because it cannot be traversed. In these rules are involved the same principles which apply universally to debate; and a sound intellect, accustomed to reason, will have no diffi- culty in understanding their application, unless in intricate cases or arguments of extreme subtlety. The debates of town meetings resemble those ipariiamentart of old-fashioned debating societies, and are gov- '"^* erned by ordinary parliamentary law. The discus- sions of ecclesiastical and all authoritative con- ventions have so much in common with those of legislatures and the Congress of the United States that it is not necessary to refer to them, except incidentally. As debaters in such bodies contend under the rules of parliamentary law, only by its mastery can a participant economize his time, escape interruption, and secure attentive hearing. 237 Extemporaneous ©ratorg The object of a deliberative assembly is to im- part information and to unify sentiment, prepara- tory to expressing its judgment or will in resolu- tions or enactments. The primary object of rules is the preservation of order; but mere order might coexist with si- lence and inaction. Hence many rules relate to the bringing of business before the house; others to the keeping of it there sufficiently long to admit of its being understood and determined; still others to the removal of it from the house when its further retention is unnecessary, weari- circumscdbeft some, or an impediment to the consideration of ''Tffecum/"* pressing matters. Other regulations protect the rights and privileges of members. Parliamentary law is a general term, but as a Minnesota lawyer, if admitted to the bar in New York, would be handicapped without an under- standing of the special rules of practice of the latter commonwealth, so the particular usages of different countries, States, Churches, and other organizations must be learned by every new- comer before he can be quite at ease. Also the exigencies of each body require the passage of special rules, and these may be changed from year to year, or session to session, or even during the same session, by action of the house, without reference to a committee or upon report of a com- mittee upon rules. 238 IMibHc ©ral 2)ebate ' To be able, therefore, to make a powerful and ©(vers cssena tials to 6ucs ceee. convincing speech is but one of the qualifications for success in debate. To know when to speak, how to obtain the floor, and to unfold thought so as to retain the floor; to divert attention from an amendment that would insidiously undermine the pending proposition; to speak a second time by proposing an amendment in harmony with the rules; to check an opponent who, under cover of an amendment, endeavors to speak a second time on the main question, are as necessary to success in a debate limited by time as similar ability and knowledge are to a lawyer in the trial of civil and criminal cases. Previous to special preparation for debate there Ubc preparas must be a general preparation of the debater, who *^°"^*tgf^ ^^* should be an habitual inquirer into all subjects upon which it is possible to hold more than one opinion. He must be a thinker. What he sees he must understand. What he reads he must compre- hend. What he sees and reads must become part of the capital stock of raw material ready to be recollected on the instant. Otherwise his mind will resemble the libraries of some literary men, filled with drawers crowded with documents on certain subjects, which they know they possess, but cannot find when desired for use. The debater cannot tell what question may arise or how sudden may be the demand upon 239 JEjtemporancous ©tatorg iprotcctfon him; neither can he foreknow what his opponent '^'foTeVeaJ"' will say. His mind, therefore, must be a store- house, full but not overcrowded, since observa- tion, reading, and thinking may be carried to such an extent as to destroy spontaneity, and thus have a similar effect upon the mind to that which glut- tony produces upon the body. A proposition may be before an assembly, members being equally entitled to the floor and obliged to scramble for it; a new proposition may start in an instant, for it is a rule of parliamentary law that an amendment, provided it be germane, may be offered to any motion or resolution. Hence the question can be modified almost to the degree of extinguishing the original subject; the proposal advocated may be reversed or a substitute be proposed. What would it avail for a man to be prepared to speak on one question if he cannot possibly adjust him- self to a new situation ? " What boots it at one gate to make defense and at another to let in the foe?" Hence the professional debater should ac- quire the faculty of estimating the argumentative weight of facts as he stores them away in his mind, and the power withal of sub-consciously giving them titles, so that they will be available as weapons in the heat of conflict. If he hesi- tates, the derisive cheers of his opponents may accomplish more for their cause than their argu- ments could have done. 240 public ©ral Debate Debate is a valuable aid to tlie acquisition of »n un8ur= the power of speaking extemporaneously. The giY^^orms of superficial, who may have attained some reputa- free spcafeing. tion as orators, based upon one or two mem- orized addresses frequently repeated, but who have no fountain of thought or speech, are in- competent to render a reason for any opinion, and who hold nothing with tenacity, sometimes affect surprise that so "few great orators are effective debaters.'' Whereas, with the exception of a few distinguished preachers and lecturers possessing a descriptive or a hortatory gift, it would be difficult to name many great extem- poraneous orators who were not strong debaters. A more important consideration relative to the acquisition of the power of extemporaneous speech is that numerous orators are indebted to the early practice of debate for their subsequent success. The debating societies, common before the interest in athletics had become almost a craze, have gen- erally disintegrated, and at a recent contest be- tween Harvard and Yale the Honorable Chauncey M. Depew, the presiding officer, himself, when he chooses, one of the most versatile of extemporane- ous orators, among other suggestive remarks, said : "There is, and there always will be, as great a -ccstimon^ of demand for public speaking and as great an op- ^j*^ "'ontem*^!!- portunity for it as was the case in what is known rar^ oratore. as the days of great orators. But the last twenty 241 JEjtcmporancous ©ratorg years of college history has not produced a single famous orator in the United States. This is seen mostly in the courts, upon the political platform, and in the decadence of popular oratory in the Senate, in Congress, and in the various halls of legislation of the country." A statement so comprehensive will doubtless excite controversy, but it is to be observed that he limits the declaration to twenty years of college history, and it is certain that several of those who have attracted public notice as orators within the past twenty years have, without a. college train- ing, attained a wide reputation. Mr. Depew declared that he looked upon the present revival of the debating society with the expectation of seeing "a new generation come forth from the colleges not only panoplied with a magnificent education, but able to utilize it in the thousands of places where the educated man is called upon to make use of his power — in the de- fense of right, in the securing of justice, in di- rectors' meetings, in the courts of law, in the pulpit, everywhere and anywhere lucidly and carefully expressing the judgment he has formed." Eas^fortbe It IS not SO difficult for beginners to speak in a novice. debate where the standards of rhetorical criticism are lower, the audience more excited, the time limited, formal introductions and perorations su- perfluous, and a colloquial style preferable, as to 242 public ©ral 'Debate appear the first time in tlie pulpit or on the lecture platform. The circumstances and especially the decision by judges or the audience upon the merits of each side and of individual participants compel and assist mental concentration and prompt and forcible expression. Fluency and confidence once obtained, style can be polished and adaptive facility secured by practice. The essays and colloquial criticisms of the same, in the secret societies, contribute much to the formation of a good written style, and to the ex- pression of one's ideas without oratorical accom- paniments; but very little to the acquisition of a vigorous, coherent, and diversified extempora- neous style. The debating habit of mind is not without its ©angerous perils, for there have been many who, though skillful fencers in debate, have so devoted them- selves to it as to lose the power of abstract reflec- tion, and have become useless in a deliberative body except in periods of partisan conflict; and their influence, even there, often fails prematurely. Such lawyers lose their influence over judges, and such legislators their power over colleagues and constituents. Ecclesiastical debaters, unable to suggest a rational plan or modification, but ever ready to attack the suggestions of others, and liable to produce schemes of doubtful morality or obvi- ous inexpediency, come at last to be regarded with 243 babit of mina. jcitemporancous ©ratorg a degree of suspicion which renders their efforts iparais3et> vir« weakening to the cause which they espouse. tuean6w{93 ^^^ ^^ numerous are the instances of wise Dotn. and good men who, because of ignorance of par- liamentary law and a feeble control of their re- sources, wield little influence, and pass through life bewildered by the success of some whose sophistries their keen minds easily detect, whose superficiality they pity, and whose pompous pre- tensions they despise. There is no other intellectual stimulant or exer- cise to be compared with debate. It teaches the rash moderation; makes the timid courageous; compels the fluent to prune; the slow to hasten; renders the dull quick-witted; requires the quick- witted to learn caution ; and fits all classes for an intellectual emergency. The ability to debate is a powerful means of enabling one to defend his own rights, and to aid the weak in securing theirs. It is essential in free governments. If only the corrupt and grasping have this power, the best in the com- monwealth will be tyrannized over by the worst. The truly wise are those who ever aim at sym- metrical development and the mastery of every legitimate means of persuading their fellow-men. Such only are able to perform ordinary tasks easily, and are always ready to respond to extraordinary demands. 344 Gbaracter as a Ocncval picpaiatiou CHAPTER XXXI Cbaracter as a General preparation That confidence in the integrity of a speaker is essential to a conviction of tiie trutii of liis words is self-evident. No less obvious is it that such confidence must depend upon personal acquaintance, the testimony of those who are intimate with him, the evidence of position or credentials conferred by those who know him, or by the public. Each and all of these sources of trust in a speaker rest finally upon his real or sup- posed character. The more logical a person known to be untrust- worthy, the more the intelligent hearer is upon his guard; and the more lofty, persuasive, or insinua- ting the eloquence of one in repute for self-seek- ing, treachery to friends, or readiness to receive bribes, the harder become the hearts of all but the inexperienced or the credulous. If the members of the legal profession — es- seeming exm pecially those engaged exclusively in criminal "*'[a\"'Beca!''"* cases — seem to furnish many exceptions, it should be noted that the personnel of juries changes with courts and often with cases, that evidence performs in large part the work of conviction, and that the controlling factor in the decision is often an 245 queraders. JEjtemporaneous ©ratorg emotional state pervading a community, of which the dishonest advocate is but the voice. More destructive of such apparent exceptions is the fact that if counselors are recognized by the community as unscrupulous, it creates against any prisoner who employs them a prejudice in the minds of the jury and the court. Thus practice falls away from them early in life; except when they are located adjacent to prisons in large cities, and become masters of the intricacies of "jury fixing,' of legal technicalities, tricks, and the man- ufacture of spurious alibis. Clerical^ mass Clergymen who appear to have much zeal are sometimes revealed as living double lives, and their previous success is to many an insoluble problem. Yet it is often found that a penetrating few had suspected them ; that they had been at the mercy of some who had detected them; or that their success was superficial, and powerful friends had protected them. The existence of chemical springs below the surface of the ground of a destructive nature may not be known for ages, but should the earth's crust from any cause become thin, they burst forth, filling the air with mephitic vapors and scalding fluids. The reader and the reciter, when insincere, may disguise themselves more easily, but the ex- temporizer, unless insanely self-deceived, not 246 Character as a General preparation VUb'S man? VE>ieI^ no ins fluence. daring to abandon himself at any time to an im- agination which he knows to be polluted, or a memory which is the treasury of spurious as well as sterling coin, is ever like a hobbled steed. When one looks around him he finds men equal in ability to most of those who have become per- manently influential, yet who have little convinc- ing or persuasive force. Inquiry brings to light no other cause of fiiilure than lack of noble character and the reputation which accompanies it. He who cultivates soundness of judgment, kindness of spirit, and sterling integrity accumu- lates a form of general preparation which will give the effect of power to a stammering tongue, of music to a harsh voice, of grace to an uncouth gesture, and of coherence to a lame argument; for the many who wish to be led will follow such a one, and those who think for themselves will not lightly reject the opinions of one whom they can but respect. That shrewd observer and deep student of Ube testimony human nature, Benjamin Franklin, records in his *** ^opbcr'°^' diary that Lord Fitz Maurice asking him for advice, "mentioned the old story of Demosthenes' answer to one who demanded what was the first point of oratory. Action. The second ? Action. The third ? Action. Which, I said, had been generally understood to mean the action of an orator with his hands; but that I thought another 247 :Ejtcmporaneou0 ©latorg kind of action of more importance to an orator who would persuade people to follow his advice, namely, such a course of action in the conduct of life as would impress them with an opinion of his integrity as well as of his understanding; that, this opinion once established, all the difficulties, delays, and oppositions, usually caused by doubts and suspicions, were prevented; and such a man, though a very imperfect speaker, would almost always carry his points against the most flourish- ing orator who had not the character of sincerity. " * Collapse The cord which attaches a good reputation to an evil character is longer in some instances than others, but in all it either snaps suddenly or wears away strand by strand. To such a man Cromwell said: " Sir, I perceive that you have been vastly wary in your conduct of late. Be not too confident in this. Subtlety may deceive you. Honesty never will." * Franklin's Diary, July 27, 1784. 248 certain. Special preparation CHAPTER XXXn Special preparation The specialties of public speech are sermons, pleadings in courts, popular lectures and those of the professor to his classes, anniversary, com- memorative, and inaugural orations, after-dinner speeches, political discussions, and the debates of legislative, ecclesiastical, and other deliberative assemblies. To a certain point the method of preparing for an extemporaneous effort is essentially the same in all cases; beyond that the object, the occasion, and the assembly indicate what modification should be made. A sermon may be either the discussion of a putpit stes topic, the exposition and illustration of a text, a series of observations, or be wholly a persuasive appeal. The minister, perceiving that his people need the presentation of a certain subject, prepares him- self to treat it ; or a theme suggested by conversation, reading, or reflection may strongly impress him. Experience and observation have shown that it is impossible to find any topic appropriate to the Christian pulpit which would not profit many could it be made to produce a salutary effect upon (17) 249 course. JEjtemporaneous ©ratorg any. Frequently an orator is struck by a thought, and at once a satisfactory plan automatically forms and is ready for elaboration. jEitcactfng tbe When the clergyman shall have determined taBti. upon a topic or a text the first thing to do is to comprehend its root idea. It will not be sufficient merely to apprehend it. Any intelligent person can grasp what is said upon something with which he isfiimiliar; but in addition to the mere percep- tion of the meaning of the terms of the proposi- tion, he must comprehend and isolate it, looking around it and through it without being distracted by anything else. In the exposition of a text the same principle applies: for it contains one topic or more; if one, the root idea must be comprehended ; if more, the same process must be followed with each member. When this is attained the speaker need not ex- amine lexicons for definitions; root ideas define themselves. Without this isolation it is impossible to determine how much explanation is necessary. The object of a speaker is to convince those who at the outset do not believe his proposition, and this must be done by proof. But how is he to obtain his proof ? By contemplating the root idea in its relation to doubts, problems, prejudices, and predispositions. Excess of proof Sometimes a speaker having evolved a root obstructive, jj^^^ stated a definition, explained it thoroughly, 250 Special ipicparation and furnished proofs that are confirmed by his own experiences and those of his audience, per- ceives that ahnost everyone in the assembly agrees with him. It is folly for him to elaborate what is obvious, but frequently he does not perceive this. A friend said to Daniel Webster, "How did you come to lose that case.^" and the reply was, "I overproved it." As a student of human nature, a speaker should know precisely what objections are in men's minds, and his germ thought will reveal to him the method of answering them. After this prelim- inary work is done there is no conscious tax upon the recollection. The root suggests the definition, the definition the explanation, and the explana- tion shows where proofs are necessary and what should be their nature. When persuasion is essential to success, such a method would be ineffective. It would be too abstract, and exert no more influence upon the heart than the demonstration of a proposition in trigonometry. When the proof is complete and the objections UbeappeaU are removed the speaker's only recourse is to pass out of the abstract into the concrete. Suppose the theme to be repentance: The minister com- prehends the root idea, distinguishes it from re- gret, remorse, and penitence, and shows that everyone who has sinned can and should repent, 251 Bjtemporaneous ©ratorg and must do so if he would secure pardon. The listeners are convinced, but unmoved ; therefore he must throw the subject into the concrete, and draw a reahstic picture of their present position, portray their utter unconcern, show that they act and speak as though they had never sinned. The minister may then picture to himself one in that congregation whose hospitality he has received and whom he loves ; and fixing his eye upon that man, think within himself: "He is unrepentant. I have enjoyed his friendship and have preached the Gospel to him, but he will sink into darkness unless 1 can persuade him to repent to-day." The minister must speak to him, establish communica- tion between that man's eye and his own, his tongue and that man's ear. This done, the situ- ation is changed. Those who a few moments before only saw the truth now feel it. If the min- ister be incapable of making the transition, it is because of his lack of interest or slavery to routine. Btbougbt A sermon consisting of a series of pertinent ob- servations is often profitable. When John Summer- field was delighting and moving all classes by his eloquence he did not dwell upon any one point, but said a little, most appropriate and suggestive, upon many points. Yet there is a heavy tax upon the memory, unless the observations be so ar- ranged that the first will suggest the second, and the second, the third. If the matter is of such 252 rosars. Special preparation a nature that this cannot be done — though it sel- dom is if sufficient reflection be given to it — one may choose among several methods. Observations may be numbered and treated in that order; or the successive points be strung upon the letters of the alphabet. Some so arrange them as to spell a word. By this method one quite popular speaker arranged his heads so that the first word in the root idea would begin with the letter a, and the second with d, and so to the end of the word advantageous. This is the secret of many systems of mnemonics. An acquaintance of mine builds his discourses upon the word martyr. These schemes are unnecessary. Most persons are in the habit of saying that they have no memory, meaning no power of recollection. A business man will frequently gaze with wonder upon speakers who, without a note, will treat with propriety and force many subjects, repeat figures, proper names, and give dates; he will say, " I wish my memory was as good as yours." I was lecturing in a Western capital upon a sub- » convfndng ject requiring the bringing forward of many his- ^ «bism" ' torical and geographical facts, and at the close a gentleman said, " I would give my income for a year to have your memory." Happening to be familiar with his career, 1 said : " Are you not treasurer of the State ?" 253 JEitemporaneous ©ratorg "Yes." " Are you not president of a, line of steamers ? " " I am." " President of a board of trustees of a college ? " "\ have that honor." " Director in several banks, besides being presi- dent of one ? " "Yes." "Were you not for thirty years in mercantile pursuits.?" "I was." "Are you not guardian for several distinct sets of wards ? " " I carry that responsibility." "Then," said I, " I would like to ask you one more question: Do you not think that if a man were to ask you about an important business transaction which you have had with him in the course of your life, the papers relating to which are destroyed, that you could settle up the busi- ness so as to produce an equitable result.?" "Probably I could." In that man's brain cells were more facts, figures, and personal experiences than would be needed to furnish every day for a decade material for a lec- ture as long as the one which he had heard. He had applied to business his power of recollection; I, mine to preparing addresses. In discourses primarily for persuasion the orator 254 Special iprcparation may lay a foundation in demonstration and then throw himself into the concrete; or when every- thing is -taken for granted and the community is at a white heat, either from religious or political ex- citement, he may plunge at once into his appeal. In courts of justice pleading on points of law is addressed to the judges, in which case root ideas, definitions, explanations, and proofs are to be elucidated precisely as in the case of a sermon. When juries are to he influenced this method is too cold to fuse twelve men into a common senti- ment. They are liable to pass from the court room to the place of consultation, a collection of units. In such civil cases as allow the feelings to play any part, an easy speaker who does not pro- long his discussions to weariness may accomplish wonders. This was the method of Aaron Burr, who rarely, if ever, lost a case which he person- ally conducted, and he seldom spoke over half an hour. JuDAH P. Benjamin, who after the failure of the Confederacy went to England and became one of the leading barristers of that nation, pos- sessed this power in a high degree. But in crim- inal cases and such as involve pathos, where personages often take precedence of principles, it is unsafe for a pleader to remain long in the realm of the abstract. It is interesting to notice with what attention an ignorant juryman will listen to something he 255 -Cbc •• now •' of eloquence. tCbe lawsec'B cbarm. Bitemporaneous ©ratorg Hn tbc class room. Iprcparfng for tbe unusual. cannot understand, when it occurs in a short interval between two pathetic or rousing appeals. The manipulation of evidence in close juxta- position with the law affords lawyers opportunity for every form of eloquence. The lectures of the professor, consisting of ex- planation, demonstration, illustration — except in the departments of literature, particularly rhetoric, including elocution — deal sparingly with the emo- tions. Accuracy, lucidity, self-possession, and intellectuality, warmed by enthusiasm, are the requirements of successful class-room instruction. The platform lecturer can easily be encumbered with an excess of system. Fancy, wit, and, what is more effective than either, humor, are essentials, except in the case of scientific lectures popularized by the fame of the lecturer or the exhibition of phenomena, and even then a few unexpected epi- sodes will contribute to general satisfaction. Addresses on special subjects require careful preparation, principally to protect the orator from the mannerisms of his vocation. Discussions on the rostrum resemble in some particulars the arguments of the courts. Docu- ments, speeches of opponents, and occasionally legislative acts must be introduced. As a rule, a political meeting is managed upon the plan of bringing forward, to deliver the opening speech, a senator, judge, or other intellectual dignitary of 256 cf several epcatscre. Special preparation the party, to be followed by lighter weights, in manner if not in substance, and at the close, some one to make " the rafters ring." The preparation necessary depends upon the xcibcn one place which the speaker is to till. If he be the first, the entire field of relevant thought is his, but should he come later, he must be ready to fill a different role from that of his predecessor. If the latter was tame, he should be animated, but if exceedingly witty, keeping the people in roars of laughter, he should be grave and argumentative, at least for a time. The same ideas can be used to produce either of these effects. If gravity be sought, abstract treatment must predominate; if the opposite effect is desired, it is necessary only to view the subject concretely and illustrate by likeness or contrast. Having made a table of arguments and consid- "^^^ rcpuca= '& erations on each side — testing them beforehand for himself, not waiting for critic or antagonist — the debater should endeavor to prepare a fair an- swer to every point that his opponent can make, and be equally ready to reply to attacks upon his own arguments. These are to be held not in the open field of consciousness, but in such a way that the moment the thought is presented the previous preparation will be suggested. The debater who speaks first has the subject and occasion entirely under his control, and the 257 tion. Bjtemporaneous tS>ratorg Bangers anfe safeguards for debaters. opportunity of making a convincing speech, which may require the best efforts of a number of his opponents to overthrow. It is a wonderful ad- vantage to address minds not wearied by con- centration or nauseated by repetition. In such a situation he may point out that to agree on the main contention it is not necessary to do so for the same reasons or to concur in opinion upon every detail. He should endeavor to answer what he suspects his adversary will say against his affirmative arguments, and to expose any error in the propositions which he has reason to think will be employed against him. If one be not the first speaker on his own side, he is in danger of having another advocate the same views which he holds, perhaps in such a bungling or extravagant manner as to occasion him more trouble than all his opponents. Such a colleague damages the cause by bristling with points for attack, and leading those who have given little consideration to the subject to contract a prejudice against it. If there is to be an opportunity to reply, a de- bater maybe tempted to postpone some of his best matter for the replication. This is the resort of the feeble or timid. The best mode is to state fairly, as soon as possible, what one holds, and why. If he has a long time to. speak, he should present a powerful argument within two minutes 25S Special preparation after beginning. He may then corroborate it by weaker, but still important, propositions, being cautious never to introduce anything which will not bear inspection or which will divert attention from the main line. As the time to close draws near he should recapitulate, and finish with his strongest considerations. Whether he shall confine himself chiefly to argument, or introduce emotional or persuasive appeals, depends upon the character of the assembly, and in particular upon the nature of those whom he wishes to gain. He who is first on the negative may choose between making a direct attack on his predeces- sor's last or strongest argument and laying a foun- dation by which to undermine him utterly at a later period of the speech. Which would be the safer course depends on the state of feeling when he rises, and also on what he can trust him- self to do the more effectively, a sudden onset or a flank movement. At every legislative or ecclesiastical debate there are present extremists who cannot be affected by anything that may be said. Some are bound by party chains; others were never reasoned into the position which they hold, but are under the influence of prepossession or prejudice. There are those, also, whose minds are not yet made up, or, if they fancy they are, the resolution is not solidified. Besides these, there is always a con- 259 Component parts of an assembly* JEjtemporancous ©ratori? siderable number willing to make compromise propositions, or present substitutes for everything before the house. And it should not be forgotten that there is always a contingent who are in a state of plastic doubt. The tendency of some debaters is to waste energy in endeavoring to convince the uncon- vincible and persuade the unyielding. The principal aim should be to make recruits from those who have no decided opinion; and in con- nection with that to strengthen the convictions of those of one's own way of thinking who may have been weakened by the attacks of opponents. ■zbc silent A serious practical problem confronts every de- ♦'^"^"'"'"' bater when he has thought long and deeply on both sides. He may conclude that there is little difference between them, yet he honestly believes the one he proposes to advocate. Unless he knows how to develop oratorical fervor, even when there is but a slight difference between the weight of the respective sides, he will produce little impression. Within a few years has passed away a college president who was an eloquent orator and influen- tial member of the Senate of Massachusetts. He often failed in a critical emergency in consequence of seeing so much on both sides of all questions that at any stage he could have exchanged places with his opponen^ 260 Special preparation How is this to be avoided ? In one, and but stirdna one's one, way; — by foresliortening tlie perspective of ^wn fire, hiis opponents' views and enlarging his own. If he thinks that much may be brought forward truthfully on the other side, it should develop charity for his opponents and remove acrimony from his own speech. But as he believes his own position to be right, and that the prevalence of his sentiments will be beneficial, he should arouse himself so that, though he states his opponents' arguments fairly and calmly, in reply or direct argument he will utter his own convictions with overwhelming force. There is no reason why a man should not de- liver an argument, in itself dry as dust, with all the feeling he would have while making a stirring appeal. It will contribute to his warmth if he listens intently to the other side, endeavoring to answer mentally each argument as it is uttered. After-dinner speeches are at once the easiest i>ost=pranMai and most difficult of oratorical feats. Too much *°^eg^,g^"^ preparation will cause a failure, and too little may result in lowering the speaker in his own opin- ion or in the estimate of the assembly. It is difficult to hold the attention of a company ex- hausted by devotion to an elaborate menu, after several others have spoken. The first speaker usually has a weighty theme and more time than 261 . bevQS ;E3;temporaneou0 ©catorg will be allowed others. This frequently leads to the infliction of a prosy address, during or at the close of which many of the guests will depart. College presidents at alumni banquets are often sinners in this respect. No speaker who values his reputation should rise utterly unprepared; the risk is too great. A root idea with "limbs and flourishes " is the safest method. The flights attempted should be graceful and short. An after-dinner audience does not relish speeches which "smell of the oil." HvoiMng (cca There is a peril to which many speakers are exposed. Having elicited laughter or applause by an incident, a witticism, or an epigram, they go on in vain efforts to maintain or surpass the effects thus, perhaps accidentally, produced. But if one can rely on himself, and, in case of a slip, can gather himself so quickly that either it will not be perceived or will be immediately for- gotten, he may sail over this treacherous sea as gracefully as a yacht in a summer breeze. Usually the best after-dinner speeches do not read well, and when they do the presumption is that they were voted dry. The speeches of Mayor Abram S. Hewitt, however, read well, and some of them in delivery rivaled in interest those of Joseph H. Choate or Chauncey M. Depew, wiz- ards of the banquet, the former a hypnotizer ot judge and jury. Q62 Iprclimiiiars Ipbvjoical preparation CHAPTER XXXIII prcliminarg ipbgslcal iprcparatlon In former ages the interdependence of mental » Bc^uctiv>e and physical health was recognized only by the "'^°^' few who had investigated more thoroughly than their contemporaries and were familiar with the lucubrations of the truly wise among the ancients. It is now universally admitted, but practically disregarded by a majority who fancy that they can continue active exertion up to the moment of publicly speaking. Many have been led astray as to their own powers by observing that certain lawyers appear able to work continuously, and that without intervening periods of rest political speakers and professional evangelists manifest surprising energy and fervor, conversing almost continually in the intervals of their speeches. Were they to examine closely the efforts thus made, they would perceive that, unless one live constantly in such a routine, reducing the outflow of vitality to the least possible amount, such achievements would be impossible. "What one does every day he can do any day." Advo- cates when physically unfitted are able to protect themselves by asking a continuance, by prolong- ing the examination of witnesses, or by arguing 263 JEjtemporancous ©ratorg incidental points of law until the hour of adjourn- ment, so that they may secure a night's rest be- fore making the critical effort. Moreover, much that they do in the trial of a case is done calmly, so that they are not under such pressure as the uninitiated might suppose. Only when unexpected points are raised or unforeseen contingencies of a serious nature are thrust upon them are they severely taxed. Campaign speakers labor under abnormal ex- citement, and stake their constitutions. Some en- dure; others destroy themselves. Frequently at the close of presidential campaigns stump speakers are prostrated; some, as the result of overexcite- ment, loss of sleep, and irregular habits, become insane, pcdpatctfc Evangelists have few discourses and constantly repeat them; in all such courses of life there is a possibility of becoming accustomed to rhythmical developments of excitement which ebb and flow, leaving the system little the worse. Several have told me that immediately after concluding impas- sioned exhortations they can retire and be asleep almost as soon as they touch the pillow. One attributed it to his confidence in God. He had done what he could, and after invoking God's blessing upon his work, there was no reason why he should not receive the benefit of the promise, "For so he giveth his beloved sleep." 264 Bpcahcia. pceliminarg pbgslcal preparation Notwithstanding this, such evangelists are un- able to continue their work more than half the year. Those who extend their labors over a longer period usually lose force or break down in what should be the prime of life. Lecturers delivering the same discourses night after night, their emotions not stirred, expenditure being principally intellectual, can travel during the day, and with time for rest and refreshment before the effort can endure a long series of en- gagements. But many have found it necessary to resort to arbitrary rules of hygiene, and among professional lecturers the number of general or nervous collapses is not small. Energy and fervor are qualities necessary to the success of an address. Listless speakers do not receive attention; nor will mere muscular effort and vociferation suffice; the countenance, gesture, and voice must indicate earnestness. When an important address is to be delivered the ib^fcnfc wfsa orator should begin the special care of his body at ^'^'"* least twenty-four hours before the time. Henry Ward Beecher, addressing the Clerical Union of Brooklyn, stated that this was his invariable prac- tice, and that, though he had a powerful con- stitution, he made it a point to eat less and rest more as Sunday approached. On his lecture tours he was in the habit of taking a short nap just be- fore going to the platform. A good night's sleep (18) 265 suicide. J6jtcmporaneou6 ©ratorfi and sound digestion are essential to adequate preparation. One of tlie most successful law- yers in New York city, in constant practice, takes nothing but a cracker for lunclieon when he has to return to court in the afternoon. t^n^nten^e^ A dangerous practice is that indulged by some of dining heartily before making an address. A clergyman of my acquaintance, invited to dine on board a man-of-war in the harbor of New York, conversed and gourmandized until 7 p. m., when, remembering that he had an address to make, he was quickly rowed to shore, and hastening to the church, entered the pulpit and began. After speaking fifteen minutes he was stricken with apoplexy; a post-mortem showed that this was the consequence of issuing two drafts at the same time upon his nerve capital — one for the digestion of a heterogeneous mass, and the other for the production of an impassioned speech. A bishop, having an important afternoon engage- ment, dined so heartily as to astonish his fellow- guests, and then preached in so listless a manner that his congregation were utterly wearied. On his expressing wonder that he was so circum- scribed in speaking, a friend cynically observed that he might have prayed before he went to the church, but he certainly did not fast. To converse much before delivering a speech is unphilosophical. A famous billiard player 265 "Clnstrfng the barp. Igi'cUminaiy ipbgslcal ipicparation brought suit against a man who had wagered upon the success of his competitor for hiring some one to go to his house when he was resting preparatory to the contest and engage him in con- versation, so that he would be unfitted to play with his usual skill. Athletes, singers, and actors are obliged to rest and to avoid excitement. The reader may take more liberties with himself than those who extem- porize, but as he is deprived of many advantages by confinement to the paper, and as his voice is naturally weaker than that of the speaker, he, too, needs preliminary care. Whenever it is possible, one intending to speak at length should repose for some time flat upon his back, and go without haste to the appointed place. It is true that there are men possessing extraordinary constitutions so that they can walk three or even ten miles and preach several times on the same day; but it has been noticed that these often begin languidly, and by bodily exercise and vocal action gradually work themselves into liberty. A well-known orator, who frequently speaks several times in one day, refuses private entertain- ment, and three times in one day has been known to disrobe and retire as if for a night's repose. Dr. Thfodore L. Cuyler, while in the arduous duties of a large pastorate, requiring two discourses *"^'"™^^ '^"'f 267 Hn al\vav0= Umitattons. Ertemporaneous ©ratorg on the Sabbath, into which he threw vast energy, depended for vivacity in the evening upon several hours' sleep on Sunday afternoon, on which ac- count he facetiously spoke of having eight days in his week. HoLYOAKE in his work, Hints on the Application of Logic, has a paragraph which he omitted from the revised edition, published forty years after- ward, but which is more practical than some pas- sages which he did not omit: icarnfng one'8 "When traveling expenses were the only pay- ment I received for my lectures I used to walk to the place of their delivery. On my walk from Birmingham to Worcester, a distance of twenty- six miles, it was my custom to recite on the way portions of my intended address. In the early part of my walk my voice was clear and thoughts ready, but toward the end I could scarcely articu- late or retain the thread of my discourse. If I lectured the same evening, as sometimes hap- pened, I spoke without connection or force. The reason was that I had exhausted my strength on the way. One Saturday I walked from Sheffield to Huddersfield to deliver on the Sunday two an- niversary lectures. It was my first appearance there, and I was ambitious to acquit myself well, but in the morning I was utterly unable to do more than talk half inaudibly and quite incoher- ently. In the evening I was tolerable, but my 26S preliminary ipbgslcal preparation voice was weak. My annoyance was excessive. I was a paradox to myself. My power seemed to come and go by some eccentric law of its own. I did not find out till years after that the utter ex- haustion of my strength had exhausted the powers of speech and thought, and that entire repose, in- stead of entire fatigue, should have been the preparation for public speaking." Those who are obliged to speak several times a Traamfno day need protracted periods of rest; forthepatho- examples, logical effects of excessive talking are analogous to those of excessive writing. Some of the worst cases of aphasia have been brought on in this way, and public speakers have been alarmed by finding that they could not articulate distinctly, or that they uttered a different word from that which was intended, or that their power of public speech seemed on the verge of departing. On consulting nerve specialists, the only prescription given has been to intermit speech for a few days or weeks, or in some cases to be absolutely silent for three hours before making a public address. Some authorities maintain that the premature decline of power, while the reflective faculties ap- pear of normal strength, is to be explained as the results of overaction. Those who do not observe hygienic rules are strongly tempted to the use of stimulants. Many a brilliant orator about to speak in court or upon the rostrum, and some 269 Bjtcmporaneous ©ratoris clergymen, finding themselves dull, have gradu- ally resorted to stimulants, thus inducing nervous prostration. Dr. J. Hughlings Jackson, an author- ity not to be suspected of incompetence, nar- rowness, or prejudice, in his lecture before the Neurological Society, on "The Central Nervous System," speaking of the highest level of that system, the so-called organ of mind, physical basis of mind, etc., observes that " In case of general bodily fatigue and certain states of ill health, scarcely to be called abnormal, after taking a small quantity of alcohol (only as much alcohol, let us (5fl^e^ but suppose, as, according to the Scotch witness, not goi6. rnakes a man not worse but better for liquor), there is increased mental activity of a sort, a great flow of ideas. In this mentation there is, I think, mainly an increase of the first half of thought, tracing resemblances, while the noting of differ- ences, second 'half of thought, is diminished; or, to use popular language, there is greater ' bril- liancy ' with less ' judgment.' If so, it is not a de- sirable condition even from a nonmedical point of view."* Reputation has suffered because of eccentricities of speech or action exposing to sus- picion of mental derangement, which were after- ward found to have been caused by intoxication. A victim of this habit was taken by his parish- ioners to an asylum, they supposing him to be * Tke Lancet, London, January 8, 1898. 270 etimulants. preliminary ipbgsical preparation deranged. The superintendent, not wishing to ruin the reputation of the patient, responded to a question as to how long he would be liable to be detained, that it was impossible to decide, as he was then in a "wholly artificial" condition. James Parton, in his article, "Will the Coming jfoobanb Man Drink Wine ? " philosophically discusses the relation of wine to banquets and after-dinner speaking, laying down the principle that, if men eat much, they will be compelled to use stimulants. One cannot eat a hearty meal and make an ani- mated speech. The most successful after-dinner speakers refuse many of the courses. Not all, however, are wise enough to protect themselves, and those who do not, if much in demand, are soon worn out. Two friends, one noted for oc- casional speeches of remarkable brilliancy, the other for never failing, occupied adjacent seats at a banquet. The first was a gourmand, the other a gourmet. The speech of the former was a failure, and that of his friend a great success. When the latter sat down the former said, " How do you do it?" The reply was sufficient: "I do one thing at a time." Quinine has been habitually used as a stimu- lant by a few public speakers. The quinine habit is almost as injurious to the nervous system as is the alcohol habit, inducing in some premature deafness and in others various morbid conditions. 271 Eltcmporaneous ©ratotfi One of the worst final effects is the necessity of using narcotics to compose a system shattered by undue excitation, uncrpcnsfve jhe best touic is pure air, and whenever possi- prtscrp on. ^^^^ ^ speaker should spend a while in the open air, inhaling through his nostrils deep drafts. Half of Saturday spent in this way by a clergy- man will accomplish much, and even one hour spent in the open air or in a thoroughly ventilated room will renovate the vital forces and admit of beginning work with vigor. Dr. McIlvaine, discussing "Vitality and Physi- cal Regimen," assumes it to be an established law that the vital forces will not at the same time inspire the brain and grind in the stomach. He admits that in feeble constitutions this rule requires to be reversed, and deduces the case of the younger Pitt, who, in the latter years of his life, when his constitution was shattered, found it necessary to brace himself up with a hearty meal and a couple of bottles of wine before delivering one of his great speeches in Parliament. The fact, however, is that he always found this imperative, and his premature breaking down was to be attrib- uted to nonrestraint of his appetite and to stimu- lants taken to overcome the lethargy natural after overeating. When physical strength is not fully adequate some food should be taken, but in a concentrated and easily digested form. 273 prelimfnacB pb^slcal iprcparatlon There are occasions, especially when one has Ueaanbcoitce. traveled until within a few moments of the time of speaking, when to eat nothing would be per- nicious; or when one having eaten, finds himself languid. Two stimulants, everywhere accessible, tea and coffee, are specially beneficial if not used ordinarily, and most effectual when taken upon an empty stomach. While the essential principle of these herbs is the same, there are cer- tain effects characteristic of each. French biolo- gists, chemists, and hygienists, with a view of deciding which is better for soldiers in camp or on the march, have given profound study to the influence of tea and coffee. They have found that, while both stimulate the sensory and the motor nerves, tea affects the sensory much more than the motor, and coffee the motor more than the sensory. Hence they recommend the latter when prolonged physical exertion is required. I was particularly interested in the results of their studies because I had made that discovery years before from my own experience. When on pedestrian tours I found coffee much the more effective stimulant; and when dull and obliged to write tea seemed more in harmony with mental activity and a sedentary position. It is related of Henry Ward Beecher that, after a long journey, on arriving at a residence where he was to be entertained, having but a short time 273 better even of these. JEjtemporancous ©ratoris to rest before lecturing, he was asked which he preferred, tea or coffee. "Coffee," said he. "I am going to lecture; if it were a funeral address, 1 should take tea. Tea quickens the mind without rousing the body, but coffee fills a man with vigor from head to foot." ubeiesstbe These "innocent herbs" are powerful drugs, and 1 found it necessary to abstain, because under their use I was never conscious of healthy fatigue, and profusely expended vitality without being aware of it. A small quantity of either coffee or tea is now sufficient to overcome lassitude. It should be remembered that some cannot without food take coffee without its toxic effects appear- ing in undue energy of manner and violence in epithets. One of such a temperament says that he never takes coffee unless he wishes to use more expletives than substantives, and more adverbs than verbs. If neither coffee nor tea can be obtained, sip- ping half a pint of very hot water will produce so satisfactory an effect that some have affirmed that it is the heat of the tea and coffee which is so effica- cious. Experiment proves that this is not the case, for ice-cold coffee or tea is stimulating, although an unwholesome beverage if taken with food. 274 Special preparation of jfceltng CHAPTER XXXrV Special ipreparation ot Reeling The reasoning faculties can be commanded, and the powers of recollection and imagination in well- disciplined minds are obedient to the will; but no one can evoke emotion by an act of volition. He cannot say to his soul, ' ' The hour is come ; be glad, be gay, be deeply stirred ! " The habit of speaking at a given time may engender mere oratorical ex- citement when required ; but this is not the feel- ing which is to make one eloquent. That must include the whole being. If a man cannot command his feelings, he can indirectly affect them; and the best method is to meditate upon the subject, the occasion, and those who are to be influenced. Abstraction is holding the mind to an intellectual process; reflection is a general turning over of ideas, but meditation differs from each of these processes. It is a blend- ing of revery and abstraction with an intense de- sire that emotion shall arise. One does not long hold himself in meditation, nor attempt to con- centrate the mind as he does in abstraction, or even in reflection. The intellectual faculties are driven with a loose rein, allowed to wander over the entire field. S7S jEKstdictions frcqucntlv 6i8regal•^e^. JEjtemporaneous ©ratorg Zbc minister's vocation an6 rcsponsibilitB. Consciousness of the train of thought is lost, and the man awalvatori2 t>rofu8e eis pcntiturc of vitality. meccoeari? to recuperate. Tempted by the operation of a law that turns energy more and more into the channel to which it is directed by the will, the extemporizer is in danger of expending too much nerve force. The work of a clergyman required to preach extemporaneously twice on the Sabbath makes heavy drafts. One who did so for twenty years was in the habit of weighing himself on Saturday afternoon and on Monday morning, and found a loss averaging two and a half pounds, which was not made up until Tuesday or Wednesday. He accounted for this by the diminution of his appe- tite and increase of the activity of the eliminating organs, as a result of continued excitement. A renowned preacher was in the habit of say- ing that no orator can attain great success with two different addresses or sermons on the same day, unless he is unnaturally excited or spends several hours in repose, and if possible in sleep, between the two efforts. Yet on the Sabbath the requirements of modern church life make de- mands upon the minister's attention to much which heavily taxes him. He must meet those who desire to speak with him at the close of the service, attend to the announcements, address the Sabbath school, perhaps confer with the officials of the church, and not rarely must visit the sick or bury the dead. Unless, therefore, he secures rest, attends strictly to diet, and in particular ob- 300 tlemptations of tbe Bitemporancous Speahet tains an opportunity for an hour of private medi- tation immediately preceding the second service, he will be dull or make drafts upon his reserve force that will leave him exhausted or sleepless. It is different with the professional evangelist, who has but a small number of sermons, and with the lawyer, who does not usually speak at length in more than one case on the same day, unless it be before a court of appeal, where deliberate state- ment and argumentation rather than a powerful forensic effort are required. Nevertheless, when extemporization is per- formed without conscious strain, and due pre- cautions are taken, the effects through a course of years are less debilitating than any form of speech which requires a constant effort of the will; and there are compensations in the healthfulness of the practice as a physical exercise. Undue familiarity with the audience or with in- "jBrcctscon.- dividuals therein is, to some speakers, a constant *«'"«'*•" besetment. When an orator casts away the dig- nity which accrues to him from the occasion, the privilege, the honor, or the prerogative of speak- ing; when he renounces that moderate reserve which is a condition of reverence from all who are personally strangers to him, he runs the risk of impairing at once their power of concentrating attention upon his thought and his ability to in- fuse them with his own emotions. When he 301 JEjtemporaneous ©ratorg exchanges glances or makes allusion, friendly or otherwise, to those present the audience may re- solve itself into individuals and his lost mastery may be hard to regain. A helpful interruption may be received with courtesy; a question, if pertinent, may be answered or postponed to a later period ; a hostile interrup- tion may be suppressed by a rebuke or contemptu- ously or prudently ignored; but except in after- dinner relaxation among friends, or reunions where former students meet in the hope of dupli- cating the unreserved intercourse of happy days long gone, and similar informal assemblies, the extemporizer should remember that the reciprocal influence of speaker and hearers tends in both to familiarity, and that it is liable to increase until it makes the orator's highest success impossible, ©verworftmg The extemporizer is tempted by the love of ease and complacency to overwork his natural gift. In one that gift may be pathos. Two sorts of public speakers are exposed to such allurement, ministers and criminal lawyers. Religion deals much with the calamities, sorrows, and dangers of life. Few are without sad remembrances, present anxieties, and depressing apprehensions; al! know that they must die, many have been bereaved, many anticipate bereavement, and a large proportion are concerned about their health. The minister's audience in- cludes aged men, whose mental and physical fibers 302 natural gifts. C^emptations of tbe JEstcmporancous Speaker are relaxing; women, and children, a much larger proportion of these than of men in the prime of life. Quick is the response to references to xacbrtmose. present misery, past sorrows, or future contingen- cies. Emotion tends to become epidemic, and the pathetic appeals of a minister of deeply sympa- thetic nature will not be coldly met. There is a luxury in tears, and congregations, like spec- tators in a theater, are not always saddest when they weep. The temptation is powerful to cover meagerness of preparation or poverty of thought by the narration of a pathetic incident. But nothing is more enervating than the habit of yielding to it. A "weeping prophet" who does little else may know brief popularity; then he will pass into the doleful condition of becoming the only one who weeps when he preaches. He will be spoken of as a good man. " He must be good or he could not weep so;" but whatever may be the temporary resurrection of pathetic power dur- ing his farewell sermon, his departure from the parish will not be a lasting cause of tears. Another has no pathos; he argues, always and ifitnt^. in all places. As a clergyman, if he has a highly intellectual congregation, who desire clear percep- tions of truth and are interested in logical proc- esses, and if his moral character be consistent with his profession, he will exert a potent influ- ence; but he is in danger of overworking his gift 303 E£tcmporaneous ©ratorg and losing his power over his hearers, especially over youth. A few such, not exhausting their sensibilities, live to a good old age and retain pastorates, in such communions as allow of a settled ministry, until their congregations have diminished to a handful, the expenses of the society being borne by a few individuals of wealth, between whom and the minister personal friendship has long existed, bubble Some are confined in all their mental opera- tions to the realm of fancy, knowing nothing of genuine feeling, and an argument they never make. One of these being asked on what subject he had preached the preceding day, answered, "My text was, *0 Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself,' and my theme, man under all circum- stances his own destroyer." "That is a pretty difficult position to maintain in view of the law of heredity; did you attempt to treat it logically ? "' "O no. I assumed it, and treated it rhetoric- ally." Some ministers have a practical vein, and will reduce the sublimest thoughts and the most spiritual emotions to the question, " Will it pay ? " and never make an appeal not based on self- interest; they invariably become tiresome. The pathetic should cultivate robust intellectual strength and force of utterance. The reasoner 304 temptations of tbe Extemporaneous Speaker should ask himself whether anyone was ever yet made a genuine Christian or radically changed in his natural tendencies by dint of mere argument. He who naturally soars upon the wings of his im- agination should learn the distinction between faith and fancy, and the practical man subordinate his way of looking at things to the ''manifesta- tion of the truth to every man's conscience in the sight of God." The advantages of such self-examination and its consequences are not merely in the interest of ac- complishing the work committed to a minister, but equally valuable in the direction of self-devel- opment. The argument of the usually pathetic preacher will give special pleasure to a large class. The pathos of the argumentative, if genuine, will produce permanent effects. Persons of sound understanding will be willing to follow the adven- turous rhetorical balloonist if they are sure that he has ballast; and the practical preacher who is also pathetic and imaginative will draw within the sphere of his natural way of viewing subjects many who, until their hearts and imaginations had been attracted toward the preacher and his great object, would not ask whether "it will pay." Criminal lawyers who depend entirely upon pathos provoke ridicule as they grow older. At intervals 1 heard an advocate who once could make the most stony-hearted and experienced 305 Self=f!nowIa c^cJC tbe roa& to lecoverg. foe care. ^Extemporaneous ©ratorg judge shed tears; but after he had often wept in behalf of the most notorious scoundrels, and used the same pathetic references and tones, the mem- bers of the bar, recognizing the approach of the time when he intended to pull out the tremolo, would exchange glances and taking their hand- kerchiefs divert the attention of the jury, and the judge would tilt his chair as if about to listen tc a familiar tune that carried him back to his child- hood days. sredai ceaBon The composer of discourses to be read or re- cited can more readily detect the excess of a tendency in himself than can the extemporizer. Hence the necessity of positive cautions. Few in- stances can be adduced of an orator's maintaining his position after middle life who exclusively worked his natural gift, or who practiced upon an extreme that made his successive public efforts resemble another yard of tapestry of the same general figure. This danger is not confined to orators, since premature failure of poets, painters, and composers of music has illustrated the operation of the same laws. 906 2)efect3 aiiD BitRculttes CHAPTER XXXVn Defects anD BifHcultles Eccentricities of gesture are unimportant when speaker and audience are swayed by emotion, for the critical faculty is then inert; but at other times they are impediments to the orator, and their effects are greater than those of peculiarities of dress; for the latter are surveyed at a glance and, remaining unchanged, the eye no longer takes cognizance of them. But strange gestures, whether the freque it recurrence of one or the introduction of seveial, fascinate the eye and give it undue ascendency over the mental operations. Gesticulatory grooves are usually formed in the "anconsciousis beginning of a career; frequently they are caused by embarrassment, but oftener are sequences of unregulated energy. Occasionally they reveal the unconscious influence of previous pursuits. A journeyman tailor who became a minister of the argumentative type, when drawing toward a con- clusion, invariably placed the thumb and finger of his left hand in juxtaposition, as though they held a needle, and the corresponding members of his right hand in position as though they held a thread ; as the argument rapidly progressed, his hands were raised nearly to his eyes, and every 307 practices. Bltcmporaneou6 ©ratorg motion involved in tiireading a needle was un- consciously made, till the final word was uttered in a stentorian voice, when the invisible thread was swiftly drawn out to the extent of a yard. A public speaker who had met with an accident, whereby his face was injured, was compelled to speak for some months with the wounded portion covered by a plaster. At intervals he would touch his face to ascertain whether the plaster was in place. For ten years after he had entirely re- covered he involuntarily made that movement, aprooting 8ucb To break up such habits is difficult. The candid friend, from whom the poet prayed to be saved, is invaluable, and criticism ;;hould be kindly re- ceived. An ordinary spealer was transformed into a genuine orator by the remark of a friend, who told him that in referring to the heart he always placed his hand over the liver. Grotesque movements are tolerable while speakers are young, but are unendurable at a later period. I knew an English orator who had formed the habit of moistening his lips at the end of paragraphs. By the time he was fifty years of age he always did this at the end of sentences, and when I last heard him he did it several times in a sentence of ordinary length. Every habit, however disagreeable, can be eradicated. One orator offered a prize to some young people for each occasion in which they 308 2>cfcct3 aiiD BiificuUica noticed him detaining his outstretched arms in such a position as to form a capital T; some months of prize-paying conquered the tendency. The liability to such defects is greater in ex- temporizers than in readers or reciters. The repetition of significant gestures, even though a peculiarity of the individual, is not objectionable. It is the recurrence of meaningless contortions aiid grimaces, or their sporadic appearance, which is to be avoided. Sometimes, through haste, speakers shorten pas- ©ross btems sages of great natural dignity and even of sublim- ''"'^«« ity. An otherv/ise striking discourse was de- graded by the sentence, " When the world and its systems of philosophy stand mute by the side of the open grave, Jesus says, ' I'M the resurrection and the life. ' " And of God was said, ' ' He's going to work out his own plans." Often the lan- guage of the kitchen or the nursery is allowed to intrude upon the most exalted occasion. A speak- er not incapable of pathos and poetical forms of expression referred to the infant Jesus as "the holy baby." Such lapses reveal gross care- lessness, coarseness of fiber, or lack of early cul- tivation. Many extemporizers have but one style of de- unflcnbiutB of livery. Their tones are the same whether they '"^"""« deliver a business statement, a presentation speech.. a congratulatory address at a golden wedding, a 309 Sltempoi-ancous ©ratorg witty after-dinner response, a patriotic oration, or a funeral sermon. In some instances tlie tones contradict the sense of tlieir language. Tliis is a H ^(gparag(ng common fault of clergymen, and results from contrast. having a fixed ideal of pulpit oratory, which in their earlier efforts they strove to attain. It occurs more frequently among those who try to repro- duce discourses, or to adapt that prepared for one occasion to another unlike it. Such men may be natural and vivacious in conversation, but when speaking in public they drawl, chatter, chant, or eject their words as from a catapult. They have but themselves to blame for the neglect which, soon or late, they must experience. A complacency which prevents them from self-criticism, or a pride which leads them to spurn the corrective hints of others, obstructs their perceptions; or in- dolence leads them to endure what might easily be cured were they to reflect upon the delivery suitable to each occasion, seek systematically to attain it, and after each effort unsparingly analyze their language and delivery. Speakers should habitually seek to extemporize addresses for special occasions, as to style as well as matter, asking themselves the elementary question how, under a reversal of circumstances, they would desire to be addressed. There are few radically different occasions, the jubilant, the melancholy, the jovial, the solemn, the de- 310 Defects ano Difficulties pressing, the helpful, the dignified, and the light. Colorings may be infinite, and while absolute con- cord is necessary to the highest success, if the generic distinction be regarded, a slight departure will not be noticeable. Bulwer has written delightfully of monotony in occupation as a source of pleasure; but monotony of delivery, in one or many discourses, can give no pleasure to the hearer except as it enables him to pay tribute to Hypnus. a musician was requested to listen to a composition, and the composer complained that the critic slept during the rendering of his piece, to which the censor replied, "Of music sleep is itself an opinion." An essay which suits the occasion may be de- livered in a manner which would make it more inappropriate than incoherent or irrelevant remarks uttered with suitable tones and gestures. Poverty of thought is a defect frequently al- xachofc^easc leged against the extemporizer by those who pre- fer other methods. 1 have been at great pains to hear extemporaneous speakers at the bar, on po- litical platforms, in debates, and in the pulpits of all denominations — not excepting the Mormon, in whose tabernacle 1 heard one of the best extem- poraneous sermons, delivered by Orson Pratt, and of which I did not believe a word — and I am com- pelled to acknowledge that many speakers are amenable to this charge. 311 jejtcmporancoud ©ratorg TToobeavfi? There are a few extemporizers who err at the freii5bte6. opposite extreme and overload their subjects with thought to such an extent as to suppress emotion and make animation impossible. The best extem- porizers are not exposed to the charge of having too little thought, but they pay a large price for their power; for only by much thinking and con- stant reading, and usually by a vast amount of writing, can the ability be acquired and maintained to make a forceful, thoughtful extemporaneous address. To them preparation has become a second nature, and it begins with the moment an engagement is made and a theme chosen, whether hours, days, months, or years in advance of the time, "©rearers, The Style of the extemporizer whose produc- icttiewooi." ^iQp,5 j^j-g defective in thought is marked by ver- bosity, and usually by an excess of anecdote and illustration. Two illustrations of the same idea are rarely needed if either is adapted to illuminate the theme. Since thoughts are acquired by expe- rience, observation, and reading, and are modified, bounded, and estimated by reflection, to assume that they can be classified and clarified without it is to act upon the theory that effects can exist without causes. But a special mode of thought, which is aided by writing, is necessary for the perfection of the power of packing a discourse with ideas. The habit must be formed of re- 312 ©cfccts auD ©ifficiuttcs ducing ideas to their original elements. The wheat must be threshed from the straw and stored in the granary. After years of practice in this art, when obliged to speak upon a subject without special preparation, one may, under the stimulus of an ex- pectant and responsive audience, think upon his feet with much more rapidity than is possible when alone and with equal accuracy. The supposed inspirations that come to the -not genuine orator consist of rapid combinations of ideas pre- i»sp''^ation. existing in the mind., usually accompanied by suffi- cient emotion as to lead a speaker, unaccustomed to analyze his own processes, to fancy that he has said something wholly new and to depend upon such inspiration. A verbatim report would often mortify the "inspired " orator, for what seemed to him and to the audience new might prove to be like the unsubstantial fabric of a dream. A young licentiate applied for admission to the Xa3ine8s miss Christian ministry and was asked what method he adopted in the preparation of discourses. He answered that he never made preparation, but depended upon God to suggest the text as the time of preaching drew near. In response to a question he frankly replied that he was not in the habit of studying the Bible, preferring to rely wholly upon the original source of divine illumi- nation. The candidate was then asked whether, during the two years that he had essayed to preach, C21) 313 tahcn for faitb, Eitemporaneoua ©ratocg God had suggested any text to him which he did not already know by heart. After thinking a moment he replied that he could not recall an instance where he had not known the words of the text. "Then," said the examiner, "do you not see that you restrict God in the use of his own word? Let me advise you either to commit the entire Bible to memory or change your method." Observing, thinking, and reading are as essen- tial to thought as are combustibles to the produc- tion of fire, and he who will not think, read, and observe will become a mere babbler, even though he relies upon the Omniscient for help. Morft tbe onis Inaccuracy of thought is caused by mental fee- *^"'^*' bleness or indolence, usually the latter, and is incurable without work. In all denominations are scores of preachers who would starve were they in another vocation and pursued it as lan- guidly as they discharge the duties of the min- istry. The extemporizer, before beginning to speak, should reflect upon the probable evolution of his ideas the number of minutes he can spend upon each successive part of his oration. Under no cir- cumstances when speaking should he consult his y watch. While he may find it necessary to have a sense of time, the audience should be destitute of it, and no act is more automatically imitated than / taking out a watch. The only method of paying 314 S)ctcct6 anC> DitttcultiCB proper regard to proportion is to be ready, like the fabled goddess, to swallow one's own children if too many are born. Excess of repetition in the same discourse or in successive discourses is a serious evil, and sufficient to account for the lack of success which attends many who are nobly endowed in voice and figure and not destitute of a rich and expressive vocabu- lary. To enchain attention something must be uttered which requires progression of thought. As the clergyman, compelled to speak on simi- lar subjects at set times, is in much danger of repetition, it is essential to protect himself by a system, and the best for the young minister is this: He should prepare with utmost thoroughness a sermon upon some principle of natural or revealed religion, or upon a doctrine or ceremony of the denomination which he represents, or upon some fundamental principle of universal morality; com- prehend and define the theme and select the best scriptural proofs, committing them to memory; also the substance of the definition. He should converse in private with unbelievers and doubters and use the proofs he has prepared, afterward de- livering his sermon as well as he can. A sermon of this kind should require at least two weeks of careful study, and it should be the young minis- ter's practice for several years to produce such a one as often as once a month. This will consti- 315 Boublinfl on one's tiack. J■oun^ation lnliI^ilU1. Extemporaneous ©ratorg tute a foundation upon which a countless variety of discourses will build themselves. To avoid repetition is easy if the subject be thor- oughly thought through and properly linked; and it is also a valuable aid to think the chain through backward. Knowing that he intends to close with a certain thought, he should interrogate his reason rather than his memory concerning the path by which he expected to reach it. And having thought the entire discourse through, as to its root ideas, backward and forward, he should then ask himself concerning every separate part, without special heed to the language in which he answers his own mental questions. An incredible amount of pains may have been taken in mastering the subject, but to deliver it he should simply mentally perceive the ideas in all possible relations and advance upon the highway of thought with a steady step. He will not repeat if he has in this manner perfected his conceptions, uaiueof To avoid repetitions speakers, immediately after any address, should refer to the brief and note what points were omitted which they had intended to make and what had been spontaneously added. Every minister will find it useful to keep 2t^. double index of his subjects — one in which t^'" text appears first and the topic second, and tPie other with the topic indexed first. By consulting his memoranda he can exclude frQ|© his new prep- 316 records. Detects anJ) Ditficulties aration what he has previously said. As with ministers, so with lawyers. Many elementary principles must be frequently set forth, but the subjects to which they apply are so numerous and vast that a person with an active mind, before mental failure has begun from infirmity or age, will produce something fresh to himself and there- fore to his hearers. Paucity of language is a common defect of ex- temporaneous speech. A person may utter a con- tinuous stream of words, but resemble a musician constantly playing the same or similar tunes or tunes with slight variation of notes. Instead of expressing the same thought in different forms of speech — a necessity in all oratory — he expresses different ideas in the use of language so similar that, though his fluency is remarkable, the distinc- tion in thought is scarcely perceptible, and his lis- teners fancy that he is repeating himself. The stenographic report of several speeches de- livered by the same person will exhibit this defect in a mortifying manner when, in response to the requests of those who have heard them, the orator attempts to collect them for publication. It is then difficult for him to believe his vocabulary so meager, the forms of his sentences so similar, that so many phrases often recur, and that there seems to be an irresistible tendency to use the same words, even when others would express the 317 ©ftarccurrind vcor^6 an^ pbrascs. Extemporaneous ©ratorg shade of meaning which he endeavors to com- municate with greater accuracy than the familiar terms which go so trippingly over his lips. This is the result of a natural law. Each time a word is repeated the tendency of that word to re- spond to the slightest mental demand is increased. It is for this reason that the habit of profane swearing, when acquired in youth, takes hold so firmly that many, without being aware of it, are guilty of it under slight excitement and often in familiar speech. Bffiarmcdee An inadequate supply of thought often contrib- fcast. jj|.gg ^Q ^YiQ same result. The speaker must go on, but really has nothing to say, and so "he draweth out the thread of his verbosity finer than the staple of his argument." Some with a copious vocabu- lary and an agreeable style of speaking can do this so as to retain the attention of the audience. But others, having little to say, are compelled to utter words so familiar to themselves that they will re- spond to the slightest stimulus. If this is contin- ued and no effort made to counteract it, it will be impossible to hold an audience. Padding is still more destructive to the accom- plishment of the orator's purpose. The recurrence of the copulative conjunction " and," except when the word is emphatic, as in "Ye cannot serve God and mammon," is an impediment to attention. An address was reported which contained fifteen 318 Defects aiiD Difficulties passages of similar formation to this: "Tiie ele- ments of success in business are industry and tem- perance and economy and punctuality and affability and tact and honesty." Each and was extended to twice its natural length, changing the rhythm of the sentence, as well as making proper emphasis impossible. Pauses equaling the time wasted upon \\\e. ands would have been more impressive; for fluency maintained by meaningless words has positive ban^= no power. Tlie is almost as much overworked. icapping. A stenographer who reports the addresses of many distinguished men declares that more than half the matter in the average sermon, political speech, or lawyer's plea is mere padding, and to keep the peace with his employers he often leaves out hundreds of such words and phrases as ''and," ''stilly "nevertheless;' "now," "now then," ' ' however, " ' ' notwithstanding," ' 'furthermore," "my hearers," "beloved brethren," "friends and fellow-citizens," "gentlemen of the jury," "may it please the court," " bear witli me while I re- mark," "permit me to say," " I do not hesitate to say," "I am ready to declare," "I am bound to maintain," "what I wish to show is," " tJiis is a fact and nobody can deny it," " I do not mean this," " I do not mean the other," " I do not mean that," "what I mean is this," "also I mean," "in addition to this I mean," "I feel," "it is borne in upon me," "first of all " The frequent 319 Bi'temporaneoue ©rator^ use of first, second, third, ''now, lastly, under this head," "one word more and I have done," simply remand the speaker, in the estimate of most persons under threescore and ten years, to the period of the " sere and yellow leaf. " The egotist hangs lovingly over his own personality. A cultivated man introducing a senator of the United States, thus began, " /, myself, personally." The most absurd instance of padding is the ex- pression " m other zvords," which implies a criticism of the speaker or of the hearers ; either he has stupidly expressed himself or they are too dull to understand him. If it is necessary to re- peat ideas, it is folly to inform the hearer that it is being done, iin oft=ncc6c6 Dr. J. W. ALEXANDER, a Superior extemporizer himself, points out a defect which he charges against almost all extemporaneous preachers. "They talk about the way in which they are preaching; ' after a few preliminary remarks 1 shall proceed to,' and so forth. Or, 'what 1 lay down shall take the form of general principles.' 'I come with hesitation, ' and so forth. ' I shall be more brief on this point.' ' You will observe that in this dis- cussion 1 do so and so.' " * This criticism is well founded, but Dr. Alexander does not explain the cause of the mannerism. Where it is not an imitation or an exhibition of vanity, it is but an * Thoughts OK Preaching, p. 25. 320 cviticism. iiouncc tban abuse tbcart Defects a!l^ ©ifttculrtcs attempt to maintain Huency. While the speaker was saying these things it would have been wiser for him to pause ; for they are among the most useless forms of padding. Some have made this discovery late in life to the revivifying of their eloquence and the prolongation of their acceptability. It is better far to write and read sermons, lee- «cttcrrc= tures,oraddresses,or to deliver them from memory, than to speak extemporaneously with a prepara- tion so inadequate, a comprehension of the theme so imperfect, a vocabulary so limited, or a pace of mind so slow as to need such filling as this. To simply maintain the oratorical pose and mien and place a suitable stress upon a word when uttered was one of the chief elements of John Bright's tremendous power. He was a slow speaker, but every word was a new and symmetrical stone in the intellectual edifice which he was building. His hearers waited for his words and hung upon them. Worse than this is the unintentional profanity zbc banc of with which extemporaneous prayers are often in- terlarded. It is not the fervent prayer of the un- conscious suppliant whose soul is absorbed which deserves this criticism, but the cold, formal prayer in the early stages of a meeting, or when men without the prayerful spirit are goaded by pastors to perfunctory performance of duty. It is when ministers pray without a fervent spirit that this 321 babbling prav!crs. jEjtemporancous ©ratov^ profanity most frequently appears. They then utter the names of the Deity while thinking of something else to say. Ubcborbera An infallible test of such a situation is this: "^"fanft*"^"" When in extemporaneous prayer one addresses the Deity at intervals, if his mmd is concentrated upon those awful or gracious names and not upon some idea that he is reaching after, and if his heart is moved by awe, confidence, or penitence, the emphasis upon the name will be natural and proper. If he addresses God as a being of infinite power, or if a sense of His holiness is that which causes him to utter the holy name. God, reverence for infinite perfection must affect his tone. If im- ploring pardon he utters the name of the Father of Mercies or of his Son Jesus Christ, tenderness will soften solemnity. But if he pronounces the divine names or attributes of the Deity as though his subconscious intention were similar to that of a novice in a debate, who, in order to fill the time, cries, "Mr. President," at the beginning and end of every sentence, it is certain that those words do not spring from his heart, and that he is taking the name of God in vain. Long prayers, the hypnotic of prayer meetings and of many public services on the Sabbath, would be done away with if only those holy names were emploved which would be likely to rise to the lips of a suppliant were he in God's visible presence. 322 Bcfecte anD Sifficulttcs In the solemn prayer at the dedication of the temple of Solomon, the reading of which with proper emphasis requires ten minutes, there are in direct address but five repetitions of the name of the Creator. "And one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray," The sublime response contains but one utterance of the name of the Deity. All ministers and members of Christian Churches are not deserving these strictures, but that many are will doubtless be conceded, even by some who unconsciously practice what they condemn. To avoid such defects it is not necessary to confine one's self wholly to liturgical forms, since anyone intellectually and morally qualified for the ministry may remedy them; and one who, when his attention is called to such faults, will not try to eradicate them would probably read written prayers irreverently. To remedy paucity of language requires only Bn infallible that a person should never utter a word which "'"'^ ^* does not express his exact meaning. If this be deemed impossible, or prove practically so, and a word which does not satisfy a speaker escapes his lips, he should with calmness and clearness point out wherein that word fails, and substitute for it that which meets the requirement of the thought. This can be done without informing the assembly that he did not intend to use the word, or was 323 ^Extemporaneous ©ratorg not satisfied with it when uttered. He must at- tain a control of himself and of his words which will admit of his doing this, precisely as he would if he saw that the audience did not understand him. Rarely, however, will this mistake be made by one whose unswerving intention is to mean what he says and to say what he means. In preparation for an address in which the same idea must recur it is of advantage to reflect upon synonyms a few moments before speaking. Sup- pose that one desired todescantupon the mysteries of religion, he would not wish to repeat. "This, also, is a mystery," nor would there be any objec- tion to his qualifying the word by some term adapted to detain the mind of the hearer. He might therefore meditate upon many words, such as inscrutable, unfathomable, impenetrable, in- comprehensible. He would be conscious whether he had already used one of those, and thus by proper variety and emphasis could overcome the tendency of the mind of the listener to receive the oft- repeated word, mystery, without a mental response to the significance. Uotbciast. The quest for new words should be ceaseless, and the more vigorously must the search be made as the period draws on in which the memory begins to fail. To imprint these indelibly the habit of writing should be maintained, and when the work is done the composer, dictionary in 324 Detects anO BitScultie^j hand, should reread, and, wherever possible, in- stead of repeating, substitute another word. It is not infrequently the case that speakers who, in part by writing in preparation for their iiddresses, have attained remarkable skill in ex- temporizing, renounce the practice as they advance in years. It is quite possible that if they meditate deeply, and are in constant practice, no marked change in their style will immediately take place. But should the neglect of composition and self-criti- cism be prolonged, imperceptibly to themselves, but not to their hearers, they will become padders. The enumeration of so many defects may tempt "Wo cause for some to conclude that if the extemporizer's bark ''^mcnt.''" encounters so many shoals, sunken reefs, rock- bound coasts, icebergs, fogs, waterspouts, and cyclones, he would better depend upon some other mode of exporting his ideas. But this would be rash ; for, as no man suffers from all disease — though there is none that some human being has not experienced — so no extemporizer has ever met all these difficulties. Should the manuscript and memoriter methods be subjected to a similarly rigorous analysis, it would be seen that they are liable to difficulties and defects, and that they present temptations as obstructive to success as those connected with ex- tempore speech; — and that they are without its compensating advantages. 325- Bitemporaneous ©ratorg CHAPTER XXXVIII protecting One's Selt Bgainst jfailure pREauENT failure and infrequent success are not surprising in an extemporizer too feeble to digest his subject or intelligently to select a vocabu- lary, whose only inspiration is the audience and whose chief supports are a prodigious voice and stupendous conceit. But that the best extempo- rizers occasionally fail is a fact which keeps them constantly apprehensive, and some of the most cele- brated have confessed that they knew no certain means of protecting themselves. Absolute cer- tainty of success is indeed unattainable ; but it may be constantly approached ; and in every pro- fession it is true that some measure of uncertainty is one of the most powerful incentives to action and development, msearcbifgbt Under a target in a field where sharpshoot- nccessars. ^^^ practiced was this inscription: " If you can- not find out why you miss, you will never learn to hit the bull's-eye." The failure of one who generally succeeds re- sults from something which is not operative on the occasions of his triumph. A discovery of such causes is the only means of theoretically determin- ing how they may be prevented, and experiment 326 Iprotccting One's Self iHiiadist jfaUiire the only method of demonstrating theory and per- fecting art. Embarrassment is supposed to be a principal cause of failure, and many endeavoring to account for want of success will say, "I was strangely embarrassed from the beginning to the close." But why should a practiced speaker in usual \igor, expressing himself upon a theme with which he is familiar, be embarrassed ? In this, as in other cases, is an effect to be antagonized by ascertain- ing and guarding against or counteracting its cause. Something external may distract his attention, and through sight or hearing the impression of the source of disturbance may obscure the me- morial perceptions which sustain his flow, and, suddenly recalled to self-consciousness, he is confused. William Pinckney was easily affected in this way, and once was unable to proceed until a noise at the door was suppressed. Webster, his opponent, grimly smiled, for he was not so sensitive as to be disturbed by that kind of inter- ruption; although when he was addressing an audience at a poultry show a giant chanticleer flapped his wings and crowed so lustily that Webster was compelled to sit down. Dr. Dur- BiN was much embarrassed if he perceived per- sons whispering while he was speaking. Many look at the center of disturbance instead 327 ©utwart cau6C6 of ;icf: tiubation. JiEitemporaneous ©rarorg Encountering a bostile glance. of at a point as remote as the configuration of the building will allow. At a summer resort, in the height of the season, I witnessed an instance of dealing effectively with such a cause of annoy- ance. It was at an evening service, where there was a constant influx of late comers. The ar- rangements for seating them in the already well- filled house were peculiar. For the first few minutes after the sermon began all who came were seated on the leftside of the house. During that time the orator looked to the far right, with- out glancing toward the newcomers; the stream of genuine oratory rolled on, and he held the at- tention of his audience. The ushers then seated the people on the right side, and the minister turned to the left. He did not seem in the least distracted. The lights may go out. All then depends upon the self-possession of the speaker. Bishop Janes was preaching once when this occurred; he simply said, "The Gospel light shineth in dark places," and proceeded with his discourse, not losing the attention of the audience during the darkness or when candles were brought. The arrival of a distinguished individual, with the resultant stir, or a hostile look should be similarly met. Almost every assembly contains those who fix their eyes upon a speaker with an expression which perturbs him. The most widely known 328 protecting ©ne's Self against ^failure dissenting minister in London relates that, early in his ministry, a man of magnificent presence, sit- ting in a conspicuous place, fixed his eyes upon him with a gaze which seemed to say, "I have come to take your measure." The discourse was reduced to mediocrity. Subsequently he saw this person standing in the door of a shop and wearing a baker's cap, and learned that he was an ignorant and conceited man, who was proud of his good looks, and boasted that he always got the best seat wherever he went. Speakers in beginning should not look toward irresponsive countenances. When they become absorbed, and reach that peculiar state which is an essential element of commanding oratory, they may endure such a gaze, and find it a tonic. A timid speaker was so transformed that he thus turned his eyes full upon an unbeliever, whose contemptuous stare had terrified him, and thundered forth, "Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish : for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in nowise believe, though a man declare it unto you." The scoffer did not "remain to pray," but incontinently fled from the house. Diffidence, quite another thing from modesty, though often mistaken for it, is a frequent cause of embarrassment. There is no cure for this but "pushing one's self forward." This suggestion (22) 329 UaRc no r(ahs at tbe outset. 3BasbfuInc6i5 not a virtue. Bjtemporaneous ©ratorg is attributed to Lord Bacon, who, in iiis essay on "Nature in Man," adduces a similar general rule from high antiquity: "Neither is the ancient rule amiss, to bend nature as a wand to the con- trary extreme, whereby to set it right; under- standing it (the rule) where a contrary extreme is no vice." This is hazardous unless one have taste to de- cide what is proper nd tact to determine what is prudent. As the bravest may turn pale at thought of danger, yet heroically stand to his guns and be a center of strength in a panic when many whose courage was merely physical retreat in dismay, so a man, conscious that he has something to say worth hearing, should by resolution and practice triumph over diffidence. An oft-recurring source of weakness is the consciousness that one is not Sutfectfve doing what he intended. This, however, should (nstawutB. j^Q^ abash him; for he may be doing far better than he had intended and not be aware of it. He should remember that his audience are ignorant of what he meant to do, and cannot make the com- parison which disturbs him. Temporary loss of connection or actual forgetfulness may dismay him, but this need not be an embarrassment. Every idea that the human mind can conceive may be reached from any other idea by a succes- sion of regular steps without abrupt transitions. 330 protecting ©tie's Self against ^failure All truth is interlocked, and by contrast truth and error may suggest each other. Much can be learned by observing the mental processes of monomaniacs. One such became so enamored of the doctrine of inf:int baptism as to deliver scores of sermons upon it. A friend de- termined to break the spell, requested him to preach a sermon from the text "All flesh is grass." He consented, and thus opened his dis- ^inconsdous of course: '''^ '=''^*"^- "The text, my brethren, asserts a solemn and an humbling fact concerning human nature. The law^ of mortality, which determines the duration of all existing natural forms, includes in its operation the body of man; and with respect to the liability to death, the short-lived and apparently worthless insect is on the same plane with the orator, the statesman, and the field marshal. "But it is a peculiarity of the sacred Scriptures that they never utter a truth humbling to man that they do not couple with it another elevating him to a height but little lower than that of the angels. Hence this passage and a similar one in the New Testament are connected with the great truth, that ' he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.' " But not all who pass away like the flower shall ascend to the glorious heights and joys of heaven; only those who have been regenerated. Regen- eration is an inward grace, which hath its outward 331 Bjtemporancoua ©ratorg sign. Baptism as respects its subjects consists of adult and infant baptism. Infant baptism, its na- ture and grounds, will furnish abundant material for reflection on this occasion." He who has forgotten the connection may as- sert with dignity any truth, whether akin to or re- mote from his main theme, and, interpreting and explaining the words which he utters in the as- sertion, move calmly on, assured that in a short time, much sooner than if he stopped to think where he was, he will reach the missing link and satisfactorily proceed to uncoil the rest of the chain. H stumblings The extempoHzer who quotes much or often is biocfe. liable to be obstructed. Henry Ward Beecher rarely quoted. He had no verbal memory, and could not recite a passage of Scripture correctly, and assigned to me as a reason for not making quotations that the attempt to do so stayed his mental processes, and was equivalent to a dash of cold water in his face. Each quotation has its own rhythm, and if this be contrary to that of the speaker, he will be self- conscious while he quotes, and may find himself compelled, on beginning anew to extemporize, to re-experience the uncertainty which attended his introduction. Quotations should rarely be more than a sentence in length. Some hint should be thrown out as to the source, but the giving of 332 CirotcctiiiG ©ne'6 Self Hgaiiist jfailuce book, chapter, and page dampens the ardor of speaker and hearer. Certain orators read excerpts at points where they concluded the exposition of a thought; this admits of a natural resumption after the quotation is ended. Youthful speakers, who commit easily and dis- trust themselves, abound in quotations, frequently from cyclopedias, and expose themselves to the ' charge of plagiarism by not pausing and changing the inflection when they pass from the created to the borrowed, and again when they resume improvisation. To attempt, without becoming reabsorbed and iFa^c^ rbctor= refreshing the mind, to speak a second time upon ^caiaowcra. a theme previously treated with much freedom and rewarded by approbation is almost a certain forerunner of disaster. Especially is this the case if, as the time of delivery approaches or during it, the speaker refers to notes consisting only of heads or catchwords, expecting to be stirred by them in speaking. The nature of the process makes it im- possible that such words should awaken thought. If the former effort consisted of the repetition of a memorized discourse, then such words or phrases would serve as prompters to the memory ; but there is nothing but ideas left in the brain of an extem- poraneous speaker. The special emotions, the rhythmical movement, and the words in their con- nections have all been dissipated, and such words 333 Bjtemporaneoiis ©ratorg can suggest only what the mind would bring forth. In this unprepared condition, the effort to fol- low the former path with the consciousness of not doing so would rob the speaker of natural spon- taneity; and, unless willing to re-think his subject and to re-heat his emotions, it would be better for him to take a new theme, or to treat the old one without any meditation in preparation, than to at- tempt to follow the old outline. One of the greatest of American theologians was in the habit of preparing his professorial lec- tures, and at the close of an active career which had made the institution famous his compensa- tion was continued, with the expectation that he would revise his lectures for publication. But XDiortswbicb having written little of them, depending upon *"^^ina"*'*'" catchwords while speaking extemporaneously, on applying himself to the task of preparation for the press he found that those words did not recall the forms of speech in which they were clothed when delivered. So much of the matter was in a nebulous condition that he was unable to pro- duce the desired volume. For this reason, if requested to repeat an address, extemporaneous speakers seldom satisfy their friends, and, similarly, many clergymen on re- moving to a new parish fail to meet expectations. The course of thought which, when freshly con- ceived and fervently spoken, made a favorable im- 334 Iprotecting One's Self Bcjainst ^failure pression and spread the fame of the preacher, if said without being revivified is insipid. Profuse expenditure of nerve force during the hours immediately preceding a public effort, oc- casioned by the mind automatically reviewing the subject, and the wild throbbing of pent-up oratoric impulses, defying all attempts toward diversion or repose, frequently leaves one ex- hausted. At one of the Fourth of July celebrations main- tained for many years by the late editor of the Independent, Mr. Henry C. Bowen, at Woodstock, Conn., the chairman of the meeting, while the second speech was being made received a card from an orator whose name was fourth upon the program. The card bore these words: "I must speak now or not at all." There was no time for explanation. The third speaker reluctantly con- sented to be the fourth. At the close the gentleman who had requested a change explained that he felt his force oozing away under the excitement of suspense, and knew that before another speech closed he would be in the depths of reactionary weakness. It would be better for such speakers Kntc=orat(on tr enter into an animated conversation upon an- other subject, or to pay no attention to those whom they are to follow. I know one who works out algebraic problems that he may leap fresh to his feet when his name is announced. 335 tcBtlceencee, Bjtemporancous ©ratorg cbe^ca^8ea. Sometimes, instead of an exhausting reaction, a curious psychological phenomenon occurs. The mind enters a region of calm resembling that of the murderer who knows that he is to be hanged the next morning, yet who has a better night's sleep than he has had since his conviction. This is accounted for by the inability of the mind to think of anything new relating to the subject. It has gone round and round until from brain exhaustion it sinks into a stupor. What shall a speaker do under such circum- stances ? This calmness is a species of mental rest, and he should regard his state with a kind of recklessness. Possibly the moment he opens his mouth the struggle for utterance will resemble a maelstrom, and he must condense the current into a stream of proper breadth and depth for an ex- ordium. Perhaps he will not seem to himself to have anything to say. A pleasant reference may be made to the preceding speaker, to the audience, to the occasion, or to the theme, until he is slightly stirred, and the felt necessity of proceeding will re-establish the lost circuit. One may learn to regard this calm as a precursor of self-possession, and to perceive the passage from it into normal interest as though watching the processes of another. Experience shows me that it is not like the calm of indifference, of paralysis, of sleep, nor of lassitude, but resembles a phe- 336 protecting ©lie's Self Bgainst J'aUure nomenon which sometimes occurs to command- ers on the field of battle as the crisis approaches, to captains of vessels when informed that there are breakers ahead, or that the ship is sinking, and to any who receive intelligence which ordinarily would excite, but for the moment checks the mind. Another variety of preliminary depression has a different origin. When, from excessive labor, anxiety, insomnia, fatiguing travel, domestic sor- row, or other weakening condition, the nervous system is overstrained one may have a morbid abnormal conviction that the hour has come for his public torcboBmaa. humiliation. It may become so vivid as to give him that dreadful sense of impending catastrophe which produces actual misery at the pit of the stomach, and this may continue for days before the speech is delivered. Yet when the hour comes the speech may be in the highest degree success- ful, all fear disappearing; but the strangest part of this experience is that he cannot insure himself against a recurrence of this state. Five times in a single winter a favorite speaker in the city of New York was compelled to contend against this pre- monition. Consulting a high medical authority, he was told that it indicated weakening of the nerve centers, and that he would do well to go abroad until he could contemplate an address with his accustomed calmness. The prescription was taken; the desired effects followed. As he had 337 :Eitemporaneous ©ratorg succeeded in each of the five addresses, the bear- ing of his experience upon preliminary waste of nerve powder is that, determined not to fail under this morbid fear, he attempted to carry preparation beyond its normal bounds, and the result was pros- trating reaction, which would have accelerated a crisis in his life had he not obeyed his phy- sician's order. jFordngtbe Artificial acceleration is a more common cause ^^^^' of failure than embarrassment. When he be- gins, no matter how slowly his mind works, a speaker should make no conscious effort. Were his address committed to memory, he could, if he thought it wise, increase the rate of speed and de- liver, instead of sixty words, one hundred and twenty in the first minute. But when the mind produces of itself only sixty words a minute, to attempt to speak seventy plunges everything into confusion. His mind is moving at one speed, voice and gesture at another. Unable to apply the' rules of elocution as the reader or memorizer might, he is arbitrarily increasing force and motion, and consequently failing to emphasize, accent, or inflect properly, destroying nerve power, and trans- forming the functions of his brain from a disci- plined army into a mob. The rate will take care of itself if not forced, and be exactly what it should be. Sometimes accident saves from total failure those who force the rate. After beginning with 338 protecting ©ne'5 Self Boainet ^failure unnatural rapidity, and screaming in the first ten or fifteen minutes without rhyme or reason, having totally exhausted themselves, they drop to a low tone, and from that proceed just as they should have done from the beginning. Analogous to this is the mistake of seeking to attempting to control the style. The condition of the speaker ' cdvcVS^ determines this; the circulation of his blood, his respiration, and the impulses from the nerve centers occupied in thought and in the selection of verbal signs. His style may be ornate and pompous — what is popularly called oratoric — or consist of a dignified flow of monologue, with a pervading conversational accent and inflection, or of epigrammatic sentences. If nature controls, he will never speak twice in exactly the same way; there may be a general similarity, but if that is too marked, it is reasonable to infer that he aims at a certain rhetorical form. The speaker should recognize the fact that he may achieve success in any method. Suppose that his thoughts come in short sentences ? Then the discourse will be brief, pronunciation distinct, and bearing natural. The impulses being one, not many, gestures will be totally different, and the words, also, will be unlike what they would be were the general movement more rhythmical and swelling. Whereas, if the speaker finds such con- densed expression coming to his lips, and hurries 339 Brtcnvporancou0 ©rator^ with a view of being what he thinks more elo- quent, he will have neither the weight of the short utterances, the majesty of the more oratoric, nor the rippling of the conversational. The true liberty of an orator comes as does the liberty of a pedestrian who starts at a moderate pace, and though for a few moments exertion seems to fatigue him, as he continues his muscles become flexible, his whole frame is involved in Entering into the movement, and with ease he walks for hours. iibcrtB. Were he to begin a journey at the rate of four or five miles an hour and attempt to sustain that speed, the result would be disastrous. Liberty comes to the speaker, as to the writer who knows how feeble will be the product if he forces him- self in advance of apprehension and comprehen- sion. No one can foresee which of his efforts will give greatest satisfaction. Meanwhile he has the pleasure of conscious variety. Each experiment resembles the flying of a new kite, whose move- ments one watches with delight. Practice has given him the power to guide its motion and to protect it against sudden storms, but he does not interfere with it unless summoned by a powerful tug upon the string, when he instinctively re- sponds with restraint or guidance. The epigrammatic style is born of the intellect; the influence of the emotions is at its lowest 340 Iprotcctinc} ©ne's 3clt Bgalnst failure point; the colloquial has more of the personal element, while the "loud swelling" is more closely related to the imagination, through which the emotions are excited, but diffused rather than concentrated. The deepest emotion tends to isolated epigrammatic utterances, but they will be few, for there is no emotional speaking without rhythm, and there is little scope for rhythm in short sentences or heavily laden phrases. The only means of influencing style fora particular occasion is to reflect beforehand on what would be appro- priate, and to become imbued with the conclusion reached. Then, should one through physical conditions develop an improper style, this may be fused or otherwise by the indirect action of the previous reflections, and thus to some extent modified with a minimum amount of internal conflict. What is to be avoided is a conscious attempt to control style while speaking. Occasionally a speaker is seized with a loathing flncntai of his whole train of thought, in an extreme case, if he possesses perfect confidence in him- self, he may be justified in making an entire change; or he may use his original thought in a secondary aspect and with a condensed reference, thus retaining its appropriateness without being enslaved to an elaboration from which he recoils. A difficulty more serious is when it is impossible 341 nausea JEi-temporancou3 ©latocg for him to remember anything that he meant to say, and when his mind seems a blank. Where disease or utter exhaustion is not at the base of this he can dissipate the difficulty by the utter- ance of truisms for a fev/ moments ; and often he will find a ready utterance, astonishing him by the facility with which the scattered thoughts re- turn and the clearness with which they display themselves before the mental eye. If the case is desperate, he should be brief. The audience will simply think that for reasons unknown to them he did not design to speak at length. Courage bovn He must not allow any such change of tone or of &cspair. manner to reveal his embarrassment. This art can be acquired by practice, and a man with a mind as blank as the face of a granite rock may stand before an audience as inscrutable as the sphinx. It is impossible for him to be paralyzed after he has had a little experience. All internal causes of failure diminish in fre- quency of recurrence and in strength under the influence of self-study, preparation, and practice. But there is no hope for one who fails without being aware of it; — an experience which there is reason to fear is not uncommon with many speak- ers, whatever their method. 342 CeUbratcO Bjtempoi'iiere— Sbe OlD lUcrlO CHAPTER XXXIX CelebratcD Bstemporiseus-Cbe ©10 XClorlO A DISCRIMINATING study of typical extern porizers, with a view to ascertaining liow tiiey perfected themselves in their art, should confirm or correct all preconceived theories. Among the works on Eloquence and kindred subjects which havvj come down from antiquity that entitled Institutes of Oratory ; or, The Edu- cation of the Orator, by Marcus Fabius Quintili- ANUS, is most widely known. Because of Mac- aulay's characterization of it as superficial, I was for several years so prejudiced against this work as not to give it an attentive reading. Later, after "reading, marking, learning, and inwardly digest- ing" it, I came to the conclusion that he was a master of those principles which underlie all suc- cessful oratory, although his discussions are some- times finical and pedantic, and his criticisms dimin- ished in value by the unconscious influence exerted •over him by the mass of rhetorical rules which had been accumulated before his day, and greatly added to during his protracted career. Qiiotations from him abound, but because he devoted the greater part of his work to inculcating the neces- sity of acquiring knowledge, Wiiting discourses, 343 B stanCart for nineteen ccns turtea. :Ejtemporaneou5 ©ratorg snd cultivating memory, the impression has ob- tained that he disparaged the art of the extem- porizer. practice of an= Yet he testifies that it was the custom of the .•lent lawyers, celebrated lawyers of his time who had much general practice "to write only the most essential parts, and especially the commencements, of their speeches; to fix the other portions that they bring from home by meditation ; and to meet any un- foreseen attacks with extemporaneous replies. That Cicero adopted this method is evident from his own memoranda." * The reader is cautioned that, "if by chance, while we are speaking, some glowing thought suggested on the instant should spring up in our minds, we must certainly not adhere too super-' stitiously to that which we have studied." QijiN- TILIAN affirms that in prepared speeches, "though it is of the first importance to bring with us from home a proper and precise array of language [in which he differs from what I aim to teach], it would be the greatest folly to reject the offerings of the moment." After devoting much space to other methods he begins the seventh chapter of his tenth book in these words: "But the richest fruit of all our study, and the most ample recompense for the extent of ou* •Quintilian's Institutes of Oratory , translated by Watson, vol. ii, p. 307. 344 CcIebrate^ Bjtcmporljers— ^bc ©10 MorlD Ube b(gbC8t eulogy of tbia art. labor, is the faculty of speaking extempore ; and he who has not succeeded in acquiring it will do well to renounce the occupations of the forum and de- vote his solitary talent of writing to some other employment; for it is scarcely consistent with the character of a man of honor to make a public pro- fession of service to others which may fail in the most pressing emergencies, since it is of no more use than to point out a harbor to a vessel to which it cannot approach unless it be borne along by the gentlest breezes." * The foregoing authorizes the classification of QuiNTiLiAN among extern porizers. As I shall quote from him with respect to other proficients in this art, I disregard the order of time, and place him first in the list of those selected from a large number. Pericles, the greatest of Greek statesmen, ac- ube statesman cording to tradition was the greatest of orators. EupoLis, in his Denu\ asked news of the great orators, whom he represented as ascending from the shades below, and when Pericles appears cries out: " Head of the tribes that haunt those spacious realms, Does he ascend ?" He studied music with Damon, who, however, probably taught him more of politics than of music. Under Anaxagoras he studied philosophy, purified ocator. (23) * Quintilian, vol. ii, p. 300. 345 J££temporaneou0 ©ratorg Dnci^ental cv(= ^encc tbat iPerlcles eis tempor(3e6. and elevated his style, and was delivered from superstition. Of Zeno, a consummate dialectician, he learned much. He trained his imagination and improved his vocabulary until, on account of his eloquence, he is said to have gained a surname of Olympius. Thucydides said of him, "When I throw him he says he was never down, and he persuades the very spectators to believe so." QyiNTiLiAN says, " The solicitude of Pericles was so great that when he had to speak in public he addressed a prayer to the gods that not a word might escape him disagreeable to the people." Plutarch represents him as praying that " not a word might unawares escape him unsuitable to the occasion." That Pericles should have prayed that he might say nothing "disagreeable to the people " is foreign to his character, for he neither indulged nor courted the multitude. But either version agrees with the theory that he was an extemporizer. None of his speeches has been preserved. That recorded by Thucydides furnishes internal evidence of presenting the ideas of Pericles in the language of Thucydides. A note to Plutarch's Ufe of Peri- cles quotes SuiDAS, who wrote many centuries after Plutarch, as saying that Pericles "wrote down his orations before he pronounced them in public, and, indeed, was the first who did so." Pro- fessor Bredif, in Political Eloquence of Greece, 346 CelcbrateD JEjtcmporiiers— Cbc ©ID IClorlO declares: "Pericles, who was a statesman, and not a professional orator, never wrote his orations. Like Aristides, Themistocles, and the ancient ora- tors, he improvised after laborious meditation. The impression produced was immediate and last- ing; ' he left the goad in the minds of his hearers.' . . . Neither Pericles nor his contemporaries thought of preserving such touching harangues. Only a few specimens of these masterpieces have been saved from oblivion. . . . What must that eloquence have been which is still so forcible and grand, half concealed under the veil of historian and interpreter?" As an orator he had acquired comprehensive general preparation, was proficient in all that was known of the arts of speech, and deeply meditated upon the topic, the composi- tion of the assembly, and his specific aim. It is generally supposed that Demosthenes was ubc patriot exclusively a memoriter speaker, and his achieve- ments have been displayed as a demonstration of the superiority of that method. That he usually wrote his orations and confined himself to reciting them are indisputable; but that he never extemporized is untrue. In his first address the people derided him for the weakness and stammering of his voice, for the violence of his manner, which threw him into a "confusion cf his periods and a distortion of his argument." It was concluded that he was aot a man of much 347 ;i£jtcmporaneou6 ©ratorg genius, and Plutarch says, "A strong proof of this seemed to be that he was seldom heard to speai^ anything extemporaneously, and though people often called upon him by name to speak to the point debated, he would not do it unless he came prepared." To his friends he did not pre- tend to deny his previous application, but told them "he never wrote the li'/zo/^ of his orations, norspoke without first committing part to writing. " He was accused of taking Pericles for his model. " But this," says Plutarch, " he only did in adopt- ing his action and delivery, and his prudent reso- lution not to make a practice of speaking from sudden impulse, or on any occasion that might present itself. . . . Yet, while he chose not often to trust the success of his powers to for- tune, he did not absolutely neglect the reputation which may be acquired by speaking on a sudden occasion." Eratosthenes, Demetrius, Philerian, and many others say there was "a greater spirit and bold- ness in his unpremeditated orations than in those he had committed to writing." m rival of tbe Contemporary with Demosthenes was Demades, hing of orators, ^j^^ spoke wholly extempore, and was believed to be superior to Demosthenes. Plutarch says "it was agreed on all hands that Demades excelled all the orators when he trusted to nature only, and that his sudden effusions were superior to the 348 Celebrated Bjtempoi-i3cr6— c;bc ©10 liflorlO labored speeches of Demosthenes." Of Demos- thenes, Theophrastus said, "I think him worthy of Athens." Of Demades, " I think him above it."* Professor Bredif says that Demosthenes had little success in improvisation, but when he was com- pelled to speak impromptu it was with an energy superior to that of his written orations; that the emergency " imprinted upon his mind an agi- tation the result of which was remarkably vigor- ous language."! Professor Bredif also observes that Demades had a prompt conception and a ready language. In his extemporaneous speeches he often completely reversed the arguments which Demosthenes had carefully studied and premedi- tated. Sometimes, also, when he saw Demos- thenes disturbed by clamor he subdued the popu- lace by an appeal.* Demades was of low origin and without princi- ple, yet his extempore powers have maintained his fame till this day. His habit of writing has preserved the addresses of Demosthenes; that of Demades, to make no notes, has consigned his to oblivion, as is the case with those of Phocion, Hisorc= who was spoken of with Demosthenes thus: " Demosthenfs is the greatest orator, Phocion the most powerful speaker;" Demosthenes him.self saying, when Phocion rose to oppose him, " Mere comes the pruning hook of my periods."* * Plutarch, Lz/e of Demosthenes. + Political Eloquence 0/ Greece, p. 17-; 349 nowneS. ^Extemporaneous ©ratorg Demosthenes endeavored to produce the effect of extempore speech, and attained greater success therein than any other generally memorizing ©emostbcnes speaker. LoNGiNiJS says : "He seems to invert criticises bg ^j^ ^gj.y order of his discourse, and, what is more, to Utter everything extempore; so that by means of his long transpositions he drags his readers along, and conducts them through all the intricate mazes of his discourse. Frequently arresting his thoughts in the midst of their career, he makes excursions into different subjects, and intermin- gles several seemingly unnecessary incidents; by this means he gives his audience a kind of anxiety, as if he had lost his subject and forgotten what he was about, and so strongly engages their con- cern that they tremble for and bear their share in the dangers of the speaker. At length, after a long ramble, he very pertinently but unexpectedly returns to his subject, and raises the surprise and admiration of all by these daring but happy transpositions." * Notwithstanding these efforts, the style of his reported orations is so condensed as to lead Lord Brougham to doubt whether any such speeches were ever delivered. He appears to believe that these may be as prepared for delivery, but that Demosthenes added much to them while speaking. I have introduced Demosthenes not to detract ♦ Dionysius Longinus on the Sublime, Smith's translation, p. 139. 350 GelcbratcJ? B£tcmporf3Ci-s— Jibe ©l^ liUlcrlD from the triumphs of the memorizing method as employed by him, but to emphasize the facts that he was not exclusively a reciter; that he often improvised; that his influence might have been even greater had he possessed a larger measure of this power; and that in the judgment of many of his contemporaries he was at least equaled by certain extemporizers in power over the Athenian assemblies. Cicero studied under the best instructors of his tcbe a^x»ocatc time. He mastered Greek literature, and attached "traorMnars. himself to the most distinguished men, notably ScAEVOLA the Augur; took notes of his lectures, committed to memory his maxims and sayings, followed him to the courts when he pleaded, and to the rostrum when he harangued the people. He watched the gestures of the best actors, and spent much time in reading, writing, and practicing declamation. While he dabbled in everything, "philosophy and oratory seem to have been the two chief objects of his study." At home he diligently declaimed the most striking passages in the Greek orators or in speeches he had heard. He exerted his limbs to the utmost in speaking, and strained his voice to its highest pitch, in the open air, after the manner of the Italian orators. Naturally of feeble constitution, just as he had reached an astonishing height in popular esteem, he developed symptoms of consumption, and was 351 Ejtcmporaneoue ©ratori? obliged to retire two years for travel. But he im- proved his time by studying with the most cel- ebrated masters of rhetoric. When he had time for the work his orations were written and delivered from memory, but when pressed with business he spoke extempora- neously, and with the vanity natural to him he commended some of the orations which he thus pronounced as superior to other productions, but as he advanced in years his style became slow and measured, Cbe apostle to jhat St. Paul was Well instructed, had rare natural powers, and spoke extemporaneously can be inferred both from his references to himself and the New Testament reports of his speeches. His facility was derived from intense study, habit- ual meditation, and constant practice. That in general he dictated his epistles is therein avowed, and they exhibit the characteristics of impassioned extemporaneous oratory. By reasoning of " righteousness, tem^perance, and judgment to come " he made Felix tremble. He extorted from Festus the eulogium "Thou art beside thyself ; much learning doth make thee mad," and extemporized a reply which disproved the charge, but justified the compliment; and he elicited an interruption from Agrippa. to which his extempore reply is one of the noblest outbursts in the history of oratory, 352 CcIcbrateD ]Ertcniporf3er5-'Cbe ©ID 11Clorl5 Among the Christian fathers none were more celebrated for oratory than Chrysostom, who studied elocution under Libamus, and often used notes, but rarely gave attention to them, surrender- ing himself to his impulses. He was strongly op- posed to introducing into the pulpit a style "bor- rowed from the theater or the lecture rooms of declaimers." He affirmed that through the vanity of seeking applause by mere oratorical glitter the whole Christian cause would come to be suspected by the hosts. Sermons in his time were "some- times, though rarely, read off entirely from notes or committed to memory; sometimes they were freely delivered, after a plan prepared beforehand; and sometimes the)^ were altogether extempore.'" Chrysostom himself states that his subject was frequently suggested by something which he met with on the way to church, or which suddenly occurred during divine service. He was ready to make use of whatever occurred, and one of his most impressive sermons was inspired by his see- ing, in the winter time, many sick persons and beggars lying in the vicinity of the church.* Of BossuET, described as the "Corneille of preachers," it is said that in the employment of living words for the purpose of persuasion, he has never been transcended. When but sixteen he v/as asked to preach an extempore sermon ♦ Neander, C/jwrf A History, vol. ii, p. 317. 353 rbc *'OoI^cn ^outbce.' trbc " Eaqle of ^caui." Biteniporaneoud ©rators before a society "representing the cream of Parisian wit, beauty, virtue, and nobility," and responded in a manner tiiat commanded sympathy and admiration. The major part of his discourses are lost, few of them, indeed, having been written out. " An hour or two before entering the pulpit he sat quietly meditating over his text; he scrib- bled some hasty notes on bits of paper, mostly appropriate passages from the fathers, occasionally writing out a sentence more complicated than usual; then he surrendered himself completely to the effect produced by the spirit of the moment and the impression made upon his audience."* He was a master of Greek and Latin and knew the Bible almost by heart, so that Lamartine de- scribed him as "the Bible transfused into a man." Though he showed little taste for mathematics or physical science, as a student he achieved distinc- tion in classics, sacred literature, and philosophy; constantly wrote didactic treatises and polemic discourses, and was the author of the first attempt at a philosophical treatment of history. Only men of similar accomplishments, training, and literary habits should presume to follow his method of preparing for public speech, "xrbe reviver Lacordaire, Jean Baptiste Henri, who attracted of dfrencb puis ^j^g largest audiences ever gathered in modern pit eloquence." '^ ^ . ,, France, was an extemporaneous preacner. He * Legouve's A rt 0/ Ktaiiing. 35-4 CelcbratcO Hrtcmporijcrs— Cbe ©ID lUorlO was educated for the legal profession, and obtained the highest honors in the law schools of Dijon and Paris, leaping almost at a bound to the front rank in his profession. In religious opinions he was first a deist and a follower of Voltaire, from whom he turned to Lamennais, whose writings against Voltaire, especially his "Essay on Indif- ference," led Lacordaire to devote himself to Christianity. The Count Montalembert, his intimate friend, accredits him with every physical and mental quality of the orator, and his contemporaries universally describe his voice as vigorous and vibrating, capable of infinite modulation, and his gestures as graceful, animated, and expressive. His first sermon in public was in the great sn unprop{= Church of St. Roche, in Paris, and Montalembert t'0"s6cbut. says: "I was there. ... He failed completely, and coming out everyone said, * This is a man of talent, but he never will become a preacher. ' " The failure, however, stimulated him to greater efforts. One year later he began conferences in one of the Paris colleges, his audiences often comprising six hundred persons, who spread his fame throughout Europe. The next year he was installed preacher at the Cathedral of Notre Dame, and the late Dr. R. W. Dale wrote of him that "he knew how to fascinate the intellect, kindle the imagination, and touch the heart of the most cultivated and of the 355 JEjtemporancous ©ratorg most illiterate." Wlienever he was announced to preacli the cathedral was surrounded long before the doors were opened, and Dr. Dale states that the aisles and side chapels were thronged by statesmen, journalists, members of the Academy, tradesmen, workingmen, high-born women, skep- tics, socialists, devout Catholics, and resolute Protestants, " who were all compelled to surrender themselves for the time to the irresistible torrent of his eloquence." Professor Hoppin, in his elaborate volume on Homilctics, states that Lacordaire preached me- moriter, but he is in error.* Lacordaire is worthy the name of the great reviver of pulpit eloquence in France in the nine- teenth century, and as one of the most effective of modern preachers is properly included in the series entitled Les Grands Ecrivains Franfais, published by Hach; tte, Paris, his Life being written by Le Comte D'Haussonville. That H recent work, on pages 147-149 in treating Lacordaire's cuiogium. method, states that he was to the highest degree an extemporaneous speaker. He did not, indeed, presume to enter the pulpit without preparation, but it was internal and abstract. It was the fruit of his meditations, more mystical than literary, occupying the day before and sometimes only * See A rt 0/ Extemporary Preaching, by T. J. Potter, Professor of Sa- cred Eloquence in the Missionarj' College of All Hallows, Dublin, chap. viii. CelcbratcD :!£rtcmpori3cr6-Cbc ©ID "CClorlD the same morning; — and always commingled with ardent prayers. His plan was determined beforehand, but only m broadest outline, never in details. Philosophi- zing upon this method, the biographer remarks that in the man who has the gift of language, and in this he seems to think that gift wholly consists (a doubtful hypothesis), the abstract idea naturally takes the oratorical form, and when the thought evolves in its logical order the expression in which it has translated itself to the mind arrives. But often Lacordaire drew his most powerful irntcUcctimi effects from some movement which he had felt >"''^i^"°"« in his audience, of which he made himself the interpreter, or some interior emotion which stirred him, and the vibration of which his own language transmitted. The great secret of this power was the outpouring of a full mind, unbridled by the artifices of preparation with passion, at the same time overflowing and restrained. Only his education as a lawyer, his experience as a journalist, his constant habits of study, and profound meditation, superinduced upon natural gifts and absorbing devotion, would have justified this method.* Henry St. John Bolingbroke displayed oratori- zbc"%oviot cal and debating powers unrivaled in his time. It *'';^ow!"" is affirmed of him that he was the first British *Ari of Exte»if>orary Preaching. 357 Bitemporaneous ©ratorg statesman whose parliamentary oratory was really a power; and that its pre-eminent characteristics were " copiousness and readiness, extreme fluency and spontaneity, combined with a brilliant felicity of phrase, the right expression seeming to spring up naturally along with the thought to be ex- pressed." We learn from Lord Chesterfield how this power was obtained : "The late Lord Bolingbroke without the least trouble talked all day long fully as eloquently as he wrote. Why ? Not by a peculiar gift from heaven ; but, as he often told me himself, by an early and constant attention to his style."* Although not a fragment of his parliamentary eloquence has been preserved, his writings are so oratorical in style that they probably reveal the characteristics of his more elaborate speeches. Ube people's Lord CHATHAM, having all the natural endow- prime miniss nients of the orator, widely read, a student of the classics, a devotee of Demosthenes, a veritable magician in speech, employed the extempore method. With all his gifts and his overwhelming spontaneity, in order to enlarge his vocabulary he twice read Bailey's Dictionary, and to master gesticulation and the control of the muscles of his face he habitually practiced articulation before a mirror. Such was the excitement when he spoke ♦ Letter 220. 358 of Scbatcrs. Celebrated* Eitempoi'l3cr»— Cbe ©10 tdorlD that it was impossible to report him, and the speech which in its delivery and publication overthrew Walpole's ministry owes its written form to Dr. Johnson. The elements of his suc- cess were untiring practice, continual acquisition, and the habitual study of words, together with his personal character and achievements as a states- man and a natural susceptibility of being roused by the occasion. The fame of Charles James Fox as a parliamen- -cbe paracion tary orator and debater is perennial, although he began awkwardly, was often almost unintelligible, abounded in repetitions, and was careless of his personal appearance. Pitt spoke of him as a magician, who laid a spell upon his hearers so long as words issued from his lips. Rogers declared that he "never heard any- thing equal to Fox's speeches in reply. They were wonderful." Charles Butler said that "the moment of his grandeur was when, having stated the argument of his adversary with much greater force than his adversary had done, he seized it with the strength of a giant and tore and trampled it to destruction." Edmund Burke af- firmed him to be "the most brilliant and accom- plished debater the world ever saw." Macintosh accounted for his effects by his possessing "above all moderns a unison of reason, simplicity, and vehemence." 359 j£jtcmporancou6 ©ratorg This prodigy of the forum was an absolutely extempore speaker. He justified repetition upon theory, and when told that a speech read well said, "Then it must have been a bad speech." With him it was a cardinal principle that to reach and maintain perfection it was necessary to speak constantly; and referring to this he said, " During five whole sessions I spoke every night but one; and I regret that I did not speak that night too! " Though volumes of his speeches in the House of Commons are published, none, except a eulogium of a deceased duke, the only speech he wrote out beforehand, is printed as it was delivered. He had in view the conviction of those to whom he spoke, acquired all the information necessary to enable him to speak convincingly, had the manner of absolute sincerity, and carried earnest- ness and vehemence to the highest possibility of physical endurance; on which account he was called "the most Demosthenic orator since De- mosthenes." H great The transcendent ability, and especially the elo- fatber's great quence and courage, of William Pitt caused him to be made Chancellor of the Exchequer before he was twenty-four years of age, and one year later he was recognized as the most powerful subject in Europe. Macaulay says of him : " At his first appearance in Parliament he showed himself superior to all his contemporaries in command of. ^6o eon. Celebrated ;iEitempori3er6— ^be ©ID IU01I& language. He could pour forth a long succession of round and stately periods without premedita- tion, without ever pausing for a word, without ever repeating a word, in a voice of silver clear- ness, and with a pronunciation so articulate that not a letter was slurred over. ... He was at once the only man who could, without notes, open a budget, and the only man who, as Wind- ham said, could speak that most elaborately effusive and unmeaning of human compositions, a king's speech, without premeditation." The account given by Pitt to Lord Stanhope,* ibis own eia his biographer, is that he owed to this circum- *' ^"* stance whatever readiness of speech he possessed and aptness in finding the right word: His father, Lord Chatham, " had bade him take up any book in some foreign language with which he was well acquainted, in Latin and Greek especially, and read out of this work a passage in English, stop- ping when he was not sure of the word to be used in English until the right word came to his mind, and then proceed." At first he had often to stop while seeking the exact reproduction of the idea in idiomatic English, but gradually ac- quired perfect facility and accuracy. George Whitefield, after reading for a short hs t;ct witboui time, is supposed to have spoken memoriter, and in * "^ ** oratorical power he is generally placed at the head *Life o/Pitf, vol. I, p. 8. (24) 361 JSitcmpoiancous ©ratorg of English preachers. Having made a thorough study of action, and possessing a voice of amaz- ing compass, sweetness, and strength, judged by the efforts of his oratory, he is worthy to be classed with Demosthenes. He repeated ser- mons frequently, and throughout his life was in the habit of doing so on his first appearance in -4«ny large community. Though early in his career he recited parts of sermons verbatim, he soon ac- quired the ability to take advantage of new situ- ations, and of favorable or unfavorable responses. and as he grew older made greater use of the power of extemporizing. The reason that his published discourses seem dull is not alone, as has been alleged, that his manner was so impressive and persuasive that he would have swayed audi- ences whatever he might say, but because he added long extempore passages which are not in- cluded in the reports. His published discourses could not have required more than half an hour in delivery, but he frequently spoke twice, and some- times three times, that length. The sermons which he preached within a few months of his death were extempore, and many of his most impas- sioned outbursts were pure improvisations. B ruler of JOHN Wesley was Ordinarily a wholly extempore asaembUcs. preacher. Many of his published sermons were written to serve as authorized expositions of the doctrines of Methodism, and some of these were .562 CelebrateD Ejtemporijcrs— c:bc ®IJ) "U^orlO never read to an audience. Dr. James H. Rigg justly contrasts the two names that represent re- spectively Calvinistic and Arminian Methodism: "Whitefield, powerful preacher as he was, was yet more popular than powerful. Wesley, popu- lar preacher as he was, was yet more powerful in comparison with his fellows than he was popular."* Wesley's preparation for extempore speech be- gan in his youth, for he was a student and a master of logic, presided in the disputations of his college and as a fellow of the University, was a devotee of Anglo-Saxon, and to the day of his death cul- tivated his style with reference to clearness, force, and incisiveness. Daniel O'CoNNELL began the profession of law ..trbeitbcw in 1798, the year of the "Great Rebellion," and, though on account of his faith subjected in a variety of ways to caste hostility, he speedily gained a great name. He was an expert in criminal and constitutional law, divined the Irish character in- tuitively, was sagacious and cunning, and, though fifty years old when he entered Parliament, where he was expected to fail, he stood in the front rank as a debater. Having studied in the Catholic col- leges of France, having seen the folly of the French Revolution, he was able to check the rash im- pulses of his countrymen toward socialistic sym- pathies and principles. * The Living, Wesley. ator.' jEitcmporancous ©ratorg 6reat natural qualifications. H competent witness. He was endowed with a commanding presence, strength to meet all possible demands, and a voice that would cany its modulations further than that of any speaker of whom authentic ac- counts have been given. Holyoake, who often heard him, says of his power of adaptation that "he had a threefold voice: one of persuasiveness in the law court, one of dignity in Parliament, and another of resounding raciness on the platform." Wendell Phillips listened to him on several oc- casions, and, describing him, says: "We used to say of Webster, this is a great effort; of Ever- ett, this is a beautiful effort; but you never used the word 'effort' in speaking of O'Connell. It provoked you that he would not make an effort." After declaring that he thought that no orator he had ever heard equaled O'Connell, he asks: "Do you think I am partial ? I will avouch John Ran- dolph, of Roanoke, the Virginia slaveholder, who hated an Irishman almost as he hated a Yankee, himself an orator of no mean level. Hearing O'Connell, he exclaimed, 'This is the man; these are the lips the most eloquent that speak English in my day.' " Allowing for the extravagance of praise and blame that characterized Mr. Phillips and John Randolph, and conceding that his speeches were often marred by coarseness and envenomed by bitterness, and that exaggeration was his native 364 CclebratcD jejtcmporijcrs— G:be C'lO lAHorlO element, there can be no doubt that Daniel O'CoNNELL was one of the greatest of orators, and that his triumphs in different spheres belonged to the class that are possible only to those who speak extemporaneously. With all his gifts O'Connell owed his success in so many fields to complete familiarity with the technique of his profession, to study and observa- tion in every new sphere, and to ceaseless prac- tice, yet most of all to a devotion to his race, his country, and his Church rarely paralleled. Aiming at the mastery of law, letters, science, oratory, and statesmanship, though frequently reading from manuscript or committing to mem- ory his celebrated orations, Lord Brougham at- tained the highest rank as an extemporaneous orator, and without the exercise of that power could not have maintained himself in the position of supremacy which he held through two genera- tions. When less than fifteen years of age he founded a debating society, where he contended with Jeffrey, Murray, Cockburn. and others who became famous. His biographers represent that he surpassed his contemporaries not in depth of knowledge or soundness of reasoning, but in astonishing flow of language, readiness in reply, the grace of his elocution, and his gift of irony, sarcasm, and ridicule. I heard him seven years before his death. The 365 Bn {ntelTectual glaJiator bes fore two gens erations. :!£jtemporancou0 ©latorg subject under consideration in tiie House of Lords was whether her majesty's government, in the interest of humanity, was not bound to protest against the atrocities perpetrated upon the Poles by the Russian government. Supposing that Brougham had retired from public life, when I saw, moving excitedly upon his seat, a gaunt still" bis bo8= figure, with seamed face and eyes that gleamed om fcit^^tbc ynder beetling brows like those of a wild beast, I asked, "Who is that restless old man?" The reply was, "That is Lord Brough- am; he acts as he always does when he is going to speak; it will be a rare day for you if you hear . him." A half hour later Brougham leaped from the bench, and partly roared and partly hissed words harrowing to a citizen of the United States. One or two sentences illustrate its tenor: "Me Lawds.why are we looking askance at the Russian bear, at the half-civilized Tartars, when we can see across the Atlantic our own kith and kin cutting each other's throats over Negro slavery ? And with what pre- tense of consistency can we rebuke the Czar before we have protested against them, and with what consistency can we rebuke them when we think of our own deeds ? " It was as though an old tiger waking from sleep had plunged head foremost against the bars of his cage, and then sunk back exhausted. I saw 366 CclcbratcO jEjtemporijcrs— ^Tbe ©ID 'UHorlD enough to enable me to confirm the description of Brougham by S. C. Hall: ' ' Careless to a blamable extent of personal appear- " ifor a' tbat. ance, his clothes hung loosely about him as if his tailor \\ hen he made them had neglected to take his measure. His action was the reverse of graceful; his features coarse and somewhat awry, the well-re- membered twitching of the nose giving to them rather a repulsive character; the eyes were not ex- pressive except when animated, and then they rather reminded one of a vulture than an eagle— still in their fierceness and indicating the strength of expression so paramount in his flexible and powerful voice." * it is doubtful whether any modern orator in "Cbc great England has surpassed John Bright in mastery of his audience and in leaving a permanent personal impress. Like Abraham Lincoln's, his first set speech was in favor of temperance; he was but nineteen years old when it was delivered. He began his public career by committing to memory what he intended to utter on the platform, "but," savs Davidson,! in a work published during Mr. Bright's lifetime, "he soon abandoned so clumsy and exhausting a method of address. Instead of memoriter reproductions, he held impromptu re- hearsals at odd hours in his father's mill before Mr. Nuttall. an intelligent workman and unspar- ©uafter coma tnoncr. * The Retrospect of a Long Life, p. ic;. i Eminent English Liberals In and Out o/ Parliament. 367 ^Extemporaneous ©rators SlfgbtlsSfa rergcnt testis mong. ing critic ; but even now his perorations are written out witii the greatest care." George William Curtis states that a friend of his was told by Bright that he "generally wrote out the more essential parts and the conclusion of an important speech ; " but members of his family and other intimate friends have said that he did not attempt to confine himself to a verbatim reci- tation of any portions except definitive statements and the peroration, and that in preparing his best speeches he wrote only a few words, and those were in the exordium and the peroration. In view of his precocity and the fact that, with the exceptions previously noted, so many of his speeches were practically extemporaneous, though the Athenmtin could truthfully say, "The speech- es of Mr. Bright have greater literary value than those of any other orator of our time," his career is an illustration of the happy influence of a union of the practice of careful writing with the full play and constant use of the extempore proc- ess under a deep sense of responsibility and as consuming lore of his fellow-men. When I visited the House of Commons he was in his prime, and his qualities of voice, pose, and gesture, his force, clearness, and picturesqueness of language were fully displayed. His spirit and manner recalled the self-possession born of long practice and confirmed by a consciousness of 368 Celebrated jei;tempori3er6-^be ©l& XliUorlD authority the reflex influence of willing acquies- cence in his leadership. A greater contrast than that presented in the early opportunities of John Bright and those of William Pitt cannot easily be imagined as existing between men educated in schools. Bright attended a Friends' school, where more attention was paid to moral than to iiitellectual culture; but when very young he was fascinated by the great poets, whose sentiments, vocabulary, and figurative style he assimilated. I saw Richard Cobden sitting beside John Bright ube prince of in the House of Commons. Perhaps no more "nvinccrs. persuasive speaker, whose power depended largely upon a clear and earnest statement of facts, has ever sat in the British Parliament. Speaking of the Treaty of Commerce with France in i860, Mr. Gladstone six years later said: "I don't believe that the man breathed upon earth at that epoch, or now breathes upon earth, that could have effected that great measure, with the single exception of Mr. Cobden." His was the triumph of the pure extemporizer. In 1864 he wrote to Mr. Delane, Editor of the London Times: "It is known that I am not in the habit of writ- ing a word beforehand of what I speak in public. Like other speakers, practice has given me as per- fect self-possession in the presence of an audience 369 Bstemporaneous ©ratorfi H sensitive "get militant pets sonalitB. as if I were writing in my closet. Now my ever- constant and overruling thought while addressing a public meeting — the only necessity which long experience of the arts of the controversialist has impressed upon my mind — is to avoid the possi- bility of being misrepresented, and prevent my op- ponents from raising a false issue, a trick of logic as old as Aristotle." Yet this master persuader of hard-headed busi- ness men was nervous and confused in his first speech ; in fact, he practically broke down, and the chairman had to apologize for him. For some time afterward he was so discouraged by his maiden effort that if he had been allowed to fol- low the bent of his inclination, he would never again have appeared as a public speaker.* Possibly Frederick W. Robertson stimulated during his personal ministry a larger number of in- tellectual persons than any other clergyman simi- larly situated during the middle period of the present century; and by his published discourses and biography his posthumous fame was increased, and his influence, especially upon the ministry, correspondingly enlarged. As an orator he united, in proportions seldom found, highly emotional and intellectual power. His development into an extemporizer was peculiar. When he began to preach he wrote his * Liye of Richard Cobden^ by John McGilchrist, pp. 23, 24. un&crstan& bimself. Celebrated ;6jtcmpoi-i3crs5— ;rbe 010 TUaorlD sermons throughout, and always on Saturday, the time between breakfast and one o'clock sufficing for a sermon.* During his early career in Brighton he had oc- casion to write a letter of explanation to the bishop, in which he gives an account of writing out a sermon after he had preached it. In this bii. not quite he says: "The word 'extempore' does not ex- actly describe the way I preach. 1 first make copious notes; then draw out a form; afterward write copiously, sometimes twice or thrice, the thoughts, to disentangle them, into a connected whole ; then make a syllabus ; and, lastly, a skele- ton, which I take into the pulpit." Yet this was extempore preaching, since the language which he uttered was not recited. In public speaking he lost sight of everything but his subject. "His self-consciousness vanished. He did not choose his words or think about his thoughts. He not only possessed but was pos- sessed by his idea. ... It was always as great a mental exertion to recall as to think out a sermon, and he was frequently unable, if he waited till Monday, to write out the notes of what he had delivered on Sunday, unless it had been partially written beforehand." Another description from a later period repre- sents him as thus proceeding: "When he began * Li/e and Times oy Frederick ly. Robertson, p. 62. scscription. JEjtemporaneous Oratory his sermon he held in his hand a small slip of paper with a few notes upon it. He referred to it now and then, but before ten minutes had gone by it was crushed to uselessness; for he knitted his fingers together over it as he knitted his words over his thought. His gesture was subdued, sometimes a slow motion of his hand upward, sometimes bent forward, his hand drooping over the pulpit. Bfinc "It must not be supposed from this that he was a rhapsodist, for, though carried away by his subject, he was sufficiently lord over his own excite- ment to prevent any loud or unseemly demonstra- tion of it; he was, indeed, a perfect illustration of the most conquering eloquence for the English people," which has more recently been made so famous by its greatest master, Gladstone, "that of the man who is all but mastered by his excitement, but who at the very point of being mastered masters himself — apparently cool while he is at a white heat — so as to make -the audience glow with the fire and at the same time make the audi- ence respect the self-possessed power of the orator." He gave attention to special preparation of feel- ing. In a letter to a friend he wrote: " My mind is difficult to get into activity. Therefore, in order to prepare for speaking, preaching, etc., it is good to take a stirring book, even if not directly 372 ing bis gifts. CclcbiatcD jestcmpoi-ijeuu-Cbc ©ID lUoilD touching upon the subject in hand. Love is all with me. Mental power comes from interest in a subject." In private he was an almost incessant talker, fiver " ererdsa and was usually as eloquent as when in the pulpit or on the platform. When moved, his conversa- tion " had all the variety of a great stream — quick, rushing, and passionate when his wrath was awakened against evil; running in a sparkling glitter for many a mile of conversation over art and poetry and science and the topics of the day." He was an all-devouring reader, and more than that, being constantly attentive to current ques- tions, which he studied thoroughly, making notes of debates in Parliament, following the latest publi- cations in science, especially in chemistry, and giving much attention to history and poetry. The matchless freshness of his style was quite compatible with occasional inconsistency; conse- quently he was often misunderstood, and fre- quently departed from the standards that he imagined he supported; but as an extemporizer he had all the virtues and few of the defects of the method, and attained his skill by practice and intelligent self-criticism. Charles H. Spurgeon was in many respects the most effective extemporizer who has appeared in the English Protestant pulpit. This estimate is vindicated by the number of his discourses, their 373 ce»ourcc3. ;Ertcmporancou6 Oiatoig variety, the richness of his vocabulary, the perma- nency of his power to attract, the enduring influence of his preaching upon moral and religious charac- ter, his success in securing funds for the support of. diverse educational and philanthropic enter- prises, and the fact that his fame increased for more than a quarter of a century, until impaired health required frequent and protracted absences. These constitute a series of achievements impos- sible under any other method of preaching, ©rowtb of His vocabulary was accumulated, word by word, by insatiable quaffing from every spring of English undefiled. His mind was absorbed in his life work, and perennially fruitful in fitting themes and original forms of treatment; and while acquir- ing information by untiring personal activity, he employed a searcher of ancient and modern authors to furnish him with materials. Like Bossuet, he gave little time to special preparation, selecting on Saturday afternoon and evening his texts, and preparing briefs, 1 heard him at intervals through his entire ministry in London. The limitations of his education were to be seen in the views he some- times took of matters which he had not investi- gated rather than in his manner or language. Endowed with a voice perfect in tone, strength, and compass, a countenance unusually mobile, and a temperament suited to quick transitions, he did intuitively much which others must learn tc 374 aloiiL. Celcln•atc^ EEtempoi-i3er6— Cbc ©ID TiQorlC) do; but without incessant application he could never have sustained himself, nor pruned the ex- crescences which in early' years justly exposed him to adverse criticism. The most wonderful extern porizer of the modern iik ctau^s English-speaking world was William E. Glad- stone. A short address which 1 heard him make, though upon a question of parliamentary order, displayed his genius, for he invested the point with an interest which its inherent importance did not promise, and which from the lips of any other it could not have had. For sixty years he sustained the reputation of pos- sessing, without exception, "the most omnivorous and untiring brain in England, perhaps in the whole world." At Eton and Oxford he captured with ease the highest distinctions, nor in all his subse- quent multifarious duties did he cease to pursue classic, literary, and theological studies. He was able to extemporize in a fascinating manner, and hold an audience for hours while he discussed finance and complicated questions of diplomacy and legislation. In the middle period of his career he was spoken of as "an able orator of affairs," but from then until his death he exhibited an un- paralleled versatility, and, what is more unusual, an increase of those impassioned oratorical impulses and utterances which usually attain their highest development in early life. 375 Bjtempoianeous ©ratoig iRivais cons The contiast between Gladstone and his great- tiastcs. ggj. j.j^.^j^ Disraeli, afterward Lord Beaconsfield, from all points of view emphasized the unique individuality of each. The appearance of Disraeli was impressive, enhancing the air of mystery which enveloped him. I saw him sitting without moving for some hours; though his eyes were closed, he sat bolt upright, and it was obvious that he was not sleeping. When he rose a deep, almost detonating, voice issued from his throat through lips that added to its resonance. Of all speakers he was the slowest; between words he continued vocalizing the syllable "eh," sometimes ten times, before uttering the next word. But the sentences reported verbatim in the Times of the next day were almost Miltonic, and there was not a superfluous word among them. Toward the close he became satirical and epigrammatic. Among his more marked peculiarities was that of hesitating to secure additional emphasis, acting apparently on the rule laid down by an eccentric teacher; "If you have anything specially good to say, boggle a little just before you utter it." In the opinion of his contemporaries he was the greatest parliamen- tary orator on the Tory side; and according to Justin McCarthy, who heard most of his great speeches after i860, "in sarcasm and in rhetoric he was admirable, and the more desperate his cause happened to be the more brilliantly he came to its 376 compicbeneivc plan. Celebrated JEjtemporfsers— tibe ©ID 'QdorlO defence. His phrasing always told upon the house." But he was not an "easy speaker" when extemporizing; his perorations were doubt- less most carefully written and recited. In con- trast with him Gladstone's unsurpassed power of statement and exposition and " blood earnestness " appeared like the work of another order of being. Never too busy to reply to respectful letters, until simple imt age dimmed his vision and restricted in some measure his ability for work, Gladstone attempted to explain his methods of preparation ; and perhaps to no one more clearly and concisely than to Pro- fessor PiTTENGER, of the National School of Elo- cution and Oratory, who in 1883 published in his work on Extempore Speech a letter addressed to him, sixteen years before, by Mr. Gladstone. After stating that the public men of England are so engrossed by the multitude of cares and sub- jects of thought belonging to the government of a highly diversified empire, and probably are therefore less th:m others qualified either to im- part to others the best methods of preparing pub- lic discourses or to consider and adopt them for themselves, he says: "Suppose, however, I was to make the attempt, I should certainly found myself mainlv on a double basis, compounded as follows: First, of a wide and thorough general education. . . . Second, of the habit of constant and searching reflection on the subject of any pro- (25) 377 jEjtemporaneous ©ratorg posed discourse. Such reflection will naturally clothe itself in words, and of the phrases it sup- plies many will spontaneously rise to the lips. I will not say that no other forms of preparation can be useful, but 1 know little of them, and it is on those, beyond all doubt, that I should ad- vise the young principally to rely." 378 CelebratcD JEjtemporisers— Cbe IHew lUorlD CHAPTER XL CclebvateD JEitcmporiscrs-^be THcw 'WIlorl& Patrick Henry, who has a sure place among the world's most powerful orators, never wrote a line of his speeches. He was naturally hesitating and timid, and had limited opportunities as a student, though he acquired a little Latin, Greek, and mathematics. He was not early inclined to application; at sixteen left school for work, kept a store, failed in the enterprise, worked at farming without success, and then tried merchandising again. Having failed in these pursuits, it occurred to him that he might at least earn a livelihood as a lawyer. He had read a few books, including a translation of Livy, and had studied human nature an oratorical while conversing with those who frequented his P''«"«'"«no»»« store. After practicing law for a few years with some success he leaped into fame by a single effort, known as "the speech against the parsons," in which his eloquence was magical. Two years later he was elected to the Legislature of Virginia, where, nine days after taking his seat, and on his twenty-ninth birthday, he moved a series of reso- lutions defending the rights of the colony, and pronouncing the Stamp Act unconstitutional and subversive of British and American liberty. When 379 . triiimpbs. JEjtemporaneous ©ratorg he began almost the entire assembly was against him, but he overcame them. In 1773, with the aid of Jefferson and others, he carried through the Virginia House of Burgesses a resolution establishing committees of correspondence be- tween the colonies, which gave unity to the revolutionary agitation. Congressional His speech in the first Continental Congress won for him the position of the foremost orator in the western world. In that Congress he over- threw a plan of reconciliation between the mother country and the colonies, which would have left them in the relation to each other that later was established between Hngland and Canada; he was the only man who in debate opposed the scheme advocated by many of the foremost members. His eloquence was felt equally by the learned and the unlearned. According to Thomas Jeffer- son, he possessed poetical fancy, sublime imagina- tion, and overwhelming diction. John Randolph declared him a Shakespeare and Garrick combined. Most authorities agree that his personal ap- pearance was unfavorable; he did not display any power until he had become aroused. Much im- portance is attached to peculiar tones, the signifi- cance of his expression, and to the peculiar solemnity and appropriateness of his pose. He never had a lesson in oratory, yet stands before the world as a speaker who wrought as -_ 380 CeUbratcO JEjlemporiaers— ^be IFlew TlUorlJ) overwhelming effects as are attributed to Demos- thenes. He owed his success to practice in con- versation and public speaking, and to courage to meet a crisis; and his influence was greatly en- hanced by his high Christian character and a spot- less reputation. The manners and eloquence of Henry Clay were -cbe great equally attractive, and he was a prince of extem- i»cal Although English may have deteriorated in some respects, it has been greatly enriched by new definitions and by multiplication of meaning in old words, by which materials for every desirable variety of liveliness of style are constantly accumu- lating. Thus the instrument of expression "is continually undergoing alteration for the better by being applied to more varied and defter modes of "jfin^cn use." Additions of foreign words are so rapidly w°'^^" ncwe." ,1 II 1 .- , ,- , , —Chaucer. made that already nearly iive sevenths of the words found in the best dictionaries are derived prima- rily or secondarily from the classical languages; about two sevenths are native Germanic, and the number of other derivations at the time when Whitney wrote was scarcely two thousand. Moreover, new combinations of words constantly enlarge the speaker's resources. Many comparisons have been made among languages with respect to their adaptation to par- ticular purposes. Madame de Stael says: "The Italian and the Spanish languages are modulated like a harmonious song, French is eminently adapted for conversation; parliamentary debates and the energy natural to the nation have given to the English language something expressive which makes up for its lack of harmony. German is far more philosophical than Italian, more poetic by its boldness than French, more favorable to rhythmical verse than English, yet it retains a kind 433 jejtemporancou3 Oratorg of stiffness which is due, perhaps, to the fact that it has not been very greatly used in society or in public."* In the time of this brilliant critic French was, and had long been, the language of the courts and the German princes. Frederick the Great ibf8 Msio^aitt! despised the German language and wrote his not a^mivab[e. ^^^.^^ -^^ French. As to the adaptation of any language to the purposes of the extemporaneous speaker, no one is competent to judge who is not able to think and extemporize with nearly equal facility in the languages compared. Prof. J. H. Worman, author of a seriesof text-books inGerman, Spanish, French, and Italian, is competent to do this. He states to me sententiously their respective adaptation to such use : •' It is easy to extemporize in English because of the simplicity of English structural features; it is as easy in Spanish because of like simplicity of structure, provided a speaker (if not a native) be possessed of the knowledge of Latin. It is diffi- cult to extemporize in German because its struc- tural features are much involved, and almost as difficult to do so in French because of its idiomatic richness." Some years after General Carl Schurz settled in the United States I questioned him as to the relative adaptability of German and English to *L'AUei/ia£ne, part ii, chapter 9. 434 tione^ expert. Bver tbc Iblgbest iroeal extemporaneous speech. His recognized mastery of the art in either language had already attracted attention, and during the years that have elapsed ununqucs. has given him a fame not surpassed as a writer and speaker in these languages upon the varied themes which have occupied his attention. He emphatically informed me that it is far easier to extemporize correctly in English than in German, assigning, among other reasons, that however one may begin a sentence in English, even should he utter a term that did not suit him, he can extricate himself; — whereas the structure of the German language is such that if one makes the slightest grammatical departure, he must retreat and begin a new sentence. Not wishing to misrepresent him, 1 wrote to inquire whether I recollected cor- rectly; and received this reply: "New York, May 12, 1898. " My Dear Sir : In reply to your letter of May 9, it gives me pleasure to say that your recollection of our conversation, as to the English and the German languages with reference to extemporane- ous public speaking, is substantially correct. "Very truly yours, C. Schurz." The French language is more subject to in- flexible rules than the English. In general, perhaps, the spirit of French education, more than that of others, tends to develop the ability to 435 JEjtempocancous ©ratorg speak readily. Declamation, rhetoric, and extem- poraneous reports on certain specified topics form an important part of every Frenchman's education. The art of conversation is prob- ably more assiduously cultivated in France than in any other country. Notwithstanding this, the weight of testimony from experts is that if the same standard of grammatical accuracy be required in the two languages, English is better fitted to public extempore address than French. iRass from a A second volume of the correspondence of brilliant orb. Vjctor Hugo has recently been published in Paris, and contains a letter to Jules Lacroix, who had asked the former whether it would be better to translate Shakespeare entirely in Alexandrines or to mingle prose and verse, as in the text. Hugo says: "In the French language there is an abyss between prose and verse; in English there is hardly any difference. It is the magnificent priv- ilege of the 'literary tongues,' Greek, Latin, and French, to possess a prose. This privilege English does not enjoy. There is no prose in English. The genius of the two tongues is, therefore, pro- foundly distinct in this matter. Shakespeare was able to do in English what he would not have done in French. Follow, therefore, your excellent instinct as poet; do in French what Shakespeare would have done, what Corneille and Moliere 436 jEvec tbe Ibigbcet lIDeal did. Write homogeneous pieces. That is my opinion." The dazzling style of Victor Hugo sometimes exaggerates his ideas, but the fact that in English prose and poetry glide spontaneously into each other, and that the opposite is the case in French, supports the conclusion that oratory being akin to poetry, fervid improvising speakers will llnd Eng- lish a more elastic medium of transmitting ideas and impressions to an audience than French, unless those using the latter tongue are mas- ters. Tradition credits Charles V with having said: "German is the fittest tongue to address horses, French to converse with statesmen, Italian to speak with ladies, English to answer birds, but that Spanish is the only language that ould be used to address kings, princes, and the Almighty." im spa(n. a 1 have listened to noble orations in classical ""''•' ''-"''^^■"'"'J not a^amJcrous Spanish, and merely by the aid of a slight colloquial tbinij. acquaintance, and the benefit of having translated Don Ouixote, and the knowledge of Latin, was able to understand them, especially religious dis- courses, and, when apprised of the subject, could readily follow the debates in the Cortes. Conver- sation in that country with American missionaries confirmed the view that Spanish has no rival ex- cept English as a vehicle for unpremeditated speech. 437 Evtcmporancous Oratory The well-known Itali.in " improvisatories," who at a moment's notice orally compose in verse upon any subject assigned ihcm (though some of them have been detected in the use of memoriter pas- sages), are sufficiently well authenticated to demon- strate the adaptability of that hmguage for extem- poraneous speech. Their methods are referred to by Madame de Stael,* and Hans Christian Ander- sen has a very interesting story upon the subject. In comparison with these languages I have spoken of the English as the noblest instrument for the greatest number of oratorical purposes. I do not affirm that the English language is the best medium of expression for every form of oratory; that it is as sonorous, harmonious, or majestic, or as well suited to tragedy or to loud, swelling forms of oratory, such as in the Middle Ages were addressed to kings, princes, and to the Almighty, as is the Spanish. I do not maintain that it is as well suited to polite conversation as the Italian; or as well adapted to scientific distinc- tions and diplomatic negotiations as the French; or to expression in some kinds of poetry and in •cbc tongue metaphysical and philological disquisitions as is oftomjues. the German ; but 1 hold that, in view of what it has lost and what it has gained, for all forms of oratory the English language has no equal. In the use of the contents of this ever-expand- * Coritine, book Hi. chapter 3. 43S JEvcv tbe 1[3l0bc6t 1l5cal ing vessel for fermenting thought the safest rule, and the one of most general application, is almost as old as the Christian era : " How faulty is speech, of which the greatest virtue is perspicuity, if it needs an interpreter! Consequently, as the oldest of new words v/ill be the best, so the newest of old words will be the best."* Having such a self-perfecting instrument of expression and opportunities and incitements un- paralleled, the question presents itself: Why is it the universally critical sentiment that English and American eloquence is waning; that, while the number of speakers increases, the number of ora- tors diminishes ? Those who gravely discuss the assumed decline of oratory attribute it chiefly to the influence of the press as a purveyor of information, and a re- porter of speeches. In the former function it takes from the orator his monopoly of knowledge. satfateb He can no longer surprise or awe a concourse by the first utterance of an important truth or the earliest account of a critical event. Nevertheless, he retains the power to state his own estimate of the value of the fact and of its relation to probable changes. His judgment concerning the applica- tion of truth can be ascertained only from his words and acts. According to the confidence the public has in him will be its desire to hear him; * Quintilian, vol. i, p. 63. 439 Btbenfans. ;i£jtemporaneoii8 ©ratoce for curiosity concerning what is to come and the sentiments of competent men upon such subjects springs eternal in the popular mind and heart. By its ability to report or distort speeches the press undoubtedly terrorizes many minds. When such reports are partial or inaccurate the speaker is at a disadvantage; when they are verbatim they may still more embarrass him. Hence many write and commit, with the result of monotony or hesitation in delivery. Others, in constant fear, check themselves at the point where, unrestrained, they might soar instead of crawl. seif=rei(ancc ^5^^ j^g Q^^y ^j-,q ^-^j^ depend upon his steed must bavc a -^ ' ' basis. to keep the main road, whatever happens, can safely allow him to take the bits in his teeth, so those only who can rely upon their characters and constituencies can afTord to risk the "fine frenzy" of genuine free speaking. For they know that the discreet will criticise discreetly, and that the indiscreet and the malicious cannot perma- nently harm; that the honest listener will be saved by the general drift, and the dishonest hearer will deceive himself whatever may be said. The orator should regard the press as a co-or- dinate power, but under no circumstances con- sider himself in any sense subordinate. Pitiable is the dejection into which many, who essay to instruct or guide the public mind, are plunged by an adverse criticism, or the subserviency 440 £,vc\ tbc Ibigbest lineal of others who in public addresses praise even the extravagancies of the press, hoping that by this means, if by no other, they can secure the pleasure of reading the assertion that they are "among the most distinguished and eloquent orators." or of being spoken of as "most eminent citizens." He is blind and ungrateful who underestimates unbutc to the services of the press to freedom, general edu- ^"^ °^\ue."*^ cation, literature, government, commercial pros- perity, and in its more elevated forms, to religion. But oratory can never fulfill its function except when it proceeds from the lips of men so confi- dent in truth, in themselves, and in those who believe in them as to speak as they would were there no " chiel among them taking notes." It is evident that these observations apply to extem- pore speakers with more force than to those who read or recite; for such, if impeached, are capable of confounding those who misrepresent their ut- terances. Apart from the reaction of fear upon the mner springs of eloquence, there is prevalent an unwill- ingness to be original in the forthgiving of one's own personality. The language of Rosecrans con- cerning the Germans was not intended as a satire: "Our early familiarity with books and writing, and our small acquaintance with thinking, espe- cially among the learned class, may account for (29) 441 Extemporaneous ©rator^ our making so little of extemporaneous discourse." Of all orators those who speak extemporaneously can least afford to compile discourses or dispense with original thinking. Professor Taverner, in discussing "The Re- spective Styles of Shakespeare and Bacon, Judged by the Laws of Elocutionary Analysis and Melody of Speech,"* shows the folly of assuming that he who wrote the one could have performed the work incident to the other without entirely new conditions from the start, and that it was even UnMvfMtaKtB greater nonsense to assume that one could have ofstsic. accomplished the joint works of two. From his comprehensive survey I make these ex- tracts: "But how much more extensive are the combinations that constitute the style, the lan- guage, the adornments, the illustrations, the figura- tive expression, the place of the emphasis, form of the phrases, the source of metaphors, the character of the similes. ... To make up the char- acteristics of some of these, what a combina- tion of antecedents! Everyday that the author lived, every trouble, h;ippiness, and accident that he experienced, every book that he chanced to read, every study that he earnestly prosecuted, and every virtue and every vice that grew in his character, every trait and bias and inclination in science, in theology, in philosophy, and music, * \Vilkes' Shakispcare /roin an A tnericaii Point o/ Vieii\ pp. 426 430. 442 JEvcr tbe U^tybcst lic^cal contributed to produce and form tht united re- sult. . . , The simile is as a spark thai is to be elicited from an electrically charged substance. The moment for the spark has come; it cannot deliberate how it shall deport itself — there is so much of it, or so little, according to circum- stances. Thus nothing is so sure an indication of the man. "When he projects the simile he looks in upon himself. He is confined to nothing. There is the storehouse — a glance only, and he picks up the brightest gem that suits his purpose. Be he rich or poor, parsimonious or prodigal, he must wear robes suited to his state and station." Such must be the extemporaneous speaker, yet TKnorebip'.no many are not willing such to be. They have a o^n creation, mental model. Blind souls! not to know that this should never be. The relation of one's circulation and respiration to verbal flow, accent, emphasis, and cadence is as intimate to his personality as is his physiognomy; each one, therefore, who lives, moves, and has his oratorial being in this knowledge has an independent charm. Life is ever fascinating; hence the repetition of the same musical composition by an automatic instrument must lose its charm. Rubinstein and Von BClow when improvising were so character- istic that one familiar with their plaving could, if blindfolded, infallibly determine which he heard. 443 Bjtemporaneous tS)rator8 They also vary in their interpretation of the same compositions, not only when compared with each other, but witn themselves in rendering the same compositions on different occasions. It would be more pleasing to hear a prima dojina sing the same song on ten different occasions than to listen, at various times, to ten reproductions of her tones, even though an ideally perfect phonograph represented her at her best. In like manner the variability of the extemporizer who speaks often to the same audi- ence is a source of permanent interest unless his worst conditions are so inferior as to repel atten- tion. Bmcnabic to jhis relation of life to action affects equally spoken and written style. It is this which ac- counts in great part for the blemishes, as well as the virtues, of every great writer and the char- acteristic diversities of every great speaker. It explains, also, the inability of the half educated to criticise intelligently a genuine orator. They are capable oniy of identifying his blemishes, and often these are solely the objects of their admi- ration. The same principle renders independent of adverse criticism the speaker who really "knows himself so long as the purpose of his effort is fully accomplished. " To thine own self be true, thou canst not then be false to an}! man," or to any audience. 444 IBvcv tbc 1bl0bc0t IfDcal The practice of dictation for publication and, as is a growing custom, in preparation for extempo- raneous speech is hurtful to oratory. A lecturer recently observed that dictation was wholly unknown to the ancients. A slight fa- '"notbingnew un^er tbc miliarity with the epistles of St. Pal;l might have gun." protected him from this error. This subject is treated by Qjjintilian: " From my disapprobation of carelessness in writing it is clearly enough seen what I think of the fine fancy of dictation; for in the use of the pen the hand of the writer, how- ever rapid, as it cannot keep pace with the celerity of his thoughts, allows them some respite; but he to whom we dictate urges us on, and we feel ashamed at times to hesitate, or stop, or alter, as if we were afraid to have a witness of our weakness. Hence it happens that not only inelegant and casual expressions, but sometimes unsuitable ones, escape us, while our whole anxiety is to make our discourse connected; expressions which partake neither of the accuracy of the writer nor of the animation of the speaker; while, if the person who takes down what is dictated prove, from slow- ness in writing or from inaccuracy in reading, a hindrance, as it were, to us, the course of our thought is obstructed, and all the fire that had been conceived in our mind is dispelled by dehiy, or sometimes by anger at the offender,"* * Quinii/ian, vol. ii, p. 288. 445 Extemporaneous ©ratorg What QyiNTiLiAN says of dictation is as true to- day as wJTen he promulgated it. For, although it is necessary to avail ourselves of the aid of stenog- raphy, the ulterior influence of habitual dictation upon the extemporaneous orator is unfavorable. It also depraves the style of one who, though not a speaker, dictates for publication, unless the tendency is foreseen and counteracted. Since his accent, emphasis, and inflections will unconsciously carry part of his thought — if the source of tbe composer for publication dictates as rapidly as possible — he will be compelled to reconstruct many sentences to avoid being misunderstood, and substitute synonyms for frequent repetitions of the same word. I have noticed serious deterioration in certain popular authors after they resorted to dictation ; some, writers of fiction, others of scientific and historical works. It is not to those errors which escape the proof- reader that I refer, but to carelessness and en- feebling verbosity, the increase of colloquialisms, and the constant similarity of sentence forms. This is especially apparent if their successive works be compared, ifoc tbc writer There are but two ways of preventing these con- °"'^' sequences. One is to dictate slowly, remembering that the ideas are to be conveyed through the eye and not chiefly through the ear. The other 446 JEver tbe Ibitjbest UDeal is to revise the stenographer's woik rigorously. The latter of these methods is preferable for him who aims at accurate, connected, lucid, and ani- mated composition, and at the same time purposes to speak extemporaneously. For if he dictates slowly, he constantly places a restraint upon the combined action of his mind, respiration, and voice. This will result in his becoming a slow, stilted, and perhaps listless speaker. A legisjator who daily for several weeks dictated thus slowly for publication, on resuming his pro- -not a stcanae fessional duties failed to hold the attention of the e^"<<^"««- presiding officer or his colleagues, and an associate inquired if he were ill. The difficulty was that he was graduating his rate of utterance to the speed of an imaginary stenographer, and reflecting upon how his remarks would look in print. Recogniz- ing the source of trouble, and intensely interested in the issue of the debate, at the next opportunity he rose and plunged into his subject regardless of syntax or orthoepy, and soon carried his audience and his point. To the writer of sermons and to the memoriter speaker who has long practiced composition with the pen the practice of dictating to stenographers might be a decided improvement, as imperceptibly to themselves their style would assimilate in some degree to that of spoken discourses. But to theextemporizerwho proposes to compose 447 Ejtcniporanecu6 ©rator^ in preparation it is more beneficial to write than to dictate, for in the latter case he is restricted to words already in his vocabulary; whereas, sus- pending his writing, he may search carefully for more expressive terms or decide the vexed ques- tion of synonyms. He will also prepare the way for an unconscious modification of his sentence- making while speaking. He will find in writing, rather than dictating, a decided advantage in the fact that his voice is not in action, and the writing center being separate from the speaking center, the reflex influence of a slow rate cannot diminish the habitual activity of the brain and nerve ele- ments essential to vocalized speech. Thomas Carlyle in correspondence with Goethe makes reference to one of his works, the final chapter of which he entitles "Concluded but Not Completed." Such must be the case with discus- sions of life in any of its countless forms; for it is fatal to improvement or the retention of one's ac- quisitions if he fancy that he is or will be perfect. An ever-expanding ide;il should go before him ubcibeaitbc like a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by '"'"'"'" '* night. No professional orator is worthy the name of master who cannot adapt himself to any occasion. If he be a minister, and speaking when neithei the character, the system, nor the name of his re- ligious communion has any direct bearing, if by 448 aiowtb. jEver tbe Iblcjbcst IfDeal thought, pronunciation, or inflection he is identi- fiable (unless his dress would indicate it) as a clergyman of any particular denomination, he has much to learn of this art. If a lawyer, and he can- not speak on a scientific, a literary, or a religious topic without revealing that he is a member of the bar, he is a slave rather than a free man. When addressing a meeting in the interest of some philanthropy or commercial enterprise, and by a lapse of the tongue or the mind a lawyer exclaims, "Gentleman of the jury," or pads his speech with the repetitions, conjunctive phrases, and parenthetical remarks common to his profes- sion, he merits the ridicule encountered by a once prominent minister elected to the Legislature, when in a speech advocating a new railroad he forgot himself and exclaimed, "These, my be- loved brethren, a.re solemn realities! " Never should the extemporaneous speaker voluntarily sink in thought or expression. The purpose at which he aims may be different on one occasion from that which governs him on another, but lhe whole man should be put into each effort. It is the corresponding pettiness of many on what they consider trivial occasions which prevents them from being able to rise above the same level when they would reach a lofty altitude. There is neither time nor place in public speak- ing for the relaxation of the faculties. As well 44g Ubc man greater tban matter or manner. :Ejtemporancou3 ©catocg might the musician say, *M care not how I sing this," or the pamter work upon a voluntarily im- perfect conception or execute a perfect conception listlessly. None should speak upon any subject in which he is so little interested that he could not spend hours in meditating upon it, not noting the flight of time. "Timi66om(s /* responsibility rests upon every person of '"^cbu&vcm"^'^ culture who essays extemporaneous oratory to elevate it in public regard, to make it impossible for ranters, gossipers, or dullards to gain consider- ation; to hold up such a standard that a voluntary falling below it will evoke condemnation. To do this he must so magnify the theme that whenever he speaks his soul will expand until he and his hearers will feel that the occasion is of trans- cendent dignity. The orator should to ih.^ hist day of his life scru- tinize and antagonize his defects, ever remember- ing that the fruits of discipline are evanescent, never contented unless the audience on each oc- casion has been his; if not at once wholly, yet progressively and finally. A single principle stated by the matchless Pren- tiss, and made the rule of his life, if adopted and ap- plied by every extemporaneous speaker, would, in a decade, restore all the charm that oratory has lost: jfinfe. "IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SPEAK TOO WELL TO ANY AUDIENCE." 459 IFnbej: Abbott and Seeley, on rhythm, 170, 171 ; English Lessons /or English People cited, 170, 171 Abbreviation, 432 Ability, 288, 410 Abnormal forebodings, 337 Abnormalities of countenance, 221 Absorption. 190, 195, 329, 333 Abstract, the, 251, 255, 257, 357 Abstraction, mental, 275, 409, 411 Abstract reflection, 243 Abyssinian church, etiquette in, 217 Academical oratory. See Class Roo.m Acceleration, artificial, 338, 339 Accent, 26, 140, 177, 178, 185, 338,443, 446 Accuracy, 67, 183, 256 Acoustics, 28, i34-i;j8, 168-170 Acquisitions, retention of, 448 Acrimony, 261 Action, I, 348, 351, 362, 367, 406; and reaction, 15; eccentricities of, 270; relation of life to, 443, 444 ; the three points of oratory, 247, 248. See also Gesturk Activity, 156 Actors, methods of, ig, 21, 132, 133, 143-145. 159, 190, 197, 219, 231-233, 351 ; necessity of rest for, 267 Adaptation to occasion, 17, 243, 285, 364, 448 Addison, Joseph, on the forensic and pulpit eloquence of England, 203, 204; the Spectator cited, 80, 203, 204 ; his style and language, 80 ; use of the word "extempore," 7 Sermon Renting and Memcriter Delivery (Bell) cited, 21 Addresses, the preparation of, 6. See also Preparation Adjectives, g, 222, 292 Adornments, 442 Adverbs, g, 274, 292, 319 Affection, the expression of, 83 After-dinner oratory, 249, 261, 262, 271, 302 Age, 410; honor due to, 218 Aged, the use of gestures among the, 212 Agit.ition, 281, 349, 430 Agraphia, 43, 48 Agrippa, King, effect of extempora- neous oratory upon, 352 " Ah," the recurrent, 172 Alcohol, the uses of, 270-272 Alexander, Dr. J. W., on pulpit ora- tory, 320; on shoit words, 72, 73; Thoughts on Preaching cited, 320 Alliteration, 66 Amanuen>es, the use of, 9 Ambition, 127, 160 Amendments, 239, 240 American Antislavery Association, reminiscences of the, 121 Anieric.in Chapel, Paris, pulpit or.i- tory in, 425 American Conunonwealth (Brj'Ce) ciied, 406 Amnesia, 43 Analysis, 389, 418 An.Ttomy of the brain, 43 Anaxagoras, teaches philosophy to Pericles, 345 Ancestral temperament, persistence of, 207, 208 Andersen, Hans Christian, on the Italian language, 438 Andover Theological Seminary, a course of lectures at, 30 ; the shib- boleth of, 173 Andrieux, Fr.in^ois G. J. S., the ora- tory of, 159, 160 Anecdotes, 113-117. 165, 312, 403 A ftecdotes 0/ Public Men ( Forney) cited, 392 Anger, the expression of, 35, 37, 83, 164, 230 Anglicization of foreign words, 180, 181 Anglo-Saxon, the study of, 363 Anglo-Saxon forms, 88, 91 Animals, the expressions of, 83 Animal spirits, 289 Animation, 56, 194, 257, 271, 312, 367 Anniversary oratory, 249 Annoyances, 328, 329 Ante-oration restlessness, 335 Anthropological Religion (Miiller) cited, 202 Antichristian lecturers, value of the Piihle to, 102 Antislavery oratory, 121, 214, 215, 393, 396, 431 Aphasi.a, 43-45, 50, 269 Aphorisms, 103, 106, 403 Apostrophe, 216 451 UnDej Apothegms, io6 Appeal, 251, 253, 25s, 256, 259, 261, 286, 290, 295, 349, 403, 407, 422 Applause, 13, 262, 283, 287, 353 Approbation, 333 Appropriateness, 384, 423 Arabic language, pronunciation of proper names from the, 180 Architecture, peculiarities of, 169, 170 Ardor, 409 Areopagus, pleading before the judges of the, 197 Argument, 206, 211, 215, 216, 236, 257- 259, 261, 286, 301, 303-305, 307, 347i 349. 394, 395. 402, 406. 415. 422, 429. 431 ; destroying an, 359 Argumentative gesture, the, 206 Arislides, the oratory of, 347 Armenian churches, religious eti- quette in, 217 Arminian Alethodism, the oratorical representative of, 363 Articulation, 131, 134, 151-160, 175, 185, 192, 205, 269, 358; the glosso- kinaesthetic center of, 46, 47 Artificial acceleration, 338, 339 Artificial tones, 185 Art 0/ £xtemJ>orary Preaching (Potter) cited, 356, 357 Art 0/ Oratory (Oelaumosne) cited, 197, 221 "Art of putting things," the, T07, 404 Art 0/ Reading (Legouve) cited, 160 Assertion, 216, 395 Assimilation of words, 85-97 Association, laws of, 58 ; of words, 199 Astronomy, references to, 114, 115 Athencfum, the, on the oratory of John Bright, 368 Athenians, recognition of the power of gesture, 197 Athens, the orators of, 349, 351, 432 ; St. Paul at, 204 Athletes, necessity of rest for, 267 Atlantic Monthly, cited, 404 Attention, 105, 135, 13S, 156, 210, 286, 328; commanding, see AuDiENXE Attitude, 1, 156, 220, 225, 230, 233, 2S3, 304. See also Bearing ; Pose Attraction, 218 Attractive power, 374 Audibility, 14, 134-138, 158-160, 282 Audience, addressing the, 281-286; the after-dinner, 261, 262; carry- ing, convincing, fascinating, gain- ing the confidence and respect and holding the attention of, inflaming. influencing, interesting, mastering, persuading, or swaying the, 35, 67, 75, 221, 223, 229, 245-248, 351, 284, 286, 287, 295, 360, 362, 367, 369, 372, 380, 386, 400, 404, 406, 412, 416, 429, 439, 444, 450 ; its component pans, 259, 260 ; countenances of, 283 ; criti- cal distrustful, hostile, indifferent, irresponsive, or unsympathetic, 136, 245-248, 285, 329, 408, 416, 417, 420; its curiosity, 440; in debates, 234 ; dissenting, doubting, or acquies- cing, 284 ; familiarity with, 301, 302; gesture and, 229 ; impatient of dila- tion or repetition of ideas, 37 ; in- dividualizing the, 302 ; intelligence, 229 ; presenting the subject to, 249 et seq.; reflex action from, 20; seating the, 328 ; stimulus from an, 196, 326, 390,409; sympathy with, 15, 16, 20; an uncultivated, 293 ; wearying an, 299 . Audiences, incense of increasing, 428 Auditory center, 66 Auditory word center, 46-50 Authorities, citation of, 394 Automatic, accumulation of facts, 105 Automatic action of the brain, 64-66 Automatic chirography, 62 Automatic composition, 64, 65 Automatic movements, 46 Automatic pronunciation, 183 Automatic review, 335 Automatism, 65 Awe, 322 Awkwardness, 394 Babbling, 321 " Babbling of the hands," 222 Bacon, Lord, on pushing one's self forward, 329, 330 ; study of, 390 ; his Nature in Man cited, 330 Bain, Professor Alexander, on the lan- guage of Shakespeare and JMilton, 77, 78 ; on the language of feelings, 83, 84; his Mental and Moral Science cited, 78, 84 Baker, Bishop, anecdote of, 292 Banks, General N. P., an oration by, 136, 137 , . Banquets, use of wine at, 271 Baptist in a Presbyterian pulpit, a, 29, 30 Baptists, simplicity of religious cere- monial, 217 Baritone, 192 Basso, 136, 149-151, 192 Bastian, H. Charlton, on Problems 452 irnde£ in Connection with Aphasia and Other speech Defects^ 44-4!^ Beaconstield, Lord, the oraiory of, 376, 377 Bearing, 339. See also Attitude ; Pose " Be bold," 42g *' Be not too bold," 429 Beecher, Rev. Henry Ward, faults of grammar, 70 ; methods, 24, 25 ; on ■ the care of the orator's body, 265 ; on the u~e of the voice, 163 ; ora- torj- of, 401-403 , rare use of quota- tions, 332 ; use of illustrations, 115; use of tea and CcflTee, 273, 274 Beecher, Lyman, on the use of manu- script, 15 Beers, Professor, anecdote of Beecher by, 70 Besging, the tone of, 166 Bell, Alexander Graham, experiment with the voice, 142 Bell, A. Melville, on reading and speaking, 185 ; on recitation from memory, 20, 21 ; on the science of speech, 426, 427 ; his Address on Sermon Readi7tg and Memoriter Delivery cited, 21 Benjamin, Judah P., forensic elo- quence of, 255 Bergen, Norway, vivacity in, 208 Berrj'er, Pierre Antoine, on the pitch of the voice, 164 Bible, the, its beauties, 89 ; a common source of inspiration, 102, 103 ; er- roneous interpretation of, 38; a mine of words, 76, 77; its prose, 171 ; study of, 354, 390, 400, 401 ; the two versions, 76, 8g Billiard-player, need of rest for, 267 "Billingsgate," 212, 213 Bimetallic voices, 146, 147 Biography, knowledge of, 101-103, 113, 114 ; relation to history, loi, 102 Bismarck, Prince, anecdote of, 38 ; on the art of oratory, 290, 291 Bitterness, 364, 406 " Blase," the word, 127 Blind, formulation of ideas by the, 8 Blind Tom, 56, 57 " Blood earnestness," 14, 377 Bohemian language, pronunciation of proper names from the, 180 Boldness, 429 Bolingbroke, Henry St. John, the oratory of, 357, 358 Bombast, 71, 426 Bookish style, 74, 75, 91 453 Books, the consultation of, 34 Bosanquet, Professor R. H. M., on pitch of human voice, 161 Bossuet, Jacques Benigne, the oratory of, 353^ 354 Boston, auiislavery oratory in, 214, 2>5 Boswell, James, on vivacity, 105 Bouilly, Jean Nicolas, advice to Leguuve, 168 Bourdaloue, Louis, method of, 28 Boyle, use of the word"e.\lempore," 7 Brace, Julia, menial methods of, 8 Bradshaw, John, his Letters of Lord Chesttr/ieid cited, 5 Brady, James T., the oratory of, 82 Brain, its automatic action, 64-66; compared to a library catalogue, 104; degeneration, 51 ; exhaustion, 336 ; functions of speech and thought, 42-53 ; impressions on, 47 ; im- pulses, 224 ; inspiring the, 272 ; study of the, 43-53 Bramwell, Dr. Byrem, on the speech and writing centers, 48-50 Brawling, 212,213 I'reakiiig down, 370 Breathing, 142-145, 147, 152, ^54-156, 158, 201, 272. See also E.\i ikai ion ; Inhalation; Respiration; Res- piratory Muscles Breathing-tube, the, 155 Breathlessness, 189 Bredif, Professor, on the Greek ora- tors, 346, 347, 3J9; his Foiitical Eloquence 0/ Greece cited, 346, 347i 349 Brevity, 339, 342, 410,422 Bryce, James, on the oratory of Phillips, 406; his American Cotn- mon-wealth cited, 406 Bridgman, Laura, mental methods of. 8 Briefs, use of, 374, 402, 423-425 Bright, John, the oratory of, 321, 367-369 ; on the oratory of Phillips, 406 Brilliancy, 270, 271, 292, 376 British Constitution, 104 Broadbent, Sir William, on vocal ex- ercises, 189 Broca, Paul, on the faculty of articu- late language, 45 Brooks, Phillips, oratory of, 429 Brougham, Lord, on amplification, 87; on the oratory of Demosthenes, 350 ; the oratory of, 365-367 Brown, David Paul, the oratory of, 8a •ffnOej Brutes, significant motions of, 209, 210 Bubble-blowers, 304 Buccal mUbCles, lack of co-ordination of the, 43 Buckley, Dr. James M., on the P/ii- losophy 0/ Gesture, 202 Bullfinches, loss of memory in, 51 Bulwer, on monotony, 311 Bunyan, John, hisslyie and language, 79- 80 Burgess, Tristram, the oratory of, 421 Burke, Edmund, on the oratory of F'ox, 359; stud)' of his works, 80 Burke, Father '"Tom," impressive oratory of, 75 Burr, Aaron, eloquence of, 255 Butler, Charles, on the oratory of Fox, 359 Cadence, 443 Csesar, Julius, anecdote of, by Plu- tarch, 174 Calhoun, John C the oratory of, 391 "Calm," pronunciation of, 181 Calvinlstic Methodism, the oratorical representative of, 363 Campaign oratory, 264, 425, 426 Campbell, Dr. Harry, on the thera- peutic aspects of talking, shouting, singing, laughing, crying, sighing, and yawning, 187-190, 192, 193 Candid friend, the. 308 Cant, the tone of, 166 Canting, 173, 174 Carelessness, 446 Carlyle, Thomas, letter to Goethe, 448 ; on the conclusion of work, 448 Cataline, oratory directed against, 432 Catarrh, 145 Catchwords, use of, 333, 334 Catechism, a convincing shorter, 253, 254 Caution, 244 Cavernous tones, 148 Celebrated extemporizers: the New World, 379-407; the Old World, ^ 34J-378 Celtic race, use of gesture by. 208 Central nervous system. Dr. J. H. Jackson on the, 270 Century Dictionary, the, 178 Cerebral cortex, localization of func- tions in the, 45, 46 Ceremonial religion, 216, 217 Ceremonies, 218 Chalmers, Thomas, his "blood ear- nestness," 14, 377 ; oratory of, 411 Change of position, 220 Chanting, 174, 193, 310 Chapman, Charles, forensic oratory of, 109 Character, the tone test of, 167; as an element of oratory, 245-248, 359, 3S1, 440, 442 Charcot, Jean Martin, on the brain center for articulate language, 48 Charity, 261 Charles V, on various languages, 437 Chatham, Lord, on oratory, 292 ; the oratory of, 358, 359 Chatter, 310 Cheering, 283 Cheever, George B., reminiscences of, 121 Chemistrj', study of, 373 Chest development, 143, 151,152, 154, 155, 103, 226 Chesterfield, Lord, on oratory, 4, 5, 99 ; on the oratory of Bolingbroke, 358 ; his Letters cited, 5 Cl'.ildren, addre--sing, 91-94 ; gestures of, 212 ; vocabulary of, 59 Chirography, automatic, 62 Chiro-kinaesthetic center, the, 47, 48 Choate, Joseph H., 262 Choate, Rufiis, the oratory of, 82, 83, 391, 417 ; his vocabulary, 87 Choppy style, 192 Christ, Jesus, his last commission, 3 Christian history and biography, knowledge of, 103 Christiania, emotionalism and effu- sion in, 208 Christianity, influence of oratory on, 3 ; knowledge of the history of, 102 Christian life, the, 129 Chrysostom, St., on applause, 283 ; the oratory of, 353 Church History (Neander) cited, 353 Churchman, on the oratory of Pren- tiss, 388 Church of England, use of gesture in the, 215 Cicero, on oratory, 4, 99 ; the oratory of, 344, 35I1 352. 432 Citizens' meetings, oratory in, 4 Civil war, the oratory of the, 431 Clairvoyants, on psycho-automatic forces, 61, 62 Clamor, 349 Clang-tints, 139-141, 146 Clapping, 283 Clarionet, the tones of the, 139 Clarke, Adam, oratory of, 401 454 ■ffn^er Classical languages, 4:53 Classics, study of the, 354, 358, 361, 375; 390.. 400 Classifications, comprehensive, 108 Class room, oratory of the. See Kdlcational Oratory Clay, Henry, campaign of 1844, 388 ; the oratory of, 3S1, 390 Clearness, 55, 56, 361, 363, 368, 394, 395i 397, 414. 415. 423- 425. 429 Clergy and the Fulpit in their Re- lation to the People, the (Mul- lois), 125, 126 Clergyman, his opening words, 282 Clergyman's sore throat, 14 Clergymen, double lives of, 246 ; fail- ures of, 334 ; some faults of, 289, 310; knowledge necessary to, 103; modern demands on, 300; necessity of voice cultivation for, 160; ora- tory not confined to, 3 ; pure air for, 272 ; temptations, 302 ; use of slang by, 295, 296 ; use of stimu- lants by, 270, 273, 274 ; their voca- tion and responsibility, 276, 277. See also Ministry; Pulpit Oka- TORY ; Sermons Clippings from the press, 113 Closing, 259, 316 Coarseness, 364 Cobden, Richard, the oratory of, 369, 370 Cockburn, Lord, as a debater, 365 Coffee, use of, 273, 274 Coherence in argument, 395 ; of thought, 126 Cold beverages, as stimulants, 274 Coleridge, S. T., in the valley of the Clyde, 68; his monological style, 171 Collapse, 265-269 Colleague, a dangerous, 258 College presidents, oratory of, 262 Colloquial criticism, 243 Colloquialisms, 70 Colloquial style, 242, 341, 406, 407, 446 Coloring, 311 Combinations of words, 433 Cone Here, the comedy, 231, 232 " Coming down " to children, 91-94 Commemoraiive oratory, 249 Committed discourse, 333, 410, 426, 440 Common councils, oratory in, 4. See also Political Oratory Common law, knowledge of the, 102 Compassion, the expression of, 202 455 Compilation, 442 Complaint, the tone of, 166 Completion, Conclusion not, 448 Composition, g, 22, 23, 25, 66, 306, 324, 410, 446-448 ; mental, 22, 23 Comprehension, 135 Compiomisc, 260 Conceit, 326 Concentrated attention, 210 Concentrated food, use of, 272 Concentration, 238, 275 ; of mental activities, 281 Conception, 349 ; of the subject, 429 ; vividness of, 55, 56, 195 Conclusion, 298; not completion, 44S Concrete, the, 251, 252, 255, 257 Condensation, 341 Confession, the tone of, 167 Confidence, 166, 243, 245, 246, 322, 341,342, 421, 423 ; the tone of, 166; having that of the audience, 75 Confusion, 280, 347, 370 Congress, the oratory of. See Parlia. MENTARY ORATORY Conjunctions, 318 Conjunctive phrases, 449 Connection, loss of, 330, 332 Conscience, arousing the, 2 ; liberty of, 430 Consciousness, merging of thought into, 17 ; of thought, 276 Conservatism, 431 Conservatoire de Musique et de Dec- lamation, the acoustic qualities of the. 168 Consistency, 397 Consolation, 276 Consonants, 151, 157, 159 Constitutional oratory, 393, 394. See also Forensic Oratory ; Parlia- mentary Oratory; Political Oratory Consultation of books, 34 Contempt, 403 Continental Congress, oratory in the, 380 Continuative tones, 21 Contortions, 309 Contractions, 309 Contradiction, 54 Contrast, 257 Conventionalism, 152 Conversation, 66, 131, 187, 194, 217. 249, 266, 267, 373, 381, 408, 414. 4'5. 420, 423, 433. 436, 438 ; as a prepara- tion for extemporaneous oratory, 23; geslures of, 217: not oratory, 6; therapeutic aspects of, 188; irn5ej tone of, 171 ; value of, gi, 94 ; with children, 93 Conversationalism, 407 Conversational oratory, 339, 340, 405, 406 Conversational tones, 163, 171 Conviction, 250, 252, 258, 260, 261, 278, 403 ; the magnet of, 109, iii Convincing the audience. See Audi- ence Cooiey's Dictionary, 178 Coolness, 372 Corinne (L>e Stael), cited, 438 Cork, the viragoes of, 213 " Corneille of Preachers, the," 353 " Corps," pronunciation of, 183 Corroboration, 259 Cortes, debates in the Spanish, 437 Countenance, 265, 283, 374; abnor- malities of, 221 ; expressions, 230 ; influence, 14 Courage, 244, 381 Crawling, 440 Creative mood, the, 425 Creative power, 297 Credulity, 65 Crete, repression of oratory in, 432 Criminal trials, 245, 246 Crisis, meeting a, 381 Critical spirit, 89-91, 213 Criticism, 186, 224, 231, 243, 284, 308, 311, 420, 422, 440, 444 ; a renaissance of, 100 Critics, a valuable class of, 8 Croaking, 148 Cromwell, Oliver, on honesty and subtlety, 248 Crooks, Professor George R., on Bishop Simpson's oratory, 401 Cross-examination, 237 Crying, of infants, 200, 201 ; thera- peutic aspects of, 188 Cult s Dictionary ^ 178 Cultivation, 403; of style, 384 Curran, John Philpot, oratory of, 82 Current topics, study of, 373 Curtis, Benjamin R., oratory of, 417 Curtis, George William, on the oratory of John Bright, 368 Cuyler, Rev. Theodore L., use of repose, 267, 268 Cycling, 154, 155, 225 Cyclopedia, an animate, 34 Cyclopedias, use of, 333 Dale, Dt. R. W., on the oratory of Lacordaire, 355, 356 "Dames aux Halles, les," 212 Damon, teacher of music to Pericles, 345 Dan el Qiiortii (Pearse), 106, 107 Dangers and safeguards for debaters, 258, 259 Daniel C Connelly Phillips's lec- ture, 404. See also O'Connell Darwin, Charles, lack of the musical ear, 162 ; on expression, 202 ; Ex- pression 0/ the Emotions in Man and A ninial cited, 202 Davidson, J. Morrison, on the oratory of John P.right, 367 ; his Eminent English Liberals cited, 367 Day, Professor H. N., on style, 153 Dead, burying the, 300 Dead Ime, the, 289 Deaf, the formulation of ideas by the,8 Deaf-mutes, the language of, 197, 198, 202, 203 Deafness, 271 Debate, 249, 257-261, 287, 288, 311, 322, 348, 359, 363, 365. 381, 382, 389, 390. 392-394, 397, 413-415. 427, 43°, 431. 447 ; aid to extemporaneous oratory, 241-244 ; essential in free govern- ments, 244 ; the parent of the United States Constitution, 235; preparation for, 239, 240 ; public oral, 234-244 ; rules of, 236-239 ; success in, 239 ; value of, 244 Debating habit, the, 243 Debating clubs, 3, 237, 241-243, 413, 414 Declamation, 20, 197, 216, 219, 351, 394. 427. 436 Decline of faculties, 410 Deduction, 98 Definition, 250, 251, 255, 286, 3x5, 423, 424. 433 Deity, addressmg the, 322, 323 Dejection, 440 Dejerine, on agraphia, 48 Delane, John Thaddeus, letter from Richard Cobden to, 369, 370 Delaumosne, I'Abbe, his Art 0/ Oratory cited, 221, 233 Deliberative assemblies, 238 Deliberative oratory, 249 Delicacy, 432 Delivery, 153, 309-311, 348, 406, 424, 426,429; force of, 14; hurried, 21 ; monotony in, 23 ; naturalness of, 14; of ideas, 10 ; variety of, 14 Delsarte, Franqois A. N. C, the exercises of, 225 ; on facial expres- sion, 221, 222; on spoken discourse, 222 ; on the use of gesture, 228-230: on written discourse, 222 ; system of 456 1rn^€I oratory, 197, 221, 222 ; system of voice culture, 157 Demades, the oratory of, 348, 349 Demetrius, on the oratory of Demos- thenes, 348 Demonstration, 256, 286 Demosthenes, a memorizer, 18 ; the oratory of, 347-351, 358, 360, 362; Patrick Henry likened to, 381 ; his three points of oratory, 247 ; use of the mirror by, 227 Denmark, vivacity of her people, 207 Denominational ceremonies and eii- quette, 216, 217 Denominational oratory, gestiires.and tones, 172, 173, 215-217, 315, 448, 449 Dentality, 146 Denunciation, 211, 403, 410 Depew, Chauncey M., 262; facility of evtemporaneous oratory, 241 ; on debate and oratory, 241, 242 Deprecation, the tone of, 167 Depiessing style, 310, 311 Depression, 337, 417, 419, 420 De Quincey, Tliomas, on tautology, 87 Dervishes, gestures of, 217 De-cription, 403 Desperate causes, 376 Despotisms, the etiquette of, 2i3 I)et.iils. 41Q, 421 Detention upon thought, 74 Dev.ition, 287, 236, 357, 365 D'Haussonville, Comte, on the ora- tory of Lacordaire, 356 Dialect, 80, 181 Dialogue Concerning Orators ( l'.(citus) cited, 432 Dialogues 0/ Eloquence (Fenelon), cited, 407 Diaphragm, the, 1^2, Tt;4, ic,^ Diary 0/ Benjamin Franklin cited, Dickinson, Daniel S., an oration and an error by, 182, 183 Dictation, 352, 445-448 Diction, 380, 390, 403, 432; depraved, 29^ ; felicity of, 420 Dictionary, the use of a, 87, 88, 286, 324. 325. 358 Didacticism, 23, 75, 354 Diet, 300 Differences, 270 Diffidence, 220, 329, 330, 411 Diiji.-siion, 266 Dignified colloquialism, 407 Dilinified style, 311 Dignity, 301, 364, 394, 450 440. See also Reports ; Ver. Dilution of ideas, 37 Diplomacy, the language of, 438 Directness, 414 Discord, 162 Discourse, construction of a, g, 11; rules of, 9 Discussion, 234, 281, 413 ; on the rostrum, 256-260 ; oratory the .soul of, 2 Dismal tones, 148 Disputations, old proverb on, 235 Disquisition, 79 Disraeli, Benjamin. See Beacons- field, Lord Dissenting denominations, gestures among the, 215. See also Denom- inational, etc. Distinction, 216 Distorted reports. Stenographic BATiM Reports Distraction, 327-329 Distuibances, 327-329 Divine artlatus, the, 32 Divine call, the, 276-278 Divine illumination, 313 Doctors, their need of oratory, 3, 4 Domestic animals, the significant motions of the, 209, 210 Donnybrook Fair, the viragoes of, 213 Dorival, secret of his dramatic success, 144 Doubt, 260 Douglas. Stephen A., Blind Tom's recollections of, 57; debates with Lincoln, 97, 392, 394, 396, 397 ; in- debtedness to the Bible, 76; the oratory of, 391-397 Douglass, Frederick, reminiscences of, I2t Dramatic oratory, 216 Dramatic power, 3S9 Drawling, 21, 5=;, 71, 146, 310 Dress, peculiarities of, 307 Drontheim, emotionalism and effu- sion at, 207, 208 Drugs, use of, 272, 274, 425 Duffield, George, on memorizing, 21, 22 Dullness, 12, 133, 163, 194, 195, 273, 301, 320, 362 Dumb-bells, the use of, 226 Duprez, G. L., the voice of, 151 Durbin, Dr. John P., his addresses to children and negroes, 04 ; enibat" rassment of, 327 ; a historical mis- lake by, Toi Dutch, the use of gestures by the, 203 (30) 457 llnOcj " Eagle of Meaux, the," 353 Ear, cultivation of the, 152 ; the tongue and the, 252 Earlswood Asylum, investigations at, Earnestness, 126, 170, 265, 277, 278, 360, 397 Eating, 265, 266, 271, 272 Eccer.tricities, 288 ; of gesture, 307, 308 Ecclesiastical debaters, 243, 244 Ecclesiastical oratory, 3 Echoes, 169 Economy of effort, 432 Edison, Thomas, on the phonograph, 140 Education, 377; oratory in, boards of, 4 Educational oratory, 23, 32, 2(9, 256, 278, 334 Education of the Orator^ the (Quintilian), cited, 280, 343-345 " Effort," the word, 364 Egotism, 122, 123, 320 Elaboration, 251, 423 Elements 0/ Reading and Oratory (Mandeville) cited, 195 Elocution, 256, 420, 426; for the ex- temporizer, 130-138 ; grace of, 365 ; necessity in reciting from memory, 20, 21; scope. 130; its study, 131, 1:52 ; vocal effort in, 13 Elocutionary analysis, 442 Elocutionists, professional, 165 Eloquence, 252, 275; in conversation, 131 ; debasement and exaltation of, 5; essentials, constituents, secret of, 25, 229, 280, 283. 285, 399 ; growth, 55; inspiration of, 187; in the assembly, not in the man, 15 ; the " now" of, 255 ; Quintilian on, 343-345 ; rousing the soul to, 280 ; sacred, 125 Embarrassment, 288, 307, 327, 329, 330, 318, 342, 415, 424 Embellishment, 426 Emergencies, 21, 349, 423, 424 Emerson, Ralph Waldo, oratory of, 403 Eminent English Liberals In and Out of Parliament (Davidson) cited, 367 Emotion, a crisis of, 37 ; depicting an, 228-232 ; epidemic, 303 ; evocation of, 275-280 ; expression of, 83, 84, 127, 203-208 ; as a factor in criminal trials, 24=;, 246; a foe to pure reason, 126; language the revealer of, 35 ; most effective vehicle of, 407 ; in poetry, 290 ; springs of, 124; suppression of, 125, 127-129, 312 Emotional oratory, 129 Emotional power, 370 Emotions, the, i, 33, 160, 172, 256, 265, 277, 278, 280, 297, 307, 313, 333, 340, 341, 408 ; effect of singing on, 193 ; fertilizers of, 129 ; reheating, 334; stirring, 31, 32, 73-75-116. 128, 133, 165, 177, 204, 259, 278-280, 336 Emphasis, 26, 135, 136, 140, 174, 175, 18s, 199, 232, 319, 321-323, 338, 442, 443i 446 Encouragement, 429 Encyclopedic Dictionary^ 178 Endurance, vocal, 14 Enduring vigilance the price of ac- curacy, 183 Energy, 12, 135, 152, 153, 155, 176, 206, 207, 219, 233, 263, 265, 284, 300, 349 . . England, effusion in, 207 ; use of ges- ture in, 203-205 English language, 432-439 ; impor- tance of accent in, 177 ; the lan- guage of extemporaneous oratory, 437-439 English Lessons for English People (Abbott and Seeley) cited, 170, 171 English prose, 437 English verse, 437 Entertainment, 133 Enthusiasm, 22, 23, 127, 256, 283 " Entire sanctification," 36 Enunciation, 408 Epigrammatic style, 340 Epigrams, 26, 72, 107, 262, 339, 340, 376 Epithets, 222, 274 Equestrianism, 154 Eratosthenes, on the oratory of De- mosthenes, 348 Error, relation to truth, 331 ; often intensifies transient effects, 9 Erskine, Thomas, indebtedness to the Bible, 76 ; on amplification, 87 ; the oratory of. 82 Essay on Indifference (Lamennais) cited, 355 Essays, 243 Etiquette, fundamental principles, 218; religious, 216, 217; a system of gesture, 218 ; varying forms, 218 Eulogy. 410 Euphantasiotos, 279 Eupolis, on the oratory of Pericles, 345 4=;8 •(In^eJ Europe, gestures of the nations if, 203-208 ; sign language in, 198 Evanescent sensibility, 124 Es'angelists, 263-265, 301 ; vocal ex- pU'its of, 14 Evarts, \\ illiam M., the oratory of, 82 £Teni>tg J-'ost (New Yoik), on va- garies of the memory, 51, 52 Everett. Edward, 182 ; lecuire on \\ ashington, 219 ; a memorizer, 18 ; on the oratory of I'reniiss, 3S6, 387, 391 ; on \\ ebster's oratory, 383, 384; the oratory of, 364, 386, T^i ; use of gesture, 219 Evidence, 245; the manipulation of, 256 Evolution, 283, 298 ; of speech, fac- tors in, 54-58 ; of thoughts in speech, 10 Exaggeration, 126, 291, 364,437. See also Extravagance ; Falsehood Excerpts, 333. See also tJi;OTA- TIONS Excessive talking, 269 Excessive writinj^, 269 Excitability, 26 Excitement, 264, 267, 272, 275, 300, 372 Exclamations, 35 Excursions, 350 Exercises 225-228 Exeter, N. H., an oration by General Panks at, 1:56, 1^7 Exeter Hall, London, memorial serv- ices for J. A. Garfield, 15, 16 Exhaustion, 301, 334. 342 Exhortation, 79, 264, 277 ; not ora- t. ry. 7 Exordium, 283, 287 Expiration, 142, 143, 155, 188, 193 Explanation, 55, 210, 251,255, 256 Expletives, use of, 274 Exposition, 377 Expression, 33, 390, 415 ; the chief instrument of, 221. 432, 433, 439i facility of, 479 ; habits of, 211 Expression 0/ the Emotions in Man (twrt" /l«/wrt/ (Darwin) cited, 202 " Extemporaneous," the new mean- ing of the word, 7 Extemporaneous acquisition, 383 Extemporaneousness, divergent ideas of, 6 Extemporaneous oratory, the aim of the present book, 10; characteris tics, 14 ; an emergency in thoucht. emotion, languaur, and expression. 33; fundamental rule, 450; a healthful exercise, 13 ; language c 434 ; the product ol the whole man, 33 Extemporaneous writing, 22 " Extempore," the new and the origi- nal meaning of the word, 7 Extempore Speech (Pittenger) cited. 377. 378 , Extemporization, 283, 286 et seq., 301 ; combined with reading, 24 ; dangers of failure, 27-32 ; power of, 408-412 Extcmporizer, advantages over mem- orizers, readers, and reciters, 23 ; cannot seek ornaments, 40,41 ; gen- eral preparation, 33, 34 ; the greater security of the, 31, 32 Extracting the radix, 250, 251 Extravagance, 133, 290-293, 400, 414. See also Exaggeration ; False- hood Eye, its expression during recitation, 18; expression of the actor's, 19; in eclipse, 18, 19 ; influence, 14 Face, the chief instrument of expres- sion, 221 ; defects of expression, 221, 222; gives life to action, 227; the thermiimeter of intelligence, 222 Facial contortions, 221, 367 Facial expression, 25, 230, 231. 233, 380 Facial muscles, the control of the, 358 Facility, of expression, 429 ; of speech, '♦''♦. 415 ,. , , Factors in evolution of speech, 51-58 Facts, acquisition of, 34, 98, 104, 105, 230, 240, 3;9-36i, 403. 416 ; memory of, 104, 105, 253,254; presentation of, 298 ; statement of, 369 Failing' memory, 410 P'ailure, 338 ; internal causes of, 342 ; protecting one's self against, 326-342 Faith, 129, 276-278, 305, 313 ; defense of the, 103, III Falling inflection, 71 Falsehood, 290, 291 False issue, the, 370 Falsetto, the, 175, 176 Fame, 288 Familiarity with the theme, 431 ?^ancy, 256, 304, 305 Fantasiai, 279 Fascination, 355, 416 Kaiigue, 270, 337 ; healthy, 274 Fear, 337, 441 ; the expression of, 35, 81,230 , Features, play of, 14, 83 459 flnOen Febve, on acoustics, 168 Federalist, the, its authors, 80, 81 ; style and language, 80, 81 Feeble speaking and voice, 153, 157-159 , . , Feeling, 261 ; the arousing of, 37 ; the communication of thought and, 66 ; comparison uf expression of thought and, 36, 37 ; cultivation of, 128; its exhibition through music, 190; expression uf, 35, 37, zio, 232; general preparation of, 124-129 ; a glow of, 422; langLia.;e the revealer of, 35; necessity of, in extemporane- ous oratory, 33 ; the oral expression of thought and, 54; predominating over reason, 124 ; relation to ges- ture, 220 ; special preparation of, 275-280, 372 ; subile shades of, 1S8 ; suppression of, 125, 128 Feelings, excitement of the, 194; lan- guage of the, 83, 84 Felicity of phrase, 358 Felix, effect of extemporaneous ora- tory upon, 352 Fenelon, Francis de S., on the collo- quial style, 407 ; on the extemp)- rizer, 429 ; his Dialogues 0/ Elo- quence cited, 437 Fervor, 260, 263, 265, 321, 334, 421, 422, 437 Fessenden, Senator, Webster's state- ments to, 382 Festus, Porcius, effect of extempora- neous oratoi-y upon, 352 Figurative expressions, 38, 39, 442 Figurative style, 369 Figures, 429 Figures of speech, 291 Fine homespun, 106, 107 Finney, Charles G., an awkward habit of, 224 Fire of oratory, 3, 5 First appearances, 242. 243 First words, 281, 282, 287, 288 Fist, the use of the, in gesticulation, 212, 215, 225, 226 Fitz Maurice, Lord, anecdote of Franklin and, 247 Flaming speech from burning hearts, 431. 4J2 Flexibility of voice, 163 Flights of oratoiy, 262 Florence, the use of gesture in, 207 Fluency, 55, 243. 317. 3iq- 32I' 327, 357. 3s8, 3^=;, 386. 40T, 408, 411, 414, 423, 427, 428, 443 Flute, tones of the, 139 Food, 265, 266, 271, 272 Force, 194, 195, 363, 368, 421, 431 ; of delivery, 14 Forcible ejection of words, 310 Foreign languages, study of, 361 Foreign names, anglicization of, 180, 181 . . t Foreign words, pronunciation of, 179-181 ; use of, 433 Forensic oratory, 23, 31, 81, 82, 86, 103, 104, 108-110, 121, 126, 128, 104, 165, 197, 203, 204, 235-237, 249, 251, 255, 256, 262-264, 289, 290, 294, 297, 301, 302, 305, 306, 311, 317, 344. SSit 363-365, 379. 381, 3S2, 385. 394-39^'. 407, 413, 4'7- 449 b orgetlulness, 330 Formal orations, 210 Forney, J. W ., on ine oratory of Lin- coln and Douglas, 392; his Anec- dotes of Public Men cited, 392 Foster, Abby Kelly, reminiscences of, 121 ... Foster,StephenS.,reminiscencesof,i2X Foul air, 28 Foundation-building, 315, 316 Fourth of July oration, a, 26 Fowler, O. S., a phrenological exami- nation by, 42 Fox, Charles James, on repetition, 87; the oratory of, 87, 95, 159, 359, 360 France, pulpit eloquence in, 353-357 ; sign language in, 198 ; use of ges- ture in, 203, 205, 212; the viragoes of, 212 Franklin, Benjamin, on the essentials of oratory, 247, 248 ; his Diary cited. 248 Frederick the Great, use of the French Linguage, 4^4 Free and established religions, influ- ence on gestures, 215, 216 Free governments, value of debate in, 244 Free speaking, 440 Free speech, 410 French language, the, 433-438 ; study of, 400, 404 French pronunciation of foreign proper names, 180 French prose, 436, 437 French verse, 437 Frenzy, 440 Fresh inspiration, 16, 17, 24 Friends, Society of, their peculiar tone, 172, 173: simplicity of reli- gious ceremonial, 217 Fright, 409 460 fnDci Froudc, T. A., a reply to, 75 Frown, the, 83 Kugiiive slave law, the, 393 Funeral oratorj', 167, 274, 423 '■ i' ury, sound and," 20 Gollaudet, Dr. E. M., on the sign language, 197, 198 Garfield, James A., memorial oratory on the death of, 15, 16 Garrick, David, anecdote of Dr. Juhnscn and, 195 ; I'alrick Henry likened to, 380 ; the " Whitefield ol the stage," 223 Garrick, Peter, anecdote of Dr. John- son and, 195 Garrison, William Lloyd, reminis- cences of, 121 Generaliz.itions, 107, 108 General preparation, 33, 34 ; of feel- ing, 124-129 General Theological Seminary, the shibboleth o(, 173 General Therapeutics (Vun Ziems- sen) cited, 193 Genius, the man of, 286 ; the neces- sity of, 25 ; of place, 386 Gentleness, 278 German l.in-uage, the, 433-43S1 437: 4,8; importance of accent in, 177; siudy of, 4C0, 404 Germans, e.xtempnraneous oratory among the, 441, 442 Germany, sign language in, 198; the use of gesture in, 2 •; Gesticulation, in combined recitative and extemporaneous oratory, 26 ; in reciting, 10; ihe true impulse of, 10. See also Gesture Gesture, 83, 92, 188, 190, iqi, 197- 208, 26=, 276. 283, 338, 339, 351, 3:5, 367, 3':8, 372. 374, 405, 425 ; angu- larity ff mo i n, 22s ; of children, 200, 201,212 ; controls all languages, 230; in conver^ition, 217 ; copying. imitation, or compo-iiion, 233 ; the cnr\'e. 216; in tlie de'iciie relations of life, 217; denominational. 215- 217 ; devph)pmont of, 21) ; eccen- tricities of, 307, 308; eti(|uetle a system of, 218; excss of, 222: ex- ercises in and for, 225-228: forceless- ne-.s in. 22-; importance of, 22S ; improper gestures -uid tlieir remedy. 224-23^; Lord Ch;ith:im's, 358; influence of sex on, 212, 213: mechanism of, 219-22;; no inflexi- ble rules, 233 ; obstruction of, 19 ; practice of, 414 ; origin and psy. chology, 20Q-218; preparation of, 219 ; psychological practice of, 23a- 232 ; relation to ex>enipuraneouS oratory, 219-22; ; relation to feel- ing, 220 ; relation to persuasion, 229, 230; relation to thought, 213; relation to words, 200,213, 214, 222; of savage races, 202; shortening the range of, 227; of significance in the plane of the intellect, 229 ; subordinated to thought, 405 ; time of action, 228-230 ; true im- pulse of, 19; uncouth, 221, 222 ; use and misuse, 213; use among the aged, 212; use by actors, 231- 2^,3; w.-int rf rhythm in, 224 Gesture, FhilosopJiy 0/ (Buckley) ci.ed, 202 " Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out," 31 Gladness, the expression of, 35 Gladstone, Will. am Kwart, letter to Professor Hittenger, 377, 378 ; on the oratory of Ricjiard Cobden, 369 ; the oratory of, 372, 375-378; on public speaking, 287 Glibness, 414 Gliding pitch, 177 Glosso-kina;stlietic center, the, 46, 47 Glottis, th:, 188 Glowing thoughts, 344 " Go, preach," 3 Goat devouring a sermon, a, 29 " God's language," 60 Goethe, J. W. von, letter from Cax- lyle to, 448 Gossiping, 450 Gourmands, 271 Gourmets, 271 Governors, the oratorical efforts of, ic Gown, the use of the clerical, 215, 216 firace, 403, 406 Grammar, the study of, 71 Grammatical accuracy, 436 Grammatical arrangement, 69-71 Grammatical expression, 9 (Jrand divisions, 421 (irandmaison, Parseval, on the tones of the elder Legouve, 147-149 Grands ^.crivains Fran^ais, Le.\ cited, 356 Grating tones, 137 ('■rave tones, 148 Gravity, 2S7 Great Britain, oratory in, 430; ora- tory of the American Revolution, 431 ; use of gesture in, 203-205 461 IfnDej Great Speeches hy Great Lawyers, 81,83 "Great t^ilker, a," 187 Greece, the orators of, 345-352 Greek, study and translatiuii of, 88, „ 361, 379. 400 Greek churches, gesticular oratory in, 216; religious etiquette in, Greek prose, 436 Griesinger, Dr. W., on defects of speech, 50 Grimaces, 309 Gross blemishes, 309 Gn.tesque ninvements, 308 Cuilmette, Dr., chest development of, 143 Guitar, tones of the, 139 Gulliver, Professor John P., on Lin- coln's use of language, 96 Guthrie, Thomas, a memorizer, 18 Gymnastic exercises, 154, 225 Habits, 224, 307, 308 Hale, Joiin P., 184 Hall, Kev. Robert, his oratory, 159 Hall, S. C. on the oratory of Brough- am, 366, 367 ; his Retrospect 0/ a Lotig Life quoted, 367 Hamilton, Alexander, his style and language, 81 Hampton, General Wade, on the ora- tory ( f Pientiss, 387 Hamnett, Professor, on the oratory of IJisho 1 Simpson, 400 Hands, "the babbling of the," 222 ; use of the, 220, 2c2, 226, 228, 247, 372. See also Gesture Haranguing, 174, 204, 351 Hard-shell l!aptists, the rhythm and tone of the, 172, 173 Harmniiics, 139 Harmonious action. 2S4, 283 Harmony, 162, 17s, 433 Harp, tlie loies of tlie, 139 Harrison, William Henry, campaign of 1840, 393 Harsh tones, 137 Harvar I Iniverslty, debating at, 241 ; the shibboleth of, 173 Harvey, Peter, reminiscences of Webster, 382, 383 Haven, President E. O., 64 " Having attained, the," 36 Hawthorne, Nathaniel, his style and language, 80 Hay, John, on the oratory of Lincoln and Douglas, 392 46 Hayne, Robert Y., Webster's teply to, 382, 383 Hearing, securing a, 288 Hearsay evidence, 237 Heart, its contriljution 10 extempo- raneous oratory, 33; moving the, 2, 75 . Heart disease, beneficial efTects of singing and talking in, 189, 103 Heaven, a New Lngland minister's conception of, 39, 40 Heaviness, 163 Hebrew, study of, 400 Hebrew forms of expression, 89 Hedding, Bishop, anecdote of, 71 Helpful style, 311 Helps, use of, 423 " Helvetius," the writings of, 80 Henry, Patrick, the oratory of, 82, 90, 131, igi, 2ig, 379-381 Hereditj', 209, 2T3 Heroic virtue, or; l ly as an incentive to, 2 Hesitation, 54, 55, 131 Hewitt, Abram S., 262 Higginson, '1 honias Wentworth, on the oratory of I hillips, 404, 405 " Higher life, the," 36 lligiiest ideal, ti e. 4 0-450 Hints on the Application 0/ Logic (Holyo.ike) cited, 2(8 Hissed from the platform, 235 History, knowledge and study of. ior-105, 373 ; relation of biography to, 101, 102 Hoarseness, 282 Hogue, Professor Addison, on Elind Tom's capabilities, 57 Holland, the use of gesture in, 203 Hollow tones, 148 Holmes, Oliver Wendell, on oratory, 16, 17 ; on phrenology, 42, 43 ; on worded thought, 95 ; Mechanism tit Thought and Morals cited, 17, 95 Holy joy. 277 Holyoake, George J., on debate, 234 ; on the oratory of O'Connell, 364 ; on the oratory of Phillips, 406 ; his Hints on the Application 0/ Logic cited, 268 ; his Public Speaking and Debate cited, 159, 4o6_ Holy Scriptures, erroneous interpre- tation of the, 38 Holy Spirit, the Inspiration of the, 278 " Holy tc ne," the, 173 Homespun, fine, 106, 107 Homiletics (Hoppin) cited, 356 Honesty, 248, 288, 398 UnDej Hooker, Richard, use of the word "extempore," 7 Hope, i2i5 Hoppin, Professor, on the oratory of Lacordaire, 356 Horseback-riding, 225 Hostile criticism, 186 Hostile glances, 328, 329 Hot water as a stimulant, 274 House of Commons, oratory in the. See Parliame.ntarv Oratorv House of Lords, oratory in the. See Paru.\mentarv Oratoky Howling dervishes, the gestures of the, 217 Hugo, Victor, letter to Jules Lacroix. 436,4^7 ; on the " literary tongues," 436, 437 ; his style, 437 Human gestures, the genesis of, 209 et seq. Human nature, 36; study of, 251 Humility, 218 Humor, 133, 256, 293 Hungarian language, pronunciation of proper names from the, 180 Hurried delivery, 21 Huskmess, 153, 160 Hygiene, 265, 269 Hypnotism, 65, 175 Hypocrisy, 246 ; the tone of, 166, 167 Iconoclasm, 431 Ideal of Public Speaking, the (Whit- ney) cited, 162 Ideals, 278 Ideas, 106-112, 282, 28-!, 289, 371 ; ac- quisition of, 34, 312, 313, 416, 428 ; advancement of new, 115; classi- fication of, 108, no; combinations of, ^13 ; communication of, 37, 198 ; delivery of, 10; dilution of, 37 : do not move the masses, 229 ; evoked by a panorama, 54, 55; evolution of, 314 ; expression of, 1S6, 209 et seq., 219, 390 ; flow of, 270 ; formu- lation by the deaf and blind, 8 ; fundamental, 88; impossible to conceive without words, 8 ; lack of. 50, 421, 424 ; loss of power of com- municating, 44 ; poverty of. 311 ; reception through words. sS ; recur- rence of, 324; relation of pronun- ciation to, 178 ; repetition of. 37 ; reproduction of, 361 ; spontaneous production of, 64 ; succession of. 425; transmission of, 437. 446; turning over, 275 ; in verbal forms, X07 Idioms, 361 ; French, 434 Idiotic dumbness, 50 Ill-health, 420 Illiterate, addressing the, 355, 356 Illustrations, 113-117, 256, 257, 31a, 386, 403, 421, 423, 442 Images, 279; aids to dramatic ora- tor)', 216 Imagination, 1, 228, 230-232, 275, 279, 305. 34I; 380, 386; polluted, 247: stimulating the, 278, 379 Imaginative style, 153 Imitation, 59, 171, 173, 185, 186, 213- 215.233 Impassioned oratory, 70, 153, 171, 172, 199, 221, 264, 266, 280, 362, 375, 431. 432 _ _ Impassivity, 281 Impending catastrophe, 337 Impersonation, 186 Impressions, transmission of, 437 Impromptu speaking. 7, 413 Improper gestures and their remedy, 224-233 Improvement, 448 Improvisation, 25, 174. 291, 333. 349« 351,3831 426, 4371438. 443 Impulse, 348 Inaccuracy, 294, 314 Inaudibility, 268 Inaugural oratory, 249 Incentive, 431 Incidental remarks, 424 Incidents, use of, 262, 350, 353, 357, 362 Incisiveness, 363, 414 Incitement, 439 Incoherence, c68, 410 Incongruous gestures, 19 Inconsistency, 373 Indefinite tones, 21 Index finger, use of, in gesticulation, 215 Index of subjects, 316 Indian clubs, use of, 226 Indians, gestures among the, 202, 203 Indignation, 37, 127, 201, 403 Imlistinctness, 131, 164 Individuality, 185. 206, 442 Indolence, 195, 196, 289, 294, 310, 314. 429 Induction, 98 Indurating influences, 124, 125 Inelcgancies, 445 Infamy, 288 Infant baptism, an inappropriate at- tack on, 29, 30; a monomaniac on, 331. 332 463 ITtiOex Infants, the language of, 200-202 " Infernal machine set to music, an," 407 . . Inflection, 71, 72, 190, 191, 199, 205, 210, 222, 333, 338, 3jg, 425, 432, 446 ; relation to words, 200 ; upward, 166, '67 . . . Inflexibility of manner, 309-311 Influence, 247, 248, 288, 295, 351 Influencing the heart, 277, 278 Informal assemblies, 302 Information, acc^uisition of, 374, 390, 414, 415 ; distribution of, 2 Inhalation, 142-145, 155, 156, 188-190, 193, 272. See also Breathing Inherited disqualifications, 408 Insanity, 264 Insincerity, the tone of, 166, 167 Insinuation, 245 Inspiration, 16, 17, 94, 278, 286, J13, 326, 359i 382, 383 ; a " mystic ' source of, 18. See also Inhalation Inspired speech, 65. See also Un- known Tongues Instability, subjective, 330 Institutes of Oratory (Quintilian) cited, 343-345 Institutions, knowledge and study of, 102, III Instruction, 276 Integrity, 245, 247, 248 Intellection, 74 Intellectual interest, 15 Intellectuality, 256 Intellectual power, 370 Intellectual preparation, 124 Intellectual stimulants, 15 Interest, 373 Internal stimulus, the, 55 Interpolation, 427 Interpretation of poetry, 38 Interruptions, 284, 302. 327-329 Intonation, 149, 172, 173 Intoxication, 270, 271, 274; by suc- cess, 428, 429 Introspection, 276 Intuition, 385 Intuitive language, 35 Invective, 406, 407 Investigation, 120; original, no, in, Involuntary imitation, 85 Involuntary motions, 307, 308 Ireland, an oration on the wrongs of, 75 ; the use of gesture in, 205, 208 Irish oratory, 363-365 Irony, 365 Irresponsive countenances, 329 Irreverence, 323, 323 Irving, Edward, 65 Irving, Washington, his style and lai> guage, 80 Italian " a," the, i8i Italian language, the, 433, 438; im- portance of accent in, 177 ; study of, 404 Italy, sign language in, 198; use of gesture in, 203-207 Items, U3-117 Iteration, 87 Jackson, Dr. J. Hughlings,on the use of stimulants, 270 James, Professor William, cases of vocal vagaries, 61 Janauschek, Mme., power of modu- lation of the voice, 232 ; use of ges- ture, 233 Janes, Bishop, self-possession of, 328 Jargon, 59, 293 Jaw, effect on the voice, 146, 152 Jay, John, his style and language, 81 Jefferson, Thomas, on the oratory of Henry, 380 Jeffrey, Lord, as a debater, 365 Jerky style, 418 Jerusalem, religious eti(^uette in, 217 Johnson, Dr. Samuel, his dictionary, 178 ; on meditation, 122 ; on vi- vacity, 195; records Chatham's elo- quence, 359 Jonson, Ben, use of the word " ex- tempore," 7 Jovial style, 310 Joy, 277, 278 Jubilant style, 310 Judge, the office of the, 236 Judgment, 270; convincing the, 2 Judiciary, swayed by oratorj', 2 Jury, addressing and influencing a, 2, 31, 86, 126, 245, 246, 255, 262, 289, 290, 294, 306; the office of the, 236. See also Forensic Oratory Jury-fixing, 246 " Kamtscha:ka,'' the pronunciation of, 179 Kean, Edmund, the feeble voice of, ^159 Keller, Helen, mental methods of, 8 Kendall dreen, Washington, D. C, the deaf-mutes at, 197, 198 Key, 139, 150, 194, 405 ; changing the, Kinaestbe'ic centers, 46, 47 Kings, the oratorical efforts of, 10 464 1Tn&ci Kirby, Professor, on vocal training, 143; his Vocal and Action Lan- guage, Culture, and Expression cited, 142 Kiik, Edward N., the oratory of, 410 Knowledge, the acquisition of, 119, 3431404 Kossuth, Louis, his eloquent gestures, 198 Lacedsemon, repression of oratory in, 432 Lachrymose, the, 303 Lachrymose feeling, 124 Lacordaire, Jean baptiste Henri, the oratory of, 354 LacroLx, Jules, letter from Victor Hugo, 436, 437 U Allemagne (l)e Stael) cited, 434 Lamartine, Alphonae, on the oratory of Ijossuet, 354 Lamennais, H. F. R. de, converts La- cordaire, 355 ; his Essay on Indif- ference, 355 Lancet, the, cited, 270 Language, 397, 442 ; acquisition of, 34, 95-97 ; aphasia, 43 ; as an adorn- ment of thought, :;8 ; combination with thought and feeling, 33 ; com- mand of, 349, 360, 361,414; com- parisons of, 433 et seq. ; correct use of, 8g, 90; disarrangement of, 164 ; English, 432 (see also English Language) ; in extemporaneous oratory, 33 ; faculty of articuhue, 45; gift of, 357; introduction into the mind, 54; manufacture of, 60; mastery of, 354; paucity of, 317, 323; picturesqut-ness of, 368; its poverty, 38 ; power. 408 : precedes the intentional accumulation of thought, 34: Quintili'U, on the preparation of, 344; ie'a'i;n nf tone tc, 310; revealer of emoiicm, 31;; rhythm of, 171, 172 ; Sha1<..'speare's adhesiveness for, 77; the speaker and his, 34; a supposed organ of, 42; thought and, 34; two kinds of memory relating to, i;6; uses of, 3S-4r ; the vehit-le of thought, 35 Larynx, the, 161, 164 Lassitude, 274 Lale-comers, 328 Latin exceptions, remembrance of, 56, 58 , Latin language, knowledge and study of, 88, 361, 379, 434,437 Latm prose, 436 I 465 Laughter, 262 ; therapeutic aspects of, 1H8 Law, knowledge and study of, 114, 128; the letter of, anti-emotional, 128 Laws of association, 58 Law student, the, 413, 414. See also FOKENSIC CjKArORV Law Students' Society, Hastings, England, an addiess to the, 413, 414 Lawyers, 251 ; addressing juries, 126 ; advantages of studying the Bible, 76, 77 ; charm of, 255, 256 ; debates among, 235-237 ; necessary knowl- edge for, 103, 104 ; necessity of voice cultivation for, 160 ; oratory not coufnied to, 3 ; the oratory of, 86, 187, 18S, 197, 235-237, 243 (see also FoKENSIC 0KATOR^); pitch of voice for, 164 ; pretended zeal and sincerity, 108, 109 ; temptations, 302 ; tone of voice (or, 165 ; tricks of, 245, 246; tu, scrupulousness among, 245.246; value of the Bible to, 102 ; work of, 263, 264, 266 Laziness, 313, 314 Leading questions, 236, 237 " Learned words of thunderous sound," 69 Le Baron. Albert, the case of, 60-62, 65 Lecturers, oratory not confined to, 3; the oratory of, 187, 265, 268 Lectures and lecturing, 249, 256, 274, 289, 321, 334, 422; memorizing of, 23 ; preparatitm of, 6 Lectures to My Students (Spurgeon) cited, 14 Legal education, 355, 357 Legal technicalities, 246 T-egislative oratory, 2, 10, 249. See also Pari lAMENTARv Oratory Legouve, f;abriel E. W., on accous- liis. 168: on the dramatic success (if Talma, 144 ; on his father's voice, 147-149; on the oratory of An- drie\ix, 159, 160 ; on the oratory of Bossuet, 354; on the pitch of the human voice, 162, 163 ; his Art of Reading, cited, 160, 354 Legouve, Jean Baptiste, his voice, 147-149 T,egs, use of the, 220, 221 Length. 298 Lethargy , 272 Le Vaillani, Franijois, records loss of memory in a parrot, 51 Libanius, teacher of St. Chrysostom, 353 IFnDej Libel and slander, 430 "Liberator, the," 303-365 Liberty, oratorical, 340 Life, relation to action, 443, 444 Life and Growth of Language (Whitney) cited, 432 Life and Times of Frederick IK Robertson cited, 371 LifeofDetnosikenes (Plutarch) cited, 349 Life of Pericles (Plutarch) cited, 346 Life 0/ Pitt (Stanhope) cited, 361 Life of Richard Cobden (McGil- christ) cited, 370 Life of Wendell Phillips (.Martyn) cited, 405 Light, imperfect, 28 ; and shade, 426 Lightness of style, 311 Lights, extinguishment of, 328 Limitation, learning one's, 268, 269 Lincoln, A., his anecdotes, 114; de- bates with Douglas, 97, 392, 394, 396,397; indebtedness to the Bible, 76 ; a master of language, 96, 97 ; the oratory of, 367, 392, 394-398, 404 ; the secret of his oratory, 96, 97 Listening, 107, 187 Listlessness, 265-269, 447 Literary culture, a renaissance of, 100 Literary perfection, 70 Literary study, 375 " Literary tongues," the, 436 Literature, 256 ; distinguished from oratory, 404 ; knowledge of, 114 Liturgical forms, 323 Liverpool, Beecher's address at, 402 Locke, John, use of the word "ex- tempore," 7 London, the Houses of Parliament in, 170; viragoes in, 212 Longevity, talking conducive to, iSS Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, his Psalm of Life in sign language, 198 Longinus, Dionysius, on the oratory of Demosthenes, 350 Looking-glass, practicing before a, 226, 227, 358 " Lord of the Silver Bow," the, 357 Loss of connection, 330, 332 Lost A rtSy tkt^ Phillips's lecture, 404 Loud swelling style, 341, 403 Loud tones, 131, 135, 156 Love, 125, 129, 277, 278, 373 ; the ex- pression of, 83 Lowell, James Russell, Bishop Simp- son and, 16; tribute to President Garfield, 15 Low tones, 135, 136, 149, 156 Lucidity, 256, 447 Ludicrous, the, 21 Lungs, expansion of the, 13, 154, 155, 193. See also Breathing; Breath- ing-Tube ; Expiration; Inhala- tion ; ReSPIKATION ; RtSl'IRATORV Muscles Lung troubles, advantages of talking in, 189 Luther, Martin, his rules, 409 " Lyons," the pronunciation of, 180 Macaulay, Lord, on Bunyan's style, 79, 80 ; on the oratory of Pitt, 360, 361 ; on parliamentary government, 2,3; on Quintilian's Institzitcs of Oratory, 343; Sydney Smith on, loS; use of the word ''extempor';," 7 McCarthy, Justin, on the oratory of Bcaconsfield, 376, 377 McClintock, Dr. John, the oratory of, 425 Macfarren, Sir George A., on speech and music, 190 McGilchrist, John, his Life of Rich- ard Cobden cited, 370 Mcllvaiiie,Dr.,on Vitality a nd Phys- ical Regimen, 272 Mackintosh, Sir James, on the ora- tory of Fox, 359 McLean, Justice, correction of a his- torical mistake by, loi Madison, James, his style and lan- guage, 81 Magnetism, 38t Majestic language, 438 " INIajestic," the word, 68 Malice, 440 Mandevilie, Dr. Henry, on force and vivacity, 194, 195 ; his Elements of Reading and Oratory cited, 195 Mandolin, the tones of the, 139 Mankind, the proper study of, 98 Manner, 309-311, 342, 389 Mannerisms, 21, 320, 321, 428 Mantegazza, Paolo, on racial and na- tional differences of manner, 206, 207 ; his Physiognomy and Ex- pression cited, 207, 208 Manuscript, use of, 15, 21-21;, 28, 31- 33, 299, 36s, 402, 411, 4x7-420, 422, 424, 428 Mark Antony, oratory directed against, 432 Mariyn, Carlos, on the oratory of Phillips, 405, 407 ; his Wendell Phillips cited, 407 466 UnDcj Masks, use of, by Athenian orators, Massillon, Jean Baptiste, a memo- rizer, 18 Mass meetings, 381 Maternub, 011 the repression of ora- tory. 4317 432 . Matthews, \V illiam, his Orators and Oratory cited, 223, 292 Maudlin tones, 149 Maxims, 351 Meade, General, case of a sister of, 52 Meaningless words, use of, 59 Mechanical gestures, 19 jHec/iaiiiiin in TItouglit and Morals (Holmes) cited, 17, 95 Mechanism of gesture, 2I9--223 Medicine, knowledge of, 114 ; oratory and the practice of, 3, 4 Meditation, 6, 11, 17, 22, 105, 122, 275- 279. 281, 301, 334, 344, 347, 354, 356, 357i 382, 405'. 401, 421, 423, 42^ 428, 429, 450. See aKo Premldxtation Medium pitch, use of the, 1(12-164 Mediums, the unknown tongues of, 63-65 Meekness, 278 Melancholy style, 310 Melody of speech, 442 ; of words, 199 Melting oratory, 205 Memoriier oratory, 197, 241, 321, 325, 347. 350-353. 361, 365, 367. 400, 425- 427, 438, 440, 447 Memorizing, 13, 18-23, 33, 333, 338, 385, 416, 417, 423-426 Memory, 6, 43, 252-254, 315, 327, 389, 408. 410, 42^ : Ijlind Tom's, 56, 57 ; cultivation of, -^44 ; of facts, 98, 104, 105 ; ideas evt ked from a panorama, 54,55; impairment of, 27, 28; loss of, 43; mere commitment, q6 ; a parrot's loss of, 51 ; recollection of words with meanings, 58 ; sponta- neous, 118; stimulating the, 98; a treacherous faculty, 27, 28 ; two kinds relating to language, 56 ; ver- bal, 56.. See aUo Amnfsia ; Mnk- MONICS; RpcoLLErTION Mental activity, 42, 270, 273, 274, 281, VJ-i Mental and Moral Science (Bain) cited, 78 84 Mental rmd ■ piical reflection, ^26, 227 Mental brake, 298 Mental calm, a dead sea of, 336, 337 Mental composition. 22. 2^ Mental concentration, 243.281 | Mental Diseases (Griesinger) cited, ^lo 46 Mental faculties, joint action with physical faculties, 59 Mental force, 62 Mental growth, 297 Mental image, rapidity of the, 55 Mental models, 443 Mental motion, 54, 55, 408 Mental nausea, 341, 342 Mental perception, 316 Mental philosophy, 399 Mental power, 373 Mental processes, 331, 332 Mental productiveness, diminishing, 22 Mental refreshment, 333 Mental root words, 34 Ment;.l sloth, 321 Mental vigor, 409 Mental vision, 279, 280, 342 Mentation, 188, 270 Merrill, Abraham D., extemporaneous oratory of, 70 Metallic voices, 146, 147 Metaphor, 442 Metaphysics, the language of, 433, 438 . Methodism, the oratory of, 362, 363, "fo? . ... Methodists, peculiarities of tone, 172, 173; simplicity of religious cere- monial, 217 IVliddle States, the use of gesture in the, 205 Middle voice, the use of the, 1G2-164 M ids u III Dwr X igki' s D rea >n(i\io[.cd ,j Milan, the use of gesture in, 207 Milhurn, Rev. William Henry, on denominational canting, 173; on the oratory of Prentiss, 388; his recognition of tones, 141; his\oice, 151 ; on voice culture, 151, 152 Military commanders, the oratorical efforts of, 10 Milton, John, cited, i ; study of, 390; his style, language, and vocabulary, 77, 80 Mind, 270 Mind, alertness of, 104 ; a blank, 342; its contribution to extemporaneous oratory, 33; the deposit of thouglits in the, 34; interesting the, 229; introdurtion of language into the, 54 Mind-reading, 210 Ministers. See Ci.erovmen; Vw iiT Oratory ; Srrmons >'ini'-try, the call to the, 276-278 Minor notes, i -6 " Minute man," a, g8 IFnoej Mirror, practicing before a, 226, 227, 358 Mispronunciation. See Pronuncia- tion Misrepresentation, 370 Mistakes in scientific statements, 100 Misunderstanding, 373 Mnemonics, 253, 254. See also Mem- ory Mob, talking down a, 136 Mobility of countenance, 374 Mocking birds, loss of memory in, 51 Moderation, 244 Modesty, 329 Modulation, 141, 232, 355, 364 Mohammedan mosques, religious eti- quette in, 217 Moistening lips, 308 Mole, Frangois Rene, on the use of the middle voice, 162 Moliere, Jean Baptists, his choice of critics, 8 Monology, 94, 95, 171, 217, 339 Monomaniacs, mental processes of, 33' Monosyllables, 71 Monotone, 135, 169 Monotony, 163, 175, 176, 311 ; of de- livery, 23 Montalembert, Count, on the oratory of Lacordaire, 355 Monvel, Jacques Marie Boutet, the voice and articulation of, 159 Moors, the gestures of the, 203 Moot courts, 399 Moral addresses, 278 Moral influence, 374 Moral sentiments, 405 Moral stimulants, 15 Mormon orator^', 311 Motions, significant, 220 Motives, the blending of the best, 127 Motor centers, 47-50 Motor nerves, stimulating the, 273 Motor writing center, the, 48, 49 Mott, Lucretia, reminiscences of, 121 Mouth, the, loi, 102; expiration by, 155 ; lack of co-ordination of its muscles, 43; proper use of, 156 Mouthing, 135 Movement, want of rhythm of, 224 Moving power, 22 Miiller, Professor Max, on the prior- ity of gesture to words, 201; his Anthropological Religion cited, 202 Mullois, I'Abbe, on sacred eloquence, 125, 126; The Clergy and the Pul- 468 pit in their Relation to iht Pteplt, i35i 126 Mumbling, 131 Municipal councils, oratory in, 4. See also Parliamentary Oratory ; Political Oratory Murray, Lord William, as a debater, 365 Muscle-reading, 210 Muscles, of speech, 153; training the, 225-228 Music, 190; relation to the voice, 190-194 Musical ear, the, 169 Musical genius, of Blind Tom, 56 Musical instruments, 139, 140 Musical tones, 137 Mutual improvement, 415 Myers, F. W. H., on the use of un- known tongues, 65 Mythology, study of, 390 Naples, the use of gesture in, 207 Napoleon, Life of (Scott) cited, 213 Narcotics, use of, 272 Narration, 80, 416 Nasality, 145, 146, 405 Naturalism, 407 Naturalness of delivery, 14 Natural science, factsof, 98, 99; study of, 400 Nature in Man (Bacon) cited, 330 Neander, on the oratory of Chrysos- tom, 353; his Church History cited, 353 Negative, the, 259 Neglect, 428 Negro congregations, 175 Negroes, addressing, 94; oratory of, 215 Neophytes, suggestions 10,413-429 Nerve forces, expenditure of, 30O; 335. 337, 338 Nervousness, 288, 370 Nervous prostration, 270-272 Nervous strain, 409 Nervous susceptibility, 124 Neurasthenia, 27 Neurological Society, the, address be- fore, 270 New College, Edinburgh, an address at, 426 New England, the use of gesture in, 205, 215 , New England minister, conceptlOQ of heaven of a, 39, 40 Newspapers, study of, 404 New words, the use of, 95, g6j SSd linoei Norway, vivacity of the people, 207, 208 Nose, speaking through the, 145, 146 Nostrils, inhalation by the, 154-156, 272 Notes, use of, 2S8, 333, 334, 349, 35',. 354. 371. 372i 40^403. 4". 417, 418, 422, 429 Notoriety, 288 NouMS, necessity of, to thought, 8, 9 Novelists, value of the I'.ible to. 102 Nuttall, an unsparing critic of John Brighl's oratory, 307, 368 Objective realities, 278 Observation, 312, 314, 365 Observations, pertinent, 252, 253 Observations on the Deaf and Diuub (Peet) cited, 8 Obsolete and obsolescent words, 76 Obstruction of gesture, 19 Occasion, exigencies of the, 413 ; utili- zing the, 424. See also Oi'portunity O'Connell, Daniel, the oratory of, ,363-365 , O Conor, Charles, the oratory of, 82 Off-hand speaking, 7 Office, honor due to, 218 Olin, Stephen, oratory of, 398 Open-air preparation, 420 Open-air speaking, 155 Opinions, 108, no Opportunity, creating an, 416. See also Occasion Optical and mental reflection, 226, 227 Optimistic egotism, 122, 123 Oral debate, public, 234-244 Oratorical debility, 166 Oratorical delivery, 426 Oratorical instinct, 37 Oratorical reading, 410 Orators, born or made ? 4, 5 Orators and Oratory (>Iatthews) cited, 223, 292 Oratory, akin to poetry, 437 ; com- pared with shoemaking, 4, 5 ; de- basement of, 5 ; decline of, 4 :(9 ; dis- tinguished from literature, 404: early functions, 2 ; elements of, 1 : endowed or acquired, 4. 5; the great- est of arts, I ; Holmes on, 16, 17 ; importance of masterin<: its princi- ples, 3; influence, i; influence on religion, 3; loftiest aims of, 5, par- tially superseded by tlie press, 2 ; powers, 2 ; practice of medicine and, J, 4 ; Quintilian's Institutes o/y Cited, 343-345 ; relation to science, 99, 100; secrets of, 130-, soul of discussion, 2 ; study of, 233 ; study of elocution, 130-13!! ; three points of, 247, 248; trance-inducing effect of, 10 ; various schools of, 186, 187 Or^an ol language, is there an / 42 Oriental races, gestures of, 203 Originality, 410, 441-444 Ornamental, use ot the, 40, 41 Ornate, the, 339 Orthoepy, 178, 179 Oiuliiie, use of an, 423-425 Uveraction, 269 Overconfideiice, 289 Overloading subjects, 312 Overpreparation, 419 Ovciproof, 236 Overtones, 139, 140, 191 Overwork, 156 Overworking natural gifts, 302, 303, 305,306 " Pacificus," the writings of, 80 Padding, 318-320, 325 Pain, the expression of, S3 Palpitation of the heart, 409 Pamphlets, 404 Panorama, ideas evoked by a, 54, 55 Pantomime, 197, 231, 233 Paragraphs, the construction of, 9 Pardon, 252 Parenthetical remarks, 449 " Paris," the pronunciation of, 180 Park, Edwards A., recommends the extemporaneous method, 30, 31 Parker, Theodore, reminiscences of, 121 Parliament, the Houses of, London, 170 Parliamentary government, Macaulay on, 2, 3 Parliamentary law, 2^7-239, 244, 413 Parliamentary oratory, lo, 175, 235, 237, 357-361, 363-370, 373' 375- 376. 379-383, 385, 392, 394-399. 4;i, 433. 437 Parrot, loss of memory in a, 51 Parties, the influence of debate on, 234 ; relation to truth, 235 Partisan conflict, 24 :; Parton, James, on the use of stimu' lants, 271 Parts of speech, the, 8, q Party, 259 _ Passion, 126, 373, 432 ; expression of, 171, 190; exhibition by singers and speakers, 190 409 1ln&ei Passions, moving the, 23 Pathological impediments, 409 Pathology of the brain, 43 Pathos, 15, 36, 73, 75, 79,129, 203, 211, 255. 277, 302-306, 309, 403 Paul, Saint, at Athens, painting by Raphael, 204 ; the oratory of , 352 ; use of dictation, 445 Pauses, i77,_ 185, 261, 319, 321, 408, 421 ; utilizing, 156 Pearse, Mark Guy, his Dan' I Quortn, iq5 Pedantry, 179, 180 Pedestrianisni, 154 Peet, Dr. Harvey, on the ideas of the deaf, 8 ; rendering of the " Psalm of Life," 108; Obseri'ntions on the Dea/ and Ditnib cited, 8 Penitence, 251, 322 ; the t(ine of, 167 Perception, 283; vividness of, 290 Perception centers, 47, 48 Perfection, 4^8-450 " Perfection,'' 36 Perfunctory oratory, 321 Pericles, the oratory of, 345-348 ; his studies, 345, 346 Perilous aids, two, 22 Periods, 347 Peripatetic speakers, 264 Peroration, the, 25, 368, 376, 377 Personal activity, 374 Personal ambition, 127 Personal appearance, 359, 367, 380, _ 394 Personal devotion, 125 Personal element, the 186 Personal experiences, 408, 409, 416, 421, 442 Personality, ^97, 441-444, 449; ora- tory subordinate to, 38 Personal peculiarities, 413 Persons, pronunciation of foreign names of, 180, 181 Perspicuity, 439 Persuasion, 105, 245,247-249,251,254, 255> 259. 260, 278, 3531.362, 364. 369, 370, 403, 412 ; gesture in relation to, 229,230; the tone of, 166 Persuasive power, 217, 244 Pertinent observations, 252, 253 Pessimistic egotism, 122, 123 Petition, the tone of, 166 Pettiness, 449, 450 Philerian, on the oratory of Demos- thenes, 348 Phillips, Wendell, 164, 182 ; imitations of his style, 214, 215 ; on the oratory of Everett, 364 ; on the oratory of O'Connell, 364 , on the oratory of Prentiss, 391 ; on the oratory ol Webster, 364 ; the oratory of, 391, 403-407 ; reminiscences of, i2j Philosophical language, 433 Philosophy, 351; knowledge of, 354; the language of, 433, 438 Pliilosophy of Gesture (Buckleyy cited, 202 Phocion, the oratory of, 349 Phonograph, the, 140, 146 Phrase, felicity of, 358 Phraseology, a halt in, 18; senseless, 39, 40 Phrases, set, 85 ; use of frequently occurring, 296, 319, 320, See also Repetition Phrases, specific! " Apples of gold in pictures of sil- ver," 34 " Art of putting things," 107,404 " Babbling of the hands," 323 " P>e bold," 429 " Be not too bold," 429 " Blciod-earnestness, 14, 377 "Chrisiian perfection," 36 " Coming down," 01, 92 " Corneille of Preachers, the," 353 " Entire sanctification," 36 " Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out," 31 "Go, preach," 3 " God's language," 60 "Great talker, a," 187 " Having attained, the," 36 " Higher life, the " 36 " Holy tone, the," 173 " Infernal machine set to music, an," 407 " Learned words of thundering sound," 6g " Minute man, a," 98 " Perfection,'' 36 "Preach,'' 3 _ "Prove all things," 113 " Pushing one's self forward," 329 " Saint's secure abode, the,' 38 " Second blessing, the," 36 " Something to say," 414 " Sound and fury," 20 " Speaking with tongues," 61, 62 Phrasing, 377 Phrenology, Oliver Wendell Holmes on,_42,43 _ Physical exercise, 142 Physical faculties, joint action with mental faculties, 59 Physical impediments, 409 470 imoej Physical preparation, preliminary, 263-274 Physiognomy and Expression (Man- lega/za) cited, 207, 208 Physiological basis of speech, 42-53 Physiology of the brain, 43 Piano, the tones of the, 140 Piciures, aids to clramalic oratory, 216 Pierce, Judge, on the oratory of Prentiss, ^84, 385 Pil^itn s I'rog7-ess, the^ 79 Pilisbury, Parker, reminiscences of, 121 Piiickney, William, embarrassment of, 327; on the acquisition of ideas, 416 ; the oratory of, 82, 83, 327 Piquancy, 294 Pilch, I, 146, 150, 161-176, 192, 194, 285, 351,405 Pitt, N\'illiam, Macaulay on, 2; on amplification, 87; on eloquence, 15; on the oratory of Fox, 359 ; the oratory of, 369 Pitt, \\ illiam (Jr.), the oratory of, 360, 361 ; use of food and stimu- lants, 272 Pittrnger, Professor, letter from Glad- stone, to, 377, 378; his Extempore Speech cited, 377, 378 Plagiarism, 297, 298, 333 Plaintiveness, the tone of, 167 Platform, the, 256 Platform oratory, 265, 382, 407. See also Lectl'REks, etc. Play of features, 14 Pleading, 249, 235, 297 Pleasure, the expression of, 83 Plutarch, anecdote of Julius Caesar, 174 ; on the oratory of Demades, 348, 349 ; on the oratory of Demos- thenes, 348 ; on the oratory of Peri- cles, 346 Poet, the extravagances of the,29o,29i Poetical expressions, 309 Poetical fancy, 380 Poetic similes, 114 Poetry, 290, 291, 369, 438 ; akin to ora- tory, 437; interpretation of, 38, 39; rhythm of, 39 : study of, 369, 373 Poets, born, 4 ; the language of, 84 ; study of the, 82, 83; value of the Bible to, 102 Pointins, 225, 421 Political campaigns, 37 Political Eloquence of Greece Miredif) cite'!, 346, 347, 349 Political excitement, 255 Political meetings, 356-360 Political orators and orato.y, 176, 249, 263, 264, 278, 287, 288, 293, 294, 311, 381. See also Parliamkni aky Okatorv ; Sn uMp Speaking Political speakers, vocal exploits of, 14 \ value of the Bible to, 102 Politicians, the oratory and conver>a- tion of, 18S; oratoiy not confined to, 3; the utterances of uneducated, 9, 10 Polk, James K., campaign of 1S44, 388 Polysyllables, 71, 72 Pomposity, 282, 339 Popularity, 363 Popular rule, influence on oratory, 432 Pose, 169, 170, 217, 220, 221, 233, 21, 368, 380, 394. See also Attitude : Peaking Post-prandial oratory, 249, 261, 262, 271, 302 Potter, T. J. his Art 0/ Extempo rary Preac/iing c\\.eA, 356 Power, 363, 369 380, 406 ; decline of, 269; of extemporizing, 408-412 Practical vein, the, 304, 305 Practice, 330, 342, 359, 360, 365, 368, 3^91 373i 381. 399. 403. 413. 428 Prayer, 277, 278, 292, 322, 323, 357, 400 ; babbling, 321-323 ; modular tion of the voice in, 167 " Pleach," 3 Preaching, 267, 276-278 Preconceived ideal, attempting to realize a, 339 Prejudice, 259, 413? in debate, 234: overcome by debate, 235 Preliminary physical preparation, 263-274 Premeditation, 17, 361, 390, 413, 415. See also Meditation Prentiss, George, advice from his brother, 389, 390 Prentiss, Sargent S., the oratory of, 82, 384-391, 450 Preparation, 31, 261, 312, 342, 347- 349. 356, 357. 377. 378. 382. 383- 399- 404, 413-416, 419, 423-429. 448; by writing, 325; excessive, 338; for the unusual, 256, general, 33, 34; lack of. 321 ; necessity for, 289, 2)2; preliminary physical, 263-274; Qiiintilian, r.n. 344: special, 33- special, of feeling, 275-280; when one of several speakers, 257-259 Prepossess!'. n, 259 Presbyterian pulpit, a Baptist in a, 29. 30 47» flnOej Presidents, the oratorical efforts of, lO Press, clippings from the, 113 ; ils functions, 441 ; liberty of the, 430 ; partially supersedes oratory, 2 ; re- lation to the orator, 439-441 ; re- sponsibility for the decline of oratory, 439-441 Pride, the precipice of, 429 Princeton University, the shibboleth of, 173, iSt Problems in Connection with Apha- sia and Other Speech Defects iBas- tian) cited, 44-48 Procedure, rules of, 236, 237 Procrastination, 416 Productiveness, diminishing mental, 22 ; during speaking, 6 Prof inity, unintentional, 321, 322 Professors, oratory not confined to, 3 Pronunciation, 88, 133, 140, 157-159, 177-184,. 210, 227, 339, 361, 425; automatic, 183 ; of dialect, 181 ; of foreign words, 179-181; of proper names, 179-182; relation 10 ideas, 178 ; standard of, 177 et seq. Proof, 250, 251, 255, 315 Proper names, pronunciation of, 179- 182 Prose, in English and French, 436 Prosiness, 202 Prostrating reaction, 338 Prostration, 264, 265 Prose poems, 70 Protecting one's self against failure, ^26-342 " Prove all things," 113 Proverbs, 85, 86, 106 Provincialism, 152 ' Psalm," pronunciation of, 181, 182 Psalm 0/ Life (Longfellow) in sign language, 198 Psycho-automatic force, an, 61, 62 Psychological practice of gesture, 230-232 Publication of extemporaneous dis- courses, 12, 13 Public oral debate, 234-244 Public readers, 13 Public speaking, supposedly extempo- raneous, 6; a demand for, 241 Public Speaking and Debate (Hol- yoakei ci'ed, T59, 406 Published so'-eches. 419 " I'nblius," the writings of, 80 Pulmonary consumption, singing as an antagonist of, 10 ? Pulpit, mannerisms of the, 21 Pulpit eloquence, in England, 203,204; in France, 353-357 Pulpit garb, 215, 216 Pulpit oratory, 187. 249-252, 287, 289, 3'o, 3"i 313-316, 320-324, 353-357. 37<>-375, 407. 4101 4"f 415. 420-422. 426-428, 448, 449 Pulpit reverie, a, 299 Punshon, Rev. W illiam M., the ora- tory of, 18, 147, 427 Pure air, value of, 142, 272 Pure intellect, 409 " Pushing one's self forward," 329 Qualification, 55 Quantity, 177 Querulous tones, 163 Questions, 302 Quick transitions, 374 Quick-wittedness, 244 Quinine, use as a stimulant, 271 Quintilian, Marcus Fabius, on stimu- lating the emotions, 279, 280 ; on the use of dictation, 445, 446; on the use of words, 439 ; his Education oj the Orator cited, 280 ; his Insti- tutes 0/ Oratory cited, 343-345,439 "Quixote," "quixotic," "quixotic- ally,'' 181 Quotations, 100, loi, 165,332, 333,385 Raciness, 364 Radix, extracting the, 250, 251 Rage, 210 Ragged voice, a, 160 Railway oratory, 383, 384 Rambling, 12 Randolph, John, of Roanoke, on the oratory of Henry, 380 ; on the ora tory of O'Connell, 364 Ranting, 407, 450; not oratory, 7 Raphael, his painting of Paul at Ath- ens, 204 Rapidity, 149. 150, 159, 185, 195, 338, 330, 41T. See also Speed Rasping tones. 146, 149 Rate of utterance. See Speed Ratiocination, 286 Reaction, 15 Reactionary weakness, 335, 537, 338 Readers, 2^7 ; the extemporizer's ad- vantage over, 23; special prepara- tion, 33 _ Readiness in reply, 365 Reading, 12-17, 132, 153, 3r4, 321, 351, 373, 404, 409, 416, 418, 41Q, 421 ; aloud, 46 ; combined with extem- porizing, 24 ; combined wit'ti recit- 472 liibei ing, 24 ; dangers of, 31, 32 ; differ- entiated from speaking, 185 ; mas- tering the art of, 183 ; not a health- ful exercise, 13 • tne Realism, 252 Reading voice, tne, 13 Realistic style, 211 Reality, 279 Reason, emotion the foe of, 126; pre- dominance of feeling over, 124 ; use Reasonmg, 283, 286, 304, 305, 365; methods and powers of, 8, 275 Rebuke, 302 Recapitulat'iOn, 106, 259 Reciprocal relation of thoughts and words, 7-9 Recitation, 12, 18-23, 95» 'S^i 176,282, 347. 351. 362.. 416, 424. 426, 427, 441 ; combined with reading, 24; the eye in, 18 ; special preparation for, 33 Reciter, the extemporizer's advantage over the, 23 Recoenition, 118 Recollection, 118, 119, 251, 253,2^4. 27s. 37 «. 399. 425. 426. See also Memory Reconstruction, 446 Records, value of, 316 Recuperation, 300, 301 Reedy tones, 142 Reflection, 253, 275, 312, 377. 378, 393, 409; mental and optical, 226, 227 Reflex action, from the audience, 20 ; syllabic suggestion and, 59 Reflex influence, 15, 16, 32,64, 95, 176, icit Reform oratory, 2, 431 Regnier, Francois Joseph, rule for articulation, 157, 158 Regret, 251 Rehearsal, 19, 367 Reichstag, an anecdote of the, 38 Relation of thoughts and words, re- ciprocal, 7-9 Religion, 302; effect of oratory on, 3 Religious communions, debate in, 235 Religious excitement, 255 Relicjious feeling, 125 Religious interest, arousing, 42a Religious movements, 172, 173 ReliEious revival, 37 Remembrance, ti8, 119 Reminiscences, value and tyranny of, 118-123 Reniiniicences 0/ Daniel Webstrr (Harvey) cited, 383 Remorse, 251 (31) 473 Repentance, 251, »5» Repetition, 12, 55, 76, 86, 87, 258. 3»5-3'7. 359-30», 423. 427. 449; o" addresses, 334 ; in a common cause, 37; of ideas, 37 ; of sermons, 36a Replication, 257-259 Reply, readiness in, 394 Reporters and reported speeches, y^ 439-441. See also Stenogkaphic Reports; Verbatim Reports Representative government, influence of oratorj' over, 2 Representative imagination, I Repression of speech, 66 Reproductions of ancient tongues, 61, 62 Republics, the etiquette of, ai8 Reputation, 248. 3S1 Resemblances, 270 Reserve, no, 126, ai8, 301 Resolution, 330 Respiration, 13, 143, 154. 155, 189 193, 220, 339, 443, 447 ; 'he effect of talking on, 188, 189 Respiratory muscles, relation to ges- ture, 220 Responsibility, 395 Rest, 263-269, 300^501 Retention of acquisitions, 448 Revelation, Book of, the symbolism of the, 38 Reverence, 295, 296, 301, 322 Revery, 275 Revivals, 37 Revolution, oratory as an incentive to, 2 Revolutionary oratory, 379, 380, 431 Revolutionary War, a stimulus to oratorj', 278 Rhapsody, 372, 410 Rhetoric, 256, 305, 352, 376, 399, 406. 436 Rhetorical rules, 343 Rhetorical style, 215 Rhett, Robert 15., oratory of. 390 Rhodes, the orators of, 432 Rhymes in unknown tr>ngncs, 64, 61; Rhythm, i, 71, 170-176, 192,205, 210. 332, 333. 33". 34I. 4;n; gestures of. 2iq ; of movement, want of, 224 Rhythmical excitement, 264 Richardson, definition of "extem- pore," 7 ; his dictionary. 178 Ricfiiiionif Inifuirer, on the oratory of I'hillips, 406, 407 Ridicule. 365 Rigg, Hr. l.imes H.. on the oratory of Whitefield and Wesley, 363 irn&ej Rising inflection, 71 kitual, the intonation of a, 173 Roaring, 174, 407 Robertson, Frederick W., the oratory of, 37'>-373 Rogers, Samuel, on the oratory of Fox, 359 Roman Catholic churches, gesticular oratory in, 216 ; religious etiquette in, 217 Rome, orators of, 343-346, 35 'i 35^ Root, extracting the, 250, 251 Root ideas, 255, 262, 316 Rosary, a thought-, 252 Rosecrans,on extemporaneous oratory among the Germans, 441, 442 Rostrum, the oratory of the, 256-260, Rough tones, 137 Routine, slavery to, 252 Rules, of debate, 236-239? of pro- cedure, 236, 237 Rush, on accent, 177; on monotony, 175,176; on the use of the semi- tone, 166 Russell, Lord Chief Justice of Eng- land, 413, 414 Russia, use of gesture in, 203 Russian language, pronunciation of proper names from the, 180 Russo-Greek Churches, gesticular oratory in, 216 Sabbath school, 300 Sacred eloquence, 125 Sacred history and literature, knowl- edge of, 102, 354 _ Sadness, the expression of, 35 St. Augustine, Fia., faulty acoustic qualities of the Memorial Church at, 169 " Saint's secure abode, the," 38 San Antonio, Tex., gesticular oratory at, 216 Sanitary committees, oratory in, 4 Sarcasm, 365, 376 Satire, 376, 403 Saul's armor, 297 Savage races, the gestures of, 202 Scaevoh. teacher of Cicero, 351 Pcnffnld oratory, 176 Scandinavians, use of gesture by, 207, 208 ; vivacity among, 207, 208 Scattered thoughts, 342 Scholastic orator^' Schoolhouse, preaching in a, 421, 422 Schurz, General Carl, on the relative adaptability of English and Ger- man to extemporizing, 434, 435 ; the oratory of, 435 Science, generalizations of, 107, 108 ; knowledge and study of, 114, 115; relation to oratory, 99, 100 Scientific lectures, 256 Scientific terminology, the use of, 85 Scoffers, 329 Scotland, use of gesture in, 205 Scott, Sir Walter, his Life of Na- poleon cited, 212 Screaming, 339 Scripture-reading, the modulation of the voice in, 167 Scriptures, the, a mine of words, 76, 77 ; the old and new versions, 76 " Second blessing, the," 36 Secretaries, the use of, 9 Secret societies, 243, 415 Sectionalism, uprooted by debate, 235 Sedentary men, 225, 227 Sedentary occupations, 273 Seller, ^Ime., on the modulation of the voice, 232 ; The I'oice in Sing- zV^cited, 191 ; The I'oice in Speak- ing (Me.^, 192,232 Self-conceit, 429 Self-confidence, 289, 441 Self-consciousness, 136, 283, 285, 286, 327, 33?' 37> Self-continence, 125 Self-control, 124, 125 Self-criticism, 67, 131, 183, 310, 313, 325-327, 373, 450 Self-deception, 246 Self-denial, 295 Self-distrust, 333 Self-examination, 278, 305, 400 Self-forged chains, 20 Self-forgetfulness, 282, 283, 285 Self-hypnotization, 65 Self-interest, 304 Self-knowledge, 305, 444. See also Self-criticism Self-love, ig6 Self-mastery, 372 Self-possession, 164,256, 328, 336, 337, 368, 369, 372, 427 Self-reliance, 440 ; the tone of, 166 Self-sacrifice, 276-278 Self-scrutiny. 225-227. See also Self- criticism ; Self-knowledge Self-seeking, 245 Self-study, 342 Semitone, the, 166 Senseless phraseology, 39, 40 Senses, the activity of the, 58 Sensibility, 129 ; evanescent, 124 474 1lIl^cJ Sensory centers of the cerebral hemi- spheres, 44-50 Sensory nerves, stimulating the, 273 Sentences, the construction of, 9, 448 Sententiousness, 339-341 Sentiment, 432 ; oratory the unifier of, 2 Sentiments, 429 Sepulchral tones, 147-149 " Seraglio," the pronunciation of, 184 Seriousness, 395 Sermons, 249-252. 255, 298, 299, 321, 400, 401 ; modulation of the voice in the delivery of, 167 ; preparation of, 6, 315, 316, 370-375; reading, 404, 405 ; repetition of, 362 ; in St. Chrysostom's time, 353 ; the writ- ing of, 447 Servility, the tone of, 166 Set orations. 382, 399 Seward, William H., the oratory of, 82 Sex, influence on gesture, 212, 213 Shakespeare, William, cited, t; a mine of words, 77-79 : Patrick Henry likened to, 380 ; study of, 390; translation of his works into French, 436 ; use of the word " ex- tempore, 7 ; use of words, 78, 79; the writings of, 171 Shakespeare from an American Point 0/ I'iew (Wilkes) cited, 442 Shaw, Francis M., his translation of Delaumosne's Art 0/ Oratory cited, 221 Shaw, Lemuel, on Choate's vocabu- lary, 87 Shoemaking, oratory compared with, Shorter catechism, a convincing, 253, 254 Short passages, 410 Shouting, therapeutic aspects of, 188 Shrieking, 135 Shrillness, 159 Sick, visiting the, 300 Sight, memorizing ty, 27, 28 Sight singing, 193 Sign language, 197, 198, 202, 203, 230 Silence, golden, 112 Silent pendulum, the, 260 Similes, 103, 113-117,442, 443 Similitudes, 421 Simplicity. 36, 359. 406 Simpson, Bishop Matthew, oratory of, 400, 401 ; preparation of his address, 16, 17; tribute to President Garfield, 15, 16 Sin, 251, 353 Sincerity, 248, 360 Singers, 143, 145, 146; necessity o! rest for, 267 Singing, 149-151 ; as an aid to llie orator, 191-194 ; as an antagonist of pulmonary consumption, 193 ; as an exponent of feeling, 190; in the primitive ages, 191 ; therapeutic as- pects of, 188, 193 Singing inflection, the, 174 Singularities, 288 Skeletons, use of, 371, 400-402, 418 Skinner, Dr., polysyllabic oratory of, 72 Slang, definitions of, 293 ; use of, 293-296 Slavery, the oratory of, 121, 393, 431 Sleep, 264, 265, 267, 268, 300 ; loss of. Slip of the tongue, 449 Slowness of speech, 282, 376, 408 Sluggish utterance, 55, 56 Slurring, 175, 192, 361 Small talk, 289 Smile, the, 83. 221 Smith, translation of Loiiginus on Tht Sublime cited, 350 Smith, Sydney, on Macaulay, io3 Smothered sounds, 135 Snyder, William L. , his Great Speeches by Great Laivyers^ 81, 82 Soaring, 440. 449 Society of Psychical Research, the, 65 ; case of Albert Le Baron, 6o-6a Solemnity, 322, 397 Solemn style, 310 Soliloquy. 400 " Something to say," 414 Sonorous language, 438 Sonorous tones, 148 Soporific influences, 176 Soporific oratory, 72 Soul-expansion, 450 Sound, memori/ine by, 27, 28 "Sound and fmy. ' 2n Sound and Music (Zahm) cited. 130 Sounding boards, 139, 141 ; physio- logical, 141 Sounds, smothered, 135 Sound waves, 170, 191 South, Robert, use of the word " ex- tempore," 7 Southern Stales, the use of gesture in the, 205 Spain, the use of gesture in, 203, ai6 Spanish language, the. 433, 434. 437, 4^8; case of lost and regaine membrance of, 52 ; study of, 404 47S Un^ex Spanish oratory, 437 Speaking, differentiated from reading, 185; from memory, 6, 211; main object of. 12, 134 ; mechanism of, S3 ; not oratory, 4, 5 Speaking motor center, the, 66, 448 Speaking voice, the, 13 " Speaking with tongues," 61, 62 Special preparation, 33, 249-262, 372, 374 Spectator, the (Addison's) cited, 203, 204 ; its style and language, 80 Spectator^ the (London — modern), on Abraham Lincoln's mastery of lan- guage, 97 Speech, basis of, 162 ; decay of power with advanced years, 50 ; eccen- tricities of, 270 ; facility of, 55 ; factors in evolution of, 54-58 ; faul- tiness of, 439 ; flow of, 66 ; fluency among women, 212, 213 ; founda- tion of the power of, 63 ; freedom of, 430; improvement of the power of, 53; impulse of, 66; melody of, 442 ; muscles of, 188 ; office of inter- esting the mind, 229 ; physiological basis of, 42-53 ; is reflected expies- Bjon, 228; relation to mental devel- opment, 50; relation of worded thought' to, 95 ; repression of, 66 ; variety in, 177 Speech against the parsons, the (Henry), 379 Speed, 26, 28, 185, 282, 338, 339, 408, 4ii_, 427, 447, 448 Spelling, 56 Spinning dervishes, the gestures of the, 217 Spin-texts, 428 Spiritual aid, 277, 278 Spiritualists, use of unknown tongues, 65 Spoken discourse, 399, 410, 447; Del- sarte on, 222 Spontaneity, 17, 120, 240, 334, 358, 378, 389, 426. 427 Spontaneous gestures, 210 et seq., 217 Spontaneous memorj', 118 Spontaneous syllabic siigsjestion, 66 Spurgeon, Charles H., on extempora- neous speaking, 14 ; the oratory of, 373-375, 304 ; use nf Illustrations, 115; Lectures to My Students, 14 Squatter sovereignty, the oratory of, 394 . Squeaking, 146, 163 Squealing, T46 Staccato method, a, 194 Stael, Mme. de, on the adaptability of languages, 433; on the Italian language, 438; lier VAllemagne cited, 434 ; her Corinne cited, 438 Stage fright, 409 Stammering, 55, 347, 411 Stamping, ^83 Standard Dictionary, the, 178 Standard of opinion, 414 Stanhope. Lord, on the oratory of Pitt, 361 ; his Li/e of Pitt cited, 361 Stanton, Edwin M., the oratory of, 82 Stare, the, 222 State rights, 431 Statement, of facts, 369 ; power of, 377 Statesmen, oratory not confined to, 3 Stenographic reports, 37, 38, 317, 319, 408. See also Reiorters, etc. ; Verbatim Reports Stenography, use of, 446, 447 Stentorian tone, the, 186 Stephens, Alexander H., oratory of, 397-399 . Stephens, Linton, the oratory of, 398, 399. Stepping-stones, 423 Stiltedness, 446 Stimulants, the use of, 22, 269-274 Stirring one's own fire, 261 Storrs,"l)r. Richard S., failure to ex- temporize, 417-419 Strained voice, a, 156 Strength of voice, 362 Stress, 177 Striking gestures, 225 Study, 365 Stump speaking, 176, 2o6, 264, 294 Stupidity, 299 Style, 71, 74, 75, 77, 80, 153, 243, 293, 310, 318, 339-341, 352, 384, 390, 406, 407, 4251 433i 437' 442- 444i 44*5, 447_; attention to, 358 ; bookish, 91 ; culti- vation of, 363 ; variety and fresh- ness of, 88, 373 Sub-animals, significant motions of the, 209, 210 Subject, mastering the, 404 Subjective instability, 330 Subjects, index of, 316 Sublime, the (Longinus), cited, 350 Substantives, 274 Subtopics, 424 Success, the attainment of, 411, 412, 416, 417; infrequent, 326; some mysteries of, 246; unexpected, 428 Suggestion, syllabic, 50-65 Suicide, an unintended, 266 Suidas, on the oratory of Pericles, 346 476 "IfnOej Siimmerfield, John, the eloqueni-e of, 252 . Supplication, 321, 322; the tone of doubtful, 166 Surroundings, 409; perception of, 411 Swearing, 318 Sweden, vivacity of her people, 207 Swedish movement, the, 225 Swelling forms of oratory, 438 Sycophancy, the tone of, i66 Syllabic emphasis, 177 Syllabic suggestion, 59-65 Syllabus, 371 Symbolism of the Book of Revela- tion, 38 Symbols, in use by the deaf, 8 Sympathetic demands, 124 Sympathetic listening, 187 Sympathy, 126, 286; arousing, 75; with the audience, 15, 16, 20 Synonyms, 324, 446, 448 Table Talk (Beaconsfield) cited, 376 Taciturnity, 207 Tacitus, on oratory, 432 ; Dialogue Concerning Orators cited, 432 Tact. 330 Talking, 373 ; advantage in heart dis- ease, 180; art of, 130; compared with writing, 187, 188 ; conducive to longevity, 188 ; therapeutic aspects of, 187-190 Talking down a mob, 136 Talleyrand, Prince, on the use of the tongue, 35 Talma, Francois Joseph, learns the secrets of the voice, 143-145 Taste, 330 Taunts. 427 Tautology, 58. 87, 317 Tavemer, Professor, the author criti- cised by. 186; on the styles of Shakespeare and Bacon, 442, 443 ; on the use of gesture, 228-230 ;_ on the use of the upward inflection, 166, 167; his system of voice cul- ture, I"!! Taylor. Jeremy, use of the word " ex- tempore," 7 Tea, use of, 273, 274 Tears, 124, 303, 306 Technique, acquiring, 415 Teeth, effects on the voice, 146 Telepathy, 284 Temptations of the extemporaneous speaker. 287-306 Tenderness, 322; the tone of, 166 Tennyson, Alfred, cited, i 477 Tenor, the, iga Terseness, 404 Tested helps, 185-196 Text, the, 249, 250, 282. 313, 314, 316, 354. 374 T ext-books, 113 Texts, collecting, 400; choice of, 401 Thanks, the tone of rendition of, 167 Themistocles, the oratory of, 347 Theology, disputes in, 68; the letter of, anti-emotional, 128 ; knowledge and study of, 114, 128, 375 Theophrastus, on the oiatory of De- mosthenes, 349 TheraJ'eutic Aspects 0/ Talking, Shouting, Singing, Laughing, Crying, Sighing, and i'awning, the (Campbell), cited, 187-190 Thin voice, 405 Thinking in foreign languages, 434, ,•♦35 , . . . , Thought, 312; acquisition _ of, 312; awakening, 93, 94; the brain's func- tions of, 42-53 ; as a cause of ex- haustion, 189; classification of, 312; clearness of, 415, 425 ; coherence of, 126 ; communication of, g, 36, 37, 66 ; compariscn of expression of feeling and, 36, 37 ; concealment of, 35 ; con- fusion of , 164 ; consciousness of, 276 ; debate a stimulant to, 234; evolu- tion in speech, 10 ; expression of. 54, 210, 357, 3^8, 408, 432 ; fermentation of, 4^9 ; flow of, 285 ; general jirepa- ration of, 98-105; illustrating, 421; language and, 34, 38, 378; mental nausea, 341, 342 ; merged into con- sciousness, 17; the most effective vehicle of, 407 ; necessity of, in extemporaneous oratory, 33; phys- ical effects of. 187 ; poverty of, 311, 318; power and range pf , 8 ; pro- duction of, 314 ; progression of, 315 ; relation to gesture, 215; relation to words, 7-9, 34. 1^5. '99. 32V325. 3V,. 334. 330. 378 ; return of scat- tered, 342 ; the speaker and his, 34 ; speed of, 408 ; subtle shades of, 188; thinking about, 371 ; two halves of, 270 ; vehicle of, 35 ; worded, 95 Thought-rosary, a, 2=2 Thoughts, disentangling, 371 Thoughts on Preaching (Alexander) tit(.-d, 320 'I'lirill, 281, 420 Throat, affections of the, 153; free- dom of the muscles of the, 13 Thrusting gestures, 225 1lnC>ej Thucydides, on the Oratory of Peri- cles, 346 Timbre, 191 Timidity, 379, 409 Tin-pan tones, 147 Tones,!, 83, 132, 135-142, 147-149. 156, 161-176, 186, 191-193, 232, 282, 306, 309-311, 322, 339, 342, 374, 380 ; arti- ficial, 185; continuative, 21 denom- in.itional, 172, 173 ; impurities 'of, 152; indefinite, 21; peculiarity of, 174-176; range of, 150; relation to language, 310 ; variety of, 149. See also the various qualities Tongue, the ear and the, 252 ; Talley- rand's views on the use of the, 35 ; use of the, 152 Tonics, 272 Topical statements, 424 Topics, 249, 250, 316 Town meeting, oratory in the, 2, 237 Tragedy, 438 Trance, an orator's state of, 16 Trance-speech, 63, 65 Transient eflfecls, intensified by er- rors, 9 Transitions, 394 ; of style, 26 Translating, the value of, 88, 89, 437 Translation, of foreign sayings, io6 ; of written thought into oral, 89 Transpositions, 350 Travel, fruits of, iig Triumph, 429 Truisms, 342 Truth, 245, 290, 30J ; relations of party to, 235 ; relation to error, 331 Tuning-fork, the use of a, 150 Turin, the use of gesture in, 207 Twitchings, nervous, 221 Tyndall, John, on musical tones, 139 Tyranny, the power of oratory over, 2 Uncertainty, 326 Unconcern, 252 Unconsciousness, 298 Understanding, the light of the, 74 Undertones, 141, 157 Unexpected situation, the, 16, 21 Unforeseen, protection against the, 239, 240 Unforeseen contingencies, 264 Union College, the shibboleth of, 17:; United States, decline of oratory in the, 242 ; effusion in, 207; etiquette in, 218 ; oratory in, 205, 206, 430, 431 ; oratory of the Revolution, 431 ; use of gesture in, 205, 206 United States Congress, decadence of oratory in, 242, See also Parlia- mentary Oratory United States Constitution, the off- spring of debate, 235 United States Senate. See Parlia- mentary Oratokv Unknown tongues, 62-65 Unlearned, failure to express their thoughts, 9 ; the thoughts of the, 8 Unpremeditated speaking, j Unpreparedness, 414, 415 Unscrupulousness, 245, 246 Unsuccessful, the fear of being, 419 Untrained, the thoughts of the, 8 Unusual, preparing for the, 256 Unwinding or weaving? 18 Upward inflection, the, 166, 167 Utterance, an indistinct, 164 ; slug- gish, 55, 56 "Vagaries of the Memory" (New York Evening Post), ^i Van Buren, Martin, campaign of 1840, 393 Vanity, 320, 352 Variability, 443, 444 Variety, 340, 374 ; of delivery, 14 Vehemence, 359, 389, 403, 408 Venice, the use of gesture in, 207 Ventriloquism, 152 Verbal capital, 183 Verbal expression of the feelings, 83, 84 Verbal memory, 56, 332 Verbal wiles, 38 Verbatim reports, 199, 376, 440. See also Reporters, etc.; Steno- graphic Reports Verbosity, 312,318, 395, 446 Verbs, 274; necessity of, to thought, 8,9 Vernacular, conservation of the, 178 Versatility, 37^, 384-388 Verse, in English and French, 436 Versification, accent in, 177 Vibrating voice, 355 Vibration, the laws of, 169, 170 Vibrations of the vocal chords, 140- 142, 161 Victoria, Queen, Bishop Simpson's tribute to, 16 " Vienna," the pronunciation of, 180 Viewing both sides, 260. 261 Vigor, 349, 404, 430: of mind, 409 Violence, 347; for opinions, 235 Violin, the tones of the, 139, 140 Viragoes, 212, 213 Vision, clearness of, 55, 56 Visions, 279 478 IFnDei Visual sensory center, the, 66 N'isual word center, the, 46-50 \ ital forces, renovating iJie, iTi-ZT^ \'itality, expenditure of, 22, 274, 300 Vitality and Physical He^imen (MclTvaine) cited, 272 Vivacity, 194, 195, 207, 208 Vividness of conception, 55, 56 Vocabuhiry, 315, 317-321, 324, 326, 346, 369, 415, 448; acquiring a, 374 ; of children. 59 ; enriching ■ the, 76-84, 358 ; a nieager, 58 ; the orator's, 73, 74 ; richness of, 374 ; scope of a, 67 ; what it reveals, 77 Vocal and Action Language, Cul- ture, and JUvpression (Kirby) cited, 142 Vocal capacity, increasing the, 153- 160 Vocal chords, the, 140-142, J5i_; rela- tion to gesture, 220 ; vibrations of the, 161 Vocal defects, 142 Vocal endurance, 14 Vocal exercises, 152 Vocal inflections, 190 Vocaliiy, clear, 175 Vocal orcans, vagaries of the, 60-62 Vocal pipe, the, 140, 146, x6i Vocal reserve, 282 Vocal training, 141-143 Vociferation, 163, 164, 194, 265 Voice, the, 136-152, 265, 267-269, 282, 283, 285, 326, 338, 347, 351, 355. 361, 362, 368, 374, 376,. 389, 394, 403-406, 447, 448 ; capabilities, 1 ; carrying power, 142, 157; changes in, 141 ; clearness, 361 ; compass, 374 ; its contribution to extemporaneous ora- tor^', 33 ; feebleness of, 419 ; for- mation and sound, 1:59; a man- ufactured, 151 ; modification and modulation, 188, 232 ; pitch and tones. 161-176 ; In reading and speaking, 13 ; relation to music, T90-194 ; in speaking and singing, J91-104 ; strengthening the, 16-), 192. 193 ; strength of, 174, 364, 367, 374 : a weak. i';3-i6o, 174. See also Pitch ; Tonrs Voice, the (Rush) cited, 166, 177 Voice in Singing, the (Seller) cited. 191, 192, 212 Voice-strengthening and articulation, 153-160 Voltaire, a convert from the school of, Volume, 194 ; of sound, 170 Von Ziemssen, his General Thera- peutics cited, 193 Vowels, 146, 151, 157, 192 Vulgar language, 212, 213 Wales, the use of gesture in, 205 Walker, John, his dictionary, 17S, iSi, 182 Walking, 225, 228 Walpole, Sir Robert, overthrow of, by Chatham, 359 Wandering, 423 War, oratory in time of, 37 Wariness, 248 Warmth, 261 Warning, 276 Washington, George, Edward Ever- ett's lecture on, 219 ; struggles with forms of etiquette, 218 Watson, his translation of Quintilian's Institutes 0/ Oratory cited, 344, 345 Watts, Theodore, on rhythm, 171, 172 Weakness, the tone of conscious, 166, 167 Weak voices, 159. See also Feeble Speaking, etc. Weaving or unwinding? 18 Webster, Daniel, embarrassment of, 327 ; indebtedness to the iiible, 70, 77 ; a memorizer, 18 ; on the oratory of Prentiss, 385, 387, 391 ; the ora- tory of, 82, 327, 36^, 382-384, 391, 417; overproves his case, 251; physique, 214; reply to Hayne, 382, 383 ; use of the dictionary, 87, 88 ; use of gesture, 219 Webster, Noah, his dictionary, 178, 182 Weeping, 303 . . r Welsh language, pronunciation of proper names from the, 180 Wendell Phillips (Martyn) cited, 407 Werner's Voice Magazine, article by Dr. Buckley, on the "Philosophy of Gesture, in, 202 Wesley, John, favored colloquial style. 407 ; on extemporaneous speaking, 13; On high-sounding language, 36; on the use of the mirror, 226, 227 ; _ the oratory of, !<;>;, 362. 363; his viows of the higher life, 35, 36; Works cited. 227 Western States, the use of gesture in the, 205, 2o6 Whispers, 134 While, Rirhard Grant, definition o( 479 IFnDej " slang," 2Q3 ; his IVords and Their Uses cited, 293 Whitefield, George, anecdote con- cerning Garrick and, 223 ; the ora- tory of, 18, 155, 191, 223, 361-363; use of gesture, 222, 223 White heat, 372 Whitney, Professor H. M., on lan- guage, 432, 433 ; on public speak- ing, 162; his Li/e and Growth 0/ Language cited, 432 Wilberiorce, William, the voice of, Wilde, Richard Henry, oratory of, 387 Wiley, Bishop, a peculiar gesture by, 214 Wilkes, his Shakespeare /rotn an A merican Point of View cited, 442 Will, the, 275 ; control of the vocal organs, 60-62 ; influencing the, i Williams, Thomas, the prosecution of, 82 Williams, Dr. William R., the oratory of, 419 IVillthe Co7ning Man Drink Wine? (Parton) cited, 271 Windham, on the oratory of Pitt, 361 Wine, use of, 271, 272 Wine-press of oratory, the, 15 Wirt, William, the oratory of, 82 Wisdom, 288 J^'jt, 133, 256, 2571 262, 403 Witnesses, the function of, 236, 237 Women, brawling among, 212, 213 ; fluency of speech among, 212,213; gesticulation among, 212, 213 Wonder, the expression of, 83 Worcester, Joseph E., his dictionary, 178 Word-blindness, 49 Words, acquisition of, 88, Q5-97, 324, 359-361, 397; assimilation of, 85-97; avoidance of pompous, 36 ; best forms of, 4^9 ; combinations of, 433; definitions of, 88, 433; dif- ficulty of recalling, 58 \ eradication of, 67; erroneous assimilation of, 67; expression of feeling by, 37; expression of ideas by, 219 ; faculty to recall, 56; functions and appli- cation, 34, 35, 67-75; Jp^'* of the use of, 43-45 i must be intelligible to the hearers, 6g ; obsolete, 76 ; part in intellectual life, 46; power, 199 ; proportion of long and short, 71 ; reception of ideas through, 58 ; recollections of meanings of, 58 ; recurrence of, 318-320; relation to gesture, 200, 213, 214, 222 ; relation to inflection, zoo; relation to thought, 7-9, 34, 36, 37, 68, 185, 199, 323-325, 333, 334, 378 'repetition of, 58; revival and combination of, 43; revival of, for speech, 46,47 ; selection of, 9, 67, 68, 85, 86, 91, 96, 97. 371, 400, 425,448 ; succession of, 66; study of, 358, 359; use of, 448 ; use in expression, 190, 191 ; use of Jong, 74: I'se of meaningless, 59; use of short, 71-73; use of simple, 74, 75. See also Repetition Words and Their Uses (White) cited, 293 Works 0/ the Rev. John Wesley cited, 227 Worman, Professor J. H., on extern porizing in various languages, 434 Worship, the critical spirit during, 89, 90 Writing, 351 ; compared with talking, 187, 1S8; from dictation, 46, 49; the chiro-kinsesthetic center, 47; the mechanism of, 53 Writing motor center, the, 66 Written composition, 66 Written discourse, 211, 321, 347-349, 3521368, 370)37i> 376, 377' 399. 410. 411, 425, 440, 444, 448 ; Uelsarte on. 222 ; rendition of, 229 Wright, Henry C, reminiscences of, 121 Vaie Lectures on Preaching cited, 400 Yale University, debating at, 241 ; the shibboleth of, 173 Yankee twang, the, 405 Yearning, 277 Yelling, 135 Zahn, Professor, on tone, 139; his Sound and Music cited, 139 Zeno, teacher of Pericles, 346 Zither, the tones of the, 139 480 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. INTERLIBRARY LOaJs JAN 9 1967 TWO WEEKS FROM DATE OF RECEIPT v^'^f- I 10 Wi ur^ MAR 3 Form L9-75to-7,'61(C1437s4)444 irtC'D LD uRi 3 1158 00758 0730 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY ~ I nil II III III III AA 000 409 601 2 v_ j:K^n"^ (.iCAui'OiaNi' ^"^ LIBRARY