An Original Dissertation On Public Speaking.

the least of his recommendations ; he indulged in it to an excess which often violated tbe sanctity of the pulpit . When Sherlock accused him of employing Avit in a controversy on the Trinity , South made but a sorry reply : " Had it pleased God to haA'e made you a witwhat Avould

, you have done ? " What may be called an instance of clerical wit and wisdom is told of Fenelon , author of Telemaque , Almoner to Louis XIV ., afterwards Archbishop of Cambray . On one occasion , the King was astonished

to find only Fenelon and the priest at the Chapel , instead of a numerous congreation as usual . " What is the reason of all this , " said the King ? "Why , " replied Fenelon , "I caused it to be given out , Sire , that your Majesty did not attend Chapel

to-day—that you might know who came to Avorship God , and who to flatter the King . " When Louis appointed Fenelon chief of the Missionaries to convert the Protestants

of Sausonge , his Majesty insisted that a regiment of Guards should accompany him . "Tbe ministers of religion , " said Fenelon , " are tbe Evangelists of peace , and the military might fri ghten all , but AVOUH not persuade a single individual . It Avas by

the force of their morals that the Apostles converted mankind ; permit us then , Sire , to follow their example . If Ave would draAv to us our diffident brethren , Ave must go to tbem like true Apostles . For my own part i Avould rather become their

victim than see one of their ministers exposed to the vexations , the insult , aucl the almost necessary violence of the military men . " That Avas the spirit of a true Christian . Professor Aytoun in his "Lays of the

Scottish Cavaliers " says , that Avhen Prince Charles Stuart ancl his Hi ghland host had possession of Edinburgh , the Established Clergy Avere nearly to a man against him , and one minister had the courage to conclude his prayer nearly in tbe following terms :

"Bless tbe King—thou knowest what Ring I mean . May his crown long sit easy on his head . And as to this young man who has come among us to seek an earthly crown , we beseech thee in mercy to take him to thyself ancl give him a Crown of Glory . " I do not defend humour in a

sermonbecause Ave never bave it—except by mistake sometimes , ancl I , of course , am one of those Avho think that" Dullness is sacred in a sound diA'ine . " But to those who object to wit and humour out of the pul p it—what can one

say , except to repeat tbe well known apothegm of honest Joe Miller ( who , by the Avay , was born in the last year of the reign of the witty monarch , and I am afraid awful scapegrace , Charles II . ) " The gravest beast is an ass ;

The gravest bird is an OAVI ; The gravest fish is an oyster ; And the gravest man is a fool ! " Wit may be allied Avith great eloquence , the lecturer continued , for wasnot Sheridan one of the wittiestand at the same time

, , most eloquent speakers of the day . Who does not remember reading of the magnificent s ]) eech he made on the articles of impeachment of Warren Hastings in 1787 , when he spoke for five hours and forty minutes . On the conclusion of this

speech the whole assembly , members , peers and strangers , involuntarily joined iu a tumult of applause , and loudly ancl repeatedly clapped their hands . A motion was immediately made and carried for an adjournmentthat the members Avho were

, in a state of delirious insensibility from the magical influence of such powerful eloquence , might have time to collect their scattered senses for the exercise of a

sober judgment . Tins motion Avas made by Mr . Pitt , who declared that this speech surpassed all the eloquence of ancient and modern times , and possessed everything that genius or art could furnish to agitate and control the human mind .

And then think of the effects of eloquence . Think of Demosthenes , Isocrates , Plato and Pericles amongst the Greeks , of Cicero and Seneca amongst the Romans . You , many of you , no doubt have read Shakespeare ' s magnificent speech , which he puts into the mouth of Mark Antony .

Cicero said it was owing to Mark Antony that Rome could boast of being a rival to Greece in the art of eloquence . He was unfortunately killed during tbe commotions between Marius and Sylla . He Avas discovered in a secret hiding place to which he had fled , and soldiers Avere sent to dispatch him , but he supplicated their forbearance in so eloquent a manner that