Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
An Original Dissertation On Public Speaking.
the only man who had the cruelty to kill him was one who bad not heard his prayer . Think of Caractacus , the British King , who , after bravely fighting the Romans , was taken prisoner in chains to Rome , but
from his eloquent apipeal to Claudius obtained his freedom , Think of Peter the Hermit , AVIIO brought about the Crusades through his eloquence . John Knox , Avhose oratory Avas the main cause of the downfall of the Papacy in
Scotland . Then again was there not Luther , whose eloquence burst the bonds of the Church in Germany , and brought about Avhat some call the Blessed
Reformation . Turning to modern times , think of such men as Lord Brougham , who advocated the cause of that ill-used lady Queen Caroline , against her husband George IV ., and whose powers of oratory had a wonderful effect in securing on her behalf as a
woman and a wife tbe loving sympathy , and turning upon him the indignant scorn and tbe vials of its Avratb of the whole British people . John Wesley , too , AVIIO might almost be called the founder of Dissent in Englandfor before his time the Nonconformists
Avere ( since the Restoration of the Stuarts at least ) an inconsiderable and certainly an uniuiluential body—very different to what they are now . Wilberforce ( the father of a greater orator—the late Bishop of Winchester ) through whom slavery was abolished .
I might go on for long instancing men Avho had clone great deeds through their eloquence , but I forbear . The great statesmen of to-day of whom casual mention has already been made , are living instances of the powers of eloquence
ancl of the great results produced thereby . The progressive advancement , the much needed reforms , or the conservative policy , Avhich propounded and urged on this side , or supported or checked on that , still tend to keep the balance of poAver between
the three great estates of the Realm intact—whilst they further tbe Avelfare of the nation by the progress and adi'ancement of wise ancl beneficent measures to the advantage of the State and the good of tbe people . The absolute recognition of freedom of speech both in and out of Parliament makes
us the envy of every civilized nation in the Avorld , audits tendency , in spite of the illjudged attempts of one or two demagogues to whom allusion has been preA'iously made , is manifestly to increase and extend the power and moral influence of this mighty
empire of Avhich Ave are proud to boast that each of us is a unit which makes up the great total of the British nation , and each man amongst us is still proud to say —like the Romans of old : Civis Romanus
sum ! Think of the advantages of an orator , his poAver and influence , the heights to which he can climb in this free country" as which of you shall not 1 " Why should not Colchester produce a manwholike the great Cardinal who
, , was the glory of IpsAvicb ( whose inhabitants are only now talking of raising a statue to his memory ) , or a more modern instance , John Bright , —shall by his OAVU unaided genius rise from the ranks of the people to stand on the steps
of the throne 1 And UOAV I must close . I fear I have already tried your patience ancl good nature sorely in listening to my lucubrations .
There are many here present no doubt who could put in better form the scattered thoughts which I have jotted CIOAVU , but if this brief lecture incites one or two of the young men in this audience to culti \ 'ate in themselves one of God ' s greatest gifts to
men , the art of speech , I shall feel that my task , however ill performed , has not been done in vain . I cannot , hoAvever , conclude , Avithout giving in few words , Moile ' s admirable descrip tion of Avhat an orator should be , " Elate be stood , Avith frank and earnest mien , No measured cadence heard or motion
seen ; No art scholastic , no the ? trie grace , Unmeaning gesture , passion out of place . Mouthing , false emphasis , or laboured leer , Nothing superfluous , nothing insincere : But manlike moved and bore him in
discourse , Ardent and grave and tempering still his force ; With arms stretched forth , or folded , or at rest , As willed the power by Avhoin he seemed possessed ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
An Original Dissertation On Public Speaking.
the only man who had the cruelty to kill him was one who bad not heard his prayer . Think of Caractacus , the British King , who , after bravely fighting the Romans , was taken prisoner in chains to Rome , but
from his eloquent apipeal to Claudius obtained his freedom , Think of Peter the Hermit , AVIIO brought about the Crusades through his eloquence . John Knox , Avhose oratory Avas the main cause of the downfall of the Papacy in
Scotland . Then again was there not Luther , whose eloquence burst the bonds of the Church in Germany , and brought about Avhat some call the Blessed
Reformation . Turning to modern times , think of such men as Lord Brougham , who advocated the cause of that ill-used lady Queen Caroline , against her husband George IV ., and whose powers of oratory had a wonderful effect in securing on her behalf as a
woman and a wife tbe loving sympathy , and turning upon him the indignant scorn and tbe vials of its Avratb of the whole British people . John Wesley , too , AVIIO might almost be called the founder of Dissent in Englandfor before his time the Nonconformists
Avere ( since the Restoration of the Stuarts at least ) an inconsiderable and certainly an uniuiluential body—very different to what they are now . Wilberforce ( the father of a greater orator—the late Bishop of Winchester ) through whom slavery was abolished .
I might go on for long instancing men Avho had clone great deeds through their eloquence , but I forbear . The great statesmen of to-day of whom casual mention has already been made , are living instances of the powers of eloquence
ancl of the great results produced thereby . The progressive advancement , the much needed reforms , or the conservative policy , Avhich propounded and urged on this side , or supported or checked on that , still tend to keep the balance of poAver between
the three great estates of the Realm intact—whilst they further tbe Avelfare of the nation by the progress and adi'ancement of wise ancl beneficent measures to the advantage of the State and the good of tbe people . The absolute recognition of freedom of speech both in and out of Parliament makes
us the envy of every civilized nation in the Avorld , audits tendency , in spite of the illjudged attempts of one or two demagogues to whom allusion has been preA'iously made , is manifestly to increase and extend the power and moral influence of this mighty
empire of Avhich Ave are proud to boast that each of us is a unit which makes up the great total of the British nation , and each man amongst us is still proud to say —like the Romans of old : Civis Romanus
sum ! Think of the advantages of an orator , his poAver and influence , the heights to which he can climb in this free country" as which of you shall not 1 " Why should not Colchester produce a manwholike the great Cardinal who
, , was the glory of IpsAvicb ( whose inhabitants are only now talking of raising a statue to his memory ) , or a more modern instance , John Bright , —shall by his OAVU unaided genius rise from the ranks of the people to stand on the steps
of the throne 1 And UOAV I must close . I fear I have already tried your patience ancl good nature sorely in listening to my lucubrations .
There are many here present no doubt who could put in better form the scattered thoughts which I have jotted CIOAVU , but if this brief lecture incites one or two of the young men in this audience to culti \ 'ate in themselves one of God ' s greatest gifts to
men , the art of speech , I shall feel that my task , however ill performed , has not been done in vain . I cannot , hoAvever , conclude , Avithout giving in few words , Moile ' s admirable descrip tion of Avhat an orator should be , " Elate be stood , Avith frank and earnest mien , No measured cadence heard or motion
seen ; No art scholastic , no the ? trie grace , Unmeaning gesture , passion out of place . Mouthing , false emphasis , or laboured leer , Nothing superfluous , nothing insincere : But manlike moved and bore him in
discourse , Ardent and grave and tempering still his force ; With arms stretched forth , or folded , or at rest , As willed the power by Avhoin he seemed possessed ,