The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-16 00:00:00

A Lesson in Oratory.

(From the Law Times of this day.)

It is impossible to witness unmoved a battle of the giants,
and the great debate of last week deserves to be so called
Oratory is so essentially a part of the education and busi-
ness of a lawyer, that to every member of the profession a
conflict of orators has an interest, apart from the subject of
the strife. It is a lesson to be learned, a study by which to
profit. Thus critically viewed by the advocate's eye, it
must be admitted that the lawyers were excelled by the
civilians. The Attorney-General has been seldom lese effec-
tive than upon this occasion, so calculated to inspire to the
loftiest display of his art. His argument was not forcibly
presented, and his pereoration was feeble. Perhaps he
had prepared it too carefully beforehand. There are
some speakers, and we suspect that the Attorney-
General is ono of them, who speak better under the
impulse of the moment than when they write and com-
mit to memory, and for this reason, that in preparation their
good taste restrains the flow of words in which feeling finds
vent, and the cold correctness of the study chills the fervour
of debate, and contrasts unpleasantly with the excitement
that surrounds the speaker. Mr Whiteside was far more
effective, but he fell short of himself, and perhaps for the
same reason. But Mr Whiteside is a natural orator, which
Sir Roundell Palmer is not, and therefore previous study
of a speech is likely to diminish its power, though it may
improve its art. It is much to bo regretted that Sir Hugh
Cairns was not heard on this grand occasion, which vet uld
have suited well his peculiar oratory, the characteristic of
which is power. There is no living lawyer who can put
an argument into so telling a form as he, and though he
rarely rises to positive eloquence, he is always convincing.
'f he greatest speech of the debate—viewed as a work of
art—was that of Mr Herman. It had every quality of a
grand oration, and will well repay the careful examination
of the student of oratory. It was most artistically con
strutted, rising with regular steps to the climax, each part in
its right place, all leading to the conclusion—no part of it
overlaid with argument—sonrcely a superfluous word—the
invective carefully measured—the eloquence chastely sub-
dued—fraught with matter not hidden in a cloud of words
—in fact, a model speech. That it was written and com-
mitted to memory was manifest ; no man could utter such
perfect sentences and polished irony on the impulse of the
moment; but, unlike the Attorney-General, who has the
coolness—perhaps some will call it the coldness—of the
lawyer, Mr Herman has strong emotions and was inspired
by feelings which, though the words were spoken from the
memory and not from the mind, infused their own bitter-
ness and gave to them the effect of extempore utterance,
Next to his comes the speech of Mr Cobden, remarkable
for being more than mere invective, for the enunciation
of a definite policy. Our business, however, is with
its art, and not its argument. It was pregnant with
matter, the manifest product of a thoughtful mind address-
ing itself to the intelligence of its audience. Hence it may
be termed a weighty speech, but not a heavy one. On the
contrary, it was impossible not to listen, and so clearly were
the arguments put, and in such plain language expressed,
that the shallowest could understand him thoroughly.
The reason of this singular clearness, that characterises all
the speeches of Mr Cobden and was so pre-eminently ex-
hibited last week, is that he is a clear thinker. Muddy and
confused speakers are such because their ideas are confused
and muddy. They think that they have thoughts, when
thee:rh conceptionsaveonly thatthes floathado across thewascroofthouts
thoughts, dim and shape-
lehmincl and are never
reduced to form, and glimpses of arguments that aro
never followed through from their first steps to their
conclusions. Mr Cobden speaks what ho thinks as
he thinks, and hence the charm of his oratory
to the intelligent, his influence even when putting
forth unpopular doctrines, and the pleasure with
which he is always heard and read. The third great speech
of the debate was that of Mr Gladstone. But it was not
one of his greatest efforts. Ile has made grander orations
in the same arena on lesser occasions. Nevertheless, his
speech is a study, especially if taken in connection with the
others we have named, differing as he does from all of them
in style. Upon the whole Mr Gladstone is the most complete
and perfect orator of his time, embracing more of the sub-
stance with ornament, good matter and graceful manner,
ther ni t rulesteand when an d thethis art
is borne o f oratory.ore His speeches are not
written, n mind,
it will be with
astonishment that we receive the continuous stream of apt
words constructing perfect sentences which flows from his
lips for hours together, expressed in tones in which nature
has given the charm of music and flexibility. Add to this,
that he utters the genuine thought of the moment, and the
sources of his influence over an audience will be understood.
Ho would indeed be all powerful but for one characteristic,
which might be deemed a defect, were it not that much of
the excellence of his oratory is probably due to it. His
strangely subtle intellect is so constructed, that whatever
may be the proposition or the purpose of the moment,
it crowds upon him every argument, insomuch that he can
adduce in a moment overwhelming reasons for any policy,
any purpose, or even any principle that may present
itself, and for the time he is perfectly sincere in his
advocacy. This is the simple explanation of his strange
contradictions of opinion and action, seldom the same for
six months together, yet each iu turn held with
equal honesty, and maintained with equal ability
and genuine earnestness, His speeches manifest that Mr
Gladstone's mind is ever overflowing with thoughts, Fe is a
true improvisatoro. Set hint any theme whatever, and he
would discourse upon it or about it with ease and fluency,
and what he says will be certain to be well said and worth
listening to; for he has a vast and varied knowledge, and
the student may see in his example the importance to an
orator of a large store of information, and the confirmation
of a truth which cannot be too often repeated—that there is
no scrap of knowledge picked up by a man anywhere or at
any time that does not at some time come into use.

The only other speech rising much above the ave-
rage was that of Mr Bernal Osborne. But it was remark-
able, not for its accordance with the rules of oratorical art,
but for its eccentricity. It was extremely amusing, and
that is a quality certain to recommend a speaker to an
audience. Shouts of laughter pleasantly break the mono-
tony of a grave debate, and the more grave the subject
the more grateful the relief, and the more welcome the
orator who can relax the lips. But comic oratory must be
born with a man ; no art can produce it. If, however, the
reader finds in himself the faculty, ho will see in Mr
Osborne's speech what good can be made of it, and how it
may bo turned to the best account.
The speech of Mr Disraeli was unequal, and, on the
whole, inferior to many of its predecessors. His is essen-
tially the epigrammatic style, and nothing if it is not bril-
liant. He is greatest when he can flash wit, eloquence, or
sarcasm, carefully prepared, but used with such artistic
effect as to wear the aspect of inspiration. The speech of
last week was less brilliant than usual, perhaps because he
was compelled to devote the greaser portion of it to quo-
tations from and reference to blue books ; but his case was
brought forward with a skill whichwould have bean ad-
mired in a practised advocate, and the oration may be
studied as a specimen of the manner in which a case may
be made and presented.

For plain, straightforward, Unaffected thought, clothed
in language equally plain and powerful, General Peel was
pre-eminent. His speech was admirable in taste and tong,and the student will learn from it how effective a speaker can
be who, without even the pretence of oratory, has feelings
anddthmatetrhells unadorned speech was more tell-
y
t gives expression in the language
to the emotions and convictions that are in
they prom',
ing with his audience than all the splendid orations we
have been reviewing. If so it was, it is a proof that common
sense is, after all, the
primary qualification for a speaker,
him. opinions,ltis
and that the other ingredients are graces and ornaments,
that have their value, but are not indispensable.
saaid n