San Andreas independent., 1858-08-14
Public Speaking.
[From the Lond on Quarterly Review.l


speech, showed to depend on cultivation,
none more needed to be dwelt upon be-
fore body of students than that of ora
tory. There is no accomplishment which
even when possessed in moderate de-
gree, raises its possessor to consideration
with equal rapidity, none for which there
is so constant demand in the Church, in
the Senate, or at the Bar, and none,
strange to say, which is so little studied
by the majority of aspirants. DR.. King,
in his Anecdotes of His Own Time,"
which was written in 1850, complains
that the want of proper power of ex-
preston was universal defect in the
English nation Many admirable schol-
ars whom he had known could not speak
with propriety in common conversation,
whereas, among the French and Italians
he had met few learned men who did not
talk with ease and elegance. The only
three persons of his acquaintance among
our own countrymen who expressed them
selves in manner which would have been
pronounced excellent if everything they
uttered had been committed to writing,
we're Bishop Atterbury, DIR. Cover, and
DIR. johnson. That his pupils might ac-
quire the art of speaking with correctness
and facility, he used to recommend them
to get by heart a page of some English
classic every morning, and the method
was often attended with complete success.
There is still the same disproportion as
in his day, between the extensive learn
ing of the educated classes and their ca
pability of imparting it. Great pains are
taken at our schools and universities to
obtain knowledge, but upon the mode of
conveying it in a way which shall be
pleasing and forcible, no pains are be-
slowed at all. 1t is as if years should be
spent in collecting materials for the con-
struction of mighty edifce without any
attempt to dispose them in an order which
would secure beauty, strength, or con-
venience. Lord Chesterfield was forever
impressing upon his son the necessity, if
he wished to be listened to, of acquiring
an elegant style and good delivery. He
appealed to the instances within his own
experience of the applause which followed
those who possessed these advantages, and
of the uselessness without them, of the
most solid requirements Lord Towns
hend, he said, who invariably spoke with
sound argument and abundant knowledge
was heard with impatience and ridicule
because his diction was always vulgar and
frequently ungrammatical, his cadences
false, and his voice inharmonious where
as the Duke of Argyle, whose matter was
1imsy, and his reasoning the weakest ever
addressed to an intelligent assembly,
"charmed, warmed and ravished his au-
dience," by noble air, a melodious voice,
a just emphasis, and polished STYLE
Lord Cowper and Sir William Windham
prevailed chiefly by the same means. BY
his own account, Lord Chesterfield him
self afforded an illustration of the truth of
his position when he introduced his bill
into the House of Lords for reforming
the Calender. He knew little of the mat
ter, and resolved to supply the deficiency
by well rounded periods, and careful
delivery. "This," he continues, "suc-
ceeded, aud ever will succeed; they
thought | informed because [ pleased
them; and many of them affirmed that
had made the whole very clear to them,
when, God knews, | had not even attempt
ed it." Lord Macclesfeld, who was
profound astronomer, followed, and with
a perfect mastery of the subject, and with
as much lucidity as the question permit
ted, furnished real explanation of it, but
as his sentences were not so good as those
of Lord Chesterfield, the preference"
says the latter, "was most unanimously,
though unjustly, given to me-" Upon
every occasion he had found in like man
ner that weight without lustre was lead.
The total inattention to this truth is
not, therefore, matter of inferior moment.
Hundreds of ripe scholars are unable in
consequence to bring their attainments to
bear upon the understandings of those
whom it is their business to inform. Tn
adorned sense, dry reasoning, hard, fat
and colorless style, make no impression
except that of weariness. 1t is not only
Parliament and the Pulpit that the fac
ulty is required of rendering knowledge
and argument attractive. Those who
observe the effects upon the lower orders
of bodily toll, must be sensible that their
education, from the time they leave school,
will never be conducted in any marked
degree through the medium of books
Their chief instruction must be oral, and
in many parishes the clergy have adopted
the practice of giving secular lectures,
which succeed or fail in exact proportion
as the lecturer is proficient in the art of
speaking. Tawdry bombast, low humor
will, indeed, excite the admiration of un
refined rustics as well as the higher pro-
ducts of the intellect, but no learning.
however abundant, ever commands the
ears of these audiences, unless it is set
off by some intrinsic charm. A gulf is
left between the mind of the speaker and
that of the hearer, and until this strait
can be bridged the long antecedent Jour-
ney is more than half in vain. Nor need
there be any fear that, if elocution and
style be more cultivated, torrent of dec
lamation would be let loose upon u.s.
Study, by improving taste, increases fas-
{f1iaucpaco. arl