Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-11-16
About DcmOSthencs.

such were the lines in the very first piece
| ever delivered " in public on the stage |
shall never forget them. There were many
more, but most Of the others have faded from
my memory long since. The only reason
why | have remembered these so long is that
| learned them more perfectly than the rest.
Somehow or other | got it into my head that
might possibly make mistake in the recit.
alton, and say crickcts eye And so studi.
ed the lines over a great many times, and
made out very well in their delivery. But
1t was just as much as | could do.
Another thing about them impressed me.
Who were Dcmosthcnes and Cicero ? | re-.
member well Of asking some Of the boys.
but they only replied, " don't know some
OF the old chaps suppose"
Then ! rcsorted to all the books could get
hold Of But though found their names
mentioned, there was little else.
But ! wonder if the boys nowadays know
much more about Demosthenes than | did.
without a search How many in hundred
can tell whore he lived and what the chief
events Of his life were2 know that perhaps
almost all have dreamy idea that he was a
great orator who lived long time ago. that
he had defect in his voice which he bravely
oyercame by speaking to the dashnq waves
with pcbbe'stones in his mouth But |
think that is about all. One thing is certain.
There was no orator lived in your day or
mine who will be so well remembered in his
tory as Demosthcnes has been. And that is
all natural enough since the world has never
known, in any age so eminent an orator or.
to say the least, there have never been more
than half dozen men who could Justly be
classcd with Demosthenes.
lie was born three hundred and eighty
i've years before our Savior, in Greece. His
parents wero persons in moderate circumstan.
ces His father died when he was seven years
old, leaving what little property he had in
charge OF three guardians, for the benefit of
his son. But people loved money in those DAYS.
as they do in ours. These guardians began to
squander it, so that before Demosthenes came
OF age there was very little left for him to
enjoy. lie was poor man.
But this was very little loss to him or to
mankind. 1t is related that this unfaithiu-
ness ON the part of his guardians was the very
thing which prompted him to become an ora
tor, so that he might have his revenge upon
them by exposing their iniquity to the world.
However this may be we cannot tell, but it is
certain that one or two of his most powerful
orations were directed to this end.
Dcmosthenes had but a fair education
Even that was almost denied him by his
guardians. 1t is said that at one time he
studied under Plato; but this is not clear.
lie was. when young, of weak constitution
and he had a feeble voice, an iudistinct articu
latlon, and was troubled with shortness of
breath. These defects led his friends to dis
suede him from the attempt to become an or
aior. While himself undecided, he happened
one day to hear the great Callstratus, a very
eminent orator Of those times, make plea
and this so moved him that his mind was
fixed.
To overcome his bodily weakness he at
once gave attention to his habits. training
himself with great sef-denial to the simplest
food exercise, and regular hours for study
md sleep. The temptation to 60 astray was
perhaps as strong then as now Pleasure and
Enjoyment beckoned to him upon either hand. |
But his heart was fixed as the everlasting |
nils. His voice troubled him most. But
what shall stop determined man? If we
may believe historians Of his time, he climbed
up steep mountains with pebbles in his mouth ;
lie acclaimed upon the beach when the sea
dashed upon the rocks The tumult of the
great Hgean waves seemed to him but the
iproar of an Athenian audience, and such
Ne well knew he must expect
In his manner Demosthenes schooled him
Ell The result you may guess, His bodily
nlirmities disappeared his voice became
trong, and his elocution perfect His APP
'earance before an audience, however ex.
lted the people WERE was signal for quiet
nd order. 1t is allowed on all hands that
10 man ever had such control over his listen.
RS. He conid move them at a word to
nughter or to tears.-Merry's Museum.