Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-08-26
Fxtemnnrnneons Eneaking.

In Offering some remarks on EXtem-
poraneous Speaking" we would not
have it understood that readiness and
hueney in conversation, as a general
thing, are comprehended in the above
caption. On the contrary, we are in
clined to admit the possibility that the
individual possessing the faculty of ex-
temporaneous haraugue may may, fire.
quently does) present a sorry figure in
the "cut and thrust" exercise incident
to the conversationalist One of the
most essential qualifications (perhaps
the most essentially appertaining to-the
extemporaneous speaker proper is self.
possession. Without this quality, we
care not what the caliber of the of. hand
speaker may be, be will be very apt to
make sad work Of his undertaking; with
it, no matter how devoid of syllogistic
tact or logical qualification the extempo.
raneous orator may be, he is the man
(his organic structure being favorable)
not only to split the ears of the ground
lings," bat to make them believe that
of.hand oratory, at least on this oc-
casion, could no further 60" Far be
it from us to imply, in this remark (per-
baps too satirical in its application that
extemporaneous speaking, when resorted
to by people thoroughly practiced iridqc ch
line, and capable, therefore, of giving
full effect to their thoughts or arguments,
should necessarily be the result Of super
fetal preparation. On the contrary, in
the speeches (strictly extemporized, be
it understood) of the most illustrious
men, both in ancient and modern times,
we find nothing less than evidence the
most irrefragable that their minds we're
full to overlooking on the matters OF
which they spoke; and that their resist
less eloquence" which, in the case Of De-
mosthenes (as Milton expresses it, "ful
mined Ger Greece to Macedon, anu
thence to Artaxerxes throne" though
'extemporaneous" in its character, lost
nothing of its effect on that account.
Nor need we remind the reader, in this
connection of that galaxy Of oratorical
genius which astonished the world in
the days Of Pitt and Fox. More than
one, it is true of that illustrious batch
of orators, on his first attempt at "ex-
temporaneolS" display in the House of
Commons, partially succumbed to the
feeling of distrust we have hinted at
above, as being too common preventive
III keeping even "nen of part" from
anything in the shape of extemporane-
Gus display, except in conversation.
Yes, Richard Brinsley himself, with the
talents Of an angel and the courage
of Caesar, found himself unable
utterly unable), on his first entering
Parliament, to extemporize a speech
aud had to sit down in state of mind we
can more easily imagine than describe
Ready, witty and fluent in conversation,
Sheridan, like scores aud hundreds OF
distinguished literary men to be met
with, had horror, in the first instance,
of venturing an extemporaneous speech
He declared however, to an intimate
friend who tried to dissuade him from all
further attempts at parliamentary dis
ply; that he had it in him, and that it
should come out which it did, and
and that to the astonishment land possi-
bly, to the chagrin) of William Pitt, the
most able and accomplished temporane-
GUS orator, probably, that ever lived,
Need we add that our own Patrick
Henry, whose first effort at extempora-
neous speaking was made in the presence
of his father as judge, sitting in the case
of the people VS.. the clergy, electrified
his audience by the majesty Of his de-
meanor and the eloquence of his argu-
ment, who could on other occasions
hardly write grammatical sentence or
utter word not commonplace.