, 1878-01-18
Dcmusthenes.
Hr Cu,KIEs 4. TEMPLE

swnycd Thousands, whn has, ls,sn 49,
know lrdg-d hy uyariy al rriftr. -
greatest ut orators. Ne natIraIIv a..
question: Nhercia 10y hb poser. UB, h.
i"rr attempting 60 answer b.. Ist g, "a
vert i' the condition. of Grc,iau ,Ia.
queu,r.
Il va, not until the later age, NJ a..
republic that outaTy reached NJ, b,,,t.-,
form, and assume it, true etar,r,.,
After snlon bad fiamci new ron.,i,,
iiun, after the Incompatible po-n. =,
Homer were rean and studied, tl,st NJ,
tory was cultivated aud taught =, an Ar,
From the time Of Solon O. that of A.,
andcr VAS the golden aye II Grecian .lo.
quence, and the brightest period in IN.
annals at Greece. Dcmosihepeg a -.
tive Of the borough Of Pnania, wa. ho,n
Ia the year 3Sj B. {. IIo LIST his fa,b.r
when seven years Of age, and was pl,c.J
under the care of his mother. ONing To
the fraudulent expenditures of his y,,y.
dians his earl education was neglected.
His first ambition 20 become an or,,n,
was ini'amed after hearing an oration d.s
liyered by the eminent Callis,ratus.yhicS
excited no small stir. He resolved ,o
perfect himself in the art. Subiectin,
his body and mind to most thoroug6
and systematic discipline, which only ,be
strongest will could have undergone, we
SEQ him at the age Of sixteen appearing
before the public tribunals against his
guardians. His attempts were crowned
with complete success, and he was EN-.
boldencd by those endeavors to speak be-
fore the public, but his speeches were met
with universal dissatisfaction. Notwi,h.
standing these disheartments, the germ Of
eloquence that lay smoudering in him
could not be extirpated. He only worked
the harder to accomplish the highest an
ticipation of his life. His studies were
resumed with increased vigor. The dis.
tortions of his form were overcome by
severe physical training. An opportu-
nifty at last presented itself in which De-
mosthepes so wonderfully displayed his
talents. Never had political orator
wider field for the exhibition OF the high
est powers of patriotic love than when
Philip of Macedon aimed at the over.
throw of Grecian liberty. At the time he
engaged in public life tho State was
mere wreck. "Public spirit WAS at its
lowest ebb, the laws had lost their author
ity, the austerity of early manners had
yielded to the inroads Of luxury, activity
to incidence, and the people were far ad-
vanccd upon route which conducts a
nation to irremediablo servitude." How
he commands our respect in his efforts to
keep at bay the willy Philip and at the
same time uttering such strains of elo-
quence that has met the admiration of the
world!
Let the student be animated by the ex.
ample of this man, who started out in
life with hardly any hope of success, but
whose elOquence shone in the highest
noon Of splendor. Among his orations
undoubtedly the one on the crown was
his best effort. Says writer, This is
the most perfect specimen that eloquence
has ever produced. For writhing Sar-
casm, burning invcctive, lofty declama-
tion, for all that is spirit stirring and glO-
rious in elCquence, there is not on record
in any language as noble and perfecta
specimen as the Grafton for the crown"
OF his other orations time fOrbids us to
treat, suffice it to say they were all char
acteristic of rich thought and deep study.
His STYLE" as Hume observes, sis rapid
harmony exactly adjusted to the sense; it
is disdain, anger, boldness, freedom, in
volved in continued stream OF argu-
ment, and of all human productions the
ordti0ns Of Dcmosthenes present to US the
models which approach the nearest per-
fecton." Such was Demosthenes. As
we contemplate his indomitabIe courage
and persevering energy in overcoming
the defects OF nature, and endeavorlng to
perfect himself in the art he so dearly
loved, We arouse ourselves and ask, why
waste the day in idlcness, and the night
in thoughtess dreaming2 Let such an
example stimulate US to noble and blgh
ends in life. And it will be the means
eventually Of securing the greatest pos
siOle usefulness and happiness
TUE SMALLEST Book IN THE WORLD.
"A search is going on fnr the smallest
volume In the world. One has peen
found sevcn-eighths of an inch long, hall
an inch wide, and little more thah "n
eighth of an inch thick. Its title page
reads as follows: "Schloss's English
Bjou Almanac for 1912, POLITICALLY Illus
trated by the Hon. Mrs. Morton; pup
lished by A. Schloss, Fancy Siatloner 10
II. II. II. the Dchs. of Kent. IL, Berhefs
Str, Oxford Str" The book is ILLUSTRATED,
with portraits of the Princess Koyai ol
England, then an infant, Charles DICK
eug, Rachel, Herr Shndigl, Ellen Tree,
and John Murray. The type Is very
small, and was probably cast especially
for this and similar books, but 1t Is pei,
fectly legible to persons Of ordinary goou
sight. Is there any smaller book than
this in the worldl
Mr.. RALPH WALDO EMERSON wroto
to the annual dinner of the Boston La'-
in School Alumni, last week, that on'y
two OF his classmates survive. lot
he added, with the many excellent hou
who have enjoyed the school IN the ~
"a, y.... 4 sh,t,II .rlnIIV meet il L