Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-03-11
(Continned from First Pare.

had been highly pleased at the first read
ing, and the hearers would only listen to
the Grafton once. they would be sure like
wise to admire. and 50 they did Oratory
is ephemeral. for the immediate impress
sion, and the short hand writer. the ,ele-
graph and the daily paper have made 1t
impossible. Whitefeld's sermon, are
dreaifully dry reading. although he was SO
vivid in his oratory. when he delivered
them.
We should not care to read the tlightS
of eloquence OF our political orators OF the
last generation their sentences were fitted
for the occasion, and with il the life aud
soul have gone out of them. and what once
was eloquence is now for the most part
trash. The modern parliamentary orator
scarcely addresses his immediate audience.
He speaks 10 a larger body, 10 his constit-
uents: or. if he he really great man, to
the country and to the world. SO long
ago rs when Mr.. Seward was in the SENSE
although he had oratorical eloqucnce, he
was accustomed TO read his speeches lean
ing against his desk, having printed slips.
and reading without any attempt at oraio-
rical display. He knew that next morning
the people of the country would read.
study and criticiSe his differences. lhus
il was necessary that they should be care
fully prepared for criticism. ltWouid not
do to trust 10 the spontaneous outburst ct
eloquence, which would be conncd over
next day by hundreds of thousands of hos
tile rs well a. friendly critics II i said.
too, that Mr.. Sumner never spoke III the
Senate. except in short speeches ot from
three to five minutes, without writing ont
and revising carefully what he had 10 say
The orator has been superseded by I'm"
writer. and has become himself writer.
The most obscure country weekly news
paper addresses a larger audience than
listened TO the thunders Of eloqucncc of
the orators of a century or more ago. Be
fore the great increase Of writers and
readers, greater portion of the people
got their knowledge of public affairs, and
largely their opinions, from the pulpit
The New England ministers had Il large
share in stirring up the people TO the Rev
olution, by which we separated from
Great Britain. They performed much Of
the function now laid upon the newspaper
press. Their words did not often go on
record, those of the newspapers do, and
they can thus be more carefully cOnsid-
cred. Moreover, to the newspaper there
is an opportunity for reply. They are of
every party and every political shade Of
opinion, and what of truth one does not
give the other will and SO the people
are more thoroughly instructed and en-
lightened than they could be by pulpit or
forensic orators. Oratory is now more for
amusement or entertainment than for seri-
Gus business. The habit Of reading and
criticising what is read has become set
tied with our people. and the report
of q speech or lecture of any i'm
portance, is looked for with more interest
than the public delivery thereof 10y the
orator. The man in the little room ut the
newspaper or magazine, or review office,
conyinces and Influences u hundred or
perhaps a thousand, where the orator can
influence one by the mere power of his
voice; and so he bring III the press IA an
aid and accessory. and so il comes about
that there is a decline Of oratory.