Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-05-30

| TO the PASSIONS, has SrlihlcallN uescil"eu
F.r-t fear his hand, it's skill to try,
Amid the chords hewildered laid,
And back rec1iled, he knew not why,
Zen at the sound himself had made.
Asa rule. orators manifest a painful ankle
ty about their speeches. They are uneasy
and nervous, rs if anticipating failure. This
Is due TO the very sensitive organization
winch makes them orators.
why. how nervous Won are : said n
friend on taking CanninSS' hand Just before
he rose to speak.
Am |" WIS the prime ministers reply.
Then | shall make II good speech
Daniel Webster on the other hand, was
cool, cain, collected, His nerves were OF
iron Everything had ic,n thought cut be
fore be rose 10 speak.
"Mr Webster, asked IL friend, nervously,
graspiug him by the arm on the morning
when lie was TO reply to llayne, MI. Web
ster, an you ready"
The great man, bringing his open right
hand vertically down into the palm of the
left. quietly said Il have got four fingers
in.
"Foar fingers was, among sportsmen,
the linrk Of an unusually heavy charge for a
gun. Mr lIayne found out how heavy the
load was.
\ iunior counsel once congratulated Sir
William Fullett on his perfect composure III
the prospect Of great case he was about to
try Sir William merely asked his friend to
feel his hand. which WIS wet from nervous
anxiety.
This nervousness and anxiety seems con-
dition OF oratorical success. Tine late Lord
Derby. the Rupert OF debate, as he was
named Ly his admirers, said that his prlncl-
pal speeches cost him two sleeploss nights,
one in which he was thinking what to say,
the OF her in which he was lamentIng over
what he might have said better. Cicero. ac-
cording TO Hlutarch, not only wanted cour-
age in arms but in his speaking also lie
BEGAN timidly, and in many cases he scarcely
LETT eli trembling even when he got thor
ouchlv into the current and substance OF hls
speech.
Orators have often been very ditiident IN
| social Ifr The great Nh Pitt was exceed
indy shv in his private intercourse with
mum Lord Camden was on terms of great
intimacy with him, and one day remarked,
as Pitt was at his house
..My children have heard 80 much about
YOU that they are ANXIOUS 10 have glimpse
the great man. They are now at dinner.
VIII you ohlige ne by going IN with me a
moment
20 pgay don't" said the orator, in great
alarm What on earth could l say to
thvIl
"Giye then, at least the pleasure OF seeing
you. replied his lordship, as he hall led,
half pushed Inn into the room.
The prime minister of England approached
the little group. There he stood, looking
alternately at the father and the children,
| and twirliug his hat for a few minutes with
ont being able TO utter a sentence.
Very different was the habit oi Fox
Nv hat man Fox isl said Walpole. Al
ter his long and exhaustng speech on Hast
| iug's trial he WAS seen handing ladies into
their coach with all the gayety and prattle OF
| an idle gallant
When Daniel Webster was a schooboy, he
tells MS Many piece did | commit TO
memory and rehearse it over and over again
| in my room But when the day came when
the school collected. when my name was
called and saw ali eyes turned upon my
seat, | could not raise myself from 1t.
Cowpcrs friends procured him a place as
| clerk IN the house Of lords, where his duties
only required him to stand up and read par
| liameutary notices and documents. The
thought Of standing up before such an audi
ence was SO terrible to him that rs the time
drew ON, lie was il an agony of appTehen-
sion and triend to hang himself.
| The famous Curran had IA sensitiyonoss IN
public speaking which often hindered his
| success. lie WAS lsllllullA hil'ttth ~ hAg
| mark OF inattentiOn in his audience. If any
one tell asleep, or stared vacantly about the
room, ms clGquence began TO dog, AID much
of his power WAS lost.
This TACT became SO well known, at last,
that some OF the eminent advocates opposed
to him rssorted TO unworthy tricks 10 helf
tn,ir clients. If they saw that Curran was
particularly eloquent, and WAS carrying the
| lury with HIM. they would hire some man to
90 INTO the court-room, and, sitting neal
| Curran, % show signs Of weariness by vlsi-
BE and loud yawning. The stratagem rarely
failed Of success. His eloquence would for
sake HIM lie would talter forget the thread
Of ms argument, and bring his pcroration to
an abrupt and unsatisfactory conclusion.
Daniel Webster WAS once about 10 make :
speech at Boston poultry show, where IL
happened TO be present. lie stood mp IN re
spcnsc 10 Il general call, but no sooner la,
Ladies and gentlemen passed ms lIpS than
a giant Cochin protested with such a fright
lul crow that the orator sat down without
utterIu@ another word
Br John Richie. IL. Great vol antar,
leader had CHARGED the ministers OF til,
established church with living the lives %
s,tarit,s t,riup sumptuouslv every dav
and clothing themselves in soft raImtnt. \
"A public meeting Dr. Guthrie had to reply Il
this. lie was standing on the front ol Tia
platform bis boots were strong, ron.clad
country boots. and his trousers were bespat
tered with mud for Le lad Just walked seN
eral miles. Looking around the audicnc
! and LolGing out his foot. he pointed 10 it an
; faid
i My lr,,nds, Dr, Et,ile declares that "
are set "i l'hdi'7- 10 you CHI 'h''' III
loot "l " dandy
1 lhc appeal WIS Hltai'tiole ana was II