Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1882-01-07
MARTINsBURG, W. VA. SATURDAY, JAN I, 1882

This nervousness and anxiety
seems a condition of oratorical sue
cess. The late Lord Derby, "the
Rupert of debate,v dis he was named
| by his admirers, said that his princi
pal speeches cost him two sleepless
nights-one IN which he was think
ing what to say, the other in which
he was lamenting over what he
might have said better. Cicero, ac
cording to Plutarch, not only wanted
courage in arms, but in his speaking
also. He began itimidly, and in
many cases scarcely left off trem
bling even when he got thoroughly
into the current and substance Of
his'speech.
/ Orators have often been very diff.
dent in social life. The great Pitt
! was exceedingly shy in his private
intercourse With mel. Lord Camden
!
was on great intimacy with him, end
one day remarked, as Pitt was at his
house: a 30
"My children have heard so much
about you that they are very anxious
to have glimpse of the great man.
They are now at dinner. Will you
obHge me by going in with me a
moment?
90, pray don't!n said the orator,
in great alarm. What on earth
could I say to them Y"ss,sa =
"Give them at least the pleasure
Of seeing YOU" replied his lordship,
as he half led, half pushed him into
the room. - eo sfassst alf
The Prime Minister Of England
| approached the little group. There
he stood, looking alternately at the
father and his children, and twirling
his hat for a few minutes without
& 49,
being able to utter assentence.
Very different was the habit of Fox,
"What a man Fox is ~ said Wal.
pole, "After his long and exhaust
ing speech on Hastings trial he was
seen handing ladies into their coach
es with all the gaiety and prattle OF
an idle gallant" e
When Daniel Webster was a
school boy, he tells us: .Many a
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 I saw all eyes
turned upon my seat, [ could not
raise myself from i'll,
Cowper's friends procured him a
place as clerk in the House of Lords,
where his duties only required him
to stand up and read parliamentary
notices and documents. The thought
Of standing up before such an audi
ence was so terrible to him, that as
the time drew ON, he was in an agony
Of apprehension, and tried to hang
himself.
| The famous Curran had a sensitive
ness in public speaking, which often
hindered his success. He was pain
fully affected by any mark of mat
tention in his audience. If any one
fell asleep, or stared yacantly about
the room, his eloquence began TO
flag, and much Of his power was lost.
The fact became so we'll known at
! last that some of the eminent advo-
Gates opposed to him resorted to I'm.
worthy tricks to help their clients.
lfthey saw that Curran was particu-
larly eloquent, and was carrying the
jury with him, they would hire some
man to go into the court room, and,
sitting near Curran. to show signs of
WEAKNESS by visible and loud yawn-
ing. The stratagem rarely failed of
success. His eloquence would for
sake him; he would falter, forget the
thread of his argument, and bring
his peroration to an abrupt and un-
satisfactory conclusion. 6a i,g'
Daniel Webster was once about to
make a speech at a Boston poultry
show, where he happened to be pres
ent. He stood up in response to a
general call, but no sooner had
"Ladies and gentlemen passed his
lips, than a giant cochin protested
with such frightful crow, that the
orator sat down without uttering an
other word 4ssis
DR.. John Richie, the great volun-
tary leader, had charged the minis
tiers of the Established Church with
living the lives Of Sybarities, faring
sumptuously, and clothing themselves
in soft raiment. At a public meet
ing DR.. Guthrie had to reply to this.
He was standing ON the front of the
platform; his boots we're strong, iron
clad, country boots, and his trousers
were despatched with mud, for he
had just walked several miles. Look
ing around the audience, and hold
ing out his foot, he pointed to it and
said:
"My friend, DR.. Richie declares
that we are set of dandies. Do