The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-10-18
English Oratory.

A half century ago formal English
was marked by elabor,
alton, artistic grouping OF words and
effort, after the style of johnson, to give
to the sentences both rhythm and
An advocate of liberal
measures desired that the people should
be redeemed, regenerated and olsen
thralled by the irresistible genius of a
universal emancipation. The pulpit
was marked by the same character
istics. Sentences did not grow; they
were built reconstructed. / once
heard Lord Brougham speak for more
than two hours. He retained enough
of the departing style constantly to
recall it, but on that occasion. at least.
he had much of the simplicity and
directness adapted to didactic purposes.
The stately method may now be
deemed obsolete. The men do not
make speeches. They speak. Even
where using notes or full manuscript
there is the directness of conversation,
of good newspaper, LEADER rather
than the dignitied and periphrastic pro-
iixity of former days. l had recent
opportunity to note the characteristics
of number of prominent Englishmen,
all conscious that they not only spoke
to the crowd that filled the Guildhall
a noble assembly room in the city of
London-but to the English people.
The occasion was the jubilee OF the
British emancipation Of negro slaves,
and the foremost men Of England APP
peared and threw as much energy as it
is 4.in good FORM in England to do
into their addresses.
The Prince of Wales-who, by the
way, was received with q good deal OF
that English "eheering" which consists
Of the rapid repetition of "Yah. Yah!,,'
(standing for Hear! HearD presided,
and gave quite heightened speech
for prince. 1t was carefully written
by whom do not pretend TO know
but was in good taste, in keeping with
his position, and marked by generous
appreciation of the good in other ma
tions, while modestly assuming, OF
course, that Great Britain is the leader
of civilization. The illusions to the
United States were courteous cordial
and dienified, as, indeed, were those
of all the speakers. His royal highness
has very good voice, pleasant
enough manner, and which is not
true of all Londoners-speaks English
intelligiDly. He was the only one to
read, and, indeed, the only one to enter
into the history of the struggle, and
thus very appropriately introduced the
speakers. 1t was impossible to forget,
while noting the respectful attention
with which he was heard, the enor-
nous influence such a man may WELD;
and it is pleasant to say to the readers
Of the Ledger that the future king OF
England stands well in the metropolis,
and that the gossiping stories regard.
ing him to which we are treated, find
no credence in London. "You get
them through adventurous actresses,
said an intelligent Englishman.
Earl Granville has been long in the
public service and is well entitled to be
heard by English people. Standing
upright, almost motionless, with hardly
an approach to gesture, and speaking
slowly, one has In him good repre-.
| sentative of the ''eloquence" of the
House of Lords. Reporters must find
such speakers pleasant. There is nc
difficulty in getting every word. The
| least approach to any display of feeling
was received with the inevitable "yah,
| YAH" but such a speech in New York,
for such an occasion, would have been
deemed intolerably tame. Neither
smile nor tear would it call forth. and
a Boston audience would have been as
unmoved by it as company OF heather
gods.
More animated and elastic Sir Stat
ford Northcote interested the people
but the same general tone of dignitied
dullness constantly raised the question
Do these noblemen and gentlemen show
no more fire when appealing to a con
stituency or laboring for party vote
The Archbishop OF Canterbury NIGH
pass for an American minister of TWEEN
ty years ago, when it was the correc
thing to keep pretty long hair to b'
brushed behind the ears and down u
the coat-collar. He threw a new ele
ment into the meeting by saying tina
the resolution to which they were al
speaking indicated the subject of thei
gratitude, namely, the emancipation a
cost of twenty millions of British
money; but he hoped he would be par
doned by his royal highness and thu
distinguished. preceding speakers ant
that great audience, il he reminded
them of the object of their gratitude
namely, the Divine Being Consider
ing how innocent this proceeding was
and that he is archbishop, one did no
see how any one could reasonably TAX
offence. OF course, he spoke in tn
fashion of semi-intonation which mark
the average English clergyman, whicl
| is little countenanced by effective speak
ers like Canon Liddon, and is conspic
uous bv its absence from the ut6erance
of such men as John Bright and Charlie
H. Sturgeon,
Next to his royal highness, the Eau
of Derby appeared to have most of tn
favor of the meeting, if one is to judg
by the fervor of the yah! yah" Hi
history is remarkable. The son of
great Tory, he is a popular Liberal.
was one of his fathers jokes that hi
son had never had time to 10 ok into hi
Homer; lie was too busy in the study {
blue books. Imagine well-to-do En-
glish farmer, in his Sunday clothes, Sc
up to repeat something he had care
fully learned by heart, and you hav
no bad idea of Lord Derby, who speak
as if his mouth were too small for h
tongue, bat who is undoubtedly mos
painstaking master of details. The di
regard of elegance of attire in tn
speakers was quite noticeable, an
many of the noble ladies present mul
|, have wished for the better adiustmer
, of one nobleman's necktie. 1t was ''po
itively shocking" beside the high, stif
. roundabout, coat-of-mail collar
. which the Prince of Wales gives ii
cue to our young men. Elocution an
appearance OF dress are both disr
garded by the average English orato
II would not, however, be fair to civ