Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1885-10-17
Bill Nye on oratory.

Had ne lived until TINS spring ne
would have been 2,27O years old ; but
he did not live. Demosthenes has
crossed the mysterious river. He has
gone to that bourne whence no trav-
eler returns.
Most of you, no doubt, have heard
about it. On those who may not
have heard it the announcement will
fall with a sickening thud.
This sketch is not intended to cast
a gloom over your hearts. 1t was de-
signed to cheer those who read itand
make them glad they could read.
Therefore / would have been glad
if 1 could have spared them the pain
which this sudden breaking of the
news of the death of Demosthenes
will bring. But it could not be
avoided. We should remember the
transitory nature of life, and when
we are tempted to boast of our health
and strength and wealth, let us re-
member the sudden and early death
of DemOsthenes.
DemOsthenes was not born an ora
tor. He struggled hard and failed
many times. He was homely and
he stammered in his speech, but be-
fore his death they came to him for
hundreds of miles to get him to open
their county fairs and jerk the bird of
freedom bald-headed on the Fourth
of July.
When Demosthenes' father died he
left fifteen talents to be divided be-
tween DemOsthenes and his sister.
A talent is equal to about $1,000. 1
often wish that l had been born a
little more talented.
Demosthenes had short breath, a
hesitating speech, and his manners
were very ungraceful. To remedy
his stammering he filled his mouth
full of pebbles and howled his senti-
ments at the angry sea. However,
Plutarch says that DemOsthenes made
a gloomy fizzle of his first speech.
This did not discourage him. He
finally became the smoothest orator
in the country, and it was no uncom.
mon thing for him to fill the First
Baptist church of Athens full. There
are now sixty of his Orations extant
part of them written by Demosthe
mes and part of them written by hi
private secretary.
When he started in, he was gentle
mild and quiet in his manner, bu
later on, carrying his audience will
} him, he at last became enthusiastic
He Numbered, he roared, hewhooped
he howled, he Jared the windows
he sawed the air, he split the horizon
) with his clarion notes, he tipped owe
; the table, kicked the lamps out ofth
chandeliers and smashed the big bas
viol over the chief fiddler's head.
Oh, Demosthenes was bushes whel
he got started. 1t will be long tim
before we see another off-hand speak
er like Demosthenes, and 1 for on
have never been the same man sine
j. 1 learned of his death.
"Such was the first of orators" say
), Lord Brougham. "At the head {
3 all the mighty masters of speech, tn
/ alteration of ages has cOnsecrated hi
g place, and the loss of the nobleinstrl
u ment with which he forged an
/ launched his thunders is sure t
u maintain it unapproachable forever.
e have always been great admire
0 of the oratOry of Demosthenes, an
II those who have heard both of |
q think there is certain degree of sim
o larity in our style.
II And not only did l admire Demo
l. themes as an orator, but as a MAJ
, and though l am no Vanderbilt,
Is feel as though l would be willing
Ill head a subscription list for the pu
l. pose of doing the square thing by h
IS wife if she is left in want, and l u
lie derstand that she is.
/, must now leave Demosthenes al
III pass on rapidly to speak of PatriC
E. Henry. Mr.. Henry was the ms
III who wanted liberty or death. T
ri preferredliberty though. If he cou
~ not have liberty he wanted to di
ne but he was in no great rush about
IL He would like liberty if there W
re plenty of it, but if the British had
ne liberty to spare he yearned for deaf
~ When the tyrant asked him VIII
eu style of death he wanted he said tn
at he would rather die of extreme c
e. age. He was willing to wait, he sal
He didn't want to go unprepart
and he thought it would take n
Die eighty or ninety years more