Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-09-20
ORATORS OF FAME.

ORATORS OF FAME.
Northumberland Aneedotes Of wal
pole, Golden and Lord Eldon.
It is encouraging to young speakers
to know that there never has been.
and never will be, such thing as q
..born orator." There las never yet
been an instance of an orator becom-
ing famous who did not apply himself
assiduously to the cultivation Of his
art. Many even had to overcome great
physical mfr mites that rendered it
almost hopeless for them to adopt the
career Of a public speaker. The best
known instance is that of Demosthenes,
who passed some months in subter-
ranean cell, shaving one side of his
head so that he could not appear in
public. He there practiced with peb-
bies in his mouth to overcome defect
in his speech, and gesticulated beneath
a suspended sword to rid himself OF
IN ungraceful movement of the
shoulder. Even then he was Kissed
from the bema in his early efforts, but
he persevered-the world knows
with what success. When Rob-
ert Walpole first spoke in the
House he paused for want OF words and
continued only to stutter and stammIr.
Curran was known at school as ''stut-
tering Jack Curran," and in debating
society which he joined, as "Orator
Num-" Every one will also readily
recall Disraeli's failure when he rose
to make his maiden speech. Cobden's
first effort was also humiliating fail
ure. But one should not conclude
from these instances that every speak
er who breaks down is sure to blossom
into fame subsequently. We have
been quoting the exceptions to the gen.
eral rule. More frequently speakers
mishaps are like that of the Earl of
Rochester. my lords" said he, on
one occasion, "l-I-I rise this time,
my lords, III divide my discourse
into four branches" Here he came to
woeful pause, and then he added:
my lords, if ever rise again in this
house 1 give you leave to cut me off
root and branch forever" Many of
the best orators have, even to their
latest efforts, felt tremor on rising to
speak. Erskine said that on his rising
to plead for the first time he
should have sat down in confusion
had he not felt his children Juggling at
his gown. The Earl of Derby,
1.-The Rupert of debate" always
knew when he was going to speak we'll
by his nervousness on rising. This
was also characteristic of Canning.
At dinner given by the mayor at
Liverpool he was so nervous be-
fore being called on to speak that he
had twice to leave the room to collect
his thoughts. This may have been,
however, owing to the comparative
novelty of his position. Many an
orator outside his accustomed haunts
is completely lost. Lord Eldon said
he was always somewhat nervous in
speaking at the Goldsmith's dinner,
though he could talk before Parliament
as though ne were addressing so many
rows of cabbage plants. Mr.. Golden,
speaking of Lord John Russell. said:
ION the boards of the House Of Com
mons Johnny is one of the most subtle
and dangerous Of opponents; take him
off these boards and care nothing for
him" To few was it given as to
O'Connell to succeed equally with all
audiences. Before he entered the
house he was declared to be mere
''mob orator." but in 1880 he was re-
turned, and in 1881 he was recognized
as a leader. Whether in swaying
multitude on hillside, appealing to
the more educated assembly in Par
lament. or in persuading jury in a
courthouse, he was equally at home
GeUtgemau's MAGAZINE.