The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-25
DOVER OF ELoQUENCE.
of the Marvels of Oratory IN
Sofn0 ,oient and Modern Times.
-, Inc GentEemdn S HdDu@tIIe'

rTl.o
4noi: 80, If Nacedon did not estimate Its
sna a whit too highly when ne onered d
~ u,r If 10 900 inhabitants Tor one orator;
NDeie IN every other art, we can count on
masceI those who attained the highest
ouI nue IN Dublic speaking. Greece can
success e. three great dramatic poets, be-
boas' h ,to enjc: but the mantle OF Demos
siaes ~ lies where it fell. In like manner
I IngneI oratory, which is Upheld by cicero
hou" II is the orator who In all ages mas
alone n,9ad the world. Demosthenes
rev re hnrning eloquence reused the
WIN -, ,,onulace to rise in arms against
AJneiii 'ar5 tLe tyrant himself bore an elo
FnlIp ,tribnte to the influence of the great
orator for be said' I'D Lar,o no.,
s,,oded me to take up arms against my
sell" o,,,a1 20 ;tvas ACTIN
~ panccomplished by Cicero, who not only
any s,nded Cataline and silenced Horton
coniJ I',,t made the trembling Caesar acquit
s,u', he had determined to condemn.
I T-3tb the great enchanters of speech the
n,e experience occurs frequently
Nor half All hour" SAID Warran Hast
,ara IN describing his trial, II looked up at
Iilsorator Burke) in reverie Of wonder,
lue finally felt myself to be the most
culDable man on earth
cuI nan who has left to history but the
4arie name of Peter the Hermit reused
shnnsands--kings and people-to engage in
10 crusades; and two centuries later arose
''' Solitary monk that shook the world,
o,,o+a Moptgomery's line, referring TO
Tn+far Later still, and history was made
.ba defiant tones of the French Demos
.Ionee Mirabeau, as he cried to the mes
SANGER OF the king:
aSIave. go tell your master that we are
bere bv the will of the people, and that we
viii depart only at the point of the bay
onetm c .-..-,.;.. A..
sn,rit of the Tiers Fiat would have been
broken the national assembly would
have been dispersed, and the despotism
wmld have continued to exercise its fell
AN ORATOR MADE, NOT BORN.
II is encouraging to young speakers to
know that there never has been, and never
viii be. sucn a thing as born orator. J"
There has never yet been an instance of an
orator becoming famous who did not apply
himself assiduously to the cultivation of
bisart Many even had to overcome great
nbysical intirmitIes that rendered it almost
bonalpss Tor them to adopt the career of a
nnblir speaker The best known instance Is
that Of Demosthenes, who passed some
mo. tbs in a subterTanean cell, shaving one
side OF his head SO t3at he could not appear
in public He there practiced with pebbles
in his mouth to overcome Il defect in his
speech and gesticulated beneath a suspended
sword to rid himself of an ungraceful move
rnant of the shoulder Even Thea he was
Kissed from the arena in his early efforts,
but he persevered-the worlds knows with
what success When Robert Walpole first
smoke in the house he paused for want of
x C1llX fn nd
stammeT.
Curran was known at school as "stutter-
ing Jack Curran, " and in debating society
which be joined, as Orator Mum" Every
one will also readily recall Dlsraeli'S failure
when he rose TO make his maiden speech.
Cobden's first effort was also Illuminating
failure
But one should not conclnde from these
instances that every speaker who breaks
down is sure to blossom into fame subse-
duently. We have been quoting the ex-
ceptlons to the general rule. More fire.
quently speakers mishaps are like that of
the earl OF Rochester. My lords, said he,
on one occasion. '-I-I-I rise this time,
my lords, Ill 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, give you leave to cut me off root
and branch forever"
NERVOUSNESS OF SPEAKERS.
Many Of the best orators have, even to
their latest efforts, felt tremor GA rising to
speak. Erskne said that on his rising to
plead for the first time he should have sat
down IN confusion had he not felt his chill
dren Juggling at his gown. The earl of
Derby, "the Rupert of debate,n always
knew when he was going to speak well by
his nervousness on rising. This was also a
Characteristic of Canning. At a dinner
gwen by the mayor of Liverpool he was SO
nervous before 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 Eden said
he was always somewhat nervous III speak
ing at the GoLdsmiths' dinners though he
could talk before parliament as though he
were addressing so many rows of cabbage
pants, Mr.. Gordon, speaking of Lord John
Russell, said:
"On he boards of the house of commons
Cohnny is one of the most subtle and
dangerous Of opponents; take him off these
UoIFus and care nothing for him."
10 lew was it given as to OConnell to
succeed equally with all audiences. Before
Le entered the house he was declared to be
mere mob orator." but in 1880
~ "ds returned, and In 1881 he was
recognized as a leader. Whether in sway
!lR multitude Oh a hillside, appealing to
eue more educated assembly IN parlia ment
II VI IN peFsuading jury in a court house, he
Il was equally at home.
PERSONAL INFLUANCE ON AN AUDIENCE.
Acnard Labor Shell was called the "silver
.nRued because of the magical influence
oe4erted over the Irish people but this
n vac IL spite Of a diminutive stature, an I'M
e'aceiul action, and a harsh voice that
S,metiiIles rose into positive Shrek No
80 80 IL was the earnestness and sincerity
tt - yue speaker that appealed to the hearts Of
49, AL listeners and made them gauge the
SuecI by their sympathies. The earnest
n c ataAer VINO has at heart the cause he advo-
u,sr WI WIN always stand a far greater chance
II W. In ne VINO relies on his more command of
oe 1s ana the art of rhetoric
N o,,A me speech is a fine thing said
Tbis N!uelI' but the verdict is the thing I"
los 10 maxim which will be found
ma5s az the root of every reputation
ma ~ an orator. People will always
SAT- ne ny eject and not by temporary SEN
r,ato, orator secures but poor success who
N s,' aAeS people exclaim, "What a fine
r deecn but he is entirely successful who
wbst tI Ep THEN to his thinking. This is
the 1da eneion meant in his Dialogues Of
n ~ Eau, Eau When he represents Demosthenes
n ss, !!t 5,ls TO Cicero, Chou madest people
ssy' 81. uo" well he speaksp but made them
an ora,I 90. Us march against Pnilippn That