The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-15
INeERsoLB. ON oRIroRE
His Pronounesd OpInion RsGArdinR-Tn
pronptu Speaking.

1876 S is re regarded as the modsi Of DsCoradoS
RS s saa mas S%o 5hS
quence, 1t seemed to me that perhaps he might
; manner he adopted In composing this address,
as well as upon the general subject
belief that the Indianapolis address was Inn
promptly or at Least; III, exte TEN S Gel:
wrong and was as incorrect In regard to bis
addresses as It was In regard to any speech or
s snOH 4o
DRY, but still with sufficient accuracy:
There ia no such thing as an extemporanO.
GUS address. or course mean by that An ad.
dress which is diGnlfed. worthy OF the occa-
sion, and commands attention and respect
There never was and there never will be
an impromptu speech. OF course. know
that some men have delivered speeches which
have attracted wide attention, which are
reported to have been inspired on the moment
But In the nature OF things this is impossible
II you analyze great speech, and consider
| what Ia necessary to make one, IL 10 easy to see
that such thing as impromptu oratory is linz
possible. Now. n speech which ia true oratory
must In the first place, suggest sublime. deep.
and eternal truths. There must be thought,
and It should be thought which is capable Of
producing correspondingly great emotion and
sentiment in the minds OF those who hear 10
| spoken. Therefore. tho thought cannot holp
being sincere II must reflect the very truth. 40
the mind OF the utterer has conceived II; and
80 no really great Grafton has ever been deliv-
cred which did not spring from the heart Of
him who spoke 1t.
Sometimes the thought is developed after
excessive. and 1t might be said exquisite labor
and turmoil of the soul The operation OF con.
structing or composing a speech which is truly
great Is precisely similar to that which enables
| the painter to express great emotions by colora
| and with the painters brush upon canvas The
making OF great speech is like the formulate
| Ing OF a great painting. See how the operations
are similar. The painter conceives O great
truth. an idea. capable Of suggesting the pro.
foundest realities OF nature and OF calling into
being the subimest emotions Of the human
intellect; he takes his palette and his brush.
and with infinite patience mixes his colors and
develops upon the canvas the thought which IL
in mind He labors over 1t patiently. affections
ately. his whole soul wrapped up In the desire
to express to tho fullest that idea or emotion
which is in his heart. Sometimes it Is the labor
OF years delicate shadin gs strong. vigorous
strokes, defiance Of technical rules II need bO
In order thereby the more strongly to bring out
ane idGa uhon the canvas the touch Of brush
and love compel: and in this way the painter at
last prod Eres G:on canvas that idea which was
Tor all time the power the beauty. the strength,
the ioveltness OF that conception.
to GS GE ehas Is precisely what me man who tS
himself and If lie would make the Impression
OF me IDEA as It exists in him clear. strong.
whom he Is to disclose it by means OF word pic
lures i, For great grafton. true Grafton. is
put the painting oil IDEAS by words instead Of
by co9rs, and the truth that is in it will be sug-
Gested as impre5sively and as surely, II the
speaker has been true 10 himself. ns DOES the
wonderful painting upon which multitudes,
Tor generation after generation. look with won
der and with the best emotions OF their nature
stirred within them. Now. when we consider
that it is with such me hnds as this that the
ri nrt nla md ntt. "a go
70 formulate it while man is standing upon
or Thoughts by word OF mouth which shall
stand the test which makes or breaks an ora
:, Col; Ingersoll said these words with much Of
mat t1l lervor and earnestness which distinguish
might have been Gale Il little impromptu ora.
ton. delivered on the suggestion Of tho mo-
assert on which he made. for it was plain that
he had thought much and deeply upon this
an GRAFTON in which the central Thought was
the idea exp essed above. asked him II there
reer and In listening 70 tho great orations Of
ol binb some other qualifications than those Of
certainly were. lie said:
1t nra taxes mo not Only tho rover Of composing
from long practice and patient labor In improv.
l hiG beI1re M orator has delivered himself Of
is a great deal in that. An orator must learn.
and must learn by practice. how to formulate
MS Thought IN WOruS so that 1t shall reach tho
audiencsSs or impress the reader with the best
eject There are no rules for such practice:
each man must dete mine for himself !: he must
learn by experience: he can acquire tho art OF
preparing and delivering a great Grafton only
alter many and arduous trials. II he possesses
own intuitive perceptions what Is the best TO
be done lone IN each ana every case"
said to him that his remarks seemed to RIM
counter to the opinion which has always pre-
Hi9S thaf bo Westers greatest Grafton that
practically nm impromptu speech. as but q
single night ttHtervened between Haynes der1
q matter OF history that during that nieht
Webster had made an effort, to com oose his
that the popular impression in regard to that
address res was wrong. He said: ,
In formi though it IS in spirit, the address
which Webster really delivered. He spent
out the speech, and the published speech is
" ebster's revision aud not the actual speech
Is we'll known by those who have made some
study OF Webster lie and career that he had
been for many years preparing this, speech: he
have descriPeI a. essential to the conception
had turned these copstitutonaI truths m over 1 S
lis mind, thought deeply upon them. elabo.
eierence and study, and was really composipr
this great constitutional exposition during the
hat The time would come when he wo9 9hIS1G aaa
iyer It ana when the time did come whether
was or epets ready 10 M
Ieech, Therefore. declare that WebsterS
eply TO liayne was not an extempore speech'
hat he may have been called upon OF a and
en- To- deliver 1t does not impair the force ~
'hat say, lie, was all ready to deliver IT, and
Or long time had been all ready It Was easX
nongh for him to reply to the Temporary inter.
lpions Of Mr.; Hayne and others: anybody
o ~, ih 90 that The reply might be interiected
! reminded Col. Ingersoll OF the current Snee.
9t ! about his hasty preDaIstion Of the famous
ITO history under tho name OF the "PlnmaS
night Gt,. speech. told him that i seemed to
pretty well authenticated that he had
ought by his brother to do so. until the night
,lore the nomination OF Blaine was to be- at.
m pied and that then. after he had gone IN
3D. he did get up In response to his brothers
Quest and, taking Il few sheets OF paper
ished of the speech in few minutes and
en returned to his bod There Was a sus
clon OF smile about the Colonel's lips, and
seemed 10 me as though this anecdote had
,iogught humorous recollections to mind OF that
ldniRht scene In the hota when rathar nSvn