The morning call., 1890-12-07
A NIGHT WITH WARMAN.
The True and the False Systems of Ell

Ahe IrUe ana the raise systems or EtO-
cution Demonstrated.
1t was a quarter past o'clock last night
when the distinguished reader, lecturer and
author. Z. b. Warman, AN, made his ap-
pearance on the platform of the Metropol-
itan Temple to treat those who had assem-
bled to hear him to one of his delightful
Delsarte talks. During the course of his
remarks lie said that California audiences
did not appear to appreciate the idea of
punctuality, and that while he considered
it breach of good manners to commence to
speak before his audience was seated, he
also considered it equally breach of good
manners for those who came late TO keep
the punctual ones from hearing what was to
be said, and that during the remainder of
the course he would commence at sharp s
o'clock.
The hall was not as well filed as it might
have been, or as it undoubtedly will be at
the next lecture, which takes place Tuesday
night, December 9th, but the audience was
an intellectual one, and fully appreciated
the happy manner In which the speaker
treated the subject. This was evinced by
the hearty laughter and tumultuous APP
plause which was elected by his home
thrusts. His subject was True and False
Elocution," and the manner in which it was
treated showed that the speaker was thor
Onshly skilled in analysis. His exordium
was. an Illustration Of the evil effects
of imitation and warning to avoid
mechanical ana borrowed mannerisns
They seldom fit. Beecher and Cough were
both given as instances of eloquence,
wherein the latter violated every rule of
elocution. For either to have assumed the
style of the other would have been to have
made the offender ridiculous. He told of
visit he had made 10 hear a celebrated elo-
pie, Boston. One of the poems recited was
Jennie Mcneil" of which he gave one
stanza as it was then rendered and as it
should be. The result was that the house
was convulsed with laughter.
What was wanted in presenting a subject
OF any kind to an audience was assumption
and not assertion. The feelings of the
author must be assumed An assertion of
the will is the result of a falling infexion,
and vice versa. ElocutlOn is high art. A
statue must notshow the tool of the sculptor.
neither must speaker show himself.
1t is so with all art, and no actor practices
before an audience. The school of Drlsarte.
wants no books; it needs words and their
meaning or signfieation. The Delsarte sys-
TEN will give one word 625 different sieni-
from Paul Revere" Sheridan's Ride"
Barbara Fretchie" and other ram
dom pieces, and it was simply wonderful
to note the effect the different renditions had
when applied to the subject. Execution is
not the work of so many lessons, OF weeks
or months of study, but is the work of
years, and is then seldom attained in its
perfecton. The human voice is the most
delicate instrument to play upon, but when
it is thoroughly attuned it adapts itself to
the prevention II not the cure of lung and
bronchial troubles. School-teaeherS hug
the false Ideas from ignorance, and teach
them, not knowing how to control their own
voices.
He said that the greatest actor of the age
had told him that he regretted his ignorance
of true elocution. The false cannot use the
natural tone of voice. Heimitated teacher
OF elocutlon, who, upon alghting from a
car, said to bystander, "Can you direct
me to the Town Hall?" and said the mo-
ment the man spoke he knew lie was the
teacher of elocntion, for he carried the sign
In his face. A lady who had been giving
lessons to a minister finally gave up in de-
sspair for the reason that she could not get
him to pray grammatically. Some teachers are
continually teaching their pupils to makeges-
lures and strike attitudes. and finally the
pupils get so that they cannot make mathe-
matical statement without striking an atii-
tude. Let the gestures and the attitudes
come natural. Always make the garment
to mt, and remember that it is the control of
self that controls the audience. Teaching
when and where to make gestures put him
in mind of a man whose manuscripts were
interlarded with 'cry here" There is
natural motion for every emotion. but some
people think that perspiration means in
spiration. He had learned from experience
that it is the empty wagon that makes the
most noise.
There must be expression before there can
be impression, and there is great difference
between reading and reciting. Many per-
sons sacrificed art for the sake of effect,
because they saw it would "take'' with an
audience. He gave humorous illustra-
tions of some of the efforts Of this
class. Joe Jefferson. he said, was
one OF the few who was perfectly
natural, and whose voice at the same time
could be heard distinctly all over the audi
torium, and he followed closely the princi-
pies Of Delsarte by feeling the character
which he portrayed. During the evening