New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-22
THE ART or SPEAKING.

Recent letters from tnaitduqud H"'' VIC
scribed the work Of the School OF Eloc'ltion
and Oratory, and the interest with which II mas
bccn pursued. We should have rcjolced to
know that the number of pupils in attendance
had been many times ~ large, Tor 1t Is doupo-
full if any branch of instruction at the summer
university is moro important than this or likei!
70 return greater profit to those who devote
time and attention to it, We are born To the
use of noble language, but sadly as 1t Is mis-
used in writing, it is still worse treated III
snoech. even by those who are specially de-
nondont for success in life upon mastery OF
the art of utterancc. OF course, it would be
delightful, and great National Distinction II
the American people in general were tra'nod
TO srcak clearly and melodiously, and we may
cherish the hope that when tho millennium ar
riycs this will prove to he one of the boonS
by which it is to be recognized But IN the
m, antiInc il is not too much TO ask that lhoSe
whose vocations require them to speak IN puolic
should comprehend the truth that they owe
il. not only 10 themselves. but to those whose
attention they solicit to speak effectively and
agrccably.
II is happily true. we believe that incrcas-
ing stress is laid upon this point in schools ana
colleges. ard it may be only fair TO acknowledge
that some improvement in the performances
Of pulpit and platform is resulting. But If
sucb a gain is capable of being detected the
fact remains far more Obvious that vast part
of all that is spoken III pubic i
spoken in sovenly and unattracilye'
il not absolutely distressing manner.
Common experience will bear out the
assertion that even those who depend Tor their
support or reputation or influence upon their
noycr IN draw audiences 10 hear them are only
rarely proficient in the art of clocutlon. We DO
not refer now to the specially of professional
rlocntionists of whom two or three IN gen
Grafton are capable of producing profound I'M
prossion by their ait. but TO IA standard which
s easily within the reach Of those who are lit
in other RESPECTS 10 instruct and delight the
public There il no good reason why the man
who has. or thinks he has. n message for his
fellow men should impose on them the burden
nj cop,cndiny against the WEAKNESS of body and
snjrit which an awkward and discordant de-
livery Of it produces. Often, 1t Is true the
message j. 80 significant that muliltudeS are
willing 70 pardon and possibly able 10 forget
the way in which it is communicated but even
50. there is an rrcparablc loss. The memory Is
nrcserycd nj the University of Berlin of lcct-
urcr If profound attachments in scholarship
and worldwide reputation. who buried his nose
in his manuscript and mumbled his indispensable
uttcronces in a dim and drcary sing song, 50
that his classes did not attempt - occupy the
benches before his desk, bur stood clustered
around him. and took such fIasmentary notes
a, they were able under every possible diSad-
vantage to jct down. Such spectacle Is Ger
tainly not common. but feeble imitation of
il is familiar 10 hosts of students. IL signifies
an extraordinary miSconccption OF opportunity
and obligation, ard Fundamental se!iiShncSS
moreover. of which his victims, if not the per
former himself arc conscious.
The name Of a citizen of Ncw-l0rk who most
admirably illustrates the standard OF speech
which every public speaker may proiiiaby strive
Ia attain occurs - us. as we recall his lnnumcI-
able oppostcs. Mr. George William Curtis has
never made an address which was not intrin-
rically worth hearing but the effects which he
produces and tho influence which he has long
exercised arc incalculably enhanced by the cx-
ouisitc beauty of his cnunciaton and the music
of his voice. BY the great majority of speak
ers he must be followed at distance, but this
perfection did not come to him without effort
and i'm cultivating such an art no effort can be
too great or altogether wasted.