The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-10-24


ject Well Handled.
Young Mems Christian Association
hall was filled last night to hear Mr.. E.
B. Warman's opening lecture on elocu-
ton. 1t was gratifying to notice this
manifestation of interest in the subject,
and it was too marked to escape notice
that the audience was composed chiefly
of ladies. Many of these wcro teachers
in the public schools. Many others
were attracted to hear what new things
could be said in behalf Of elocution.
Mr. Warman made very favorable
first impression lie is n man OF fine
appearance, robust, smooth.iaced, gray,
easy in his movements. lie under
stands his subject aud soon gives his
audience a good idea OF the lesson he is
about to teach. He teaches by precept
and example, laying down the rule and
showing both the incorrect and correct
way. Naturalncss OF expression is his
aim. Mr.. Warman said in substance:
i; is, my purpose to present two
standards Of olOcution, tho true ana tho
false. Tho tasl. IL not so difficult as it
is delicate, Tor DO the speaker ever
SO modest, he must needs be thought
an egotist.
Tie system l represent ia the only
correct one Int am not the only one
that represents this system. Yet there
are very few who represent the correct
system otclocutiOn. 1t is not my pur-
pose to present any rule system OF elo-
cution, but rather to take you back 10
the good old system rs illustrated by
Fanny KcmbIe, Charlotte Cushnan,
Charles DIckcns-thGy could read not
alwaysan easy thing 10 do.
SOME IMAGES DESTROYED.
l take pride in destroying tho images
of so.called clocutionistg. The question
is often asked, what is the matter with
elocutiop? do not wonder that there
is such prejudice against cIocution,
yet Ibcleve ii is an art us high rs music.
The first point Of attack 10 upon the
teacher who teaches BY imitation. This
is to destroy the individuality OF the
pupil. Manneriam may fit well; bor-
Towed mnnncrism. ike borrowed gar
menls, seldom fit" Here the speaker
gave an imitation OF n young girl IN
Boston who had been taught by dis
tinguishod teacher to recite The
Famine" when she said "Ghast!y" and
"plenminpr she endeavored to look
"ghastly and ''gleaming'-was to CLEAN
like whole forest. Then when she
came to "fell, ;" she was to come as near
TO falling as she could without falling.
And that is the way she did it before
1900 people in Fremont Temple.
COMMON SENSE AND NATURE.
Common sense is m element lacking
in the average elocutionist Nature is
not to be sacrificed ior the sake OF effect.
This point was illustrated with interest
ing and humorous incidents.
"All reading should be word-painting
No reader is an artist who cannot depict
with the voice every colof OF the rain
bow. When the reader gets himself out
OF sigh. and presents his picture instead
OF himself, you will have n moro pleas
ing memory OF the effect You should
be able to tell by the color OF tho word
picture tho scene the reader intends to
represent" This point was illustrated
hunorously and with great effect. There
is wonderful difference between read
ing and recitng. ~ do not believe there
are more than six public readers in the
United States to-day, aud two OF these
are dead. If you can't read q poem at
eight don't call yourself n reader. When
different principles are taught in the
public schools wc shall have more and
better readers. These are beautiful
gems OF thought in poetry married by
reciting poems that should be read.
The word cocutionist has become per-
verted, being taken 10 mean one who
plays with the voice.
DoN'T "Bow OFF"
Make the garment to fit. The tone
must not be too large, it must not be
too small for tho object as to bowling
and tho period. 1t is ridiculous to teach
n child to keep up the voice ut Il comma,
mud let it fall ut Il period. It's impossi
bic to punctuate Tor reading. The
printed points OF punctuation are for
the grammatical construction. The
readers punctuation has to do with
thought. 1 would that teachers would
teach expression, SO that the meaning
OF the reading may be expressed. As
to bowing-that may destroy the whole
: thing, the best reading. A public
speaker has nothing to bow for when
he comes before an audience unless he
, is appaudcd. We have eloquent men
who arc not orators, for nratory is not
always eloquence. You know how elo-
quent Wendell Phillips was, he rarely
moved, but every movement meant
something. Readers, like poets aud
orators, are born, not made.
Some orators are made, and
very poorly made. There is n great
. difference between motion and emo
ton. between perspiration and inspir-
alton. You must have perfect control
over the body, and without this you
cannot obtain the best vocal results.
The body must DO perfectly flexible, for
every thought that may be attuned TO
it. believe there is no other way to
do this except by the Delsarte phllos-
ophy The human body should DO to
the thought as the .Eolian harp to the
wind, always responding and never
twice with the same tone. Every
position, every attitude must be spon-
taneous. 1t cannot be had until every
obstacle is removed from the FREQ eX-
preston OF thought. WESLEY Church
i'll is undoubtedly the best reader be-
fore the public!to-day. lie is FREQ from
the iauIts common to most readers. He