St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-07-26
ORATORICAL POWERS.
The Value Of Memory in Preparing nm
Address.

Sc1OOl llluSo tAShiy Nidy lIuulDull re-
lates his "reminiscences of Richard Fl.
Dana, Jr., author of 1.-TWO Years before
the Mast" The following extracts illus
trate Mr.. Dana's marvellous memory.
For years I had been interested in the
subject of oratory and public address. |
had known something of the methods of
masters in that realm, and had conversed
on the subject with some who had special
power as public speakers. But in the
addresses OF Mr.. Dana I saw peculiarities
which had never observed in the speech
of another. The easy naturalness of his
addresses, coupled with their finish in
thought and phrasing, were beyond any
thing in the sphere OF my observations.
1t seemed, in sense, as il he were in or
binary conversation, speaking freely out
of a full mind, and in readiness of
thought, yet with such rare beauty Of
diction and impressiveness of style as
was surely a result of careful prepara-
ton. Because OF this | watched his
speech and manner with added interest.
In the early summer of 1867, | was
present as guest at public celebration
of the Inauguration Of the new town of
Arlington, just then set off from North
Cambridge. At the banquet, under a
mammoth tent on the public common,
several distinguished and eloquent
speakers made addresses, including
Governor A. Fl. Bullock, Senator Charles
Sumner, General Charles Devens, General
Nathaniel P. Banks. Mr.. Dana, and
others. Mr.. Dana's graceful address
was in such marked contrast with the
labored rhetoric of Senator Sumner, the
dazzling finish of the speech of General
Devens, and the addresses of other we'll
known orators, that it was new cause
of admiration to me, and longed to
know how it had been prepared. While
portions OF it could not have been entire
" impromptu much Of it was in response
to what had been said by speakers lust
before him, and therefore must have been
first thought OF at the time. louged to
know how much has been prepared in
advance, and how much was on the spur
Of the moment.
A few weeks later, as l boarded train
from Boston to Worcester, | saw Mr.
Dana in the car, and sat down beside
him. l asked if might question him
about that address at Arlington, telling
him OF the puzzle in my mind over its
rare combination of ease and naturalness
and finish. He answered me with entire
freedom, and | learned much from that
conversation.
"You ask me- Mr.. Trumbull, if had
specially prepared myself for that occa-
sion. l answer you that | never speak
without special preparation. In this in
stance, considered the place and the
circumstances, and who were to be pre-
sent, then decided that just then and
there three things would be appropriate
for me to say"
Then he named three points, with a
thought under each head.
This gave me my skeleton, and
fleshed it with these Thoughts. While
others were speaking was thinking of
what might say in the line of their sug-
geston, and under which head of my
talk it should come. When it came my
turn to speak, | was ready. The pre-
paration beforehand had enabled me to
use naturally what newly prepared as
sat at the table"
You say you had prepared yourself
beforehand, Mr.. Dana. Do you mean
that you had written down your pre-
paration?"
1t was in response to that question
that Mr.. Dana's most important utter
ance was given. 1t is in order to empha-
size that, that am writing these remi-
Dlscences.
NO, Mr.. Trumbull, never write down
what am going to speak. The idioms
for the eve are different from the idioms
for the ear, and when man writes, he
unconsciously uses those idioms which
are designed for the eye; therefore | never
write down what l intend to say in a
speech"
"Do you mean, Mr.. Dana, that even in
an extended Grafton or public address,
you do not make written notes in ad-
vance? ~
~ mean just that, and I'll give you an
illustration OF it, Mr.. Trumbull. On the
death of Edward Everett, l was invited
by the City Council of Cambridge to
deliver the formal address on his life and
services. knew that it was historic
occasion, and that my reputation was
involved in it. l must do my best work.
must prepare myself most carefully.
Yet, because the address was to be
spoken, it must not be written. The ad.
dress was more than two hours in
length. When rose to deliver it, every
tact citation, aud utterance was in its
place in my mind yet had never touch
ed pen to paper in its preparation
When, afterwards, copy OF the address
was requested OF me, by the City Council
tor publication, paced my library floor
and recited the address anew while my
daughters wrote it down at this dicta
ton. feared that, it should myself at
tempt to write it, l should inevitably
tall into the idioms for the eye"
That is marvellous, Mr.. Dana.
never could have conceived of the posi-
biIity of such thing"
well, so far as that is concerned, when
STATED these facts to my friend Judge
Emory Washburn, he asked me ii would
not be so good as to write them down
over my own signature, and give him
the record; for he feared, if he should
state them on his own recollection, he
would not be believed"
IT can understand how he would fee
about that, Mr.. Dana tor the fact would
seem almost incredible to the common
mind"
A few days after this railway inter
view, received from Mr.. Dana copy Of
the published address on the Life ano
Services of Edward Everett" with this
autograph note in kind affirmation o