New-York tribune., 1900-10-19

PRACTICAL PUBLIC SPEAKING. a
Clark and F. NJ Blanchard, the University OF
Chicago limo, PIP xvi, S0L Charles Scrloner s
PATRIOTIC ELOQUENCE RELATING TO THE
sPANISH-AMERICAN WAR AND ITS lS-
SUES Compiled and Arranged by Robert /
Fulton Dean Of the School Of Oratory ana
Wesleyan University, and Thomas G Trueblo9a 90
Professor OF Eocution anG Oratory "a 9s4
Charles scri5ners Sons.
ROBERTS PRIMER OF. PARLIAMENTARY TAR
LAW for Schools, Colleges, Clubs, trater-
mites etc. Twenty-four Easy Progressive Les
Taetc By joseph Thomas Robert rnc
the Robert CorTespondence ScnooI OF "a 9s4
Doubleday & Mcclure Company.
The current chronicles of college life tell as
plainly as need be the great revival of American
interest in debate and public speaking in recent
years. This interest is new thing; it is a
Iart OF the American Anglo-Saxon inheritance;
and having been pushed aside in the colleges
for time by the newer ideals OF athletics II is
now re-established more firmly than ever There
is almost as much competition now for place
on the representative university teams for in
tercoIIegiate debates the athletic teams
and the zeal and enthusiasm in preparation
are scarcely less Most of the colleges now
have instructors and special courses 10 give
practice and develop power in public speaking
and these four volumes are practical evidence
Of the energy and intelligence devoted 10 this
end Mr.. Aldens book is an elaborate discus
sion Of the technique of debate, and carefuI
analysis Of all the elements that unite to pro
duce force and effectiveness in it, such the
preliminary determination and analysis or the
question at issue; the nature and use of proof;
the burden Of proof methods Of establishing
nroof and the various kinds of arguments that
may be used in it; methods Of refutation; style
and artistic qualities in forensic composition
and the purely oratorical qualities that make
q telling delivery. He has set these things forth
thoroughly and clearly. good debater cannot
be made Of one who has neither knack at rea-
soning nor a gift Of expression; but, as Mr..
Alden says in his preface, rudimentary endoW-
nents both Of reason and expression may be
so developed under intelligent training as TO pro-
duce Unexpectedly happy results This book is
we'll ADAPTED TO contribute to this end. The ap-
pendix contains some specimens OF argumenta-
tive composition, OF briefs for debate. and list
OF hundred propositions suitable for discus
sion.
Messrs. Clark and Blanchard's book may be
said IN one way to continue where Mr.. Alden's
leaves off. II is collection of specimens illus
trating various features that need 10 be culti-
waited in preparing for public speech. These
they classify under the heads Of fundamentals,
which are drectness, earnestness and dignity,
study Of details including variety in mood i'm
pressveness contrast and climax; styles Of de-
livery colloquial elevated and impassioned; the
different forms Of discourse, description, narra-
ton, exposition. augmentation and persuasion;
and finally IN the last section, there are a
number Of orations, distinguished. in the editors
view By their dIrectness and simplicity OF
style. It may seem to some that these classi-
hcations and distinctions somewhat hard
and fast and the precepts based upon them
sometimes so pedantic as to CONCEAL the
pupils flow of eloquenceC rather than to stimu-
late it. But the examples after all. the
main thing. and Of high value.
More advanced aspirants to power in public
speaking will find much that is instructive and
valuable in the compilation made by Professor
Fulton and Professor Trueblood. It contains
81 selections from the best and strongest utter
= ances both sides about the Spanish-Amer-
lean war and its Issues; a large number Of
prominent and capable men are represented, Of
diverse gifts and methods. They all had some
thing Of high import to discuss. and in
earnest in their efforts to produce conviction.
There could scarcely be put before the student
striking and admirable illustration Of
the effective use OF the principles OF debate by
the most skilful adopts Of the art. The sub
Ject is Of immediate and burning interest and
this fact cannot fail TO count IN enforcing the
lessons conveyed in the selections. 1t need
scarcely be added that such a compendium of
the best that has been said on the most mo-
mentous question now confronting the National
life OF America is a valuable contribution to the
literature Of the subject. To read this book
is alluring method Of becoming familiar
with the question. The extracts are brief and
pointed and for the most part the speakers
themselves furnished the corrected copy and
suggested the passages best adapted for use.
Mr. Roberts enforces the principles and prac-
tice Of parliamentary law by systematic drill.
combining careful explanation Of the set forms,
series Of typical episodes in procedure and a
succession OF 'Quizzes." IN which blanks are to
be filed out and mistakes corrected 1t is in
tended for the practical instruction of begin
ners and is simple and concise enough to in
sure good grounding and good grasp OF the
subject.
Three new volumes have appeared in the
series Of ten published under the general title
Of THE Worlds Orators" by G. P Putnam's
Sons. The stately form of this work has al
ready been described in this place. The good
judgment OF the editor-n-chief, Guy Carleton
Lee, Ph. D., also continues to command respect
He devotes his third volume to Orators Of the
Early and Medieval Church" giving selections
from St Paul, Athanasius, ST. Augustine ST
Bernard and other exemplars of early elo-
Quence, which provide possibly mpracticable
models for the modern orator, but are neverthe-
less immensely interesting to the reader The
fifth volume, which illustrates Orators Of
Modern Europe" embraces a few figures un-
familiar to the average laymen, but gains its
strength largely from well known speakers like
Gambetta and Mazzini Bismarck and Victor
Hugo. The sixth volume. given to Orators of
England" carries the record of British eloquence
no further than to Richard Brinsley Sheridan,
and another volume will be needed TO complete