Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-08-27

the Orator" (Die Schulz des Redners),
sends the German student of the art
of public speaking to pages of Haus-
ard. In England, he observes, lies the
the cradle of parliamentary oratory.
English eloquence," he says, is not
characterized by its brilliant turns and
surprises, nor by it's intellectual gym
nastics, but by it's thorough master
ship over the matter in hand, by its
weighty collection and juxtaposition
of the facts, by its production of strik-
ing analogies and by it's biting wit, so
that speechmaking in England is q
kind of boxing with words" The
learned German professor has probab-
ly never witnessed a debate in the
House of Commons when the Irish
members took part in it. OF course,
everybody knows that in France, Bel
guim, Italy and Austria parliamentary
boxing goes much further than words.
To return to oratory, there is no
uOuDl ludl III NtDlIt, pul Nui y ,
legal or literary, the English, and |
might say the English-speaking peo-
pie, are past masters in the art, with
this difference between the English
and the Americans that the former
are generally solemn, dull and prosy
whereas the latter always know how,
by the introduction of pathos or hui
NOR, to tighten and enliven their
speeches.
But in America public speaking is
practised at school-in England only
in the universities. | have witnessed
in America oratorical contests be-
tween students of IS or 20 years of
age, some of whom have made really
remarkable speeches.
A speech is an essay, and, with the
exception of the essays of Addison,
and Charles Lamb, that form of Eng
lish literaurc is about the dreariest
in existence.
The London Saturday Review, which
favors England with weekly essays,
cures its readers of the most terrible
attacks of insomnia, and in the pages
of that portentious production any
thing light or humorous is called flip
| pant and condemned as vulgar. The
! Saturday Review Is the most typically
English periodical. sea" sa,
| have heard good after-dinnel
speeches made by the late Augustus
Sala, by Lord Rosebery, Sir William
Harcourt, but even at literary dinners
| have seldom heard a good, short
pithy, witty speech.
And so for the official banquets, the
city dinners especially, the torture in.
tlictcd by the speakers is beyond ex-
preston.
The toasts, | must say, are not con
ducive to humor and cheerfulness:
The King, the Queen and the Mem
bers of the Royal Family" His Maj
csty's Minister'S THE House o.
Lords" The House of Commons,
THE Army" The Navy" THE Re
serve Forces"
| | defy you to be humorous or witty
on the subject of the volunteers ant
the reserve forces, unless, like Chaun
cey NJ. Depew, you refer to them al
men invincible in peace and invisibl,
in war; at the Iisk of seeing yoursel
turned out of the room by unhumor
Gus, patriotic Britons. Patriotism i
laudablo virtue, but there is no hu
NOR in it.
The Americans have no loyal
toasts on ordinary occasions. The.
come straight to the point and pro
pose the health of the guest of the eve
ming or the prosperity of the societ.
whose members are dining together
Everybody improvises or has brough
an impromptu speech in his pocket
The speeches are light, delightful an,
digcstible.
In courts of justice, however, pre-
fer the calm oratofy of the Englisl
Judges and advocates. 1t is generall
cool exposition of facts in which tn
jurics see before them the case for tn
prosecution and the case for the de
fendant.
In America have heard lawyer
make violent, impassioned speeches.
have seen them strike the tables wit
their fists, and altogether advertis
their eloquence far more than serv
the cause Of justice
Once, in Savannah, Ca, the prison
er, accused of murder in the first dc
.gree, was so struck with admiratio
by the speech OF the lawyer who pros
ecuted him that he forgot it was a
about him and madly applauded tn
lawyer when he resumed his seat
That kind of oratory, objectionabl
in the case of the defense because
may cause a criminal to go at larg
becomes dangerous weapon, for
| nav oaura innAnnnt ,,o,n 4