The Irish standard., 1903-02-21

SAAS OAosOA oIISAAPlo " uCllVcT WOGO
for word as it is written. There is no
reason whatever why a speaker should
not prepare a speech and even take
big notes for speech. If the speech
be one which deals with mass of
facts and figures, the man who at
tempts to deliver it without immense
preparation must be either a foolish
or gifted person. In some senses
a speech of that kind cannot be pre-
pared too much. Nor is there any
possibility of the orator not thinking
over certain great thoughts and apt
phrases. Indeed, he may have been
doing this for long time before the
time comes to make the speech. The
favorite speech for quotation and re-
citation in America is speech of
Daniel Webster which he delivered
on the question of the limits OF the
rights of the separate states of the
union and on the overlordship, SO to
speak, of the unity of the nation as
whole. That was, it will be known,
the mighty issue which was fought
out afterwards in the civil war, and
which it took million deaths to solve.
When the southern secessionist was
making the speech in the opposite
sense, which Webster had to answer,
is was observed that Webster went
half dozen times, if not oftener, to
the bar, which at that period was in
side the precincts, if not practically
ON the floor of the house at Washing
ton. His friends came to him in alarm
and begged him to drink no more, but
to sit down and prepare his speech.
Webster's reply was that he required
no preparation, he had been preparing
the speech all his life! And when he
did rise his convictions flowed from
him in words of marvellous beauty,
without a pause, without a note, as
though it gushed with all the spon-
taneousness of the river.
Similarly, John Bright never wrote
out speech. But then he also made
great preparations. Like so many
great orators, the period of prepara-
ton was one of something approach
ing to agony. For days he moped in
his house before the hour came All
the time, though he may not have
put pen to papers, he was preparing
his speech When the time for max
ing the speech came he sat down and
wrote heavy notes. In the notes he
arranged in proper sequence the
thoughts, the arguments, the facts he
intended to use; but he left the exact
language in which the things were to
clothe themselves to the Impulse of the
moment He had discovered the great
law of oratory to which I have alluded
that the one way to reach an att
dience is to get it and yourself into
touch; and you can only do that if
you leave to the moment and its i'll
spiration the exact words in which
your thoughts will clotlne yourself.
There was just one passage, how
ever, of his speech which John Bright
always wrote out; that was his pero-
ration. That is wise precaution. You
may remark in Shakespeare that he Of
ten gives couple of rhymed lines to
the actor when he has to leave the
stage. That leaving the stage with
effectiveness is one of the most diff
cult things in the world to accomplish;
it is like man trying to get out of
a drawing room. Similarly the fitting
and dignified conclusion of speech
is one of the difficulties of oratory.
How often have heard a man making
half dozen perorations before he
found the right one on which he could
wind up, as he thought, with grace.
Lord Salisbury speaks without
note, Mr.. Balfour without any notes
except those which he scribblcs on
sheet of paper as the speaker he is to
follow is speaking. Mr.. Asquith's
language seems to flow from him like
a full river from eternal source. But
Sir George Trevelyan, even when he
was contesting an election and had to
speak a dozen times day, wrote out
every word, and for that reason his
excellent speeches were better essays.
Mr.. Morley writes out his speeches,
and, except when he is on the platform,
again gives you the idea Of the essay
about and beyond you, rather than a
stroke right in the hearts core.
To sum up: Speak when you have
something to say on subject of which
you know good deal; speak simply
in familiar language and in the words
that come to you as you speak, and
above all, remember that you should
speak when standing exactly as if you
were seated; you should speak in pub
lie as if you were speaking in private,
speak to hundred, thousand. 5ooo
people exactly as if you were speaking
to one Write your peroration.