The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-15

three greatest were Demosthenes.
Aeschineis and Pericles. Rome had
very Wonderful and resourceful orator
in Cicero, and next to him no doubt
stood julius Caesar, the very greatest
of all Romans. In later times. France
produced quite an array of brilliant,
effective speakers, and in the time OF
the great Revolution, from 1883 and 10
1875, or later, there was a number OF
men who spoke much and We're credit
eel with gifts of a commanding Kind.
Ireland. as / had occasion to say within
the last two years, has produced more
men of remarkable powers or oratory
than any other country of the same
size and within a period of fifty or
sly ty years. The array is indeed very
lich and imposing. England, too, has
had a very wonderful period of elo-
quence during which some of the
grandest specimens of orators flourish
ed whose fame is immortal If their
orations are no longer read save by the
Few who seriously cultivate the field oil
history, Biography and eloquenco
That distinguished English living au-
thor, Hon. Jas Bryce, whose work on
inc Tn ted States has increased his
fame, whose History of the Holy Ro-
man Empire" is of marked merit, az d
.osc .terary contributions have
Eidened his fame, states i'll one OF ms
biographical essays published In
stout octave within two years, that the
sla eches of the English statesmen and
orators are not read now save Only
those of Burke and Macaulay. The list
of able speakers who have contributed
TO create the best select specimens OF
british eloquence are mary. Without
stopping TO characterize each l men
ton Sir John Eliot. Earl of. STAFFORD:
Lord DiGhy, LORI '3elhaVen. Sir Robert
Walpole. Mr.. Pulteney, Lord Chester
field, Earl Chatham. Lord Mansfield,
Edmund Burke, Henry Grattan, Rich
ard Brinsley Sheridan, Charles James
FOX, William Pitt, Lord Erskine, John
Philpot Curran Sir James Mackin-
tosh. Geo. Canning, Lord Brougham-
Later comes many distinguished
names-Peel. O'Connell, Gladstone
Disraeli Macaulay and several others
I will not here mention. BY reading
Justin McCarthy's famous volumes en-
titled, THE History of Our own
Times" you can learn much concern
ing the chief orators since Queen Vic
toria assembled the throne in 1884,.
With this rapid glance l now turn to a
brief discussion OF one of the foremost
of British statesmen in all of its re-
nowned history-the youngest of all
British Prime Ministers, and one of
the very greatest, and an orator Of
high and imposing powers. He was
also in youth prodigy, and gave early
token of his future distinction and IN
fiuencC. 1t will be difficult to find in
I1odern history more remarkable
and consummate individuality. He
lived, too, when Great Brita n was rich
In statesmen and orators of almost an
exampled mental affluence, educated
POWER and splendid achievement.
M of tho
great Lord Chatham, was a most ex-
traordinary youth. He was, unlike all
or his most ifstin GuiShed contempOra-
ries in one particular. He was edu-
Gated 1T home instead of in one of the
great public schools-Eton, Winches-
ter, Rugby, Harrow, or some other.
His health was very delicate, and he
was taught at home by q clergyman OF
the Established Church named Wilson.
He became q remarkable proficient in
his studies, and when but fifteen was
master of Greek ard Latin and
Mathematics. Such is the record He
was very studiouS at Cambridge Cni-
versity. He greatly loved maizena,
tics, and he had never been surpassed
before his time by any student in his
great proficiency, Lord Macaulay
says of him that it may be doubted
whether any scholar has ever at TWEEN
ty had more solid and profound
knowledge of the two great tongues OF
the old civilized world" He was Won
derful proficient and student in Greek.
He was not remarkable for his reading
in literature and knew but one mod
ern language. French. He was init
mateIy acquainted with shakespeare
and Milton, which i'll itself amounted
almost to an education. He developed
quite early a g!, gift for 'ratory. and
in recitation of great passages was
marvellous. Macauay says that che
had, indeed, been carefully trained
from infancy in the art of managing
his voice, a voice naturally clear and
Geep-toned" His father. SO great
himself in oratory of d magnificent
kind and range. had faithfully taught
his most extraordinary son. / cite
from Macaulay again: But the
classical studies of Pitt were carried or
in a peculiar manner. and had the
effect of enrching his English vo-
cabulary, and of making him wonder
fully expert in the art Of constructing
correct English sentences" He gave
marked attention to the orations of
Greece and Rome, and often. when a
lad, heard tho great DEBATES in the
British Parliament He was undoubt-
eddy one of the very greatest of ali
British orators, and so ranks. His
first speech in the House of Commons
He made a very great impression upon
Fox, Burke and others. Macaulay
writes that his perfect self-posseSsion,
the readiness with which he replied to
the orators who had preceded him, the
silver tones Of his voice. the perfect
structure OF his unprecedented sem
fences astonished and delighted his
hearers. I;urke, moved even to tears.
exclaimed: cit is not chip of the old
block; it is the old block itself Pitt
will be one of the first men in Parlia-
nent." sa ID member of the OPPOSE
ton. to Fox. He is 50 already" an
:7wered Fox. He was then in his twen-
ty-second year 1 am inclined to be-
Iieye that he was the greatest orator
in modern times among those CT his
cwn years. He was a minister of great
and commanding talents, was an ora
tor to the last of superlative and pre-
eminent gifts, and was parliamentary
leader of the very first rank. When
he died lie wLs only in his forty
seventh year. He was at the head OF
the British Government for nineteen
years The only truly great man who
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