Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-07-24
Miseeltaneuus 8saains.
SOME TRICKS IN oRAToRY.
Resorted to by Famous Speakers to
Gain Their Point.

ed Of set purpose that habit Of STAN.
mering which he had taken such he.
roic means to eradicate. A stammel
is a most effective trick sometimes
and We know that Alcibiades found
his lisp by no means the least useful
Of his many winning ways. The trick
in oratory combines both the conven.
tional meanings Of the word; 1t Is
sometimes q habit, sometimes a will
sometimes both.
Addison tells a capital story OF q
trick In forensic oratory. At West
minister Hail there was a counsellor
who never pleaded without a piece OF
packthread in his hand. which he used
to twist about his thumb or finger ali
the while he was speaking; the wags
Of those days called 1t the thread OF
utter a word without it"-as a foolish
client proved once to his own cost, fol
he stole the thread and his advocate
came to utter grief.
1t Is the second description Of trick
the taking dodge" to borrow q
phrase from the vernacular. which is
the more generally interesting. The
classic instance which naturally oc-
ours to every one Is Burke's famous
dagger scene" in the house of COM
mons when he emphasized his pero-
ration regarding the Reign Of Terror
in France by dramatically throwing q
dagger on the floor OF the house as ar
example of the methods Of the apos-
ties of liberty and fraternity.
In a way this recalls an incident OF
the recent election, says the London
Globe. though the oratorical trick In
this case was unprecedented. A can
didate-there is no need to mention
names-was advocating tariff reform
when a jealous free trader threw ar
unwholesome tomato at him, an "ar-
gument" which greatly delighted the
Jealous ones faction. Rotten, OF
course" remarked the candidate, "sc
much for cheap imports"
One Of the tricks credited to Sheri-
dan was very much on the lines Of q
famous "score" of classic times. A
member whose admiration for the
brilliant statesman was not tempered
with discretion greatly annoyed Sher-
idan by continually calculating, Hear
hear!" without rhyme or reason
Sheridan determined to give him q
lesson. AT the close of one of his
speeches. denunciatory of some indi-
vidual, he used the words, "Where
shall we find a more foolish knave. OF
a more knavish fool than he?" Hear
hear" came as usual from the trou-
blesome enthusiast. Sheridan bowed
thanked him for so obliglngly supply
ing the required information, and re.
sumed his seat.
And long centuries before Demos
themes, inveighing against an oppo.
nent who was suspected Of receiving
subsidies from the court of Persia
passionately asked the crowded audi
ence, rs he not Misthotos-a hire
ling" But, as though inadvertently
he pronounced the words so obvious
ly that the audience shouted out cor
rections from all points
Misthotos!" the effect Of which was
to make citizens themselves apply the
opprobrious epithet
Not very dissimilar in character 1:
one of the many tricks attributed tc
Curran. He was engaged on a case
wherein the principal witness on the
other side was a gentleman Of position
whose evidence, II accepted, would be
conclusive. In his opening speech
Curran inveighed with all the bitter
ness and eloquence in his power
against the chief witness for the other
side, but without actually mentioning
his name. When the time came fol
the witness-a Mr.. Leger-to be
sworn, Curran interposed in the bland
formality; Mr.. Leger's character wa!
such that he felt sure the jury would
accept his simple assertion. The un-
fortunate man fell into the trap. 81
am glad. Mr.. Curran, you have a bet
ter opinion of me now than when you
first spoke" You admit, then, sir
that, though I named no names, you
recognized my description as applying
to yourself?"
Another Of Curran's oratorica
tricks Is not unlike one Sheridan per-
petrated Oh the house. In this case
the last speaker, il will be remember
ed, had wound up his speech with
classical quotation, which, to judge
from the plaudits 1t received, made
most effective point. Sheridan in his
reply regretted the honorable mem
Der had not completed the quotation
he would do so himself, and the house
would then see how fatal to the con-
tention of the honorable member wa:
the authority he had cited. Where
upon Sheridan with magnificent dra-
matte effect recited a sonorous piece
Of gibberish! And the house applaud
ed vigorously.
Curran's trick was at the expense
of a preternaturally stupid jury. The
Judge happened to be a consummate
classical scholar, knowing Curran 10 bt
the same, was naturally astounded or
hearing him quote q piece of Latin a:
coming from the Phantasmagoria oI
the historian Heslod! Your NEAR
Latin poet, Mr.. Curran. Hesiod was
a Greek. a poet, and not an historian
and l doubt whether he ever wrote
work called the Phantasmagoria. The
lines are Juvenars." "Hesiod, my
lord, assure you, and Greek not Lat
in." You must be out Of your senses
Mr.. Curran, or think l am out o
mine. The lines are Latin" well
my lord, l can only suggest that W.
leave it as an issue for the jury, anc
I'll be bound they will find it-Greek.' =
The trick was perfectly effectual.
SOME MEN ARE SIMPLY FGENDIsH.-
Mr.. Snagsby (rummaging In
closet). Maria, this is a new hat
isn't il? Why don't you wear 1t?