Evening journal., 1913-09-26
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Col. Robert IngerSOIl'S
Views on 0ratOry
by Holland.

! once asked Colonel Robert G.. Inger-
soil whether. i'm his opinion, it was es-
seniial for the highest attainment in
oratorv that there should be careful
reading of some Of the great masters OF
the past
81 presume that depends somewhat
upon the intellectual qualities of the
man." Colonel lngersol replied. Ora
tory is verv difficult thing to analyze
and presume that IL is for that rea-
SON that no man ever succeeded in real
izing his ambition TO become an ora
tor who first selected some model and
then followed that model with slavish
devotion
First OF all. should say that there
must be man behind the orator.
mean the orator who achieves the
greatest successes. But there are vari-
Gus kinds of oratory. ] have heard that
Rufus Choate. when communicating at
one time with his cousin. Joseph n.
Choate. advised him 10 bear in mind
the fact that there were four great mas
tors of the English tongue These four
were Milton. Bacon. Shakespeare and
Burke. and that not the least OF these
was Burke.
"Now. man can thoroughly assimi-
late the majestic style which character
lied Burke's writings without ever be
coming great orator Burke himself
was not an orator in the real meaning
of the term. lie did not have. first Of
all. an attractive personality He seem
ed to have no power of throwing all the
higher and nobler passions into his eN-
precision Of face. of tone and OF gesture.
II has been said that when he spoke he
emptied the House of Commons.
Il have been told that the singularly
pure style which distinguishes the pub
lie addresses of Senator Hoar Of Massa-
chusetts was formed upon very close
and constant study by tho senator all
'ol his life of the writings Of Hooker.
Tpyior and Milton
"Hour. however reads better than he
sounds He has not the physique that
is necessary for the greatest successes
ip oratory There is something quaint
almost chcrubic. in his countenance. as
there was in Horace Greedy. but as the
writer OF written words he is, in opn-
ION without superior and his addresses
are perfect gems of literature, but they
are not oratorv."
asked Colonel lngersol II he knew
from what sources Roscoe Conkling drew
his pre-eminent diction.
"No. ! never heard. but ! am salts
fed that some OF Conklings addresses
and especially the speech he delivered
during his FIRST term in the lower house
of Congress. in which he described the
appalling disaster at Balls Bluff early
i'm the war. have no superior at least
among American writers. for wonderful
vi,idncss and power of picturesque de
scription.
"Now. Conklmg was only little ovei
thirty years of age when he delivered
that speech Therefore he could moi
have been very long a student OF grea'
masters of English style. think i
was an Unborn gift with Conkling. III
had extraordinary advantages for secur
ing the highest successes as an orator
He was q noble figure. His voice was o
splendid musical quality and ! think h.
/ know intaitvely how TO use IL. Blu
there was something in the man. tina
indescribable thing which | have jus
told YOU defied analysis. which afte
al was the secret OF Conklng's undis
pltted power as an orator"
I ventured 10 ask Colonel lugerso
where he Thought Lincoln got his style
Prom the Bible, and think especial
w from the Book of Job. There is n
doubt about that in my mind"
"fad YOU any modelg' asked lngel
soil
"None at an Tor my style, but for IL
spiration, ior profoundly, for beaut.
for sincerity. for charity, found in m
early life aud have ever since found m
sole inspiration in the works Of Willial
Shakespeare
Copyright. 1913. by r. j. Edwards. A
rights reservedl