Public Speaking and Debate

8/8/2019 Public Speaking and Debate

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/public-speaking-and-debate 1/97

Public speaking and debateAuthor(s): Holyoake, George JacobSource: Cowen Tracts, (1866)Published by: Newcastle UniversityStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/60201975

Accessed: 04/10/2010 05:47

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless

you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you

may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use.

Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed

page of such transmission.

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of

content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms

of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

Digitization of this work funded by the JISC Digitisation Programme.

Newcastle University is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Cowen Tracts.

http://www.jstor.org

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=newcastle

http://www.jstor.org/stable/60201975?origin=JSTOR-pdf

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

http://www.jstor.org/stable/60201975?origin=JSTOR-pdf

http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=newcastle



O-

PublicSpeakin:

gmir g^kte*

BY G- J. HOI/STO-AJECE.

:0OMM0NENSESTHE ENIUS3? UMANITY.'—Quizot.

LONDON:FREDERICKARRAH, 82,STRAND,W.C.

MDCCCIiXYI.



"Thisbooks not ntendedarascholasticreatise,utaims

to furnishhepeople,nd speciallyheyoung,witha manual

on he ubjot fpublicpeakingdaptedotheirwants.Address¬

ingtheworkinglass,heauthor'sirstbusinesss towriteoasto bounderstood. eplaces imself n thesame evelas his

readers,nd peakso themnthetoneof a friendly nd ym-pathisingnstructor ithout nyaffectationf superiorityr

infallibility."—Nework ribune,u'y23rd,853.

(Reviewf

McBlrathndBarker'smericandition.)



PEEFACE OE 1849.

The highestruthswill one dayreachthe populace.Not

onlythe standardf

intellect,butthat of

morality illberaised Thebrief eriesof thePampinians,heCromwells,andMarvelswillbe multiplied.It wasoncesaidallcouldnot learntoread,write,andaccount. Nowtheydo learntheseandother hings. Theywillone day earnall things—intellectwillconquer llobstacles.

But it willbeaccomplishediece-meal.Progressions aaeries f stages—individualsirst, hengroups,henclasses,thennations reraised. You annomorentroduce,tonce,themultitudeo the highest esultsof philosophy,hanyoucan akea man othe summit f amonumentithoutscend¬ingthesteps,or reacha distant andwithoutravellinghejourney.Thisbook sdesignedor heclass fyounghinkersto whomknowledge as given omentellectualaspiration,and atedeniedhe means f itsscholasticratification.

Spontaneousife sthe ifeof thepeople. Theirknowledgeis confinedophenomena.Allyoucando is to guide heirrudeinterpretationf nature,men,andmanners—toiveplainmethod o iheirclassification,oherenceo their in¬

ferences,usticeto their invectives.Theywantno newphilosophy.Therearemoreold oneswhicharegood hantheycanstudy. Theres morewisdomxtanthan heycanmaster,morepreceptshantheycanapply. Weaponsn¬numerableurroundhem,of which heyhave o be taughttheuse. Theirwatchwords work. Thescaling-laddersfthewisewhichhey,havingmountedhe citadel fwisdom,havekickeddown, reyetofserviceo thosewhoarebelow.I havepicked neof these addersp,andrearedt in these

pagesor

the useof

thosewho

haveyetto rise.Hewhoaddresseshe artizan lass,must, ike the Spar¬tans, write to be read,and speakto be understood.Mechanics'ndLiterarynstitutionsannotcultivateheirfrequenters.They can stimulatemprovement,nd thisis their province. Nationsneverbecomecivilisedandlearnedtill subsistences secure and leisureabundant.So of individuals.The populacere still engagedn thelowest battle of animalwants—and even the middleclassesare in the warfare f intellectualwants. In theancient tateof society,warwas the only rade, orcetheonlyteacher,nd hebattle-axeheonlyargument.A tran¬sitionhas ndeedakenplace—theime,andmeans,ndendsare changed—butot the relativepositionof men. Nomoredo we struggle or the victoryof conquest, ut westruggleorwagesand more ntelligence.Knowledgeasreachedhemass o as to make hemsensible f theirgno¬



YI. PEBPACE,

engaggdn a doublebattleagainstWantandError. Thestruggle,herefore,s resolute. Thetraining anteds prac¬tical—the eaponserviceablendreadyoruse. Provided

theliterarywordwillcut,fewwillquarrelbout hepolish.If thebladehasgoodtemper, e who needs t will put upwithaplainhilt.

When contemplatehe appliances hich earningandscience resent o the scholar,ndsee how multipliedrehis means f knowinghe truthuponall subjects, cannotconceivehathe canbestrugglingiketheuntaughthinkerbetweenightandwrong. To the scholar,ruthandfalse¬hoodmustbeapparent; ndsince he learned onotpene¬trate othe ntellect f the

populace,ndestablish

ntelligenceamonghem,t must be thatthe learnedwantcourageorcondescension,rthatcommonenseamonghemspetrifiedin formulas.

Thosewords f Guizotwhich haveplacedon the title-page,ndicatehe broad bviousnessfprecept imed at inthis work. Hudibrasells usthat—

Allthe ogician'sulesTeach othingut o name heir ools.

It is time t didmore. Beside r belowhelearningof theschools hereis the learning f life,the literature f thestreetsand of trade, he logic of the newspaperndtheplatform, ndthe rehetoric f dailyconversation—whichshould nablehereadero acquire public pirit.

Whoseverwell-expressedhoughtI have found whichillustrated y subject, have aken,and,what is somewhatmoreunusual, haveacknowledgedt: because he authorof a useful deaought obe remembereds one who eavesa legacy. I see books ublishedroundme n whichhere s

more hatbelongso othershan n thisbook; but, he obli¬gationsbeing concealed,he ostensibleauthorsget thecredit fbeingoriginal. We areallof usindebtedo thosewhohave hought eforeus,andwe have o say,withMon¬taigne, I havegathered nosegayfflowers,n which hereis nothing fmy ownhut the stringwhich iesthem.' Butin this case the stringwhich ies them s my own. Thearchitectto pass romnature o art)hasthe creditof hisconception nd erectionof an edifice. Yet he does notcreatehematerials.Thematerials e finds,but he givesthemproportion,lace,anddesign. The ideais his; and,if good,we credithimwithdistinctmerit. Why, herefore,should ot the author f abook,even f madeup of othermen'smaterials,e credited lsowith distinctmerit,if hisworkhasan idea which ubordinateshe materials e em¬

ploys,andshapes hem o anewutility G. J. H.



CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

Chap.. Rhetoric. Chap. m. Energy.Chap.I.Delivery. Chap.XIV.Eloquence.

Chap.II.Persuasion. Chap.XV.Premeditation.

Chap.V. Method. Chap.XVI.Reality.

Chap.V. Discipline. Chap.XVII.Effectiveness

Chap.VI. Tact. Chap. VIII.Mastery.

Chap.VII.Originality. Chap. IX.Criticism.

Chap.VIII.Self-trust. Chap.XX.Debate.

Chap.X.Proportion. Chap.XXI.Personalities.

Chap. . Style. Chap. XII.Questioning.

Chap.XI.Similes. Chap.XXITI.epetition.

Chap.XH.Pleasantry. Chap. XIV.Poetry.



PUBLIC SPEAKING AND DEBATE.

CHAPTER I.RHETORIC.

Rhetorics theapplicationfLogico mankind. yreasoningwesatisfyurselves,y hetorice atisfythers.The hetoricianis commonlyonsidered ostperfecthocarriesMspointbywhatever eans.Men ike o see hemanwho s a matchorevents,nd qualoany xigency.But t is plainwemustmakesome istinctionsto hemannernwhichpointstobecarried.We

mays well

ayhata man

may arryhe

pointf

life,hat

is,fillhispocketsyanymeans, s influence enbyanymeans.A lowappealothepassionsecallclaptrap. know o betterdefinitionf rhetorichanDr.Johnson'sefinitionf oratory.' Oratory,'aidheDr. is thepowerfbeatingownour dver¬saries'rguments,ndputtingetterntheir laces.'

Descendingorentodetail,hedescriptioniven yLord er¬bertof Cherburys thehappiestndhealthiestelineationfrhetorichathas allenndermynotice.

' Itwould efit hat omeimebespentnlearninghetoricioratory,o the intenthat

uponll occasions

oumay xpressyourselfitheloquencendgrace;or,as t is notenoughoramano have diamondnlesst is polishedndcutout nto tsdueanglesso twillnot be sufficientora mano havea greatunderstandingnallmatters,nlesshesaidunderstandingenotonly olishednd lear,utundersetnd olpenlittlewithhosefigures,ropes, nd olours hich hetoricffords,herehere suseof persuasion.canbyno meanset commendnaffectedeloquence,here eing othingopedantical,r ndeedhatwouldgivemore uspicionhatthetruths not ntended,han o useovermuchhecommonorms

rescribedn schools.It is well

saidbythem,hat here re wopartsfeloquenceecessaryndrecommendable;nes,tospeakardhings lainly,othatwhen



2 PUBLICPEAKING

aknottyr ntricateusiness,aving omethod r coherencenitsparts,hall epresented,t willbeasingularart foratoryo

takehose arts sunder,et hemogetherptly,nd o exhibitthemo theunderstanding.nd hispart f rhetoricmuchcommendoeverybody;hereeingno rue seof speech ut omakehings lear, erspicuous,ndmanifest,hichotherwisewould eperplexed,oubtful,nd bscure.

' The therpartof oratorys tospeakommonhingsngeni¬ouslyrwittilythere eingnolittlevigournd orceaddedowords,henheyaredeliveredn a neat ndineway,and ome¬whatut ftheordinaryoad,ommonnd ullanguageelishingmoref he lownhan hegentleman. ut ereinlsoaffectation

must eavoideditbeingbetterora man ya native nd leareloquenceo expressimself,hanbythosewordswhichmaysmellither f the ampr nkhornsothat,n general,nemayobserve,hatmenwhoortifynd pholdheirpeechesith trongand videnteasons,ave ver peratedore n heminds f theauditorshan hosewho avemade hetoricalxcursions.ristotlehathwrittenbook frhetoric,worknmyopinionot nferiorto hisbestpieces, homhereforeithCiceroeOratore,salsoQuinctilian,oumayeador ournstructionowospeak;eitherofwhichwoyetI can hinko exactntheir rations,ut hat

middletylewillbeof morefficacy,iceronmyopinioneingtooong ndedious, uinctilianoo hortnd oncise.'' Betweenrammar,6gic,nd hetoric,here xists closendhappyonnexion,hicheignshroughllscience,nd xtendsoall hepowersf eloquence.' Grammarraces he operationsf thoughtn known ndreceivedharacters,nd nablesolishedationsmplyo conferonposterityhepleasuresf ntellect,he mprovementsfscience,and hehistoryf theworld.

' Logiconversesith deas,adjustshemwithproprietynd

truth,nd

giveshewhole nelevationn themind onsonanto

theorderf naturer he lightf fancy.' Rhetoric,endingspontaneousid othedefectsflanguage,applieserwarm ndglowingints otheportrait,ndexhibitsthegrandeurf theuniverse,heproductionsf genius,ndalltheworksf art,ascopiesf the air riginal.'

Hewhogivesdirectionsor theattainmentf oratoryssup¬posed,f a publicpeaker,obecapablef illustratingisownprecepts,' Hemay e houghto challengeriticism;ndhisown er¬formancesay econdemnedya referenceo hisownprecepts;

or,on heother and, isprecepts aybeundervalued,hrough• Spectator,*.421.



ANDDEBATE. 8

bisown ailuresntheir pplication.houldhistakeplacenthepresentnstance,haveonlyourge,withHoracenhisArt

ofPoetry,hat whetstone,houghtself ncapablefcutting,syetusefulnsharpeningteel.Nosystemf instructionill om¬pletely qualiseaturalowers: ndyetit maybe of servicetowardsheirmprovement.heyouthfulchillescquiredkillinhurlinghejavelinnderhe nstructionfChiron,houghhemasterould otcompeteithhepupilnvigourfarm.f

But heres littledanger,nthese ays,fanyeriousudgmentbeing assedponhe ndifferentxemplarfthe hetoricalaximshelaysdown.Our ratorsscapesour tatueso. Goodublicmonumentsre oscarcehathepeoplere ojudgesfart,and

greatpeakerso seldomrise hat hepeople renojudgesforatory.Englandasnotreachedheageof excellencen thisrespect.Greatventsan xcitet,butonly nationalefinement,includingpulencendaliberalhilosophy,an ustaint. Thepowerforatoryequiresheunionf ntellect,eisure,nd ealth,disciplinef thought,ccuracyf expression,ethod, manlyspirit,nabsoluteaste, opiousnessf nformationponhegivensubject,ndconcentration.ratory,y whicherm alwaysmean hehighestffortsn theartof public ersuasion,ightfciistnthechurchut or tsdreadfimitatinghetheatre.It

is suppressedmonghe Dissentersy the influencef evan¬gelism.Did hisnotexist,heirprecariousaywouldeterhemfrom he pursuitf the art. Thebar s toofullof businessand ooanxiousorfees, oreachmuch istinctionhereeisureand hoice renecessary. hepoliticians generallyndolentfnotdependent,nd f necessitousehastostruggleorhimselfwhen eshouldestrugglingorexcellence. esideshese raw¬backs,herearevariousopularrejudiceshich ewminds restrong noughowithstand,ndwhich eterheyoungspirantafter loquence. nderariouseads,s ' Premeditation,'Dis¬

cipline,'nd thers,hese ointsf prejudiceillbediscussed.

CHAJPTERII.

DELIVERY.

'Elocution,' aysWalker,in themodernenseof theword,seemsosignifyhatpronunciationhichsgiveno words hen

theyarearrangednto

entences,nd orm

iscourse.'hepowerof distinctndforcibleronunciations thebasisof delivery.t Whately''Rhetoric,reface,p. -3.



4 PUBLICPEAKINS

Betweeneliberate,ull-toned,nd nergeticpeaking,ndeeble,indistinct,ndpiritlesstterance,heres the differencef five

anddeadratory.The udimentsfspeakingre ewand imple.Vowelshouldhavea bold, ound, ellowone. Thiss thebasis fspeaking.Aslight,hort,mincingronunciationftheaccentedowelsstheprimeaulto beavoided.Theres scarcelynything ore is¬tinguishespersonf amean,rom neofagood ducation,hanthepronunciationftheunaccentedowels-

Audibilityepends hiefly n articulation,nd articulationdepends uch nthedistinctnessithwhichwe hear he finalconsonants.

Rhas wo ounds,roughnd smoothne. The

oughis

propertthebeginningf words,nd hesmoothattheendofwords,rwhen ucceededya consonant.Theaudibilityfther in eachase ivestrengtho theutterance.

Inabout2wordsn our anguage,eginningithh theh isnot ounded. hesewords ust ecarefullyttendedo,andallotherwords eginningithh musthave hat letterdistinctlyheard. In illustrationf hisneglectfaspirationhereroper,teachersf elocutionreaccustomedo say, hat f the Indianswallowshesword e K)eathepoker.

A strong eliverys to be constantlyultivated—thats,an

energyhat hall reventrawlingnd slownesshat hall voidmumblingords,r choppingalf he sounds way, s hastyspeakingoes.Takeime ofully rticulatendntonate.Speak'trippingly'ithoutripping.f youmust e extreme,etter esolemnhan asty.

Robert all,whose alentorextemporepeakingassuch,thatwhen levenearsf age,hewas etup o preachxtemporeto a select uditoryf fullgrownmen,ays fhimself,to metospeaklowwas uin. You now,ir, hat orce rmomentum,sconjointlysthebodynd hevelocity;herefore,smyvoice s

feeble,what s wantedn bodymustbe made pin velocity.'This s a mathematicaligure f speech,nd s more rue ofDynamicshanRhetoric.This emarkas eriouslyisledmanyyoungpeakers.Theres a distinctiono be notedbetweensmall oicearisingrompeculiarityn the conformationfthelarynx,nd hefeeble oicewhich risesromhenarrowhestor romhysicalebility.Unlessheresgreattrengthosupportanymomentummparted,ndistinctnessnd lternationsfscreech-ings ndwhispersill bethe nevitableesults.

At aCorn-laweetingeldnGlasgow,n1845,1atathalfdis¬

tanceromheplatform.HavingfferedyservicesotheLord

Provost,wasuncertainhethershouldotberequiredotake



ANDDEBATE. S

partn theproceedings.was, herefore,nxiouso hear llthatwas aid. It was tthis ime hat1first eltperfectlyheannoy¬anceof indistinctpeaking.AttheNewhall illmeetingsnBirminghamhadbeen accustomedo hear heWarwickshireoratorsoar, utnGlasgowfoundhey nly poke,ndpokesthoughheywerepaid or he oundheymade,nddidnotgetagoodpriceor t. At lengthheRev,Dr.King rose,whospokewith trongeliberateness.is peech as bly onceived,andwisely elivered.Everywordellon heearike hesteadytollingf a bell. Hisvoicewasheanodynefthenight.When¬everI goto a publicmeeting prayhatoneDr.Kingmaybepresent.

It is said f Mr.MacaulayIthink yFrancisn his' Oratorsof theAge')hatwhen nopenings maden adiscussionn theHouse f Commons,e rises, r ratherartsp romis eat, ndplungest oncento hevery eart f hissubject,ithoutxor¬dium rapologeticreface. nfact, ouhave orafew econdsvoice itchednalto,monotonous,nd atherhrill,ouringorthwords ith nconceivableelocityreyouhave ecomewarehata new peaker,ndoneof no commonrder,asbrokennuponthe debate.Afew seconds ore,ndcheers,erhapsromallparts f thehouse,ouseou ompletelyrom ourapathy,om¬

pelling ouo followhat xtremelyolublendnotvery nticingvoice,nitsrapidoursehroughhesubjectnwhichhespeakerisentering,itha resoluteetermination,s it seems,everopause.Youhink fanexpressrain, hich oes ot top ven tthechieftations.On,onhe speeds,nfullreliancen hisownmomentum,evertoppingorwords,evertoppingorhoughts,never altingoran nstant,veno takebreath,isintellecta¬theringew igours it proceeds,aulinghesubjectfter im,andall tspossiblettributesndllustrations,ith hestrengthfagiant,eavinglineof lighton thepathwayismind as rod,

till,unexhausted,ndapparentlynexhaustible,ebringshisre¬markablefforto a close yaperorationohighlyustainedn tsdeclamatoryower,o aboundingn illustration,o admirablyframedocrownnd lenchhewhole ration,hat urprise,f ithaseven eguno wearoff,kindlesnew,nd hehearers leftutterly rostratendpowerlessy hewhirlwindf deas nd mo¬tions hathas weptver im. This, owever,nlyllustratesheliberty manmay akewith locutionf he hasgeniuso com¬pensateor t. Thatmember ust eware ho ttemptso charmtheHouse fCommonsyamonotonousltowithout acaulay's

wit,his

powerfenlightenment

ndecundity

f llustration.From uinctilianoBlair,hetoriciansavensistedn hevalue

of accuracyf expression,spromotivef accuracyf thought.



6 PUBLICPEAKING

Accuracyfdeliveryends quallyo thisresult;t doesmore,timproveshememoryswell s the understanding,ndimparts

thepowerf concatenationfspeech.Thenaturallyoluble aydispenseith hisaid,butothers ill find t theonlymode flearningublicpeaking.

Aclergyman,ho nhisearly ays eniedhatgrammarrem¬phasisad nythingo dowith ulpitxercises,nedayound ismistakey he aughterreatednhisreadinghisext:—' nd espakeo hissons,aying,addle e,heass, ndheyaddled m.'Of his ame ivinet is told hat a manwhomhereprimandedforswearing,epliedhathedidnot see anyharm n it. 'Noharmn t,' said heminister;whydoyounot know hecom¬

mandment,Swear

otatall?" 'I donot weartall,' aid he.man,Ionlyweartthosewho nnoyme.'The mphasishichssuggestedy he sense sthebestguide.

Letaperson akeure f thesense, ndhisemphasisillbe na¬tural nd aried.Anactive nd riginalonceptionanalone ro¬duce ersonalityfenunciation,hichs thechief harmforatory.Conceptions thesolegovernorf intonation. fthe deliciousmagic f inflectionbenJoneshasgiven s apoet'sdea n hislines ToaPersonificationfAriel t theTheatre."

Ifa newoundhould usichrough

heky,How ouldllhearingrinkhe hallengingoneAnd henhouttered'sthy efyingeply

To his uestioningf ove,sAriell neOnlyouldttert,suddenlyakingnownNewoice,ew umanusic—thenid urnEachistener,odivine,retwas one,Whateelingsonedt;thoughone ightearn,How any,ivinendeep,nthatweet' o'did earn.

The ffensivenessf affectationas ustly atirisednthe con¬

fessionsf adandy i\en n a recentomance.Mr.Affectionsrecountingis rejectiony a youngady,uponwhomhe hadafflictedisattentions. ' You remistaken' said he, eplyingto myook,"it was notyour ress,—itasnotyourmanners.Theyoung entlemanhocomesromBond-streeto tuneourpiano,squitesaffable,ndmuchmoreressy-' ThepeoplettheRoyal odge, robably,ffordou omeittle nsightntomycondition,s apretextoryour oingme hehonourfadmittingme ntoyour cquaintance,'aid,with onsiderableitterness,orI wastung ome.No—it as ouroice,—itas hehypocritical

modulationf youroice hat atisfiedeyouhadmovedn thebest ociety,'epliedMissVavasour,ithprovokingoolness, 1



ANDDEBATE. 7

sawhatyouwere mostdelicate onster;hat ouhada voiceforme,and notherorAnnie,—ahirdor hepony,—aourthor

the odge-keepers—thereasnothingatural>>outou'"Attractedy hepretensionsf aplacard,dornedya testi¬monialromhe imes, went,nGlasgow,o hear omeprofes¬sional ecitations. ne of themwas he'Storyof a BrokenHeart.'Theunfortunateirl,ofwhomt was old, idnot dieimmediately,ut t struckme shewouldhavedone o,hadsheheardMr.Willsonecite er tory.The ubjectashatpiece fgracefulffeminacy,n whichWashingtonrving astold,withdrawing-roomentimentality,hestoryf theproudove of thedaughterf Curranor heunhappyndheroic mmett.

Noone an ecitewith

proprietyhat edoes ot

eel,nd

hekey ogestureswell o modulationsearnestness.oactoranpourtrayharacternless e can ealiset,andhecan nlyrealiseitbymakingt for time isown.Roger emble'sife ad eenor¬biddenomarrynactor,ndher atheras nexorabletherdis¬obediencebutafter ehad een erhusbandponhestage,erelented,nd orgaveer with hisobservation—'ell,well!Iseeyouhave otdisobeyede after ll; forthe man s not anactor,ndnever illbeanactor'

Asthepresencefgenius illcompensateor heneglectftheelocutionfutterance,o earnestnessnd

reatdeaswill

produceeloquencefeffect ithoutesturendelivery.t s said f RobertHall hat he extofhisdiscourseasusuallynnouncedn thefeeblestone,ndn arapidmanner,oasfrequentlyobe naudi¬bleto themajorityf hiscongregation.fter heexordium,ewouldommonlyintat,ratherhanxplicitlynnounce,heverysimpleivisionsf thesubjectn whichhe intendedo treat.Then is houghtsouldeginomultiply,nd herapidityf hisutterance,lwaysonsiderable,ouldncrease s he proceededandkindled.Hehad no oratoricalction,carcelynykindofmotion,xceptingnoccasionaliftingrwavingftherightand;and n hismostmpassionedoments,nalternateetreatndad¬vancen thepulpitya shorttep. Sometimeshepainn hisback,o whichewas ogreata martyr,ould nduce im tothrow isarm ehind,s f togive imselfase r supportn thelong-continued,nd,ohim,afflictiveositionf standingo ad¬dress hepeople.Nothingftheeffectwhichhe producede¬pendedn extraneousircumstances.herewasno pomp, orhetoricallourish,ndew,hpughheneverhey idoccur,eryappropriate,mages—exceptingowardshecloseof hissermon,when is maginationecamexcursive,ndhe wingediswaythroughhe loftiest phere f contemplation.issublimestdiscoursesere n thebeginningidactic ndargumentative,



0 PUBLICPEAKING

thendescriptivendpathetic,nd, inally,n thehighestnd estsense,maginative.ruthtohim)washeir niversallement,nd

to enforcetsclaims ashisconstantim. Whethereattemptedto engagehereason,he affections,r hefancy, llwassub¬sidiaryo thisgreat nd. Hewasalwaysnearnest—profoundlyinearnest.But t is also ruethatas a chaste,oncise,ndenergetictyle, s more ffectivehana florid,urgid ndpro¬lixone, othe judiciousmploymentf moderateestures moreeffectivepon he geniusf the Englishpeople, ho lovemoderation,hananypossiblemplificationfspasmodicttitudesorredundancyfgrimace

Thepromptingf Lucio o Isabel,whenpleadingbefore

Angeloor he ife of herbrother,srenderedy ShaksperenMeasureor Measure,soneof thehappiestracticalessonsnelocutionrt on record.As a pieceof preceptiveeaching,neitherherhetoricf ancient ormodernimeshasproducedanythingohappy,oconcise,ndyetsocomprehensive,s Ham¬let'sdirectionso his players. t is a manualf elocutionnminiature.

CHAPTER III.

THEORTFPERSUASION.

•Rhetoric,'aysPlato,'s theartofrulingheminds fmen:but o rulemindoumust now t. Oneouch f naturemakesthe wholeworld in:butwe cannotouchnaturehroughhe

rules f artwithoutnowingature.*He

who nan

enlightenedanditeraryocietyspireso beagreatoetmust ecomelittlechild. He takeso pieceshewholewebof his mind.' Thisis whatheyounghetoricianust o. Hemustread ackwardsthepath f life o thefirstmomentf consciousness,ndaskallpossibleuestionsfhisown xperience. arlyleas said hathealthymannever sks imselfuch ersonaluestions.Butathoughtfulan oes. Couldhedisembodiedxperiencef meubepresentedoview,othat heconsciousife of eachcouldiepalpablenbodilyorm,ow ew iguresould resentheentirelineamentsf mankind.We should ehold n

assemblagef

*Macaulay,rit.ndHist. ssays,ol. ,p.9.



AND EBATE.

mutilatedigures,he limbsofsome,he arms f others,hetrunk,r heheadwouldbe invisible—soittle,asrespectson¬

sciousness,o mengenerallyossesshemselves.s,however,mans himselfssentiallyisown tandardfjudgment,s him¬self themeasuref othermen,t is inevitablehathewill ormdefectivestimatef others hosdefectiveimself.The heto¬rician,hen,whowouldopeooperaten he naturesfothers,must rimarilyake imselfcquaintedith isown.

Anappealoexperiencesthebestestwehave f the orce fan nducement.Theargument,'aysEmerson,which asnotthepoweroreach.mywnpractice,maywelldoubtwill ail oreachours. have eard nexperiencedounselloray,hathe

neverearedhe effect pona jury,of a lawyerhodoesnotbelievenhishearthathis clientoughtohave verdict.'Aremarkablenstancef the result fanappealopersonalon¬victions affordedn Bailey's eviewf Berkeley'sheoryfVision.*Manyears go,'aysMr.Bailey,Iheldwhatmay estyled derivativepinionn avourfBerkeley'sheoryfVision,buthavingn thecoursef a philosophicaliscussionadocca¬sionoexplaint, I foundnattemptingo statenmyoivnan¬guagehegroundsnwhichtrested,hathey o ongerppearedto me o beso clear ndconclusivesI had anciedhem obe.

determinedomake t thesubjectf apatient nd ispassionateexamination.heresulthasbeen clear onvictionnmyownmindof its erroneousness,nda desireo state o thephiloso¬phicalworld hegroundsn whichhat convictionas beenformed.'Aphilosophicalllustrationf the truth f Emerson'sobservation,hat hat tatementnlysfit obemadeublichichyouhavecomeat in attemptingo satisfyourowncuriosity.Menmayive, ndhink,nd eason,ithhemereurfacenow¬ledgewhichifepresentsoeverybserver,utnoone anmasterpersuasion,sanart,unlessepassesnreviewheoriginf deas

and nalyseshemotivesf men.A soundheory f intelligences thebasisof allsystematicpersuasion.Metaphysicalhilosophyasbeen rolificn its dis¬sertationsn he actsand ttributesf human entality,ut heclassificationf intelligenceaiddownby someof the morejudiciousollowersfGalls themostcientific,nd,onsequently,the most ntelligiblehichhe studentanfollow.It is notpossibleo indicateparticularheoryn detail ith chance fits beinguniversallyseful. For hegeneralharacteristicsfhumanityrevariouslyombinedith henational,ocal, nd

individual,n

everyudienceho

maye addressed

y onguer

pen. Thesimple lementsf humanity,ikethe letters f thealphabet,re ccordingothearrangementfcircumstances,pread

c



10 PUBLICPEAKING

outnto ountlessolumesfcharacter,achwrittennapeculiarlanguage,nd equiringcopiouslossaryo rendert intelligibleto hereader.*he eneralrinciples,ayofphrenology,ndicatetheoutlinesfhumanature,ndhestudyf menandmannersfillsup hedetail.Anoldwriter,thinkRalphCudworth,ays'It isacknowledgedyall, hat ensespassion.Andheres inallsensation,ithoutispute,irst passionn thebody f thesentient,hichodilyassionsnothinglsebut ocalmotionm¬pressedponhenervesromheobjectsithout,ndhencero¬pagatedndcommunicatedo the brain, here ll sensationsmade.For heres noother ction fonebody ponnother,orotherhangermutationfbodiesonceivabler ntelligiblee¬

sideslocalmotion—whichotionn thatbodywhichmovesanother,s calledaction,n that whichs moved yanother,passion.And,herefore,hen compoundbjecteryremotelydistantsperceivedyus,sincet isby some assionmade ponourbody,heremust fnecessitye a continualropagationfsome ocalmotionfpressureromhence ntoheorgansf oursensernerves,ndsountohebrain.As whenwe see manyfixedtars parklingn a clear ight,houghheybe all of themsomanyemidiametersfthe arth istantrom s,yet t must,fnecessityegranted,hat here re ocalmotionsrpressurerom

them,hichwecall he ight f them, ropagatedontinuallyruninterruptedlyhroughhe luid eaven,nto ur ptic erves,relsewe ould ot ee hem.' This ndicatesery lainlyhephilo¬sophyf mpressions.ehave othingodoherewith hecon¬troversiesfmetaphysiciansoncerninghe transcendentalismfintuitivenowledge.tmay e upernatural.tis, however,er¬tain hat great roportionfhumannowledges the result fmaterialelations,nd o these elationshepreceptsf know¬ledgeapply.We maytherefore,ndicatewithsufficientc¬curacyorpracticalurposes,hat heconsciousnessf external

thingssproduced

rgeneratedy

theactions f thosehings

ntheorgansf sense.The brainasnopowero create nlyasusceptibilityoreceiveotions. he rains the orge fthoughtfandhe hetoricians the mithwho ammersutdeasn it.

Sofar orth shumanonducts influencedymaterialon¬siderations,nd hese re apablefbeingombinedntoasystem,confidenceanbe mpartedo thespeakerndcertaintynfusedintohisefforts.

Itmighte llustratedtconsiderableengthnd ydistinguishedexamples,hatappealso religiousentimentsill always eavoided

ya

judiciousrator,hen

addressingixed ssemblies.

*Mrs. .Grimstone.t Carlyle.



ANDDEBATE. H

They repropernoughhenpokeno areligiousudience,utwhenemployedor hepurposef influencingmixedmeetingtheymay ailtoaffect considerableortion.Theexperiencedandwellinformedpeakerasalways wider esource.Hecandraw isargumentsrommoral ndpoliticalonsiderations,foundednutility.These ll men anunderstandnd eel Inthose asesn which noratorannotonscientiouslyestrictim¬self o this peciesf reasoning,emust ake heother ourse,but ethimnot alculatencompleteuccessruniversalmpres¬sions.

Thegreat usinesssto find ut herightnotion,ndadapttto theunderstandingsf thosewhom e address.Thisworldsverymatter-of-fact,enareverymuchhecreaturesf ideas.

Notionsovernverything.mpulsesre he realdestiny—menfollowhem ssurelys the stars r heplanets,ndt is in thissensehatwhats to be is.

As armentrawshe arment'sem,Menheirortunesringithhem.*

Fromowesto highestllareattachedy hatwhich astheattractiveelation.Matterrawsmatter.Themagnetas noattractionorgold rcopper,uthow t clingso the iron!Manhas variousttractions—gold,onour,ove. Toknow hatdeas

are ommono menstoknowumanity—tonow owhey ainedisto know owogovern enbyspeechrpen.Everyman,aidPitt,hashisprice.Whetheritthad ounded

thevenalityf allpatriotismknow ot. Ofcourseehad ixedthemarketricefhisow*iirtue.Butwithmoreruth ndessoffensivenesstmay e said hat veryman ashisreason,hich,when ncepresentedohimwillsway im and o findhisoutis theproblemhetoric as to solve. IamnotmoreavourablethanHoodo theplanfdroppingruthently,s f it wereChina,andikelyo break.But f a fair ase eso statedsnot omor¬

tifyothers yassumedrrogance,s not o annoy yceaselessimportunity,snot odisgustyseeminganity,utaccompaniedby evidentndicationsf disinterestedincerity,t willnearlyalways rove cceptable.t is not the ruthmenhate, ut heunwisenduntutoreduxiliarieshichooften ttendts enun¬ciation. Hewhowould orrect y alse iew ffacts,'aid newhounderstoodhedespotismf awisemethod,he must oldupthesameacts nthe rue rder f thought,nd cannevergoback.A manwho hinksn thesame irectionsmyself,utsees urther, hohas astes ikemine,butgreaterower, ill

rulemeanyday, ndmakeme ovemy uler.*'* Emerson.



PUBLICPEAKINC

Theyoungrator illdowellto noticehatmoralitysbetterunderstood,t leastntheory,han n formereriodsf our is¬tory, ndhathepublicequireincerityn hepart f aspeaker:and lifewhich hall llustratehat heoratoreeks oenforcewilladdmateriallyohis influence. hereader ay sk—Maynota recommendatione a goodonethoughhe giverf it bebad This s not thequestion.s it notanadvantagehenboth reworthy Thepubbcmay cceptood dvicerommenwhowillnot aketthemselves.ut sit not heobjectfawiseRhetorico increasehe numberf menwhowilltakesoundadvice If thepublichouldecomposedfmenwhohear nlyand ever ractice,ho oesnotseethatwemay iveover llexhortationsf amendment. ankindeasonhat hatwhichs

goodor hepublicsgoodor ndividuals,incendividualsakeupthe public.Andwhen t is seenthata mandoesnotfollow is ownadvice,t is concludedhateither e is asim¬pleton, ndconsequentlys not to be heeded, r that he issecretlyonsciousf somenapplicabilityn hisovra ecommen¬dations,nd onsequentlys tobesuspected.

The moral xistencef men s made pofa few trains fthought,hich,rom he cradleo thegrave, reexcited ndre-excited,gain nd gain,tthesuggestionf sensitivempres¬sions. Theseeadingdeas uledespoticallyver onduct,nd

whoeverwakensheseassociationsovernshosewhomhe

addresses.t is in theappealso these ncientmpressionshatwerecognisehepower ndgeniusf thepoet. It is intheseleadingdeashatwesee he ourcef character. hese re hegreateaturesn the livesof menwhichherhetoriciantudies.Hisknowledgef themconstitutesheweaponsithwhich eworks.WhenNapoleonnEgyptwas hreatenedyhisdisaffectedgeneralse vanquishedhembyan appealo the hreeeadingtraitsn theircharacter—theirride,heirhonour,ndtheirbravery.Walkingoolly monghem,he said, Soldiers,ouareFrenchmenYou re oomanyoassassinate,nd oo ew o

intimidatee.' The ebellionasblownsidewith hebreathfthesewords.Thefury f themenwassubduedo admiration,andheyurnedway,xclaiming,Damnim, owbrave e s.'Trulys it saidheheart asnoavenueoopen sthatofflattery;which,ike omenchantment,aystsguardssleep.

A groundlessutcry as been raised gainstpeakershoappealo thefeelings.Theonlyquestiono be decideds—what re hepropereelingsf men. Toappealo thesemustJways eright. The onclusionsrrivedtthroughhe mediumofsucheelingsreas egitimates conclusionsrrivedt byap¬

pealswholly elongingo theunderstanding.eelingsre he



AND EBATE. 13

staysf ntellect—theirstinksnthechainfpowerfulrgument.Theappealo realitys thefoundationf conviction. he ionwasnot o be subduedypicturesf HerculesndTheseus—he

wantedhe actofhissuperiortrengthisplayed.twasneces¬saryhatHerculesndTheseushouldppear.In nine ears'xperiencentheofficefapublicutorn oneof

theUniversities,aleyound,ndiscoursingoyoungersonspontopicsfmorality,hatunlesshesubjectasso drawn pto apoint sto exhibithe ull orcefanobjection,r heexactlaceof a doubt,efore ny xplanationasenteredpon—intherwords,nlessomeuriosityasexcited eforet was ttemptedto be satisfied—theabourf the eacheraslost. Whennfor¬mation asnotdesired,t was eldom,efound,etained.

Theartofeducationonsistsn findingutwhathechildoradultwantso know.Inspiredithdesireo know, eis in¬spiredwithpowero learn, ndexcitedptitudes thehappymoment f acquirement.hisneglectedrogresss arrested.This actexplainshe failuref half he orationsndlecturesof thesedays.Anaudiences anadult chool.Ithas,ntheshort pace f anhour,o be educatedn a newpurpose.heundertakings presumptuous,ndis only o be accomplishedbythe union f rare udgment,isciplinedowers, storeofmeans,ndunfalteringnergy. Yethowmanyush ntothe

arenaf oratoryithoutorethought,ndgohome,wonderingwhy heyailed,ndblamingheapathyfthepeople.Humanityis an nstrumentot to beplayedponbyunskilfulerformers.Hadwemenwho tudiedratorysgreatrtists omusic,aint¬ing,and culpture,he majestyf ancientloquenceouldetflourishmongs.

Wecandowithoutny rticlef uxuryeneverad, utwhenonce btainedt isnot nhumanatureo surrendertvoluntarily.Of welvehousandlockseftbySam lick,nlyenwere eturned.'We rusto soft awder,'aidSam,to get hem nto hehouseand o human aturehat

heynever ome utof it.' Yethow

many ersonsxpecto produceffects pon ssembliesf menwhoneverestowalfhe ime ponhestudyf heir aturesswasgivenyourAmericanlock-seller

Thewisepersuaderillthereforereasurepallstrikingactsconnectedithhe nfluencementfcharacter,dapting,ith igidjustice,hemotiveo the condition—tohegreat ccasion,hestrongnducement.hen,o borrowhe wordsf Hazlitt:—'Theoratorsonly oncernedogive toneofmasculineirmnessto thewill,obracehe inewsndmusclesf themind:not todelighturnervousensibilities,r oftenhemindnto oluptuousindolence. he lowerynd entimentaltyles,ofallothers,oe



J4 PUBLICPEAKING

mostntolerablen a speaker.Hemust econfident,nflexible,uncontrollable,vercominglloppositionyhisardourndmpe¬tuosity.Wedonotcommandthersy sympathyithhem, utbypower,ypassion,ywill.'Onother ccasionsheorators notreluctanto rememberhat hewords f sincerityndkindnessneverailwhenddressedo peopleotstirredypassionrren¬deredullenyreal r anciedontempt.Thenhe ron rgumentandhe mperiousirgiveplaceo thehappierhilosophyungbyDarwin,hicheaches—

How ovendympathyithotentharm,Warmhe oldeart—theiftedandisarm;Allureithleasures,nd larm ithains,

Andindocietyngold«nhains.

CHAPTER V.

The artofpersuasion

sdependent

nnoonehing

omuchsMethod.Tohavehe factand o know ow otell it is toholdrhetoricaluccessn ourhands.But t is of nousetohavehefactunlesswe know ow o tellit,and t is thiswhichmethodteaches.Theres, said he Quarterlyeview'ately, opowerover umanffairsike herightwordpokenttherighteason.

Methods derivedrom Greekord,ignifyingpath, way,or ransit.Wherehere remanyransits,tep ollowstepinpursuitf anobject.And stheremust e, ora truepursuit,definitebjectnview,heprinciplef unitysimpliednthatofprogression.encena truemethodheremust eadefiniteur¬

suit, therwiseircumstancesill reateensations,ut herewillbenothoughtithout ethod,nd heremay e restlessnd n¬cessantctivity,utwithoutmethodherewillbe no progress.Whenhemind ecomesccustomedo the outwardmpressionsofobjects,t turnso theirelations,hich ence ecometsprimepursuit,ndmay ecalledhematerialsfmethod.

Thekinds frelationsrewo,heonearisingromhatwhichmuste, heotherhatbywhich emerelyerceivehat t is. Theformers calledaw,n its originalcceptation,aying ownherule—thethers calledherelationftheory.*

*SeeEncyclopediaetropolitan,rt.'Method.'



ANDDEBATE. 15

Thiss themethodfscience—itppliesotheorderursuednthearrangementf encyclopedias.hemethodf art,f notso

rigid,syetregular,

ndmarksotherformances

ndharacter.Coleridgesks Whats it that irst trikes s,and trikes s

at once n aman f education,ndwhich, mongducateden,so instantlyistinguisheshemanofsuperiorind Notalwaystheweight rnoveltyf hisremarks,oralwayshe nterestfthe factswhiche communicates—forhesubjectf conversa¬tionmay hanceobetrivial,ndtsdurationo beshort.Stillless cananyjustadmirationrise romanypeculiarityn hiswords ndphrases,oreverymanof practicalood ensewillfollow, sfaras hemattersnderonsiderationillpermitim,thatgoldenuleof Caesar's—Insolenserbum,anquamcopidum,

evitare.The ruecause f the mpressionade nus is,thathisminds methodical.Weperceivehisrn theunpremeditated,and videntlyabitualrrangementf hiswords,lowingpon¬taneouslyndnecessarilyromhe clearnessf the eadingdea,fromwhich istinctnessfmentalision, henmenare ullyac¬customedo t,theyobtain habit fforeseeingtthebeginningof everyentenceow t is to end,andhow ll itspartsmay ebroughtut n thebestandmostorderlyuccession. oweverirregularnddesultoryheconversationayhappeno be,thereis Methodn the fragments,*he llustrationf this s easy.

Twopersonsfoppositepinionsilloftenmeet—thene oconvertheother.For nstance: seeksobring totheadop¬tionof his opinions. havewitnessedheexperimentften.Thegeneraloursefprocedures this. Acommencesounfold,expatiaten,and nforceisviews. Heexpectshus o win Bto their ntertainment.ut hemistakesagravene. Aarguesat B whenhe should eason ith im. A thus tands n heplatformfhisopinionsndpreachesoB,whosperchedponplatformf his own. Athus xpectsto comeo him.kB ro¬bablyxpectshesameof A. Thusbothexpectwhatneitherintends.

A, nexpectingto comeohim, ssumeshaton thepartofhisopponenthere xists predispositionor his views. Thisshouldever eassumed.t is the irst ndeavourfawise ro¬pagandistocreatet ifit doesnotexist, ndstrengthent if itdoes—andhethert exists rnothe shouldlwaysondescendasthoughtdidnot. ThebusinessfA,the converter,s to godowno theplatform standspon,o inquireisprinciples,study isviews nd urn fthoughtntil e finds*someommongroundffaith,morals,pinion,rpractice,ithwhichhe canidentifyimself.Thepropagandisthould ommenceyplaying

*Encyclopaediaetropolitans*



16 PUBLICPEAKING.

theprfthfinder.hebusinessf A isto find pathromB'splat¬formohis own own hichcan greeablyalk. When com¬monrounds found, arguesnthatto B. Thenarrowpotof identityoonnlargesf A has ruth nhisside,orall truth,like lectricity,asa tendencyo pass ntoall bodies nchargedwitht, until n quilibriumf ightsestablished,ndhecurrentis universal.

A, nfindingcommonroundn B's ntellectualphere,stab¬lishesnequalityithB.This ivesA anadvantage.ystudy¬ingB'sviewsnsteadfmakingstudy is,he condescendsoB—hehus stablishesraternity.his redisposesto goodwill

Equalitynd raternityrehe wonlets o theunderstanding.Conversionsuniformity.t endsn intellectualquality.tmust

begino. Thepleasuref universalpinions the harmonytcreates—theropagandistsommencenfraternity,hat eingheauspiciousarbingerfharmony.

Itis ofnouse ayingou annot inda commonround.Hewho annotindt,cannotonvert.How anpersons,nymorethan odies,ohere,ho everouch So ong s each eniesotheother particlefreasonnhisside—soongas eachmain¬tainsn nfallibilityfpretensionocompleteruth—theyoth s¬sume hatscontraryo the nature f things, ndexcludehecommonroundhichmust eestablishedetweenhem—wheretruthnd rror anoinssue.Theresno mpassibleulfbetween

contendingen rcontendingpinions,ut hatdugbypride ndpassion.Weallhave commontartingoint.Wehave com¬mon onsciousnessf mpression—aommonatureoinvestigate—acommonincerityctuatess—truths ourcommonbject,andwehave commonnterestndiscoveringt. Nature ade sfriendsit is false ridehatmakess enemies.commonroundexists etweenlldisputants.his s an mportantact oo ittleattendedo,or indeedoo littleunderstoody inexperiencedthinkers.he ommonroundhichxistss not newhicholicymakes,utone hat aturerovides.

Theseemarks akeonvictionodependponruth, otuponformsfprocedure.othings recommendederewhich s in-consistentithruth—nounninguestioning,o sophisticaln¬trapment. he olepreceptsre hose f condescensionnd on¬trast. ind commonroundfagreement,nd ouind commonpoint fsight,rom hichllobjectsreseen n the sameight;and clear lanes obtainednwhichprinciplesanbe drawn,and perfectontrastftruth nderror isplayed.Hewhohastheruth illmaketplainerbyisdomfprocedure.ifferencesreoftenmade idery rrelevant,epulsiveebate.ifferenceshich

&dnotexist reoften reatedn thisway.All mendesirehe



ANDDEBATE. 17

truth,nd heresawaynwhich llcan indt. The nderstand¬ings fmen un n agivenhannel—eachhinkerooksas twere

throughtelescopef hisown. LetA

bringisviewwithinhe

visionfB,andhechancesre nfavourf Bseeinghe ruth,ftruthhere e. If heseeserror, is benefitedythediscoverymade y a clearer ightthan his own. 'Thefacultyofspeech,' ays Quinctilian,we derive from nature butthe artfromobservation.or as in physic,men,by seeingthat somethings promote ealthand othersdestroyt,formedheartuponhoseobservations;n likemanner,yper¬ceivinghat omehingsn discourseresaid o advantagendothersot, hey ccordinglyarkedhosehingsnordero mitatetheoneand voidheother.'

It is a maximf the schoolmen,contramorumadem stscientia,'enevereally nowwhat things,unless earealsoable ogive sufficientccountf tsopposite.Thiss themaximof contrasthat ntersntoalleffectiveersuasion.

Variousules regiveno direct he reatmentfRegularub¬jects. Weare obegin,aysWalker,ith—1.efinition,.Cause,3.AntiquityrNovelty,.UniversalityrLocality,.AdvantagesorDisadvantages.

ATheme,hichsprovingome ruth,s said o haveheseparts—1.hePropositionrmeaningf the heme, TheReason

in favourfit, 3.TheConfirmationr displayf theunreason¬ablenessf the contrarypinion,. TheSimile r illustration,5.Exampleromhistory, . Testimonyf others, . Conclusionorsummary.

Writersrenotallagreedndetermininghepartsfanoration,thoughhedifferences rathernthemannerf consideringhemthan n thethingshemselves. iceromentionsix,viz Intro¬duction, arration,roposition,onfirmation,onfutation,ndConclusion.

Writersrenotagreed ponhedivision? orationsecause

natureasnotagreed. llsubjectsillnot niitofbeingreatedunderomanyeads,ndsomeaudiencesillnot admit f theformality. ometimesn exordiumsabore,and perorationtedious.Tact etrenchesethodscircumstancesictate.aley'scustom as o breakown subjectnto smany istinctarts sit really ppearedocontain,ndmake ach f tbem hesubjectof aseparatend igorousnvestigation.his eems wise ulewethentake uch artsas thesubjectffords,ntheorderre¬scribed,bbreviatinghemas theknowledger temperftheaudienceayequire.

The actsof necessitynddiscretionremised,hemost rac¬ticalormulaf general rocedureeems o meto be. 1.Giveo



18 PUBLICPEAKIN&

theIntroduction..Explainhe erms f theproposition,nowwhatsgrantedndwhat isputedn eachide,and hen tate

thepointof controversy.. Examinebjections,ndestablishyourownproposition.. Refute bjections,ndexposealla¬cies. 5. Makeobservationsf enforcementaturallyuggested*7 hesubject:—

Theseulesfolddiscover'd,ot evis'd,Are aturetill, utNatureethodis'd.

It isour pinion,ays neof our riticalournals,hat llthingsshouldemade nownntheir roperlaces.Noknowledgeanbecompleter horoughlyholesomehichspartial.

Dr.Paleyas urnishedwoobservationshichmay eusefullybornenmindn theenforcementftopics.1. Inallcases,wherehe mindeels tself n dangerfbeing

confoundedyvariety,t is safe orestuponfew trong oints,orperhapsponsinglenstance.Amongstmultitudefproofs,it isonehatdoes hebusiness.

2.A ust easoneremovesrom isconsideration,otonlywhatheknows,utwhat edoes otknow,ouchingattersot trictlyconnectedith i°argument,, e.,not ormingheverystepsofhisdeductionbeyondhese isknowledgendhis gnorancere

alike elative.The implicityndwisdomf profoundethodas beenllus¬tratedn theworks f Morelly.Villegardelleays f Morelly'sEssaysn heHuman ind,reatingn heanalysisf the ntel¬lectualaculties,ublishedn 1743—'The ubstancefthis malleducationalreatise,hich ontainshe developedermof themethodf nstructionowhichMr. acototasgiven isname,scomprisedn the woollowingropositions—

'1. The nclinationsf the mindarereducibleo two,viz.,DesireoknotondLovef order—tohese woendswemust

referll,evenheamusementsf

children.'2. It is sufficientopresento the oulunderstanding?]bjectsinthesame rder sitgenerallyollows,ithout akingtper¬ceivehatt must ttendo them.'

Theirst ssentialfanykind fgreatnesss that t shouldavea purpose.We do notsuspecthepresencef geniusillwefeel hismanifest.TheDukeof Wellingtonas fewartswhichwinapplause.He silliterate.All he chool-boysn hekingdomlaughat his letters.Instead f the refinementf the classicoouncil-table,is 'Despatches'reas coarsesfish-marketul¬letins—yetasheachievedreatnessfacertainind, ecausei

iasdecisionfcharacter.



ANDDEBATE. 19

One fhisbiographers—Ihinkt is theRev.Mr.Wright—hasgiven sthekey otheDuke'successn a few houghtfulords—'Onecharacteristicf the Dukeof Wellingtontrikes hereaderrom hevery irst,evenwhenbuta novicen warorstatesmanshiphis resolutewill and unboundedell-reliance.Confidentn hisowncapacity,e thinks, ecides,nd ctswhileothermen rehesitatingndaskingdvice.He sevidentlyon¬scious hat decisionndpromptitude,ven houghometimesmanmay rr or wantof duedeliberation,ill,n the ongun,more ften onducto successhana slowudgment,hat omestoo ate.' Thissthesecret. The apacityo see his ruth ndtheresolutiono actupont,is thecapacityo riseaboveommon

men.Innumerableeople ill trike uta coursendpursuet—whileall goeswell—buthetemperf greatnessverremainsunshakenyreverses. tplacestslife on thehazardf a well-chosenlan, nd ooks or failuresnddefeats,ut eliesnthe'longun'ofpersistencyor uccess.

Thentellectualharacterf theDuke f Wellington,ofarasit hasbeen isplayedn civil ffairs,ccordsithwhat ismilitaryexploitsndicate. Asimplend riefdiiectnessre hequalitiesof his speeches. He strips subject f all extraneousndunnecessarydjuncts,ndexposest in its naturalroportions.

He scentsa fallacyfaroff,andhuntst down toncewithoutmercy.Hehascertainonstitutionalrincipleshichre o himreal tandards.Hemeasuresropositionsropinionsy hesestandards,nd sthey ome por all hort,othey reacceptedordisposedf.' TheDukeof Wellingtonarlyooksides—he'learnedell heprinciplesfwhich ewouldecomehepartisan.I have talicisedhe wordsn thesentenceust'quotedrom'Fraser,'hich ndicatesis intellectualabit. It is hard otell,generally,hat rethe 'constitutionalrinciples'f Britishliberty.But t is nothardo tellwhatheyarewhenouknow

whouses hephrase. heprinciplesftheThronendCourt aybe expressedn threepropositions. heDukehavingdoptedthese, its at ease,andmeasuresheplausiblepeechesf pro¬gress ythem, ndunmaskshesophismf thequasiiberal.

But,howeverirected,enwill everrespecttraightforward¬nessof character.t isheroicn hatman, hoeveremay e,wholooksover he troubledea of time,andmanfullylectshiscourse.

Sternstheon-lookfNecessity:Notwithouthudderay humanandGrasphemysteriousrn fdestiny.

Theres heroismn theveryact—whichannot e toomuchapplauded.t is thiswhich onvertsife from eingphantom



20 PUBLICPEAKING

oramanoeuvrentoarealitynd process. tthrowsntognobleshadeourettymen fexpedients.rincipleitherivesuccess

orconfersignity—byhicaneryllmay e ost,nd

othingoblecan ver egained.Bymanoeuvreeakmen eekocheatumannature,ajole ate,andwina gloriousestiny y paltryricks.Butthewholeorder f thingssagainstt. Such coursemaytriumph,ut t is the riumphfluck—notuccess.t isaccident—notmerit.Dignitys alone orn fprinciplendpurpose.

HewhoyprinciplesswayedIn ruthndusticetill he ame,

Isneitherf he rowdfraid,Tho'ivil roilshe tatenflame,

Noroahaughtyyrant'srownilltoop.Noro aragingtormhenll hewindsre p.*

Whatdecisionstocharacter,hatprinciples tomorals—soismethodo literature. ohave clearpurposendvigorouslypursuet is thestronglementf rhetoricaluccess.It is thisfeaturehich eads o the delineationf individualharacter.Coleridgeas hownhathecharacterf Hamlets decided ytheconstantecurrence,n themidst f every ursuit,fphiloso¬phic eflections. rs.Quickly'salk s markedythativelynco¬

herenceo common ith arrulousomen,herebyhe ast deasuggestshesuccessor,ach arryinghespeakerurtherrom heoriginalubject.fterhismanner:—'peakingftails—welwayslike hosehatendwell—Hogg's,orinstance—speakingf hogs—we aw neofthese nimalsheotherday yingn the gutter,andn theoppositenea well-dressedan the firsthadaringinhisnose,he atterhada ringonhisfinger.Themanwasdrunk,hehogwas ober.A man s knowny he companyekeeps,'tc. As Dr.CaiuslipsEnglish,omeof Bulwer'sha¬ractersmplifyeriods.ominieampsonxclaimsProdigious,'SamWelleralks

lang.Inotherases noverwhelmingassion

pervadescharacter,ran ntellectualdiosyncracysthepeculiarquality,eadinghepossesor o lookat every hing n a givenlight.Butwhateveray ethe eatureixed pon,ts methodicalworkingutconstitutesndividualityfcharacter.

IntheCourtsoung arristersredrilledn an ronmethod.judge lwaysxpects,t theoutset,heenunciationf theobjectofthe peech.Ajudiciouspeakerillalwaysbservehisrulefor hesake f hisaudience.As a systemf reasoningroceedsfromertainxioms hichannever e ost ight f exceptttheperil fconfusion,o a discourseroceedsnsomethinghichs

*Horace,de,Lib.II.



AND EBATE. 21

takenorgranted,ndwhichmust econfessednd xplainedtthebeginning,r hespeakerillbe considerednly s ndulginginairy peculations,ndhishearersillbe bewilderednsteadfenlightened,nd e anxiousbouthedangerf a fall nsteadfintent n he scene laced eforehem. Theadvantagesf thecourseereadvisedave eenwell nforcedn theEncyclopaediaMetropolitana.npurelyrgumentativetatement,r ntheargu¬mentativeivisionfmixedtatements,nd speciallynargumen¬tativepeechest is essentialhat he ssue obeprovedhouldedistinctlynnouncedn thebeginningn orderhat he enournddrift hatway f everythinghat s saidmay e hebetterppre¬hendedand t isalsousefulwhenhe chainfargumentslong

togive forecastf theprincipalearingsnd uncturesherebytheattentionillbemoreasily ecured,ndpertinentlyirectedthroughouthemoreloselyonsecutiveetail,ndeachproposi¬tionoftheserieswillbeclenchedn thememoryy tsforeknownrelevancyowhatsto follow.'These rewell-knownuleswhichit wereuperfluousocite xceptor he nstructionf theyoung.Butexamplesay eoccasionallybservedf uvenilerators howillconcealheend hey im t,untilheyhave ed heir earersIhroughhe longchain f antecedentsn orderhat heymayproduceurprisey forcing suddencknowledgmentf what

had not been foreseen.Thedisadvantagef this methodsthat tpuzzlesndprovokeshehearerhroughhesequence,ndconfoundsim n theconclusion;ndgivesanoverchargedm¬pressionf theorator'sngenuitynthepartof thosewhomayhaveattendedo himsufficientlyo havebeenconvinced.t isa methodywhich hebusinessfthearguments sacrificedo apuerilestentationn theconductf t,and he easeand atisfac¬tionof theauditorsacrificedo thevanity fthearguer.

But houghhepurportfaspeechmust eavowed,hedrift fanillustrationaybeconcealed. ne fMr.Fox'sCovent ar¬den rationsffords brilliant

xample.He ookhecase f cer¬

tainpoachershohad, bouthat ime,ufferedmprisonmentnAshby-de-la-Zouch,ndhe calculatedhedays f theirncarcera¬tion,and hepecuniaryoss heir amiliesad ustainedytheirdetentionromabour.The tatistics ere ryassummer'sust.What his had o do with hequestionf thecornaws o onecould ivine—when,ya masterlyurn fthought,easked—'fpoachersre opunishedho ake herichman'sird, owoughtpeerso bepunishedhoakehepoorman's read' Thehouserosewith urprise.The limax ad he effect fa lightappliedto a funeralyre,n whichheargumentsf theprotectionistswereo beconsumedeforehemeeting.Methods oftenofmomentntrivialhings.Some ears go



22 PUBLICPEAKING

it -washecustomn Glasgow,hen firebrokeoutin theevening,or hepoliceo enter he theatre ndannouncehe ireandheocality,hat fany ersononcernedas resentemightbeapprisedfthempendingloss.n ne ccasionhenhewatchcommencedo announceFire—45andleriggs,'heaudienceookalarmt theword ire, nd oncludedhat t appliedothe hea-tre. A rush nsued hich reventedhefullnotice eing eard,andeveralersonsobt heirives. Thenversionf theorder fannouncement,45Candleriggs—Fire,'ould avepreventedhedisaster.Butafterwardshepracticefsuch nnouncementsasforbidden,: beingmpossible,supposeoreformherhetoricfpolicemen.

Of heeffectf thewant fmethodnneutralisinghemostmag¬nificentowers, urke s aremarkablenstance—As norator,Burke azzled is hearers,hen distractedhem,andfinishedbyfatiguingroffendinghem. And t wasnotuncouthlo¬cution ndexteriornly,which mpairedhe efficacyf hisspeeches.Burke lmost lwayseserted is subject,eforeewasabandonedyhisaudience. n theprogressf alongdis¬courseewasneveratisfiedith rovinghatwhichwasprinci¬pallynquestion,rwith nforcinghe singlemeasure hichtwashisbusinessndavowedurposeoenforce,—heivergedo

a thousandollateralopics,—heemonstrateds

manydisputedpropositions,—hestablishedrinciplesn all directions,—hel¬luminatedhewholehorizon ithhismagnificent,utscatteredlights.There as,nevertheless,okeepingn his pokenompo¬sitions,—noroportion,—noubserviencyf inferiorroupsogreater,—nopparentarmonyrunityofpurpose.He forgotthat herewasbut single ointoprove,ndhis auditorsntheirturnorgothatheyhadundergoneheprocessf convictionponany.

WhenFadladeenssays is criticalpinion n the poem fFeramorze commenceshus:—'n order o convey ithclear¬

nessmyopinionf thestoryhisyoungmanhasrelated,t isnecessaryo take reviewfall hestorieshathave ver''Mygood adladeen!'xclaimedallaRookh,nterruptingim,'wereally onotdeservehat ou houldiveyourselfo muchtrouble.Youropinionf thepoemwehave ustheard ill,nodoubt, e abundantlydifying, ithouturther asteof yourvaluablerudition.'If thatbeall,' epliedhecritic—evidentlymortifiedt notbeingllowedo show owmuchhe knew bouteveryhingbutthesubjectmmediatelyefore im—'f thatbeall hat srequired,hematterseasily ispatched.'e henpro¬

ceededoanalysehepoem.Thewitof Moore as nevermorehappilyxpendedhann satirisinghis learned iscursiveness.The ace fFadladeensimmortal.



AND EBATE. 23

Afewyearsgoa distinguishedlergymanf theUniversalistdenomination,asaccused,hilenLowell,f'violentlyragginghiswife rom revival eeting,ndcompellinger o gohomewithhim.' Hereplied,Firstly, have everttemptedoinflu¬encemywifenher iews, orher hoicefameeting.Secondly,mywifehasnotattendedny f the revival eetingsnLowell.Thirdly,have otattendedvenoneof thosemeetingsoranypurposehatever. ourthly,either ywifenormyselfasanyinclinationo attendhosemeetiugs.And,ifthly,neveradawife! Thisdivinemust ave ad Order'arge.

Next o thosewho alk sthoughheywouldeveromeothepoint,re class fbores ho alk s houghhey idnotknow hat

thepoint as.Beforehey averoceededarntellingstory,heystumbleponomeMr.What's-his-name,homhey aveorgotten,and,hought doesnot matter hether e hada name rnot,thenarratives madeostandtilluntilheyhave onehroughthe iresomendruitlessask ftryingoremembert—inwhichtheyneverucceed.

AgorgeousnstancefmethodccursnW.J. Fox's ermonnHumanrotherhood,*nwhicholishedastehas oadjustedachclausehatheyreach climaxorthyf thatGrecianrtwhichthepassageelebrates.

From he dawnof intellect nd freedomGreeceasbeena watch-wordn the earth. Thereose he social piritosoftenandrefine erchosenace,andshelter,s n anest,hergentlenessromhe rushingtorm f barbarism—thereibertyfirst uilt ermountainhrone,irst alledhewaves erown, ndshouted cross hema proud efianceo despotism'sandedmyriadstherehearts nd racesancedroundumanity,ndstoredman'some ith omforts,nd trewedispathwith oses,andbound isbrowswithmyrtle,ndfashionedorhim thebreathingtatue,ndsummonedim o.templesf snowymarble,andcharmedis senses ithallforms f eloquence,ndhrew

overhis inalleepheir eilof loveliness:here prung oetry,liketheir wn abled oddess,aturet once rom he teemingintellect,iltwithheartsandarmourhatdefyhe assaultsftime, nd ubdueheheartfman: therematchlessratorsavetheworld model f perfectloquence,he soul he nstrumenton whichheyplayed, ndevery assionf our nature utatonewhichhemaster'souch alledorth twill:thereived ndtaughthephilosophersfbowerndporch,fpridendpleasure,of deepspeculationndof usefulction, hodevelopedlltheacuteness,nd efinement,nd xcursiveDess,nd nergyf mind.

• SennoninChristianorality,.89.



24 PUBLICPEAKING

andwereheglory ftheir ountry,hen heircountryasth*glory ftheearth.

CHAPTERV.

DISCIPLINE.

Sincecustom,ays he wiseBacon,s theprincipal agistrateof a man'sife,lethim, yallmeans,ndeavouro obtain oodcustoms.Digressivenesss the naturaltate fthehumanacul¬ties, illcustomrhabit omesntogivehem settledirection.Mans as iableo be influencedythe ast mpressionsby anyprecedingne;and heliabilityfman s thecharacteristicfchildren.The eachernowshis,or t isonly yinfiniteiver¬sionhat hildrenanbe nstructedorhoursogether,rgovernedwithoutoercion. t s theobjectfdisciplineo checkhetend¬encyodiversion,ndgive tabilityo method.A manmaybemadeo

perceiveethod,utnot ofollowt withouthe

powerf

discipline. child ccustomedo itwillgoto bed n the darkwith eacendpleasure,utall therhetoricn theworldwouldnotaccomplishhesame ndwithoutabit.Nothinguthabitwillgivehepowerfhabit.

WhenMahbranas ntroducedoRossini,sagirloffourteen,byherather, arcia—havingungacavatina,hegrandmaestrosaid, 'Practise, ademoiselle,nd oumustnevitablyise o thehighestoint fyour rofession.''

Mr. ohn oster,n hisprospectusf his ruledopy ooks,e¬markshat The randecretn eachingritingstobestowmuch

attentionpon little ariety.Thenecessityf acontinuedepe¬titionfthesamexercise,ill t can eexecutedith orrectness,cannote oo tronglynsistedn. But,asthis eiterations tedi¬ousoranagesofond fnoveltys thatofchildhood,e shouldkeep sclose othemaximspossible,nd, y ajudiciousnter¬mixturefa few lightlyifferingorms,ontriveo fix attention,and o nsureepetition. Themethod fteachingnythingochildren,"aysLocke, isbyrepeatedractice,nd he same c«tiondone verandoveragain,ntilhey ave ot hehabit ofdoingtwell;amethodhathas o manydvantages,hichever

waywe

comeo considert,that wonderowt

couldpossiblybesomuch eglected." gain: Childrenhouldevere set



AND ebate. 25

toperfecthemselvesn twopartsfanactiont the ameime."Wehaveherehehighest uthoritynsistingntheverypoints

whichwe abouroenforce,iz:—1-hatt isonly y onstante¬iteration,nd ersevering,ains-takingfforts,hat ase ndorrect¬ness npenmanshipanbe attained..That hepupilhouldotadvanceoohastily,ut proceedynaturalradations,romhesimplesto the moredifficultombinations.'hisdisciplinefpenmanshipaytand,lso,or hedisciplinefelocution,ormenare schildrenn heverge fa new rt

A speaker,ike anactor,s subjectedo the criticismfacasualearing.Theauditor ho ears oubutoncewill orm nopinionfyouorever. Againsthisnjusticefjudgmenthereis no

protectionut n

acquiringucha

masteryver our owrersastobeable lwaysoexerthem ell—totrike, stonish,rim¬press,nsomeespectrother,tevery ppearance.man,here¬fore,whohas reputationoacquirerpreserveillkeepilencewhenevere is in dangerf speakingndifferently.e willpracticeo oftenn private,nd trainhimselfoperseveringly,that erfectionillbecomesecondature,ndhepowerfpro¬ficiencyever( ert im. The ninitiated,ho hinkeniuss animpulsivefforthat osts othing,ittledream ithwhat atiencetheprofessionalingerractor bservesegularabitsndudiciousexercise—howheytreasurelltheir trengthndpoweror the

hourfappearanceFrom emosthenesoCurran,hepersonnelf oratorsas llus¬tratedhe riumphsfapplicationsmuchs he riumphsfgenius.'Oneday, nacquaintance,nspeakingfCurran'sloquence,ap¬penedoobservehatt musthaveeen ornwith im. "Indeed,mydearir," epliedurran,it wasnot; it wasbora hree ndtwentyears nd omemonthsfterme;and, f youare atisfiedto listenoa dull istorian,ouhall avehehistoryf tsnativity.When was t heTemple,few fus ormedlittle ebatinglub.Uponhe irst ightfmeetingattended,y oolishearthrob¬

bingwith heanticipatedonourfbeing tyledthe earned em¬berthat penedhedebate,'r' heveryloquententlemanhohas ust at down.'I stood p—theuestionas he Catholicclaimsrthe slaverade, protestnow orgetwhich, utthedifference,ouknow, asneverery bvious—myind as toredwithaboutfolio olumef matter,ut wanted preface,ndforwantof a prefacehevolume asneverublished.stoodup, remblinghroughveryibrebut,remembering,hatn thisI wasbutmitatingully, tookcourage,ndhadactuallyro¬ceeded lmosts faras ' Mr.Chairman,'hen,omyastonish¬

mentanderror, perceivedhat very yewas urnedponme.Therewere nlyixorsevenresent,ndheroomould othave



26 PUBLICPEAKING

containedsmanymore; etwast,to mypanic-struckmagina¬tion, s f I were hecentralbjectnnature,ndassembledil¬

lionswere azing ponmein breathlessxpectation. becamedismayednddumb.Myriendsriedhear im!' ut herewasnothingohear. My ips, ndeed, ent hroughhepantomimeof articulation,ut wasike theunfortunateiddler tthe air,who, ponomingostrike p he solo hatwasto ravishveryear, iscoveredhatan enemyadmaliciouslyoapedisbow.Soyou ee, ir, t wasnotbornwithme. However,houghmyfriendsespairedf me, hecacoethesoquendiasnot o besub¬duedwithout struggle. was or thepresentilenced,utstillattendedurmeetingsith hemost audableegularity,nd

evenventuredo accompanyhe otherso a moreambitioustheatre,he clubof Temple ar. Oneof themwasuponhislegs afellowfwhomt wasdifficulto decide hether e wasmost istinguishedor the ilthof hispersonr he lippancyfhis ongue—justuchanothersHarry lood ould ave alled' thehighly ifted entlemaniththedirtyravat ndgreasypantaloons.'foundhis earnedersonagen theactof calum¬niatinghronologyy hemostpreposterousnachronisms.edescantedponDemosthenes,hegloryf theRomanorum—spokefTully s he famousontemporaryndrival fCicero—

and,n theshort

pacef onehalf

hour,ransportedhestraitsf

Marathonhree everalimeso theplainsfThermopylae.hink¬ingthatI had right o knowomethingf thesematters,looked t himwithsurprise.Whenoureyesmet,therewassomethingikeawagerfbattlen mine uponwhichheeruditegentlemannstantlyhangedis nvectivegainstntiquityntoaninvectivegainstme,andconcludedya fewwords f friendlycounselhorrescoeferens)o'oratormum,' ho,he doubtedot,possessedonderfulalentsor eloquence,lthoughe wouldrecommendim o showt infutureysomemore opularethodthan is ilence.I followedisadvice,nd, believe,otentirelywithoutffect.So,sir,you ee hat otry hebird hespurmusttouch isblood.

'Thediscovery,n hisoccasion,fhis alentsorpublicpeak¬ing,encouragedimto proceedn his studies ith additionalenergynd igour. Thedefectn his enunciationatschool ewent y he ognomenf'stutteringackCurran')ecorrectedya regularystemf daily eadingloud,lowly,ndwithstrictregardopronunciation,assagesrom is avouriteuthors.Hispersonwasshort,ndhis appearancengracefulndwithoutdignity.Toovercomehesedisadvantages,erecitednd tudied

hispostureseforemirror,nd doptedmethodfgesticulationsuitedohisappearance. esides constantttendancet the



ANDDEBATE. 27

debatinglubs, e accustomedimself o extemporaneouslo¬quencenprivate,yproposingasesohimself,hich edebatedwith hesameare s f he hadbeenddressingjury.'*

Mr.Macready,n the evelpart fthecharacterfMordaunt,ntheSteward,nd n someothers,asbeensaidt o exhibithatveryare cquirement,perfectlynconstrainednd racefultyleofexpression,ccompaniedyacool, uiet,ndunconsciouself-possession,n whichhe mannersf a gentlemanonsist.Thisbearing,o ndispensablen thespeaker,s rarelyo beacquiredexcept yintercourseithgood ociety.No closetheory illimpartt sosurelysthedisciplinefcommunication.

Men f brilliantatherhan olid owersazzlehemselvesndothers ith solatedhoughts,oo littlecaringor oherency.n

thiswayHazlitt astoldus that An mprovingctor,rtist,rpoet, ever ecomesgreat ne.A man fgeniusises nd asses,bytheserisers. A volcanooesnotgivewarninghen t willbreakut,nora thunderboltendword f itsapproach.'o hisit issufficientoreply,hat hevolcanos not heproductionfamoment,or s the thunderbolt.heoccasionf the displayssudden,ut hecollectionf power,aturalrhuman,s of slowgrowth.

CHAPTERVI.

In mattersotabsolutelycientific,heprinciplesfMethodremore rbitrarynd ependentDonhecircumstancesn whichspeakerinds imselflaced.Wemay bandonhe order f na¬ture, ndollowhatof theunderstanding,here onvictionanbe moreeadilyffected.This s theprovincefTact Methodis straightforwardrocedure—Tactsadaptation.Methodpplies

togeneral,act ospecial,ccasions.ThedistinctionetweenMethodndTact s illustratedn thefollowingracticalemarksf Paley—'For hepurposefad¬dressingifferentnderstandingsnddifferentpprehensions—forthepurposef sentiment—forhepurposef excitingdmirationof oursubject—weiversifyurviews,we multiplyxamples,[ThissTact.] But orthepurposef strict rgumentneclearinstancessufficient;ndnotonlyufficient,ut apable,erhaps,ofgeneratingfirmerssurancehanwhat anariserom dividedattention.'ThissMethod]

*Hogg's eeklynstructor,t Blackwood,819.



28 PUBLICPEAKING

Whennopponentrgesnobjection,newayofreplyingoitisbyendeavouringoprovehat he assertionontainedn theab¬jectionsnot rue. Anotherlternative,fwhichwe

mayome¬

timesvailurselves,sthat,f even heassertionetrue,t is noobjectiono our osition.

It sometimesappenshatheargumentdvancedgainsts isreallynargumentn our avour.Tactdiscoversnd vailstselfofthese dvantages. ethodrrangeshematerials,act ppliestheresources,freasoning.

It is the udiciouspplicationf meanshat onstitutesact. nJournalismact s an ndispensibleequisite.Thehistory f MrMurray'sailypaper,he'Representative,'ublishedor sixoreightmonths,boutwentyearsago,s abundantroofhatun¬

limitedommandf capital,irstrate iterarybilitiesn everybranchfknowledge,nd he highest ossibleatronage;reallinsufficientoestablishLondon orningaper ithouthatcom¬modityhich lone ends racticalalueothe otherhree, ndwhichs farmore ifficulto beprocuredhan he hree ut oge¬ther.WhatheprincelyortunefMr.Murray,ndhis ntellectualTitansfthe Quarterly,'ndallhisregal ndegal, nd rminedand oronetted,ndayand lerical,nd ivil ndmilitaryriends,couldotobtain,as hesimpleut nestimableiftcalledact

Hamilton'sarliamentaryogic boundsnmaxims hichhat

experiencedacticianadreasuredp,observed,r nvented,ur¬

inghispublicife. Manyf theseadvices reutterly nworthytheimitationf an ngenuousan, uta fewmaybe takenasillustrativeftact, oodense, nd hrewdness—

Statewhatou ensureythesoftnames f thosewho wouldapologiseort.

Inputtingquestionoyourdversary,et t be the lastthingyou ay.

Distinguisheal rom vowedeasonsfathing. Thismakesfine ndbrilliantund fargument.

Upon very rgumentonsiderhe misrepresentationshich

yourpponentillprobablyake f t.Ifyourauses toobad, all n aidtheparty:f the partysbad, all naid hecause.f

Nothingisgustspopularssemblyorehanbeingapprisedof ourntentionsospeakong.

To succeedn a new pheremanmust akeactwithhim. Innine ases utoftenmethodillmiss hemarkilltacthasaughtit adaptation.heHousef Commonsasoften llustratedhis

» Londonorrespondentf heBirminghamournal.

f

'Ifneithersgood,'

dds amiltonwoundourpponent,'which

*ybeParliamentary,ut donot hooseorecommendt.



ANDDEBATE. 29

opinion.So many hings ave o be takenntoaccount,hatnothingut xperiencean eachheirmanagement.anningsed

tosay,hat peakingntheHousef Commonsustake onver¬sationor tsbasis;hata studiousreatmentftopics asout ofplace.TheHousefCommonss a workingody,ealousndsuspiciousf embellishmentsndebate,hich,fused tall,oughtto bespontaneousndunpremeditated.ethods indispensable.Topicsughto becleariyistributedndarranged;ut his ar¬rangementhouldefelt neffect,ndnothetrp-yedn hemanner.Butabovellthings,irst nd ast, e maintainedhatreasoningwasheoneessentiallement.Oratoryn theHousefLordsastotally ifferent. t wasaddressedo a differenttmosphere—a

differentlassf ntellects—morelevated,oreonventional.twasnecessaryobemore mbitiousnd laboratehere.'Fellows hohave een heoraclesf coteriesromheirbirth

—whohavegone hroughheregular rocessf goldmedals,senioiwranglerships,nd oubleoists—whoaveightlyatdownamidamultuousheeringndebatingocieties,nd an arangue,with nanruffledoreheadnd nunfalteringoice,romoneendof adinnerableo theother—who,n all occasions,aveome¬thingosay, nd anpeak ithluencynwhathey nowothingabout—nooonerise n heHousehan heirpellsdeserthem.

All heireffronteryanishes.Common-placedeasarerenderedevenmore ninterestingya monotonouselivery;nd,keenlyalive seven oobiesre,n those acredalls,o themiraculous—no neappearsorehoroughlyware f hisunexpectedndastoundingeficiencieshanheorator imself.He regains isseat,hotand ard,ultrynd tiff,witha burningheek ndanicyhand—repressingisbreathest tshouldiveevidencefanexistencefwhich e sashamed;nd lenchingisfist,hat hepressureay ecretlyonvinceimhehas notas completelyn¬nihilatedisstupidody shis alseeputation.'*

How dmirablecompendiums thisofthehistoryfrhetoricalblockheads,hohinkhat' n hegreatrenaheirittle ow-wow'will be akenor'the oftiest arnote he ion anpour,'ustasiftheyweren theirown mall ouncils,nd lubs,nd ocietiesDisraelis saido have ailednthismannern heSpottiswoodebusinessn theHouse f Commonsbutafterwards,s theworldknows,eachievedrilliantistinction. actalonean eachmanofeel isway ndmeasurehemenopposedo him—itic¬tatesudgmentnd ffort,rsilence.

Reputationnd ortunere oftenmade y actalone.TheateSirWilliam

Folletts an

example.Oneof

hisobituaryotices* 'YoangDuke,'yD'lsraeli.



30 PUBLICPEAKINC

said:—Weonot,byanymeans,meanosay hat at anyperiodofhis ifehecould ecompared,s ascientificawyertoscholar¬

shiphe hadnopretensionst all),to Tindal,Maule,atteson,Campbell;r, n theequityourts,o Pepys,emberton,r Sug-den. Thus isprofessionalositionasattributableeithero hesuperiorityf hisprofessionalnowledgeor o anyalent bovehiscontemporaries.n Parliamente wasnot o becomparedwithPlunkett,rougham,irWilliamGrant,r Perceval.Hepossessedot hestrong,loquentnd ondensedowerfdiction,joinedotheclosest nd everesteasoning,fPlunkett; ehadneitherhestores fpolitical,iterary,nd conomicalnformation,theversatility,hepowerf vigorousnvective,orof sarcasm,f

Brougham;hecalm, hilosophicpiritfgeneralisationfGrant;norhadhe the dauntlessaringndparliamentaryluck f Per¬ceval. It mustbe admittedhat he was neither n orator,nor man fgenius,or manf earning,partromhe pecialiteofhisprofession.Hehadneitherassion,ormaginationf thefancyrof the heart.Inwhat,hen,ayhis barristerialuperi¬ority In his capabilityoplayheartful odge.Hisgreatestskillconsistedn presentingiscase n themost armoniousndfairpurposedspect.If therewasanythingalseorfraudulent,ahitch,rablotof any ind n hiscause,ekeptt dexterouslyoutofview, r hurriedt

trippinglyver;but f theblotwason

theotheride, ehad he yeof the ynx ndhe cent f thehoundtodetectnd undown isgame-He had thegreatestkillnreadingnaffidavit,ndcouldlayhe 'artful odge'n astylelookingo likegentlemanlyandour,hat ou ould ot findault;andnreadingn affidavitn heoppositeide, ewascunningffence.

I donotgive hisexamples imitable,nly s illustrativeftact. Tactso employed aydenote verygoodawyer,utaveryndifferentan.

Those ho ad hepleasurefhearinghomheweaveroeton¬

verse,nowheSpartanelicityfexpressionliicnecommanded.Hisconversationasoftena studyn rhetoric.Hetoldastoryin thebest ein f Scotchhrewdness. ewas neday ecountingananecdotefInverury,roldAberdeen,o a coterief listeners.The ointf thestoryested naparticularordpokennfittingplace.When e cameo it he hesitatedsthoughtaloss orthe erm. 'What s it yousayunder hesecircumstances,'easked—'ot his—norhat,' e remarked,s hewent ver hreeor our erms yway f trialas eachwasendeavouringoassisthim—'h,'headded,pparentlyenevolentowardshedifficulty

intowhich e had hrownhem, wesay ,' forwant fa

better ord.This, fcourse,asthewordwanted—theappiest



ANDDEBATE 31

phrasehe anguagefforded.Hegainedeveralhings y hisfinesse—henlivenedregulararrativeyanexcitingigres¬

sion,whichncreasedheforceandpointof theclimax. Hecreateddifficultyorhisauditors,orwho,whenuddenlysked,wouldbe able o finda termwhich eemedeniedohishappyresourceorfindingt,would ave he courageopresentttosucha fastidiouspithetistand eexaltedimselfysuggestingwhat ppearedutoftheir ower,nd xcitedn ndefiniteonderathisown kill nbringingstoryo so felicitousnend, y heemploymentfamake-shifthrase.Whatwouldehavedonefhe could aveoundheright ne wasnaturallyhought.Thiswasact. It wasa case nalogouso thatgiven yDickensnoneof hisearly apers,herehePresident,t anapparentoss oraword,sks, whats thatyougive manwho s deprivedf asalary hich ehas eceivedllhis ife ordoing othing,rper¬hapsworse,or obstructingublicmprovement'—'Compen¬sation' suggestshevice. Thecasewas hesame,xcepthatThorn ashisownVice-President.

An nstructiveesson ntact sgivenn thePrefacef ThomasCoopero his 'Purgatoryf Suicides.'Thosewho know hevarietyfhistoricncidentshichrowdedor ecordn hiscareer,wundert thediscretionithwhich e confinesimselfothe ewwhichtand t theportalf hismajesticoem,o nformouof

itsoriginnddesign.

CHAPTER VII.

ORIGINALITY.Originality sreality.In referenceothoughtt istheconcep¬tionof he ruth f nature,noppositionothe ruthfcustom.

Thematerialfwhichriginalitys made asbeen iscussednprevioushapters.* ts manifestationnliteratureasbeenwellillustratedythe authorf 'Time'sMagic anthorn,'+na dia¬loguebetweenacon ndShakspere—anxtractromwhichs tothiseffect:—

*LogicfFacts,kaps.-B.t AseriesfpapershatppearednBlackwoodomeearsgo.



32 PUBLICPEAKING

Bacon.He hat anmakehemultitudeaughndweep syondo, Mr.Shakspere,eednotfear cholars.A headnaturally

fertilendorgetives worthmanyibraries,nasmuchs a tree smore aluablehan basket f fruit, r agoodhawk etterhanabagullofgame,r he littlepurse hich fairy aveo Fortu-natusmorenexhaustiblehanall the coffersn the treasury.Morecholarshipighthave harpenedourudgment,utthaparticularshereofcharacters composed,rebetterssembledby orce f maginationhan fjudgment,hich,lthoughtper-ceivpoherencies,annotummonpmaterials,or melt heminto compoundith hat elicity hich elongso imaginationalone.

Shakspere.My ord,hus

ar I know,hat hefirst

glimpseand onceptionfacharacternmymindsalwaysngenderedychancend ccident.Weshall uppose,or nstance,hatI amsittingnatap-room,rstandingnatennis-court.hebehaviourofsomene ixesmyattention. note isdress,hesound f hisvoice,he turnof hiscountenance,he drinks e calls or,hisquestionsnd etorts,he fashionf hisperson,nd,nbrief,hewholeut-goingsnd n-comingsf theman. Theseroundsfspeculationeing herishednd evolvednmy ancy,tbecomesstraightwayossesseditha swarm f conclusionsndbeliefsconcerninghe individual.nwalkingome, pictureut o

myself hatwould efittingorhimo sayordoupon nygivenoccasion,nd hese antasieseing ecalledt some fter eriod,when amwriting play,hapehemselvesnto diversmanni-kins,whoarenotlongof beingnursednto ife. Thus omesforthShallow, nd Slender,ndMercutio,nd Sir AndrewAguecheek.

Bacon. ntruth,Mr.Shakspere,ouhaveobservedheworldsowell, nd owidely,hatI canscarce elieve ouevershutyouryes.I too,althoughuchngrossedith thertudies,m,in part,an observerf mankind. heirdispositions,nd he

causesf theirgoodor bad ortune,annotwellbe overlookedeven y hemost evoteduestionerf physicalature.Butnotethedifferencefhabitude.No sooner ave observednd otholdofparticulars,han heyaretakenup bymyjudgmentobe commentedpon,andresolvedntogeneralaws. Yourimaginationeepshem o make icturesf. My udgment,fshefind hemto be comprehendednderomethinglreadyknownyher,ets hem ropndorgetshem; orwhich easona certainook fessays, hich amwriting,illbesmallnhulk,but, trust, ot ightnsubstance. hus o men everallyollowtheirnborn

ispositions.Stuikspere.very ord fyourordship'sillbe anadageo



AND BflATE. 33

afterimes. Formypart, knowmyownplace,ndaspireotafterheabstruser

tudies althoughcangivewisdomwel¬comewhen hecomesn myway. But he nbornispositions,asyourordshipas aid,mustnotbewarpedrom heir aturalbent,otherwiseothingutsterilityillremainehind.Alegcannot echangednto ailarm.Amongtage-players,ur irstobjectstoexercisenewcandidatentilwe discoverhere isvein ies.

Inthismixturefobservationnd xperiment,riginalnforma¬tionhas ts source.But he conventionalismsf societyepressits manifestation.effrey,n oneof thosepassages arkedymore hanhisordinaryood ense,hasdepictedts influence

onyoungmen— *'Ina refinednditeraryommunity,'ayshe, somanyriticsare o besati-fied,omanyivalso beencountered,nd omuchderisiono be hazarded,hata youngman s apto bedeterredfrom operilousnenterprise,nd edto seekdistinctionn somesaferineof exertion.Hisoriginalitys repressed,ill hesinksintoa paltry opyist,r aims tdistinctionyextravagancendaffectation.n sucha stateof societye feels hatmediocrityhasno chance fdistinction:ndwhatbeginneran xpectoriseatoncento xcellence He magineshatmere oodense

willattractoattention; nd hat hemannersof muchmoreimportancehan hematter,nacandidateorpublicdmiration.In iisattentiono themanner,hemattersapt obeneglected;andin his solicitudeo pleasehosewhorequirelegancefdiction, rilliancyf wit,orharmonyfperiods,e is in somedangerfforgettinghat trengthf reasonnd ccuracyfobser¬vationbywhichhe firstproposedo recommendimself.Hisattention,henxtendedosomanyollateralbjects,s no ongervigorousrcollected;hestream,ividedntosomanyhannels,ceaseso flow itherdeep rstrong:ebecomesnunsuccessful

pretendero fine

writing,ndssatisfiedithhe rivolous

raiseofelegancervivacity.'TheRev. idneymitheftonrecordisopinionfthe nfluence

ofconventionality'solddecorum—'Thegreat bjectf modernbermonss to hazard othing: heircharacteristics decentdebility,hich likeguardsheirauthorsromudicrousrrors,andprecludeshemromtrikingeauties.Everyman f sense,intaking panEnglishermon,xpectso findt a tediousssay,fullof commonlacemorality;ndf thefulfilmentf suchex¬pectationsemeritorious,he clergyavecertainlyhe merit fnotdisappointingheir eaders.'

Emerson,bovellmen,haswrittenhephilosophyf origin¬ality—' nsistnyourself,'ays e, 'never.mitate.Your wn



34 PUBLICPEAKING

giftyou anpresentverymoment,ith hecumulativeorce fawholeife'sultivation;utof theadoptedalent f anotherou

have nly nextemporaneous,alfpossession. hewayospeakandwritewhat hallnotgooutof fashion,s tospeakndwritesincerely. akeidney'saxim:"Lookn hyheart ndwrite."He hatwritesohimself ritesoan eternalublic.'

CHAPTERVIII.

SBLF-THU8T.What hasheroismo do withrhetoric?he reader ill ask.Much.Couragen onething,as weare old,doesnotmeancouragen everything.Amanwhowill face* bulletwillnotface naudience.Heroisms theoriginalityf action.

A cooleasy onfidences thesource f daring. Trust our¬self everyeart ibrateso that rontring.' In one ofthosepapers,aren Chambers'ournal,t isremarked:—'heremust,at all butextraordinaryimes, e a vast mountf latent apa¬

bilitynsociety.Gray's usingsntheCromwellsndMiltonsof thevillagerea truth,houghxtremelytated.Men f allconditionsogrow nddie inobscurity,ho,n suitableircum¬stances, ightave ttainedo thetemplehichhines far.Theheartsf Roman otherseat nunnotedifetimen dim arlours.Souls ffiremiss heir our,ndanguishntoashes. Isnot hisconformableo whatall menfeelin theirown ase Who stherehathasnotthought,verandoveragain,what lsehecould ave one,what lsehecould avebeen Vanity,ndeed,mayoolushere, nd elf-tendernesse ooreadyo look ponhe

misspendingfyearssanythingutourownault. Letus ook,then, o each ther. Doesalmostny ne hatweknow ppearto doorbe all thathemight Howar romt 1 Regardoramomenthemannern which vastproportionf thosewho,romindependencyf fortune,nd romducation,reable o domostgoodn theworld,pendheir ime,and ayf there enotanimmenseroportionf the capabilityf mankindndeveloped.The actis, thebond f unionamongmen s also hebond frestraint.We are ommittedot o alarmrdistressach therbyextraordinaryisplay*t intellectremotion.Thereremore

hostageso fortunehatweshallotdo

anythingreat,hanhos«

*Emerson.



ANDDEBATE. 35

whichhavinghildrenonstitutes.Manytruggleora whileagainstherepressivenfluences,utatlength ieldothepower¬ful

emptationso

nonentity.The ocial

despotismresentshe

feteswithwhicht seekso solace ndbeguiletsvictimsand ewhobeganoputonhisarmouror herightingfmanywrongs,is sooncontento smilewith hosewhosmile. Thusdaily ogenerationsipe nd ot—lifenenjoyed,hegreatmissionnper¬formed.What subjector earsnthemultitudefyoungoulswho omen the irst aithof natureograppletthe good,hetrue, hebeautiful,utarethrownack, elplessndmute,ntothe limbo fCommonplace.hConventionality,uietmaybethy iresideours,moothhypillowedhoughts;utatwhatasacrificef therightand hegenerous,f thebest hatbreathes

andpantsnournature,sthypeace urchased!'Given,aysMr.Dawson,CromwellraMilton,ndhe willmake imselfelt. But his stheexception.he ule fdevelop¬mentrequireshe condition. aineconfesseshat he world(when e first ame oAmerica)ouldnot have ersuadedimthathe should eeither soldierr an author. If I had nytalentsoreither,aidhe,' theywere uriedn me,andmighthave ver ontinuedohadnot henecessityf he imes raggedanddriveuhemntoaction.'*Hewasunconsciousfhispowers.

Theresheroismntrustingourselfo events.Thatagacity

of whichreatnesss born,uts tsprowesso the estof experi¬ment. Inthis ies thesecret f thehero nd hescholar—theydonotguessheir bilities,utdeterminehem yenterprisendachievement.heyry.

Amonghemany arodiesf Shakspeare'soliloquyn Hamletthe followingag hemerit fusefulness. s thesoliloquyf anovice,t expressesith elicityheyoung peaker'soubtsndfears:—•

To pout,rnotospout,hatsthe uestion:Whethertisbetterorshameacedellow,

(Withoiceumusicalnd esturewkward)To tandmerepectatorn his usiness,Or avetouchtRhetoric o peak—topoutNomoreand y hisffort,o aywe ndThatashfulness,hat ervousrepidationDisplayednmaidenpeeches,—'twereconsummatlQKDevoutlyobewished.o ead—topeechifyBeforeolks—perhapso ail;—ay,here'she ueForromhatllsuccesshatneersayut,Erewe avecrambledhro'he ad rai.oa.

*«Cri«s,'No.6.



36 PUBLICPEAKING

Mustivespause'tis hisamreasonThatmakesnovicetandnhesitation,

And ladlyide is wn iminishedeadBeneathomealf-fledgedrator'smportance,WhenehimselfightisquietusakeByamereecitation.hoouldpeechesea«,Bespondedowith eartycclamation,Andet estrainimselfromoldingorth—But orhe readfsomenluckyailure,Somenforeseenistake—somerightfullunder—Someilepronunciation,rnflection,Impropermphasis,rwry-neckederiod,Whicharpingriticsote,ndaiseheaugh,

Not oour redit—noro oonorgotWemusen his Thentartshe ithyuestion:Had enot est emute,nd ide uraults,Thanpoutopublishhem

Spoutndpublishhemwithoutesitation.adRaphaelearedtodaub,ehadnever eenRaphael.HadCanovaearedo tor¬turemarble,ehadnever een sculptor.HadMacreadyearedtospout,ehadnevereen nactor.fyou tammerikeDemos¬thenes, r stutterikeCurran,peak n. Hewhohesitatesohesitate,illalwaysesitate.

CHAPTER IX.

PROPORTION.

Bombasts inflation;s turgid,dropsical*anguage—greatparade,ittle npurport. thas ts sourcenexaggeration,nwantofproportion.childatchest tscoralnd t hemoon ith hesamexpectationfclutchingt. Hehasno dea f distance.Theboycutsa stickor rundlesishoopwith s muchxultationstheman efeatsnenemyrwins iswife. Theboyhasnonotionofrelativealue.Aseverythingeemsquallyew, o everythingseemsquallymportanto him. Thiswantof measure,nnocentandhealthynyouth,sthesourcefbombastnmen.

'Man s a strangenimal,utthatcomplexnimal publicmeetings stranger.tsvagariesreurprising,ndbafflenalysis.



AND EBATE. 37

It alwayseemso havemoreorcehan ense. Two eadsre

betterhanone,butsome undredsfheadsppearo beworsethan one, Take nynumberfmen, ach f whom ouldistentoreason,e open o conviction,ndresoluteo see air lay llround; ompoundhehonestmen f sensenapublic eeting,ndtheaggregates headstrong,eadlong,ash,unfair,nd oolish.Tell nyingleman,otidemerbis,hat heresnobodyn heworldlikehim—nobodyo ovelynd irtuousshiswife nddaughters,andhewilllaughnyourace, rkickyououtofdoors; ut elltheaggregatean hesamefhismultitudinouselfandamily—hewillventanecstacyf delightn" oud heers."* Butonlythe uneducatedmitatehisdelusion.The imewillcomewhen

meetingsomorehanmenwill oleratehecollectiveonsense.ThenotoriousefencefThurtellome earsince,which asso applaudedoreffectivenessyaportionf thepress,s one fthe mostoffensivexhibitionsfvanityndwind-bagloquenceextant.Bombaststheanguagefvulgaritynd illainy. hurtelloughtohave een ondemnedorhisdefenceadheescapedromthepenaltyf hiscrime.Carelessnessf assertionndwildnessfaccusationre otheEnglisheoplextremelyistasteful,smark¬ingeither deficiencyf ntellectrawantofthe ove ftruth.

Royaltyasalwayseen patientnd ften greedyecipientf

egregiousdulation.he ratoryddressedoJames.onhisrogressthroughcotlandas fnocommonast. Officialsho ddressedhimatthevariousowns t which earrived—'putogetheru¬gustus,lexander,rajan,ndConstantine.twas upposedhatevenheantipodeseard f hiscourtesyndiberalitytheveryhillsand roves ere aid o berefreshedith hedew f hisas¬pect in hisabsencehecitizens ereanguishingyrades,nhispresenceelightedizards,orhewashesunshineftheir eauty.AtGlasgow,asteray,he ommissary,henttemptingospeakbeforeim,becameikeoneouched ith torpedo,r seenof a

wolf;and he

principalftheUniversity,omparingisMajesty

with hesun, bserved,othatuminary'sisadvantage,hatKingJames adbeen eceivedith ncredibleoyand pplause;hereasa descentf thesunntoGlasgowouldn all ikelihoode ex¬tremelyll taken.Hyberboleasnot ufficient—theidofprodi¬gieswascalled—aoyof nineyears ldharanguedhekingnHebrew,nd he schoolmasterf Linlithgowpokeersesn theform f a lion.'

Themeasurefa man'snderstandingies nhisanguage. hishe nevitablyfferso allobservers. esidesust astebeing ut

* 'Spectator.*f Progressnd ourtfKingamesheFirst.—'uarterlyeview,'.



38 PU*T,ICPEAKING

raged ydisproportion,ewhos guiltyf it loses hepowerf

beingmpressive.eare

oldfDante,

hoseotent seofwordshasneverbeensurpassed,hatgreat ndvariouss hispower.

ofcreatingicturesn a few ines nquestionablyas, e owedhatpowero thedirectness,iuplicity,ndntensityf his anguage.In him the invisibleecomesisible,' s LeighHuntsays—•darknessecomesalpable,ilenceescribescharacter,wordacts sa flash f ightninghichisplaysomeloomyeighbour¬hoodwherea tower s standing, ithdreadfulacesat thewindow.'

'In goodprose says redericchlegel)veryword hould eunderlined'—thats,every ord hould e therightword; ndthen oword ould erighterhananother.It comeso thesamehing,where llwordsre talics nemay swelluseroman.Therereno talicsnPlato,becauseherearenounnecessaryrunimportantords.f

Declamation,hichs assertion ithoutroof,s dispropor¬tion n thissense,hatt isadogmaticnunciation,ut ofpro¬portionithwhat s knownyanauditoryhorejecthepropo¬sitionsnnounced.earlyll orientalloquences declamatory.That 3th hapterftheCorinthians,hich elatesocharity,s agoodnstance.Paulellsyou ssiduouslyhatharitys,andhat

it shouldepractised,uthedoes otonceellyouwhy. Perhapstne rientalsrequickeroperceiver ess xactinghan uropeans,but the wantof thereasons asfeltamong s, andBishopHookeruppliedhem ixteenenturiesfter.

Precision ustbe attainedt anycost. If wedonotmasterlanguage,aysMr.Thornton,t willmasters. Anidleword,Bayshe DailyNews,'asconqueredhostoffacts. We mustkeep atch ndwardverwords.

CHAPTER X.

STYLE.

BoussEAUwaysmankindith hatdeliciousightthepowerfwpids)sJupiteroeswithhis ightnings. his s JohnMiiller'stributeo thestyleof Rousseau. t hasrecentlyeen sserted

*'Athenaeum,'o. 1S, age47. | GuessestTruth.



AND EBATE. 39

among s,that•Styles, andalways asbeen,hemost italelementf iterarymmortalities.orehan ny ther uality,t

ispeculiaro thewriter;ndnoone, ot imetself,anrobhimofit,oreven iminishtsvalue.Factsmayeforgotten—learninggrowcommon-place—truthswindlento mere ruisms—butmagnificentrbeautifultyle anneverose ts freshnessnd tsvalue. For tyle,evenmore han orhiswonderfulrudition,sGibbondmired;ndthe same uality,nd hatalone,endersHumehepopularistorianfEngland,n spiteof hisimperfectlearning,heuntrustworthinessfhisstatementsn mattersffact,and heanti-popularaste f hisopinions.' Thiss notgreaterpraisehan should e nclinedo awardomasterlytyle, uthis

eulogyas he ault f

makingtyleoappear

ndependentfsense.WevalueHumeor hegracendperspicuityf hisnarrative,ndfor thoseprofoundeflectionshich, hetheroundednrealorfictitiousata, reequallyullof wisdom.Method,erspicuity,brevity,ariety,armony,re ndeedeparableromense, utnocombinationfsuch ualitiesillgiveife o a bookwithoutense.They rehut he auxiliariesfmeaning,ot he ubstitutesor t.Gilfiilanashappilyaid,hat' he ecretfperfectompositionsmanly isdom,tteredn youthfulanguage.' outhfulanguageis simplendclear.These re ts properties.Wearenothingunless e arecritical,ndwe arenothingnless eareclear.

That riticismhich estroyshepowerfpleasingust eblownaside,nd omust hatinessefstylewhich annoteunderstood.Again,he ruths obvioushat enses thedespotfstyle.

The Dublin niversityagazine'atelyhad hispassage:—•Bozhasachievedgreathing—heascreatedstyle. PerhapsI amwrongosaycreated—aermwhichmpliesndependencefmaterials—whereashesingularircumstancen thiscases,thatbycarefultudy fprevioustyles, y mitationfthem,ymoreperhapshanmitationnthe irstnstance,hisauthoraspro¬duced utof theheterogeneouslementscompoundssentially

differingromallits componentarts,nd

claiming—claimingjustly—theighmerit fbeing riginal. hatuch resulthouldfollowuch courseughto encourageriters hoaimat truecelebrityo adopthishumblend ains-takingnitiatoryystem,whichhoughn other rts t hasadmittedlyed o thegrandestresultsinpainting,ornstance),n literatureasbeen oomuch,overlookednddespised.Boznowstands lonenhisstyle—hehashadnomodels,ehasno mitators,ewillprobablyavenodisciples.' shouldhinkDickens assmiled t this violent

*'Dailyews,'o-JW.



40 PUBLICPEAKING

attemptomake literarylchemistfhim, sone usingllsortsof stylesn his cruciblefcomposition,nd ringingutquite

newmixture.Presentocietyas urnishedimwithmaterials;patientnd n ccuratebservationas atheredhem;eeling,aste,and umourave ombinedhem, nd nunaffectedimplicityastold hem.I suspecthat happyaturend oodense ave admore o dowithDickens'seputationhananyamount f oldstyles—thanterne r Sturm.Tindalaid f Pitt's irstpeech,that t wasmore rnamentalhan hespeechesf Demosthenes,and ess diffusehan hoseof Cicero.Thatt should ave eensooften uoted,aysMacaulay,'sproofowlovenlyost eopleare ontentothink. Itwould enoverylatteringomplimentoa man's

igureo

sayhathewas allerhan hePolish

ount orTomThumb],ndshorterhanGiantO'Brien;atterthananatomieivante,ndmore lenderhanDanielLambert.Nospeakinganbe lessornamentalhan hatof Demosthenes,rmore iffusehanhat f Cicero.'

Heldenmaierayst downsa maximfeducationhatFreedomis theallessentialonditionf growthnd ower.Thereanbeno ervour,hilen the anguagefSam lick—'alk asa pairofstays,nds laced p ight nd tiff.' It is freedomhich stheactivelementfall resh nd igoroustyle Dr.Gilchristb¬serveshat'What ne ftheancienthilosophersaid f aws,maybe rulyaid frhetoricalules they re ikecobwebshich n¬tangleheweak, utwhich hestrong reakhrough.The irstrule f good ompositions,that hecomposere reeandbold.Beforeman anbeagoodhinkerra goodwriter,emust efree nd old—heust erousedo nobledaring—heusteelhiswholeoul isingnscornfulndignationtthe houghtfhav¬ingbeen oraday blind ollowerf blindeaders—alaveofslaves—aemberftheherd fcreeping,rouching,ervile inds".Can ervileomposersn heharnessfrules,readinghe ashofcriticism,impingpon uotationsithheiryeupon recedents,

and uthorities,reate style tonce—newnd triking,et ustand roper AH eal reatnessstheoffspringf reedomtheremay eabsurdity,olly,ant, ypocrisy,queamishelicacy,inicalpoliteness,ickly entimentality,awkishffectationnevery os¬sible antasticormof fashionnd ariety;ut here annoteoriginal,ubstantialxcellenceithoutntellectualndependence,manlyhinkingndeeling.'

Assoon saman nderstandssubjecte s nacondition,-soaratmaterialoes,o writerspeakboutt. If he has alsocou¬rageowrite imselfnhisword,emay esaid o have hema¬terialsnd hestrengtho achieveriginality. ut let himnot



ANDDEBATE. 41

forgethatulnessnd reedomreboth lind and hatwithoutthelights f taste ndperspicuityndbrevityemay ffend,e¬

wilder,nd ire.Out falla manmay eable o say,astebywhich chieflymean sense futility)electshemost sefulhingswhich er¬tain o convictionndmprovement.

An oldwoman ho howedhouse ndpicturest Towces-ter,expressederselfn thesewords:—'hiss SirRichardar¬mer;he ivednthecountry,ookcareof his estate,uilt hishouse ndpaidor t,managedell,avedmoney,nddit-d ich.Thats hisson;hewasmade lord,ook place t court,penthisestate,nddied beggar' A veryoncise,ut ulland trik¬

ingaccountaysDr.Home.Here

learnessndbrevityre on¬spicuousgreat ualitieso master!

As tis greaterysterynthe rtOf aintingo oreshortenny art.Thanrawtout;o tisnbookshe hiefOf llperfect'onsobeplainndrief.

Juniper edgehogrote f theBishopf Exeter:—'Whatlawyer as poiledn thatbishop!What brain ehas orcob¬

webs. How edrags oualonghroughentencefterentence—everynea darkassage—untilouread wims!' Characteris¬ingwith ffect he darknesshich revails here erspicuitysabsent.

Brevityndprecisionreoftener anifestedmongurFrenchneighbourshan mongurselves. he peechesadeo mobs—themost urriedlacards,boundn the elicitiesfcondensation.Europeas for omeimebeen gitatedithcommunism.ewEnglishmenouldellyouwhatsmeanty t. Yetnearlycen¬tury goMorellyhusexpressedt:—' t is thesolutionf thisexcellentroblemTo indasituationnwhicht shall enearlyimpossibleorman o bedepravedrbad.' We have ever nthisside hechannelpproachedhe elicityf this eply.

Asa modelf theold,simple,ndmanlyaxonongue,hestudent ay onsulthewritingsftheauthorfthe' Pilgrim'sProgress.'f all hdtMr.Maciulayversbe true,heworks ftheBedfordinmaneservepecialttention.ThestyleofBun-yan,saysMacaulay,s delightfulo everyeader,nd nvaluableasastudyoevery erson howisheso obtain wide ommandover heEnglishanguage. he ocabularys thevocabularyf

*Jerrold'shillingagazine,o, . Jul",845.F



42 PUBLICPEAKING

thecommoneople.Theres notanexpression,f weexceptfew ermsntheology,hich oulduzzleherudesteasant.We

have bservedeveralageswhich onot ontainsingleword fmorehan wo yllables.etnowriteras aidmorexactlyhathewantedosay. Formagnificence,orpathos,orvehementx¬hortation,or ubtleisquisition,orevery urposef thepoet,heorator,nd he divine,hishomelyialect,his dialect fplainworkingen,was ufficient.heres nobookn our iteraturenwhich ewouldo readilytakehe ameof the oldunpollutedEnglishanguage,oboon, hichhowsowellhow ich hatan¬guagesin its ownproperealth,ndhow ittle t hasbeenm¬provedyallthatt hasborrowed.

In the firsteditionf ' Practical rammar'he authorellintohisvagueness.f remarksad to bemade t the endof astatement,twasdirectedhathey houldeneithertoostrongnor oo edious.'Butwhen esubsequentlysked isclass ttheCityMechanics'nstitution,twhatpoint f effectivenessmanmightbe said o be toostrong,t wasagreedhat herewaserroromewhere.ndhe njunctionot o be too edious' asfoundo implyhatwemightbetediousnsome egree—whichhardlyeemedesirable. hent wasasked,WhatsstrengthSomenswered,ower.WhatwasPower Some aid,Effec¬tiveness.Butitwas oon elt hatthesedefinitionseftuslike

Swift'sefinitionfstyle, hat t was heuse ofproperordsnproperlaces.Whatwereproperords ndproperlacestillremainedpen uestions.o,fpower as trength,nd trengtheffectiveness,hatwas effectivenessasstillunknown. t wasfinallygreedhato bestrong as o bejust,and o avoid eingtedious as o be brief.We, therefore,greedhat remarksjust ndbrief'were heproperharacterisation.orwhatwasjust ould evere too trong,ndwhatwasbrief ould ever etoo edious.From hich ealso earnedhat hesecret fthestrengthf commentayn just entiments,nd hat edium as

the iresomerogenyfprolixity.

CHAPTF/R XI.

SIMILIES.

Varacelsus nnouncedhatCoganeiterated,hat" t isasne¬

cessaryo know vilasgood;orwho anknowwhatsgoodwith-



ANU EBATM. 43

outknowinghats evil?' This rinciplef contraststhat ponwhichruth ependsor t developmentndeffect or tspower.It istheprinciplen whichimiliesre ounded.

Topreserveeacendo dogoods avery ldmaxim f mo¬rality.Felthamhusenforcest:—'Whenwogoats,n anar¬rowbridgemetovera deep tream,asnothethewiser hatlaydownor heotheropass ver im, atherhanhe hatwouldhazardoth heirivesbycontendingHepreservedimselfromdanger,ndmadeheother ecomeebtoro him orhissafety.I willneverhinkmyself isparageditherypreservingeacerdoing ood.'This omparisonlevateshesentiment,elievestsrepetitionromriteness,nd ivest the reshnessftruth.

Paine, hom haveheard benezerlliotdescribesagreat

masterfmetaphor,aidofa certainodynAmerica,hatat theverynstanthathey reexclaiminggainsthemammonfthisworld,hey reneverthelessuntingftert withastep ssteadystime, nd nappetiteskeen sdeath.Themmutablensatiable-ness oughto be characteriseds rendereduchmorevidentythesesimilies. t will be observedhat hecontrastmpliednsimiliess notabsolute;t is thecomparisonfa esseregree ithagreater,hichmarkshe idea o be enforced. hiss seen nthe sayingf Dumonto theeffect,hat Bothhe Rolandseltconvincedhat reedomould everlourishnFrance,nd pringupagoodlyree, nderhe hadowfa throne.'t is furthereen

intheremarkf Mirabeau,ho,when skedo counselnobsti¬natefriend,nswered,Youmight s wellmake n issuen awoodenegasgivehimadvice.'The ame rinciplesobservableintheobservationfEmerson,t the soiree f the ManchesterAthenaeum,twhich espoke.Expressinghe atenttrengthfOldEngland,e said he"hadstillapulseikea cannon.'Thefelicityfthe imilie asperfect.The ame erson,enotinghefreshnessfstyle fMontaigne,aid hewords,f youcut hemtheywouldbleed. The CorkMagazine'ayshat heprefacefThomasavisothespeechesf Currans in some arts, sma¬

jestic s heorationshicht prefacesinothers,isplayingwildpathos, hichstrikesponheear ike hecryofa woman.'It doesnotappearo me obenecessaryoenternto heusual

enumerationfthevariousiguresf speechpeciallyet orth nrhetorics.Underheprinciplefcomparisonowidearange fillustrations includeds obesufficientor heuseoftherhetori¬cian. Nothing,eare old, oworksn hehuman ind,arba¬rous r civilised,s a newsymbol. Metaphors themajesticgroundf enforcement,nd ts occupations as extensives itspower.It is bythismeanshepovertyf languages enrichedy



44 PUBLICPEAKING

theeloquenceftheuniverse,ndhewhole f inanimateatureadmittednto ociety ithman—

InEasternandsheyalkn lowers,Andellnagarlandheirovesndares;Eachlossomhat loomsn heirarden-bowers

Ontseavesmysticanguageears.

Comparisonsreimpliedy phrases.An instance ccursnNewman'sorks, hereesays—' eresyidhutprecipitatehetruthseforeeld n solution.'Theallusionschemical,utveryhappy.Symbolsxpressedr mpliedere heweaponsf Mira-beau.Contemptor hemen-millineryf iteratureasnevermore

forciblyxpressedhann thesewordsfhis—'My tyle eadilys¬sumesorce,nd havea commandf strongxpressions;ut fI wanto bemild, nctuous,ndmeasured,becomensipid,ndmy labbytylemakes e sick.'Dumont,friendfMirabeau's,recountingisown ditorialxperiencenpreservingrevityndawisedirectnessnhis ournalays—'hemostdiffuseomplainedofour educingheir ropsicalnd urgescentxpressions.'

Bysomeomparisonsll thepowerf condensations realised.GrattanomparingheIrishParliamento a departedhild,x¬claimed,Ihave atbyts cradlend followedts hearse.' here

is here ll hegrandeurfeloquencend rief.Inthe Auditor,'ordViscountarringtonasdescribeds alittlequirrelfstate,whohadbeen usy llhis ife n thecage,withouturningt roundo anyhumanurpose.Theclearnessattainedy thissimilie eeds o explanation.everityanbeconveyedith qualase, s nstancedn JudgeHaliburton'ss¬severation,hatHumilitysthedress-coatfpride.

Itisatrite emarkhatmendrawheir ymbolsromhose e¬partmentsfscience,rlife,withwhichheyaremost amiliar.*TheGreeksilledheiranguageith eometricalllusions. ieut.Lecount,hewell knownmathematician,avingccasiono des¬

cribe wound,ays—'ne f the atestaseswasa manwitharoundlcer,boutwo nd halfnchesn diameter,n one ideofhis eg,and novalone,iveinchesbytwoandahalfon heotheride.*

WhenMr.Mould,heundertakern'Nicholasicklehy,'peaksofShaksperet isasthe heatricaloetwhowasburiedt Strat¬ford. Bnt tmattersotwhencehesimiliesredrawnrovidedthey reappropriate.nasermonreachedtNewgatefterhe

*Midlandbserver,arch844



4.ND EBATE. 45

escapefJack heppard,heclergymaniscoursedothiseffect:'Howdexterouslyidhe pick hepadlockf his chainwitha

crookedail—burstis fetters sunder—climbphischimney—wrenchut anironbar—breakiswayhroughstonewall—makehestrongoorof a dark ntry lybefore im—reachheleads f heprison—fixblanketo thewallwitha spike tolenfromhechapel—descendo thetopof theturner'souse—cau¬tiously ass owntairs,ndmake isescapetthestreet oor.

'I shall piritualisehese hings.Let meexhorte, hen,oopen he locksof your earts ith henailofrepentance;urstasunderhe fetters fyour elovedusts;mounthechimneyfhope take hencehebar fgoodesolutionbreakhroughhestonewall f

despair,nd ll he

strongholdsn thedarkntryf

thevalleyftheshadowfdeath raiseyourselveso the eads fDivinemeditation;ixthe blanketf faithwith he pike fthechurchletyourselvesowno the urner'souse fresignationdescendhe stairs fhumility.Soshallyou omeothedoor fdeliveranceromheprisonf niquity,ndscaperomheclutchesof thatoldexecutionerhedevil,whogoeth,'tc. tc.*

Thechild,whenhe first earnso speak, illsayanything,thinkingeaccomplishesuchncontinuingotalk. Sowithhepublicpeakerhenhe firstcommences,ndsowithheearlyeffortsftheyoung riter.Heknowsothingfsymboliceauty

orrhetoricalroportion—heoes otsuspecthat here regaudyimagesnd ncumberingrnaments.When e irst ises bovehelevel fplainrose,enever nows heno descendo theearth;and nsteadffindingnelevationhenceecan how isreadersawiderandscapendnewobjects,ethinks e does noughyshowingimself.

Prodigalityfmetaphors,ikemultitudesfsuperlatives,onfoundmeaning.It is an idlefancyf some,'aysFelton,o runoutperpetuallypon imilitudes,onfoundingheir ubject y themultitudef ikenesses,ndmakingt like omanyhings,hat t

is likenothingt all.'Thegeneraluleo be observeds obvious.Whenwe ntendoelevate subject,emustchoosemetaphorshich re ofty rsublime. f ourpurposes todegrade,he similies hichink hesubjectocontemptrridiculereproperor mployment.hesearehe wopolesf endency. memberf he ndianaegislatureliassaid, Mr.Speaker,—Theolf s the mosterociousnimalthatprowlsn ourwesternrairies,rrunst argenthe orestsfIndiana.Hecreepsromhislurking-placet thehour f mid-

*VolumefTrialsfCriminals,rintedtLeeds,809,

orJ.Davies,byEdwardaines.



46 PUBLICPEAKING

night,hen llnatures loekedn he ilent mbracesfMorpheus;anderetheportalsf the eastareunbarred,rbright hoebusrisesn allhisgolden ajesty-wholeitters fpigs redestroyed.'Wantingustainment,heseiguresnd n theridiculous.

CHAPTER XII.

PLEASANTRY.

I offer only fewsuggestionsn thissubject.Thehappiestvein fpleasantrys neededo pena suitablessay pont. Ifmen fwitandhumourouldnalysehesourcesf theirnspira¬tions, leasantryighte aughtsanart.Andwhy ot Recrea¬tions anelementf health—aomponentf human ature—thethird stateof life. It oughto havetsprofessorsnd ultiva¬tors.

A comedianento America,ndremainedhere woyears,leaving is wifedependentn herrelatives.Mrs.F ttexpatiatingn thegreen-roomn hecrueltyf such onduct,hecomedianoundwarm dvocatena well-knownramatist.Ihave eard,'ayshe atter,thathe is thekindest fmen;andI knowhathewriteso hiswife veryacket.' Yes,hewrites,'repliedMrs. ., ' aparcelfflummeryboutheagonyfabsence,buthehasneveremittederashilling.Doyou all hatkind¬ness ' ' Decidedly,'epliedheauthor,unremittingindness.'Herehewit urns pon ords.

Goodrichelates conversenstance:—'Inceheard faboy,who, eingebukedyaclergymanorneglectingogo ochurch,replied,hathe wouldo f hecouldbepermittedochange isseat. "Butwhydoyouwishochangeoureat "said hemi¬

nister."Youee," aid heboy,"I sitoverheoppositeide fthemeeting-house,ndbetween eandyouhere'sudyVicarsandMary taples,nd half-a-dozentherwomen,withtheirmouthside pen, ndhey etall he bestof thesermon,ndwhent comeso me tsprettyoortuff.'

•Witsthephilosopher'suality,umourhepoet's;henatureof wit elatesothings,umouropersons.Wit utters rillianttruths,umourelicate eductionsromheknowledgef indi¬vidualharacter. ochefoucaults witty,heVicar fWakefieldthemodelfhumour.'*

*Bulwer'student.



AND EBATE. 47

Englishumours frank, earty,ndunaffected.rish ightas mercury.t setsproprietyt defiance.t is extravagant.

Scotchumourssly, grave,nd austic.SurelyheanalysisfPleasantryspossible,nd tscultivationractical.Many ersonseverhink fpleasantrys anagent f reliefn

exposition,ndof effectn many epartmentsf enforcement.Someworryokes o death.A manwho uns fterwitticismssin dangerf makingimself buffoon.Some peakersre obesetwith he oveof thisdisplayhat hey irtuallynnounceotheiraudienceshatthe smallestaughwouldbe thankfullyreceived.Adegreefwitpertainso alltopics.Thatwhichiesin ourways thatwhichs relevant.

CHAPTER XIII.

Energy s thesoulof oratory;ndenergyependsn health.Dr.Samuelohnson,ithhat trongenseorwhich ewasdis¬

tinguished,nceaid,wecan eusefulo ongerhanwearewell.Of therhetoriciantmay ssafelye said hathe s effectiveolongerhan e s well. Avarietyfartsmay epursuedn ndif¬ferent ealth—feeblenessnly rolongsxecution—inhetorictmars hewholework. Evenn the matterf efficienthinkinghealths worth ttention.The enseseinghegreatnlets fknowledgetisnecessaryhatheybe keptn health.It willbeidle o concealrom urselveshat hephysicals the atherfthemoralman. ' Moralsependponemperaments.'*

Thepatienceecessaryorinvestigationannot epreservedwithmpairederves.Long-continuedakefulnessscapablef

changinghe emperndmentalispositionf themostmildandgentleofeffectingcompletelterationftheireatures,nd, tlength, f occasioninghe mostsingularhims,hestrangestdeviationsn thepowerfimagination,nd,n the nd,absoluteinsanity.

Itmay otbenecessary,ecausearneadesook opiousosesofhelleboresapreparativeorefutinghedogmasfthe toics,rbecauseryden,hen ehad grandesignook hysicnd artedwithblood—thathe searcherfterruth hould ommenceith

*Edwardohnson—.Life,ealthndDisease,.30.



*8 PUBLICPEAKING

anaperient;et t willbe useful hat omeattentionepaid othephysiologyf the

intellect,hoseseDependsomuchponhe astricuice.

Thepublic ell ememberhecaseof an ex-occupantf thewoolsack,ho, fter sixdaysndisposition,'ttemptedheanni¬hilationfLord berdeenn account f hisScotchChurchill.The Times,withsome atire, xpressed,n referenceo itmuchruth. ' Werecognisehedeepnterest f thepublicnLord .'smedicinehest. Wepray im o take are f himselfforallour akes. Weentirelynter nto the feelingsf a man

who,fter

ufferingix

daysunder

yspepsia,ile,or

otherwise,rushesnto heHouse fLordsoavengepon omeministerhedisarrangementf hissystem.The astigationf a SecretaryfStates an nterestingncidentnhisdisorder,gratifyingallia¬tiveof hisdiscomfort;utti3,after ll,nEpsomalts rquininethat he rue nd nly ffectualemedy ust e ound.'*

Perhapshe lowest ualityf the artof oratory,utoneonmany ccasionsf the irst mportance,s acertainobustndradianthysicalealth—greatolumesf animal eat. In thecold hinnessf a morningudience,ere nergyndmellow¬ness s inestimable;isdomndlearningould e harsh nd

unwelcomeomparedith substantialan, hosquitehouse-warming. do notratehisanimalifeveryhigh;yet,aswemustbe ed andwarmedefore ecandoanyworkwell,so isthisnecessary.ft often appenshatyou annotomento olli¬sionwithopinion ithoutomingnto collision ithpersons.Whatwould antonave eenwithoutiscannonoice. WhenMirabeaupoke,isvoice as ike hevoice fdestiny.Heseemedas fmouldedo betheoratorf nature.Thewiseorator illasmuch ttendo the exercise hich iveshimhealth, s to theexercisehich iveshim kill. Wego to the oratorioo hearsublimeentimentset o themusic fart,we

goto theoratoro

hearhem nforcedy hemusic f nature.Oratorys theper¬sonalascendancyf opinion.Withouthysicalascinationtdescendsomereloquencefwords.Intellect oveshe cholaronly. Oratoryoveshe lliterateo noble eeds.

Whenravellingxpensesereheonly aymentreceivedormyecturesused o walk o theplaceof theirdelivery.Onmywalkrom irminghamoWorcester,distancef 26miles,it wasmycustomo reciteonthewayportionsf my ntended

* Times. une9,1843. t Emerson.



AND EBATE. 49

address. ntheearly art f mywalkmyvoicewasclear, »£thoughtseady—butowardshe end couldcarcelyrticulate,

orretainhe hreadfmydiscourse.f I lecturedhe ameven¬ing,assometimesappened,spoke ithoutonnectionr force.The eason asthat hadexhaustedy trengthn theway.OneSaturdaywalkedrom heffieldoHuddersfieldo deliverntheSundaywoanniversaryectures. twasmy irstappearancethere nd wasambitiousoacquit yself ell.But n themorn¬ingI wasutterlynableo domorehan alkhalf naudiblyndquitencoherently.ntheeveningwasolerable,utmyvoicewasweak.Myannoyanceasexcessive. wasa paradoxomyself.Mypowereemedocomend obysome ccentricawof tsown. I didnot ind ut ill

yearsfterhat heutter

xhaus¬tion of mystrengthad exhaustedhepowersf speechndthought,nd hatentireeposenstead f entireatiguehouldhave eenhepreparationorpublicpeaking.

CHAPTERXIV.

ELOttUENCE.The historiesf old imes,nd ven fnotvery istantnes,c¬

quaint swiththe wondrousffects f eloquenceponwholemultitudes,arriedwayofar rusadesy heoratoryfahermit;and ven pon rave oliticalssembliesndparliaments,hichanablepeakerouldwist,urn,ndpersuadeccordingofantasy,sothatmajoritiesung pon iswords.Theres nosuchthingnow-a-days.udiencesreneitheropliableor o soft—andeloquence,oweverighty,ails ncarryingonvictionsy storm.

Perhapshissthereason

hyofew

publicmenof

thepresentday all nto hemistakefstrivingraffectingo beeloquent.'Persuasion,nfact,snow long-windedndediousask.Thewinningfanaudience,f a party—thenculcatingn idea,hedisseminatingt—thewinningonvictionirst, ndgettingptheenthusiasmfter—isow slowwork,lmostikehedroppingfaseed, nd atiently aitingill it grows,n order o fostert,watert,protecttsgrowth,nd njoytsexpansionnto hestemandhe lower;uch s thepoliticalloquencef modernimes.He who discoveredt, and who practisest, is—RichardCobden.*

*Daily ews, o.522.



50 PUBLICPEAKING

Thiss a fair istoryfmodernloquencebut tis hardlyruethatMr.Cobdendiscovered't. Hehasbeen ts greatestllus¬

trator,ut thas

grownithhe

growthnd ommercialharacter

of thenation.LongbeforeCobden'sime,he magic ancyofBurke,heglitteringophistriesf Pitt, hethunderingeclama¬tionofFox,were llalikeoundedponhe generalnd astingtruthf hings—uponrofoundiews—uponhe nexhaustite re¬sourcesf heunderstanding.hekingof transcendentalistsassaidhat Eloquenceustirst eplainestarrativerstatement;afterwardstmaywarmtself ntil t exhalesymbolsfeveryind,andpeaksnlyhroughhemostpoeticorms; ut at firstandlastt musttillbe,atbottom,statementffacts. Allaudiencessoon sk,"Whatshedrivingt?" andfthismandoes ot tand

foranything,e willbedeserted.'* hiswriterasgiven sthemost loquentersionf eloquencextant,he substancef hisviewssas ollows—'First,hen,he oratormust ea substantialperson;hen he irst f his special eaponss, doubtless,owerofstatement—toavehe actand o know ow o tell t. Next,isthatmethodrpowerfarrangementhichonstituteshegeniusand fficacyfallremarkableen. Next o this is thepower fimagery.Nothingo works n the human ind, arbarousrcivilised,sanewsymbol.Thepowerf dealingwithfacts, filluminatinghem, fsinkinghem yridiculerdiversionfmind,

rapid eneralisation,umour,it,andpathos,ll thesearekeyswhichheoratorolds; et heseoreignifts re noteloquence,and ooften inder man romheattainmentf t. Tocomeotheheart f themystery,he trulyeloquents,a sanemanwithpowero communicateis anity.Arm manwithall thetalentsjustenumerated,o potentandsocharming,ndhe hasequalpowero ensnarendmislead,sto inttruct ndguideyou. Aspectacleemay oroundhe worldo see s a manwho,n theprosecutionfgreat esigns,asabsoluteommandf the meansofrepresentingis deas,eepshegraspfa iononhismaterials,and heeyeof aking o disposehemight, everoraninstant

light-mindedr nsane.But,n thegreatriumphf theorator,wemust aveomethingore we must ave certaine-inforc-ingof hemanromheevents,o as to have he doubleorce freasonndof destiny.Theeloquent an is nothe whohasbeautifulpeech,uthewho s inwardlynddesperatelyrunkwith certainelief,gitatingndtearing im,perhapslmostbereavingim f hepowerf articulation. hen t rushesromhim,nshortbruptcreams,n torrentsfmeaning.Theposses¬sion fhismind ythe subjects so'entire,hat it ensuresn

* Emerson.



AND EBATE. 51

ardourf e:\pressionshichs theardourfnaturetself—anaoistheardourfthegreatestorce,ndnimitableyany rt. Add

to thisa certainegnantalmness,hich,n all the umult,everutters prematureyllable,ndkeepshe ecretfhismeansndmethod—andheoratortands eforehepeople,sademoniacalpower,owhosemiraclesheyhave okey. Tioutlihoulday hefoundationfeloquence,otonpopularrts, utoncharacterndhonesty.Let he sun ookonnothingoblerhanbe—let imspeakortheright—letimnotborrowheanguagef idle entle¬men rscholars,uchess hatof sensualists,bsorbedn moneyorappetite—butethim ommunicateveryecret fstrengthndgood-willommunicatedohisown eart,oanimateen o better

hopes—ethimpeakor heabsent,efendhe friendlessndde¬famed,hepoor,he lave,heprisoner,ndhe ost. Lethimookupon ppositionsopportunity:e s onewho annotedefeatedorputdown.Lethim eel hatt is notthepeoplewhoare nfault,ornotbeingonvinced,uthewho annotonvincehem.Hehasnot nlyo neutraliseheirpposition-thaterea smallthing,but oconverthemntoapostlesnd ublishersf he amewisdom."

Theonly lterationwouldmaken hisaccountsthis insteadofmakingloquencething fdegree,hich onfoundsloquencewith

oratory,wouldmarkhe distinction.

loquenceelongsmerelyosvords,ratoryo the passion hich ires hem. Theeloquencefintellects thatof speech,ndsense, ndsymbol;but heoratoryhicho seldomreetshe earsof men s theeloquenceftheman. Thephilosophernlyreacheshe scholar—the ratoreacheshemob. Thephilosopheralks herhetoricoftheschools—heoratorhe anguagefnature: espeakseartwords—thatanguagehichs wide s theworld, hich eacheshumanity,hich llnationsnderstand—whichhedeafnd umbcan eel—theanguagefattitude,f gesture—thathichmovesusoncanvass,reathesnmarble. t is thefumingwordof

passion. tknowsohigh, o ow, orich, opoor,ocitizen,oalien, oforeigner,o crime, o colour.Savagendcivilised,learnedndlliterate,theaccidentsfcondition)inkntonsignifi¬cancewhenmanpeaksoman. Theorator enetrateso theequalityfhumanity.t is intheequalityfourcommonaturethatacon.monurposeriginates.ealonewhopenetrateshereinspiresnanimity.t iswhenhemultitudereofoneopinionhattheorator'sowers revealed—thats thesealhatnaturetampsupon isgenius.

It is said hat nedaywhenMasillonaspreachingponhe

Passionefore ouisXIV. ndall the court, e so affectedishearershatevery ody asn ears,xceptcitizen,ho ppeared



52 PUBLICPEAKING

as ndifferentowhat eheardas to whathe saw. One f hisneighbours,urprisedt suchnsensibility,eproachedim or t,and aidohim,'Howcanyourefrainromweeping,hileweare llbathedn tears ' 'Thats notastonishing,'nsweredhecitizen, amnotof thisparish.'Theeloquencehich haveendeavouredo describeould ave ncludedhisman,also,nthegeneral eeping.Tosay—Thattouchof naturemakesthe wholeworld in,s only notheray fsaying—Thatmanis relatedo allnature.'Eloquenceiscovershisrelation. nthe irstemark,hakspereivesheeffect,fwhich,nthesecondremark,mersonasassignedhecause.

Withespectopassion,o whichmuch mportanceas been

assigned,twillbeusefuloremark,hat hough emust dmit,withLordKarnes,hattheplainestmananimatedithpassionaffectssmorehanhegreatestpeakerithoutt, wemust eepin view hat heonlypassionoleratedmongs is thepassionfconviction. ll the rest s, toEnglishmen—rant.hepassionof convictionsmodest, anly,nd arnest.

CHAPTER XV.PREMEDITATION.

There s everyeasono believehat hegreatest astersf ora¬tory ave eenmost ensiblef thevaluendhavemost ractisedpre-meditation.t isonlyheyoung ould-bepeakerho xpectsto begreatwithoutffort, rwhoseanityeadshim to imposeuponthershebeliefhat e s so—whoffectsodespisehe oilofpreparation.ne fthebiographersfCanningellsus hatt

isremarkable,hatwith isbroadense fgreatacultiesnothers,he washimselfastidiouso excess bouthe slightesturns fexpression. e would orrect is speeches,nd amendhen-verbal races,ill henearlyolishedut heoriginalpirit.Hewasnot ingularn this. Burke, home is said ohave loselystudied,idthesame. Sheridanlways reparedis speeches;thehighly-wroughtassagesnthespeechnHastings'mpeach¬mentwerewritteneforehandndcommittedo memoryandthedifferencesere o marked,hat heaudienceould eadilydistinguishetweenheextemporaneousassagesnd hose hatwere remeditated.r.Canning'slterationsererequentlyo

uinute nd xtensivehat heprintersoundteasierorecompose



ANDDEBATE. 53

the matter freshn typehan o correctt. Thisdifficultyf

choicen dictionometimespringsromVembarrases ichesses,butoftenerrompovertyfresources,ndgenerallyndicatesclass f ntellecthichs more ccupiedith ostumehandeas.Buthere re hreenstanceshichetallpopularotionsfverbalfastidiousnessytheears forcertainlyurke, anning,ndShe¬ridanweremenof capaciousalents; nd woof them, tleast,presentxtraordinaryxamplesf imaginationndpracticaludg¬ment,unningogethereck nd eck n theraceof life o thevery oal.

Weowe he ow tate foratorynthis ountryo agreatxtent

to the alse ontemptor cutanddriedpeeches,'ill t has ometo beconsideredsignofweaknessoramanothinkbefore espeaks.Archbishophatelyaswiselyautionedoung reachersagainstoncludinghatbecauseheApostlespakewellwithoutpremeditation,hat thers ill peako,unless,ike heApostles,theyare peciallynspired.

Perhaps,lthougheuseheterm,weneveravehadoratoryinEngland.Theres anessentialifferenceetweenratorynddebating;ratoryeems naccomplishmentonfinedo thean¬cients,nlesshe Frenchreachers ayputn theirclaim, ndsomeoftheIrishawyers.Mr.Sheil'speechnKentwasa fineoration;nd he boobiesho aunted im orhaving otit byrote,were otawarehan ndoingoheonlywiselyollowedheexamplefPericles,emosthenes,ycias,socrates, ortensius,Cicero, sesar,nd veryreatratorfantiquity.*

It hasbeen aidbyapopularriterhatDemosthenesotonlypromptso vigorous easures,utteachesow heyareto becarriedntoexecution.Hisorationsrestronglynimated,ndfullofthe mpetuosityndardour fpublicpirit.Hiscompo¬sitionsnotdistinguishedyornamentnd plendour.t is anenergyf thought,eculiarlyisown,whichorms ischaracter,

andraises im above isspecies.Heappearsot o attendowords,utothings.Weorgetheorator,ndhink f he ubject.Hehas oparadend stentation;ostudiedntroduction;ut slikea manullof hissubject,ho, fter reparingisaudienceya sentencertwo, or hereceptionfplainruths,ntersirectlyonbusiness.

Blair houldave aidDemosthenesadnoelaboratexordiums.Theywerestudied,'sisprovedy heir ertinencynd itness.Demadesays thatDemosthenespokebetteron some ewoccasionshenhe spoke npremeditatedly.robablye spoke

well n some f thesenstances,ut t was he result fpower* Younguke,yB.Disraeli



S4 PUBLICPEAKING

acquiredypremeditation.sageneralule, ewhohinkswice

beforepeakingncewill peakwice hebetteror t.WhenMacaulayasabout o addressheHouse fCommonshisanxiousnd estless anneretrayedisintention.Stillhewasregardlessftheaughfthewitlingsnd ontinuedntentnhiseffort.This s therealcouragehatdoes hingswell—thecouragehatsneitheraughedorrownedromtspurpose.

Macaulaypoke arlyn theeveningeforehe arringfthedebateonfusedim, r ong ttentionnfeebledispowers. nlythegnorantespisettentionso minuteetails.WhenhegreatLordChathamas oappearnpublicetookmuch ainsbouthisdress,nd atterlye arrangedis lannelsn gracefulolds.

Itneed ot hendetractrom ur espectorErskine,hatonall_occasionse desiredo ook mart,ndhatwhen e wentdowninto hecountrynspecialetainerse anxiouslyadrecourseoall mannerf innocentittleartificeso aid his purpose.Heexaminedhecourtheniphtbeforehetrial,n ordero selectthe mostadvantageouslaceor addressinghejury. On hecauseeingalledhe rowdedudienceereerhapseptwaitingafewminuteseforehecelebratedtrangeradeisappearance;andwhen,tlength, egratifiedheirmpatienturiosity, par¬ticularlyicewigand pairofnewyellow lovesdistinguished

and mbellishedispersoneyondheordinaryostume f thebarristerf thecircuit.*Amidheapplausen hischapterestowedponpremeditation

it wouldotbejustoomit he ridicule ithwhicht hasbeenvisited ytheRev. ydneymith.' It s only ythe resheel¬ings f the hearthatmankindanbevery owerfullyffected.What anbemoreudicroushan noratoreliveringtalendig¬nationnd ervourf a week ld? urningverwhole ages fviolentassions,rittenut n Germanext;readinghetropesandapostrophesntowhichheis hurriedytheardourf his

mind,nd oaffectedta

preconcertedineand

page,hathe is

unableo proceednyurther.'True,it is onlyby thefreshfeelingsfthehearthatmankindanbevery owerfullyffected.'Butnatures alwaysresh—andewho eproducesature illalwaysffect.Macreadyevertabbedisdaughteropreserveher onour.Yet verymans movedthisVirginius.sOthello,Macready'sindignationatIago s thirty ears ld,yetweareasmuchffectedy ts intensityson he irstdaywhenhe dis¬playedt. The peechfAntonyverhedeadodyfCaesaras'writtenn Germanext' in thedaysofElizabethit was cutand ried'200yearsgo. Yet,whateverur atiricalanonmay

Campbell'sivesftheChancellors.



AND EBATE. 55

say othecontrary,t ceases ottoaffectsnow. Agreatdeawellexpressed,radeep eelingaturallyourtrayed,s 'athingof beautynd joy orever.'

CHAPTER XVI.

It was aid yPanchand,hatMirabeauas he irstman n theworldo speak pon questione knewnothingbout.ButMirabeauad heconfidencehichnabledim o abandonim¬self otherealityfoccasions,nd ereadheessonshey roughtwith hem,while thermenwent obooks; nd, srealitys themostpowerfuleacher,e waswiserhan heencyclopaediasts.

I believehere reno difficultiesn themoralrpoliticalorld,noproblemfevents, hich onotalsobringheir olutionsiththem,werewecool noughoreadhem butweneverrust ur¬selves o events—weo notbelieve hatwe

ee,orwillnot ee

whats befores. Wemakereconceivedpinions,redeterminedjudgment,verruleew acts.Weoooftencthepartf hemanwho s so muchn lovewithhis barkhatheneverenturesosail in it. This s the courseobetaken—scanhe ruth, nd,havingearnedt, trust osubsequentvents o llustratet.

InthePremeditationhichhave ommended,do notmeanto excludextemporepplicationf the faculties.An oratorshould o to therostrumo announceonclusions,ot oformthem. InthisI persist;uthavingaidhescene,wouldeavehim ree omanagetashepleased.Lethimtakeadvantagef

the ide ffeeling,emper,nd xclamationsf themeeting;utunlesshe is firmn a previousurpose,hese hings ill takeadvantagefhim, nd arryim wayrom issubject,nsteadfhiscarryingwayheaudience.

HieRhodushie alta.* Donotwait orachangefoutwardcircumstances;ut ake ourircumstancessthey re, ndmakethebest fthem. Thisaying,hich asmeantoshamebrag¬gart,willadmit f averydifferentndprofounderpplication.Goethe aschangedhepostulatef Archimedes,Givemeafctanding-place,nd willmoveheworld,'nto heprecept,' ain

* 'HereiRhodes;eapere.'—Oldable.



n6 I'lTBLICPEAKING

goodhy tandinglace,ndmoveheworld.'This is whathedid

hroughoutis ife.*

Abandonmentorealitys thesourcef presencef mind—anindispensablelementf oratoricalreatness.t is storiedhatFrederickheGreateingnformedf thedeathof one of hischaplains,man fconsiderableearningndpiety, nddetermin¬ing hathissuccessorhould otbebehindimn thesequalifi¬cations,etolda candidate,boutopreachtrialermon t theRoyal hapel,hathewouldimselfurnishimwith text romwhich ewas omake nextemporeermon.Theclergymanc¬ceptedheproposition.hewhimof sucha probationaryis¬course as preadbroad,nd t anearlyhour heRoyalChapelwascrowdedo excess. Thekingarrivedt the endof theprayers,nd, nthe candidatescendinghepulpit, ne of hismajesty'sids-de-campresentedimwitha sealed aper.Thepreacherpenedt,and ound othingrittenherein. edidnot,however,nsocriticalmoment,osehispresencef mind butturninghepapern both ides, esaid, Mybrethren,ere snothingnd heres nothing—outf nothingGodcreated llthings,'ndhe proceededo delivern admirableiscourseponthewondersf thecreation.Thisman eservedheappointment.

Agoodonversetorys told n Chambers'cottish estBook

of a ministerhohad customfwritinghe heads fhis dis¬coursen malllips fpaper, hicheplacedn theBible eforehim,o beusedn successionOne ay,when ewasexplainingthe econdead, egota littlewarmn theharness,ndcamedown ith uchathumpponheBible ithhishand, hat heensuinglipelloverheedgeof the pulpit,hough nperceivedbyhimself.On eachingheendof his secondhead, e lookeddown or the thirdsdip;but,alas it wasnotto befound.'Thirdly,' e cried, ookingound im with great auxiety.Aftera littlepause, Thirdly,'gain e exclaimed;ut stillno

thirdlyppeared.Thirdly,say,mybrethren,'ursuedhe

bewilderedlergyman;utnotanother ord ould e utter.Atthispoint, hilehecongregationerepartlyympathisingn hisdistress,ndpartlyejoicingn such decisivenstancefthe m¬proprietyf usingnotes n preaching—whichasalwayseenanunpopularhingntheScotchlergy—anld womanoseup,and thusaddressedhepreacher:—'f I'mno mista'en,ir,Isawhirdlylee utat he astwindow,quarterf an houryne.It is impossibleoranybuta Scotchmano conceiveowmuchthisaccountf theossof hirdlywasrelishedy hatpart fthacongregationhichondemnedheuseofnotes.

* GuessestTruth. ywoirctliers



AND EBATE. 0/

Before ritingrspeakingt is ofgreaterviceo ry hematteiover,by ellingt to acriticalriend,rexplainingt to somene

utterlygnorantf it. Bytheserials freality,bjectionsay elearned,mpedimentsoconvictionediscovered,ndimplicityfenunciationcquired.fyouhaveospeakf topics eforehusmaturingour owerverhem,upplyrelayftelling oints—so thatwhenoherencyails ou, ou anhave ecourseoa strik¬ing thought.ewwilldiscoverts want frelevance.hemajorityalways istakerilliancyor loquence.ut, emember,hisexpe¬dientwillonlyave ouwithhevulgar,hewell nformedrenotthus o be mposedn.

Theneglectfthe tudyf realitys,perhaps,owhereo ap¬

parents in the constructionf controversialooks.Authorssatisfyhemselvesithnventingheargumentsf their pponents—whenheeasiest ndmost atisfactoryoursesto extracthemostpowerfuleasoninghe other idehasproduced.y hiscourseeal bjectorsouldeanswerednstead f maginarynes.Theneglectfthisprecautionastrikinglyanifestedn a workpublishedomeime goentitledTorringtonall.'

CHAPTER XVII.

EFFECTIVENESS.

Effectiveness ies nproportion.ot n thebeautyf apillaror he inish f a frieze,but n the commandhich hewholebuildingasover hespectator—andot nthebrilliancef apas¬sage, ut n thecoherencef thewholeies heeffectivenessf aspeechra book.

Foremostn effectivenesstandsurpose.Betteraynothingthan ot othepurpose.othinghouldttracthemainttentionto itself. The hiefmeritofanyparts its subserviencyo thewhole esign.When arts repraised, speakers said onavebrilliance—whenhewholempresses,e s said ohave ower.

'Theeditor f Shelley's osthumousoems pologisesorthepublicationfsomeragmentsn averyncompletetate,byremarkingowmuchmorehanveryther oet fthepresentay,

everyineandword ewrotes instinct ithbeauty.Letnomantit downo writewithhepurposefmakingveryineanaword



58 PUBLICPEAKING

beautifulndpeculiar.The nly ffect f sucn nendeavourillbe ocoiruptis udgmentnd onfoundisunderstanding.'*

Afewgeneralitiesay ementioned,ttentiono which illconduceo effectiveness void ant—studyimplicityabjureaffectation—beatural.Thenaturaloice s heard he arthest,and he naturalffectshesoonest. Thecostlyharm f theancientragedy,nd,ndeed,f all the old iterature,s,that hepersonspeakimply—speakspersonsho avereat oodensewithoutnowingt.'f Nothingstonishesen omuch scommonsensend lain ealing.Earnestnessnd implicityarry llbe¬fore hem.OnThiers'irst ppearancen heFrench hamber,eexperiencedn almost niversallynfavourableeception,romcertain

ersonaleculiarities,ver he effectof whichhesoon

triumphed.n person, hierss almostdiminutive,ith anexpressionf countenance,houghntellectual,eflectivend ar¬castic,arfrom ossessinghe raits fbeauty.Theface tself,smallnform, s befitshebody,s encumbereditha pairofspectaclesolargehat,when eeringverhemarbledge f thelongnarrowulpit,clepthe ribune,hencell peakersddresstheChamber,t is describedsappearinguspendedo the woorbs f crystal.Withuchanexterior,resentingomethingfthe udicrous,o fatal o theeffect, speciallyn volatilerance,M.Thiers,ullofthempassionedloquencef his avouriteevolu¬

tionaryrators,ssayedo mparthosehrillingmotionsecordedofMirabeau.he ttemptrovokederision,ut nlyora moment.Inhisnew phere,s n heothersehadpassedhrough,esoonoutshoneompetition.ubsidingnto heoratoryaturalohim,simple,igorous,nd apid,eapprovedimself neof the mostformidablefparliamentaryhampions.

Benthamasmade wise emarknprolixity,hichmayeachthestudentjustusen themeasuref words. Prolixity,'aysBentham,may ewhereedundancys not. Prolixity ay risenotonlyromhemultifariousnsertionfunnecessaryrticles,utfromheconservationf too

manyecessarynes n asentence;

asa workmanaybe overladenotonlywithrubbish,hich sof nouse orhim ocarry,utwithmaterialshemostuseful ndnecessary,henheapedp n loads ooheavyorhimatonce.Thepoints, therefore,o distributehematerialsf theseveraldivisionsf the abricntoparcelshatmay eportableithoutfatigue.Theresa limito theliftingpowersf eachman,be¬yondwhich llattemptsnly harge imwitha burtheno himimmoveable.heres in likemanner limit o thegrasping

*Henryaylor.refaceoPhilipan rtevelde.

f Emerson.



AND EBATE. - 01

the udgesnpopularssemblies,nd heir irstapplauses be¬stowdontheclear-headedpeaker.

Anotherourceffailures,that heyoungecturerstoo ittleimpressedith hewide pplicationf thephilosophyfcontro¬versy.Thedisciplinef debatehouldnternto veryration.

It s'forinsreasonhat peakingequiresobe nsome egreeverbose.nwriting emay ebrief,uggestive,nd pigrammatic,becauseachword emainsobeponderedver. Butthatwhichfallson the ear notbeing opermanentsthatwhichalls npaper,ullnessndmany-lightedreatments ndispensable.

The Encyclopaediaetropolitana'asthefollowingracticalsynopsisf the eadingharacteristicshich onduceoeffective¬ness—'As regardshe stylewhich peakershoulduse or

the public,t is clear hata style oo terses unintelligibleto the majority,hile he remedy suallydopted,hatofu'unga prolixandamplifyingodeof expression,s repug¬nant o the public, honeverailto desert speakerho m¬ployst. Thebetter lans to usebrief nderseentences,ndoftenepeathesamedea, otbya mereubstitutionfterm, utbya differentrrangementfthemembers,eversinghepremises.orconclusion,tc neverorgettingn therepetitionlwayso useterse entences.Burkesfor hisanadmirableodel.

'Whilet isalways referableouseshortentences,tmust otbesupposedhat ongsentencesrealwayso beavoided.Longsentences,ithaproperrrangementftheirmembers,o hatheaudienceay nowwhats aimed t,andnotbecompelledo re¬read,orcallbacko memory,sentenceustuttered,rebynomeansbnoxious.f they nducerouble,yrequiringsecondreference,heycausembiguity,ecauseeadersndauditorsillnotwillinglyivehemselveshisrouble.t s acommonault ithauthorso supposeclausentelligible,ecausentheir eadingtappearso suit: but they orgethatwhenheyperuset theyknowwhatscoming,hichs morehan anbeexpectedf anaudience.Hencetfrequentlyappenshat hebest ead nd he

best nformedre requentlyheworst xpoundersf their arti¬cularubjectsfthoughtnd tudy.'In ayingeforehepublicny xposition,t isabsolutelyssen¬tial oavoidllnicedistinctionshat lease,nd ndeed reneces¬saryoa discoursenthecloset. Theorations similaro alargepictureobeviewed t adistance,here ice ines reunseen,rperhapsnnoying,hile road,aysometimesulgartrokesreseen,admired,nd, onsequently,ffecve.

'Inpreparingor hepress, s thestylewas n he ormerasereversedromhenicetyfanessay,t must eagainurnedo\taoriginalropriety.



92 PUBLICPWAKING

•AsregardseliverytIs notadvisableoadoptny ystem fstudied ction,modulationf voice, r mimicryf others, utmerelyo thoroughlynderstandhesubject; nd,readingrspeaking,ccordingosense,llow atureomodulatehevoice nherownway,which ill nevitablye hebest.

'Inspeaking,t hasoften een matterfdeepnd uriouson¬siderationhat a person illexplain is views o a singlen¬dividualn suchermss oforce onvictionnmanynstances,ndwhere e fails heexpositionould ejust uch oneaswouldplease naudience:t is notorioushatwhatwill notconvinceone r wowillbemosteffectivenmany ersonsyetwhile ecan ucceedn the more ifficultaskwithoneortwo,when e

comes eforen audiencee istotallybashed,ndcannot ttertwoconsecutiveentencesithpropriety,nergy,r sense. Ananalysisroveshisbashfulnesso be concomitantith ther he¬nomena1st.Thencreasedivelinessfsympathyithnumbers;2nd.The onstantndree perationf this ympathyhus ivelythroughoutheentireudience. hebashfulnessfaspeakeraythereforeeattributableo intricatection nd e-actionf theseseveralympathies.heres,1st,thesympathyf the speakerwith heaudience2nd,he act hat he peakernows ow achindividualympathisesithhim and d, heknowledgef thespeakerf hegreat ympathyxistingetweenll hemembersftheaudience.' It isthereforeecessaryhat hespeakerhould ndeavourolose ightof himselfn theaudience,ndbeguidedndnspiredwhollyy hesubject,avingull confidencen hisviews, nd nthe necessaryelationsf thingso render nexpositionoat¬temptederfectlyuccessful.Thisis the reasonhatvulgarspeakersofrequentlyucceed.Theirery ccentricitiesnd ul¬garitieshowhehonestynd arnestnessfpurpose,nd t is thatthatneverails oprosper.'

CHAPTER XVIII.

MASTERY.

It istruly eldbygreateachershat hemostusefulesson heyounghinkeras o masters tolearn nehing t a time. Ex¬perienceellsusthatt is alsohemost ifficult. e s nitiatednto

the rtof hinkingpowerfconsecutivenessstheprincipalign f



AND EBATE. 63

thisart).who an hink fone hing t a time, nd eismasterof theartwho anhink fanyonehing,whenhepleases.That

which istractsnddiscouragesheyoungtudents confoundingthesteps fprogressith heresults nddisplaysfperfection.He confoundshe elementsf an artwith herefinementf tsmastery.Lethimobservehegradationsetweenncipientffortsand emotexcellence,nd he perplexitys clearedp, hedif¬ficultyurmounted,hediscouragementissipated.

WhenDr. Blackhada class of youngmenat theReformAssociation,e disciplinedhem n rhetoricycausingachomarshalis discoursena chosenheme nder ertainheads.These ncegoneover erequiredheseheadso bespokenponbyinversion,eginningrobablyith heperoration,ontinuingwith the argument,aking fterwardshe statement,r otherdivisionelongingo thetheme,ndendingwith heexordium.Not untila memberouldpeak qually ellonanyonehead,and nanyorder,washedeemed asterfhissubject.

Professore Morgan, ho s consideredhegreatestf ourmathematicaleachers,emarksn apaper hich efurnishedoDr. Lardner'seometry,hat o numberheparts fpropositionsistheonlyway funderstandinghem. Indeedllgreateachersadm that o identify etailsndgrasphe whole re he twoind es ofproficiency.

Margaretullerelates

owbackwoodsmenf America,homshevisited,would itbytheirog fireatnight ndell'roughpieces utof their ives.' This isintegrationf eventsbymenstrongf willand ullofmatter,n ordero setdistinctartsbeforeuditors,s a signof thatpower hichwe callmastery.Theabilityf hebackwoodsmanould enaturalbility; utallabilitys the amen naturehoughifferentn refinement.bilityis, always,ower nderommand.

A barristerilloccasionallytate complexase othe ury e¬forehim,beginningith hesimplestircumstance,ontinuingwith he moredifficult,rranginghe factsn such rderhat he

serieshrowight n hemost bscure—thathewholeasemay efullyunderstood.hen e eels his obeaccomplishedereturns,recapitulates,xtractshose ointshatareto havemostweight,andputshem eforehe attentionn the mostprominentndforcible anner,nd,f hisbriefwillaffordt,likeFitzroyKelly,he shedsearso makebisrhetoricathetic.Wthouthispowerofstatement,nalysation,nd nforcementfspecialacts twill,amans notmasterf hissubject—hisubjects rathermasterfhim.

In earningrammar,heparts f speech ave irst o be dis¬

tinguished—nouns,erbs, escriptives.Whenhese anbe den-



ANDDEBATE. 65

and isciplineave oneheir roperork,ailuresimpossible:edo not tremblet theresult f the trial fourpowers,earerather nxiousor heopportunitndquite onfidents to the

result.

CRITICISM.

Assuminghathevariousrinciplesiscussednthis reatiseref>ractical

and elevant,heapplicationf themo the udgment,oiterarynd ratoricalfforts,illbecriticism. ornstance,fterwhathasbten aid nderhehead fEffectiveness,heassentingreader illbepreparedo pronouncehatnowork,onsistingfmanyages,houldave etachednddistinguishableeautiesneveryoneof them. No greatworkndeedhould avemanybeautiesif it wereperfect,t wouldave utone, ndhatbutfaintly erceptible,xcept n aviewof thewhole.Afterwhathas been aid n referenceo theindividualityesultingrom

Method,hereaderftheworksfthe acetiousmerican

atirist,Paulding,illbeableo decideowhat xtentehas he ault,ncommonith ome thers,f abellingischaracters,ay, edate,orcynical,s he asemay e,with escriptiveames,s fdoubtfulof theirpossessingufficientndividualityo beotherwiseistin¬guished. f ahero annot ake imselfnownnhisaction ndconversation,e is not worth ringingponheboards.Thestudent hocoincidesithwhathasbeen xplainedelativeobrevity,illonreadingucha passages this—' icias skedmerelyorquarterorthe miserableemainsf his troops hohadnotperishedn theAsinarius,rupontsbanks'*—betno

lossin discoveringhesuperfluousnformationiven,hatNiciasaskedorquarteror hosewho hadnotperished.' o generalasks orquarterorthosewhohave. The amewriterellsus.that'Disciplineieldedothepressurefnecessity.hey urrieddown hesteep n confusionndwithoutrder,nd rodoneanotherodeathn thestream.' ecessitys all'pressure,'ndtis notnecessaryospecifyheessencef athing soperative.tis needlesso tellus thatmenall' nconfusion'werewithoutorder.'

*Mayor'sistoryfGreece,hap.I.Z



66 PUBLICPEAKING

When cdiscovernumberf emphaticordsmployed,eknowhewriter rspeakerasnoconsciousnessf measure.Heeitherasnostrengthrhe does otknow heret lies. 'When

Rigby,'aysDisraeli,wasof opinionehadmade point, oumay esurehehitwas nitalics,hat ast esourcefthe orciblefeebles.'

To ellyoureelingsnreadingbooks oneway f criticisingitsbeauties.This ulewas uggestedoGibbonnrpadingongi-nus. Theappealo natures here,as elsewhere,he purestguide.

One anonly onceivef Hamletytracingutmen, Brutushas irst o be foundn society.Hewhohas never een hemajestyfa noble ature illhardlyonceivet well. How an

we est he orator'skill, rplayer'srt,butbyrulesoundedyourselvesnobservation' Itbelongs,'ays chlegel,to thegeneralhilosophicalheoryofpoetryndheotherine rts,o establishhe undamentalawsofthebeautiful. rdinarily,en ntertainveryrroneousotionofcriticism,ndunderstandy it nothingmore han certainshrewdnessndetectingnd xposinghe aults f a work f art.'In the search or the beautiful,e continues—verythingmust e racedp o theroot f humanature.Art annotxistwithoutature,ndman angivenothingohis ellowmen uthimself.Thegroundworkf human atures everywherehe

same; ut n our nvestigationsemay bserve,hat hroughoutthewholeangefnatureheres noelementaryowero simple,butthat t is capablef dividingnddivergingntooppositedirections.hewholeplayof vitalmotioningesnharmonyand ontrast.'*

It would e treasono trutlv^anffectationf philanthropy—tosystematicallyoncealrimaryrrors,rglozeover nfluentialfaults.It willever e heprovincef criticismo noticeuchnthe piritfimprovement.utat lengthheprincipleasbeenestablishedn literature,hatperfections better dvancedy he

applausefexcellencehan

ytheeternal

escantationndefects.

Humanature as been nalysed,nd t is foundhatmorestobe gainedyappealingo thesentimentfthebeautifulhanbyexcitinghehorrorfdeformity. hiss now riticism'sdmittedcanon—demonstratedeyondhepowerfprejudiceodistort,rofwilfulnessoneglect.Thisprinciples not,orshould otbe,understoodswarrantinghereviewernconnivingterror,utonly s makingis chiefprovinceo be hegenialecognitionfartisticruth.Criticismtillkeepswatch ndwardn thetowers'

* Dramaticrt nd iterature,hap,.



AI*H hBATE. 6>7

ofTruth,hat no enemyromhecampsf Errorhalltealntoitsdominions;ut t is ever nxiousowelcomendoadmit ll

followersfProgression,venhoughheymayotexactlyossesssociety'sccreditedassport.

CHAPTERXX.

Debate s agreatdvantage,ndwhenouwin sincerend blemanodiscuss ith ou, nter ponheexercise ithgratitude.Yourpponentay e the enemyf your pinions,uthe s thefriend fyourmprovement.hemorebly econfrontsou,hemore eservesou,fyouhave ut hewisdomoprofity t. Thegods,t is said, avenotgiveno mortalsheprivilegefseeingthemselvessothers ee hem—but,yahappyompensationnhumanffairs,t isgivenocandidriendso supplyhatatede¬nies andhoughandouroes ot mplynfallibility,talwaysn¬

cludesnstruction—itffordshat ndispensableightof contrastwhichnablesoutodiscoverhe ruthf hiddenrom ou, r odisplayhetruthfyoupossesst.

A goodwriter,aysGodwin,ust ave hatductilityf houghtthat hall nable imoputhimselfn theplacefhisreader,ndnotsufferim o taket forgranted,ecauseeunderstandsim¬self, hat verynewho omeso him ornformationillunder¬stand im. Hemust iew isphrasesnallsides,ndbeawareof allthe ensesf whichheyaresusceptible.ut his acilitycannowhereesocertainlycquireds in debate,hichs evi¬dently

disciplines serviceableo the

writersto thespeaker.Ail nvestigationhouldommenceithoutrepossession,ndndwithoutogmatism.achdisputanthould emore nxiousoexplain,han odefend,isopinion.Asanestablishedruthsthatwhichsgenerallyeceivedfterithasbeen enerallyxaminedn afairield f nquiry,t isevidentthat houghruthmaybediscoveredyresearch,t canonlybeestablishedydebate.Itis a mistakeosupposehat t canbetaughtbsolutelyy tself. Weearnruthy ontrast.t isonlywhen pposedo errorhatwewitnessruth'sapabilities,ndfeel tsfullpower.

Oralnvestigationlaimsspecialttentionecause,o agreat



68 PUBLICPEAKING

extent,t ensureshat ts results hallbe carriedntopractice.The

pendevelopesrinciples,ut it isthe

tonguehatchiefly

stimulateso action.Discussionfterublicddressesould eofgreat ublicalue

Thediscipline,o bothpeakerndhearers,ouldegreatlyalutary.The rgumentgainstt, that t wouldeadto strifeanddiscord,s theveryeasonhyt should epractisedMenareveryhildishntellectually,hilen hattatenwhich ebatemustbeprohibited.f theybe children,rain hem n the artofdebatentilheyare ranslatedntomen.

Toadmitebatefter naddress,t issaid,nablesactiousndi-^ dualsodestroyheeffectfwhat asbeen aid. When nani¬

mity f opinionomes,iscussionill fall ntodisuse,ut ill itdoes omeand ebateloneanbringt)discussionust eborne.Itis the ault fthe ecturerfanyone s able odestroyheeffectof his ecture.

Asageneralule, iscussionsetandaccidental,regood. Atwofoldealityytheirmeanssbroughto bear nthepublicunderstanding,orexcitinghan hatofanyother ntellectualagency.Anopinionhatswortholdings worth iffusing,ndto be diffusedt must ethoughtbout; ndwhenmen hink ntrue rinciplesheybecomedherents—butnlyhoseadherentsareworth

avinghohavehoughtn bothides,anddiscussion

alonemakeshemdothatwell. True,menmay eadonbothsides butt seldomappenshatmenwhoarempressedyonesidecareo read heother.In discussionsheyareobligedohearbothides. If men o readbothsides, nlesshey ead'Discussion,'heydo not ind ll the facts n one idepeciallyconsideredn theother.In a discussionead, nlessead t onesitting,he strengthf an impressionnd heclearnessf theargumentnone ide s partlyostbeforehe opponentide sperused.ut n anoral ebate,headaptationf act ofact s com¬plete sfaras tperhapsanbe—theroandconareheard uc¬

cessively,helightof contrasts fullandclear, ndboth idesareweighedt the same ime,when heeye s sharplyixedon hebalance. t mattersotwhetherhedisputantsrgueorvictoryr ruth.If they rentellectualladiatorso much hebetter.Thestrongerheyare,hemightierhebattle, nd hemorenstructiveheconflict. t is said hatpeopleome utofsuchdiscussionsstheygointothem,hat hesamepartisansshout rhissonthe same ideallthrough.Thiss notalwaystnue,ndnomatterf it is. Thework fconvictions often one,thoughheaudiiace ay otshowt. Theymay reakour ead,andafterwardswnyouwereright.Humanrideorbidshe

confession,utjinanges effectedn spiteof pride.But f an



AND EBATE. 69

audienceemainhesametnight,heywillnotbe thesamehe

nextmorning. ratherikeocontemplatehatonvictionhichsbegunndiscussion,otendedhere. Hewhohastilyhangessto besuspectedfweakness,rcarelessness.he teadyndde¬liberatehinker,ho akesime oconsider,sthesafestonvert.

If younvitepposition,o t with ircumspection.everebate*orhesake fdebating.t owershecharacterfdebate.Thevaluef free peechstoogreato be trifled ith. Seekonflictonlywithsinceremen. Concedeo youropponenthe irstwordandthe last. Let himappointhe chairman. et himspeakdoubleime fhe desirest. Debatesobjectedoasanexhibitionin

which isputantsry osurprise,utwit,ake dvantagef,anddiscomfitachother. Toobviatehisobjection,xplaino youropponentheoutlinefthecourseountendopursue,cquainthimwith hebooksou halluote,heauthoritiesou hallcite,thepropositionsou hall ndeavouroprove,ndheconcessionsyou hall emand.Anddo hiswithoutxpectinghe ame thishands. Hewillnot nowbe takenbysurprise.Hewillbepre-warnedndpre-armed. ewillhave imeoprepare,nd f thetruths iii him toughto comeut.

If youeel hatyoucannotiveall theseadvantageso youropponent,uspectourselfnduspect our ideof thequestion.Everyonscientiousnddecidedan elievesisviewsobetrue,and f consistente believeshemo be mpregnable.eithernminutes, onths,oryears,re hey o berefuted.Then mansopersuadeday espiseettydvantages,nd nableisopponentto arm imselfeforehand.

Inanotherarticular,iscussionsere steemednsatisfactory.Whentatementnd eply ave eenmade,hen amehereplyothereply,nd hen hereplyothat,ill thecavileemedndless,perplexing,ndiresome.

Now heobject f discussions not hevexatioushase f an

opponent,ut he contrastivendcurrenttatementfopinion.Thereforendeavouro selecteading pinions,o state hemstronglynd learly,ndwhenour pponenteplies,econtentoleavehisargumentsidebysidewith our wn,or hejudgmentof theauditors. n nocasedisparagenopponent,is-stateisviews, r torture is words,nd hus,or thesake f averbaltriumph,roduceastingll feelings.Yourolebusinessswithwhat esays,nothow esayst,norwhyhe says t. Your imshoulde hatheaudiencehouldose ight fthespeakers,ndbepossessedith hesubject—andhat hosewhocomehepar¬tisansof

personshall

departhe

partisansf

principles.he

victorynadebateiesnot n oweringnopponent,utnraisingthesubjectn public stimation. ontroveisia,jisUoiuiesnot



70 PUBLICPEAKING

in destroyingnopponent,ut in destroyingis error—notn

makingim idiculousomuch s nmakingheaudienceise.Debateequireself-possession—aowero think n youregs.But ven ndebate,hevictorysoftenerith heforegonehanwiththe impromptuhinker.A manwhoknows issubjectwellwillbe orearmed. ealone andistinctlyee hepointsndispute,ndhenaturef theproofrdisproofecessaryosettlethequestion.

At he threshold fcontroversyt is well odefine llleadingterms, hichhouldever eused n anyotherhanthesettledsense.A commontandardf appealhould e agreed pon.Thequestiont issue houlde stated o clearlyhat t cannot

possiblye misunderstood.o opponenthouldbe acceptedwhoseincerityou annotssume,s t must ever equestioneditodebate.Find o faultwithhis grammar,anner,ntentions,tone,whateveray etheprovocation.ttendnlyothematter.Hearall thingswithoutmpatiencendwithoutm'ion. Letyouropponentully xhaustis matter.Encourageimto saywhatevere thinkselevant.Manyersonselieven themagni¬tude f their ositions,ecauseheyhave ever een ermittedostate hem o others—andhenheyhave ncedeliveredhem¬selvesftheir pinions,hey ftenind or he irstime ownsig¬

nificantheyare. There re ome ersonshomobodyancon¬fute but themselves.Whenyou distinguishuch,yourproperbusinesss to let them oit. Learno satisfy ourselfnd opresent conclusivetatementf your pinions,ndwhenyouhave oneo,havehecourageo abidey t. Ifyoucannotrustyourtatemento becanvassedyothers—ifoueel anxiousoaddsomeadditionalemarkt every tep—ifeplyromyouropponentegetseplyromou, uspect our nowledgef yourown ase ndwithdrawt forfurthereflection.Masters com¬pletelysyou anyourpponent'sheories,nd tate iscasewiththegreatestairness,nd,f possible,tate t with more orce

againstourselfhan our pponentan. Theobservancef thisrulewill each ou wo hings—yourpponent'strengthrweak¬ness, nd our wn lso. Ifyoucannottate our pponent'saseyoudonotknowt,andf youdonotknowt youarenot n a fitstateoargue gainstt. If youdarenot tateyouropponent'scasen tsgreatestorce,ou eelt to bestrongerhanyour wn,andnthat ase ououghtot oarguegainstt.

The ourse eresuggestedillbe asusefulo truthas to thedisputant. reatrejudiceay ften edisarmedythusdaringit. Inthismanneribboneliveredisargumentn favourfan

hereditaryonarchy.Of hevariousorms fgovernmenthichhave revailedn theworld,nhereditaryonarchyeemsopre-



AND EBATE. 71

sent he airestcopeorridicule. sitpossibleoreiate, ithoutan ndignantmile,hat, n he ather'secease,hepropertyf anation,ike hatof a drovefoxen,descendsohis nfanton, syet unknowno mankindnd o himself;nd hatthebravestwarriorsnd hewisesttatesmen,elinquishingheir aturalightto empire,pproachheroyalradle ithbended nees ndpro¬testationsf inviolableidelity Satirenddeclamationay ainttheseobviousopicsn themostdazzlingolours,utourseriousthoughtsill espectusefulrejudice,hat stablishesruleofsuccessionndependentfthepassionsfmankind;ndweshallcheerfullycquiescenany xpedienthich epriveshemultitudeof thedangerous,nd ndeedhe deal,powerf givinghem¬selves master.'Weoftenholdbyan opinionromhe belief

that hosewhodissentromt donotknowtsfullbearingsswedo,or heywouldeof our pinionoo butwhen, s n thecaseofGibbon,eare nstructedhatouropponenterfectlynder¬standsur ase, nd tatestsstrongestoints,e eel hat usticehasbeen oneous,andwearehemoreisposedoacquiescenanadverseudgment,omeoafterwehave eenully eard.

WhatDr. Paleyhasdelineatedithrespecto a writtencontroversys not inapplicableo an oraldebate. The fairwayof conducting disputes to exhibitnebyonethear¬gumentsfyouropponent,ndwith eachargumenthe pre¬cise andspecificnswerouareableogivet. If thismethod

be not ocommon,or oundo convenientsmightbeexpected,thereasons, becauset suitsnotalways ith hedesignsf awriter, hich renomoreerhapshan o make book;o con¬foundome rguments,nd o keep thers utof sight; o leavewhat s called nimpressionponhereader,ithoutny areoinformimof theproofsrprinciplesywhich isopinionhouldbegoverned.With uch iewst may e consistento dispatchobjections,yobservingf some thathey re ld,'and, here¬fore,ikecertainrugs,aveost,wemayuppose,heirtrength;of others,hat theyhaveong inceeceivednanswer;'hich

implies,obesure, confutation;oattacktragglingemarks,nddeclinehe main easoning,s ' meredeclamation;'o passbyonepassageecauset is ' long-winded,'notherecausehean¬swererhasneithereisureor nclinationoenternto hediscus¬sion fit,'toproducextractsndquotations,hich,aken lone,imperfectly,f atall,expressheir uthor'seaning;odismissstubbornifficultyith ' reference,'hich,en oone,hereaderneverooks t; and,astly,n order o give hewhole certainfashionableirofcandourndmoderation,omake concessionrtwowhich obodyhanksimor,oryield pa fewpoints hichit is no ongerny reditomaintain.



/2 PUBLICPEAKING

Itwillbeevidenthat hisminutenessfreplyouldnot beundertakenithouteferenceo the mportancef thequestiont

issue nd heabilitiesf theopponent. uch laborateainsbe¬long nlyogreat ccasions.It isnotnecessarylwayso demonstratehevalidityf agiven

position.Toshowhe mpotencef theopposites oftenquitesufficient.

It is recordedn thehistorical emoirsfCurran,hathisge¬neral ractices alawyer,henengagedorthedefence,wasratherorely n heweaknessowhich e couldeducehecaseof hisopponentshan n hestrengthf hisown,exceptnverypeculiarccasions.

Bevery

arefulfgeneralisation—utter

owholesaleensure.It willnearlylwaysewrong.Classifyhepartisansf opinionswhichou onfute.Youwillreduceour pponents,nd ainnjusticend orceforwhenyou onfoundbjectorsogether,ououtragell andconvinceew. If youcandistinguishlasses,addressutone lass t atime.

Uponhegeneralulesproperorconductingdebatet ishardlyossibleo enter. Even ublicmeetingsnthis ountryreconductedn thecrudestrinciples.f menwere ommonlyn¬telligent,ndmanywere isposedo take art npublicmeetings,it woulde mpossiblehatanybusinessould etransactednder

severalays.Theassumptionhateverymanhas a right o beheard,ouldotbeacted ponf halfwhousuallyttendpublicmeetingsereoenforcehat right.'

When speechr ecturesdebated,ach isputantxpectsooccupyhesame ime s thespeaker,hich ftenprevents orethanonebeingheard n leply. Buta short imefor severalmight e fixed, ndthuscombineisciplineithdisputation.Brevityf timewouldnduceirectnessndbrevityf speech—it is notthe workof any nespeaker,ut he work f manyto attackhe wholeecture,ndeachshouldelecta leadingpoint,and en minutes ould ffordime or a veryeffective

objection,f one ould eraised.Atpublicmeetings,heremanypposingartiesftentruggleto beheard,onfusion,elay,ndll-feelingight eobviated,yeach arty re-appointingrepresentativefability,nwhom on¬fidenceould ereposedo speak n their ehalf, ndbythosecallinghemeetingeingmadecquaintedith, ndonsentingothearrangement,heviews f half-a-dozenartiesould e advo¬cated,hereheviews foneare eardutnadequatelyndmpa¬tientlyow.



AND EBATE. 75

CHAPTER XXI

LAWS FPERSONALITIES.

The first roblemhathas o be solved y hepeoples oneoffraternisation.f wewait illunityof opinionn all pointssgeneratedefore eco-operateogether,eformsillbe delayedforages. Theonlymodewherebyublicuccessanbeachievedin ourdaysby heunion ngeneraloints, f mendifferingninfinitearticulars.utpersonalitiesonstituteseriousanger.Theonlywayo disarmhems to bravehem. Tocourt er¬sonalitiessfatal ounionto shunhem,ataloreputation.he

friendsf acauseughtobeable o dareallopinions.And llopinionsightedaredythose n theright.There anbenoquarrelnlesswopartiesngagen it. And t is alwaysn thepowerfonepartyopreventt byrefusingo be a partyo it.Nomancanquarrelithanother ithouthatother'sonsent.Henceheveto f peacend mitysalwaysn thehands f oneofthedisputants. t is often dutyo noticendividualrror.It is oftenndispensable.ut heexecutionf such dutywouldnotbesodistastefulo thepublics t nows,were t not or heunskilful annern whicht is generallyone. If,whenobjec¬tions o apublicmanmustbemade,f theywerewell elected,and inglyrged, ithoutll-will, ndwhen ncepresentedeftasapublic arning,hepracticeould e felt o beuseful ndtolerable.nsteadf this ourse,miscellaneousire s extendedtoeverymaginableeccadillo,nd onjecturesallednwhenactsareexhausted,ntilwhatwas, rshould e, ntendedsapubliclesson,ecomesgratificationfprivateesentment.Wheneta¬liationsurpshedesireoimprovenother,hecontestinksntopersonalities.

I have ften entpupils uttogethern pairso talk,with lldeliberationnd aution,nd o notehowmany xpletivesheyemploy,owmanyrrorshey ommit,ownsequentialre heirthoughts,ndhow nexactheiranguage.ndeed,ow ewmenhavedisciplinedhemselvesn theserespects.Howewready,florid riters,rspeakers,reprecise How ewmenhave hepower f being oherent Howmuch s saidwhichs nevermeant,ven y hosewho remost areful!Howew ver cquirethehabit fthinkingeforehey peak Passingrom ommonlife,ettheexperiencef thebarand hecloset e heard. Doesnot the shrewdawyer,hose hole ifeis one ong aboriousstudy f accuracy,erpetuallyind he act of Parliament,ponwhichmanyhavelaboured,pento threeor fourinter-



74 PUBLICPEAKING

pretationsAnddoes ot hephilosopherailyegrethevague¬ness fhumananguageThen nwhatprinciplef good ensecanwe,withoutmostpatient eliberation,urlat eachotherobnoxiouspithets

Whatloquences moreouchinghan hat f asimplealeofactualrong The ery bsencefpassionivest force. Thedispassionatenessf tsrelationnfusesheairof truth. Thepre¬sencefpassioneads s to suspecthepartisan,nd nvectivesfelt o be he twinbrotherf exaggerationtrengthsalwayscalmnbattle.Truthmpartsepose—theuffragef mankindsalwaysn he ideof dignity.Disputantsnstinctivelyearoutthe ruth f all his. When maneelshat ehas strongase,

wehavehereforeoexcitement,oself-returnederdict.Amanwhohinksehasaclearase, lwayseelshemayafelyeavetto the udgmentfothers.Nobarristerakes long peechothe urywhenheevidences allonhisside.Fitzroy ellynevershedsearsxcept hen ehasaTawello defend.

Allwhichhouldedoneor headjustmentf a differences,thata man houlduietlynderstateiscase—thateshouldmakeno materialssertionnaccompaniedy heproof,hatheshouldmakehe airestllowanceorhisrival'sxcitement,utthebestpossibleonstructionnhiswordsndacts, nd eave hematterthere. Allwhoseuffragesreworthaving illmakeheproperawardnhisside,withouturtherroublenhispart.The easonofsomanyeparturesromhisrules thewant f couragerthewant fsense. It is acommonpinion,hat f a mandoesnotblusternd etort,hathe s deficientn spirit.It is thisappre¬hension hichetrayseakmenntoviolence,nd oprovehem¬selvesndependentheybecomeudeand nsolent,ndmistakethepart f hebravoor thatof the hero. Buta manof disci¬plined,ntelligencenowshatcouragelways ursuests ownresolute aywithout oiseor ostentation,irmly reservestsindependence,tandsmmovablen franknessndkindness,or¬

rectsmisrepiesentation,epairsny injuryt mayhavedone,silenceslanderith hetruth,ndgoeson itsway. No wiseman nswers foolaccordingo his folly. Heshowshat t isfolly, nd bandonst todieby ts own ands.

A fewyearsgo, couple f Dutchmen,onVampt ndVanBones,ived n riendlyerms n hehighhills f Limestone. tlast heyelloutover dog.VonVamptilledVanBones'aninecompanion.oneshoosingo assumehekillingo havebeenintentional,uedVamptordamages.Theywerecalledn duetime nto ourt, henheaefendantn thecasewasasked y hejudgewhether e killed he dog. 'Pe sure kilthim,' aid

Vampt,but et Bones rovet.' Thisbeingquiteatisfactory,



AND EBATE. 75

theplaintiffntheaction as allednto answerfewquestions,andamongthers e wasaskedythe udgetwhat mounte

estimatedhedamages.Hedidnotwellunderstandhequestion,and o, o bea littleplainer,hejudge nquiredhat ethoughtthe dogto be worth 'Pe sure,'eplied ones,thedogwasworth othing,ut ince ewas omean s tokillhim, e shallpaydefullvalue fhim.' Howmanyuitshave ccupiedheattentionfcourts—howanyontestsave ngagedhe time fthepublic,ndhavebeenwagedwithvirulencend nvective,havingo moreworthyifferencehan hatof VonVamptndVanBones!

At ev;ry tep, owever,eare dmonishedow onscientiously

a man anbe n thewrong.Manynterhequagmiref recrimi¬

nation s a matter f duty atherhan aste. Thequestionscommonlyut, Ought enot o stateallweknowobe true 'I answer,o unlesst canbeshowno beuseful.Everymanknows thousandhingswhichrerue,butwhicht would d¬vantageobodyo hear. Whenweessayo speak,herule simperativehatwespeakhe ruth,bsolutelyndrulyhe truthif onemaywriteoparadoxically—butfwhat ruth ewillcom¬municate,oodensemust e thejudge—utilityhemeasure.Hall ruthmust e publishedithoutegardopropriety,illiamRufus, hodrew tooth erdayrom richJew's ead,o in¬

duce im o tellwhere istreasuresere oncealed,asagreatmoralhilosopher.Well,butwhata manbelieveso betrueandusefidmay enotstate ' willbe nquiredf me. I answer,no. unless ecanprovet. Ifeveryman tated issuspicions,ocharacterould e safe rom spersion—societyould ea uni¬versalchoolor candal.Suspicionsthe ood fslander.Whatpublicmans at thishour afe romt Theres alreadyoreactualvil n existencehanhevirtuousreikelyoono correctand ittlenecessityxists orsuspiciono supply ypothetica.cases. 'But to bringhequestiono thepoint,'bserveshe

reader,if two

disputantsave

espectivelyproved"he fitness

of theepithetsheyhavemutuallypplied,rehey ot ustifiednhavingsedhem ' I answer,void t asoften spossible. tis thecomplainantsurpingheprovincefthe urynd he udge.It is thevice of controversy,hateachdisputantill uniteheofficesfwitness,ury,and udge, ivehisownevidence,eturnhisown erdict,ndpronouncehe entencenhisown avour.Afunctionhich omanwouldoleraten a court f justice,verycontroversialistxercisesith n nflexibleill. It is thiswhichhasbeen he real disgrace'freligious,olitical,nditerarydiscussions.nat recautionhichhewisdomfthe awyerai

takengainstumanrailty,s not ightlyo besetaside.Law



76 PUBLICPEAKING

vers re hephilosophersfdisputes,ndhavewiselyaken utofthehandsfinterest,etulance,ndpassionhepowerfdecidinguponheir wn ase. Yetdisputantsill do thatunhesitatingly,with egardoeach ther, hichn a court f justice ouldongengageheanxiousndearnestttentionftwelveninterested,dispassionate,nd atient en.

Theirst rinciplehichhouldctuatellhumanntercourse,publicrprivate,s thatof aiming t theimprovementf eachother.Thisneither assionor interesthould bscure.Yethowoften omen omentohefield, otas rueriends hohavedifferenceso adjust,utas adversariesent neachother's es-structionThosewhowould ecrydueln theusualway,will

yet ight duel npaper.Wehave othingodowith urneigh¬bour shis evilgenius—weught,ikeRudolph,obe heProvi¬dencefour riends.The eopleoastow arhey ren advanceof theGovernment,ut n respectf etiquetteheyare arbe¬hind. Even espotictates dmit,ntheory,hat hepunishmentof criminalss in itself ndefensiblealignity—thatnly ofarasthebrutegnorancef othersenderst necessarysanexample,oughtt ever o be attempted. heimprovementndnotthemortificationn personrcharacters that twhichurisprudenceandwellunderstoodustice ow im. Disagreements a contin¬gencyf humanature,rom hicht willnever efreedntilmen

are astnonemonotonousould.Differencesren hemselvessnaturalnd s nnocentsvariationnform,olour,r trength.tisthemannernwhichhosewho iffereek oadjustheir ifferences,that onstitutesnydisgraceheremay e nany ase. Unlesswehave ratedfphilosophynvain,weought evero takeuparmsagainstnenemyithoutt thesameime eepingiswrelfarenviewr,swell sour wndefenceBeforehegeniusf thisapho¬rism,heprosaicommonplacesf life dissolve.Manrises-onobility.o onsulthewelfareffriendsskind,bliging,miable;but hepublicansoevenhesame.To promotehe welfare f

enemies—toogoodothosewhohateus—isenerous.HigherthanBrutus,ewalk he platform ith Coriolanus.ur ruebusinesss notwith ood ndbadmen, ut withfairor unfair,right rwrongonduct.Weoughtnever o disparage,everoimputevilntentions,ndnthe strongestaseseave he wayopenor xplanationnd econciliation.emay e irmandyetfraternal—manlynd etkind!

Lockealledhis opponentsirrational,'ddisonmiscreants,'Dr.Clarkecrazy,' aleyinsane,'ndSirWalter cottmakesSirEverardaverleylassrakes,amblers,ndWhigs'ogether.Thesere hemerexpletivesfpolemicalndpoliticalartizan-

•hip—theommonplaceffervescencesf passion—olds igno



AND EBATE. 77

ranee,niversalsvulgarity.hey ave onovelty—noriginality.The legantontrastfcontroversyies n contrastf argument—this s everresh ndnstructive.ll recrimination

eingommon

to both isputants,ill ntime,ike hecommonuantitiesn analgebraicquation,estruckut f disputes—asnlymakingoredifficulthe indingf the rue esult. f any pithetsre etainedinuse, heywillbeconfinedo erroratherhan howeredntheerring,nd he imit f their pplicationill xcludeersonalis¬paragement.

OurReformersisagreeotabouteforms,utmodes f advo¬cacy. I thinktcanbe shownhat ourGovernmenteldom,fever, assaws gainsturpose,utagainst xtravagancef lan¬guage,n which assion,rhate,runskilfulness,xpresshatpur¬

pose. Passionndhatemay e foundedn sincerityut not inwisdom;ndweremen hetoricallyiser,heymightim t moreandaccomplishorehanheynowcan.

It admitsf demonstrationhat heprogressfreformsmainlyhinderedmongsbyafewmetaphysicalistakes.Thediatribesrespectivelyurledyrich ndpoor gainstachotherrisenanerror fgeneralisation.othmeanhetruth,uttheyexpressmorehan he ruth,nd ut of thiserroromedivisionnd ll-will.

Generalisationsn scienceaveo be stated ircumspectlyndwith

qualification.generalisationinds resemblncenperhaps

•onepointnly, nd hat esemblancerobablynonlyhemajorityofa class.Ifyouaccusen exactanguage classof stones fpossessingcertainroperty,hich s notpossessedyall, heexceptionaltojies illnotbe scandalisedsthe samenumberfmenwould, homouhappenedo includenacarelessly-worded,disparaging,eneralssertion.t is ofnouse hat ou ay o theperson homouhavewronglyccused—'I didnotmeanouI meanto allowhat herewerexceptions.'Men aturallyus¬pect hathewhosincapablefspeakingith ccuracys ncapableofthinkingith ccuracy,nd f they acquitouof incapacity,

theyconvictouofcarelessness.Factsmakeup accusativeropriety;nd f the factsarenotabsolutelyniversal,ndwithgradesf human haracterheyneverre,heapplicationfaccusationust lwaysespecial.

It is a wisemaximnjurisprudencehat tenguiltymenhadbetterscapehanhatone nnocentan houlduffer.So withrhetoricalndpublicudgments.he nennocentan ondemnedwilldobothudgendusticemore arm han he enguiltywhoescape.

Meniveongood piniono a greatxtent.When,herefore,you ake way man'sood ame,ouake wayhatwhichs in



78 PUBLICPEAKING

manyaseshebasisofself-respect.n theadvocacyf agoodcause,hen,etusbewareowwe proceed ithpersonalities,est

weundononedirectionhatwe seek o do n another.A.deMorgan,n hisreplyo SirW.Hamilton,n theirecentdiscussionn heoriginationf Formalogic,makesheseusefulremarks:—'ntheday fswords,t wasone ftheobjectsfpublicpolicyopreventeopleromtickinghemntoach ther'sodiesontrivialrounds.Wenowwear ens and t is asgreat pointtohinderurselvesromtickinghemnto ach ther'sharacters,withouteriousndwell-consideredeasons.Tothisend I havealwaysonsideredt asoneofthe irst ndmost pecialules,hatconvictionf the ruthof a charges nosufficienteasonor itspromulgation.asserthatnoone sjustifiednaccusingnother

until ehashisproof eadyand hat ntheinterval,f indeedtberighthat here houldeanynterval,etweenhechargendtheattempttsubstantiation,ll the leisure ndenergiesf theaccuserre hepropertyftheaccused.'

Thomas ooper,.D.,Bishopf Winchester,n 1589,ssueda pamphletith histitle:—' nAdmonitiono thePeople fEnglandwhereinreanswered,otonelyheslaunderousntrue-thes,eproachfullytteredyMaitinheLibeller,utalsomanyotherCrimesysome f hisbroode,bjectedenerallygainstllBishops,ndhechiefe ftheCleargie,urposelyodeface nddis-

creditehepresenttate ftheChurch.'EvenheBishopfExeter ouldotnow,n 1849,hink f in¬ditinguch titlepage gainstismostdecidedpponents.t isnothatruth ndalsehood,rrightndwrong,avehanged;utthatgoodasteandprivateusticere n theascendant.We nolongeringood ociety)ttackhemotives,uttheprinciplesfmen.

Letusapplyherulewehave eenllustratingo Parliamentarycontroversies.feverymemberere osaywhats Irue, rwhathebelieveso betrue, f another,ur egislativessembliesouldsoon omeoresemblehose ftheUnitedtates,n oneofwhich,notong go, membern audienceeingirednlisteningo themembernpossessionf thehouse,otupand aid,Mr. peaker,I shouldike o know owonghat here lackguards to gooptiringme o deathn thismanner.' he rishHousefCommon?beforeheUnion,urnishesspecimenf whatmusthappen,fsentimentsre o be expressedithoutule:'I willnot callhimvillain,ecausee s chancellorf theexchequerI will not callhimiar,becausee s aprivyounsellor;utI willsayof him,that e s onewhohas aken dvantagef theprivileges£ „nishouse,o utteranguageowhichn anyother lacemy win*,t

would ave een blow.' Suchwereheexpressionssed yMr.



AND EBATE. 79

Grattanowards r.Corrie;nd duelwas he mmediateesult.We ndeavourokeep learf thisblackguardism;otbecauset

isunimportanthether maniesornot,butbecausee havelearnedhegoodense fnot mpugningntegritypon uspicion,andwhen ecanmpugnton act—weeed oharsh ords—thefacts theseverestudgment.

DeMorgan,hom haveustquoted,elateshat he atePro¬fessor ince asonce rguingtCambridgegainst uelling,ndsome ne aid,"Well,butProfessor,hat ouldoudo fany necalledoua liar ' 'Sir,'saidhefineoldfellown hispeculiarbrogue,I shouldell'himopruv; ndf he didpruvt,I shouldbeashamedfmyself;nd f hedidn't,eoughto beashamedfhimself.'

Theobviousawsweshouldmpressnallwho ontrovert,eemtobethese:—1. To onsultn allcasesheimprovementf thosewhomwe

oppose,nd o thisendargueot orour ratification,rpride,rvanity,utfortheir nlightenment.

2. To inverthevulgarmode fjudgment,ndnot,whenweguesstmotives,uessheworst, utadopthebestconstructionthecaseadmits.

3. Todistinguishetweenhepersonalitieshichmpugnhejudgment,ndhosehat riminateharacter,nd everoadvance

accusationsfeither indwithoutistinct nd ndisputableroof—nevero assail haracternsuspicion,robability,elief, rlikelihood.

4. Tokeep istincthe twokinds f personalities,evermixingupthosewhichertaino characterith hosewhich ertainojudgment.

5. Tonevermeddleith ither,nless ome ublicoods tocome utof it. Itisnotenoughhatachargestrue,t mustbeusefuloprefert before wisepublicistillmeddle ith t.

6. Todare llpersonalitiesurselves—toravell attacks—to

defyhe

judgmentfmankind,ndwhenweare ssailed,nfail¬

inglyorespecturselves,ndkeepn viewhebetterancefhimwhomweoppose,atherhan urownpersonalratification.*

Wereheerrorsiscussedn this hapteronfinedo thevulgar,we might onfiden thespreadfordinaryntelligenceo dissi¬pate hem. But tis otherwise.Whowouldhave xpectedohave oundhe'sweetest ndmost enuineoetessf theage,'C.B.writingn theAthenaeumletter f anger,eproach,nd on¬demnation,f Mr.Howitt,orhavingrittenomethinghichhe

* Earn nlargedonsiderationfthisquestionee rticlesNos.0and»*of he

Ptoplc'sress),ntitledhe'

PhilosophyfPersonalities,'

herei rarereatedf heirntroductionntoublicarties.



SO PUBLICPEAKING

confesseshehad*neveread.'Literarytiquetteeemso havsreceivedo mprovementithime. Hazlitt,yron,outhey,nd

otheruminariesf iterature,ink o the evelof themeanestfmankindhenheyareoundngagedntheadjustmentf theirdifferences.henurningverheperiodicalsftheirimes,neis amazedtthe flood f vituperation,heenvy,ealousy,ndmiserableisparagementf each ther.Yetf all his ittlenessx¬ists,betterhattbeexpressedhatonemay eewhat urgods remade f. Rudenesss healthierhanhypocrisy,nd,herefore,thepolicywhich oncealsankling alignitys more erniciousthanhedisplayf it. Let tbeavowedntilmenare onvincedthatit is unreasonable.eighHunthasthe creditof having

propheciedongago hat heoldphilosophiconvictionould

revivemongsas a popularne,hatrecrimination,enouncements,ndhreats,hould eputanendo,and heperceptionprevailhat heerrorsf mankindrise atherrom hewant fknowledgehanhe defect fgoodness.Butwhatsthehistoryfmodernarties Hasnotrecriminativerror rokenpthebestofthem ntomiserableections?Stupidity'anbeinformed4ignorance'anbeenlightened,utthe 'collisionf interestndpassion,nd heperversitiesf self-will ndself-opinion'estroyall beforehem.What opes there f the improvementf theuneducated,hile hosewho hould nowbetterperpetuatehe

infectiousxample Men,whoseamest is needlesso cite,anawhom,rioroexperience,could othave elievedobeuncon¬scious fthe act haveoundnawarehatsimplicityntheex¬pressionfpassions the lessonof nature ndof genius, ndthegreatestiscoveryfrhetoricalxperience.t is. however,clearhat heres nohopeor heefficientrogressftheorderfindustryhile heirnaturaleadersndexemplarsepartromthatproprietyhich lonesstrength.

Ihenecessityfenforcinghismost racticalart frhetorictheRhetoricfDispute),hichstaughtnnoMechanics,rLiteraryInstitution,s evidencednthediscouragingact hatanmpartial,impersonal,nd dispassioate one s almostatal n news¬paperndperiodicaliterature.Weaddresspopulaceo whomnothinghatsjust eemspirited.Wemustbe offensivelyer¬sonal rweare ronouncedame.Unless eare ancorousearenotrelished.The easonsthatmostmen,whentung ya senseofinjury,renaturallyrecipitatedromextremeo extreme.Theirpinions,henincere,arenotproducedy the ordinary»awf ntellectualirths,y nductionrinference,utareequi¬vocallyenerated'y heheat ffervidmotion,roughtponbytome ense funbearableppression.

So ,t evers with he intellectuallyndisciplined,f whatev-ei



82 PTJBXICPEAKING.

—-do eunderstandllthe allusionsopersonsr hings In

short, oes urmindactover gain romhewriter'suidancewhathisactedbefore dowereasons hereasoned,onceiveas he conceived,hinkandfeelashethoughtnd elt? or fnot,canwedibcern here ndhow ar wedo not,and canwetellwhywedo notV

Questioningasalso a place n rhetoric s wellas in re¬search.Frankly onducted,t is amode fconvictionithoutoffence.To whatever n opponent rges,withwhichwe donotagree,f course ehave ome bjection.Put hisobjectionincidentally,ndask t asaquestion,hat nsweranbegivento t 2 This s a goodconversationalodeof debate,where

the mprovementf anopponent,atherhan a triumphverhim, s theobject.It is notshowy, ut t is searching.In a similarwayconfidenceaybe acquiredydiffident

speakers.A noviciateonversationalists shyof takingpartindebatingtopic,esthe shouldnotbe able to sustain im¬self. Tosuch havesaid—putourargumentn theformofanobjectionhichbome ould rge,andbegsome neof thecompanyo tellyouwhathewould ayin reply. If to thisanswerouhave an objectionurther, ut that also n thequeristorm fora manwillbe able to ask a question howould ever eableto makea

speech. Bythis

easymeans

themostdiffidentayget ntoconversation,nd whenonceexcitedwill peakreelynough—perhapsoo reely.Acowardwillfight,when egrowswarmn strife. <'

Thismethodasanotherdvantage.By hismeans novicelearnshebest nswers hichhecompanyangive o hisownargument,nd thuswithout isk of exposuree learnsheirweaknessr finds ut theirstrength.He has also taken heguage f hisopponents'owers,ndcan,f heseeswell,match•himselfgainsthem.

CHAPTER XIII.

BEPETITION.

The Reformerho omprehendsis missionttemptshe dis¬ciplinefthepeoplen nobler iews. Only reatnaturesre

heroicyinstinct.But t is not more rue hat all menare



*lft PUBLICPEAKING.

CHAPTER XXIV.

POETRY. V

Suchproverbss'poetsarebornand notmade'haveen¬couragedhenotion,hat nspirationoes verythingor thepoet, ndartnothingwhereasnspirationiveshim he dea,andartenables im to expresst. It is veryprobablehat*creative'apacitys an elementn thepoeticnaturewhichartdoes otmake, uteducatesnly. Yetexperienceeachesnsthatdecidedoetic owerometimesinks nto hecommon¬place, nd hat hatwhich asbeenpronouncedediocreas

beenculturednto excellence.We, herefore,ught o pausebeforereatingo disdainfully,s is the fashion,hehumbleversifiers ho, romtimeto time, olicitthe world's otice.Certainly yron'sHours f Idlenesswere s weak speci¬menof thepoetic,spatricianrplebeianancy ver oncocted'.Itgaveno signof thatfierce owerwhichwasafterwardsevokedromhesame en. BothBurns ndElliott avebeengreatlyndebted—perhapss much ndebtedo artas to theirideas,for the distinction hichattaches o theirnames.Manya name f notenow,mightbe cited,whose nfantilegeniuswasrockednthecradlefdoggrel.

Between hyme ndPoetryhere s a great gulf,whichpatienttudy lonemaybridgever. Some fthe ntermediatestepsmaybe indicated.Thegradationsmaybe explained,which,houghllmaynotbe able o pass hrough,llmayboable ounderstand,nddetermineheirownpositionnrefer¬enceo them.

A Sunderlandandidateor Parnassianaurelsatelypre¬sentedhepublicwith he ollowingeryA-B-C ffort:—-

Two entlemenined tmyhouse,Forbreakfastheyhad omeham;

Says ,

'Areyougoing

oHartlepool

''Oyes,'says hey, weam.'

Evenherudest indof Versehould ave omequalities otfoundn Prose. WhatPoetrys,it is noteasy o define atis¬factorily.Butthis is agreed pon, hat whatevers called"Poetry ughto contain n dea,or ideas,abovehe levelofProse,andsuch as cannotbe so well expressedn Prose.$Towrdinaryrose,f tolerable,s grammatical,ut heversea ovequotedasnot hisquality.In versehecorrespondingterminationsflines houldhyme—thisule s ahoneglected.Correspondingines hould lsohave hesamenumberf syl-



ANDDEBATE. 85

lablesnthem—thats,shouldavehesamemeasure,hesamequantityfaccentedndunaccentedounds theversifierehavecitedseemsnnocentf anysuchrequirement.ndeed,themajorityf thosewhopublishhymesever avepaid heleastattentiono these ssentiallementsf verse. Many,n¬deed, aveneverheard hatthereare suchelements.Mostof therejectedPoetry'ent o periodicalsndnewspaperssof thisclass;forpersons hounderstandhemechanicalartof poetryrequentlynowwhatheyareabout,nowheir wnpowers,nddo notsend utproductionshichhave/notomestamp f excellenceponhem.

Ayoungmindof any orceoremulationommonlyakestotheexperimentf verse. The xercisehouldlways een¬couragedndcriticised. n thisway, henewthinkermaylearn hepowerf wordsgreeably,nd henature felevatedideas. HewillconsultDictionariesf Synonyms. omuchthe better. Thehabitwillincreaseisknowledge.Hewillkeepwhathe acquires,ecause e will get it when ewantsit. Turn isambitionouseful ccount.If you annotmakehimapoet, oumaymake imagrammarian,linguist, nda thinker,nd savehim frommaking imself idiculousyteachingim hedifferenceetweenrose,Rhyme, erse,ndPoetry.Letit be understoodhat*all personsmayrhyme,butthat tisgivenonly o few ocomposehoughts—theirstrequisitesfwhich re, hat heybenew, triking,ndbeauti¬ful,and or heexpressionfwhicht is furtherecessaryhattherebegiftsandacquirementsf languagenfinitelybovethose equiredorcommonurposes.'* '

Wemayusefullyracehedistinctionsuggestedlittle ur¬ther. Merehyme ften ssistshememory,nd f nervous,tmaybettertrikeheunderstandinghanprose.Of hisquality,are ome ld inesonFeastingndFasting,eginninghus:—

Accustomarlynyour outhTolayembargonyourmouth;And etnoraritiesnviteTopalland lutyour ppetiteButchecktalways,ndgive 'erWitha desirefeatingmore;Forwherenediesby nanition,Athousanderishyrepletion.^

OldDr.Johnson adnota fineear,andhejudgedheartis¬ticqualityfpoetryhieflyy hecalculationfsyllables.He

* «Chambers'ournal,'o.21,1844.t E.Roynard, .D. 1750.



86 PUBLICPEAKING.

wasapoet imself,

utwaschiefly istinguished

orhispowerofmakingerse. Hisknowledgef literaryrtandhismanly

sense avegivenan elevationo hisproductionshichhavewon or hemdistinction,ndwhich how owgood ensewillcommandespect heremaginations wanting.I quote isProloguepokenyGarrickt heopeningf theTheatre oyal,DruryLane,ecause,swellas llustratingispowers,t illus¬trateshe opics f thisbook —

When earning'sriumph'erherbarbarousoesFirst ear'dhe tage,mmortalhakspereose

Each hangefmany-colour*lifehedrew,Exhaustedorldsnd henmaginedew:Existenceawhim purnerboundedeign,Andpanting ime oiled fterhimn vain.Hispowerfultrokesresidingruthmpress'd,Andunresistedassiontormedhebreast.

Then onsoname,nstructedromheschool,Topleasenmethod,ndnvent yrule;Hisstudiousatiencend aboriousrtByregularpproachssay'dheheart.

Cold pprobationavehe ingeringays,For hosewhodurst ot ensurecarceould raiseAmortalorn, emet hegeneraloom,Buteft, ikeEgypt'sings, astingomb.

ThewitsofCharlesoundasierwaysofame,Norwish'dorJonson'srt,norShakspere'slame.Themselveshey tudied—ashey elt heywrit-Intrigueasplot,obscenityaswit.Vicealwaysound sympatheticriend—They leasedheirage,anddidnotaim o mendYetbardsike heseaspiredolasting raise,

Andproudlyopedopimpnfutureays.Theirause asgeneral,heir upportseretrong,Their laveswerewilling,ndheir eignwasongTillshameegain'dhepost hat ense etray'd,And irtueall'd blivionoheraid.

Then,rnsh'dyrules, ndweaken'dsrefin'd,Foryearshepowerftragedyeclined;From ardobardhe rigid autionrept,Tilldeclamationoar'd hilst assionleptYetstilldidvirtue eignhestageotread,

Philosophyemain'dhoughatureled.



ANDDEBATE. 87

Butorced,

tlength,

erancienteignoquit,ShesawgreatFaustuslaytheghost fwit

Exultingollyhail'dhe oyous ay,Andpantomimend ong onfirmeder way.Hardshis otthathereby ortunelaced,Mustwatchhewild icissitudesftasteWith verymeteorfcaprice ust lay,And hasehenew-blownubblesftheday.Ah!let notcensureerm ur ate ur hoice,The tagebutechoes ackhepublicoice;Thedrama'saws hedrama'satronsive,

Forwe hat ive oplease,mustpleaseo ive.Then romptomorehe ollies oudecry,AsTyrantsoomheiroolsofguiltodie;'Tisyourahisnightobid hereign ommenceOfrescuedature,nd evivingense;Tochase hecharmsfsound,hepompfshow,Forusefulmirth nd alutaryoeBidscenic irtueormherising ge,And ruthdiffuseerradianceromhe tage.

Thisprologue

aswit, energy,

andstriking

ense butJohnson's ant of fancy s moreevidentn his'DeathofCharlesheTwelfth,' hich as his perfectorce, ut at thecloseonly rises nto the poetical.The ast two lineshavethetrue enius fpoeticalnspiration—

Onwhatoundationtandshewarrior'sride,Howusthishopes,et Swedish harlesecideA frame fadamant,souloffire,Nodangersright im,andno aboursire;O'erove,o'erear, xtendsiswide omain,TJnconquer'dord fpleasurendofpain;No oys ohimpacificceptresield,War oundshe rump,erushesothe ield.Beholdurroundingingsheirpowerombine,Andonecapitulate,ndone esign.Peace ourtsishand, ut preadsercharmsnvain,'Think othing ained,'ecries,tillnoughtemain,OnMoscow'salls ill Gothictandardsly,Andallbeminebeneathhepolar ky.'Themarcheginsnmilitarytate,Andnations nhiseyesuspendedait,Stem amineuardshesolitaryoast,Andwinter arricadesherealm ffrost



88 PUBMOPEAKING.

Hecornea—notant nd o'dhisconr?pelay—nide blushinerlory, idePultowa's,iy!Thevanquishheroeaves isbrokenands,

And howsismiseryn distantands.Condemn'dneedyuppliantowait,Wlii'eadiesnterposend laves ebate. ''Butdidnotchancetlength ererrormend,Didnosubvertedmpire ark isendPDidrivalmonnrchsive he atalwoundOrhostilemillionsress im o thegroundHis dllwasdestin'doa barrentrand,Apettyortressnd dubiousand.He

efta name t whichheworld

rew ale,Topoint moral,radorn tale.

Johnsonasa mechanicaloet. AllanCunningham,peaK-tngof'ChevyChase,'genuineoem, hich irPhilipSidneysaid ellonhisearsike hesoundf atrumpet,uggestso usthehighestlementsf poetry.' "ChevyChase and"SirAndrewarton,"rehistory ndtruth buthistoryxcited,elevated,nd inspired:ruthall life, spirit,and heroism.'*Poetry,'aysGilfillan,isthought n fire.' It is in its im¬passionedruthhatwefeel tspresenceit is forthebeauty

of ideas,istinctrom he

beautyfthings,

hatweadmiret.Personifications thesoulofpoetry.Infewof ourmodern

writerss this qualitymoreremarkablehan in DouglasJerrold, hosewritingsre haracterisedytheomnipresenceofpersonification.ulwerresents ore f theappearancefpersonificationn hiswritings:utJerroldmore fthereality.Bulwer'sersonificationseem ften o beartificial,nd ugges¬tedby capitaletters,while errold'srepresentedndeep-set,finishedictures.Many re he attributes f poetry,ut itsgrandest owers personification.t peopleshe worldoffancyand houghtwithnew orms. It individualisesenti¬

ments—itdds o ourintellectualcquaintances. owdimandindefinitereourimpressionsf thepast!but in thehands f Bryantwhata majestic ntity t becomes,n thi?',poem eginning—

Thou-unrelentingast!Strongre he barriersoundhydark omain,

And ettersure nd astHold llthatenterhynnbreathingeign.

'

What splendiddealitys inthispoemealised Whatmul¬titudinousorms rebodiedorth It islike herevelationf



ANDDEBATE. j&9

eternity,nd hemindremblesnd hrills s on the

vergeof

a newworld.Poetrys found nvarioustates—sometimesn the nvoca¬

tionofhistoric ames,n allusions,nillustrations,n similes—sometimesn intensityf language,nd ometimesn inten¬sityoffeeling.

Poetrys oftenfoundndependentf theverset forms, sgems re ound nset. Wewould efineoetryo bethatmodeofexpressionywhichntensityffeelingnany ubjectscon¬veyedromonemindtoanother.Ofcourse,he moreust;—themoretriking—theode f expression,hemore omplete

andrapidwill bethecommunication;ence—andtillmore,becausemanypersons avenot courageo divebeneathroughurface—its desirablehat thepoetshoulde able oclothe is houghtsnmellifluousanguage.Butwords renotpoetry.Witnesshebeautifuldea f Professoreeren—"er-sepolis,ising bovehedelugefyears."This, eing trans¬latedpassage,s notdependentpon hraseologyor tsbeauty.Butwhodoesnot feel its exquisiteness,icturingt oncehealmostmiraculoustabilityfthose hread-likeolumns hichtheintemperateolicy f Alexanderailed o overthrow,ndthevague, hapelessncertaintyhich loudsheperiodo

which heir rections attributed Thewholepassageormsa mostpoeticallyrawnicture.4Again—" imesadlyovercomethll things, ndis nowdominant,ndsitteth pona sphinx,nd ooketh ntoMem¬phisandoldThebeswhile issister,Oblivion,eclinethemi-somnousn a pyramid,loriouslyriumphing,aking uzzlesof Titanianrections,ndturning ld gloriesntodreams.Historysinkethbeneath ercloud. Thetraveller, s hepacethamazedlyhroughhosedeserts, sketh f her,Whobuildedhem and hemumblethomething,utwhatt isheknowethot."

4Is not this poetry andyet howquaint, lmostnhar¬monious,s its structure.Comparet with hefamousimilein Pope'sHomer,eginning—

Thus,whenhemoon,efulgentamp fnight.Willthispassage,eplete ith hemostgorgeouspithets,ndclothedn themostharmoniouserse, earacomparisoniththestrangely-apparelledoetry f SirThomas rowne It isnotourearwhich romptsheverdict—its our nnateeelingof truthandbeauty.If thuspoeticgenius anexist,nde¬

pendent nddespite f phraseology, aywenotsupposetII

Public Speaking and Debate

Documents

Transcript of Public Speaking and Debate