analyses of oratorical style

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ANALYSES OFORATORICAL STYLE

Studies and Analyses of Oratorical Style and theFundamental Character of Composition

of Oratory

By

R. E. PATTISON JKLINEDean Public Speaking Department,

Columbia College of Expression, Chicago

AMERICAN CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL OF LAWCHICAGO


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Copyright. 1914By

AMERICAN CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL OF LAWCHICAGO

FEB 20 1915

CI-A391810


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TABLE OF CONTENTSCHAPTER PAGE

Introduction 3The Nature, Greatness and Eewards of Elo-

quence {Cicero)I. Edmund Burke 's Speech on Moving His Keso-

lutions for Conciliation with the ColoniesAffairs in Cuba {John M. Thurston) 9

II. The Heroism of the UnknownAbrahamLincoln {Henry Ward Beecher) 54

III. PatriotismThe Muck-raker {Julius Kahn)The True Fast {Isaiah 58) 81IV. Excerpts from the Speech on ' ' The Mysteries '

{Andocides)An Encomium on Evagoras{Isocrates) 100

V. Against Crowning Demosthenes {Aeschines)Demosthenes on the Crown : . . 122

Index 143


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PREFACE.The purpose of the present volume of

analyses of orations is to furnish a groupof studies in the methods of oratoricalstyle. The educational institutions providemuch training in writing, but while it isexcellent as far as it goes, it does not in-clude as thorough explanation and practiceas it should in the particular qualities oforatorical composition.While the grammar and the general prin-

ciples of the rhetoric of spoken Englishdiffer not from those of the written oressay style, yet there are distinct differ-ences between the two. Since these havenot been adequately treated in the textbooks upon the subject, the author has pro-vided the analyses in the present volume,giving the student an opportunity to ac-quaint himself with the fundamental char-acter of the composition of oratory.


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PREFACERobert Browning says in his poem,

"Rabbi Ben Ezra,'"Here work enough to watehThe Master work, and catch

Hints of the proper craft, tricks of thetool's true play."

So there is no better way of learning thebest in oratorical style than by the studyof the masters. It is hoped, too, that thestudent will become so interested in thisphase of his study that he will be impelledto analyze for himself the orations andspeeches in the volume, "Selected Speechesfor Practice. 'The orations of the present volume will

furnish material for further practice in de-livery. R. E. Pattison Kline.


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ANALYSES OF ORATORICALSTYLEINTRODUCTION.

THE NATURE, GREATNESS AND RE-WARDS OF ELOQUENCE.A discussion by the Latin orator, Cicero, of oratory.The student will do well to ponder long over this sig-

nificant exposition by one of the world's great orators.1. The art of eloquence is something

greater, and collected from more sciencesand studies than people imagine. For whocan suppose that, amid the greatest multi-tude of students, the utmost abundance ofmasters, the most eminent geniuses amongmen, the infinite variety of causes, themost ample rewards offered to eloquence,there is any other reason to be found forthe small number of orators than the in-credible magnitude and difficulty of theart? A knowledge of a vast number of

3


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4 ANALYSES OF ORATOKICAL STYLEtilings is necessary, without which volubil-ity of words is empty and ridiculous;speech itself is to be formed, not merelyby choice, but by careful construction ofwords; and all the emotions of the mind,which nature has given to man, must beintimately known ; for all the force and artof speaking must be employed in allayingor exciting the feelings of those who listen.

2. To this must be added a certain por-tion of grace and wit, learning worthy ofa well-bred man, and quickness and brev-ity in replying as well as attacking, accom-panied with a refined decorum and urban-ity. Besides, the whole of antiquity anda multitude of examples is to be kept inthe memory; nor is the knowledge of lawsin general, or of the civil law in particular,to be neglected. And why need I add anyremarks on delivery itself, which is to beordered by action of body, by gesture, bylook, and by modulation and variation ofthe voice, the great power of which, aloneand in itself, the comparatively trivial artof actors and the stage proves, on whichthough all bestow their utmost labor to


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ANALYSES OF OBATOBICAL STYLEform their look, voice, and gesture, whoknows not how few there are, and haveever been, to whom we can attend withpatience ?

3. What can I say of that repository forall things, the memory, which, unless it bemade the keeper of the matter and wordsthat are the fruits of thought and inven-tion, all the talents of the orator, we see,though they be of the highest degree ofexcellence, will be of no avail? Let us,then, cease to wonder what is the cause ofthe scarcity of good speakers, since elo-quence results from all those qualifica-tions, in each of which singly it is a greatmerit to labor successfully.In my opinion, indeed, no man can be

an orator possessed of every praiseworthyaccomplishment, unless he has attainedthe knowledge of everything important,and of all liberal arts, for his languagemust be ornate and copious from knowl-edge, since, unless there be beneath thesurface matter understood and felt by thespeaker, oratory becomes an empty andalmost puerile flow of words.


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8 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEhave described for them laws, judicial in-stitutions, and rights! And that I maynot mention more examples, which are al-most without number, I will conclude thesubject in one short sentence; for I con-sider, that by the judgment and wisdom ofthe perfect orator, not only his own honor,but that of many other individuals, andthe welfare of the whole state, are prin-cipally upheld. Cicero.


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CHAPTER I.EDMUND BUBKE'S SPEECH

ON MOVING HIS EESOLUTIONS FOE CONCILIA-TION WITH THE COLONIES.

Delivered in the House of Commons,March 22, 1775.

The study and analysis of an oration having action asits endaction to be secured through an appeal to thereason rather than an appeal to the emotions.

1. I hope, Sir, that, notwithstanding theajasterity of the Chair, your good naturewill incline you to some degree of indul-gence toward human frailty. You will notthink it unnatural that those who have anobject depending which strongly engagestheir hopes and fears should be somewhatinclined to superstition. As I came intothe House, full of anxiety about the eventof my motion, I found, to my infinite sur-prise, that the grand penal bill, by whichwe had passed sentence on the trade and

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ANALYSES OF OBATOBICAL STYLE 11House, the affairs of that continentpressed themselves upon us as the mostimportant and most delicate object ofparliamentary attention. My little sharein this great deliberation oppressed me.I found myself a partaker in a veryhigh trust; and having no sort of rea-son to rely on the strength of my nat-ural abilities for the proper execution ofthat trust, I was obliged to take more thancommon pains to instruct myself in every-thing which relates to our colonies. I wasnot less under the necessity of formingsome fixed ideas concerning the generalpolicy of the British Empire. Somethingof this sort seemed to be indispensable, inorder, amidst so vast a( fluctuation of pas-sions and opinions, to concenter mythoughts, to ballast my conduct, to pre-serve me from being blown about by everywind of fashionable doctrine. I really didnot think it safe or manly to have freshprinciples to seek upon every fresh mailwhich should arrive from America.

3. At that period I had the fortune tofind myself in perfect concurrence with a


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ANALYSES OF OBATOKICAL STYLE 13been brought into her present situationa situation which I will not miscall, whichI dare not name; which I scarcely knowhow to comprehend in the terms of any de-scription.

5. In this posture, Sir, things stood atthe beginning of the session. About thattime a worthy member of great parlia-mentary experience, who in the year 1766,filled the chair of the American Committeewith much ability, took me aside, and, la-menting the present aspect of our politics,told me, things were come to such a passthat our former methods of proceeding inthe House would be no longer tolerated;that the public tribunal (never too indul-gent to a long and unsuccessful opposi-tion) would now scrutinize our conductwith unusual severity; that the very vicis-situdes and shiftings of ministerial meas-ures, instead of convicting their authorsof inconstancy and want of system, wouldbe taken as an occasion of charging us witha predetermined discontent which nothingcould satisfy, while we accused everymeasure of vigor as cruel, and every pro-


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14 ANALYSES OF OKATORICAL STYLEposal of lenity as weak and irresolute.The public, he said, would not have pa-tience to see us play the game out withour adversaries: we must produce ourhand. It would be expected that those whofor many years had been active in suchaffairs should show that they had formedsome clear and decided idea of the prin-ciples of colony government; and werecapable of drawing out something like aplatform of the ground which might belaid for future and permanent tranquillity.

6. I felt the truth of what my honorablefriend represented ; but I felt my situation,too. His application might have beenmade with far greater propriety to manyother gentlemen. No man was indeed everbetter disposed, or worse qualified, forsuch an undertaking than myself. ThoughI gave so far in to his opinion that I im-mediately threw my thoughts into a sortof parliamentary form, I was by no meansequally ready to produce them. It gener-ally argues some degree of natural impo-tence of mind, or some want of knowledgeof the world, to hazard plans of govern-


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ANALYSES OF OKATOBICAL STYLE 15ment except from a seat of authority.Propositions are made, not only ineffect-ually, but somewhat disreputably, whenthe minds of men are not properly dis-posed for their reception; and for my part,I am not ambitious of ridicule; not abso-lutely a candidate for disgrace.

7. Besides, Sir, to speak the plain truth,I have in general no very exalted opinionof the virtue of paper government, nor ofany politics in which the plan is to bewholly separated from the execution. Butwhen I saw that anger and violence pre-vailed every day more and more, and thatthings were hastening toward an incurablealienation of our colonies, I confess mycaution gave way. I felt this as one ofthose few moments in which decorumyields to a higher duty. Public calamityis a mighty leveler; and there are occa-sions when any, even the slightest, chanceof doing good must be laid hold on, evenby the most inconsiderable person.

8. To restore order and repose to anempire so great and so distracted as ours,is, merely in the attempt, an undertaking


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ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLE 17to arise out of universal discord, fomentedfrom principle, in all parts of the empirenot peace to depend on the juridical deter-mination of perplexing questions, or theprecise marking the shadowy boundariesof a complex government. It is simplepeace, sought in its natural course, and inits ordinary haunts. It is peace sought inthe spirit of peace, and laid in principlespurely pacific. I propose, by removing theground of the difference, and by restoringthe former unsuspecting confidence of thecolonies in the mother country, to give per-manent satisfaction to your people; and(far from a scheme of ruling by discord)to reconcile them to each other in the sameact, and by the bond of the very same in-terest which reconciles them to Britishgovernment.

10. My idea is nothing more. Eefinedpolicy ever has been the parent of con-fusion; and ever will be so, as long as theworld endures. Plain good intention,which is as easily discovered at the firstview, as fraud is surely detected at last,is, let me say, of no mean force in the gov-


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18 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEernment of mankind. Genuine simplicityof heart is a healing and cementing prin-ciple. My plan, therefore, being formedupon the most simple grounds imaginable,may disappoint some people when theyhear it. It has nothing to recommend itto the pruriency of curious ears. Thereis nothing at all new and captivating in it.It has nothing of the splendor of the proj-ect which has been lately laid upon yourtable by the noble lord in the blue ribbon.It does not propose to fill your lobby withsquabbling colony agents, who will requirethe interposition of your mace at every in-stant to keep the peace among them. Itdoes not institute a magnificent auction offinance, where captivated provinces cometo general ransom by bidding against eachother, until you knock down the hammer,and determine a proportion of paymentsbeyond all the powers of algebra to equal-ize and settle.

11. The plan which I shall presume tosuggest derives, however, one great advan-tage from the proposition and registry ofthat noble lord's projectthe idea of con-


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ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLE 19ciliation is admissible. First, the House,in accepting the resolution moved by thenoble lord, has admitted, notwithstandingthe menacing front of our address, not-withstanding our heavy bills of pains andpenalties, that we do not think ourselvesprecluded from all ideas of free grace andbounty.

12. The House has gone further: it hasdeclared conciliation admissible, previousto any submission on the part of America.It has even shot a good deal beyond thatmark, and has admitted that the com-plaints of our former mode of exertingthe right of taxation were not wholly un-founded. That right thus exerted is al-lowed to have had something reprehensi-ble in it, something unwise, or somethinggrievous; since, in the midst of our heatand resentment, we, of ourselves, haveproposed a capital alteration; and, in or-der to get rid of what seemed so very ex-ceptionable, have instituted a mode thatis altogether new; one that is, indeed,wholly alien from all the ancient methodsand forms of Parliament.


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20 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLE13. The principle of this proceeding is

large enough for my purpose. The meansproposed by the noble lord for carryinghis ideas into execution, I think, indeed,are very indifferently suited to the end;and this I shall endeavor to show you be-fore I sit down. But, for the present,! Itake my ground on the admitted principle.)I mean to give peace. Peace implies rec-onciliation; and, where there has been amaterial dispute, reconciliation does in amanner always imply concession on theone part or on the other. In this state ofthings I make no difficulty in affirmingthat the proposal ought to originate fromus. Great and acknowledged force is notimpaired, either in effect or in opinion, byan unwillingness to exert itself. The su-perior power may offer peace with honorand with safety. Such an offer from sucha power will be attributed to magnanimity.But the concessions of the weak are theconcessions of fear. When such a one isdisarmed, he is wholly at the mercy of hissuperior; and he loses forever that timeand those chances, which, as they happen


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ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLE 21to all men, are the strength and resourcesof all inferior power.

14. The capital leading questions onwhich you must this day decide are thesetwo : First, whether you ought to concedeand secondly, what your concession oughtto be. On the first of these questions wehave gained (as I have just taken the lib-erty of observing to you) some ground.But I am sensible that a good deal moreis still to be done. Indeed, Sir, to enableus to determine both on the one and theother of these great questions with a firmand precise judgment, I think it may benecessary to consider distinctly the truenature and the peculiar circumstances ofthe object which we have before us; be-cause after all our struggle, whether wewill or not, we must govern America ac-cording to that nature and to those circum-stances, and not according to our ownimaginations, nor according to abstractideas of right; by no means according tomere general theories of government, theresort to which appears to me, in our pres-ent situation, no better than arrant trifling.


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ANALYSES OF OKATOEICAL STYLE 23given magnitude, they are grown to it.While we spend our time in deliberatingon the mode of governing two millions, weshall find we have millions more to man-age. Your children do not grow fasterfrom infancy to manhood than they spreadfrom families to communities, and fromvillages to nations.

16. I put this consideration of the pres-ent and the growing numbers in the frontof our deliberation; because, Sir, this con-sideration will make it evident to a blunterdiscernment than yours, that no partial,narrow, contracted, pinched, occasionalsystem will be at all suitable to such anobject. It will show you, that it is not tobe considered as one of those minimawhich are out of the eye and considerationof the law; not a paltry excrescence of thestate; not a mean dependent, who may beneglected with little damage, and provokedwith little danger. It will prove that somedegree of care and caution is required inthe handling such an object; it will showthat you ought not, in reason, to trifle withso large a mass of the interests and feel-


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24 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEings of the human race. You could at notime do so without guilt; and be assuredyou will not be able to do it long with im-punity.

17. But the population of this country,the great and growing population, thougha very important consideration, will losemuch of its weight if not combined withother circumstances. The commerce ofyour colonies is out of all proportion be-yond the numbers of the people. Thisground of their commerce indeed has beentrod some days ago, and with great ability,by a distinguished person, at your bar.This gentleman, after thirty-five yearsitis so long since he first appeared at thesame place to plead for the commerce ofGreat Britainhas come again before youto plead the same cause, without any othereffect of time, than that to the fire of imag-ination and extent of erudition which eventhen marked him as one of the first literarycharacters of his age, he has added a con-summate knowledge in the commercial in-terest of his country, formed by a long


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ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLE 2722. In the year 1772, which I take as a

middle year between the highest and low-est of those lately laid on your table, theaccount was as follows:

To North America and the WestIndies 4,791,734

To Africa - 866,398To which, if you add the export

trade from Scotland, whichhad in 1704 no existence . 364,000

6,022,132

23. From five hundred and odd thou-sand, it has grown to six millions. It hasincreased no less than twelvefold. This isthe state of the colony trade as comparedwith itself at these two periods within thiscentury ; and this is matter for meditation.But this is not all. Examine my secondaccount. See how the export trade to thecolonies alone in 1772 stood in the otherpoint of view, that is, as compared to thewhole trade of England in 1704.


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ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLE 29the whole mass of our export commerce,the colony trade was but one-twelfth partit is now (as a part of sixteen millions)considerably more than a third of thewhole. This is the relative proportion ofthe importance of the colonies at these twoperiods; and all reasoning concerning ourmode of treating them must have this pro-portion as its basis, or it is a reasoningweak, rotten, and sophistical.

25. Mr. Speaker, I can not prevail onmyself to hurry over this great considera-tion. It is good for us to be here. Westand where we have an immense view ofwhat is, and what is past. Clouds, indeed,and darkness rest upon the future. Letus, however, before we descend from thisnoble eminence, reflect that this growth ofour national prosperity has happenedwithin the short period of the life of man.It has happened within sixty-eight years.

Analysis.

Study carefully the first half of the firstparagraph to determine what effect it


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30 ANALYSES OF ORATOKICAL STYLEwould have upon the attitude which thepresiding officers and the members mighttake toward Burke and his subject. An-alyze the use of the word, " austerity. 'See if any other word would do as well.Note "deliberative capacity"; study themeaning of the word ' ' capacity. ' ' Note inthe next line the parallel construction,

'' Sovery questionable in its nature, so very un-

certain in its issue. ' ' The principle is, thatideas of likeness of thought require same-ness of form. What is the effect at theend of the paragraph, of using the ex-pression ' ' to attend ' ' twice ? Note how thenew paragraph is organically connectedwith the first by the use of the word,"subject."Paragraph 2. "To concenter my

thoughts," would "centre" do as well?Paragraph 3. In the second line, wouldthe word "agreement" serve as well asthe one used"concurrence"? Note theuse of the two terms, "large majority,"and "that high authority." Note how thesecond and third paragraphs are knit to-gether by the expression in the third, "At


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ANALYSES OF OEATOEICAL STYLE 31that time," pointing back to the expressionin the second, "When I first had the honorof a seat in the House. -Paragraph 4. Note how this paragraphis organically related to three and two bythe expression, "during this interval."Place this last expression at any otherplace in the sentence, and study the effect.Is it better where it is? Why the word,"hazard"?Paragraph 5. Note how five is connected

with all going before by the expression,"In this posture." Study the use of theword, "posture." Fix in your mind theidiom, "come to such a pass." Why not"watch," instead of "scrutinize"? Studythe words of this paragraph. Are they toolong and unusual for the average man?Paragraph 6. What expression in the

first line connects organically this para-graph with the preceding one? Why didhe say "parliamentary form"? Note atthe end of the paragraph, how the swiftergrasp of the thought is secured throughomitting the "I am" from the last state-ment.


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ANALYSES OF OKATOBICAL STYLE 33carefully. It is a process of definition.This method of stating the idea, then tell-ing first what it is not, and afterward tell-ing what it is, is very common to publicspeech. Grasp how this method of defini-tion makes for clearness. Note the fourparallel constructions beginning with,"not." Thisparallel constructionis afavorite method of speech. What is itseffect % One of keener clearness or greaterforce?Paragraph 10. Study how coherence,

that is organic connection, is secured be-tween this and the foregoing paragraph, bythe first statement. Note the use of theword * ' parent. ' ' Observe how coherence inthe paragraph is secured by the phrases,"My plan," "It has nothing," "There isnothing," "It does not," "It does not."Again, study the sentence structuresimple sentences, making it easy to followthe thought.Paragraph 11. What secures the organic

connection between paragraphs ten andeleven? What is the effect of the "how-ever ' ' in the second line ! Could this word


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ANALYSES OF OKATOKICAL STYLE 41sick; we are saving such as can be saved,and yet there are those who still say it isright for us to send food, but we must keephands off. I say that the time has comewhen muskets must go with the food. Weasked the governor if he knew of any relieffor these people except through the charityof the United States. He did not. Weasked him, "When do you think the timewill come that these people can be placedin a position of self-support ?" He repliedto us, with deep feeling, "Only the goodGod or the great Government of the UnitedStates can answer that question." I hopeand believe that the good God by the greatGovernment of the United States will an-swer that question.

6. I shall refer to these horrible thingsno further. They are there. God pity meI have seen them; they will remain in mymind forever; and this is almost the twen-tieth century. Christ died nineteen hun-dred years ago, and Spain is a Christiannation. She has set up more crosses inmore lands, beneath more skies, and underthem has butchered more people than all


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42 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEthe other nations of the earth combined.Europe may tolerate her existence as longas the people of the Old World wish. Godgrant that before another Christmas morn-ing the last vestige of Spanish tyrannyand oppression will have vanished fromthe Western Hemisphere.

7. I counselled silence and moderationfrom this floor when the passion of the na-tion seemed at white heat over the destruc-tion of the Maine; but it seems to me thetime for action has now come. No greaterreason for it can exist to-morrow than ex-ists to-day. Every hour's delay only addsanother chapter to the awful story of mis-ery and death. Only one power can inter-vene, the United States of America. Oursis the one great nation of the New World,the mother of American republics. Sheholds a position of trust and responsibilitytoward the peoples and affairs of the wholeWestern Hemisphere. It was her gloriousexample which inspired the patriots ofCuba to raise the flag of liberty in her eter-nal hills. We cannot refuse to accept thisresponsibility which the God of the uni-


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46 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEstarve to death their fellow-men. I believein the doctrine of Christ. I believe in thedoctrine of peace; but men must have lib-erty before there can come abiding peace.When has a battle for humanity and lib-erty ever been won except by force ? Whatbarricade of wrong, injustice, and oppres-sion has ever been carried except by force?

12. Force compelled the signature of un-willing royalty -to the great Magna Charta;force put life into the Declaration of Inde-pendence and made effective the Emanci-pation Proclamation; force waved the flagof revolution over Bunker Hill and markedthe snows of Valley Forge with blood-stained feet; force held the broken line atShiloh, climbed the flame-swept hill atChattanooga, and stormed the clouds onLookout Heights ; force marched with Sher-man to the sea, rode with Sheridan in theValley of the Shenandoah, and gave Grantvictory at Appomattox; force saved theUnion, kept the stars in the flag, made"niggers" men. The time for God's forcehas come again. Let the impassioned lips


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50 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEdemand for action, and it comes afterthere has been an exceedingly strong ap-peal to the feelings. ' ' High actions throughand by high passions," says Choate.Paragraph 7. He himself has just made

an appeal to passion, yet here he tells usthat he counselled silence and moderationat another tbi~ e. Is ,his appeal to passionnow any more justified than the appeal topassion would have been in the former in-stance ? Are his facts upon which he baseshis appeal to passion any more reliable?Is his argument relative to our respon-sibility well taken?Paragraph 8. Note the coherence se-

cured between this and the preceding para-graph by the first statement. It also car-ries a strong emotional effect. Make care-ful comparison of the eighth and ninthparagraphs with Burke 's method. His ap-peal is primarily to the intellect. Thurs-ton's appeal is primarily to the emotions.Thurston said that he would be conserva-tive and just. Is he actually either in hisappeal and argument in the ninth? Prac-


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ANALYSES OF OEATOEICAL STYLE 51tically no fault may be found with thismethod, but is strict justice done!Paragraph 10. Note the principle in-

volved in his illustration of the dog and thewoman. One is seeking to get another toact in a given way, the work will be easierif it can be shown that in other mattersthe individual has acted upon the veryprinciple upon which action is now- sought.Paragraph 11. Observe that the topic

for the eleventh paragraph is the conclu-sion to the tenth paragraph. Would it havebeen better to put the opening statementof this paragraph as the closing statementof the tenth? The swiftness with which heturns his illustration to account in apply-ing it to the Cuban situation makes forgreat force. There is a fine bit of work donein anticipating the argument that might bein the minds of some, and answering it,namely that war is not justified by Chris-tianity. This anticipating opposing argu-ment in the minds of hearers and answer-ing it is one of the marks of really effec-tive argumentation. The skillful speakerwill always need to know what arguments


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52 ANALYSES OF OKATORICAL STYLEmay be brought against his own proposi-tions, and be ready to answer them. Studyalso the effect of the short sentences andstatements. What is gained by them? Itmay be put down as one of the character-istics of oral composition, that it uses sim-pler and shorter sentences than does writ-ten composition, that is, than does theessay.-Observe, too, that several of thestatements are not complete sentencestructures. There is no lack of clearness,for the mind instantly supplies, withouteffort, the parts omitted. This is calledellipsis. The omission of sentence ele-ments that may easily be supplied by thehearer is another mark of the oration.How much stronger the questions at theend of the paragraph are, than the directstatements of the same idea would havebeen.As you read orations and speechesmake a study of the manner in which inter-rogative sentences are used.Paragraph 12. This paragraph answers

the question which has been asked ineleven. The word "force" is used sixtimes. Note the cumulation of power with


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ANALYSES OF OKATOKICAL STYLE 53the cumulation of facts and the repetitionof the same term. Here again we find aparticular device of speech. The sameword or phrase is frequently repeated inorder to cumulate force. It becomes theemphatic element.What do you thinkof the effectiveness of the quotation ofpoetry? Would it have been better to stopwith the quotation, or has greater effec-tiveness been secured by the speaker's laststatement 1 Weigh the matter carefully.


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CHAPTER II.THE HEROISM OF THE UNKNOWN.The study and analysis of an oration having impress-

iveness as its end, an illustration of atmosphere.First. Thirty years ago to-day, these

peaceful scenes were echoing with the roarand din of what a calm and unimpassionedhistorian, writing of it long years after-ward, described as the "greatest battle-field of the New World.' ' Thirty yearsago to-day the hearts of some thirty mil-lions of people turned to this spot withvarious but eager emotions, and watchedhere the crash of two armies which gath-ered in their vast embrace the flower of agreat people. Never, declared the sea-soned soldiers who listened to the roar ofthe enemy's artillery, had they heard any-thing that was comparable with it. Nowand then it paused, as though the verythroats of the mighty guns were tired ; butonly for a little. Not for one day, nor fortwo, but for three, raged the awful con-

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ANALYSES OF OKATOEICAL STYLE 55flict, while the Republic gave its best lifeto redeem its honor, and the stain of allprevious blundering and faltering waswashed white forever with the blood of itspatriots and martyrs.

Second. How far away it all seems, aswe stand here to-day! How profound thecontrast between those hours and days ofbloodshed and the still serenity of natureas it greets us now! The graves thatcluster around us here, the peaceful rest-ing-places of a nation's heroes, are greenand fair; and, within them, they who fellhere, after life's fierce and fitful fever,are sleeping well.

Third. In their honor we come here, mybrothers, to consecrate this monumentalshaft. What, now, is that one feature inthis occasion which lends to it its supremeand most pathetic interest? There areother monuments in this city of a nation'sdead, distinguished as these graves that lieabout us here can never be. There are thetombs and memorials of heroes whosenames are blazoned upon them, and whosekindred and friends, as they have stood


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58 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEman of blood and iron who, most of all,had welded Germany into one mighty peo-ple"not so : 'The kings of the earth shallrule under me, saith the Lord.' Trustingin the tried love of the whole people, weleave the country's future in God'shands ! " Ah, my countrymen, it is not thisman or that man that saved our Bepublicin its hour of supreme peril. Let us not,indeed, forget her great leaders, great gen-erals, great statesmen, and, greatestamong them all, her great martyr andPresident, Lincoln.

Seventh. But there was no one of thesethen who would not have told us that whichwe may all see so plainly now, that it wasnot they who saved the country, but thehost of her great unknown. These, withtheir steadfast loyalty, these with theircheerful sacrifices, and these, most of allwith their simple faith in God and in thetriumph of His rightthese they were whosaved us! Let us never cease to honorthem and to trust them; and let us see toit that neither we nor they shall ever cease


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ANALYSES OF OEATOKICAL STYLE 59to trust in that overarching Providencethat all along has led them.

Eighth. It was God in the people thatmade the heroism which, in these unknownones, we are here to-day to honor. It mustforever be God in and with the people thatshall make the nation great and wise andstrong for any great emergency.In that faith, we come here to rear this

monument and to lay the tribute of ourlove and gratitude upon these graves. Mayno alien or vandal hand ever profane theirgrand repose who slumber here! Andwhen the sons of freedom, now unborn,through generations to come shall gatherhere to sing again the praises of these un-known martyrs for the flag, may they kneeldown beside these graves and swear anewallegiance to their God, their country, andthe right

From Bishop Potter's oration on "Heroism of theUnknown," as published in "The Scholar and theState," by permission of the Century Co.

Analysis.The purpose of this speech by Bishop

Potter is that of creating feelingimpres-


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60 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEsiveness. It is a memorial address. Ifthe speaker has succeeded in his intentionhis audience will go away with a strongerand a deeper sense of patriotism. Studycarefully the process whereby there is de-veloped the spirit of patriotism. Sensethoroughly the atmosphere developed bysuch words as "roar and din," "crash,""roar," "raged." Study the contrastingwords in the first sentence. Meditateupon the sentence until you feel the forceof each important word, then speak it,experiencing the idea each strong wordstands for. See that the voice expressesin sound the thought of "peaceful," "roarand din," "calm and unimpassioned,""greatest battlefield of the New World."Suppose the first part of the last sen-tence had been written, "The awful con-flict raged not for one day, nor for two,but for three, ' ' what would the effect havebeen? It would have been a much weakersentence. This first part of the sentenceis an example of inversion, that is, theideas are not expressed in their normalorder, subject with its modifiers, then verb


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ANALYSES OF OKATORICAL STYLE 61with its modifiers. This is another favor-ite device of the speaker. Study it care-fully, for it makes for both clearness andforce. It compels closer attention on thepart of the hearer. Note again: Supposeit had been written this way: "For threedays raged the awful conflict." Is thebriefer form less strong than the longer?It surely is. ( While the rhetoric of oralcomposition demands the briefer formwhen possible, it will be observed that oftengreater force comes through the longerform, or the increase of words. ( Make acareful study of these two points in allyour reading of speeches. They are dis-tinctive. \Paragraph 2. The speaker creates here

just as strong an atmosphere of peace asof din in the first paragraph. Hear thetwo paragraphs delivered orally and notehow each is more forceful in its atmospherebecause of the other, v The law of contrastis found in all art, and oratory uses itfrequently.

>

Paragraph 3. How is coherence securedin these two paragraphs? Is the question


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62 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEmore effective than the direct statementwould have been? Observe how the thingsabout him suggest the method of hisspeech. Note the parallelism of form."Lineaments," could a simpler word havebeen used /Paragraph 4. Organic connection is se-

cured through the word, " unknown. 'Study further how the speaker continuesto use the "unknown" to develop histhought. This word links also five andfour.Paragraph 5. Note the parallelism andcumulation in this paragraph. Observe

how the author keeps the subject beforehis audience by the repetition of the word,"work."Paragraph 6. Study the actual value of

the illustration in the anecdote of the Ger-man Emperor. "Ah, my countrymen,"would you expect to find this expression orany similar one, in the pure essay style?Does this whole oration show a strong per-sonal touch? Does the speaker speak atthe audience or talk with it?Paragraph 7. What is the antecedent of


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ABRAHAM LINCOLN.HENRY WAKD BEECHER.

Tlie study and analysis of an oration having impressive-ne? as its end, with appeals also to belief and action.

1. There is no historic figure more noblethan that of the Jewish lawgiver. Afterso many thousand years, the figure ofMoses is not diminished, but stands upagainst the background of early days dis-tinct and individual as if he had lived butyesterday. There is scarcely anotherevent in history more touching than hisdeath. He had borne the great burdens ofstate for forty years, shaped the Jews toa nation, administered their laws, dealtwith them in all their journeyings in thewilderness; had mourned in their punish-ment, kept step with their march, and ledthem in wars until the end of their laborsdrew nigh. The last stage was reached.Jordan, only, lay between them and "the

64


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ANALYSES OF OEATOEICAL STYLE 65Promised Land. ' ' The Promised Land ! 0,what yearnings had heaved his breast forthat divinely foreshadowed place ! All hislong, laborious, and now weary life, he hadaimed at this as the consummation ofevery desire, the reward of every toil andpain. Then came the word of the Lord tohim, "Thou mayest not go over. Get theeup into the mountain; look upon it; anddie!"

2. From that silent summit the hoaryleader gazed to the north, to the south, tothe west, with hungry eyes. The dim out-lines rose up. The hazy recesses spoke ofquiet valleys between hills. With eagerlonging, with sad resignation, he lookedupon the Promised Land. It was now tohim a forbidden land. This was but amoment's anguish, he forgot all his per-sonal wants, and drank in the vision of hispeople's home. His work was done. Therelay God's promise fulfilled. Joy chasedsadness from every feature, and theprophet laid him down and died.3. Again a great leader of the peoplehas passed through toil, sorrow, battle,


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66 ANALYSES OF ORATOKICAL STYLEand war, and come near to the promisedland of peace, into which he might notpass over. Who shall recount our martyr'ssufferings for this people! Since the No-vember of 1860, his horizon has been blackwith storms. By day and by night he troda way of danger and darkness. On hisshoulders rested a government dearer tohim than his own life. At its integrity mil-lions of men at home were striking: uponit foreign eyes lowered. It stood like alone island in a sea full of storms; andevery tide and wave seemed eager to de-vour it. Upon thousands of hearts greatsorrows and anxieties have rested, but noton one, such, and in such measure, as uponthat simple, truthful, noble soul, our faith-ful and sainted Lincoln. He wrestledceaselessly, through four black and dread-ful purgatorial years, wherein God wascleansing the sins of his people as by fire.

4. At last the watcher beheld the graydawn. for the country. The mountains be-gan to give forth their forms from out ofthe darkness; and the East came rushingtoward us with arms full of joy for all our


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ANALYSES OP OKATOEICAL STYLE 67sorrows. Then it was for him to be gladexceedingly, that had sorrowed immeasur-ably. Peace could bring to no other heartsuch joy, such rest, such honor, such trust,such gratitude. But he looked upon it asMoses looked upon the Promised Land.Then the wail of a nation proclaimed thathe had gone from among us.

5.(Never did two such orbs of experi-ence meet in one hemisphere, /as the joyand the sorrow of the same week in thisland./' The joy of final victory was as sud-den as if no man had expected it, and asentrancing as if it had fallen a sphere fromheaven. It rose up over sobriety, andswept business from its moorings, and randown through the land in irresistiblecourse. Men embraced each other in broth-erhood that were strangers in the flesh.They sang, or prayed, or, deeper yet, manycould only think thanksgiving and weepgladness. That peace was sure; that ourgovernment was firmer than ever ; that theland was cleansed of plague ; that the bloodwas staunched and scowling enmities weresinking like storms beneath the horizon;


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68 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEthat the dear fatherland, nothing lost,much gained, was to rise up in unexampledhonor among the nations of the earth,allthese kindled up such a surge of joy as nowords may describe.

6. In one hour, under the blow of a sin-gle bereavement, joy lay without a pulse,without a gleam or breath./ A sorrow camethat swept through the land as huge stormssweep through the forest and field, rollingthunder along the sky, disheveling the flow-ers, daunting every singer in thicket or for-est, and pouring blackness and darknessacross the land and upon the mountains.Did ever so many hearts, in so brief a time,touch two such boundless feelings 1 (It wasthe uttermost of joyit was the uttermostof sorrow;noon and midnight without aspace between! J

7. The blow brought not a sharp pang.It was so terrible that at first it stunnedsensibility. Citizens were like men awak-ened at midnight by an earthquake, andbewildered to find everything that theywere accustomed to trust wavering andfalling. They wandered in the streets as if


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ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLE 69groping after some impending dread, orundeveloped sorrow. There was a piteoushelplessness. Strong men bowed down andwept. Other and common griefs belongedto some one in chief; this belonged to all.It was each and every man's. Every vir-tuous household in the land felt as if itsfirstborn were gone. Men were bereaved,and walked for days as if a corpse lay un-buried in their dwellings. There was noth-ing else to think of. They could speak ofnothing but that; and yet, of that theycould speak only falteringly.8. All business was laid aside. Pleasureforgot to smile. The great city for nearlya week ceased to roar. The huge Levia-than lay down and was still. Even avaricestood still, and greed was strangely movedto generous sympathy and universal sor-row. Rear to his name monuments, foundcharitable institutions, and write his nameabove their lintels; but no monument willever equal the universal, spontaneous, andsublime sorrow that in a moment sweptdown lines and parties, covered up ani-mosities, and in an hour brought a divided


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ANALYSES OF OKATORICAL STYLE 73mighty conqueror. Not thine any more,but the nation's; not ours, but the world's.Give him place, ye prairies ! In the midstof this great continent his dust shall rest, asacred treasure to myriads who shall makepilgrimage to that shrine to kindle anewtheir zeal and patriotism. Ye winds, thatmove over the mighty places of the West,chant his requiem! (Ye people, behold amartyr, whose blood, as so many articulatewords, pleads for fidelity, for law, for lib-erty! )

Analysis.

This is another memorial address, butof a very different nature from that byBishop Potter. The pointing of truth,facts, and the presence of argument makethis different. When studying this orationit will be well to remember that Mr.Beecher was a close friend to Mr. Lincoln.Outside of his official family Lincolntrusted few men as he did Beecher.Beecher was sent to England to make anumber of addresses that the Engiishmight


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74 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEbe thoroughly and reliably informed of theattitude and purpose of the Northern gov-ernment. Beecher succeeded in turning analmost hostile sentiment to one of supportof the Northern cause. This speech wasdelivered very soon after Lincoln's assas-sination.The student will recognize the addedpower gained by the comparison which

Beecher makes between Moses and Lin-coln. The inventive ability needs to becalled into use as much in building a speechas in making a machine.Paragraph 1. "He had borne the great

burdens of state for forty years,' ' etc., notethe cumulation and parallelism here. ' ' ThePromised Land ! ' ' The exclamation is an-other device peculiar to oratory. The ut-terance of the exclamation presupposes alarge background of thought and emotion.It is this background which gives the in-tense power to the exclamation. All thatthe Promised Land means must be borne inmind if the voice is to give any power tothe exclamation.Paragraph 2. At the end of the para-


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ANALYSES OF OEATOKICAL STYLE 75graph, study the last sentence. Observeits balance. " Joy chased sadness from ev-ery feature/ ' is finely balanced by "theprophet laid him down and died." Is theuse of " chased' ' a wise one?Paragraph 3. In this paragraph an in-

tense emotional color is obtained by choiceof forceful words, striking comparisonsand figures of speech. Note particularlythe last sentence. Beecher speaks in meta-phor. He speaks of one idea in terms ofanother. It will be well to make more thanan ordinary study of all passages that arenot literal in their nature. A figurativepassage may be used for either force orclearness. Its value lies in the fact that itforces home the thought by likening it tosomething better known.Paragraph 4. This paragraph opens

with a figure of speech. Is the resultgreater force or an aid to clearness? Notethe next figure of speech: "the East camerushing toward us." This is personifica-tion; the giving of characteristics of per-sonality to inanimate objects, or elements.The idea Beecher wishes to convey is


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76 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEsurely expressed with marked vividnessby his figure.Note the balance in the sen-tence: "Then it was for him to be glad,etc."Paragraph 5. Note the metaphor in the

first sentence. What is an orb? What anintensification of the idea he securesthrough this metaphor!Note the climaxin the sentence, "It rose up, etc."Studythe cumulation at the last half. Observethat after all the elements have been men-tioned, he binds them together with the ex-pression, "all these."Paragraph 6. Examine the first sen-tence. At the end it contains a rather un-usual example of climax.Note the climaxin the succeeding sentence. Study thebalance structure in the last sentence.Paragraph 7. Coherence is obtained by

use of the word "blow" which was used inthe opening sentence of the preceding par-agraph.Study the simile: "like menawakened at midnight by an earthquake. pBe sure to note that the sentences of thisparagraph are not only short, but normalin type: subject, predicate, object. Ob-


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ANALYSES OF OKATOKICAL STYLE 77serve the simplicity that is gained thereby.Paragraph 8. This paragraph continues

the development of the thought in seven.There is a continued use of the same typeof sentences. Examine carefully how hesummarizes and emphatically points hisidea in the sentence beginning "Bear tohis name, etc." Take note of the develop-ment toward climax at the end of the sen-tence.Paragraph 9. Study this paragraph

carefully. Note the use of the word"blow" again at the opening of this andalso the succeeding paragraph. Vividlydoes this repetition of the word keep beforeus the idea he is talking about. Observe,beginning with the second sentence, thethree sentences of parallel construction,and further observe that they are balancedsentences also. Examine the sentence be-ginning, "He the man of Illinois,"it is asuspended sentence. This sentence sus-pends the main idea until the end of thesentence is reached. The last sentence inthe paragraph is also suspended. This


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78 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEtype of sentence compels close attention onthe part of the hearer.Paragraph 10. Study the balance in thesecond and third sentences. Suppose thesixth sentence had been written: "Menhate slavery and love liberty more todaythan ever before." Why is the other sen-tence stronger?Paragraph 11. "When in hovel and in

cot, etc." Does the enumeration in thissentence add to the effectiveness? Why,if so?Paragraph 12. Lincoln's body was being-taken back to Illinois. "Cities and states

are his pall-bearers. ' ' Is it an effectivefigure of speech?Make sure to get theprinciple underlying the making of the sen-tence : ' ' Deaddeaddeadhe yet speak-eth ! 'Study the power which comes fromthe rapidity of the next few sentences.Study the suspended sentence beginning,-" Disenthralled. ' ' It is an excellent exam-ple of this kind of a sentence. By thismeans one is permitted to get the sub-ordinate details out of the way first, so thatat the end the entire attention may be cen-


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ANALYSES OF ORATOKICAL STYLE 79tered upon the main idea. Study the se-ries of exclamatory sentences.Paragraph 13. "0 Illinois, " direct ad-

dress frequent in oral English."Notthine, anymore, but the nation's; not ours,but the world's." Study the balancethrough the contrast; the ellipsis of thesentences ; and the parallel structure.Ob-serve the personification used, and also an-other example of direct address.The study of this oration over and over

again will amply repay the student. It isthoroughly oratorical in style, and showsmany of the devices which public speech isprone to use. Make an outline of the struc-ture of the speech. Compare the short sen-tences with the long and see if you can ar-rive at any principle underlying the use ofeach. Compare simple sentences with thesuspended sentence and note the reason foreach kind. Are there any really involvedsentences? Are there any unusual words!How many of the words used in the speechcan you clearly define if you had to withoutresort to the dictionary. Imagine a for-eigner should ask you to explain to him


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80 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEmany of the words, how would you goabout it? Suppose this foreigner knewnothing of the process of grafting oneplant upon another. How would you makethe statement: "His life is now graftedupon the Infinite,'' clear to him? This isan exceedingly profitable exercise. Seekother phrases in the speech for use in asimilar way.


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CHAPTER III.PATRIOTISM.

Page 77 in Selected Speeches for Practice.The study and analysis of an oration having as itsmain end clearness, with both belief and action as minor

ends.

This address was delivered before abody of students upon their graduationfrom college. Before you study the analy-sis of the speech think carefully of the oc-casion and the nature of the audience. Isthe address well adapted to each? Thefirst four paragraphs are introductory ; dothey make a skillful approach to the maindiscussion?Examine again the principle used here:

that of impressing a fact not so well un-derstood, or so thoroughly remembered,by likening it to a very common fact oflife. The more common the fact, and themore well known, used in making such a

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82 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEcomparison, the greater the force of thecomparison.Note that in three the speaker takes the

time to show in detail the points in theanalogy. There mnst always be a carefulconsideration of the question whether it iswell to end with the general statement, orbetter to set forth the details which thegeneral statement implies.The questions in three and four estab-

lish a personal relationship between thespeaker and his hearers. It will be neces-sary, however, to avoid the interrogationin places where the direct assertion is themore effective.

Observe the beautiful balance which isobtained in the first and second sentencein three. Study these two sentences to gettheir thought values, both stated and sug-gested; feel the mood of them, and givethem orally. You will find much beauty ofvocal form in them.Make a particular study of the words

used in the first three paragraphs. Theyare chosen with a fine discrimination. Itwill be profitable to trace the logical de-


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ANALYSES OF OKATOKICAL STYLE 83velopment of the thought, and the methodsused to secure coherenceorganic connec-tion of sentences and paragraphs.

It will be seen that in the fifth paragraphthe author continues the personal relationby the use of the pronoun "us." It isoften the case that a speaker will addressan audience as "you" and continue to usethis pronoun throughout the speech. Whatis the subtle psychological effect of eachword? Suppose you are in an audienceand a speaker should say to you all: "Youshould believe at least as much in the good-ness of God as you do in the dexterity ofthe devil." How would it appeal to you!Hear it said the author's way: "Let usbelieve at least as much in the goodnessof God as we undoubtedly do in the dex-terity of the devil." Compare the effectof the two. An audience does not like tobe talked down to.Take special note of the structure of

the last sentence in five. It is an excellentexample of the suspended sentence. It isa very effective sentence.


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84 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEParagraph 6. Note the use of the word

"law" in this paragraph.Paragraph 10. Note how the speaker

proceeds from patriotism in general tothat in particular which touches the indi-vidual. This is the principle, that after thegeneral truth has been mentioned it isnearly always wise to follow with the par-ticular truth. Note how coherence andcompactness are brought about by the par-allel constructions each beginning with a"that." One follows such structure veryeasily.Paragraph 11. Can you find any con-

nective to connect ten and eleven? Is thereany suggested thought that secures theconnection? Observe the arrangement ofthe sentence in the last part of the para-graph. Ideas are brought as close to-gether as possible. "Affect us as men.We are born men," this arrangement atthe same time brings the word "law"which is to be the connective between thisand the next paragraph at the very end ofthe sentence and paragraph. This is a finebit of sentence building.


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ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLE 85Paragraph 12. In this paragraph par-

allelism is the device used to secure properrelationship; the same device is used alsoin the next paragraph. You have by thistime come to the conclusion that it is avery common device. It will be found morefrequently, probably, than any other ora-torical method. Attention is called also tothe summary at the end of the paragraph.Summarizing sentences are a great aid toclearness. There is a summarizing sen-tence at the end of the next paragraph.Note parallelism again in this paragraph.Be sure to note the added life, vitality andincisiveness that is obtained by the per-sonification used here. The short state-ments also do much to give greater forceto the thought.Paragraph 15. How many lines are there

before you reach the connecting link be-tween this and the preceding paragraph?This first sentence is fairly long, yet it iseasily followed because of its suspendedform. Memorize this interrogation at theend. It is that kind which carries the an-swer with it. Speak it and see if the vocal


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86 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEform suggests the kind of answer desiredby the speaker.Paragraph 16. In the first sentence give

attention to the repetition of words, andthe elimination of "and" before the sec-ond ' ' without. ' ' Note a different construc-tion: "Remember that the greatness ofour country is not in its achievement, butin its promise, which cannot be fulfilledwithout that sovereign moral sense and asensitive national conscience." Comparethe two, observing how the former is notonly easier to understand, but is more ex-act and precise in statement."That sov-ereign moral sense," linking this withwhat has both been said and suggestedheretofore. ' ' Commercial success tends tomake us all cowards," and "Commercialprosperity is only a curse if it be not sub-servient to intellectual and moral prog-ress." These two sentences are epigram-matic in nature. Public speech frequentlydoes this : crowds a great truth into a verysmall compass of words. Note the balance"now to good God, now to good Devil,"without the ' ' and. '


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ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLE 87Paragraph 17. Where is the organic

connection between this and the foregoingparagraph? Observe the suspense of thesecond sentence. Find another epigram-matic statement. Make study of the inter-rogation at the end. Memorize the sen-tence and feel strongly the answer that youwould have the audience feel, and thenspeak it. Let the mind be intensely busywith thinking with great earnestness thethought and the answer as you speak it.Paragraph 18. Note the "Why." If you

will observe conversation you will see thatfrequently this word is used when it hasno real significance. Is it justified here?Would you have a comma or an exclama-tion point after it ?Paragraph 19. The first sentence is a

link sentence between the general thoughtpreceding and the new field of thought heis now to bring to his audience. It is ananswer to the thought which he anticipatessome are thinking as a result of what hehas already said. Let this principle bestated again : it is frequently not only wise,but often necessary that a speaker foresee


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88 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEwhat thought an audience may be engagedin, and by proper guiding statements keepthe thought from running to the wrongconclusion. Observe that he continues thepractice of repeating certain elements thathe may make it all the easier for his audi-ence to follow him and to think of the moreimportant phases of the thought. Studythe method of the last sentence.


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THE MUCK-RAKER.JULIUS KAHN,

Congressman from California.Extract from a speech delivered in the

House of Representatives, March 26, 1910.The study and analysis of an oration having the arous-

ing of feelings as its end. It is an oration of protest.Compare carefully this oration with the one on "Pa-triotism."

On the 14th of April, 1906, upon the oc-casion of the laying of the corner-stone ofthe new office building of the House ofRepresentatives, President Roosevelt said"In ' Pilgrim's Progress' the man withthe muck-rake is set forth as the example

of him whose vision is fixed on carnal in-stead of on spiritual things. Yet he alsotypifies the man who, in this life, consist-ently refuses to see aught that is lofty andfixes his eyes with solemn intentness onlyon that which is vile and debasing. . . .

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ANALYSES OF OKATOKICAL STYLE 91i

' Brand the article in this morning's pa-per false as hell! Such tactics will act asa boomerang. I am coming up this eve-ning. 'Whereupon Major McLaughlin promptly

wired back:"I have looked all over Sacramento, but

I cannot find a 6 false as hell' branding iron.I would like to help you propel the boom-erang, but I do not know just in which di-rection to throw it. Keep frappe, old manTo-day's newspapers are lost in startingto-morrow's fires. )f" 'You may fool all of the people someof the time; you may fool some of thepeople all of the time ; but you cannot foolall of the people all of the time.' *?The immortal Lincoln ! What a world of

emotion that name conjures up ! No won-der all his biographers speak of the sadexpression of his countenance. Was evermortal man so vilified, so abused, so tra-duced, so defamed as he was in his life-time? He was ridiculed, reviled, and lam-pooned as no other man in our country'shistory. Gibes and jeers and sneers were


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92 ANALYSES OF OKATOKICAL STYLEhis daily portion in the newspapers of thiscountry, and even in some that were pub-lished abroad, during the whole Civil War."The baboon at the other end of the ave-nue ' ' and ' ' That damned idiot in the WhiteHouse" were some of the expletives ap-plied to him by the muck-rakers of his day.

Mr. Lincoln was so outraged by the ob-loquies, so stung by the disparagements,his existence was rendered so unhappy,that his life became almost a burden tohim. Lamon, his lifelong friend, says thatone day he went to the President's officeand found him lying on the sofa, greatlydistressed. Jumping to his feet, he said:

*' You know, Lamon, better than any liv-

ing man that from boyhood up my ambi-tion was to be President; but look at me.I wish I had never been born ! I had ratherbe dead than as President be thus abusedin the house of my friends. 'One delegate at Chicago declared that

for less offenses than Mr. Lincoln had beenguilty of the English people had choppedoff the head of the first Charles. Anotherarose and asserted that


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ANALYSES OF ORATOBICAL STYLE \)6"Ever since that usurper, traitor, and

tyrant has occupied the presidential chairthe party has shouted, 'War to the knife,and the knife to the hilt ! ' Blood has flowedin torrents, and yet the thirst of the oldmonster is not quenched. His cry is formore blood."But why continue the recital of the ca-

lumnies, the insinuations, the half-truths,and the downright lies that were printedin abuse of the Great Emancipator f Themuck-rakers who made his life miserableare nearly all rotting in forgotten graves.But the name of Lincoln will shine re-splendent through all the ages. As longas the universe shall endure he will tower,giant-like, above the mere pygmies thathurled their scurrility at him, and the storyof his life will prove an inspiration to mil-lions of Americans in the generations yetto come.Mr. Chairman, I could speak at great

length of the abusive attacks that have ap-peared in the newspapers and the maga-zines of this country against Grant, andGarfield, and Cleveland, and McKinley,


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94 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEaye, and against Theodore Eoosevelt. Theyhad their detractors, their defamers. Buttheir fame rests secure in the hearts oftheir countrymen. And while they all un-doubtedly felt the injustice of the poignantshafts of abuse that were hurled againstthem by the muck-rakers of their respec-tive periods, who to-day cares or even half-way remembers what was the nature or thecharacter of the malicious onslaughts?And so, my colleagues, we, too, can draw

this moral from the lessons taught us bythat fact: (" To-day's newspapers are lostin starting to-morrow 's fires. 7

Analysis.

It is a very usual device that is illus-trated herethat of opening a speech witha quotation or an anecdote. In this exam-ple would it not have been better to haveopened with the anecdote rather than thequotation! Turn to the close of the ex-tract and ascertain if the last sentencestates the idea developed in the entire ex-tract. Does this throw any light upon the


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ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLE 95question whether the quotation or the anec-dote should be given first? Consider theparagraph beginning, "The immortal Lin-coln !" Is its beginning rather abrupt?Will the quotation preceding be remem-bered by a large enough number, so thatthey will make the connection readily be-tween it and the introduction of Lincoln'sname?Does not the paragraph beginning, ' ' Mr.

Lincoln was so outraged," come betweenmatters that should have been broughtcloser together? Why not mass in one se-ries all the examples of abuse instead ofdividing them by this paragraph? Thinkit over carefully and see if you cannot ar-range the whole so that there will be acloser and more clearly related order. De-liver the two versions and judge which se-cures the stronger effect. You may haveto make some few changes in the wordingas you rearrange.


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THE TRUE FAST.The study and analysis of an oration having the two

ends of belief and action strongly present. Make a care-ful comparison of this oration with the two preceding.

1. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voicelike a trumpet, and declare unto my peopletheir transgression, and to the house ofJacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily,and delight to know my ways ; as a nationthat did righteousness, and forsook not theordinance of their God, they ask of merighteous ordinances, they delight to drawnear unto God. Wherefore have we fasted,say they, and thou seest not? Whereforehave we afflicted our soul, and thou takestno knowledge*? Behold, in the day of yourfast ye find your own pleasure, and exactall your labors. Behold, ye fast for strifeand contention, and to smite with the fistof wickedness : ye fast not this day so asto make your voice to be heard on high.

2. Is such the fast that I have chosen?96


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ANALYSES OF OBATORICAL STYLE 97the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is itto bow down his head as a rush, and tospread sackcloth and ashes under him?wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptableday to the Lord? Is not this the fast thatI have chosen? to loose the bonds of wick-edness, to undo the bands of the yoke, andto let the oppressed go free, and that yebreak every yoke? Is it not to deal thybread to the hungry, and that thou bringthe poor that are cast out to thy house?when thou seest the naked, that thou coverhim; and that thou hide not thyself fromthine own flesh?

3. Then shall thy light break forth asthe morning, and thy healing shall springforth speedily : and thy righteousness shallgo before thee; the glory of the Lordshall be thy rearward. Then shalt thoucall, and the Lord shall answer; thoushalt cry, and He shall say, Here Iam. If thou take away from the midstof thee the yoke, the putting forth ofthe finger, and speaking wickedly; and ifthou draw out thy soul to the hungry, andsatisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy


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98 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLElight rise in darkness, and thine obscurity-be as the noonday; and the Lord shallguide thee continually, and satisfy thy soulin dry places, and make strong thy bonesand thou shalt be like a watered garden,and like a spring of water, whose watersfail not. Isaiah 58.

Analysis.

Study carefully this short oration. An-alyze the sentence structure. Study thechoice of words. Observe how short thethought units are. The compactness is re-markable,not a word could be left out,and not a word but has a vital part to playin the development of the effect desired.Do not fail to observe how the fault ofmonotony is avoided by grouping two ormore questions within one interrogationpoint. Is this grouping natural and logi-cal, or arbitrary? Would monotony beavoided by arbitrary grouping?Much will be gained by the memorizationand the delivery of this speech. Let the

delivery be practiced in two ways. It will


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ANALYSES OF OBATOKICAL STYLE 99be noted that the speech begins with amood of stern rebuke. Let the first drillbe upon continuing this mood of stern ac-cusation and rebuke throughout the entirespeech. When you practice it the nexttime, let your spirit or mood change grad-ually, beginning with the second division,from rebuke to earnest, kind persuasion.When you are speaking of the rewards tocome from proper living, let there be muchinspiration and enthusiasm put into thespirit of the delivery.Compare this speech with that of Abra-ham Lincoln at Gettysburg, in the Volume

of Speeches for Practice.


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CHAPTER IV.EXCERPT FEOM THE SPEECH ON"THE MYSTERIES."

ANDOCIDES.This and the succeeding oration have impressivenessthrough belief as their ends. Compare thoughtfully themethod of each. Each attempts to set forth the worth

of personal character.

Wherefore, judges, you ought to pity mein my misfortune; nay, you ought to holdme in honor for what I have done. WhenEuphiletus proposed the most traitorousof all compacts, I opposed him, and up-braided him as he deserved. Yet I con-cealed the crime of the conspirators, evenwhen some were put to death and othersdriven into exile through the informationlaid by Teucrus. Only after we were im-prisoned and on the point of being put todeath through the instrumentality of Dio-cleides, did I denounce the four conspir-atorsPanaetius, Diacritus, Lysistratus,

100


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ANALYSES OF OEATOKICAL STYLE 101and Chaeredemus. These men, I admit,were driven into exile on my account. Butmy act saved my father, my brother-in-law, three cousins, and seven other rela-tives, all of whom were about to suffer anunjust death. These now behold the lightof day on my account, and they franklyadmit it. Moreover, the man who threwthe whole city into confusion and involvedit in the greatest dangers has been con-victed. Finally you have been deliveredfrom great dangers and freed from sus-picion, one against another.

Eecall now, judges, whether I speak thetruth, and do those of you who know, en-lighten the rest. And do you, clerk, callthe persons themselves who were releasedthrough me; for they know and can tellyou best. This is so, judges ; as they willcome up and testify as long as you care tolisten. . . .And now, gentlemen, when you are about

to pronounce final judgment, there are cer-tain things that you should call to mind.Eemember that you now enjoy among allthe Greeks the enviable reputation of be-


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102 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEing not only brave on the field of battle,but wise in the council chamber. Since,then, you have the admiration of all na-tions, hostile as well as friendly, take carethat you do not deprive your city of its fairfame, or create the impression that yoursuccess is due rather to chance thandeliberation.I ask you further to have the same opin-

ion of me that you have of my ancestors.Give me the chance to follow their exam-ple. They occupy a place in the memoryof their countrymen by the side of thegreatest benefactors of the State. Theyserved their country nobly and well, chieflythrough good will to you, and with the fur-ther purpose that, if ever they or theirdescendants should fall into misfortune,they might find favor and pardon withyou. Forget them not ; for once their mer-itorious deeds served our city in a time ofneed. When our navy was annihilated atAegospotami, and many were bent on thedestruction of Athens, the Spartans de-cided to save the city through respect forthe memory of those men who had fought


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ANALYSES OF OKATOKICAL STYLE 103for the liberty of all Greece. Since, then,our city was saved through the merits ofmy ancestors; for to the deeds that savedour city my ancestors contributed no smallpart. Share with me, then, the salvationthat you received from the Greeks.

Consider, also, if you save me, whatmanner of citizen you will have in me.Once rich and affluent, I have been reducedto penury and want through no fault ofmine, but through calamities that befellour city. Since then I have earned mylivelihood in an honest way, toiling withmy hands and brain. Many friends I have,too; among them kings and great men ofthe world, whose friendship you will sharewith me.

If, on the other hand, you destroy me,there will be no one left to perpetuate ourname and family. And yet the house ofAndocides and Leogaras is no disgrace toAthens. But great will be the disgrace ifI am in exile, and Cleophon, the lyremaker,dwells in the house of my fathersa housewhose walls are decked with trophies taken


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104 ANALYSES OF OKATOPJCAL STYLEby my ancestors from the enemies of theircountry.Though my ancestors be dead, let their

memory still live, and fancy that you seetheir shades solemnly pleading in my be-half. For whom else have I to plead forme? My father? He is dead. Brothers?I have none. Children? None have yetbeen born to me.Do you, then, be to me father, brother,

children. To you I flee for refuge; youI supplicate and beseech. Turn, then, insupplication to yourselves, and grant melife and safety.

Analysis.

Make a careful study of the foregoingexcerpt. Analyze in detail the mode ofappealthe various motives and senti-ments which are brought into play to effectthe desired end. Are the points of appealuniversal, in their application, or such aswould apply to narrow natures?Make a study of the sentence structure,and the kinds of words used. The whole


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ANALYSES OF OEATOEICAL STYLE 105excerpt shows an attempt to make thestructure and style simple, so that it maybe easily understood. There is a con-strained and modest temper that makesa strong appeal. There appears much ofskill and tact in the method of presenta-tion.


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ENCOMIUM ON EVAGORAS.ISOCEATES.

When I saw, Nicocles, that you werehonoring the tomb of your father, not onlywith numerous and magnificent offerings,according to custom, but also with dances,musical exhibitions, and athletic contests,as well as with horse races and triremeraces, on a scale that left no possibilityof their being surpassed, I thought thatEvagoras, if the dead have any feeling ofwhat happens on earth, while acceptingthis offering favorably, and beholding withjoy your filial regard for him and yourmagnificence, would feel far greater grat-itude to anyone who could show himselfcapable of worthily describing his modeof life and the dangers he had undergonethan to anyone else ; for we shall find thatambitious and high-souled men not onlyprefer praise to such honors, but choose

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ANALYSES OF OEATOKICAL STYLE 107a glorious death in preference to life, andare more jealous of their reputation thanof their existence, shrinking from nothingin order to leave behind a remembranceof themselves that shall never die.Now, expensive displays produce none

of these results, but are merely an indica-tion of wealth; those who are engaged inliberal pursuits and other branches ofrivalry, by displaying, some their strength,and others their skill, increase their repu-tation ; but a discourse that could worthilydescribe the acts of Evagoras would causehis noble qualities to be ever rememberedamongst all mankind.Other writers ought accordingly to have

praised those who showed themselves dis-tinguished in their own days, in order thatboth those who are able to embellish thedeeds of others by their eloquence, speak-ing in the presence of those who were ac-quainted with the facts, might have ad-hered to the truth concerning them, andthat the younger generation might be moreeagerly disposed to virtue, feeling con-vinced that they will be more highly


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108 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEpraised than those to whom they showthemselves superior.At the present time, who could help be-ing disheartened at seeing those who livedin the times of the Trojan wars, and evenearlier, celebrated in songs and tragedies,when he knows beforehand that he himself,even if he surpass their noble deeds, willnever be deemed worthy of such eulogies?The cause of this is jealousy, the only goodof which is that it is the greatest curse tothose who are actuated by it. For somemen are naturally so peevish that theywould rather hear men praised, as to whomthey do not feel sure that they ever ex-isted, than those at whose hands theythemselves have received benefits.Men of sense ought not to be the slaves

of the folly of such men, but, while despis-ing them, they ought at the same time toaccustom others to listen to matters whichought to be spoken of, especially since weknow that the arts and everything else areadvanced, not by those who abide by estab-lished customs, but by those who correct


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ANALYSES OF OKATOKICAL STYLE 109and, from time to time, venture to alteranything that is unsatisfactory.

I know that the task I am proposing tomyself is a difficult oneto eulogize thegood qualities of a man in prose. A mostconvincing proof of this is that, while thosewho are engaged in the study of philoso-phy are ever ready to speak about manyother subjects of various kinds, none ofthem has ever yet attempted to composea treatise on a subject like this.When a boy, he was distinguished for

beauty, strength, and modesty, the mostbecoming qualities at such an age. Inproof of which witnesses could be pro-duced : of his modesty, those of the citizenswho were brought up with him; of hisbeauty, all who saw him; of his strength,the contests in which he surpassed his com-peers.When he grew to man's estate, all these

qualities were proportionately enhanced,and in addition to them he acquired cour-age, wisdom, and uprightness, and these inno small measure, as is the case with some


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110 ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLEothers, but each of them in the highestdegree.For he was so distinguished for his bod-

ily and mental excellence, that, wheneverany of the reigning princes of the timesaw him, they were amazed and becamealarmed for their rule, thinking it impos-sible that a man of such talents wouldcontinue to live in the position of a privateindividual, and whenever they consideredhis character they felt such confidence inhim, that they were convinced that hewould assist them if anyone ventured toattack them.In spite of such changes of opinion con-

cerning him, they were in neither casemistaken; for he neither remained a pri-vate individual, nor, on the other hand,did them injury, but the Deity watchedover him so carefully in order that hemight gain the kingdom honorably, thateverything which could not be done with-out involving impiety was carried out byanother's hands, while all the means bywhich it was possible to acquire the king-dom without impiety or injustice he re-


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ANALYSES OF ORATORICAL STYLE 111served for Evagoras. For one of thenobles plotted against and slew the tyrant,and afterwards attempted to seize Evago-ras, feeling convinced that he would notbe able to secure his authority unless hegot him also out of the way.Evagoras, however, escaped this peril

and, having got safe to Soli in Cilicia, didnot show the same feeling as those whoare overtaken by like misfortunes. Others,even those who have been driven fromsovereign power, have their spirits brokenby the weight of their misfortunes; butEvagoras rose to such greatness of soul,that, although he had all along lived as aprivate individual, at the moment whenhe was compelled to flee, he felt that hewas destined to rule.

Despising vagabond exiles, unwilling toattempt to secure his return by means ofstrangers, and to be under the necessityof courting those inferior to himself, heseized this opportunity, as befits all whodesire to act in a spirit of piety and to actin self-defense rather than to be the firstto inflict an injury, and made up his mind


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112 ANALYSES OF OEATOKICAL STYLEeither to succeed in acquiring the kingdomor to die in the attempt if he failed. Ac-cordingly, having got together fifty men(on the highest estimate), he made prep-arations to return to his country in com-pany with them.From this it would be easy to recognize

his natural force of character and the rep-utation he enjoyed amongst others; for,when he was on the point of setting sailwith so small a force on so vast an under-taking, and when all kinds of perils staredhim in the face, he did not lose heart him-self, nor did any of those whom he hadinvited to assist him think fit to shrinkfrom dangers, but, as if they were follow-ing a god, all stood by their promises,while he showed himself as confident as ifhe had a stronger force at his commandthan his adversaries, or knew the resultbeforehand.

This is evident from what he did; for,after he had landed on the island, he didnot think it necessary to occupy any strongposition, and, after providing for thesafety of his person, to wait and see


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ANALYSES OF OKATOKICAL STYLE 113whether any of the citizens would cometo. his assistance; hut, without delay, justas he was, on that eventful night he brokeopen a gate in the wall, and, leading hiscompanions through the gap, attacked theroyal residence.There is no need to waste time in telling

of the confusion that ensues at such mo-ments, the terror of the assaulted, and hisexhortations to his comrades; but, whenthe supporters of the tyrant resisted him,while the rest of the citizens looked on andkept quiet, fearing, on the one hand, theauthority of their ruler, and, on the other,the valor of Evagoras ; he did not abandonthe conflict, engaging either in single com-bat against numbers, or with few sup-porters against the whole of the enemy'sforces, until he had captured the palace,punished his enemies, succored his friends,and finally recovered for his family itsancestral honors, and made himself rulerof the city.

I think, even if I were to mention noth-ing else, but were to break off my discourseat this point, it would be easy to appre-


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114 ANALYSES OF OKATOEICAL STYLEciate the valor of Evagoras and the great-ness of his achievements ; however, I hopethat I shall be able to present both evenmore clearly in what I am going to say.For while, in all ages, so many have

acquired sovereign power, no one will beshown to h

analyses of oratorical style

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