kept up through life, and there is no better place for this than in the preparation of the address.

There is a stronger reason for writing, namely, the mastery of the matter of the discourse. It may be accepted as a law that no one ever reaches the best results in prolonged thinking who does not liberally use the pen. This we suppose will not be doubted. If there be a

doubter, trial will furnish proof. If there be any who have adopted the plan of composing wholly without the pen, we respectfully ask them to try writing and see the gain. This gain will be seen in at least four particulars,— fullness, accuracy, unity, force.、

It being conceded, then, that there should be writing in` speech-making, the question comes, when? Mainly before delivery, but by no mean always. It is often well to write afterward. Reasons: Not unfrequently the happiest thought of the whole discourse springs from the inspiration of delivery. Every old speaker's experience attests this. This true, the writing should at times take place after delivery, so as to incorporate these thoughts. Sometimes the rewriting, after delivery, of a written speech will be well. High excellence comes only through labor. Additions, reductions, transpositions, condensations, polish, force, may demand rewriting in whole or in part.

We do not, however, desire to be understood as saying there should be no speaking without previous writing.

Ready utterance and great familiarity with a subject may safely warrant speaking without writing. Great and sudden emergencies demand speaking without writing. He who cannot speak on such occasions without writing, will find his speech comes like most people's wit, after the occasion has passed. But happily, the mob, the revolution, the earthquake are of rare occurrence. On the other hand, the occasion for clear statement, cogent argument, broad knowledge, is an every-day occurrence; hence a demand for careful, laborious preparation, and usually with the pen.

USE OF MANUSCRIPT.

Notwithstanding all that has been said in favor of writing, we wish to state distinctly that the manuscript, save in rare cases, is not to go into the pulpit or on the platform any more than the vaulting-bars, rings and dumb-bells of the gymnast are to go into the boxer's contest. These are a means to an end, and so is writing. On the other hand, we do not say that a speaker shall never read his manuscript before the public. The highly doctrinal sermon may be read, also scientific papers, and calm, unimpassioned or didactic discourses. But reading must cease in high oratory; or rather, high oratory is not reached through reading. Eloquence behind a manuscript dies as naturally as flowers behind a snowbank. You cannot pass electricity through a nonconductor. In eloquence you want the flashing eye, the speaking face, the pulsating form, the bated breath and

explosive tone, addressing at once the eye, ear, heart and brain of your audience. With your guns loaded with bombs, grape, canister, shrapnel, you want to fire in an open field, and not from behind a parapet or with masked batteries. Speak, preach, plead, if possible, without notes or manuscript. If you cannot, then with them as little as may be.

CHAPTER IV.

ORATORIC DIVISIONS OF THE DISCOURSE.

THESE divisions are usually classed as Introduction, Statement, or Explanation; Argument or Body of the Discourse; and Peroration or Closing. In simple discourse these divisions are not usually observed; in more formal discourse, a part; and only in the most formal, all.

First. INTRODUCTION. This is the opening of the address, or rather that which leads to the address proper.

As

to the time of preparing it, two distinct theories exist; one says before the address, one after. The latter assumes a bad analogy in house-building, saying, "Who builds a portico before he builds his house?" If the analogy is perfect, the argument is conclusive. We doubt the analogy. Without giving the various arguments, pro and con, we would say that if written before, an introduction should be carefully reviewed, and adjusted, if need be, to the address when completed. When written after, the adjustment is hardly needed, as the portico has been adjusted to the house. An introduction means leading into or up to your discourse, hence naturally seems to antecede it.

1. Qualities of the Introduction. An introduction should be interesting. One design is to arrest the attention of your audience, to gather their stray thoughts and con

centrate them on the theme in hand. To this end, it should be novel, profound, or original. Sometimes a poetic quotation will meet the end, sometimes a classic allusion or a scientific fact. No small skill is needed here, as an audience's first impressions are lasting.

2. A second quality is severe accuracy. Your audience is in a critical mood, at least in a questioning mood about yourself, if you are a stranger, and hence more ready to observe errors here than in the body of the discourse, for the obvious reason that the mind is then occupied with the discussion.

3. An introduction should also lead easily and naturally to the theme: a failure to do this, seriously mars the symmetry and harmony.

The three points above made may be illustrated as follows: Suppose the theme is "Physical Education." A good form of introduction would be:

"Know then thyself, presume not God to scan;

The proper study of mankind is man.'

"No nation on the earth ever presented a finer physical development than the Greeks. Their statuary to-day is at once the model and the despair of the world. It portrays the once living Greek. The sculptor had naught to do but to reproduce the matchless beauty of the original. But how was this beauty and symmetry secured? By following the poet's law, 'Know thyself.' This leads to the study and the development not only of mind but also of body, which latter is 'Physical Education.'