course, some thought to be expressed. Delivery does not make thought, nor in any sense supply its place. Those entertainments which consist of a display of voice and gesture, of dramatic representation and startling stage effects, may be elocutionary in a sense, but do not belong to that which is of interest to thinking men with something to say. Agreeable sounds and combinations of sound are not the end in speech, even in the sense in which they are such in music. Neither amusement nor æsthetic satisfaction meets the requirements of rhetorical delivery. Elocution regards first of all the thought and views the thought as being in the process of communication. In order to be communicated it must first be formulated in the mind of the thinker, i. e., prepared for statement, with regard always (a) to the intrinsic properties of the thought, (b) to the speaker's subjective relation to the thought, and (c) to his purpose to produce a given effect upon the mind addressed. It is thus, primarily, objective rather than subjective. It conforms itself to the principles of logic and of rhetoric, not to the whim or feeling of the speaker. It is a matter of thought-measurement, and of adaptation of means to end. 2. Vocal Expression regards the thought as addressed to the ear; hence it employs as its media all the varied properties of tone through which the human mind can reveal itself, giving a wider range of means than writing all that writing can give and much more. to respiration, circulation, and general physical vigorall these have of late years been made so familiar to us, and are so palpably reasonable, that it has become almost a work of supererrogation to press their claims. Not quite so clear or tangible are the place and claim of the other branch of the elocutionary art-the analysis of thought through tone. Considered by itself, it is one of the departments of the study of language, and might find a place and yield some benefit at almost any point after structure of sentences has been mastered. Its benefits will be much greater when the student has gained some knowledge of formal Rhetoric, and has begun, at least, to appreciate the literary spirit. It will yield its finest and fullest fruits in a mind thoroughly cultivated by a variety of studies, broadened and quickened by experience of men and affairs, mellowed by human sympathies, inspired and elevated by noble purposes. Practically it is best to begin the study early in the college course. It is for the present assumed that this subject has the most natural connection with rhetorical and literary studies, and it is hoped the considerations here presented will justify this view. Observe, first, a few general facts regarding expression, and later, some of a more particular nature. I. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 1. Elocution, or oral expression, presupposes, of course, some thought to be expressed. Delivery does not make thought, nor in any sense supply its place. Those entertainments which consist of a display of voice and gesture, of dramatic representation and startling stage effects, may be elocutionary in a sense, but do not belong to that which is of interest to thinking men with something to say. Agreeable sounds and combinations of sound are not the end in speech, even in the sense in which they are such in music. Neither amusement nor æsthetic satisfaction meets the requirements of rhetorical delivery. Elocution regards first of all the thought and views the thought as being in the process of communication. In order to be communicated it must first be formulated in the mind of the thinker, i. e., prepared for statement, with regard always (a) to the intrinsic properties of the thought, (b) to the speaker's subjective relation to the thought, and (c) to his purpose to produce a given effect upon the mind addressed. It is thus, primarily, objective rather than subjective. It conforms itself to the principles of logic and of rhetoric, not to the whim or feeling of the speaker. It is a matter of thought-measurement, and of adaptation of means to end. 2. Vocal Expression regards the thought as addressed to the ear; hence it employs as its media all the varied properties of tone through which the human mind can reveal itself, giving a wider range of means than writing all that writing can give and much more. Elocution, then, in the best sense, is the study of thought in its connection with vocal expression, or of thought through tone. 3. Observe two general ways in which vocalized thought modifies written thought. These will give us a better notion of the vital connection between elocution and rhetoric. A. Vocal utterance often produces changes in the structure itself. The ear can receive but one word at a time, while the eye can take in a group of words, often an entire sentence, at one glance. The attention of the listener is carried steadily forward, as fast or as slowly as the speaker may choose to move. The silent reader, on the other hand, is free to pause and cast his eye back over the preceding sentence, paragraph, or page, and so gather up the thought anew at every difficult junction; or he may go as rapidly as possible, not stopping for any reflection or review. Pauses there may be, indeed, in oral delivery, but they can be utilized by the listener only through an effort of memory, recalling and combining. Listening to speech is like reading from a book held by another person who should uncover one word or phrase at a time, and at every pause shut the volume before you. Think how much more mental effort would thus be required, and how much more simple, straightforward, and logically progressive must be the style in order to be retained in your mind. A diffusive, involved style, if it should be so read, piecemeal, would baffle almost any attempt. If ever a person does attempt to speak in such a diffusive style, his listeners usually get only a general and confused idea of his meaning. Such productions— virtually essays-are, it is true, often delivered as orations in college exercises and, rarely, from the literary platform, but they always seem vague, distant, and complicated. They never have the telling force of direct, sententious talk. The essay style in sacred eloquence has done much to remove the pulpit from the pews. Such direct and simple style as that employed by Finney, Spurgeon, Talmage, Moody, whatever defects it may possess, always stands out clear and strong, and produces a marked effect. It is not to be thought that the essay or lecture style has no place in public address, or that the extempore method is always most effective. There are great dangers connected with the so-called "offhand" style, dangers which a habit of careful writing will avert. All that is claimed here is that the limited receiving capacity of the ear reacts upon style favorably, demanding clearness, conciseness, directness, logical sequence: and that it economizes the receptive energy in cases that must employ a more difficult style. What lawyer dares to read an essay to a jury, or to talk in an elaborate, intricate style? On the other hand if the necessities of the thought do require a more involved style of writing, delivery can compensate for |