stantial work for the well-trained orator. His responsibility is, indeed, a high one, demanding thoroughness, earnestness, and self-sacrifice. His soul must be set on fire with ardor for his cause, and that cause must rule his heart and life. In this way, and only in this way, may he hope to become a master of men, and a truly great public speaker.

II

WHAT TO SAY

The student of public speaking will do well to confine his first efforts to simple forms of speech-making. Plain narrative and clear statement of fact should be his primary objects. The ornamental graces of rhetoric and oratory may advantageously be left for subsequent consideration.

His subject may be anything from a personal experience, such as a visit to New York or London, to a discussion of some social or political question of the day. But whatever theme he choose to speak upon, it is important that it be timely and of probable interest to his hearers. The highest oratorical talents will not atone for an inappropriate choice of subject. There are hundreds of vital topics, in which most men are more or less interested. A selection may be made from these:

Before attempting to write speeches of his own, the stu

dent will find it profitable to examine those of others, a

good selection of which is provided in this volume. Cicero says:

Since all the business and art of an orator is divided into five parts, he ought first to find out what he should say; next, to arrange and dispose his matter, not only in a certain order, but with a sort of power and judgment; then to clothe and deck his thoughts with language; then to secure them in his memory; and lastly, to deliver them with dignity and grace. I had learned and understood also that before we enter upon the main subject, the minds of the audience should be conciliated by an exordium; next, that the case should be clearly stated; then, that the point in controversy should be established; then, that what we may maintain should be supported by proof, and that whatever was said on the other side should be refuted; and that, in the conclusion of our speech, whatever was in our favor should be amplified and enforced, and whatever made for our adversaries should be weakened and invalidated.

The mind once fixt upon a subject, that subject becomes a point of attraction, and material gathers around it with surprizing rapidity. These spontaneous thoughts should be committed immediately to paper, and only after the student has exhausted the natural resources of his mind should he have recourse to books. It is difficult to lay down hard and fast rules as to the choice of books, but in a general way the young speaker will be well advised if he confines himself to those which have stood the test of time.

It may be said in passing that the frequent and regular reading of standard books is not only useful for storing the mind with information, but is an essential part of practical training in extempore speaking. If much of this reading is done aloud, the results will be all the better, since many words and phrases will in this manner be actually fitted to the speaker's mouth and made ready for instant use. Probably no exercise develops as this does the

faculty of ready utterance. History, biography, philosophy, science, poetry and fiction should be laid under tribute, and each made to render its share toward forming the student's speaking style.

Assuming, then, that the speaker has now gathered his material from his mind, from books, men, conversation, observation, and nature—he has before him a mass of general notes on his subject. His next step is to make a plan and arrange this material in organized form. It should be clearly understood that this plan, or brief, is merely an outline, and not the speech itself. It is comprized of single statements arranged as headings and sub-headings, each indicated by a separate letter or numeral, the whole divided into three parts, known as: The Introduction, The Discussion, and The Conclusion. This will be made clear by the following illustration:

SUBJECT: TRADE-UNIONS ARE A BENEFIT TO THE LABORING CLASS

INTRODUCTION

A. Trade-unionism is one of the complex questions of the day,

since

(1) The relation of the laborer to the employer is of vital

importance, and

(2) Differences between them are inevitable.

DISCUSSION

A. Trade-unions benefit the laboring class, because
(1) They afford protection from low wages,
(2) They prevent working overtime, and

(3) They remove many inhuman conditions of life.

B. Trade-unions give to the laboring class:
(1) The advantages of concentration,

(2) (3)

Protection for competent men, and

An incentive for a high level of industrial efficiency. C. Trade-unions confer other benefits upon the working class by (1) Making provision against illness and accident, and (2) Furthering the workers' interests politically.

CONCLUSION

A. Trade-unions confer a benefit upon the working class because

they

(1) Insure a uniform scale of wages,

(2) Prevent unduly long hours,

(3) Remove many injustices,

(4) Afford the advantages of concentration,
(5) Protect competent men,

(6)

(7)

(8)

Stimulate men to efficiency,

Provide against illness and accident, and
Fit their men as political representatives.

B. Trade-unions are a power for benefit, inasmuch as

(1) They now exist in every civilized country in the

world, and

(2) Are able to work together for the international solidarity of labor.

The time devoted to the careful preparation of this outline or brief will be well spent. It will save much rewriting and confusion in the speech itself. This plan should be subjected to the severest analysis before the first draft of the speech proper is made. The various statements in the brief should be arranged in the strongest and most logical order, and the whole held together as an unbroken chain. When this is finally done the speaker is ready to write out his speech with this brief before him as his guide. In the introduction of his speech he will set down what