monotony, and everything that detracts in the slightest degree from the simplicity and genuine fervor of a speaker's style should be carefully avoided. Too much emphasis may drive a thought beyond the mark, and a conscious determination to make "a great speech" may easily keep the speaker in a state of anxiety throughout its entire delivery.

A clear and correct enunciation is essential, but it should never be pedantic nor attract attention to itself. Exaggerated opening of the mouth, audible smacking of the lips, holding tenaciously to final consonants, prolonged hissing of sibilants, are faults to be condemned. Hesitation, stumbling over difficult combinations, obscuring final syllables, coalescing the last sound of one word with the first sound of the following word, are inexcusable in a trained speaker.

When the same modulation of the voice is repeated too often, it becomes a mannerism, a kind of monotony of variety. To the frequent question whether a musical ear is an aid to the speaker, the answer must be in the affirmative. The man who can discriminate between one key of the voice and another, between the light and shade of the voice as manifest in force, and knows what is rapid and what is slow in the movement of his utterance, has a marked advantage over one with ear untrained.

It may be fitting here to present two or three short specimens of unpremeditated speech. The first is by Sir Aemilius Irving, of Toronto, Canada, in a farewell address to the Hon. Featherston Osler:

I beg, on behalf of the bar, that you will allow me to address a few words to the court, and, to some extent, to himself. The attorney-general would properly and with gratifica

tion to himself be present to take part in this function, but he is unable to travel the long distance he would have to come, since learning that this was to take place. He is prostrated, as it were, and has been advised that for him to come would be impracticable. But he has been good enough to refer to me to speak in some measure for him.

The occasion on which we are now assembled is to do honor to an illustrious member of the bench who is about to retire from it. The importance of the occasion and the depth of feeling that has been evoked are the best proof, and I do not wish a higher testimonial than the number present to testify their loyalty and affection to the friend-if I may be permitted to use that affectionate term-to the friend with whom they will not be in contact as in the past.

That representation is, of course, largely by the Law Society and the Benchers, but two other associations are taking part, and have indicated to me their desire to be named, the York County Law Association, and the Ontario Bar Association, so that it may be fairly said that we who are now before you are as large a representation of the bar of Ontario as could be gathered together here, considering all the circumstances.

This tribute, for such it is, is not only one of personal respect, but it is the discharging by the bar of a bounden duty toward itself to lose no opportunity of expressing its sense of the value to the profession, the public, and to the country, of the service which must necessarily come to an end.

I shall not bestow terms of encomium on Mr. Justice Osler. They would be out of place at this tribunal. The purity and learning of the bench concerns the public and lies near the foundation of public liberty. To this august body these are the motives that prompt us. Before this august body there should be no comparisons. We esteem all the judges, the great body I am addressing, and the High Court as well, but we go no further in reference to the individual.

This is not a sad occasion; we are not losing a very principal man from our social circle; we are not weeping over his grave; we are, on the other hand, congratulating him on the triumphant result of his long life. He has good health, he is sur

rounded with joys-he has around him honor, love, obedience, the affection of his children and troops of friends. He has the right to look forward, as we hope and expect, to the long enjoyment which his satisfactory health gives him every expectation to realize.

I am directed by the Corporation of the Law Society and the Benchers in congregation to communicate that they hail with gratification the prospect of his taking his place as of right in their governing body, and that his accession to that will be a great gratification to the province generally and to the profession.

It will be observed that this speech is in easy, simple style. The judicial mind of the speaker is, of course, evident, but long habit of instantly turning his thought into appropriate phrase stands him to good purpose.

Sir Charles Moss, the Chief Justice of Ontario, speaking on the same occasion, followed the last speaker, with these words:

On behalf of my colleagues and myself, I express the desire that we should be associated in the most emphatic manner with all the remarks which you have so feelingly and appropriately exprest concerning our brother Osler. It almost goes without saying that no words could adequately express our own sense of loss alike to the bench, the bar, and the public, occasioned by his retirement, and also our sense of personal loss. If anything can be added to what you have so justly said, we wish it to be understood as having been said in the most ample manner.

There is no sign of premeditation in this short speech, but it has the unmistakable marks of sincerity, dignity, and deep feeling. Finally, let us examine the reply of the Hon. Featherston Osler himself, who, we are told, spoke on this occasion with visible emotion:

Those of you who know me will, I am sure, know how difficult it is for me at this moment to express in any ade

quate way my sense of the honor which has been conferred upon me. I may say, in the words of the German poet, that I am now enjoying the highest moment of my life. After filling such an office over thirty-one years, and to be allowed to leave it with the enjoyment of the approval of a most critical body like the Ontario bar, is indeed gratifying.

I have, during my connection with the bench, striven to live up to the high standard I set for myself on accepting a position on it. I feel it a high honor to be allowed to quit it, not in cold silence of the most critical profession in the world, but with their approval as you have exprest it.

As for the failures I have been guilty of, some were capable of correction and some were not, but I have the happiness of knowing that the court which, while it has the right to pardon, has also the prerogative to condemn, has extended its pardon to me. Let me wish you all happiness and prosperity, and through you to the several associations for their kindness in joining in this expression. And let me now bid you my judicial farewell.

This is both felicitous and touching. These three speeches are somewhat alike in their quality of tender simplicity and directness, and as examples of easy extempore speaking are worthy of close study and analysis.

VIII

GESTURE AND ACTION

The use of gesture must often be determined by the taste and judgment of the speaker. There are simple speeches and informal occasions when much bodily action would be entirely inappropriate, and there are others where an absence of movement would give the impression of weakness and inadequacy. Too little gesture is better than too much, and there are times when a powerful effect is conveyed by speaking with great intensity while standing motionless.

It is said that deep concentrated feeling is never loud, and it may be added that action and gesture of a great speaker are never violent. The purpose of gesture is to emphasize, illustrate, or in some degree add clearness or force to a speaker's thought. If it fails to accomplish one of these objects, it will hinder rather than help the speaker. The whole art of gesture may be summed up in three words: simplicity, appropriateness, and variety.

Simplicity means that a gesture arises from the natural animation of a speaker, and is so inextricably bound up with the thought that it does not attract attention to itself. The arms and hands, if properly trained, move in curves, the straight line movements being reserved for special emphasis. Simplicity means, too, that nothing is overdone. Many men, because of their sedentary lives, are awkward and self-conscious in the attempt to gesticulate while speaking in public, and determined not to appear tame or untu