about to be made, and recognized the unfitness of his attempting to speak on such an occasion and on such a subject when he was conscious of the lack of harmony between his theme and his own moral character. If the speaker can not treat well a subject that he himself knows is adverse to his own character, how much less can he treat it adequately if the audience likewise thinks him ethically unfit! A CHAPTER VI FTER the orator has settled upon his theme and decided what he intends to persuade his hearers to do, he will find it an advantage to state his purpose in the form of a brief imperative sentence. This imperative is primarily for his own guidance in accumulating material, in formulating his plan, and, indeed, in the entire work of invention. This imperative we may call the "Object." It has already been shown that the most distinctive characteristic of oratory is persuasion. It is this element, more than anything else, that differentiates this form of discourse from all other types. The speaker must never lose sight of the fact that he aims to induce his hearers to do something, immediately or mediately. That is why he must choose an object rather than a subject for an oration. The orator is a speaker with a mission. He finds the end of his labor not in the discourse itself, but in the audience. The object, then, as the ultimate end of the oration is of supreme importance to the orator's success. It should permeate, pervade, dominate the entire discourse, from the first word of the exordium to the last word of the peroration. Its supremacy in the speech, then, demands for its statement in the plan the most perfect form possible. Experience has shown that the best form, as already stated, is the briefest, clearest, most precise imperative. Any other form exposes the speaker to the danger of missing the appeal to the will. Suppose the student is making a plan for a class oration. He writes: "My object is to prove" But you may prove and not persuade. To convince the intellect falls far short of moving the will. He tries again. Object: To induce my hearers to believe But they may believe and 66 But feeling is by no object: not do. "Devils believe." Once more. "Object: To induce my hearers to feel means synonymous with doing. "Well, then To induce my hearers to do so and so." Very well! Why not say, then: "Do so and so"? Instead of saying: "My object is to induce my hearers to oppose unrestricted immigration," why not write: "Oppose unrestricted immigration!" Such a form is simple, and, more than that, it indicates directly and unmistakably the appeal to the will. Thus it serves as a rudder to the speaker's mental action, to hold him steadily to his chosen goal. The imperative is a command, and as such is a bugle call to thrill and brace, and marshal to action the entire production. The object is really the test of all the orator's work. By it he tries the matter that comes to his hand; all that will not aid in the furtherance of his purpose he rejects. The object is the divining rod that he passes over the mass of material collected, in order to test the value of that material for his purpose. It is the mercury, which dis 66 covers and attracts to itself the gold. In gathering material for his speech let the orator put himself through an oratorical catechism with a series of questions something like this: "What, exactly, is my object?" With the answer clearly in mind, let him continue the catechism with the question: "Will this further my object?" If it will, then he will have use for that material. If not, however attractive the thought or fact in question may be in itself, he must reject it. It is not of value for his present purpose. It may be of value for some other occasion, but not for this. Keep it for that other occasion. In arranging material, in like manner, let the speaker ask himself the question: "Will this best further my object here?" Where will this best further my object?" His response to such questions will determine the relative position that each chosen item should occupy in the discourse. By rigid and faithful observance of this method, the important quality of logical climax will be secured. Still further, the object will determine the relative prominence to be given to each item of the speaker's material. Let him ask himself: "How important is this necessary idea or fact to the furtherance of my object?" The answer to this query will determine the emphasis that he should lay upon that item. Thus he will secure logical perspective, and in the development of his work he will secure, also, literary or oratorical perspective. Since the object is for the speaker's own guidance, it is usually wise not to state it, at least in the form men tioned, to the audience. Human nature is so constituted that if you tell a man that you intend to induce him to do a certain thing, or adopt a certain course of life, or pursue a particular line of action, you arouse at once his opposition, and he mentally says: "Do it if you can," and shuts his teeth hard in the determination not to be moved. Command him: "Do so and so," and his pugnacity makes him say to himself and probably to you: "I won't." Consequently, it is ordinarily better not to announce the object as an imperative, but so to use it as to lead the hearers to act in accordance with its behest, without a thought that they are not acting from their own unprompted desires. In those cases where the desired action is revealed at the outset, as in addresses to juries or legislatures, if the position of the orator is formally announced it should be stated as his own attitude, or as the proposition, but not as an imperative. To take such a course would endanger the very purpose of the speech. He may say, “I take this position," or "This seems to me the true attitude," or "We should act thus on this question," or, "I appeal to you to do so and so," when it would not do to say, Do this," or " You must do this." To his audience, as it exists in his imagination while preparing his speech, he says: "Do!" To his audience as it actually exists before him while delivering his speech, he says: "Don't you think it best to do?" "These are the considerations on which I urge you to do.” “In view of these facts, what shall we do?" 66 That is, the orator must use tact and common sense in |