riods, the greatest variety of style, are admissible in the oration.

Still the orator must not forget that his production is designed for the ear, and not for the printed page, and he should never forget that an obscurity which would be pardoned in an essay will condemn an oration, and he should not neglect those adaptations of style to the habits and feelings of hearers which courtesy and good taste will suggest.

An oration has the same parts as a lecture, except that the conclusion is usually called the peroration.

No rules can be given for the construction of an oration which are to be universally followed. The introduction should usually be pleasing, precise, and brief. Long introductions, and the formal presentation of a subject after speaking a few minutes, are apt to displease the hearers.

The main subject of the oration may be entered upon with or without a formal explication; but if one is made, it should be perspicuous.

The peroration should be as forcible and impressive as the orator can make it. It need not be loud or excited; it may be pathetic and subdued; it may be simply decided, or congratulatory, or defiant, but it should be earnest, and express some passion justly excited in both speaker and people. Without this, the oration will be pronounced a failure.

106. Some specimen Orations.-There are many speeches which were delivered as pleas, or for the attainment of specific purposes, which are dignified by the name of orations, on account of their great excel·

PREPARATION OF ORATIONS.

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lence, such as the "Orations of Demosthenes," designed to stimulate the Athenians against Philip, the "Orations of Cicero," which were either pleas or political speeches; but the appellation is properly confined to such speeches as addresses pronounced at the funerals of eminent men, the beginning or completion of some great enterprise, the anniversary of some momentous event, or some occasion calculated to awaken deep emotion without exciting differences or hostility of feelings. The addresses of Webster and Everett upon the anniversary of the Landing of the Pilgrims, of Kossuth, the Hungarian refugee, upon arriving at New York, of Choate upon the death of Webster, of Simpson on the death of Abraham Lincoln, are masterly specimens of orations.

107. Practical Directions.-The first requisite toward the preparation of an oration is a clear understanding of the theme; for, though no subject is to be presented and formally argued, there must be in every oration one predominant object of thought which by the might of the orator is to be constructed into a temple, with all the proper decorations and surroundings.

Though it is designed to be spoken and not read, yet it should be carefully written. It is undeniable that many if not all of the most splendid orations, both of ancient and modern times, have been written out previous to delivery. Rarely has a speech deserving the name been pronounced without having been written. Addresses have been given in debate or under strong excitement, equal in force and beauty to orations, but orations proper presuppose prepa

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ration. And yet in the noblest exhibitions of oratory the speaker is not confined to the previous production of the pen or of his own mind. Memory is attended by reason and imagination. New views, new images, new feelings may arise and demand expression, and spontaneously clothe themselves in the most appropri ate garb, and thus the orator combines past and present energy to produce the result.

108. Pleas.-Pleas are a specific kind of addresses varying with the almost infinite diversity of subjects upon which lawyers are called to address, sometimes the judge, sometimes a jury, and sometimes both to gether. Ordinary pleas, designed to produce only a temporary effect, aim simply at perspicuity and force. Pleas made upon very exciting occasions, such as criminal trials which awaken great attention, or legal disputes in which great interests are at stake, partake more of the nature of an oration, modified indeed, but admitting a variety of style and the highest eloquence.

109. Sermons.-Sermons are often orations, though sometimes lectures, and sometimes simply addresses. They admit every conceivable variety of style, depending upon circumstances. Some are didactic and exegetical; some are controversial; some are designed to awaken a particular passion, and some are genuine orations. The particular characteristic of a sermon is, that it purports to be a sincere effort to induce the audience to obey the will of the Supreme Being, and should, therefore, always be accompanied by a seriousness associated with the object. The same fact requires that an appearance of art, or attempt to dis

play ability, should not be exposed, and whatever tends to withdraw attention from the subject to the speaker should be especially avoided. Many of the best specimens of the oration are sermons, such as some of the discourses of Massillon, Robert Hall, Edward Irving, Melvill, Mason, Olin, Beecher, and others.

Farther views upon this subject will be presented when we come to treat of Invention, and Practical Rhetoric and Elocution.

CHAPTER XIV.

EPISTOLARY COMPOSITION, ESSAYS, ETC., ETC. 110. Letters.-VERY few are the persons who do not more or less frequently attempt to express their thoughts and feelings to others by writing letters. It is always regarded as a direct proof of ignorance when an epistle violates the rules of grammar, or is glaringly inconsistent with the primary principles of rhetoric.

A letter should, of course, be properly dated, addressed, signed, and superscribed, and the language should be correct. Perspicuity is essential, for ambiguity is vexatious to the recipient, and unpardonable in the writer. No person should presume to write a letter who has not learned to write his name and other words so that other persons can read them.

111. Familiar Letters.-Letters of friendship may, of course, be written in a careless, confidential style, partaking much of the character of the conversation common between the parties; but every scholar should regard it as unbecoming to write what, so far as the form of the composition is concerned, he would be unwilling to see printed for the public eye.

112. Letters for the Public.-Letters are sometimes written for the public, and made the vehicle of careful, methodical thought. Such letters, though pre