An Original Dissertation On Public Speaking.

average English pater-familias suddenly called upon his hind legs to address an audience of his fellow countrymen . I propose to give you one or two examples illustrative of the British citizen under the trying circumstances—which he as often as not brings upon himself—with the firm

impression that he was born to be an orator , and anxious at all cost to astonish the weak nerves of his audience . Bro . Holmes , then amidst roars of laughter , introduced the character of the fidgety young gentlemanwho responds

, for the bridesmaids amidst much perplexity and nervousness , and who after much stammering and hesitancy sits clown , after thanking the guests for drinking his health and the rest of tha bridesmaids . Assuming next the r 61 e of the chairman

of a public meeting , " his AVashup the Mayor /' agentleman withabullyingmanner and stentorian voice , who explains the financial state of the town , complains of the state of the town pumps , and abuses the gas and water company , Bro . Holmes in his assumed character put to the meeting ( oblivious of the fact that it is not the town council he is addressing ) , the

new rate of twopence in the pound , proposed by Councillor Sprat , in the midst of great laughter and applause . The third impersonation given , was that of a well-known type , the tap-room spouter of Hibernian ori gin , rather the better or the worse for liquorpresenting

, a testimonial , a pewter pint pot , to mine host of the Rose and Gridiron , who has been chairman of the local convivial society —Sons of Memnon—for so many years . The orator grew sentimental and lachrymose over the pot and its recipientas is

, the manner of tap-room spouters after a certain stage , and his plentiful tears strangely enough , contributed greatly to the hilarity of his audience . The fourth and last illustration given was that of the stump orator rendered

familiar to us by the Christy Ministrels , in which the speaker brought in all the leading topics of the day in an olla podrida of rhapsod y , high falutin and absurd fun in such a way as seriously to affect the risible faculties of the large auditoryand

, "which called forth hearty and long continued applause . The speaker resumed : For outrageous , downright nonsense ,

recommend me to the stump orator , and yet I could mention public speakers , whose speeches are stamp orations—only they dont know it . One might easily multiply examples amongst the clergy as well as amongst the laity ( for we are not all so

fortunate as you are at Colchester ) , but I refrain . But go to many a church or chapel , anywhere outside Colchester , of course ( laughter ) , and listen for 35 minutes to a beautiful discourse—which , whether

doctrinal or practical has nothing on earth to do with the text which is tacked on to it for ornament sake , or respectability , and because it is the custom—delivered , it may be either in a dull nasal tone , a shrill quavering voiceor perhaps in a heavy bass

, thundernote key , which in trying to be sublime , is only ridiculous , and tell me do you not come away perplexed , chagrined , hardly edified and strengthened , sadder , let us hope wiser men . And then the gestures ! AVhat with

the sledge-hammer movement , the air sawing movement , the thumping cushion movement , the animated log business , and the dying cluck in a thunder-storm , ono has enough and to spare . Do you remember what Sydney Smith said about his first sermon ?

" When I began to thump the cushion of my pulpit on first coming to Foston , as is my wont when I preach , the accumulated dust of 150 years made such a cloud that for some minutes I lost sight of my congregation . " The dying duck in the thunderstorm

I have seen excellently simulated by pious ladies of uncertain age , who are garrulous speakers at Dorcas meetings and Muffin struggles , and also by other old women of the male persuasion , objurgating in public with strong minded females ( what the

Saturday Review calls the shrieking sisterhood ) , against the Contagious Diseases Act , or Cremation , and declaiming generally against the follies of the age . It is our boast that the clergy of the Church of England , taken as a body , are

the most learned , the most moral , whilst they are the most influential for good , and the most highly esteemed of any priesthood of any religion in the world . Yet in the matter of sermonizing and public speaking there is a lack , and I am persuaded , dear friends , that no clergy can beat ours in the