SUGGESTIONS ON BIOGRAPHICAL SPEECHES 13 Thus we have suggested briefly : Some of the Values attending the preparation and presen- tation of these Biographical Speeches. Some of the Peculiarities of Oral Discourse. The Three Chief Limitations upon it, necessitating the Theme. The Practical Use of the Theme. The Use of the Outline. Some of the more Helpful Qualities of Style. Many incorrect notions about instruction in delivery obtain. Teaching Public Speaking is not giving instruction in mimicry — not with sincere folk; nor is it in- HL Tha Delivery struction in the ventriloquism em- ployed by the ** Punch and Judy** per- 1. Ikcobbect former in the side-show; nor is it NOTIONS ABOUT prattle about saying things this way THE Deuveby or that, or * * splitting *twixt the north and northwest side" the manner of making" a gesture. Again, some oppose a careful study of public discourse on the alleged ground that the study is unnec- essary. They urge that if one has something to say that is worth saying, all he has to do is to rise to his feet before an au- dience and say it. Surely, then, those holding this view must go a little further, if consistent, and urge that if one has some- thing to write worth the writing, all he has to do is to write it — without any instruction whatever save that afforded by ** in- nate conmion sense ' ' ; and that if someone has something to paint worth the painting, all in the world he has to do is to paint that something, without contact with a master ; and that if somebody has a song worth the singing, he need only * ' ope his mouth" and sing — to take instruction in singing would be so silly withal! Now native ability, ** sheer genius," oft- times achieves relative success in an art ; but that fact is not sufficient ground for cavalierly disdaining as unnecessary in- struction in Public Speaking. It is but fair to state that some of the greatest figures of history, and many of the mighty characters of our own times, by example and by testimony give the unanswerable answer to such nonsense.
