The Natural Orator

"The orator is bom, not made," say ertain critics. The assertion is contraicted by so many exceptions that it caniot be received as a general rule. It is, ïowever, verified in the career of 80nie great orators. The most notable case, in he annals of American orators, is that of 'atrick Henry. The hees of Hymettus ouching his lipa, as they did those of 'lato, while slumbering in his eradle. He isped in eloquence, as Pope did in numbers. Henry was a natural orator, but he was 'only that and nothing more." Mr. Jeferson, who knew him wel!, and often lisenod spell-bound tp his eloquence, saya he was neither man of education nor a wellea'l lawyer. Wirt, in his "Life of Henry," which hould more properly be entitled Wirt's 'Komanoe," says he read "l'lutarch's jives" once a year. "I don't believe," aid Mr. Jeflersoo, " he ever read two volumes of them." One November, on leaving Jefferson's lou.ie. llcnry selectcd two books from lis host's libmry. " 1 will take these two olumcs of ' Humo's Essays,' " he remarked, as he put them n his uncidle oajra, 'and try to read them this winter." Jn he spring he returned thom, saying lic ïad not been ible to get half through mie f them. In fact, Henry was too lazy and too fond f company to read. His delight was to Daas weeks lmnting in the "piuywoods" loug with overseer.s and people of similar oeial position. At night, when they athered about the camp fire, Henry was he soul of the company - telling stories nd cracking jokes unl.il bed-timc. Yet the lazy, half educated lawyer eemed like onc nspired when hfe stood bebrc a jury or on the Htmiip. " He appeared to me," wrote Mr. Jet erson, " to speak as Homer wrote. F evor heard," he continúes, "anything Kat deserved to be called by tlie suuk ïame with whatflowed i'rom bun. VV'here 10 got that torrent of languáge from is inonceivable. I have frequently shut my yes while he spoke, and when he wa. dnne tsked myiself what he had said, without eing able to recollect a word of it. He wan no logician." Uut Henry's case is au eioejptionl onn. 'here is nothing like it in our history, nnd he times were on hin side. Today the man who wishes to attain eniinence as an rator must have idea and know how to )ut them in an attractive forra. To gain deas and acquire the art of putting tlnin,