misc writings and speeches(米斯克说与写)-第29章
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We turn into another street； a rhapsodist is reciting there： men； women；
children are thronging round him： the tears are running down their
cheeks： their eyes are fixed： their very breath is still； for he is telling
how Priam fell at the feet of Achilles； and kissed those hands；the terrible…
…the murderous；which had slain so many of his sons。 （kai kuse cheiras；
deinas； anorophonous； ai oi poleas ktanon uias。）
We enter the public place； there is a ring of youths； all leaning forward；
with sparkling eyes； and gestures of expectation。 Socrates is pitted against
the famous atheist； from Ionia； and has just brought him to a contradiction
in terms。 But we are interrupted。 The herald is crying〃Room for the
Prytanes。〃 The general assembly is to meet。 The people are swarming
in on every side。 Proclamation is made〃Who wishes to speak？〃 There
is a shout； and a clapping of hands： Pericles is mounting the stand。 Then
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for a play of Sophocles； and away to sup with Aspasia。 I know of no
modern university which has so excellent a system of education。
Knowledge thus acquired and opinions thus formed were； indeed；
likely to be； in some respects； defective。 Propositions which are
advanced in discourse generally result from a partial view of the question；
and cannot be kept under examination long enough to be corrected。 Men
of great conversational powers almost universally practise a sort of lively
sophistry and exaggeration； which deceives； for the moment； both
themselves and their auditors。 Thus we see doctrines； which cannot bear
a close inspection； triumph perpetually in drawing…rooms； in debating
societies； and even in legislative or judicial assemblies。 To the
conversational education of the Athenians I am inclined to attribute the
great looseness of reasoning which is remarkable in most of their scientific
writings。 Even the most illogical of modern writers would stand
perfectly aghast at the puerile fallacies which seem to have deluded some
of the greatest men of antiquity。 Sir Thomas Lethbridge would stare at
the political economy of Xenophon； and the author of 〃Soirees de
Petersbourg〃 would be ashamed of some of the metaphysical arguments of
Plato。 But the very circumstances which retarded the growth of science
were peculiarly favourable to the cultivation of eloquence。 From the
early habit of taking a share in animated discussion the intelligent student
would derive that readiness of resource； that copiousness of language； and
that knowledge of the temper and understanding of an audience； which are
far more valuable to an orator than the greatest logical powers。
Horace has prettily compared poems to those paintings of which the
effect varies as the spectator changes his stand。 The same remark applies
with at least equal justice to speeches。 They must be read with the
temper of those to whom they were addressed； or they must necessarily
appear to offend against the laws of taste and reason； as the finest picture；
seen in a light different from that for which it was designed； will appear fit
only for a sign。 This is perpetually forgotten by those who criticise
oratory。 Because they are reading at leisure； pausing at every line；
reconsidering every argument； they forget that the hearers were hurried
from point to point too rapidly to detect the fallacies through which they
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were conducted； that they had no time to disentangle sophisms； or to
notice slight inaccuracies of expression； that elaborate excellence； either of
reasoning or of language； would have been absolutely thrown away。 To
recur to the analogy of the sister art； these connoisseurs examine a
panorama through a microscope； and quarrel with a scene…painter because
he does not give to his work the exquisite finish of Gerard Dow。
Oratory is to be estimated on principles different from those which are
applied to other productions。 Truth is the object of philosophy and
history。 Truth is the object even of those works which are peculiarly
called works of fiction； but which； in fact； bear the same relation to history
which algebra bears to arithmetic。 The merit of poetry； in its wildest
forms； still consists in its truth；truth conveyed to the understanding； not
directly by the words； but circuitously by means of imaginative
associations； which serve as its conductors。 The object of oratory alone
is not truth； but persuasion。 The admiration of the multitude does not
make Moore a greater poet than Coleridge； or Beattie a greater
philosopher than Berkeley。 But the criterion of eloquence is different。
A speaker who exhausts the whole philosophy of a question； who displays
every grace of style； yet produces no effect on his audience； may be a
great essayist； a great statesman； a great master of composition； but he is
not an orator。 If he miss the mark； it makes no difference whether he
have taken aim too high or too low。
The effect of the great freedom of the press in England has been； in a
great measure； to destroy this distinction； and to leave among us little of
what I call Oratory Proper。 Our legislators； our candidates； on great
occasions even our advocates； address themselves less to the audience
than to the reporters。 They think less of the few hearers than of the
innumerable readers。 At Athens the case was different； there the only
object of the speaker was immediate conviction and persuasion。 He；
therefore； who would justly appreciate the merit of the Grecian orators
should place himself； as nearly as possible； in the situation of their
auditors： he should divest himself of his modern feelings and
acquirements； and make the prejudices and interests of the Athenian
citizen his own。 He who studies their works in this spirit will find that
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many of those things which； to an English reader； appear to be blemishes；…
…the frequent violation of those excellent rules of evidence by which our
courts of law are regulated；the introduction of extraneous matter；the
reference to considerations of political expediency in judicial
investigations；the assertions； without proof；the passionate entreaties；
the furious invectives；are really proofs of the prudence and address of
the speakers。 He must not dwell maliciously on arguments or phrases；
but acquiesce in his first impressions。 It requires repeated perusal and
reflection to decide rightly on any other portion of literature。 But with
respect to works of which the merit depends on their instantaneous effect
the most hasty judgment is likely to be best。
The history of eloquence at Athens is remarkable。 From a very early
period great speakers had flourished there。 Pisistratus and Themistocles
are said to have owed much of their influence to their talents for debate。
We learn； with more certainty； that Pericles was distinguished by
extraordinary oratorical powers。 The substance of some of his speeches is
transmitted to us by Thucydides； and that excellent writer has doubtless
faithfully reported the general line of his arguments。 But the manner；
which in oratory is of at least as much consequence as the matter； was of
no importance to his narration。 It is evident that he has not attempted to
preserve it。 Throughout his work； every speech on every subject；
whatever may have been the character of the dialect of the speaker； is in
exactly the same form。 The grave king of Sparta； the furious demagogue
of Athens； the general encouraging his army； the captive supplicating for
his life； all are represented as speakers in one unvaried style；… …a style
moreover wholly unfit for oratorical purposes。 His mode of reasoning is
singularly elliptical；in reality most consecutive；yet in appearance often
incoherent。 His meaning； in itself sufficiently perplexing； is compressed
into the fewest possible words。 His great fondness for antithetical
expression has not a little conduced to this effect。 Every one must have
observed how much more the sense is condensed in the verses of Pope and
his imitators； who never ventured to continue the same clause from
couplet to couplet； than in those of poets who allow themselves that
license。 Every artificial division； which is strongly marked； and which
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frequently recurs； has the same tendency。 The natural and perspicuous
expression which spontaneously rises to the mind will often refuse to
accommodate itself to such a form。 It is necessary either to expand it
into weakness； or to compress it into almost impenetrable density。 The
latter is generally the choice of an able man； and was assuredly the choice
of Thucydides。
It is scarcely necessary to say that such speeches could
