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he soon forgets； and much from which he learns nothing worthy to be
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remembered。 The best works employ； in general； but a small portion of
his time。 Demosthenes is said to have transcribed six times the history of
Thucydides。 If he had been a young politician of the present age； he
might in the same space of time have skimmed innumerable newspapers
and pamphlets。 I do not condemn that desultory mode of study which the
state of things； in our day； renders a matter of necessity。 But I may be
allowed to doubt whether the changes on which the admirers of modern
institutions delight to dwell have improved our condition so much in
reality as in appearance。 Rumford； it is said； proposed to the Elector of
Bavaria a scheme for feeding his soldiers at a much cheaper rate than
formerly。 His plan was simply to compel them to masticate their food
thoroughly。 A small quantity； thus eaten； would； according to that
famous projector； afford more sustenance than a large meal hastily
devoured。 I do not know how Rumford's proposition was received； but
to the mind； I believe； it will be found more nutritious to digest a page
than to devour a volume。
Books； however； were the least part of the education of an Athenian
citizen。 Let us； for a moment； transport ourselves in thought； to that
glorious city。 Let us imagine that we are entering its gates； in the time of
its power and glory。 A crowd is assembled round a portico。 All are
gazing with delight at the entablature； for Phidias is putting up the frieze。
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