Directories

You are not to suppose an intention on my part to review all the HelpSj Guides, and Aids to the power of public speaking wliicli have appeared from the time of St. Augustine; my modest wish is to say a word or two upon books which are of recent production and which, as will be seen, deserve notice both as warnings and examples. The other day I laid out a small sum in the purchase of the most magnificent work ever penned upon the subject to which it is devoted, — nothing less than a complete guide to the attainment of purity and elegance of style in speaking and The sum expended was ‘’ two and eleven/ — how far the investment was such as to tempt you to follow my example you shall presently see. Please to remember that the book in question is not merely a guide but a complete guide, and not a complete guide to rudimentary writing, but to the attainment of purity and elegance of style. What is said on the title page is repeated on page 33 — ‘* our treatise being designed for the advanced student, etc. Notwithstanding this high design, the condescending author gives on his 16th page ‘Preliminary Hints to Juvenile Readers, the originality and value of which do not admit of two opinions; here they are —

“Be careful to pronounce each word deliberately, with a clear and distinct utterance of every syllable, and with due attention to the vowels, diphthongs, and final consonants. Read as if conversing in polite society, not as a task, not thinking of your voice and how you impress your listeners, but, as far as you can, forgetting yourself, and entering into the feelings and sentiments of the author: and a caution to youthful readers may here not be ill timed, viz., that they especially guard against an over serious and formal tone and manner. The object of reading is to give pleasure, while imparting information; therefore the voice, as well as the expression of the countenance, should indicate cheerfulness, making it apparent that the reader takes an interest in the subject, and is gratified by the exercise. There is a natural charm in a hvely and unafi*ected tone; and, to conclude, we recommend the old fashioned couplet as a very good rule for beginners, viz., —

* Learn to speak slow, all other graces
Will follow in their proper places.’

‘’ A variety in exercises gives mastery, and for this it is advisable to practise alternately the diff’erent styles of composition, from the light and humorous, to the more grave and dignified.^’

The comprehensive advice to be careful about vowels and diphthongs, yet not to think of the voice, to forget yourself and yet to let the countenance indicate cheerfulness, not to think of the voice and yet to aim at a lively and unafi*ected tone, is most charming, enabling the author to come in at the front door and go out at the back, and to say contradictory things in such a manner as to be bound to neither of them. Tbe youtbful reader is not to think of bow be impresses bis listeners, yet be is to show that be is gratified by the exercise; be is to be indifferent to bis bearers, and yet to remember that bis object is to give them pleasure and impart to them information. They must be very juvenile readers for whom such lucid bints are designed. You will be pleased to observe that the countenance is to indicate cbeerfulness as a proof that the reader takes an interest in the subject, wbetber the subject be “light and bumorous’ or “the more grave and dignified”: the great object with our pleasant author is to be cheerful, in whatever direction the rbetorical wind may blow.

So much for juvenile readers. Coming to “advanced students,” the author “doubts wbetber the strict formality of metbodical systems may not often prove rather a bindrance than a help to minds of a superior cast.“” Keeping bis eye upon “minds of a superior cast,” the author sublimely says: “Had the early genius of Sbakspeare been thus cramped and rigidly tied down to precise modes and details of study, we much doubt wbetber bis imagination would have expanded with the noble freedom, and bold and grapbic originality, wbicb constitutes the great cbarm of bis dramatic compositions. We admit that, so trained, be might have been eminently sbrewd and clever, but be would not have been Sbakspeare as be bas come down to us, and as we delight to know bim.-” Tbis is, of course, a most satisfactory explanation of Sbakspeare. We now see clearly all about him. Avoid precise modes and details of study, and you will probably be a Sbakspeare; keep clear of “bints to juvenile readers,” or you will never write

R 2 “Hamlet/^ The judicial mind of the author admits that had Shakspeare read such hints and been foolish enough to take them seriously to hearty he would have been a tolerably shrewd man on the whole,, — nay more, ^’ eminently shrewd and clever’ which is a poor encouragement to the public to buy our authors ‘complete guide. •’^ How any man can have brought himself to imagine that Shakspeare could have been ‘cramped and rigidly tied down to precise modes and details of study/^ is not to be satisfactorily accounted for except on the principle that he himself was ‘’ rigidly tied down” in his youth and has never been able to shake off his bonds.

Having thus explained the majesty of Shakspeare the author adds with wonderful simplicity: — “We have therefore purposely omitted much of the introductory matter commonly found in school treatises etc. This is one of the collateral blessings which Shakspeare has conferred upon the world. Because Shakspeare might have been spoiled by modes and details our author shrinks from the possibility of nipping some young Shakspeare in the bud and therefore avoids “precise modes and details of study .■’^ This was very daring on the part of the author yet he recovered himself by the aid of a great name. “Nor,” says he, “are we without support in this our view. It was the advice of Dr. Johnson/^ etc.; clearly showing how impossible it is even for the strongest minds to proceed far in original thinking without coming upon unexpected and illustrious companionship. Dr. Johnson advised a young man to give his days and nights to Addison, and our author adds this important remark — “We hold the counsel advisable, for his writings exhibit a faultless style and classic purity, while breathing a cheerful spirit, enlivened with a rich vein of humour and a playful but harmless satire, and as a moral essayist he has rarely been excelled,” After this, no one will be at liberty to question the “advisableness” of Dr. Johnsons advice: in the first instance, Dr. Johnson supports our author’s opinion, and in the next, our author supports Dr. Johnson’s opinion, and thus the whole question is settled. Still, remembering that “by some this celebrated essayist is regarded as out of date,” the author judiciously adds: — “We deem it well then to begin with Addison, but by no means to end with him.” Certainly not! Begin with an author of ^’ faultless style and classic purity,” but “by no means end with him.” Give your days and nights to Addison, and the remainder of your time to somebody else!

One brief division of this “complete guide “is entitled” The Suggestive Faculty,” and in giving “Hints for its Exercise,” the author says: — “in order to be fluent in speech we must be fertile in thought, for words being but the signs of our ideas, to have a copious command of the former we must multiply the latter. Whatever therefore sets our thoughts actively at work will serve our turn, and claims our first attention. For this, formal rules are not needful, a single suggestion may suffice. We will then at once commence.” Prepare yourself, my friend, for one of the most pathetic illustrations ever addressed to your heart, and please to remember that it forms part of a book intended for ‘^ advanced students “— not for tyroes, but for men of capacity and strength. The author’s object is to teach his advanced students how to “multiply ideas “; and how admirably the illustration is

246 Ad Clerimi: Advices to a Young Preacher,

fitted to serve this useful purpose you will see without the aid of a commentator. ‘^ You have received, we will suppose, two invitations, each being to spend a month, one with friends in town, the other in the country; you must choose between them, and perhaps are puzzled in so doing. Ere you decide, you will think and turn over in your mind the pleasure and advantage you may expect from either. On the one hand the country tempts you with its freshness and beauty, its rural scenes, its walks and rides, and healthful recreations. On the other hand the town attracts with its gaieties, its social pleasures, and diversified entertainments; in either case, not omitting the companionship you may prefer, and the society you will enter into. Here is no lack of matter for thinking, if you would choose discreetly; and it will be helpful to note down separately the y’ios and cons, and then weigh and consider. We have merely thrown out the hint for the youthful comyoser.’^

“Here is no lack of matter for thinking ‘^!! You will observe that the town attracts you with its gaieties; you will also observe that you are not only to think, but to turn over in your mind, and the difficult part of your work is to think and turn over” the pleasure and advantage ^’ which exist only in expectation, and therefore don’t exist at all. It is very prettily said that the country tempts you with its rural scenes. Observe the intellectual process through which you have to pass before going out for a month’s holiday — think — turn over in your mind — note down separately — then weigh and consider /’ that ’s all! Why you could not do more if you had to choose between life and death! I am afraid that if anything could have enfeebled the wings of Shakspeare this process of ‘’ thinking “would have succeeded in doing so. If you should ever avail yourself of this absurd advice, pray don’t tell the friend whose hospitality you accept that you have made your way to his house through the briers of such sharp logic, and especially keep the secret from his wife, or she will not ask you whether you will take tea or coffee, for fear you should retire for an hour to ‘’ note down separately the pros and cons.” It is however a great relief to find our author saying, ‘We have merely thrown out the hint for the youthful composer ‘’; if the youthful composer will do the same thing the hint will be treated exactly as it deserves. No, no; we must have something better than this, worse is impossible; why, this is infinitely better — a minister, whose command of words was positively alarming, was asked by what method he had acquired such amazing fluency, and he frankly owned it was the result of practice; said he, when I go out to walk, I say to my stick ’ long stick, hard stick, strong stick, smooth stick, thick stick, light stick, nice stick,’ ‘’ whereupon his waggish listener added ^’ dry stick,’’ and left him.

You are not to be deterred from the practice recommended by our author by its difficulty, because ‘such a process constitutes the element of solid improvement,” and besides this ‘the task becomes easier with practice, one thought begets another, till at length we master the difficulty and become conscious of our power; we then begin to take a pleasure in duly ordering our ideas, and in giving a becoming expression to them.’*’ This word of encouragement is needed, considering the painfulness of the task appointed by the exacting author. Some of us have great difficulty in “commanding our thoughts”;

248 Ad Gleriim: Advices to a Young PreacJier.

judge therefore of my delight in coming upoxi this luminous passage: —

‘It is most desirable to acquire betimes a habit of fixing the attention, and concentrating the thoughts, which are ever prone to wander, especially with the unpractised; a watchful guard is ther jfore requisite, to counteract this propensity; and it is no less needful to be able to control our ideas than to have formed them aright. In the choice of words also, to give a judicious expression to our sentiments, due care and discretion are indispensable.”

That settles the question, by putting you up to the art and mystery of mental concentration. Yon see now exactly how it is, dont you? Appoint a watchful guard, and give due expression to your sentiments, — that ’s all, nothing easier, my dear sir, if you know how, which is not the business of the ^’ com-ijlete” guide to tell, especially for the trifling sum of two and elevenpence. Still our author must have felt that in putting the case in this clear manner he had made a considerable contribution to that form of authorship which, as George Eliot says,” is called suggestion, and consists in telling another man that he might do a great deal with a given subject by bringing a sufficient amount of knowledge, reasoning, and wit to bear upon it.*’

You will admit, I am sure, the importance of ‘’ variety in forms of expression ‘^; on this subject our author is conspicuously great, as you will see by the following —

‘’ This is effected by changing the position of the component parts of a paragraph, or compound sentence, without altering the words.

‘’Example.

1. When a good man dies lie leaves all his bad behind,

and carries all his good with him. When a. sinner dies he leaves all his good, and carries all his bad.

2. When a good man dies he carries all his good, etc.

3. A good man when he dies leaves, etc.

4. A good man when he dies carries, etc.

5. When he dies, a good man, etc.

6. A sinner when he dies — When a sinner dies, etc.

N.B. — This sentence admits of twelve variations/*

Now, sir, no more talk of want of variety in preaching! By a skilful use of this novel permutation, one sermon will last you a lifetime; when I reflect on this it is impossible to begrudge the two and elevenpence for so complete a guide. Query: if one sentence admits of twelve variations, of how many variations will two sermons admit? Then the text may be varied, begin one inch from the beginning, then begin in the middle, then read it backwards, and then try it from the beginning. If the order of words may be varied, why may not the emphasis of the words be varied too? See how rich a field is opened by this simple plan! Take the text, ^’ Go thou and do likewise ‘’; and the results are truly wonderful — thus: —

Go thou and do likewise; that is, dont do it here, but go

out and do it. Go thou and do likewise; dont work by deputy, do your

own work. Go thou and do likewise; it is not enough to go, you

must also do.

Go thou and do likewise; dont merely think or approve, but act.

Go thou and do lilwwise: don’t be original; copy and reflect, but don’t originate. N.B. — This emphasis is adapted to all subjects and

occasions.

The native delicacy of the author’s taste is strikingly shown in his remarks upon “Qualified or Softened Expression.” Some of us have an unfeeling way of calling a spade a spade, and a shameful habit of calling a liar a liar. To all this rudeness there may now be a happy end. Speaking upon “■ Qualified or Softened Expression,” the author says: “This serves to mitigate the severity of rude and harsh sounding words, by avoiding all such as are highly ofiFensive. Thus, instead of branding the individual with the odious epithet of liar, we may accuse him of misrepresentation. Instead of the stigma, sot, sluggard, or idler, we say, deficient in energy, the reverse of diligent, prone to inaction. Insufferable pride will be exaggerated self-esteem; for madness, alienation of mind; and instead of brutal folly, a lamentable want of prudence.”

This rule would considerably change (not improve) the method of putting things in some parts of the New Testament. For example: ‘’ If any man say he love God, and hateth his brotherhood, he is a liar,” would be — he is guilty of misrepresentation: a much gentler method of dealing with the case. Even Solomon, wisest of men, might be amended; when he says, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard,” he should be read as saying, ^’ Go to the ant, thou who art prone to inaction! “When Jesus Christ calls Herod a” fox,” He should be understood as calling him ‘^ that animal of the genus Canis, with a straight tail, yellowish hair, and erect ears” — decidedly more polite, and considerate of human feeling.

It is with much relief that I turn to an eighteenpenny book, by Mr. Holyoake, called ‘’ Rudiments of Public Speaking and Debate,” Get this book if you can; I am afraid it is out of print. It is full of wise and practical counsel, and rich with allusion and quotation of the best kind. An extract from the chapter on Effectiveness will show what I mean.” Young men, poetical from ardour, and enthusiastic from passion rather than principle, will often rush from libraries crammed with lore with which nobody else is familiar, and pour out before an audience what the speaker believes to be both sublime and impressive, but which his hearers cannot understand. They grow listless and restless, and he retires overwhelmed with a sense of failure. A. B., a young friend of considerable promise, thus failed in my presence. I endeavoured thus to divert his despondency.

‘Failures, I urged, are with heroic minds the stepping stones to success.

Why have I not succeeded?’ he asked. ‘I can never hope to say better things of my own than I said to-night of others.

“The cause of your non-success is obvious. You commenced by addressing your auditors as men, and you left them as children. A young preacher who had ascended the pulpit with great confidence, but who broke down in the middle of his sermon, was met by Eowland Hill as he was rushing from the pulpit. Young man,’ said Rowland, ’ had you ascended the pulpit in the spirit in wliicli you descended, you would have descended in the spirit in which you ascended.’’ Something of this kind will explain your case. In your exordium you should address your auditors as though they were children, state your arguments as though they were learners, and in your peroration only assume them to be men. On the threshold of a new subject men are as children; during its unfoldment they are learners; only when the subject is mastered are they as men, with manhood’s power to execute their convictions. Had it struck you that probably no man of your audience was familiar with the habits of society in the days of Spenser’s ‘Faery Queene,’ or of the high and mystic imaginings of the solitary Paracelsus, would not the thought have caused you to recast your whole lecture? Take care that you do not render yourself amenable to the sarcasm of Swift, who, when Burnet said, speaking of the Scotch preachers in the time of the civil war, ‘The crowds were far beyond the capacity of their churches or the reach of their voices,’ Swift added, ‘And the preaching beyond the capacity of the crowd; I believe the church had as much capacity as the minister.’”’ An extract relating to debate will show you Mr. Holyoake’s spirit and somewhat of his method: ^’ The object of discussion is not the vexatious chase of an opponent, but the contrastive and current statement of opinion. Therefore endeavour to select leading opinions, to state them strongly and clearly, and when your opponent replies be content to leave his arguments side by side with your own, for the judgment of the auditors. In no case disparage an opponent, misstate his views, or torture his words, and thus, for the sake of a verbal triumph, produce lasting ill feelings. Your sole business is with Directories. 253

what he says not hoiu he says it, nor why he says it. Your aim should be that the audience should lose sight of the speakers, and be possessed with the subject, and that those who come the partisans of persons shall depart the partisans of principles.. The victory in a debate lies not in lowering an opponent, but in raising the subject in public estimation. Controversial wisdom lies not in destroying an opponent, but in destroying his error; not in making him ridiculous so much as in making the audience wise.’’’’ The wisdom of these counsels may be turned to advantage even in the pulpit, for though you do not there enter into debate in the ordinary sense of the term, yet you have to reply to objections, to anticipate difficulties, and to commend your cause to the judgment of all who hear you. It is specially needful in a minister who has the entire conduct of a service, that he should be noble in his treatment of all supposed objectors; their arguments should be stated with all possible clearness and force, and courtesy should never be sacrificed to victory.

Have you seen Paxton Hood’s book, with the singular title ‘^ Lamps, Pitchers, and Trumpets ‘’? Get it by all means. The mere arrangement of the subjects might be considerably improved; but the matter, the spirit, the enthusiasm, and the poetry leave nothing to be desired. The book has called me out of many a gloomy fit, and helped me to begin again after I thought the end of my work had come. There is not a tame sentence in all the book; if there is, I have not seen it. Wisdom, anecdote, individuality, illustration, parable — plenty; insipidity, monotony, cold exhortation — none. Mr. Hood gives his reader to feel how sublime a thing it is to be a preacher. We are not allowed to drop the preacher into a secondary rank; lie is called of Grod, lie is inspired by the Holy Ghost he is the interpreter and revealer of the Redeeming Heart. Read this book if ever you be tempted to give up the exercise of your ministry.

Yinet, Baxter Bridges, Greswell, Porter, Cotton Mather, and others will have a good deal to say that is ^’ profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction’ in homiletics. Remember that no preacher was ever made by rules. You may have a bag full of excellent tools, but if your fingers be unskilled your instruments are of little use. Does the spade make the gardener? Does the easel make the painter? A man may read guide boards and finger posts all the days of his life, and yet never take a walk; or he may be profound in Bradshaw, and yet never enter a train. It is possible too to be a critic without being an artist, and to be able to find fault without being able to do better. Many of your hearers will complain of your sermons, who could not write a sermon if they were to be rewarded with heaven for doing so. Dont upbraid them for their inability. Faultfinding is a distinct and special talent. What would you have thought, if, when you told your shoemaker that your shoes didn’t fit, he had challenged you to make a better pair? Remember this, and be humble!