Modern Short Speeches - Ninety Eight Complete Examples

MODERN SHORT SPEECHES Ninety-eight Complete Examples COMPILED BY JAMES MILTON ONEILL Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory, and Chairman of the Department of Speech, in the University of Wisconsin. Author of A Manual of Debate and Oral Discussion. Co-author of Argumenta tion and Debate. Compiler of Model of Speech Composition. Formerly Editor of The Quart erly Journal of Speech Education. THE CENTURY CO. New York and London 1923 Copyright, 1923, by THE CENTURY Co. DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF LONGINUS Who wrote some seventeen centuries ago It would seem that BOMBAST is one of the hardest things to avoid in writing. For all those writers who are ambitious of a lofty style, through dread of being convicted of feebleness and poverty of language, slide by a natural gradation into the opposite extreme Who fails in great endeavor, nobly fails 9 is their creed. Now bulk, when hollow and affected, is always objectionable, whether in material bodies or in writings, and in danger of producing on us an impression of littleness nothing, it is said, is drier than a man with the dropsy. 9 . . . But there is another fault diametrically opposed to grandeur this is called PUERILITY, and it is the failing of feeble and narrow minds, indeed, the most ignoble of all vices in writing By puerility we mean a pedantic habit of mind, which by over elaboration ends in frigidity Slips of this sort are made by those who aiming at br ttianoy, polish, and especially attractiveness, are landed in paltriness and silly affec tation. Closely associated with this is a third sort of vice, in dealing with the passions, which Theodoras used to call FALSE SENTIMENT, meaning by that an ill timed and empty display of emotion, whereno emotion is oalled for, or of greater emotion than the situation warrants THIS DEDICATION IS MADE IN THE HOPE THAT THESE MODERN EXAMPLES OF SIMPLE, FITTING, AND GRACIOUS SPEECH MAY HELP TO ENFORCE HIS ANCIENT PRECEPTS To THE END THAT BOMBAST, PUERILITY, AND FALSE SENTIMENT MAY MORE AND MORE GIVE PLACE TO SINCERITY, SIMPLICITY, DIGNITY, AND TRUTH IN PUBLIC SPEECHES. PREFACE Since the publication of Models of Speech Composition, there have come to me and to the publishers, many statements concerning a need for such a collection as the one here presented. Such expressions have called for a small volume to sell for a relatively low price, and in general to fit a simpler situation than that for which Models of Speech Composition was designed. Our first plan was to try to serve this need with an abridged edition of the Models, but on further considera tion, it was decided to make a new collection to be issued under a different title. We decided to use all of the material in the Models that seemed to be well fitted to this new volume, and to add sufficient other examples to give a complete col lection of simple short speeches. In this collection, as will be observed, all of the speeches are short. They are all mod ern, none having been delivered before 1890. Of course all of the speeches are complete. The forensic and legislative speeches, formal eulogies, sermons, and the longer and more elaborate examples of the other types, have been left out. The aim has been to present as large a number as possible of excellent examples of short, simple, dignified speeches of the kinds that are so frequently required of almost all col lege and university students in fact of almost all men and womentoday who take any active part in the world in which they live. This volume is devoted to that type of pub lic speaking which all intelligent people not only can learn how to do well, but should learn how to do well if they wish to prepare at all adequately for an active and useful life. i Models of Speech Composition Compiled by James Milton ONeill. New York. The Century Co. 1921. viii PREFACE The dedication which I have made in this book might almost serve as a preface. 2 It expresses the spirit and pur pose of this volume...