FEATS OF ORATORY-IN PARLIAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2409, 3 May 1900, Page 65

FEATS OF ORATORY-IN PARLIAMENT.

It is difficult to realise, when reading the reports of the best Parliamentary

speeches, with their eloquent and smoothly flowing sentences, running, perhaps through several columns of a newspaper, that many, of these speeches are delivered without reference to a single note. It is nevertheless a fact that of all our most. eloquent politicians there are not more than three who , rely on notes for their support and inspiration, even \ when making important speeches. Lord Salisbury is gifted with such a remarkable memory that' he rarely -finds it

necessary to take a note, and still less "seldom to use one. Even when quoting from vthe speeches of his opponents he rarely Sails to give the exact words, relying solely on ihis recollection of them. Like most great speakers, he finds himself so hampered lay reference to .and reliance on notes, -that he has carefully trained himself to dispense with them almost entirely. i Nearly all Mr, Chamberlain's most notable speeches, with their precise, easy-flow-ing language and logical sequence of fact iand argument, have been delivered wilhkmt once consulting a note. It is more than ia suspicion, however, that his speeches are •very carefully prepared and committed to memory, in itself a feat almost more remarkable than their preparation.

. Mr Asquith is said to follow the same method as the Colonial Secretary, and to take his subjects so much to heart that "he learns his speeches by it." 'At any rate, his best speeches, with their wonderful perfection of form, are almost invariably made without any assistance ■from notes, even if he has prepared them as a kind -of reserve force to fall back on in case of need.- „ .* One, of the most remarkable -unaided _ef; forts -ever; made in the House of Commons .was a speech by Mr Fletcher Moulton, ' Q.C," on, the subjecfc of ground-rents. The speech, , which lasted .nearly an -hour, was .one -intricate maze of facts, and figures, all of winch flowed from the speaker with an ease and precision which astounded the House. Although the figures alone were almost sufficient to fill a Blue Book, and were taken from an immense number of sources, Mr Moulton was master of them all without the need of making a single reference.

An almost equally wonderful feat was accomplished by Sir Edward Clarke in a speech, which lasted two hours, on the financial relation between 'England and Ireland. Although, naturally, figures were introduced in battalions, and libraries of Blue Books were condensed into the speech, Sir •Edward steered his way through them all as adroitly as a clever pilot, and never once (paused to consult any of the books of reference with which he had provided" himself.

Mr Gladstone, the greatest orator of them all, wag also a sworn enemy of notes, and jplaced as little reliance as possible on them. Even in speeches of several hours' duration and dealing with the most complex subjects, his only" notes have been brought ••within the' compass of half a sheet of note.jpaper, on which a few single words, each .suggesting a new topic or argument, .have teen written, in. large letters. • Lord Randolph Churchill, too, in his Jbest days was 'equally independent of notes, "although he was said to commit his speeches •'.to memory and to rehearse them. carefully '■until he was "letter-gerfect."" f . Lord. Rosebery" makes the most sparing "use" of. notes, and is never happier, both in 'effectiveness "and .personal ease, than when -jhe dispenses with them altogether. " That ihis speeches, however, are prepared with '.the utmost care is evident from their perfection, of form, and the ex-Premier no doubt finds an excellent memory a-- better friend than any amount of notes.

Mr Balfour has not acquired a similar independence, and finds a safe, if hampering, refuge in notes, although he uses them as frugally as possible. Indeed, many of Ihis best efforts are made when, during the course of a debate, he has to speak on. the spur of the- moment, which is often the best of inspirations. * Sir William Harcourt rarely speaks more effectively than under similar conditions, although in late years he has developed the lhabit of relying, on notes to an almost unrivalled extent. Indeed, some of his most important speeches have been actually read verbatim from typewritten copy. His more usual practice ie to -equip himself with a huge sheaf of notes written on odds and ends of paper, and through which he steers his way with the help of a reading lamp. It is, perhaps, more natural that Mr John •Morley, who is by life-long habit a student rather than an orator, should depend ''on copious notes. These he spreads on the "table in front him for ease of reference, "while -his perorations are invariably carefully prepared and either read from manu-*Bcript-jor delivered from memory.