MONARCHS AS ORATORS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue VI, 10 February 1900, Page 263

MONARCHS AS ORATORS.

In our democratic age it is becoming more and more necessary (says the “Leisure Hour”) that princes and kings should have something to say, and know how to say it. The speeches of European rulers are scanned with the closest scrutiny, for although "the King’s mouth” no longer orders peace or war, men are prone to look to their words for an index of the trend of events.

In the ease of the German Emperor, that most eloquent of monarchs, statesmen and journalists have long recognised that, although his orations are often overladen with the ornaments of rhetoric, he generally knows when to speak and what impression to make. His speeches are his’own composition, usually spoken on the spur of the moment. His voice is clear, every syllable correctly enunciated. In his speeches he uses what are known as “head notes" as opposed to “chest notes.”

His grandfather, the old Emperor, was a silent man. The Germans say he conquered the French with his steel cannon, but his grandson will conquer them with his silver tongue.

Queen Victoria always reads any speech more than a sentence or two long, but her voice is a beautiful one. carrying far. The Queen of Spain is always nervously trembling when she reads her speeches; Moemi says she never raises her eyes from the manuscript in her shaking hands. The young Queen of Holland has a childish, dear voice; each word comes clear as a bell. Ferdinand of Bulgaria is no orator. He hurries over the first few sentences only tofpause in the middle of his speech. He evidently obtains inspiration and relief from a gentle rubbing of his beard. The Austrian Emperor is shy of speaking. He seeks to avoid all functions where a speech is expected. He memorises his addresses after they are written for him in large letters on sheets of white foolscap. King Humbert has an excellent voice, but is an indifferent speaker. Anything over a sentence or two is memorised from a manuscript supplied by his secretary. The Queen of Italy is a brilliant speaker, fluent, eloquent, tactful. Unfortunately her gifts as an orator are seldom in request.