Seventh. One of the most efficient aids to public speaking is the ability to write. The public speaker will do well to commence by writing in full what he is desirous of saying. He should, at the same time, make a study of the various masters of oratory. Writing gives great clearness to the expression of thought, and, having plenty of time in its composition, the mind is able to look at the subject in every phase. With the main idea clearly defined and kept constantly in view, let the speaker examine the subject in every light, the different faculties of the mind concentrating upon a single point. Thus, step by step, the subject is considered in all its bearings, the various details of the idea being completely studied, and the whole matter thoroughly developed, until the subject has reached its perfect form.

Eighth. The daily study of synonymous words and their meanings will give greater facility of expression. The mind should also be stored with a great variety of information on subjects pertaining to the arts and sciences, from which one can constantly draw in cases of emergency. It is impossible for the speaker to extemporize what is not in the mind. And further, all reading and study should be done with such care that every idea thus acquired will be so thoroughly wrought out as to be available when we wish to communicate our ideas to others.

Ninth. In public speaking, one of the great secrets of success is a knowledge of human nature. To acquire this, the

speaker should carefully study men — the passions and impulses that influence mankind — their phrenological characteristics, and know them as they are. To do this, he should freely mingle in society, interchanging ideas, and seeking every op portunity for the practice of extempore speaking.

Tenth. An important element necessary to success in the off-hand speaker is courage. While it is essential that he use choice and fitting language in the expression of ideas, let him not hesitate, when he has commenced a sentence, because he cannot readily call to mind theexact language necessary to beau tifully clothe the thought. Push vigorously through to the end. even though at a sacrifice, for a time, of the most perfect forms of speech. This courage that dare stand up and speak a sentence ungrammatically, even, is necessary to make the good speaker of the future.

Finally, while all cannot become equally proficient in oratory, the industrious student of average talent, who earnestly resolves to win success as an extempore speaker, will find himself, in the majority of cases, in time, self possessed in the presence of others. With ideas clear and distinct, vivified and quickened by imagination, clothed in fitting words and beautiful language, he will be enabled to instruct and entertain an audience in a manner vastly better than most people would suppose who may have listened to his maiden efforts in the commencement of his public speaking.

f() be able to talk correctly, the student should first be able to write properly. Not only should penmanship be plain and easy, words rightly spelled, capitals correctly used, and sentences grammatically constructed and punctuated, but much depends, also, beyond that, upon the style of composition, mode of expression, and language used, whether it be acceptable to readers and hearers or not.

As a rule, with the great 6ea of literature about us, the writer of to-day who is original and condenses ideas into the smallest space, whether in the sermon, book, business letter, or newspaper article, is much the most likely to have readers or hearers. The aim of the writer should therefore be, first, to say something

new, presenting a subject fraught with original ideas; and second, to give those ideas in the fewest possible words consistent with agreeable expression.

"Why did yon not make that article more brief?" said an editor to his correspondent.

"Because," said the writer, "I did not have time."

The idea sought to be conveyed, concerning brevity, is clearly shown in that answer of the correspondent. It is an easy matter to dress ideas in many words. It requires much more care, however, to clearly state the same idea in fewer words.

The chief merit of Shakespeare is the thought conveyed in few words; the meaning that we catch beyond the words expressed.

Those poets that will live in immortality have

written thus. The reader cannot fail to recognize the truth and thought conveyed in this stanza of Cowper's, beyond the words themselves:

"Judge not the Lord by Ieebk sense.
But trust Him (or Bis grace;
Behind a frowning providence,
He hidcB a smiling face."

The idea expressed in these few lines brings up in long review the trials of a past life, and the recollection of sorrows and afflictions which Ave afterwards, not unfrequently, discovered to be blessings in disguise, and in reality seemingly designed for our best good.

There is much food for reflection in the following stanza from Gray's " Elegy ":

"Full many a gem, of purest ray serene,
The dark, unfathomed caves of ocean bear;
Full many a flower is born to blnsh unseen,
And waste its sweetness on the desert air."

With this reading comes up the thought of those of our fellow men whom we know to be good, noble, and worthy, but whose names will go down to the grave unhonored and unknown.

Very plainly we see the meaning beyond the words in the following, also from Gray:

"Perhaps, in this neglected spot, is laid
Some heart, once pregnant with celestial fire-
Hand, that the rod of empire might have swayed.
Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre."

A similar idea is expressed by Whittier, though in fewer words:

"Of all sad words of tongue or pen.
The saddest are these, 'It might have been.'"

Both stanzas are deeply freighted with thought beyond what is expressed

Those extracts, whether in prose or poetry, that are destined to go down to coming generations, are so laden with ideas and suggestions that in listening or reading, the scenes they suggest seem to move before us, and we forget words in contemplating that which the words describe

Prose writings often contain gems of thought told very briefly, especially in the works of our best authors. In the following, from Irving's description of the grave, the reader becomes so absorbed in the picture portrayed that the words themselves are lost in the emotions they enkindle:

"O, the grave! the grave 1 It buries every error, covers every defect, extinguishes every resentment. From its peaceful bosom spring none but fond regrets and tender recollections. Who can look down upon the grave even of an enemy, and not feel a compunctious throb, that he should ever have warred with the poor handful of earth that 1kb mouldering before him.

"But the grave of those we loved — what a place for meditation! There it is that we call up in long review the whole history of virtueand gentleness, and the thousand endearments lavished upon Ub, almost unheeded, in the daily intercourse of intimacy; there it is that we dwell upon the tendenuss, the sjUmn, awful tenderness of the parting scene — the bed of de ath, with all its stifle d griefs, its noiseless attendants, its mute, watchful assiduities— the last testimonies of expiring love —the feeble, fluttering, thrilling — O how thrilling ! — pressure of the hand— the last fond look of the glazing eye, turned upon us ' vi i] from the threshold of existence — the faint, faltering accents struggling in death lo give one more assurance of affection.

"Ay, go to the grave of buried love, and meditate! There settle the account with thy conscience for t very past benefit unrequited, every past endearment unregarded, of that departed being who can never — never — never return to be soothed by thy contrition."

The Bible abounds in beautiful and expressive sayings, that reveal much in few words, as shown in the following:

"The wicked flee wh> n no man pursueth." "Boast not thyself of to-morrow. Thou know, st not what a day may bring forth."

"A soft answer turneth away wrath." "Better Is a din. a of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith."

"Hope deferred maketh the heart sick." "Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou sbalt find it after many days."

Care should be taken to prune out the unnecessary words with an unsparing hand. Thus, in the sentence, "I have got back, having returned yesterday," it is better to say, " I returned yesterday."

Two young men, upon going into the army during the late civil war, were requested by their friends to telegraph at the close of any battle they might take part in, concerning their condition. At the close of the battle of Perryville, one telegraphed the following:

"Pkbrtviijj!, Kt., Oct. 9,186*. "dear Friends:

"As requ.sted, I take the first opportunity after the late severe battlt, fought at this place, to inform you that I came from the engagement uninjured.

"HENRY MOSELEY."

next question would then be " How is Hiram?" To answer that, he had simply to telegraph one word. In a letter afterwards, he gave the particulars.

The following rules should be observed in writing:

First. Never use a word that does not add some new thought, or modify some idea already expressed.

Second. Beware of introducing so many subjects into one sentence as to confuse the sense.

Third. Long and short sentences should be properly intermixed, in order to give a pleasing sound in reading. There is generally a rounded harmony in the long sentence, not found in the short, though as a rule, in order to express meaning plainly, it is better to use short sentences.

Four'h. Make choice of such words and phrases as people will readily understand.

Rhetorical Figures.

HE beauty, force, clearness, and
brevity of language are frequently
greatly enhanced by the judicious
use of rhetorical figures, which are
named and explained as follows:
A Simile is an expressed comparison.

Example — " Charity, like the sun, brighten* every object ou which itsbinea."

The Metaphor is an implied comparison, indicating the resemblance of two objects by applying the name, quality or conduct of one directly to the other.

Examples — " Thy word is a lamp to my feet." "Life Is an Uthmue between two eternities." "The morning of life." "The storina of life."

An Allegory is the recital of a story under which is a meaning different from what is expressed in words, the analogy and comparison being so plainly made that the designed conclusions are correctly drawn.

Example —Thou ha*t brought a vine (the JewlBh nation) out of Eaypt; thou hunt cast out the heathen and planted It. Thou preparers'! room before it and didst cause it to take deep root, and it tilled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars.— Bible.

In Hyperbole, through the effect of imagina

tion or passion, we greatly exaggerate what is founded in truth, by magnifying the good qualities of objects we love, and diminish and degrade the objects that we dislike or envy.

Examples —" That fellow is so tall that he does not know when his feet are cold." "Brougham is a thunderbolt."

Personification consists in attributing life to things inanimate.

Example — "Hatred etirretb up strife; but love covereth all sin*."

A Metonymy (Me-ton-y-my) substitutes the name of one object for that of another that sustains some relation to it, either by some degree of mutual dependence or otherwise so connected as to be capable of suggesting it; thus cause is used for effect or the effect for the cause, the attribute for the subject or the subject for the attribute.

Examples —1. Cause and effect; as "Extravagance is the ruin of many,"— that is, the cause of runt.

2. Attribute and that to which it belongs; as "Pride shall be brought low"— that is, the proud.

A Synecdoche (*in-ek-do-ke~) is a form of speech wherein something more or something less is substituted for the precise object meant, as when the whole is put for a part, or a part for the whole; the singular for the plural or the plural for the singular.

Examples — " Ills head is grey,"—that is, his hair. "The world considers him a man of talent,"— that is, the people.

Ant thesis is the contrasting of opposites.

Examples— " '■'in* or tniin, lite or die, survive or perish, I give my hand and heart to this vote." "Though deep yet clear."

Irony is a form of speech in which the writer or speaker sneeringly means the reverse of what is literally said, the words being usually mockery uttered for the sake of ridicule or sarcasm. Irony is a very effective weapon of attack, the form of language being such as scarcely to admit of a reply.

Example— "Have not the Indians been kindly and Justly treated? Have not the temporal things, the vain baubles and filthy lucre of this world, which are too apt to engage their worldly and selush thoughts, been benevolently taken from them; ami have they not instead thereof, been taught to eel their affections ou things above?"

Paralipsis pretends to conceal what is really expressed.

Example—" Ivill not call Aim rf//ain,because it wonld be unparliamentary. Iirill no' call him fool, because he happens to be chancellor of the exchequer."

Climax is the gradual ascending in the expression of thought, from things lower to a higher and better. Reversed, it is called anticlimax.

Examples—" A Scotch mist becomes a shower; and a shower, a storm ; and a storm,a tempest; and a tempest, thunder und lightning; and thunder and lightning, heavenquake and earthquake." "Then virtue became silent, heartsick, pined away, and died/1

Allusion is that use of language whereby in a word or words we recall some interesting incident or condition by resemblance or contrast.

Examples — " Give them the Amazon In South America and we'll give Uiem the Mississippi in the (Juited States."

After the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Hancock remarked to his fellow signers that they must all hang together. "Yes," said Franklin "or we shall all hang separately"

The allusion in this case turns to a jtnm, which is a play upon words.

Example — "And the Doctor told the Sexton
And the Sexton tolled the bell/'

A continued allusion and resemblance in style becomes a parody.

Example — " 'T is the last rose of summer, left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions are faded and gone;
No flower of her kindred, no rosebud Is nnrh.
To reflect back her blushes, or give sigh for sigh.
1 Ml not leave thee, thou lone one, to pine on thy stem;
Since the lovely are sleeping, go, sleep thou with them.
Thus kindly I scatter thy leaves o'er the bed
Where thy mates of the garden lie scentless and dead."

I'auody — " 'Tls the last golden dollar, left shining alone;

All iiH brilliant companions are squandered and gone;

No coin of its mlulage reflects back Its hue.

They went in mint juleps, and this will go too!

I'll not keep thee, thou lone one, too long in suspense;

Thy brothers were melted, and melt thou, to pence!

I Ml ask for no quarter, 1 Ml spend and not spare.

Till my old tattered pocket hangs centless and bare."

Pun — "Ancient maiden lady anxiously remarks.

That there must be peril 'mong so many sparks:
Roguish-looking fellow, turning to the stranger.
Says it's his opinion she is out of danger.'' — Saxe.

Exclamation is a figure of speech used to express more strongly the emotions of the speaker.

Examples ■" Oh' the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!"

•* How poor, how rich, how abject, how august
How complicate, bow wonderful is man T
Distinguished link In being's endless chain!
Midway from nothing to the Deity!
A beam ethereal,sullied and absorbed!
Though sullied aud dishonored, still divine!
An heir of glory! a f rail child of dust:
A worm! a god ! I tremble at myself.
And in myself am lost.""

Interrogation is a rhetorical figure by which the speaker puts opinions in the form of questions for the purpose of expressing thought more positively aud vehemently without expectation of the questions being answered

Examples — " He that planned the ear suall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall be not see?" "O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where Is Uiy victory?"

11 But when shall we be stronger? Will It be the next week or the next year? Will It be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in Vvitw house' * * * Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chuius aud slavery?"

"Can storied urn or animated bust

Back to its mauslous call the fleeting breath?
Can Honor's voice provoke the silent nut.
Or Flattery soothe the dull, cold ear of death?"

Euphemism (u-fe-miz-em) is a word or sentence so chosen and expressed as to make a disagreeable fact sound more pleasantly than if told in plain language.

Examples — " Deceased " for " dead;" "Btopplng payment," Instead of "becoming bankrupt;" "falling asleep,1' Instead of "dying." *' you labor under a mistake," for " you lie;" "he does not keep very correct accounts/1 instead of "he cheats when he can;" "she certainly displays as little vanity In her personal appearance as any young lady I ever saw;" for " she is an intolerable slattern."

"I see Anacreon laugh and sing;
His silver tresses breathe perfume;
His cheeks display a second spring
Of roses taught by ivine to blooms*

Apostrophe like the exclamation is the sudden turning away, in the fullness of emotion, to address some other person or object. In this we address the absent or dead as if present or alive, and the inanimate as if living.

This figure of speech usually indicates a high degree of excitement.

Examples — ** O gentle sleep.

Nature's soft nurse, how have I frighted thee.
That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down.
And steep my senses in forgetfulness?"

Thus King David, on hearing of the death of Absalom, exclaims, "O, my son Absalom, my son, my son!"

Ossian's Address to the Moon, is one of the most beautiful illustrations of the apostrophe.

"Daughter of heaven, fair art thou! The silence of thy face is pleasant. Thou coinest forth in loveliness. The stars attend thy bh • steps in the East. The clouds rejoice in thy presence, O Moou ! and brijrhten their dark-brown sides. Who is like thee in heaven, daughter of the night? The stars are ashamed in thy presence, and turn aside their sparkling eyes. Whither doBt thou retire from thy course, when the darkness of thy countenance grows.' Hast thou thy hall like Ossian? Dwcllest thou in the shadow of grief? Have thy sisters fallen from heaven? and are they who rejoiced with thee at night no more? Yes, they have fallen, fair light! and often dost thou retire to mourn. But thou thyself shall one night fail, and leave thy blue path lu heaven. The stare will then lift their heads; they who in thy presence were astonished will rejoice."

"Thou lingering star with less'nlng ray.
That lov'st to greet the early morn.
Again thou ueher'st in the day
My Mary from mv soul was torn.
O Mary! dear departed shade!"

Vision is a figure of rhetoric by which the speaker represents the objects of his imagination as actually before his eyes and present to his senses.

Example* — " Soldiers! from the tops of yonder pyramids, forty cen turies look down upon you!"

"We behold houses and public edifices wrapt in flames; we hear the crash of roofs falling in, and one general uproar proceeding from a thousand different voices; we see some flying they know not whither, others hanging over the last embraces of their wive* and friends ■ wc see the mother tearing from the ruffian's grasp her helpless buhe, and the victors cutting each others1 throats wherever the plunder is most inviting."

Onomatopoeia is the use of such word or words as by their sound will suggest the sense, as crash, buzz, roar, etc. Motion is thus easily imitated, as is also sound, and even the reflections and emotions.

Examples— "Away they went pell mell, hurry skurry, wild buffalo, wild horse, wild huntsmen, with clang and clatter, and wlioop and halloo that made the forests ring." "The ball went whizzing pant."

"While I nodded nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door."

General Summary.

Dr. Blair's system of rhetoric sums up the most important qualities of style in the six following terms, being thus condensed by Kerl:

"Purity, propriety, and precision chiefly in regard to words and phrases; and perspicuity, unify, and strength, in regard to sentences. He who writes with purity, avoids all phraseology that is foreign, uncouth, or ill-derived; he who writes with propriety, selects the most appropriate, the very best expressions, and generally displays sound judgment and good taste; he who writes with precision, is careful to slate exactly what he means — all that he means, or that is necessary, and nothing more; he who writes with perspfcttity.&im* to present his meaning so clearly and obviously, that no oue can fail to understand him at once; he who observes vnity, follows carefully the most agreeable order of nature, and does not jumble together incongruous things, nor throw out his thoughts in a confused or chaotic mass; and he who writes with*fr*ngM,sodlsposcsor marshals all the parts of each sentence, and all the parts of the discourse, as to make the strongest im* pression. A person's style, according as it is influenced by taste and imagination, may be dry, plain, neat, elegant, ornamental, florid or turgid. The most common faulty style is that which may bedescribed as being stiff, cramped, labored, heavy and tiresome: its opposite is the easy, flowing, graceful, sprightly, aud interesting style. One of the greatest beauties of style, one toolittle regarded, issimplieity or naturalness; that easy, unaffected, earnest, and highly impressive language which indicates a total ignorance, or rather innocence, of all the trickery of art. It seems to consist of the pure promptings of nature; though, in most instances, it is not so much a natural gift as it is the perfection yfart.'*

Laws of Language.

The following rules by Dr. Campbell, in reference to the construction of sentences and choice of words, will be found of service.

1. When the usage is divided as to any particular word-- or phrases, and when one of the expressions is snsceptibleof different meanings, while the otheradmits of only one signification, the expression which is strictly of one meaning shotiKl be preferred.

i. In doubtful cases, analogy should be regarded.

3. When expressions arc in other respects equal, that should be preferred which is most agreeable to the ear.

4. When none of the preceding rules takes place, regard should be had to simplicity.

5. All words and phrases, particularly harsh and not absolutely necessary, should be dismissed.

9. When the etymology plainly points to a different signification from what the word bears, propriety and simplicity require its dismission.

7. When words become obsolete, or are never used but in particular phrases, they should be repudiated, as they give the style an air of Tttlgarity and cant, when this general disuse renders them obscure.

8. All words and phrases which analyzed grammatically, include an imperfection of speech, should be dismissed.

9. All expressions which, according to the established rules of language, either have no meaning, or involve a contradiction, or arcorrtlug to the fair construction of the words, convey a meaning different from the intention of the speaker, should be dismissed.

Specific Directions.

Paragraphs.—One or more sentences form a paragraph. When a deviation or change is made in the subject a new paragraph is commenced. The first line of each paragraph in writing should commence about one inch from the left side of the sheet. Preserve a space half an inch in width between the left of the writing and the edge of the sheet. Write as close to the right edge of the sheet as possible. When lack of space prevents the completion of a word on the line, place the hyphen (-) at the end of the line and follow with the remaining syllables on the next line. Words may be divided, but never divide syllables.

Rules of Construction.

1. The principal words in a sentence should be placed where they will make the most striking impression.

2. A weaker assertion or argument should not follow a stronger one.

3. The separation of the preposition from the noun which it governs, should be avoided

4. Concluding the sentence with an adverb, preposition, or other insignificant word, lessens the strength of the sentence.

Order Of Arrangement.—Young writers will find it well to prepare a memorandum of the subjects they wish to treat on a separate slip of paper, and the points they wish to make relating to each subject. Having the subjects clearly fixed in the mind, they should commence with the least important and follow through to the end, considering the most important at the close.