The art of Elocution held a prominent place in ancient education, but has
been greatly neglected in modern times, except by a few persons--whose fame
as speakers and orators is a sufficient proof of the value and necessity of
the study. The Ancients--particularly the Greeks and the Romans--were fully
conscious of the benefits resulting from a close attention to and the
practice of such rules as are fitted to advance the orator in his
profession, and their schools of oratory were attended by all classes; nor
were their greatest orators ashamed to acknowledge their indebtedness to
their training in the art for a large portion of their success. The Welsh
Triads say "Many are the friends of the golden tongue," and, how many a
jury has thought a speaker's arguments without force because his manner was
so, and have found a verdict, against law and against evidence, because
they had been charmed into delusion by the potent fascination of some
gifted orator.
As Quintilian remarks: "A proof of the importance of delivery may be drawn
from the additional force which the actors give to what is written by the
best poets; so that what we hear pronounced by them gives infinitely more
pleasure than when we only read it.
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