Elocution Simplified / With an Appendix on Lisping, Stammering, Stuttering, and Other Defects of Speech.

by Walter K. Fobes

You may feel, when you first come before an audience, a shrinking, or faintness of feeling, such as is known to actors as "stage fright." It probably arises from a very sensitive, nervous organization; and, other things being equal, persons of this character make the best speakers. As to the real cause of this feeling, as Lord Dundreary says, "It's one of those things no fellah can find out." But, whatever its cause, you can overcome it by strong will-power and self-possession; and, after a time, you will become used to appearance in public, and that will establish the "confidence of habit." Some of the best orators and actors that ever lived have had "stage fright;" and some of them, so far as we know, never had it. So you must not flatter yourself that this is a certain indication of your power. It takes much more than a tendency to "stage fright" to make a powerful speaker.

Reading.
Speaking.
Recitation.

Whether you are reading from a book or paper, reciting from memory, or speaking extempore your own thought, you should do all as you would the latter, so that a blind man, who could not judge which you were doing except by the sound of your voice, would be unable to tell. In committing to memory for recitation, you will remember more easily if you will pick out the emphatic words of the sentences in their order, and commit them, as they contain an outline of the succession of thought and meaning.

Action.

The look upon the face, the gestures of the arm, the attitude of the body, all speak the language of emotion as plainly to the eye as elocution proper does to the ear. This action will be prompted by the feelings, as the voice is; and it will be expressive or not, it will be appropriate or not, it will be graceful or not, according as you have natural or acquired ability. Natural ability will be much aided by a knowledge and practice of gesture as a language, and much may be acquired by any one with practice.

Look.
Gesture.
Attitude.

I have said nothing of action in the previous pages, as this book treats of expression through the voice, or elocution. A few words here upon the subject will not be out of place. When you read, you should ordinarily make your voice express much, and use gesture sparingly, but, if you feel prompted to make gestures, never do so while the eye rests on the book. Look either at the audience, or as may be indicated by the gesture. When you recite, or speak extempore, you can add much to the expression by look, gesture, and attitude. In natural expression the face will first light up, and show feeling; and the attitude and gesture follow more or less quickly, according to the feeling; and then comes speech. And all these must express alike. For the face to be expressionless, or to express one thing while the speech and gesture say another thing, is in effect ludicrous.

Motion without meaning.

Remember that all motions and attitudes have meaning; and, when no other gesture or attitude is called for to express some feeling, stand perfectly still in the speaker's position before mentioned, that being an active, and at the same time a neutral position. Don't move, unless you mean something by it. Don't sway the body, or nod the head, or shrug the shoulders, or move the feet, or make motions or gestures, unless the proper expression call for it, and your emotion prompts.

The eye.