When Demosthenes was asked what was the first part of Oratory, he
answered, "Action," and which was the second, read more

When Demosthenes was asked what was the first part of Oratory, he
answered, "Action," and which was the second, he replied,
"action," and which was the third, he still answered "Action."

I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts.
I am no orator, as Brutus is,
But read more

I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts.
I am no orator, as Brutus is,
But (as you know me all) a plain blunt man
That love my friend; and that they know full well
That gave me public leave to speak of him.

If you did wed my sister for her wealth,
Then for her wealth's sake use her with more kindness:
read more

If you did wed my sister for her wealth,
Then for her wealth's sake use her with more kindness:
Or if you like elsewhere, do it by stealth;
Muffle your false love with some show of blindness:
Let not my sister read it in your eye;
Be not thy tongue thy own shame's orator;
Look sweet, spear fair, become disloyalty;
Apparel vice like virtue's harbinger;
Bear a fair presence, though your heart be tainted;
Teach sin the carriage of a holy saint;
Be secret-false: what need she be acquainted?

Glittering generalities! They are blazing ubiquities.

Glittering generalities! They are blazing ubiquities.

Yet through delivery orators succeed,
I feel that I am far behind indeed.
[Ger., Allein der Vortrag read more

Yet through delivery orators succeed,
I feel that I am far behind indeed.
[Ger., Allein der Vortrag macht des Redners Gluck,
Ich fuhl es wohl noch bin ich weit zuruck.]

With little art, clear wit and sense
Suggest their own delivery.
[Ger., Es tragt Verstand und rechter read more

With little art, clear wit and sense
Suggest their own delivery.
[Ger., Es tragt Verstand und rechter Sinn,
Mit wenig Kunst sich selber vor.]

Whatever we conceive well we express clearly, and words flow with
ease.
[Fr., Ce que l'on concoit bien read more

Whatever we conceive well we express clearly, and words flow with
ease.
[Fr., Ce que l'on concoit bien s'enonce clairement,
Et les mots pour le dire arrivent aisement.]

For rhetoric, he could not ope
His mouth, but out there flew a trope.

For rhetoric, he could not ope
His mouth, but out there flew a trope.

It is a thing of no great difficulty to raise objections against
another man's oration,--nay, it is a very read more

It is a thing of no great difficulty to raise objections against
another man's oration,--nay, it is a very easy matter; but to
produce a better in its place is a work extremely troublesome.