" John Bright was a most impressive
speaker; he obtained his effects by the simplest means, for he
seldom used long words; indeed he was supposed to limit himself to
words of Saxon origin, with all their condensed vigour. Is not
Newman's hymn, "Lead, Kindly Light," considered to be a model of
English, as it is composed almost entirely of monosyllables, and,
with six exceptions, of words of Saxon origin? John Bright's
speaking had the same quality as Cardinal Newman's hymn. In spite
of his eloquence, John Bright's prophecies were invariably
falsified by subsequent events. I have never heard any one speak
with such facility as Joseph Chamberlain. His utterance was so
singularly clear that, though he habitually spoke in a very low
voice, every syllable penetrated to all parts of the House. When
Chamberlain was really in a dangerous mood, his voice became
ominously bland, and his manner quieter than ever. Then was the
time for his enemies to tremble. I heard him once roll out and
demolish a poor facile-tongued professional spouter so completely
and remorsely that the unfortunate man never dared to open his
mouth in the House of Commons again.
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