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TWILIGHT MUSINGS.I

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Rhannu

TWILIGHT MUSINGS. ELOQUEXCE. Does the charming reader expect my brief paper to be devoted to really eloquent subjects, such as spring, with its pleasant anticipations, the poetry inspiring streams as they go murmuring and gab- ling along—the cowslips that will spring up to- morrow The daises infinite L'plift in praise their little glowing hands O'er every hill that under heaven expands" ? If so. then is he disappointed. I shall leave all the eloquent and lovely language of nature for another time while I'll try to make the reader smile at a narration of some incidents which the world would call eloquent." in a simple super- ficial manner, from a superficial point of view. The pulpit, bench, and platform, are the seats where true eloquence is to be met. If a speaker speaks remarkably well. he is said to be eloquent." yet the phrase eloquently silent is a common one in our newspapers. I maintain that true eloquence can be seen. and felt, as well as heard. It is xcrn, as I have just remarked, in the wonderful ways of nature, and is also seen—to come to a common and everyday occurrence, participated in by a great many and acknowledged by all—in a glance from the eyes of a devoted admirer directed at the lady of his heart. The glance always speaks eloquently. and never fails to produce the desired effect: for by some secret magnetism it is conveyed to the heart, and the message is mutually understood. To prove that eloquence can be physically felt is no hard matter. A butt from an infuriated bull carries a force of eloquence as regards the said bull's hostile intentions while an occasional lift in the world from a prospective father-in-law's boot, shews eloquently the result of deep thinking Xow for a few who make eloquence a means of livliliood. SOME ELOQUENT ACTORS. I am not aware whether it is essential or not for every actor to be eloquent. But I know this, that those who desire to shine in the profession must of a necessity, be possessed of a goodly share of that useful commodity. As a star on the stage you are supposed capable of holding your audience spell-bound in rapturous amaze at your wonderful and rare gift of elocution and bid well to outshine even Demosthenes. Some might say that actors have no need whatever of the admir- able gift of eloquence, as they have simply to re- peat, word by word, what is previously composed by a dramatist, and afterwards marked for articu- lation. That might be so. multitudes are able to do this, therefore we find thousands of actors, and yet very few stars, or '• prima donnas." The reason is obvious. He who towers far and away above the ordinary actor is possessed of some other gift than the art of repetition which is the eloquent style and force of character, that gives to them an admirable individuality, plainly discernable in y every movement and gesture. Appearances speak eloquently sometimes Mr. Editor and I should like to know what eloquence there is in Brown's get up." when he arrives home late as ten o'clock. with his right glove on left hand, and ditto the other, minus his watch, and plus a strong odour of wine, that causes his better half to discredit his plea of late hours at hoff (ist-ick), Maria SCHOLARS ARE ELOQUENT. Eloquence has the dash of the scholar about it, and as a good many honest folk wish to appear learned we often see amusing spectacles, and hear discussions which are beneficial in a certain sense viz., it affords us an insight into the du- plicity and conceit of human nature. It is ex- tremely surprising how many have to depend upon the velocity and success with which they can wag their tongues for their daily bread. The rising M.P. and the town crier are both capable of git- ing you a splitting headache. Even the beggar who squeezes a tear into one eye. and his finger into the other, and tells you in a consumptive tone that he has not had bite or sup since yester- day and to-morrow will be the third day and the eager cheap ware vendor who is I- anxious to do you a favour by selling you a beautiful nine-carat gold ring for eighteonpence, Would'nt part with it to any one else for the same price, only you very much resemble his elder brother who was drowned at sea It's less than cost price, that's what it is. Here. take two for two-and-six. and its giving 'em away. s'help me And numerous other itinerant gentlemen depend for their answer upon the effective manner in which they deliver their oracles: and. strange to say. they generally succeed, as they are sufficiently acute, to "spy their man from a crowd." and experience has taught them to vary their tale according to the mental estimate of their hearers. THE SALVATION ARMY. Of all the eloquent nuisances I ever came across, commend me to the Salvation Army. Bear in mind. gentle reader, that I inn not in any way prejudiced against the noble army yet. while some say they do a lot of good, and others the reverse. I cannot be blind—or deaf—to the fact that if they do do an amount of heavenly good. there is a great overplus of infernal noise ac- companying it. If you chance to enter one of their Army Barracks." it is nothing strange for you to be buttonholed" by two or three "Hallelujah lasses." who evince surprising anxiety concerning your spiritual welfare, and an equally strong determination to save you Thus, they torment and tease you, until convinced that you are the '• wustest fellow that ever walked in shce-leather." A little more persuasion and you agree to pass through the necessary stages of being saved," If your chief sin (from which you have just been saved) was a partiality for an internal wet." it is in the natural course of things to see you in a week's time back in the old haunts of the Rose and Thistle," relating with fiendish delight your experiences at the Army." This is not all the brave soldiers are also "eloquent "speakers, and every "evening there is a free entertainment given (in the highways and byeways), in which the whole army relate their experiences of drink and sin. to the mighty unwashed multitude assembled. They generally wind up each discourse with remarks upon the blessedness of their present position, and their individual superiority to every body else. Great excitement and tumult prevails when the army returns to head-quarters. The band begins to play. hands are clapped, tom-toms beaten, the big drum is thumped and away marches the procession, followed by the ragged and unkempt, and all is a scene of confusion for Hark hark, the dogs do bark, And the beggars are coming to town To conclude. I must say that eloquence like everything else is used and abused. It it abused not by over use, for before you can over use any- thing you must naturally begin by using it, while the fact is it's seldom used, owing to the rarity of really eloquent men and women. Its abuse consists of the utter impracticability of applying the term eloquence where hesitating would be far nearer the truth, and more consistent with common-sense. It also suffers great abuse at the hands of some straggling jerky word-spitters. who pass their lives under the impression that they are the eloquentest speakers that ever wagged a jaw I" PLATO HIS OPINION.

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