s--_Ralph Waldo Emerson_ 37

The Age of Research--_William Ewart Gladstone_ 44

Address of Welcome--_Oliver Wendell Holmes_ 52

Good-Will to America--_Sir William Harcourt_ 65

The Qualities That Win--_Charles Sumner_ 71

The English-Speaking Race--_George William Curtis_ 88

Woman--_Horace Porter_ 100

Tribute to Herbert Spencer--_William M. Evarts_ 113

The Empire State--_Chauncey M. Depew_ 120

Men of Letters--_James Anthony Froude_ 133

Literature and Politics--_John Morley_ 139

General Sherman--_Carl Schurz_ 147

Oration Over Alexander Hamilton--_Gouverneur Morris_ 154

Eulogy of McKinley--_Grover Cleveland_ 164

Decoration Day--_Thomas W. Higginson_ 170

Faith in Mankind--_Arthur T. Hadley_ 177

Washington and Lincoln--_Martin W. Littleton_ 181

Characteristics of Washington--_William McKinley_ 187

Let France Be Free--_George Jacques Danton_ 193

Sons of Harvard--_Charles Devens_ 199

Wake Up, England!--_King George_ 208

INTRODUCTION

AIMS AND PURPOSES OF SPEAKING

It is obvious that the style of your public speaking will depend upon
the specific purpose you have in view. If you have important truths
which you wish to make known, or a great and definite cause to serve,
you are likely to speak about it with earnestness and probably with
eloquence.

If, however, your purpose in speaking is a selfish one--if your object
is self-exploitation, or to serve some special interest of your own--if
you regard your speaking as an irksome task, or are unduly anxious as to
what your hearers will think of you and your effort--then you are almost
sure to fail.

On the other hand, if you have the interests of your hearers sincerely
at heart--if you really wish to render a worthy public service--if you
lose all thought of self in your heartfelt desire to serve others--then
you will have the most essential requirements of tr