re and dignified speech. His voice was of silvery
clearness, which carried to the furthermost part of the largest hall.

_Gladstone_

Gladstone was an orator of preeminent power. In fertility of thought,
spontaneity of expression, modulation of voice, and grace of gesture, he
has had few equals. He always spoke from a deep sense of duty. When he
began a sentence you could not always foresee how he would end it, but
he always succeeded. He had an extraordinary wealth of words and command
of the English language.

Gladstone has been described as having eagerness, self-control, mastery
of words, gentle persuasiveness, prodigious activity, capacity for work,
extreme seriousness, range of experience, constructive power, mastery of
detail, and deep concentration. "So vast and so well ordered was the
arsenal of his mind, that he could both instruct and persuade, stimulate
his friends and demolish his opponents, and do all these things at an
hour's notice."

He was essentially a devout man, and unquestionably his spiritual
character was the fundamental secret of his transcendent power. A keen
observer thus describes him:

"While this great and famous figure was in the House of Commons, the
House had eyes for no other person. His movements on the bench, restless
and eager, his demeanor when on his legs, whether engaged in answering a
simple question, expounding an intricate Bill, or thundering in vehement
declamation, his dramatic gestures, his deep and rolling voice with its
wide compass and marked northern accent, his flashing eye, his almost
incredible command of ideas and words, made a combination of
irresistible fascination and power."

_John Bright_

John Bright won a foremost place among British orators largely because
of his power of clear statement and vivid description. His manner was at
once ingratiating and commanding.

His way of putting things was so lucid and convincing that it was
difficult to express the same ideas in any other words with equal force.
One of the secrets of his success, it is said, was his command of
colloquial simile, apposite stories, and ready wit.

Mr. Bright always had himself well in hand, yet his style at times was
volcanic in its force and impetuosity. He would shut himself up for days
preparatory to delivering a great speech, and tho he committed many
passages to memory, his manner in speaking was entirely free from
artifice.

_Lincoln_

Lincoln's power as a speaker