Zola's trial and conviction?

_Answer_. It was one of the most infamous trials in the history
of the world. Zola is a great man, a genius, the best man in
France. His trial was a travesty on justice. The judge acted like
a bandit. The proceedings were a disgrace to human nature. The
jurors must have been ignorant beasts. The French have disgraced
themselves. Long live Zola.

_Question_. Having expressed yourself less upon the subject of
Theosophy than upon other religious beliefs, and as Theosophy denies
the existence of a God as worshiped by Christianity, what is your
idea of the creed?

_Answer_. Insanity. I think it is a mild form of delusion and
illusion; vague, misty, obscure, half dream, mixed with other
mistakes and fragments of facts--a little philosophy, absurdity--
a few impossibilities--some improbabilities--some accounts of events
that never happened--some prophecies that will not come to pass--
a structure without foundation. But the Theosophists are good
people; kind and honest. Theosophy is based on the supernatural
and is just as absurd as the orthodox creeds.

--_The Courier-Journal_, Louisville, Ky., February, 1898.

HOW TO BECOME AN ORATOR.

_Question_. What advice would you give to a young man who was
ambitious to become a successful public speaker or orator?

_Answer_. In the first place, I would advise him to have something
to say--something worth saying--something that people would be glad
to hear. This is the important thing. Back of the art of speaking
must be the power to think. Without thoughts words are empty
purses. Most people imagine that almost any words uttered in a
loud voice and accompanied by appropriate gestures, constitute an
oration. I would advise the young man to study his subject, to
find what others had thought, to look at it from all sides. Then
I would tell him to write out his thoughts or to arrange them in
his mind, so that he would know exactly what he was going to say.
Waste no time on the how until you are satisfied with the what.
After you know what you are to say, then you can think of how it
should be said. Then you can think about tone, emphasis, and
gesture; but if you really understand what you say, emphasis, tone,
and gesture will take care of themselves. All these should come
from the inside. They should be in perfect harmony with the
feelings. Voice and gesture should be governed by the emotions.
They should unconsciously be