The Scaffolding of Rhetoric PDF

THESCAFFOLDINGOFRHETORIC
November1897
ByWinstonS.Churchill
WinstonS.Churchill,renewalcopyright2000
[Thisarticlewasneverpublished,thoughsomeoftheideasitcontainedwereincorporatedin
Savrola,thenovelWSCwaswriting.]
Ofallthetalentsbestoweduponmen,none fromearliestantiquityhaveappealedto
issopreciousasthegiftoforatory.He menwillcontinuetoinfluencetheiractions.
whoenjoysitwieldsapowermoredurable Thesentimentalandemotionalpartsofthe
thanthatofagreatking.Heisan humanmindwillevenderivenewvigour
independentforceintheworld. fromthespreadofeducationandthe
Abandonedbyhisparty,betrayedbyhis easinessofintercourse.Nordoesthis
friends,strippedofhisoffices,whoevercan beliefdependonspeculationalone.The
commandthispowerisstillformidable. peopleoftheUnitedStatesofAmericaare
Manyhavewatcheditseffects.Ameeting morehighlyeducatedthananyothergreat
ofgravecitizens,protectedbyallthe communityintheworld.Whatevercan
cynicismoftheseprosaicdays,isunableto addtotheimprovementoftheindividual
resistitsinfluence.Fromunresponsive whetherbymaterialinventionsorpolitical
silencetheyadvancetogrudgingapproval institutionsistherefoundingreater
andthencetocompleteagreementwith proportionthanelsewhere.Innocountry
thespeaker.Thecheersbecomelouder doessogreatavolumeofeducatedpublic
andmorefrequent;theenthusiasm opinionexistandyetinnocountryisthe
momentarilyincreases;untiltheyare influenceoforatorysomarked.
convulsedbyemotionstheyareunableto
controlandshakenbypassionsofwhich Thenatureofsogreatandpermanenta
theyhaveresignedthedirection. forcemaywellclaimandhasoften
receivedcarefulinvestigation.Isitbornor
Itishoweverfreelywrittenandfrequently acquired?Doesitworkforgoodorill?Isit
remarkedthatthedayoforatoryispassing. realorartificial?Sucharethequestions
Thenewspaperreportandthegrowing thatphilosophersfromthedaysofAristotle
knowledgeofmenhave,itissaid,ledto haverevolved.Nordotheyremain
thedeclineofrhetoric.Nownorhetorician unanswered.Andyet,withrespecttothe
wouldbelikelytoadmitthathisarthadlost oratoryoftheEnglishspeakingpeoples,
itspowers,andifthispropositionbe thereisroomforfurtherinquiry.Itappears
generallyaffirmed,theconclusionfollows thattherearecertainelementsinherentin
thatthereareatpresentnoorators.Butit allrhetoric:thattherearecertainfeatures
bynomeansfollowsthatthefuturewillbe commontoallthefinestspeechesinthe
equallybarren.Therewasonceapartyin Englishlanguage.Inpaintingpartly
thestatethatthoughtthatthepowerof mechanicalarrangementsofcolourgive
personalityinpoliticswasathingofthe pleasuretotheeye.Inmusiccertain
past,thattookasamotto'Measuresnot combinationsofchordsanddiscordsare
Men',andforthwithproceededtoblindly agreeabletotheear.Andtheartoforatory
followagreatmanforthirtyyears.Human hasalsoits'values'andits'thoroughbase':
weaknessappearstobeoneofthefew andthisitistheambitiousaimofthis
unvaryingfeaturesoflifeandweare articletoexamine.
convincedthatthoseprimaryforceswhich
ReprintedbyPermissionofMr.WinstonS.Churchill
Astheanalysisproceedsweshallobserve facultiesofhisaudience,bypresentingto
thatrhetoricalpowerisneitherwholly theirimaginationsaseriesofvivid
bestowednorwhollyacquired,but impressionswhicharereplacedbeforethey
cultivated.Thepeculiartemperamentand canbetoocloselyexaminedandvanish
talentsoftheoratormustbehisbynature. beforetheycanbeassailed.Thefollowing
Theirdevelopmentisencouragedby appeartobethesixprincipalelementsby
practice.Theoratorisreal.Therhetoricis whichthisobjectisattained.
partlyartificial.Partly,butnotwholly;for
thenatureoftheartististhespiritofhis I.Correctnessofdiction.Knowledgeofa
art,andmuchthatappearstobetheresult languageismeasuredbytheniceandexact
ofstudyisduetoinstinct.Ifweexamine appreciationofwords.Thereisnomore
thisstrangebeingbythelightofhistorywe importantelementinthetechniqueof
shalldiscoverthatheisincharacter rhetoricthanthecontinualemploymentof
sympathetic,sentimentalandearnest:that thebestpossibleword.Whateverpartof
heisoftenaseasilyinfluencedbyothersas speechitisitmustineachcaseabsolutely
othersarebyhim.Indeedtheoratoristhe expressthefullmeaningofthespeaker.It
embodimentofthepassionsofthe willleavenoroomforalternatives.Words
multitude.Beforehecaninspirethemwith existinvirtueofnoarbitraryrulebuthave
anyemotionhemustbeswayedbyit beenevolvedbythetasteandexperience
himself.Whenhewouldrousetheir ofmankindandtheinstinctoflanguageis
indignationhisheartisfilledwithanger. implantedverydeeplyinthehuman
Beforehecanmovetheirtearshisown character.Therearefewaudiencesso
mustflow.Toconvincethemhemust ignorantastobeincapableofadmiring
himselfbelieve.Hisopinionsmaychange correctdictionforeveniftheyhavenever
astheirimpressionsfade,buteveryorator heardthewordbeforetheywill,ifitbe
meanswhathesaysatthemomenthesays rightlyusedunderstanditsmeaning.The
it.Hemaybeofteninconsistent.Heis Scotchhavebeendescribedasa'sternand
neverconsciouslyinsincere. dour'folk.'Dour'isarareanduncommon
word:butwhatelsecoulditconveytothe
Thedominionofmatterovermindher AngloSaxonmindthanthecharacterofthe
rebelliousslave,isinthisstateofhuman peopleofacold,greyland,severe,just,
developmentalmostabsolute:norcanwe thriftyandreligious.Sopowerfulindeedis
proceedwiththisinquirywithoutbriefly thefascinationofcorrectexpressionthatit
consideringtheindispensablephysical notonlyinfluencestheaudience,but
attributesoftheorator.Firstofalla sometimeseveninducestheorator,
strikingpresenceisanecessity.Often withoutprejudicetohissincerity,toadapt
small,uglyordeformedheisinvestedwith hisprinciplestohisphrases.
apersonalsignificance,whichvaryingin
everycasedefiesdefinition.Sometimesa Theunreflectingoftenimaginethatthe
slightandnotunpleasingstammeror effectsoforatoryareproducedbytheuse
impedimenthasbeenofsomeassistancein oflongwords.Theerrorofthisideawill
securingtheattentionoftheaudience,but appearfromwhathasbeenwritten.The
usuallyaclearandresonantvoicegives shorterwordsofalanguageareusuallythe
expressionofhisthoughts. moreancient.Theirmeaningismore
ingrainedinthenationalcharacterandthey
Thedirect,thoughnottheadmitted,object appealwithgreaterforcetosimple
whichtheoratorhasinviewistoallaythe understandingsthanwordsrecently
commonplaceinfluencesandcritical introducedfromtheLatinandtheGreek.
AllthespeechesofgreatEnglish themetothecynicalphilosopher.The
rhetoriciansexceptwhenaddressinghighly ambitionofhumanbeingstoextendtheir
culturedaudiencesdisplayanuniform knowledgefavoursthebeliefthatthe
preferenceforshort,homelywordsof unknownisonlyanextensionofthe
commonusagesolongassuchwordscan known:thattheabstractandtheconcrete
fullyexpresstheirthoughtsandfeelings.It areruledbysimilarprinciples:thatthe
sufficestomentionasafamousexample finiteandtheinfinitearehomogeneous.
thenameofJohnBright.Indeedthegreat Anaptanalogyconnectsorappearsto
sayingsofmostcountrieshavebeen connectthesedistantspheres.Itappeals
expressedinaboriginalwords.'Wir totheeverydayknowledgeofthehearer
fuerchtenalleinGott'saidBismarck,and andinviteshimtodecidetheproblemsthat
therebygaveanimpulsetotheGerman havebaffledhispowersofreasonbythe
nationwhichhasnotyetdiedaway.What standardofthenurseryandtheheart.
canbemoresimple?Thewordsemployed Argumentbyanalogyleadstoconviction
areallamongthosethatthehumanmind ratherthantoproof,andhasoftenledto
wouldearliestevolve. glaringerror.

II.Rhythm.Thegreatinfluenceofsound Inspiteoftheargumentsofthecynicthe
onthehumanbrainiswellknown.The influenceexercisedoverthehumanmind
sentencesoftheoratorwhenheappealsto byaptanalogiesisandhasalwaysbeen
hisartbecomelong,rollingandsonorous. immense.Whethertheytranslatean
Thepeculiarbalanceofthephrases establishedtruthintosimplelanguageor
producesacadencewhichresemblesblank whethertheyadventurouslyaspireto
verseratherthanprose.Itwouldbeeasy revealtheunknown,theyareamongthe
tomultiplyexamplessincenearlyevery mostformidableweaponsofthe
famousperorationintheEnglishlanguage rhetorician.Theeffectuponthemost
mightbequoted.Weprefertoalludeonly cultivatedaudienceiselectrical.
totheopeninglinesofDrJohnson's
'Rasselas'asaremarkableinstanceof V.They(Frontierwars)arebutthesurfthat
correctnessofdictionandrhythmwhichin markstheedgeandadvanceofthewaveof
aspeechcouldnothavefailedtoproducea civilisation.
tremendouseffectuponanaudience.
(LordSalisbury.Guildhall.)
III.AccumulationofArgument.Theclimax referenceDate?
oforatoryisreachedbyarapidsuccession
ofwavesofsoundandvividpictures.The OurruleinIndiais,asitwere,asheetof
audienceisdelightedbythechanging
oilspreadoverandkeepingfreefrom
scenespresentedtotheirimagination.
stormsavastandprofoundoceanof
Theirearistickledbytherhythmofthe
language.Theenthusiasmrises.Aseries humanity.
offactsisbroughtforwardallpointingina
commondirection.Theendappearsin (LordRandolphChurchill.)
viewbeforeitisreached.Thecrowd reference?
anticipatetheconclusionandthelast
wordsfallamidathunderofassent. Astrongnationmaynomorebe
confidingofitslibertiesthanapure
IV.Analogy.Theaffectionofthemindfor womanofherhonour.
argumentbyanalogymayaffordafertile
orMrBryananxioustodisplaythe
(BishopofDerry.AlbertHall,1892) superiorityofasilveroveragold
standard:
....whose(Wilke'scompanions)morals
wereinnomoredangerofbeing Youshallnotpressacrownofthorns
corruptedbyaloosebookthananegro uponthebrowoflabourorcrucify
ofbeingtannedbyawarmsun. humanityonacrossofgold.

(LordMacaulay.EssayontheEarlof (MrBryan.Speech.1896.)
Chatham.)
Theeffectofsuchextravagancesona
Itisimpossibletoimagineanyformof politicalstruggleistremendous.They
argumentthatcouldkeepthefieldin becomethewatchwordsofpartiesand
thefaceoftheseorsimilaranalogies. thecreedsofnationalities.Butupon
Onesuchwillmakeaspeechormara theaudiencetheeffectistoreduce
measure. pressureaswhenasafetyvalveis
opened.Theirfeelingsaremorethan
VI.Atendencytowildextravaganceof adequatelyexpressed.Their
languagetoextravagancesowildthat enthusiasmhasboiledover.Theorator
reasonrecoilsisevidentinmost whowishedtoincitehisaudiencetoa
perorations.Theemotionsofthe deedofviolencewouldfollowhis
speakerandthelistenersarealike accumulativeargument,hisrhythmical
arousedandsomeexpressionmustbe periods,hisvividwordpictures,bya
foundthatwillrepresentalltheyare moderateandreasonableconclusion.
feeling.Thisusuallyembodiesinan Thecoolingdrinkwillbewithheldfrom
extremeformtheprinciplestheyare thethirstyman.Thesafetyvalveswill
supporting.ThusMrPittwishingto bescreweddownandthepeoplewillgo
eulogisethefreedompossessedby outintothenighttofindtheexpression
Englishmen: oftheirfeelingsforthemselves.Buta
fortunatecircumstanceprotectssociety
'Thepoorestmanmayinhiscottagebid fromthisdanger.Themanwhocan
defiancetoalltheforcesoftheCrown. inspirethecrowdbywords,isaswe
Itmaybefrail;itsroofmayshake:the havealreadyobserved,undertheir
windmayblowthroughit;thestorms influencehimself.Norcanheresistthe
mayenter,therainmayenterbutthe desiretoexpresshisopinionsinan
KingofEnglandcannotenter!Allhis extremeformortocarryhisargument
forcesdarenotcrossthethresholdof totheculmination.Butforthiscunning
theruinedtenement. counterpoiserhetoricwouldlongsince
havebeenadjudgedacrime.
(EarlofChatham.SpeechontheExcise
Bill.) Weconceivethatbythisanalysiswe
havedisplayedtheprincipalelementof
Englishoratory.Sodetailedand
disconnectedanexaminationofthe
structurefavourstheimpressionthat veryfew.Norcaniteverbeimparted
rhetoricistoberegardedasanartificial bythemtoothers.Natureguardsher
science,whichmaybeacquiredbyany secretswellandstopsthemouthsof
whopossessthephysicalqualifications. thoseinwhomsheconfides.Butasthe
Experienceshowsthatthisconclusion Chemistdoesnotdespairofultimately
wouldbeincorrect.Throughoutthe bridgingthechasmbetweenthe
countryaremenwhospeakwelland organicandtheinorganicandof
fluently,whodevoteopportunity,talent creatingthelivingmicrocosmfromits
andperseverancetoimprovingtheir primordialelements,sothestudentof
speakingandyetneverdeservetobe rhetoricmayindulgethehopethat
calledorators.Thesubtleartof Naturewillfinallyyieldtoobservation
combiningthevariouselementsthat andperseverance,thekeytothehearts
separatelymeannothingand ofmen.
collectivelymeansomuchinan
harmoniousproportionisknowntoa

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