Orators and Oratory. By William Matthews, LL.D. (Griggs, Chicago. Tribner,
London.)—The author -draws a distinction be- tween declamation and oratory. They have in America, he thinks, too much of the former, too little of the latter,—a complaint which, to a certain extent, is true of England. Only our speakers do not possess the common American gift of fluency—whether the defect is or is not to the general disadvantage, it is not easy to say. Dr. Matthews then proposes to excite interest in this almost lost art of oratory,—a laudable object, which, as no amount of instruction can make an orator when the natural materials are wanting, may be regarded with sympathy. In fact, this is a sensible and amusing volume, containing some good criticism on famous orators and speeches, and plenty of vigorous, descriptive, and entertaining anecdote. The writer is, perhaps, inclined to overrate the merit and importance of some of his own countrymen, and their -oratorical efforts. Of a certain reply of Daniel Webster to an attack by a Southern orator—Hayne, by name—upon New Eaagland, we are told that "a defeat so terrible was never, except once, known before. It was when the Archangel drove Satan from heaven." Is not this a trifle exaggerated ? Will Dr. Matthews believe that the present writer never heard, till he read of it in Orators and Oratory, of this second greatest defeat in the history of the universe ? Such is the British ignorance of American " institu. -Lions !" Of course, we do not always agree with our author's estimate. Lord Macaulay, for instance, was a more effective orator than he is disposed to allow; but we may recommend his volume. It would have been improved by a little more correctness in its Classics ; " felicite" an hardly be debited to the printer.
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