First，thatexcellentspeech，evenspeech_really_excellent，isnot，andneverwas，thechieftestofhumanfaculty，orthemeasureofaman’sability，foranytruefunctionwhatsoever；onthecontrary，thatexcellent_silence_neededalwaystoaccompanyexcellentspeech，andwasandisamuchrarerandmoredifficultgift。
　　_Secondly_，thatreallyexcellentspeech——whichI，beingpossessedoftheHebrewBibleorBook，aswellasofotherbooksinmyownandforeignlanguages，andhavingoccasionallyheardawiseman’swordamongthecrowdofunwise，doalmostunspeakablyesteem，asahumangift——isterriblyapttogetconfoundedwithitscounterfeit，sham-excellentspeech！Andfurthermore，thatifreallyexcellenthumanspeechisamongthebestofhumanthings，thensham-excellentdittodeservestoberankedwiththeveryworst。Falsespeech，——capableofbecoming，assomeonehassaid，thefalsestandbasestofallhumanthings：——putthecase，onewerelisteningto_that_astothetruestandnoblest！Which，littleasweareconsciousofit，Itaketobethesadlotofmanyexcellentsoulsamongusjustnow。Somanyasadmireparliamentaryeloquence，divinepopularliterature，andsuchlike，aredreadfullyliabletoitjustnow：andwholenationsandgenerationsseemasifgettingthemselves_asphyxiaed_，constitutionallyintotheirlastsleep，bymeansofitjustnow！
　　Foralas，muchasweworshipspeechonallhands，hereisa_third_assertionwhichamanmayventuretomake，andinviteconsideratementoreflectupon：Thatinthesetimes，andforseveralgenerationsback，therehasbeen，strictlyconsidered，noreallyexcellentspeechatall，butsham-excellentmerely；thatistosay，falseorquasi-falsespeechgettingitselfadmiredandworshipped，insteadofdetestedandsuppressed。Atrulyalarmingpredicament；andnotthelesssoifwefinditaquitepleasantoneforthetimebeing，andwelcometheadventofasphyxia，aswewouldthatofcomfortablenaturalsleep；——as，insomanysenses，wearedoing！Surlyjudgestherehavebeenwhodidnotmuchadmirethe“BibleofModernLiterature，“oranythingyoucoulddistilfromit，incontrastwiththeancientBibles；
　　andfoundthatinthematterofspeaking，ourfarbestexcellence，wherethatcouldbeobtained，wasexcellentsilence，whichmeansenduranceandexertion，andgoodworkwithlipsclosed；andthatourtolerablestspeechwasofthenatureofhonestcommonplaceintroducedwhereindispensable，whichonlysetupforbeingbriefandtrue，andcouldnotbemistakenforexcellent。
　　ThesearehardsayingsformanyaBritishreader，unconsciousofanydamage，nayjoyfullyconscioustohimselfofmuchprofit，fromthatsideofhispossessions。Surelyonthisside，ifonnoother，mattersstoodnotillwithhim？Theingenuousartshadsoftenedhismanners；theparliamentaryeloquencessuppliedhimwithasuccedaneumforgovernment，thepopularliteratureswiththefinersensibilitiesoftheheart：surelyonthis_wind_wardsideofthingstheBritishreaderwasnotilloff？——UnhappyBritishreader！
　　Infact，thespiritualdetrimentweunconsciouslysuffer，ineveryprovinceofouraffairs，fromthisourprostraterespecttopowerofspeechisincalculable。Forindeeditisthenaturalconsummationofanepochsuchasours。Givenageneralinsincerityofmindforseveralgenerations，youwillcertainlyfindtheTalkerestablishedintheplaceofhonor；andtheDoer，hiddenintheobscurecrowd，withactivitylamed，orworkingsorrowfullyforwardonpathsunworthyofhim。Allmenaredevoutlyprostrate，worshippingtheeloquenttalker；andnomanknowswhatascandalousidolheis。Outofwhominthemildestmanner，likecomfortablenaturalrest，comesmereasphyxiaanddeatheverlasting！ProbablythereisnotinNatureamoredistractedphantasmthanyourcommonplaceeloquentspeaker，asheisfoundonplatforms，inparliaments，onKentuckystumps，attavern-dinners，inwindy，empty，insinceretimeslikeours。The“excellentStump-orator，“asouradmiringYankeefriendsdefinehim，hewhoinanyoccurrentsetofcircumstancescanstartforth，mountuponhis“stump，“hisrostrum，tribune，placeinparliament，orotherreadyelevation，andpourforthfromhimhisappropriate“excellentspeech，“hisinterpretationofthesaidcircumstances，insuchmanneraspoorwindymortalsroundhimshallcrybravoto，——heisnotanartistIcanmuchadmire，asmattersgo！Alas，heisingeneralmerelythewindiestmortalofthemall；andisadmiredforbeingso，intothebargain。Notawindyblockheadtherewhokeptsilentbutisbetteroffthanthisexcellentstump-orator。Betteroff，foragreatmanyreasons；forthisreason，weretherenoother：thesilentoneisnotadmired；thesilentsuspects，perhapspartlyadmits，thatheisakindofblockhead，fromwhichsalutaryself-knowledgetheexcellentstump-oratorisdebarred。AmouthpieceofChaostopoorbenightedmortalsthatlendeartohimastoavoicefromCosmos，thisexcellentstump-oratorfillsmewithamazement。Notemptythesemusicalwind-utterancesofhis；theyarebigwithprophecy；theyannounce，tooaudiblytome，thattheendofmanythingsisdrawingnigh！
　　LettheBritishreaderconsideritalittle；hetooisnotalittleinterestedinit。Nayhe，andtheEuropeanreaderingeneral，buthechieflyinthesedays，willrequiretoconsideritagreatdeal，——andtotakeimportantstepsinconsequencebyandby，ifImistakenot。Andinthemeanwhile，sunkashehimselfisinthatbadelement，andlikeajaundicedmanstrugglingtodiscriminateyellowcolors，——hewillhavetomeditatelongbeforeheinanymeasuregettheimmensemeaningsofthethingbroughthometohim；anddiscern，withastonishment，alarm，andalmostterroranddespair，towardswhatfatalissues，inourCollectiveWisdomandelsewhere，thisnotionoftalentmeaningeloquentspeech，soobstinatelyentertainedthislongwhile，hasbeenleadingus！Whosoevershalllookwellintooriginsandissues，willfindthisofeloquenceandthepartitnowplaysinouraffairs，tobeoneofthegravestphenomena；
　　andtheexcellentstump-oratorofthesedaystobenotonlyaridiculousbutstillmoreahighlytragicalpersonage。Whilethemanylistentohim，thefewareusedtopassrapidly，withsomegustofscornfullaughter，somegrowlofimpatientmalediction；
　　buthedeservesfromthislatterclassamuchmoreseriousattention。
　　IntheoldAges，whenUniversitiesandSchoolswerefirstinstituted，thisfunctionoftheschoolmaster，toteachmerespeaking，wasthenaturalone。Inthosehealthytimes，guidedbysilentinstinctsandthemonitionofNature，menhadfromofoldbeenusedtoteachthemselveswhatitwasessentialtolearn，bytheonesuremethodoflearninganything，practicalapprenticeshiptoit。Thiswastheruleforallclasses；asitnowistherule，unluckily，foronlyoneclass。TheWorkingManasyetsoughtonlytoknowhiscraft；andeducatedhimselfsufficientlybyploughingandhammering，undertheconditionsgiven，andinfitrelationtothepersonsgiven：acourseofeducation，thenasnowandever，reallyopulentinmanfulcultureandinstructiontohim；teachinghimmanysolidvirtues，andmostindubitablyusefulknowledges；developinginhimvaluablefacultiesnotafewbothtodoandtoendure，——amongwhichthefacultyofelaborategrammaticalutterance，seeinghehadsolittleofextraordinarytoutter，ortolearnfromspokenorwrittenutterances，wasnotbargainedfor；thegrammarofNature，whichhelearnedfromhismother，beingstillamplysufficientforhim。Thiswas，asitstillis，thegrandeducationoftheWorkingMan。
　　AsforthePriest，thoughhistradewasclearlyofareadingandspeakingnature，heknewalsointhoseveracioustimesthatgrammar，ifneedful，wasbynomeanstheonethingneedful，orthechiefthing。Byfarthechiefthingneedful，andindeedtheonethingthenasnow，was，ThatthereshouldbeinhimthefeelingandthepracticeofreverencetoGodandtomen；thatinhislife’scorethereshoulddwell，spokenorsilent，arayofpiouswisdomfitforilluminatingdarkhumandestinies；——notsomuchthatheshouldpossesstheartofspeech，asthatheshouldhavesomethingtospeak！AndforthatlatterrequisitethePriestalsotrainedhimselfbyapprenticeship，byactualattempttopractise，bymanifoldlong-continuedtrial，ofadevoutandpainfulnature，suchashissuperiorsprescribedtohim。This，whenoncejudgedsatisfactory，procuredhimordination；andhisgrammar-learning，inthegoodtimesofpriesthood，wasverymuchofaparergonwithhim，asindeedinalltimesitisintrinsicallyquiteinsignificantincomparison。
　　TheyoungNobleagain，forwhomgrammarschoolmasterswerefirsthiredandhighseminariesfounded，hetoowithoutthese，oraboveandoverthese，hadfromimmemorialtimebeenusedtolearnhisbusinessbyapprenticeship。TheyoungNoble，beforetheschoolmasterasafterhim，wentapprenticetosomeeldernoble；
　　enteredhimselfaspagewithsomedistinguishedearlorduke；andhere，servingupwardsfromsteptostep，underwisemonition，learnedhischivalries，hispracticeofarmsandofcourtesies，hisbaronialdutiesandmanners，andwhatitwouldbeseemhimtodoandtobeintheworld，——bypracticalattemptofhisown，andexampleofonewhoselifewasadailyconcretepatternforhim。
　　Tosuchaone，alreadyfilledwithintellectualsubstance，andpossessingwhatwemaycallthepracticalgold-bullionofhumanculture，itwasanobviousimprovementthatheshouldbetaughttospeakitoutofhimonoccasion；thatheshouldcarryaspiritualbanknoteproducibleondemandforwhatof“gold-bullion“hehad，notsonegotiableotherwise，storedinthecellarsofhismind。Aman，withwisdom，insightandheroicworthalreadyacquiredforhim，naturallydemandedoftheschoolmasterthisonenewfaculty，thefacultyofutteringinfitwordswhathehad。Avaluablesuperadditionoffaculty：——andyetwearetorememberitwasscarcelyanewfaculty；itwasbutthetangiblesignofwhatotherfacultiesthemanhadinthesilentstate：andmanyaruggedinarticulatechiefofmen，Icanbelieve，wasmostenviably“educated，“whohadnotaBookonhispremises；whosesignature，atruesign-_manual_，wasthestampofhisironhanddulyinkedandclaptupontheparchment；andwhosespeechinParliament，likethegrowloflions，didindeedconveyhismeaning，butwouldhavetornLindleyMurray’snervestopieces！Tosuchaonetheschoolmasteradjustedhimselfverynaturallyinthatmanner；asamanwantedforteachinggrammaticalutterance；thethingtoutterbeingalreadythere。
　　Thethingtoutter，herewasthegrandpoint！Andperhapsthisisthereasonwhyamongearnestnations，asamongtheRomansforexample，thecraftoftheschoolmasterwasheldinlittleregard；
　　forindeedasmereteacherofgrammar，ofcipheringontheabacusandsuchlike，howdidhediffermuchfromthedancing-masterorfencing-master，ordeservemuchregard？——Suchwastheruleintheancienthealthytimes。
　　Canitbedoubtfulthatthisisstilltheruleofhumaneducation；thatthehumancreatureneedsfirstofalltobeeducatednotthathemayspeak，butthathemayhavesomethingweightyandvaluabletosay！Ifspeechisthebank-noteofaninwardcapitalofculture，ofinsightandnoblehumanworth，thenspeechisprecious，andtheartofspeechshallbehonored。Butifthereisnoinwardcapital；ifspeechrepresentnorealcultureofthemind，butanimaginaryculture；nobullion，butthefatalandnowalmosthopelessdeficitofsuch？Alas，alas，saidbank-noteisthena_forged_one；passingfreelycurrentinthemarket；butbringingdamagestothereceiver，tothepayer，andtoalltheworld，whichareinsadtruthinfallible，andofamountincalculable。Fewthinkofitatpresent；butthetruthremainsforeverso。Inparliamentsandotherloudassemblages，youreloquenttalk，disunitedfromNatureandherfacts，istakenaswisdomandthecorrectimageofsaidfacts：butNaturewellknowswhatitis，Naturewillnothaveitassuch，andwillrejectyourforgednoteoneday，withhugecosts。Thefoolishtradersinthemarketpassfreely，nothingdoubting，andrejoiceinthedexterousexecutionofthepiece：andsoitcirculatesfromhandtohand，andfromclasstoclass；gravitatingeverdownwardstowardsthepracticalclass；tillatlastitreachessomepoor_working_hand，whocanpassitnofarther，butmusttakeittothebanktogetbreadwithit，andtheretheansweris，“Unhappycaitiff，thisnoteisforged。Itdoesnotmeanperformanceandreality，inparliamentsandelsewhere，forthybehoof；itmeansfallacioussemblanceofperformance；andthou，poordupe，artthrownintothestocksonofferingithere！“
　　Alas，alas，lookingabroadoverIrishdifficulties，Mosaicsweating-establishments，Frenchbarricades，andananarchicEurope，isitnotasifallthepopulationsoftheworldwererisingorhadrisenintoincendiarymadness；——unablelongertoenduresuchanavalancheofforgeries，andofpenaltiesinconsequence，ashadaccumulateduponthem？Thespeakeris“excellent；“thenoteshedoesarebeautiful？Beautifullyfitforthemarket，yes；_he_isanexcellentartistinhisbusiness；——andthemoreexcellentheis，themoreismydesiretolayhimbytheheels，andfling_him_intothetreadmill，thatI
　　mightsavethepoorsweatingtailors，FrenchSansculottes，andIrishSanspotatoesfrombearingthesmart！