Page:Cyclopedia of illustrations for public speakers, containing facts, incidents, stories, experiences, anecdotes, selections, etc., for illustrative purposes, with cross-references; (IA cyclopediaofillu00scotrich).pdf/276

 their great careers. Columbus was misunderstood and ridiculed, Watt was regarded as a dreamer, Morse found few supporters, Ericsson could not get Government support for building the Monitor, yet all these men were great and wise men. A curious instance of wise foolishness is that related of an important advertiser, who said:

We once hit upon a novel expedient for ascertaining over what area our advertisements were read. We published a couple of half-column "ads" in which we purposely misstated half a dozen historical facts. In less than a week we received between 300 and 400 letters from all parts of the country from people wishing to know why on earth we kept such a consummate fool who knew so little about American history. The letters kept pouring in for three or four weeks. It was one of the best-paying "ads" we ever printed. But we did not repeat our experiment because the one I refer to served its purpose. Our letters came from school-*boys, girls, professors, clergymen, school-*teachers and in two instances from eminent men who have a world-wide reputation.

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Foot-gear—See.

FORBEARANCE

These lines by Harry Larkin, in the Scrap Book, seem to breathe a spirit of self-distrust and forbearance for faults in others eminently worthy of perpetuation:

[*F1: some lines could be wrapped/F2 rewrapped per guidelines] Dare we condemn the ills that others do? Dare we condemn? Their strength is small, their trials are not few, The tide of wrong is difficult to stem, And if, to us more clearly than to them Is given knowledge of the good and true More do they need our help and pity, too! Dare we condemn? God help us all and lead us day by day! God help us all! We can not walk alone the perfect way, Evil allures us, tempts us and we fall! We are but human and our power is small: Not one of us may boast, and not a day Rolls o'er our heads, but each hath need to pray, God help us all! (Text.)

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The speaker in the following account was Shang, a converted Manchurian missionary:

Over at the "Heavenly Lord Hall" (French mission) I was looking at the new building which is being erected. The boys' school-*teacher was with me. A Roman Catholic objected to our presence and struck us both. One of their principal members, seeing us insulted, blushed very red, and spoke to the offender. But we just came away.

"What would you like me to do?" I asked. "Shall I write to the French priest and complain?"

"Do nothing at all," he replied. "Not to requite an insult is a blessing." (Text.)

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FORCE APPLAUDED

Robert Barr, the author, has a part in an anecdote which throws light upon England's present craze for the sinews of war:

When Mr. Barr was teaching school in Canada, an old college friend of his came along with a stereopticon, giving talks on Europe. The lecturer always finished with the thrilling recital of an anecdote about Queen Victoria. The Alake of Abeokuta visited her and asked, "What is the cause of England's greatness?" The good queen handed him a Bible, which was in readiness to present him, saying, "This is the reason of England's greatness." The dramatic device was always exceedingly effective.

When the lecturer came around to Barr's district, the lantern-operator was ill, and Barr was implored to take his place, which he consented to do. All went well until the grand finale arrived, when Barr maliciously substituted another picture for that of the Bible. "This," cried the fervid orator, "is the secret of England's greatness!" and was horrified on glancing up at the screen to see before him a picture of the gigantic battle-*ship Consternation. The audience, which did not know the story of the Bible, cheered vociferously, rose to its feet, and sang "Rule Britannia" in a most warlike voice.

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FORCE, LIVING

Look at a full-sized oak, the rooted Leviathan of the fields. Judging by your senses and by the scales, you would say that the substance of the noble tree was its bulk of bark and bough and branch and leaves and sap, the cords of woody and moist mat