Page:Psychology and preaching.djvu/139

 THE EXCITATION OF FEELING 121

genuine feeling has other and finer means of manifestation. The organic disturbances, which are the true physical coun terpart of conscious feeling, not only are apparent to ob servers, but are difficult indeed to conceal. These are re vealed in subtile modulations of tone, facial expressions and indefinite bodily tensions which can hardly be analysed and described in detail, and at most can be but imperfectly imitated at will even by the most consummate art ; but can nevertheless be perceived by the eyes and ears. Especially can those whose emotional life has been refined and deepened by intellectual culture see through this external show of emotion and perceive as by a sixth sense whether it be a mere hollow mask or a bona fide expression of gen uine and vital processes. They whose emotional life is crude, who are susceptible only to the grosser emotions, respond more readily to mere loudness and violence of de livery; but the excitement thus communicated to them is mainly physical, as is that which awakens it, and consists mainly of the reflex or instinctive twitching of the nerves without much conscious appreciation of the ideas presented. This is characteristic of the emotional experience of the ignorant and rude the kind of emotional experiences of which they are most capable ; and doubtless this is the reason why speakers who are successful with audiences of this grade of culture almost invaribly fall into the use of this method, while speakers acceptable to audiences of higher culture always use less violence in delivery. There is noticeable a sort of natural selection of speakers on this principle for various types of audiences.

But while the manner of delivery should have a certain adaptation to the audience, it is a sound rule to guard against &quot; beating the air,&quot; i.e., against excessive or dispro portionate gesticulation and vociferation. Every feeling, and every grade of intensity of every feeling, has its appro priate and proportionate expression in voice and gesture, and all beyond that is not only wasted energy on the part of the speaker but is likely to cause a revulsion of feeling

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