Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 1.djvu/37

INTRODUCTION tainting and poisoning what the voracious appetite could not devour? To such questions, what must be the answer? No wars have ravaged these lands and depopulated these villages — no civil discords have been felt — no religious rage — no merciless enemy — no affliction of Providence, which, while it scourged for the moment, cut off the sources of resuscitation — no voracious and poisoning monsters — no; all this has been accomplished by the friendship, generosity and kindness of the English nation. They have embraced us with their protecting arms — and, lo, these are the fruits of their alliance."

There is much that the public speaker can study to advantage in the orations of Burke, O'Connell and Gladstone. The parliamentary struggles of Great Britain and Ireland have naturally resulted in the development of many masters in the art of speech, but the nations of Continental Europe have not been overlooked in the selections here made. It has been the intention to give both sides in every contest fairly. The speech of Æschines against Demosthenes is given, as well as the unrivaled defense offered xxv