opinion is to be more and more powerful; glad that the time is coming when the moral sentiment of one nation will influence the action of other nations; glad that the time is coming when the world will realize that a war between two nations affects others than the nations involved; glad that the time is coming when the world will insist that nations settle their differences by some peaceful means. If time is given for the marshaling of the force of public opinion, peace will be promoted. This resolution is presented, therefore, for the reason that it gives an opportunity to investigate the facts and to separate them from the question of honor, that it gives time for the calming of passion, and that it gives time for the formation of a controlling public sentiment.

I will not disguise the fact that I consider this resolution a long step in the direction of peace, nor will I disguise the fact that I am here because I want this Inter-Parliamentary Union to take just as long a step as possible in the direction of universal peace. We meet in a famous hall, and looking down upon us from these walls are pictures that illustrate not only the glory that is to be won in war, but the horrors that follow war. There is a picture of one of the great figures in English history (pointing to the fresco by Maclise of the death of Nelson). Lord Nelson is represented as dying, and around him are the mangled forms of others. I understand that war brings out certain virtues. I am aware that it gives opportunity for the display of great patriotism; I am aware that the example of men who give their lives for their country is inspiring; but I venture to say there is as much inspiration in a noble life as there is in a heroic death, and I trust that one of the results of this Inter-Parliamentary Union will be to emphasize the doctrine that a life devoted to the public, and ever flowing, like a spring, with good, exerts an influence upon the human race and upon the destiny of the world as great as any death in war. And if you will permit me to mention one whose career I watched with interest and whose name I revere, I will say that, in my humble judgment, the sixty-four years of spotless public service of William Ewart Gladstone will, in years to come, be regarded as as rich an ornament to the

history of this nation as the life of any man who poured out his blood upon a battlefield.

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All movements in the interest of peace have back of them the idea of brotherhood. If peace is to come in this world, it will come because people more and more clearly recognize the indissoluble tie that binds each human being to every other. If we are to build permanent peace, it must be on the foundation of the brotherhood of men. A poet has described how, in the civil war that divided our country into two hostile camps a generation ago, in one battle a soldier in one line thrust his bayonet through a soldier in the opposing line, and how, when he stooped to draw it out, he recognized in the face of the fallen one the face of his brother. And then the poet describes the feeling of horror that overwhelmed the survivor when he realized that he had taken the life of one who was the child of the same parents and the companion of his boyhood. It was a pathetic story, but is it too much to hope that as years go by we will begin to understand that the whole human race is but a larger family?

It is not too much to hope that as years go by human sympathy will expand until this feeling of unity will not be confined to the members of a family or to the members of a clan or of a community or state, but shall be world-wide. It is not too much to hope that we, in this assembly, possibly by this resolution, may hasten the day when we shall feel so appalled at the thought of the taking of any human life that we shall strive to raise all questions to a level where the settlement will be by reason and not by force.

II. PRINCIPLES OF ACTION

Action is that part of expression which addresses itself to the eye. It embraces position, attitude, gesture, and facial expression. Its purpose is to reënforce speech; if it does not do this, it is superfluous.

CHAPTER I

CONCEPTION OF ACTION

Four considerations must be borne in mind in applying action, (1) Impulse to action, (2) Suppression of self, (3) Limits of personation, (4) Action in figurative language.

SECTION I. IMPULSE TO ACTION

Impulse to Action is the desire to strengthen spoken language with gesture or some other movement. The impulse is more important than the form of action. Still it is necessary to cultivate form because action in good form is more forceful. To be effective, action must also be spontaneous, must have impulse behind it. Better no action than no impulse.

SECTION II. SUPPRESSION OF SELF

The speaker should make his theme more prominent than himself, should hide behind his subject, and lead his audiences to think and feel with him. Awkward or profuse gesture attracts attention to the speaker. People lose sight of the thought and

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carry away the memory of inappropriate gesture and striking attitude. Gesture should be simple, sincere, and suited to the word.

SECTION III. LIMITS OF PERSONATION

Public readers and speakers are under great temptation to act out many things which should be left to the imagination. In no respect has the criticism of judicious minds been so severe as against undue impersonation. The following simple laws, if put into practice, will reduce such tendency to a minimum.

I. FIRST LAW

The speaker should personate only when uttering the direct words or strong emotion of a character. In the following lines from "Horatius at the Bridge" one may very properly personate the strong soldier giving the command. He may take a manly, heroic, but modest attitude, such as this courageous Roman is supposed to have taken at the time:

Hew down the bridge, Sir Consul,

With all the speed ye may;

I, with two more to help me,

Will hold the foe in play.

In yon strait path a thousand

May well be stopped by three.

Now who will stand on either hand,

And keep the bridge with me? — Macaulay.

Of a very different nature are the descriptive passages. In such there is a tendency with young students to personate, to act out the descriptions. The following lines are spoken about Astur and Horatius, and not by them. Hence they should not be personated:

Then, whirling up his broadsword

With both hands to the height,
He rushed against Horatius,

And smote with all his might.

He reel'd, and on Herminius

He lean'd one breathing-space,

Then, like a wild-cat mad with wounds,

Sprang right at Astur's face. - Ibid.

This does not mean that there should be no action, but that what is used should be suggestive, not personative, i.e. the acts may be pointed out by the describer and pictured to the imagination, but not actually done. Let the student apply this principle in the following passage from the same poem:

So he spake, and, speaking, sheathed

The good sword by his side,
And, with his harness on his back,

Plunged headlong in the tide. — Ibid.

To act that which should be left to the imagination has much the same effect upon an audience as the explanation of a joke.

2. SECOND LAW

There must be a distinction between the reciter and the actor. While the vocal expression is practically the same, the action in the two cases is very different. The actor is aided by the costume, the scenery, the support, and the accessories. He draws and sheathes his sword or dagger. He gives a letter, a book, or other material thing to the character addressed.

The reader or personator does not depend on costume and stage trappings for effects. He draws upon the imagination for the scenes, characters, and accessories. He indicates the drawing of the sword and the using of it, but does not sheathe it or account for it afterwards. He extends the hand with an imaginary book or letter, or opens the palm to receive some material thing. He leaves to the imagination of the audience much which the actor produces. He should not therefore encroach upon the actor's art.