THE DECAY OF ELOQUENCE

Shannon News, 26 June 1925, Page 3

THE DECAY OF ELOQUENCE

Such a splendid held for the exercise of eloquent as the Law Courts provide, coupled with the stories told ' of great lawyers of the past who held audiences spellbound by their oratory, leads naturally io the expectation that at Temple P.ar silvern speech will he found in its highest development, writes a legal correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph". The facts somewhat contradict that idea. Hard would be the task of finding a single practising counsel of the present day of whom it coui'kl truthfully be said that, by reason of his gifts of speech alone, he enthralls li ieners. Forensic oratory is not only a sadly neglected but a rapidly deca>lng art. The law makes no demand for rhetoric, and has remarkably few even moderately good rhetoricians. The law student may be advised, but he is not compelled, to study and practise elocution. He daily sees around him men at the Bar who have achieved' success, not through their or;i I nrie:i! powers but in spile of a very unworthy substitute for them, ;ukl. drawing t'i."> moral, he avoids the sMidy. Is it probable that with the advi-nt of women counsel at the Law Cuiirls :':<- reh'-ements of oratory, for vhieli ndvoeac:,' Is so admirable a vehicle, will mor.i often be heard? asks the writer in conclusion.