A well-furnished mind is like a well-furnished house. In furnishing a
house we do not fill it up with miscellaneous furniture, bric-a-brac and
antiques, gathered promiscuously, but we plan everything with a view to
harmony, beauty, and utility. We furnish a particular room in a tone
that will be restful and pleasing to the occupant. We choose every piece
of furniture, rug, picture, and drapery with a distinct purpose in view
of what the total effect will be.
So with a well-furnished mind. We must choose the kind of material we
intend to keep there. It should be chosen with a view to its beauty,
power, and usefulness. We want no rubbish there. We want the best
material available. Hence the vital importance of going to the right
sources for the furniture of our mind, to the great books of the world,
to living authorities, to nature, to music, to art, to the best wherever
it may be found.
The second essential of an effective public speech is knowing how to say
it. This implies a thorough training in the technique of speech. There
should be a well-cultivated voice, of adequate volume, brilliancy, and
carrying quality. There should be ample training in articulation,
pronunciation, expression, and gesture. These so-called mechanics should
be developed until they become an unconscious part of the speaker's
style.
Your best opportunity for practice is in your everyday conversation.
There you are constantly making speeches on a small scale. Public
speaking of the best modern type is simply elevated conversation.
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