Tuesday 2 December 2008

 

The latest culture as recommended by our staff

Michael Henderson

Michael Henderson suggests


And Another Thing

Wednesday, 18th June 2008

How to fill a lecture hall, and how to empty it

I recently gave a lecture, on quite a solemn subject, the connection between freedom and the ownership of property, to about 200 people, and was gratified — and surprised — at how well it was received. I think it was because I followed my own maxim, and spoke for only 25 minutes, leaving the rest of the hour for questions. It is a fact of life that any discourse, on any subject, whatever the occasion and whatever the status of the speaker, will always please if it is five minutes shorter than people expect. That is one reason why Lincoln’s Gettysburg address became so famous.

Of course what made it so unusual was that in the Victorian period orations of all kinds were expected to be long. Gladstone, on one of his Midlothian campaigns, was told by a working man that no sermon could properly be less than an hour in length, as it took at least that time to explain any important theological point. He bore this in mind, and not long afterwards, when addressing the Cabinet on the subject of his proposed Home Rule bill, his exposition lasted a full three hours, and was listened to ‘in perfect silence’. Of course, holding forth in the Cabinet Room required no great verbal force. But Gladstone often spoke for well over an hour in public, to audiences of 10,000 or more. How did he make himself heard? How did his vocal chords stand it? In the Middle Ages, Muslim clergy, sermonising to vast congregations in the open, were accompanied by a tall, barrel-chested figure with a powerful voice, who repeated fortissimo each phrase as uttered. This man was known as a Loud Speaker. The phrase has persisted into the electronic age. Odd to think that the diabolically amplified caterwauling issuing from pop festivals, which keeps awake decent people within a ten-mile radius, should have its verbal origins in ancient Islam.

More articles from: Paul Johnson | this section

Subscribe now

Post this entry to:   del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit

Comments

Post a comment


Your comment:*

Your name:*

Your email address:*
(We won't publish this)

*Required information

Please click the button only once - your comment will not be published immediately

Jonathan Steele from Speechmastery.com

June 21st, 2008 12:39pm

Great Point on limiting public speaking timing.

Two of the most memorable speaking experiences in my life were the speakers going over time. Can not even begin to tell you what they said.

One went 15 minutes over and I had to leave to pick up a friend from South Africa just coming to the States.

The other, two speakers before me took 71/2 minutes more than they should have. The break followed my part.

I had to cut my part. Don't remember what they said but my shorter talk is indelibly etched in my head.

Good point for all speakers.


The Spectator Parliamentarian Awards
Spectator Book Club
The Spectator Billabong

In this section

Shared Opinion

Hugo Rifkind

If there really is a secret Zionist brotherhood running the world, why aren’t I a member?

Global warning

Theodore Dalrymple

Scratch the surface and there is always tragedy, mixed, of course, with wickedness.

And another thing

Paul Johnson

When the leaves fall is the fun time of year for artists

Status Anxiety

Toby Young

Classlessness means your five-year-old chanting ‘sheepshaggers’ on the terraces

The Wiki Man

Rory Sutherland

A fortnightly column on technology and the web

Related articles

Status Anxiety

Toby Young

I’m the celebrity who told ITV there was too much Ant and Dec — get me out of here!

Global Warning

Theodore Dalrymple

Theodore Dalrymple delivers a Global Warning

And another thing

Paul Johnson

What were Gladstone and Disraeli laughing about? Too rude to tell

Status Anxiety

Toby Young

My ten-point guide to being just like me and Peter Mandelson

Status Anxiety

Toby Young

Disciplined, cheerful, humble and truly nice -— Simon Pegg is everything I’m not

Spectator recommends

Sky - Official Site

Build your own Sky package online. Sky TV, Broadband & Talk only £17.

Free Sky Digital Offer - Order Now

Subscribe to Sky from £16 a month. Get free equipment and free broadband - Join Now. Sky HD - be...


Spectator classifieds

ROME CENTRE

PORTA METRONIA, ROME Standing high on the top of one of the seven hills of Rome- the Coelian- this unique

City Breaks. ROME and PARIS

ROME and PARIS: over 350 holiday rentals apartments listed: visit  www.romanreference.com  and  www.parisreference.com or call +39 0648 903612.

Jewellery. RUFFS (Estd. 1904).

Goldsmiths by Design Welcome to Ruffs!  You have found a company of Goldsmiths that specialises in the manufacture, amongst other