STANDARD SELECTIONS
A COLLECTION AND ADAPTATION OF SUPERIOR PRODUCTIONS FROM BEST AUTHORS
FOR USE IN CLASS ROOM AND ON THE PLATFORM
Arranged and Edited by
ROBERT I. FULTON
Dean of the School of Oratory and Professor of Elocution and Oratory in the Ohio Wesleyan University
THOMAS C. TRUEBLOOD
Professor of Elocution and Oratory in the University of Michigan and
EDWIN P. TRUEBLOOD
Professor of Elocution and Oratory in Earlham College
GINN AND COMPANY
BOSTON NEW YORK CHICAGO LONDON ATLANTA DALLAS COLUMBUS SAN FRANCISCO [Pg ii] Copyright, 1907, by R. I. Fulton, T. C. Trueblood, and E. P. Trueblood ALL RIGHTS RESERVED The Athenaeum Press GINN AND COMPANY PROPRIETORS BOSTON U.S.A. [Pg iii] PREFACE The purpose of the compilers of this volume is:-- First, to provide some new material in poetry and eloquence that has never before appeared in books of this character, in addition to many standard selections familiar to the general public; Second, to furnish selections that will stand the test of literary criticism and at the same time prove to be popular and successful for public entertainment; 1 Third, to offer for the use of classes in public speaking such carefully selected literature of varied scope as will be helpful and stimu- lating in the practice of reading aloud and profitable in acquiring power of vocal interpretation; Fourth, to stimulate interest in the works of the authors from whom we have chosen and in the speeches or books from which extracts have been taken; Fifth, to present as models for students in public speaking notable specimens of eloquence, among which are masterpieces of the seven great orators of the world and from the six great triumphs in the history of American oratory; Sixth, to provide carefully chosen scenes from a few standard, modern dramas for class-room and platform use. In these scenes the attempt has been made to preserve the spirit and unity of the plays, to shorten them to practical length, and to adapt them to the demands of the public audience. To avoid reprinting material which is already universally accessible, we have inserted no scenes from Shakespeare; but the reader is referred to [Pg iv]Fulton and Trueblood's "Choice Readings" (published by Ginn and Company), which contains copious Indexes to choice scenes from Shakespeare, the Bible, and hymn-books. The two volumes include a wide field of literature best suited for public speaking. The selections throughout the book are arranged under six different classes and cover a wide range of thought and emotion. While many shades of feeling may be found in the same selection, it has been our aim to place each one under the division with which, as a whole, it is most closely allied. We are grateful to the many authors and publishers who have courteously permitted us to use their publications. Instead of naming them in the preface we have chosen to make due acknowledgment in a footnote wherever their selections appear in the volume. F. and T. [Pg v] CONTENTS PREFACE I NARRATIVE, DESCRIPTIVE, PATHETIC Arena Scene from "Quo Vadis?" The Sienkiewicz. Arrow and the Song, The Longfellow.. Aux Italiens Lytton. Bobby Shafto Henry. Carcassonne Nadaud. Child-wife, The Dickens. Count Gismond Browning. Death of Arbaces, The Lytton. Dora Tennyson. Easter with Parepa, An Delano. Evening Bells, Those Moore. Ginevra Coolidge. High Tide at Lincolnshire, The Ingelow. How Did You Die? Cooke. Indigo Bird, The Burroughs. Jackdaw of Rheims, The Barham. Jaffar Hunt. Jim Bludsoe Hay. King Robert of Sicily Longfellow. Lady of Shalott, The Tennyson. Legend of Service, A Van Dyke. 2 Little Boy Blue Field. Mary's Night Ride Cable. Nydia, the Blind Girl Lytton. O Captain, My Captain! Whitman. On the Other Train Anon. Pansy, The Anon. "Revenge," The Tennyson. Rider of the Black Horse, The Lippard. Sailing beyond Seas Ingelow. Sands of Dee, The Kingsley. School of Squeers, The Dickens. Secret of Death, The Arnold. Shamus O'Brien Le Fanu. Ships, My Wilcox. Soldier's Reprieve, The Robbins. Song, TheScott. Stirrup Cup, The Hay. Swan-song, The Brooks. Sweet Afton Burns. Violet's Blue Henry. Waterfowl, To a Bryant. Wedding Gown, The Pierce. When the Snow Sifts Through Gillilan. Wild Flower, To a Thompson. Zoroaster, The Fate of Crawford. II SOLEMN, REVERENTIAL, SUBLIME Centennial Hymn Whittier. Chambered Nautilus, The Holmes. Crossing the Bar Tennyson. Destruction of Sennacherib, The Byron. Each and All Emerson. Laus Deo! Whittier. Pilgrim Fathers, The Hemans. Present Crisis, The Lowell. Recessional, The Kipling. Sacredness of Work, The Carlyle. What's Hallowed Ground? Campbell. III PATRIOTIC, HEROIC, ORATORICAL The Seven Great Orators of the World I. Demosthenes Encroachments of Philip, The II. Cicero Oration against Antony III. Chrysostom Undue Lamentations over the Dead On Applauding Preachers IV. Bossuet On the Death of the Prince of Conde V. Chatham I. War with America II. Attempt to Subjugate America VI. Burke 3 I. Impeachment of Hastings II. Conciliation with America III. English Privileges in America VII. Webster I. Bunker Hill Monument II. Revolutionary Patriots III. Character of Washington Six Great Triumphs in the History of American Oratory I. Henry Call to Arms, The II. Hamilton Coercion of Delinquent States III. Webster Reply to Hayne, The IV. Phillips Murder of Lovejoy, The V. Lincoln Slavery Issue, The VI. Beecher Moral Aspect of the American War Abolition of War Sumner. American Flag, The Beecher. American People, The Beveridge. American Question, The Bright. America's Relation to Missions Angell. American Slavery Bright. Armenian Massacres, The Gladstone. Battle Hymn of the Republic Howe. Blue and the Gray, The Lodge. Corruption of Prelates Savonarola. Cross of Gold, The Bryan. Death of Congressman Burnes Ingalls. Death of Garfield, The Blaine. Death of Grady, The Graves. Death of Toussaint L'Ouverture Phillips. Dedication of Gettysburg Cemetery, The Lincoln. Fallen Heroes of Japan, The Togo. Glory of Peace, TheSumner. Hope of the Republic, The Grady. Hungarian Heroism Kossuth. International Relations McKinley. Irish Home Rule Gladstone. Lincoln Castelar. Lincoln Garfield. Louisiana Purchase ExpositionHay. Man with the Muck-rake, The Roosevelt. Message to the Squadron Togo. Minute Man, The Curtis. More Perfect Union, A Curtis. Napoleon Corwin. Napoleon Ingersoll. National Control of Corporations Roosevelt. Negro, The Grady. New England Quincy. New South, The Grady. O'Connell Phillips. Open Door, The Henry. Organization of the World Mead. 4 Permanency of Empire, The Phillips. Pilgrims, The Phillips. Principles of the Founders Mead. Responsibility of War, The Channing. Scotland Flagg. Secession Stephens. Second Inaugural Address Lincoln. Slavery and the Union Lincoln. Subjugation of the Filipino Hoar. Sufferings and Destiny of the Pilgrims Everett. To Arms Kossuth. True American Patriotism Cockran. Vision of War Ingersoll. War in the Twentieth Century Mead. Washington Phillips. IV GAY, HUMOROUS, COMIC A Boy's Mother Riley. Almost beyond Endurance Riley. Bird in the Hand, A Weatherly. Breaking the Charm Dunbar. Candle Lightin' Time Dunbar. "Day of Judgment, The" Phelps. De Appile Tree Harris. Dooley on La Grippe Microbes Dunne. Doctrinal Discussion, A Edwards. Finnigin to Flannigan Gillilan. Gavroche and the Elephant Hugo. Hazing of Valiant, The Anon. Hindoo's Paradise, The Anon. If I Knew Anon. Imaginary Invalid, The Jerome. Jane Jones King. Knee-deep in June Riley. Little Breeches Hay. Low-Backed Car, The Lover. Mammy's Pickanin' Jenkins. Mandalay Kipling. Mr. Coon and Mr. Rabbit Harris. Money Musk Taylor. One-legged Goose, The Smith. Pessimist, The King. Schneider Sees Leah Anon. Superfluous Man, The Saxe. Usual Way, The Anon. Wedding Fee, The Streeter. When Malindy SingsDunbar. When the Cows Come Home Mitchell. V DRAMATIC, NOT IN THE DRAMA Confessional, The Anon. Jean Valjean and the Good Bishop Hugo. Lasca Anon. Michael Strogoff Verne. 5 Mrs. Tree Richards. Portrait, The Lytton. Tell-tale Heart, The Poe. Uncle, The Bell. VI SCENES FROM THE DRAMA Beau Brummell, Act I, Scene I; Act II, Scene 3 Jerrold. Bells, The, Act III, Scene I Williams. Lady of Lyons, The, Act II, Scene I; Act III Scene 2 Lytton. Pygmalion and Galatea, Act I, Scene I; Act II, Scene I Gilbert. Rip Van Winkle, Act I, Scene I; Act II, Scene I Irving. Rivals, The, Act I, Scene 2; Act II, Scene I; Act III, Scene I; Act IV, Scene 2 Sheridan. Set of Turquoise, The, Act I, Scene I; Act I, Scene 2 Aldrich. She Stoops to Conquer, Act II, Scene I Goldsmith. Index of Authors Announcements [Pg 1] STANDARD SELECTIONS I NARRATIVE, DESCRIPTIVE, PATHETIC THE ARENA SCENE FROM "QUO VADIS"[1] Henryk Sienkiewicz The Roman Empire in the first century presents the most revolting picture of mankind to be found in the pages of history. Society founded on superior force, on the most barbarous cruelty, on crime and mad profligacy, was corrupt beyond the power of words to describe. Rome ruled the world, but was also its ulcer, and the horrible monster, Nero, guilty of all hideous and revolting crimes, seems a fit monarch for such a people. A few years ago appeared "Quo Vadis?" the story from which this selection is made. The book attained so great a popularity, that it was translated into almost every tongue. In spite