Pearls of Thought. Maturin M. Ballou

both the sense and understanding. I love not those cart-rope speeches that are longer than the memory of man can fathom.—Feltham.

      I saw one excellency was within my reach—it was brevity, and I determined to obtain it.—Jay.

      Be brief; for it is with words as with sunbeams—the more they are condensed, the deeper they burn.—Southey.

      Concentration alone conquers.—Charles Buxton.

      The more an idea is developed, the more concise becomes its expression: the more a tree is pruned, the better is the fruit.—Alfred Bougeart.

      Oratory, like the Drama, abhors lengthiness; like the Drama, it must be kept doing. It avoids, as frigid, prolonged metaphysical soliloquy. Beauties themselves, if they delay or distract the effect which should be produced on the audience, become blemishes.—Bulwer-Lytton.