John Morley: “Once again, it was not words that made the power of the orator, it was…”

On the record

Once again, it was not words that made the power of the orator, it was the relation in purpose, feeling, and conviction between him and his audience.

Said by

John Morley

Source

Morley reflects on the essence of effective oratory being the connection between speaker and audience.

More from John Morley

If they, situated exactly as we are, decline to join, we are not bound single-handed to make up the deficiencies of the rest.

People still believe that Russian diplomats are particularly crafty and clever, full of artifices and stratagems, but that is not the case.

Happy the man who from out the floods has fled the storm and found the haven; happy too is he who has surmounted toil and trouble.—Bacchae, 902-5.

True merit once resigned, No trick nor feint will serve as well.

Other voices in this conversation

John Morley: “Once again, it was not words that made the power of the orator, it was the relation in purpose, feeling, and conviction…”