But, generally speaking, it is a distinct descent from the high
plane of your address to excite the laughter of your audience. When
you do so, you confess that you are not able to hold the attention of
your hearers by the sustained and unbroken strength of your argument.
You admit that you are either so dull in your thought or indifferent
in your convictions that you know you are wearying your auditors and
must rest them by some mental diversion.
Where there is an earnestness of thought (and earnestness is only
another name for seriousness) there will always be the same quality in
manner--an impressiveness in bearing and delivery. This is
inconsistent with merriment of delivery, which robs speech of a
certain weight and intrinsic worth. It is also inconsistent with the
voice of storm and the hurricane manner.
And men in deadly earnest do not talk loudly. It has been my fortune
to see men angry and aroused to the point of killing; they were
intense, but quiet. I have also seen that bravado and drunken
boisterousness which thought it imitated, and meant to imitate,
genuine rage; it was always strident and violent, never dangerous,
never sincere. The same thing is true in speech.
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