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First，thatexcellentspeech，evenspeech_really_excellent，isnot，andneverwas，thechieftestofhumanfaculty，orthemeasureofaman’sability，foranytruefunctionwhatsoever；onthecontrary，thatexcellent_silence_neededalwaystoaccompanyexcellentspeech，andwasandisamuchrarerandmoredifficultgift。
_Secondly_，thatreallyexcellentspeech——whichI，beingpossessedoftheHebrewBibleorBook，aswellasofotherbooksinmyownandforeignlanguages，andhavingoccasionallyheardawiseman’swordamongthecrowdofunwise，doalmostunspeakablyesteem，asahumangift——isterriblyapttogetconfoundedwithitscounterfeit，sham-excellentspeech！Andfurthermore，thatifreallyexcellenthumanspeechisamongthebestofhumanthings，thensham-excellentdittodeservestoberankedwiththeveryworst。Falsespeech，——capableofbecoming，assomeonehassaid，thefalsestandbasestofallhumanthings：——putthecase，onewerelisteningto_that_astothetruestandnoblest！Which，littleasweareconsciousofit，Itaketobethesadlotofmanyexcellentsoulsamongusjustnow。Somanyasadmireparliamentaryeloquence，divinepopularliterature，andsuchlike，aredreadfullyliabletoitjustnow：andwholenationsandgenerationsseemasifgettingthemselves_asphyxiaed_，constitutionallyintotheirlastsleep，bymeansofitjustnow！
Foralas，muchasweworshipspeechonallhands，hereisa_third_assertionwhichamanmayventuretomake，andinviteconsideratementoreflectupon：Thatinthesetimes，andforseveralgenerationsback，therehasbeen，strictlyconsidered，noreallyexcellentspeechatall，butsham-excellentmerely；thatistosay，falseorquasi-falsespeechgettingitselfadmiredandworshipped，insteadofdetestedandsuppressed。Atrulyalarmingpredicament；andnotthelesssoifwefinditaquitepleasantoneforthetimebeing，andwelcometheadventofasphyxia，aswewouldthatofcomfortablenaturalsleep；——as，insomanysenses，wearedoing！Surlyjudgestherehavebeenwhodidnotmuchadmirethe“BibleofModernLiterature，“oranythingyoucoulddistilfromit，incontrastwiththeancientBibles；
andfoundthatinthematterofspeaking，ourfarbestexcellence，wherethatcouldbeobtained，wasexcellentsilence，whichmeansenduranceandexertion，andgoodworkwithlipsclosed；andthatourtolerablestspeechwasofthenatureofhonestcommonplaceintroducedwhereindispensable，whichonlysetupforbeingbriefandtrue，andcouldnotbemistakenforexcellent。
ThesearehardsayingsformanyaBritishreader，unconsciousofanydamage，nayjoyfullyconscioustohimselfofmuchprofit，fromthatsideofhispossessions。Surelyonthisside，ifonnoother，mattersstoodnotillwithhim？Theingenuousartshadsoftenedhismanners；theparliamentaryeloquencessuppliedhimwithasuccedaneumforgovernment，thepopularliteratureswiththefinersensibilitiesoftheheart：surelyonthis_wind_wardsideofthingstheBritishreaderwasnotilloff？——UnhappyBritishreader！
Infact，thespiritualdetrimentweunconsciouslysuffer，ineveryprovinceofouraffairs，fromthisourprostraterespecttopowerofspeechisincalculable。Forindeeditisthenaturalconsummationofanepochsuchasours。Givenageneralinsincerityofmindforseveralgenerations，youwillcertainlyfindtheTalkerestablishedintheplaceofhonor；andtheDoer，hiddenintheobscurecrowd，withactivitylamed，orworkingsorrowfullyforwardonpathsunworthyofhim。Allmenaredevoutlyprostrate，worshippingtheeloquenttalker；andnomanknowswhatascandalousidolheis。Outofwhominthemildestmanner，likecomfortablenaturalrest，comesmereasphyxiaanddeatheverlasting！ProbablythereisnotinNatureamoredistractedphantasmthanyourcommonplaceeloquentspeaker，asheisfoundonplatforms，inparliaments，onKentuckystumps，attavern-dinners，inwindy，empty，insinceretimeslikeours。The“excellentStump-orator，“asouradmiringYankeefriendsdefinehim，hewhoinanyoccurrentsetofcircumstancescanstartforth，mountuponhis“stump，“hisrostrum，tribune，placeinparliament，orotherreadyelevation，andpourforthfromhimhisappropriate“excellentspeech，“hisinterpretationofthesaidcircumstances，insuchmanneraspoorwindymortalsroundhimshallcrybravoto，——heisnotanartistIcanmuchadmire，asmattersgo！Alas，heisingeneralmerelythewindiestmortalo
