it is to say X, Y, Z--habit has established the order. Just so you must master

the laws of efficiency in speaking until it is a second nature for you to speak

correctly rather than otherwise. A beginner at the piano has a great deal of

trouble with the mechanics of playing, but as time goes on his fingers become

trained and almost instinctively wander over the keys correctly. As an

inexperienced speaker you will find a great deal of difficulty at first in

putting principles into practise, for you will be scared, like the young

swimmer, and make some crude strokes, but if you persevere you will "win out."

 

Thus, to sum up, the vocabulary you have enlarged by study,[4] the ease in

speaking you have developed by practise, the economy of your well-studied

emphasis all will subconsciously come to your aid on the platform. Then the

habits you have formed will be earning you a splendid dividend. The fluency of

your speech will be at the speed of flow your practise has made habitual.

 

But this means work. What good habit does not? No philosopher's stone that will

act as a substitute for laborious practise has ever been found. If it were, it

would be thrown away, because it would kill our greatest joy--the delight of

acquisition. If public-speaking means to you a fuller life, you will know no

greater happiness than a well-spoken speech. The time you have spent in

gathering ideas and in private practise of speaking you will find amply

rewarded.

 

QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES