Bismarck and the foundation of the German empire . heir audience. His own mind wasessentially critical; he appealed more to the intellectthan the emotions. His speeches were always con-troversial, but he was an admirable debater. It iscurious to see how quickly he adopts the naturalParliamentary tone. His speeches are all subduedin tone and conversational in manner. Many ofthem were very carefully prepared, for though hedid not generally write them out, he said them overand over again to himself or to Kleist, with whom helived in Berlin. They are entirely unlike any otherspeeches—he has, in fa
Bismarck and the foundation of the German empire . heir audience. His own mind wasessentially critical; he appealed more to the intellectthan the emotions. His speeches were always con-troversial, but he was an admirable debater. It iscurious to see how quickly he adopts the naturalParliamentary tone. His speeches are all subduedin tone and conversational in manner. Many ofthem were very carefully prepared, for though hedid not generally write them out, he said them overand over again to himself or to Kleist, with whom helived in Berlin. They are entirely unlike any otherspeeches—he has, in fact, in them, as in his letters,added a new chapter to the literature of his country,hitherto so poor in prose. They shew a vivid imagination and an almost un-equalled power of illustration. The thought isalways concrete, and he is never satisfied with thevague ideas and abstract conceptions which so easilymoved his contemporaries. No speeches, either inEnglish or in German, preserve so much of theirfreshness. He is almost the only Parliamentary. BISMARCK IN 1848. 1852] The Revohition. 67 orator whose speeches have become to some extenta popular book ; no other orator has enriched thelanguage as he has done with new phrases and im-ages. The great characteristic of his speeches, as ofhis letters, is the complete absence of affectation andthe very remarkable intellectual honesty. They areoften deficient in order and arrangement; he did notexcel in the logical exposition of a connected argu-ment, but he never was satisfied till he had presentedthe idea which influenced him in words so forcibleand original that it was impressed on the minds ofhis audience, and he was often able to find expres-sions which will not be forgotten so long as theGerman language is spoken. We can easily imagine that under other circum-stances, or in another country, he would have risento power and held office as a Parliamentary often appeals to the practice and traditions ofthe English Parlia
Size: 1702px × 1469px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbismarckottofrstvon1
