THE WORLD'S GREATEST ORATOR. 809

went earnestly to work; and the story of how he
worked and what he achieved should be a lesson for
all future students of art or science.

There were two things todo. He must both write
well and speak well. Delivery is only half the art,
Something worth delivering is equally necessary.
He read the works of Thucydides, the great his-
torian, so carefully that he was able to write them
all out from memory after an accident had destroyed
the manuscript. Some say he wrote them out eight
separate times. He attended the teachings of Plato,
the celebrated philosopher. The repulse of Isocrates
did not keep the ardent student from his classes.
His naturally capable mind became filled with all
that Greece had to give in the line of logical and
rhetorical thought. He not only read but wrote.
He prepared orations for delivery in the law courts
for the use of others, and in this way eked out his
small income.

In these ways he cultivated his mind. That was
the lightest task. He had a great mind to begin
with. But he had a weak and incapable body. If
he would succeed that must be cultivated too.
There was his lisping and stammering voice, his
short breath, his low tones, his ungraceful gesture,—
all to be overcome. How he did it is a remarkable
example of what may be done in self-education.

To overcome his stammering utterance he accus-,
tomed himself to speak with pebbles in his mouth.
His lack of vocal strength he overcame by running
with open mouth, thus expanding his lungs. To
cure his shortness of breath he practised the utter-