The power of variety lies in its pleasure-giving quality.  The great truths of the world have often been couched in fascinating stories—­“Les Miserables,” for instance.  If you wish to teach or influence men, you must please them, first or last.  Strike the same note on the piano over and over again.  This will give you some idea of the displeasing, jarring effect monotony has on the ear.  The dictionary defines “monotonous” as being synonymous with “wearisome.”  That is putting it mildly.  It is maddening.  The department-store prince does not disgust the public by playing only the one tune, “Come Buy My Wares!” He gives recitals on a $125,000 organ, and the pleased people naturally slip into a buying mood.

How to Conquer Monotony

We obviate monotony in dress by replenishing our wardrobes.  We avoid monotony in speech by multiplying our powers of speech.  We multiply our powers of speech by increasing our tools.

The carpenter has special implements with which to construct the several parts of a building.  The organist has certain keys and stops which he manipulates to produce his harmonies and effects.  In like manner the speaker has certain instruments and tools at his command by which he builds his argument, plays on the feelings, and guides the beliefs of his audience.  To give you a conception of these instruments, and practical help in learning to use them, are the purposes of the immediately following chapters.

Why did not the Children of Israel whirl through the desert in limousines, and why did not Noah have moving-picture entertainments and talking machines on the Ark?  The laws that enable us to operate an automobile, produce moving-pictures, or music on the Victrola, would have worked just as well then as they do today.  It was ignorance of law that for ages deprived humanity of our modern conveniences.  Many speakers still use ox-cart methods in their speech instead of employing automobile or overland-express methods.  They are ignorant of laws that make for efficiency in speaking.  Just to the extent that you regard and use the laws that we are about to examine and learn how to use will you have efficiency and force in your speaking; and just to the extent that you disregard them will your speaking be feeble and ineffective.  We cannot impress too thoroughly upon you the necessity for a real working mastery of these principles.  They are the very foundations of successful speaking.  “Get your principles right,” said Napoleon, “and the rest is a matter of detail.”

It is useless to shoe a dead horse, and all the sound principles in Christendom will never make a live speech out of a dead one.  So let it be understood that public speaking is not a matter of mastering a few dead rules; the most important law of public speech is the necessity for truth, force, feeling, and life.  Forget all else, but not this.