"His face was broad, with large blue eyes, open and frank features, fine teeth, and a well formed head, altogether expressive of that sort of good humor which often lodges with a sudden and hasty temper. Pride and jealousy there was in his eye, for his life had been spent in asserting rights which were constantly liable to invasion; and the prompt, fiery and resolute disposition of the man had been kept constantly upon the alert by the circumstances of his situation. His long yellow hair was equally divided on the top of his head and upon his brow, and combed down on each side to the length of his shoulders: it had but little tendency to grey, although Cedric was approaching to his sixtieth year. His dress was a tunic of forest green, furred at the throat and cuffs with what was called minever-a kind of fur inferior in quality to ermine, and formed, it is believed, of the skin of the grey squirrel. This doublet hung unbuttoned over a close dress of scarlet which sat tight to his body; he had breeches of the same, but they did not reach below the lower part of the thigh, leaving the knee exposed. His feet had sandals of the same fashion with the peasants, but of finer materials, and secured in front with golden clasps." Such a directly progressive arrangement makes for clearness of visualization on the part of the audience. However, a word of caution is desirable against following regular space order blindly. If the speaker judges that any given object or scene could be more strikingly depicted by using another method, say the order of relative importance, or association of ideas, he should not hesitate to employ it. Indeed, for creating a general impression, an appreciation of "atmosphere," it is better to select suggestive details, without reference to regular space order. The effectiveness of this method is clearly exemplified in Washington Irving's picture of the Stratford sexton's cottage. "His dwelling was a cottage looking out upon the Avon and its bordering meadows, and was a picture of that neatness, order and comfort which pervade the humblest dwellings in this country. A low whitewashed room, with a stone floor carefully scrubbed, served for parlor, kitchen, and hall. Rows of pewter and earthen dishes glittered along the dresser. On an old oaken table, well rubbed and polished, lay the family Bible and prayer-book, and the drawer contained the family library, composed of about half a score of wellthumbed volumes. An ancient clock, that important article of cottage furniture, ticked on the opposite side of the room, with a bright warming pan hanging on one side of it, and the old man's horn-handled Sunday cane on the other. The fire-place, as usual, was wide and deep enough to admit a gossip knot within its jambs." A more harmonious combination of arbitrarily grouped details could hardly be imagined. The effect is highly artistic. When, however, a speaker desires to convey a more definite, or better, a more photographic idea of the relationship of parts, space order is preferable. It is of great advantage also when the topic lends itself to an analysis. based upon space divisions, such as the following. New York State Farming A. Introduction. B. The Northern Counties. b. Middle. C. The Middle Counties. D. The Southern Counties. E. Conclusion. IV. Predetermined Analysis A fourth logical plan of arrangement is based on a predetermined division of the subject. This method is applicable when the subject of discussion is a resolution or measure consisting of distinct clauses. Unless the subject-matter requires special arrangement, such as procedure from simple to complex or less important to more important, the speaker will do well to take up the clauses in the order of their appearance in the measure under consideration. For example, an enactment known as the "Widows' Pension Law" has just been passed. Reduced to its simplest form, it contains four provisions: "1. It gives $20 a month to all Civil War widows who were married to their husbands during their husband's service. "2. All widows of veterans who have now reached or may reach the age of seventy years will receive $20 a month. "3. All widows of Civil War veterans who were dropped by reason of their remarriage, and who again became widows, either by reason of the death of their second husbands or by divorces, for which they were not to blame, will be restored to their pensionable status. "4. The limitation on marriages is extended 15 years, from 1890 to 1905. This extension of 15 years, it is hoped, will include the great mass of those who married their husbands after the passage of the act of 1890." Such an analysis constitutes a very serviceable basis for the arrangement of material in a speech which essays to discuss each section of an itemized measure. B. ARRANGEMENT ON A PSYCHOLOGICAL BASIS I. Simple or Familiar to Complex or Unfamiliar If a given topic involves phases which are comparatively familiar, or simple, easily comprehended, and others which are unfamiliar, or complex and difficult to grasp, it is desirable to proceed from the known to the unknown, from the simple to the complex. In using this plan the speaker not only avoids mystifying or discouraging his audience at the outset, but he also prepares it, as he proceeds, to understand matters of increasing complexity. The same principle which governs the arrangement of material in an arithmetic may well be applied to speech-material. A talk on popular elections, for example, might begin with a discussion of the town-meeting, proceed through municipal, county, and state elections, and finally arrive at an exposition of the manner of choosing the national executive. II. Association of Ideas Association of ideas constitutes the basis of one of the most advantageous and commonly used methods of arrangement. Many discussions which do not lend themselves to the time, space, simple to complex, or other method of procedure are effectively carried forward by the impetus of suc |
