Speech is the crown of oratorical action; it is this which gives the final elucidation, which justifies gesture.  Gesture has depicted the object, the Being, and speech responds:  God.

Chapter IV.

The Value of Words in Phrases.

Expression is very difficult.  One may possess great knowledge and lack power to express it.  Eloquence does not always accompany intellect.  As a rule, poets do not know how to read what they have written.  Hence we may estimate the importance of understanding the value of the different portions of a discourse.  Let us now examine intellectual language in relation to intensity of ideas.

There are nine species of words, or nine species of ideas.  The article need not be counted, since it is lacking in several languages.  It is the accord of nine which composes the language, and which corresponds to the numbers.  Every word has a determinate, mathematical value.

As many unities must be reckoned on the initial consonant as there are values in the word.

Thus the subject has less value than the attribute.

The attribute has a value of six degrees and represents six times the intensity of the subject.  Why?  Because God has willed that we should formulate our idea with mathematical intensities.

The value rests only upon the initial consonant of the word.  Words have only one expressive portion, that is, the initial consonant.  It receives the whole value, and is the invariable part of the word.  It is the root.  Words are transformed in passing from language to language, and nevertheless retain their radical.

How shall we say that a flower is charming?

Do not demand of intensity of sound a value it does not possess.  It suffices to await the articulation of the consonant.

The most normal phenomena remain true to mechanical laws.  The mere articulation of the word expresses more than all the vocal and imitative effects that can be introduced.

Most speakers dwell upon the final word; this habit is absolutely opposed to the nature of heart movements.  This school habit is hard to correct, and if Rachel became a great artiste, it was because she did not have this precedent.

The subject represents one degree; it is the weakest expression.

The verb represents two degrees; the attribute six.  Let us illustrate the manner of passing from one to six as follows: 

A rustic comes to visit you upon some sort of business.  This man has a purpose.  As you are a musician he is surprised by his first sight of a piano.  He says to himself:  “What is this?  It is a singular object.”

It is neither a table nor a cupboard.  He now perceives the ivory keys and other keys of ebony.  What can this mean?  He stands confounded before an instrument entirely new to him.  If it were given to him, he would not know what to do with it; he might burn it.  The piano interests him so much that he forgets the object of his visit.