Delsarte System of Oratory by Delaumosne

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Delsarte System of Oratory by Delaumosne

(7 User reviews) 3236

By Charlotte Girard Posted on Nov 15, 2025

In Category - Literary Mystery

Authors: Delaumosne Published By : Delaumosne

Book Language: English

Ever wonder what it would be like to find a forgotten rulebook for being human? That's 'Delsarte System of Oratory' in a nutshell. It's not a novel—it's a bizarre and fascinating artifact from the 1800s that tried to map every single human emotion and thought onto a specific pose, gesture, or facial expression. Imagine a world where raising an eyebrow three inches meant 'philosophical doubt' and a hand on the chest signaled 'suppressed love.' I picked it up expecting dry theory, but it reads like a secret code for deciphering people, written by someone who believed they had cracked the ultimate system. It's equal parts genius, weird, and unintentionally hilarious.

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Chapter IX. Of Gesture in Relation to the Figures Which Represent It. Part Third. Articulate Language. Chapter I. Origin and Organic Apparatus of Language. Chapter II. Elements of Articulate Language. Chapter III. The Oratorical Value of Speech. Chapter IV. The Value of Words in Phrases. The Conjunction--The Interjection in Relation to its Degree of Value--A Resumé of the Degrees of Value Chapter V. French and Latin Prosody Chapter VI. Method. Dictation Exercises Chapter VII. A Series Of Gestures For Exercises. Preliminary Reflections--The Series of Gestures Applied to the Sentiments Oftenest Expressed by the Orator: (1) Interpellation; (2) Thanks, Affectionate and Ceremonious; (3) Attraction; (4) Surprise and Assurance; (5) Devotion; (6) Interrogative Surprise; (7) Reiterated Interrogation; (8) Anger; (9) Menace; (10) An Order for Leaving; (11) Reiteration; (12) Fright--Important Remarks Appendix Epilogue Arnaud On Delsarte. Part Fourth. Chapter I. The Bases of the Science Chapter II. The Method. Ellipsis--Shades and Inflections--Vocal Music--Respiration--Position of the Tone--Preparation of the Initial Consonant--Exercises-- Appoggiatura--Roulades and Martellato--Pronunciation--E mute before a Consonant--E mute before a Vowel. Chapter III. Was Delsarte a Philosopher? Chapter IV. Course of Applied Æsthetics. Meeting of the Circle of Learned Societies--Theory of the Degrees. Chapter V. The Recitation of Fables. Chapter VI. The Law of Æsthetics. Chapter VII. The Elements of Art. The True. The Good. The Beautiful. Chapter VIII. Application of the Law to Various Arts. Dramatic, Lyric and Oratorical Art. Application of the Law to Literature. Application of the Law to Architecture. Application of the Law to Sculpture. Application of the Law to Painting. Chapter IX. Delsarte's Beginnings. Chapter X. Delsarte's Theatre and School. Chapter XI. Delsarte's Family. Chapter XII. Delsarte's Religion. Chapter XIII. Delsarte's Friends. Chapter XIV. Delsarte's Scholars. Chapter XV. Delsarte's Musical Compositions. Chapter XVI. Delsarte's Evening Lectures. Chapter XVII. Delsarte's Inventions. Chapter XVIII. Delsarte before the Philotechnic Association. Chapter XIX. Delsarte's Last Years. Literary Remains Of François Delsarte. Part Fifth. Publisher's Note. Delsarte's Last Letter To The King Of Hanover Episode I. Episode II. Episode III. Episode IV. Episode V. Semeiotics of the Shoulder. Episode VI. Episode VII. What I Propose. The Beautiful. Trinity. Reversal of Processional Relations. Passion of Signs, Signs of Passion. Definition of Form. On Distinction and Vulgarity of Motion. Gesture. Definition of Gesture. Attitudes of the Head. Attitudes of the Hands. Affirmation of the Hand. Table of the Normal Character of the Nine Attitudes. Attitudes of the Legs. The Holy Trinity Recovered in Sound. Speech. Breathing. Vocal Respiration. Logical Respiration. Passional Respiration. Vocal Organ. Definition Of The Voice. What the Register is. On Shading. Pathetic Effects. On the Tearing of the Voice. Number. Medallion of Inflection. The Nature of the Colors of Each Circle in the Color Charts. The Attributes of Reason. Random Notes. Part Sixth. The Lecture and Lessons Given by Mme. Marie Géraldy (Delsarte's Daughter) in America. Part Seventh. Article by Alfred Giraudet. Article by Francis A. Durivage. Article by Hector Berlioz. Delaumosne On Delsarte. The Delsarte System, by M. l'Abbe Delaumosne, (_Pupil of Delsarte._) Translated by Frances A. Shaw. François Delsarte. François Delsarte was born November 11, 1811, at Solesme, a little town of the Department of the North, in France. His father, who was a renowned physician and the author of several inventions, might have secured a fortune for his family, had he been more anxious for the morrow, but he died in a state bordering upon poverty. In 1822, François was apprenticed to a porcelain painter of Paris, but, yielding to a taste and aptitude for music, in the year 1825, he sought and obtained admission to the Conservatory as a pensioner. Here a great trial awaited him--a trial...

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Let's be clear: this isn't your typical book. Forget a plot with characters. The 'story' here is the wild ambition of François Delsarte himself. In the 19th century, he became obsessed with the idea that every inner feeling had a perfect, corresponding outer physical expression. His student, Delaumosne, wrote this book to explain the system. It breaks the human body into zones (the head = intellect, the torso = emotion, the limbs = life) and then prescribes exact gestures for concepts like 'terror,' 'prayer,' or 'lyric inspiration.' It's a detailed, almost mathematical guide to performing humanity.

Why You Should Read It

I loved this book for how strangely modern it feels in its obsession with systems and self-presentation. Reading it, you can't help but start analyzing the body language in movies or on the street. It makes you hyper-aware of how we communicate without words. While the system itself is rigid and often comically specific (there's a whole section on the 'correct' way to point), the core idea—that our bodies are stories waiting to be read—is compelling. It's a historical peek into how people once thought about art, acting, and connection.

Final Verdict

This is a niche gem, but a brilliant one. It's perfect for theater lovers, history nerds, or anyone fascinated by old, quirky ideas about psychology and art. If you enjoy odd primary sources that show how people in the past tried to make sense of the world, you'll get a kick out of this. Don't read it for practical advice; read it as a curious and wonderfully strange piece of intellectual history. It's a conversation starter for sure.

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