_Whatever hinders the free vibration of
tones makes displeasing impressions of the speaker_. When a man has a
bad cold in his head that blocks the nasal passages, his voice rasps the
ears of a hearer.
[Sidenote: Avoid Giving Displeasure]
Not only please by _doing_ things that give _pleasure_; also _avoid_
doing _displeasing_ things. For example, when you say or suggest
anything to another person you want to influence, remember to be a
_salesman_ of your ideas. Do not make the impression that you are
_teaching_. No adult human being really enjoys being _taught_. Any grown
person likes to be treated as an equal, and to have new thoughts
conveyed to him without that suggestion of superior intelligence which
is characteristic of many teachers when dealing with pupils. Perhaps you
have heard Burton Holmes lecture. His enunciation is a delight in its
perfection, but he talks "according to the dictionary" so naturally
that his correctness does not sound a bit affected. You feel at home
with him.
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