He was wont to pour forth the copious stream of plain, intelligible observations, and indulge in the varied appeals to feeling, memory, and interest, which Lord Brougham sets down as characteristic of ancient oratory.

It has been said that while Demosthenes was a sculptor, Burke was a painter.

Mr.Webster was distinctly more of the former than the latter.

He rarely amplified or developed an image or a description, and in this he followed the Greek rather than the Englishman.
Dr.Francis Lieber wrote: "To test Webster's oratory, which has ever been very attractive to me, I read a portion of my favorite speeches of Demosthenes, and then read, always aloud, parts of Webster; then returned to the Athenian; and Webster stood the test." Apart from the great compliment which this conveys, such a comparison is very interesting as showing the similarity between Mr.Webster and the Greek orator.

Not only does the test indicate the merit of Mr.Webster's speeches, but it also proves that he resembled the Athenian, and that the likeness was more striking than the inevitable difference born of race and time.