ACCLAMATION. to"): prop erly, expressing any judgment of an assembly or a large part of it by shouting: but in usage restricted entirely to a favorable one. The choice of rulers among most early Aryan tribes or nations was by acclamation: the candidate was presented by a previous understanding— among the Vikings raised on a shield in the presence of the chiefs — and acclaimed by the voices of the assembled multitude. In some cases, as with the Poles even quite late in their history, the agreement was only made when the throng had gathered and there were more than one set of acclaimers, often ending in a pitched battle to decide which party preponder ated. In the minor divisions of modern politi cal life, voting by acclamation is usual; a ballot being called for only when the parties are so evenly balanced that the preponderance is dubi ous, or a small majority has great strength of lungs, or the minority wish to make the major ity put their position on record, or simply to have the satisfaction of a proved vote. In ecclesiastical councils the vote by acclamation comes first also, the question being put as °placer' or "non placet.) In private matters, acclamation has been used from early times as an expression of good feeling or enthusiasm, as in the customary ((hurrahs," "huzzas" and atigers,s and the hear" of political assem blies, and the responsive shouts and groans of religious revivals or prayer-meetings. The ap plause in theatres, etc., being non-vocal does not
etymologically belong to the group, but is usually included as having the same intent. It began with genuine applause, an actor closing the play by some word asking for approval of the company — in the Roman theatre, )Plaudite) ye)), or a poet or orator who re cited in public expecting and receiving applause; but the claque, in modern French phrase, was very early organized by rich amateurs, who kept bands of paid applauders not only for their own use but to lend to friends. Nero had 5,000 of these, many of them equites or knights, to chant his praises at the direction of a profes sional music-master; they were called Augus tiniani. In the modern French theatre the claque is on a more modest footing and is paid by the management; the understood reason be ing (curiously) that it keeps up the spirits of the actors when the audience's coldness might depress them beyond the power to play well, and more rationally that it guides and stimu lates the audience itself to genuine applause when it might be simply sluggish and indif ferent. In old times applause was shouted at marriages, as "go Hymen," allymenwe," "Talas siop ; in festal or religious processions; to vic torious commanders in triumphs or ovations, as 'go triumphe"; and even, contrary to modern feelings of decorum, in churches, the pulpit orator being cheered at good passages.