THE John M. Webb Library Presented to TRINITY COLLEGE LIBRARY By Mrs. John M. Webb 1917 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION EMBRACING THE PHILOSOPHY OF VOCALIZATION, ILLUSTRATIONS AND EXERCISES FOR DRILL IN ALL THE ARTS OF READING AND DECLAMATION. By Prof. C. P. BRONSON, A.M., M. D. Edited bt LAURA M. BRONSON. i/ ^ 0^^ ^ LOUISVILLE: JOHN P. MORTON AND COMPANY, PUBLISHERS. 2o2.t Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 18V3, by JOHN P. MOKTON AND COMPANY, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. EtECTROTYPED BT ROBERT ROWELL, LOUISVILLE, KY. TO THE PUBLIC. The veteran and well-known elocutionist, Professor Bronson, left at his death a large quantity of manuscript, embracing matter on all the principles involved in voice-culture, reading, and speak- ing. It was found, upon examination, that much condensation and arrangement of these papers were necessary. This has been a labor requiring time, care, and experience. The result is now before the public. The pieces selected for readings, with the emphatic words and rhetorical pauses indicated, are culled from a large quantity thus prepared by him. Any person who attempts to describe accurately an action or vibratory movement of body or limb, in writing, will realize to a small extent the difficulty an author experiences in attempting to convey on paper, in a comprehensible manner, an idea of the tones of the human voice — its force, its melody, its multiplicity of shades and intonations. It is some- thing like an attempt to cage the wind. As the dancing-master can show by one movement of his foot what he could not fully explain in a dozen pages of a treatise, s*o the elocutionist in a few spoken words, or waves of voice, can elucidate a principle which many pages of printed matter could not make clear to the mind of his pupil. And yet the necessity for the treatise remains — a Manual of Principles is demanded as a text-book for both teacher and pupil. 4 TO THE PUBLIC. To meet in some degree this demand these essays and principles are given to the public, with the natural wish of any one who takes charge of a work of this character that, instead of being a mute, it had a voice and could speak. However irrelevant may appear to the novitiate some of the things suggested in this book as useful for- practice, he may be assured that the experience of the author during almost a life- time of teaching has found them not only necessary, but fruitful of good results; and nothing but what has been proved to be altogether essential has found place in this work. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Heading — Breath — Speech — Air — Manner of Breathing 11 CHAPTER II. Laughing — Breath and VoicE-sotrNDS — Practice for expulsion of Breath — Sighing 1-t CHAPTER III. The Philosophy of Vocalization — The Larynx — The Voice — Speech — Language — The Alphabet — Three distinct Classes of Letters... 18 CHAPTER IV. The Vowels — The English Alphabet — Vowels and Aspirates — Vibra- tions of Atmosphere in Speaking and Singing — Vowel-sounds the motive power of Speech 23 CHAPTER V. Vocal Gymnastics — Exercises in Accent and Emphasis — Sounds of the Letter A 26 CHAPTER VI. Vocal Gymnastics, continued — Sounds of E; Sounds of I; Sounds of O; Sounds of [/^—Quantity and Quality 31 CHAPTER VII. Pitch of the Voice — Diatonic Scale — Scale or Ladder for the Voice 35 CHAPTER VIII. Elements of Speech — Exercises in Articulation — Table of Aspirates—^ Aspirates and Subvowels — Table of Subvowels 40 CHAPTER IX. Aspirates — Manner of forming Aspirates — Sounds of C; F; H; P; Q; S; Z, K; T. 43 (5) 6 CONTENTS. CHAPTER X. Aspirates, contintted — B; D; G ; J; L; M; N; R; V; W; X— Digraphs: ch, sh, gh, ph, th, wh 48 CHAPTER XI. Articulation — Gymnastics of the Voice — Exercises for Running the Gauntlet — The "Leader" Exercise 52 CHAPTER XII. Accent — Inflection — Emphasis — Cadence 57 CHAPTER XIII. The Circumflex, or "Wave — Emphasis — Stress and Quantity — Rhetor- ical Pauses 66 CHAPTER XIV. Climax — Deep Breathing — Air — Stammering 81 CHAPTER XV. Pitch — The Orotund Voice — The Ealsetto — The Conversational Voice — The Grave Voice — The Tremolo — The Whisper — Various Movements of Voice 93 CHAPTER XVI. Modulation — Delivery — Examples in various Styles: Tenderness; Rapid, Light, and Brilliant; Awful; Threatening; Revenge; Scorn; Disgust and Contempt; Sarcasm; Remorse and Humilia- tion; Contrition and Doubt; Fear; Love; Sorrow and Grief; Horror and Agony 102 CHAPTER XVII. Exercise in Rapid and Parenthetical Movements of Voice — Echo — How to give Imitations — Examples 122 CHAPTER XVIII. The Reverential Style — True Emphasis — Name of the Deity — Exercises 152 CHAPTER XIX. Gesture and Deportment — Arbitrary Rules — Pantomime— Necessity OF Gesture — Faults of Orators — Grace and Dignity — Study of the Passions — Observations of Nature — Selections 173 CONTENTS. SELECTIONS FOR READING. Belial's Speech against the War with Heaven... 3fi ton 113 Ship on Fire 115 Mother and Poet Mrs. Browning 116 The Rum Maniac Allison 118 Soliloquy of the Dying Alchemist N. P. Willis 119 "No" Eliza Cook 124 The Red Hunters, or Prairie on Fire M. V. Fuller 126 Bugle Song Tentiyson 127 The Long Expected: True Love Never 'Lost....Masserf 128 Love, or How I won my Genevieve Coleridge 130 Edward Gray Tennyson 132 Address to the Ocean Byron 133 The Ocean Fanny Green 13-5 The Alps Willis Gaylord Clark 135 The Celestial Army T. Buchanan Read...-. 136 The Ursa Major H. Ware, Jr 137 Paradise and the Peri Moore 140 Battle of Bunker Hill F. S. Cozzens 143 Ode to Eloquence 145 The Marseilles Hymn De L'Isle 147 Columbia Timothy Divight 148 Herve Riel Robert Browning 149 Sennacherib's Ruin Isaiah xxxvi, xxxvii 155 Paul at Cesarea Actsxxv 150 Paul before Agrippa Actsxxvi 157 Destruction of Sennacherib Byron 159 The Constancy of the Jews in Captivity Psalm cxxxvii 159 Confidence in God's Care Psalm xxiii 160 God's Dominion in the "World Psalm xxiv 160 Christmas Carol E. H. Sears 160 An Exhortation to Praise God Psalm, xcviii 161 The Lord's Resurrection 162 Creation Proves the Existence of God L. M. Double 162 The Living Waters .'. 163 The Morning Dawns 163 The Heavenly Canaan Watts 164 Tell me, ye Winged Winds Charles Mackay 164 The Excellence of God's Law Psalm xix 165 My Psalm John G. Whittier 166 Confidence in God's Protection Psalm xxvii 167 The Dying Christian to his Soul 168 Christ in the Tempest '. John G. Whittier 168 "Still with Thee" Mrs. H. B. Stowe 169 Who by searching can find out God? E. Scvdder 170 The Leper N. P. Willis 170 8 CONTENTS. Immortality of the Soul Addison 172 Song of the Shirt Thomas Hood 176 Hamlet's Advice to the Players Shakespeare 178 Moonbeams 173 Fairy Bells and Bridges 179 The Human Brain 180 The Katydid 0. W. Holmes 181 Beauty Dr. Channing 182 Morning in Spring Geo. D. Prentice 183 .Lochiel's Warning Campbell 184 The Prisoner of Chillon Byron 186 Music liO Music of the Ocean. '. 191 Music of the Night J. Neal 192 Vocal Music 193 The Music of Childhood Jean Ingclow 198 A Lady Singing Parsons 193 Music of the Universe Frances S. Osgood. 194 Peter Pickle's Picture, with Gold Frame Planche 194 Press On! 196 The Big Shoe Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney 197 Clandestine Interviews Dickens 199 Tempest Dickens 207 The Announcement of Steerforth's Death Dickens 215 A Singular Coincidence Dickens 218 Mr. Pickwick and Mrs. Bardell Dickens 220 Marco Bozzaris Halleck 228 Poems Unwritten Mary H. C. Booth 225 The Angel Post 225 The Pauper's Death-bed Mrs. Southey 226 A Slight Mistake 226 Our Field 228 Profanity E. H. Chapin 228 The Pvose 228 The Baboon at Home 231 "William Pitt Macaulay 232 Warwick Castle H. W. Beecher 233 A Sabbath at Stratford-on-Avon 235 The French Assembly of 1792 Macaulay 236 Dfefeat of the Spanish Armada /. Lathrop Motley 237 The Golden City Mackay 240 The Wing Michelet ?.242 The Thunder-storm Geo. D. Prentice 245 Cardinal Wolsey's Soliloquy Shakespeare 247 Othello's Apology Shakespeare 250 Clarence's Dream Shakespeare 253 Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare 255 Hamlet and his Mother Shakespeare 259 Lear and his Daughters Shakespeare 262 CONTENTS. 9 Lady Macbeth and her Husband Shakespeare 273 King Henry VIII Shakespeare 280 Queen Katharine on Trial Shakespeare 283 The Arab's Farewell to his Steed Mrs. Norton 28tJ Song of the World — Money-nniking Massey 288 My Beloved is all the World to me Massey 200 God's World is worth Better Men Massey 201 The Four Eras of Human Life Royeis 202 Loch Katrine Walter Scott 292 Revenge: Foscari, the Doge of Venice Rogers 298 The Brides of Venice Foyers 298 Dying Gladiator Byron 301 The Alps at Daybreak Rogers .302 Lament of the Peri for Hinda Moore 302 Home Scenes in my Native Vale Rogers 303 The Shipwreck Byron 304 Origin of Feelings, Thoughts, and Acts 305 The Lust of Power Pollok 305 Fowls of the Air and Lilies of the Field 307 Progress of Life from Infancy to Old Age 307 Hail to the Gentle Bride Mitford 30S The Last Minstrel Walter Scott 303 The Roman Soldier Atherstone 811 A Winter Sketch and Domestic Scenes Hoyt 313 Soul-longing: its Meaning and Results Lowell 315 To Give is to Live 315 Our Wee White Rose Massey 316 Blessings on Children Sini7ns 317 True Love binds Soul and Body 319 The Various Roads to Fame Pollok 310 Earthly Reputation Pollok 320 The Old Clock on the Stairs Lonyfellow 321 Earthly Ambition Vain Pollok 322 Interview between Youth and Sorrow Mackay 323 Forgive and Forget Tupper 324 The Grave of Franklin Waterman 325 To-day and To-morrow Massey 326 Wooed and Won: The Bliss of Life Massey 327 Pictures Hanging on Memory's Wall Carey 329 The Last Leaf, or the Old Man Holmes 329 The Christian Euler Pollok 330 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. CHAPTER I. Readino — Breath — Speech — Air — Manner of Breathing. The elements and principles of reading and speaking have been arranged in essays, for reading-lessons ; so that they can not by any possibility be overlooked or neglected by either teacher or pupil. They constitute the important part of the work, and are not placed here simply to fill a book. The want of a knowledge of these principles is very obvious. It is difficult to find the public speaker or elocutionist who does not exhibit a lack of proper training in articulation and pronunciation, to say nothing of the higher and more elegant graces of the art of delivery. By the unprofessional, particularly the youths of our land, the sowids of letters are things not taken into consideration. But if teachers and parents are ignorant, we should not chastise the children. One of the most effective sounds of our language is almost entirely ignored by a large class of persons — the r ; and we could spare almost any other subvowel better; for, when properly enunciated, it gives dignity to the language — when neglected, the result is weakness and affectation. We therefore make the Elements of Speech the prominent feature of this work. To become a good reader involves certain conditions which must be complied with or excellence can not be achieved in this art. The first condition is to have developed a clear, round, smooth voice ; the second is a perfect control of the vocal organs, com- prising a distinct articulation of all the elements of sound as expressed by the letters of our alphabet; third, perfect self-possession. "No man can serve two masters." If fear or distrust of our powers has the control, art can not be represented. (11) 12 MANUAL OP ELOCUTION. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living soul." How wonderful is breath! this simple motion of air; this mysterious, active agent, invisibly, silently vitalizing and animating nature — pulsations cease or beat — life comes or goes on its wings. With it are woven the sweet words of affection and the melodies of song. When our hearts are stirred with responsive sympathies, these gush forth in accents of speech, coined in tender phrases, borne from lip to ear, from soul to soul, by this gentle messenger, this slender stream of air, called breath. Let us reverence it — let it come to us freely, fully, joyfully. Yet it is nothing but air — air that is common every-where. It plays wantonly with the mighty monarchs of the forest, kissing and swaying their branches with rough caress, till they reel and laugh with hoarse mutterings of delight. Again, swollen to the fierce hurricane, it makes fearful music of their crashing Umbs and snapping trunks. It comes to us in the soft summer morning laden with the perfume of flowers ; but ere it reaches us it has kissed a thousand scented leaves. The birds soar aloft in this mysterious ether, pouring their triumphal songs on its resonant bosom; and the butterfly and buzzing insect, "like winged flowers and flying gems," sparkle and shimmer in their dazzling beauty. But whether it brings upon its waves the mutterings of the coming storm, or the merry, ringing laugh of childhood — the awful booming of the heavy cannonade, or the silvery tones of the violin — it is air, such as we breathe. Oh ! then let it become a thing of joy to us — this great motive power, charging with ceaseless activities the complicated machinery of our bodies. Let us learn to make it a thing of beauty, wreathing embodied thoughts in vocal gems of purity and sweetness that shall gladden the ears of all who listen. Breathing, — breathing sweet and strong, Breathing, — breathing deep and long, Breathing full, and breathing fair, Breathing naught but purest air. Speech is vocalized breath. If the pupil has not learned to breathe naturally, or through bad habits has lost the proper control of the organs, the first effort must be to restore a normal process of breathing. No clear, musical sound can be given unless the muscles of the chest and vocal organs are strong by the exercise of natural breathing. A feeble or imperfect voice is always disagreeable and sometimes painful to the hearer. MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 13 Air, of which breath is made, should be inhaled through the nose. Be it distinctly understood that this is the appropriate organ to receive, warm, and filter the air of impurities, adapting it to the use of the lungs. The nose is suitably lined with a material that catches the minutest particles of dust and all irritating substances, preventing them from reaching the air-passages and lungs. The mouth is not thus prepared, because it has other specific purposes and uses. One of these is to keep the vocal organs moist and soft for the act of talk- ing. The air, unfiltered, as received through this channel, deposits its impurities in the saliva, drying it, and causing a stiffness of the membranes, producing inflexibility of muscle and consequent huski- ness of voice. It visits the lungs cold and unclean, forcing the delicate cells to receive it unprepared for their use, thus effectually sowing seeds for all throat and lung affections. Avoid breathing through the mouth if you desire health and a sweet, smooth-toned vocality. Another reason why the air should be received through the nose is that by this effort a natural motion of the muscles of the abdomen is produced, allowing them to vibrate with ease; whereas breathing through the mouth incites a gasping effort, producing an expansion of the upper part of the lungs only, causing an unnatural elevation of the shoulders, leaving the lower part of the lungs unexpanded, and consequently unvitalized with air. Stand erect, resting the weight of the body gracefully on the left foot; throw the shoulders and head back, not strainedly, but with sufficient dignity to allow the diaphragm ease of action; place the hands upon the hips, with the fingers pressing upon the abdomen, the thumbs extending backward, and with the mouth shut breathe through the nose, forcing the breath down until the motion can be distinctly felt under the fingers. Let this practice be repeated until this long, full breathing becomes a habit. When we are sitting at ease, and not using the voice, our breathing is slow and regular; but the more we exercise, speak, or sing, the greater the expenditure of breath, and consequently the more fre- quently we must inhale fresh air. Many persons fall victims to a neglect of this practice ; and little there is in the present method of primary instruction in reading, in our schools, calculated to give any aid to proper breathing. Indeed, it is not considered as having any part in making good readers and speakers ; the results of which are many exceedingly bad habits and unvitalized bodies. We shall treat more fully of this subject when we come to Em- phasis, Rhetorical expression, and the Music of the voice. 14 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. CHAPTER 11. Laughikg — Breath and Voice-sounds — Practice for expulsion of Breath — Sighing. The effort of laughing is a valuable gymnastic exercise, and when moderately indulged in strengthens the vocal muscles, and much facil- itates a healthy circulation of the blood, a good flow of genial spirits, and a happy disposition. A good, round, fuU, hearty Sa — ha — hah is a delightful expulsion of sound, a stout enemy to the "blue devils," and a far better remedy for dyspepsia than Graham-bread and tepid milk and water, with the condiment of woeful countenance. So, we will commence on the lowest line, right heartily, with a 3. HAH, hah, Imh! 2. HAH, hah, hah! 1. HAH, hah, hah I But even this must be indulged in with care and moderation at the commencement; for the lungs, diaphragm, and abdominal muscles, which are obliged to make strenuous exertions in this effort, are in most persons very weak. The complete exhaustion of air, consequent upon throwing out the breath, and the full, strong inhalation that follows, bring into requisition, for contraction and distension, the entire capacity of the muscles. Therefore discretion is necessary to guard against over-exertion at first. The unfortunate and hurtful fashions in clothing, and the various unnatural habits, have produced a weakness of these organs in our American youth. But we hope to laugh all artificial bandages and customs out of countenance; and we even dare to dream that the day will come when a sweet, clear, strong, perfectly-attuned voice may be considered one of the personal adornments. The teacher should require the pupil to make selections from authors, or furnish compositions of their own, where laughing is introduced; Avhich should be practiced until it becomes easy to give a seemingly spontaneous laugh whenever required. Although it is an easy matter to laugh when one feels like it, it is not so easy to laugh at command. Simply repeating the words ha, ha, MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 15 when the printed letters are seen, is not laughing. It will be well to employ the musical scale in this and other exercises, and when con- venient practice with the aid of some musical instrument, running up and down the scale, giving two or three hearty ha-hahs on each note ; but bear in mind this must be done with the laughing explosion, not with the singing effort. Then laugh the third, fifth, seventh, and back again, gaining all the varieties of exercises possible. A sweet, musical laugh is always delightful to the ear, and sun- shine and gladness follow in its wake. But we seldom hear it, and so seldom do we indulge in this healthful expression of joy or merri- ment, when we do lose our gravity sufficiently to give way to it, it amounts as a general thing to nothing more than a well-defined titter or giggle, which is disgusting in the extreme. While the little events of life make up the most of our joys and sorrows, let us cultivate those things that make ourselves and those around us happiest, and at the same time that will add most to our accomplishments. The whimpering exercise also must receive a great deal of practice, and in such a manner as will produce no unpleasant sensations in the throat. The breath must be husbanded with great care, and its expulsion be moderate and even, to enable the puj^il to acquire the power of filling a large hall with a clear, smooth whisper. No fears need be entertained that too much attention can be paid to these breath-sounds; for it is only by properly regulated inhalations and exhalations that we can achieve the best results for the voice. To neglect this important first step, and expect to attain excellence, would be as futile as to attempt to run before the strength of the limbs had been tested by the act of walking. By carefully observing in these efforts the various movements of the muscles and the position of the organs, we learn what our resources are. To make a breath-sound open wide the mouth and breathe out the word hah with as long and loud a whisper as can be produced. Ha 1 1 1. h This breath-sound vocalized is the material out of which all voice- sounds are made, both of speech and song. We must conclude, from our experience in practicing this sound, that ha, produced by simply opening the mouth and breathing it out naturally, is the radical sound of language. We can not, with any degree of safety, declare that either the aspirate h or the vowel a hold any such jjosition independ- ently; for if we utter a sound in breathing without an attempt at forming words, it will partake of this aspirate and the vowel a, as 16 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. in ah. Therefore if this is a primitive sound, it is so only by the perfect union of the aspirate and vowel. Persons laboring under the weight of some great affliction, or who are depressed with sorrow, give expression to their feelings by sighing the sound haJi. Sometimes it is aspirated and sometimes voiced. If very heavy and drowsy, they yawn and gape out the Ha — ha — ha — ha — . If boisterously merry, they laugh with explosive force the Ha-hah-hah-hah. And the infuriated wild animal slightly com- presses the glottis, and with set teeth trills, in a rough growl, over his tongue the Ha h. ha h. It is important in practicing the prolonged expulsive sounds that they be measured by keeping time. When several persons are prac- ticing together they should preserve unity by expelling the sounds on the same tone and in the same measure. This can be done in any of the usual ways, or by dropping the finger an inch for the first beat, another inch for the second beat ; then by raising it one inch for the third beat, and another for the fourth one ; occupying a whole, half, or quarter of a second for each motion, according to intention and desired efiect. First make the breath-sound one measure long; then condense it in a voice-sound for one more measure; then give another measure for the breath-sound; closing the last with the voice-sound. The time can be prolonged by an additional number of beats, as strength and facility in prolongation are gained. To acquire the habit of taking the quantity of breath necessary, and also to gain the control over the muscles of respiration that will allow of making two prolonged aspirate and two voice-sounds with one breath, is attended with more difficulty than is supposed. The experiment, however, will convince us that hard work and persistent efforts will be required. It will be well for the pupil to observe this distinction of breath and vocal-sounds ; for herein lies the secret of successful elocution. As before stated, out of the breath-sounds we make all the aspirates in our language, and by converting breath into voice-sound we make all the vowel and subvowel-sounds. Practicing the expulsion of breath, vocalized or unvocalized, in a given length of time is one of the best methods of gaining that desired strength, depth, and clearness of tone that makes us masters of the voice on all occasions. Therefore we ask that practice be be- stowed on this sound of ah until it can be obtained prolonged, clear, ^[AXUAL OF ELOCUTIOX. 17 and strong enough to fill the room. This exercise must be repeated vianij times to enable us to make the sound easily and musically; and tiiough we never use these prolonged sounds in conversation, they are very essential as vocal gymnastics. It will be readily inferred that to the singer and public speaker such exercises are of incalculable benefit. The sigh, which occurs in some compositions, expressive of great grief and despair, when repeated — as, ah, ah, ah — should not be given on the same pitch, but with a full expression, in vocalized breath, in the minor key, falling a half tone on each ; as, ah— ah— ah. In that exquisite poem by Mrs. Browning, the "Mother and Poet," Avhich is full of broken-hearted grief, this peculiar sighing occurs ; and if not i^roperly expressed the poem loses its force. "Toll his mother. Ah, ah, 'his,' 'their' mother, — not 'mine.' No voice says '3/y mother' again to me." . . . (Mi7ior) "Ah — ah — ah, when Gaeta's taken, what then? When the fair, wicked queen sits no more at her sport, Of the fire-balls of death crushing souls out of men? When the guns of Cavalli, with final retort, Have cut the game short?" Sighing is an emotional effort, sometimes expressing simple weari- ness, sometimes a lover's passion, but frequently it is the utterance of a great grief that does not express itself in words. All of these phases should be studied if the pupil desires to give a full and satis- factory rendering of the various thoughts and emotions Avith which the broad field of literature is diversified. Much observation and critical discrimination must be brought to bear in the practice of elocution. Every phase of human feeling should be studied as it expresses itself in the trials and experiences of life. We have given some examples in ah (or more properly, ha.) We hear this frequently expressed in 0, oh, ho. Sometimes Ave call it groaning or moaning. Little thought has been given to these audible upheavings of the swelling heart. 0, oh, is more indicative of personal pain, the anguish of self-remorse; while ah, ah, expresses hopeless grief caused by outside affliction. "Ladi/ Marheih — Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh! oh! Doctor — What a sigh is there ! The heart is sorely charged." 2 18 • MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. A sigh, when it emanates from the lover's breast, is expressive of the sweetest, tenderest sensibility. Moore immortalized this emotional breath by making it one of the three offerings which the beautiful and sorrowing Peri presented at the gates of Paradise — hoping it Avas the gift most dear to heaven which would gain her entrance within its golden portals. She watches the tender devotion of a beautiful maiden, who is breathing out her life in one long, loving kiss on the dead lips of her affianced husband. " ' Sleep,' said the Peri, as softly she stole The farewell sigh of that vanishing soul, As true — as e'er warmed a woman's breast — Sleep on, in visions of odor rest, In balmier airs than ever yet stirr'd Th' enchanted pile of that lonely bird, "Who sings at the last — his own — death — lay; And in music — and perfume dies away ! ' Thus saying, from her lips she spread Unearthly breathings through the place, And shook her sparkling wreath, and shed Such luster o'er each paly face, That like two lovely saints they seemed Upon the eve of doomsday taken From their dim graves, in odor sleeping ; "While that benevolent Peri heardd Like their good angel, calmly keeping Watch o'er them till their souls would waken." CHAPTER III. The Philosophy of Vocalization — The Larynx — The Yoice — Speech — Language — The Alphabet — Three distinct Classes of Letters. It is not deemed necessary to encumber these pages with engrav- ings exhibiting the anatomical construction of the vocal and articu- lating organs, Avhile such are already within the reach of any person who will take the pains to open any work on physiology. Every body possesses in perfection the instrument in which voice-sound is made. So wonderful and elaborate is it in construction, so delicate in its proportions, that for ages it has both puzzled and stimulated the ingenuity of man to construct something that would approximate to its tones. MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 19 Pliysiologists have named this vocal pipe the larynx, which forms a portion of the respiratory channel, and is not three inches in length perhaps ; and they have given us many elaborate theories to sustain their own ideas as to what kind of an instrument the human larynx is like. Aristotle and Galen, and the older writers in general, looked upon the larynx as a wind-instrument of the flute kind. Fabricius was among the first to object to this view of the subject. It is stated that about the commencement of the last century Dodart laid before the Academy of Sciences of Paris three memoirs on the theory of the voice, in which he considered the larynx to be a wind-instrument of the horn and not of the flute kind. Ferrein, in a communication also made to the Academy of Sciences, maintained that the larynx is a stringed instrument — each giving what seemed to him plausible arguments to sustain his theory. At a later period, even to the present day, a large number of physiologists regard the larnyx as a wind-instrument of the reed kind, such as the clarionet or hautboy. We have given quite a variety of opinions, sufiicient to show that the larynx is considered by men of science quite a complicated instru- ment. We shall differ from them in one essential point, which is that it is not like any of the aforesaid instruments ; but the degree of likeness of each is to be placed on the instruments that most fully imitate the qualities of the voice; for the larynx is the king of instru- ments — the grand model, fashioned by the Divine hand, animated by a presiding spirit, stamped with the seal of perfection, and which man must be ever content to imitate without the hope of equaling. The crowning excellence of all inventions must ever lie in their nearness of approach to its wonderful capacities. Yet it is a delicate little instrument, nicely packed away out of sight — a miniature affair, too common to be appreciated, because every person is in possession of one. Many long years are required, and freely given, to enable persons to achieve excellence in performing on musical instruments, and many years of valuable time are spent in acquiring a knowledge of the dead languages, and also to master the oiihography of our own — an orthog- raphy which we might reasonably wish were dead; while the ani- mating and vitalizing spirit of our own tongue — the sweet musical tones of speech, the delightful avenue of expression through which the tenderest and best of life's joys are exchanged — is neglected and abused, without the slightest compunctions of conscience. Had we cultivated voices, music would flow from human lips in speech as well . 20 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. as in song, and the pleasure of social intercourse would be enhanced tenfold. The little vocal pipe wherein voice-sound is produced forms a portion of the respiratory channel, and its entire management comes under the control of respiratory and muscular action. We inhale air and exhale breath. We can do so for an indefinite period of time and produce no sound ; but by volition, so simple we are scarcely conscious that we make it, this breath ripples with sound freighted with thought. Music, the emotions and passions, the tones of tenderness and love, and the shrieks of fear, are borne on its invisible wings. By what i:)rocess is this achieved? Why do we make one breath without sound and the next one vocal with ideas? How does it become a motive power of communication from person to person? We may sit in a vast church filled with human beings — breathing creatures — and a death-like silence prevail. One single voice bursts forth in song and the atmosphere is filled with sound, the whole superstructure seems alive with melody, and all the delicious variety and sweetness of tones are made by air-waves caused by breath playing on the vocal chords. It is said that the voice is an effort of volition ; so it is, and so also are all the efforts we make. But the place and manner of producing voice-sounds are matters of some importance to those who have weak voices, or are suffering from bad management or loss of voice. To explain, in the simplest manner possible, how voice is produced, we will say that by volition the chords at the bell-like cavity of the lorynx contract so as to collect and retain in the larynx the exhaling column of air, and the expulsion of this concentrated breath plays on the vocal chords, causing their vibration. The principle is that of the Eolian harj). Tlie waves of air sent rapidly out through the mouth produce a sound we call voice, and all sounds made in this way are denominated voice-sounds. Perhaps the nearest thing v.'e can refer to toward illustrating the manner in which the vocal chords contract, and at the same time to shoAV the power which the con- centrated breath displays when forced through a small aperture, and its susceptibility of modulation into a great variety of tones, is the act of whistling. The flexibility and contractility of the lips in some persons is truly wonderful, but of course not so much so as in the chords of the glottis. In the whistling act there is wanting the bell or round-shaped cavities of the mouth and larynx to give resonance to the vibrations. MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 21 It will be observed that much talk is frequently indulged in about chest-tones and head-tones, to designate the grave and acute sounds. All this is simi)ly absurd, as all voice-sounds ai-e made in the same place — neither in the head nor in the chest, but in the glottis, by the vibrations of the cJwrdoi vocales, before referred to. There are a given number of vibrations in each note of the scale or gamut, and the pitch of a sound always depends upon the number of air-waves or vibrations Avhich produce it. These determine the tone, and any variation in number changes the pitch. The range of voice, in degree from high to low, depends upon the ability one has of contracting and relaxing the vocal chords. The fewer the vibra- tions the graver the sound, and vice versa. Loudness of voice depends upon the extent of the vibrations, and these again will depend alto- gether upon the quality of the air and the force with which it is driven through the larynx. But the purity of tone depends upon the regularity or evenness of the air-waves. There is, however, Avhat Ave denominate a pitch of voice which is peculiar to each one of us, and is as designative as any other individual characteristic. Every one finds that there is a range of tones on which it is easier or more natural to speak than on any other. This can not and should not be interfered Avith, although the greatest possible range above and beloAV may be cultivated. Speech is made of a great variety of vocal and breath-sounds ; and by these sounds, joined or Avoven together into Avords and sentences, we couA^ey our thoughts and feelings to each other. This aa'C call artificial language, because it has been sanctioned by long use, and is agreed upon, and remains as yet the only systematic method by Avhich, as liuman, intelligent beings, Ave converse and make knoAvn our desires. We also have symbols of these sounds, or a system of notation, by Avhich Ave conA'^ey all these thoughts, desires, and emotions by Avhat Ave denominate written language. This table of notation is Avith us the English alphabet, Avhose twenty-six letters, as before stated, are sup- posed to stand as symbols or representatives of the A^arious sounds in the English language. Unfortunately, hoAVCA^er, this table is sadly imperfect and fatal to any systematic method of orthography or pro- nunciation. For instance, Ave say that a has four regular sounds, AA'hich is an utter impossibility. The letter a could, Avith as much truth, stand as a representative of the sixteen voAvel-sounds as for the four sounds it noAV symbolizes. The broad and short sound of a have no nearer similarity in sound to each other than they have to any other voAvel-sound. This Avaut of a distinct character for each 22 MANUAL OF ELOCUTIOISr. sound leaves us entirely without a basis upon which to construct a system of pronunciation which would be orderly and satisfactory. The eye and ear need the same training. They must be taught in harmony, else the results will be imperfect. If the letter a always stood for a simple sound, having once learned it, the eye would recog- nize it, and the voice know at once what sound to make. Now it must have some person's authority, who has several other backers of equal authority ; and if these are not at hand, it must venture a guess of one sound out of four, and run the gauntlet of ridicule if the guess do not hit upon the sanctioned sound. Perhaps no one realizes the painful vexations which result from this more than the teacher of elocution. However, we can only enter our protest, and then do our best with the material we have. We will now return to the letters, and divide them into three dis- tinct classes. A has four regular sounds. If ame sound, as in ale Grave sound, " . . . . Broad sound, " . . . . Short sound, " . . . . ah awl at E. E has two regular sounds. Long sound, as in , Short sound, " I has two regular sounds. Long sound, as in Short sound, " eel ell isle ill O. has three regular sounds. Long sound, as in old Close sound, " ooze Short sound, " on V. Uhas three regular sounds. Long sound, as in viicie Short sound, " up Close sound, " full Y. Y has three sounds. Y combination of ye, as in . . youth Y duplicate of I long, " . . rhyme . Y duplicate of I short, " . . hymn Oi, as in Diphthongs. . oil I Ou, as in MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 23 CHAPTER IV. The Vowels — The English Alphabet — Vowels and Asplrates — Vibra- tions OF Atmosphere in Speaking and Singing — Vowel-sounds the motive power of Speech. The letters a, e, i, o, v, y, are called vowels. These vowels we will call vocalized breath-sound. They are the only pure voice- sounds which we have, and constitute the musical material of both speech and song, and are embodied in all passional and emotional expressions of voice. They are free, open sounds, the simplest ones we make, and are capable of great prolongation. They are produced in the larynx, and derive their character of sound by the position and shape of the mouth, tongue, and lips while uttering them. To render these sounds full, clear, and pure in tone, free from nasal adulterations, and without running into a different voicel-sound, is an important object to attain,* one that requires persistent care and practice, and without which there can not be such a thing as a sweet and musical voice. This practice should be instituted as a daily exercise until the abdominal and respiratory muscles work in perfect harmony with the vocal chords, and all have gained sufficient strength and unity of action to enable the pupil to prolong the sound in pure and even tone ; also to increase it in great volume, and diminish again to an almost imperceptible tone, yet preserving the evenness and uniformity of the vibrations. In our table of twenty-six letters, or English alphabet, we have all the characters used in the broad and almost boundless field of English literature. They also stand as representatives of all the sounds we use in speech. It seems hardly possible, when we think of the many words spoken and the hundreds of thousands of volumes written, that these twenty-six letters should comprise all the material used in this great work. Imperfect as they are, we may congratulate ourselves that they have served so good and grand a purpose, and that they have enabled us to accomplish so much, */is a combination of ah-e. In making and prolonging it the voice must glide into one or the other of these sounds. It ought to be placed with the diphthongs. 24 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. They tell us, either in written or spoken words, all we know of the history of the earth on Avhich we live and of the human family ; all we have learned of the progress of science and art. They give us the ideal creations of the novelist and the poet. They are the me- dium through which we have had transmitted to us the inspirations of prophets and seers. And yet in our spoken language we have not treated them well, and we continue every day to treat them not only disrespectfully, but meanly; for we deprive them of the proper dis- play of their great beauty by not articulating them clearly. Now it is important that all should become acquainted with these little symbols; study their forms and proportions as expressed in sounds, and learn what are their sjyecific uses. The vowels have a mission specifically their own. The subvowels and asj)irates have quite another. The vowels convey the full voice. All the vowels, when clearly and fully uttered, vibrate nothing but voice-sound. They are used as motive power to convey words from the speaker to the listener. We might almost say we shoot words on these sounds. We will take for illustration the word hope. Let us sound the long vowel o alone ; then the apirates h and p by themselves; then unite them, and we find the importance which is attached to voice vibrations. If we articulate the aspirates by themselves, they can be heard but a few yards from us ; but when uttered in connection with vowels they are easily dis- tinguished at a comparatively great distance. "Wonderful truths, and manifold as wondrous, God hath written in the stars above; Eut not less in the bright flowers under us Stands the revelation of his love. Gorgeous flowers in the sunlight shining, Blossoms flaunting in the eye of day, Tremulous leaves, with soft and silver lining, Buds that open only to decay. Brilliant hopes, all woven in gorgeous tissues, Flaunting gaily in the golden light; Large desires, with most uncertain issues, Tender wishes blossoming at night. Those in flowers and men are more than seeming, Workings are they of the self-same powers Which the poet, in no idle dreaming, Seeth in himself and in the flowers." MANUAL OF ELOCUTIOX. 25 A given number of vibrations make a particular note or tone, but a forcible continuance of the tone makes prolongation. Singing can be heard fixrther than speaking, fur the reason that there is a greater prolongation of vowel-sounds in song than in speech. This is philosophical. The atmosphere surrounding the earth, by a beautiful and wise provision of our Creator, is made of vibratory and elastic quality, which renders it the general receptacle and medium of sound. Voice-sound being a sensation produced by tremulous motion, the waves of air thus continuously agitated convey the joulsations to the ear. Therefore the more forcil)le and continuous these pulsations the farther the sound is conveyed. It is the rapid and continuous vibra- tion of the vocal muscles that produce the prolongation of sound ; and the more even the pulsation the smoother and more musical the tones. If we speak, in an ordinary conversational pitch of voice, the words hope or home, we find the vibrations of the vowels are stopped in the mouth for the articulating organs to form the letters p and m ; but if we sing the words, the vibrations are continued as long as we dwell upon that particular note. In singing the articulatory sounds are secondary to the vowel or emotional sounds; while in speaking the expression of thought and ideas requires the clearly-defined expres- sion of the constrained aspirate and sub vowel sounds. Therefore, if we wish our voices to penetrate to gi'eat distances, we must use force that will produce continuous vibrations, sufficient to carry the sound to the desired point. If we have not power to do this, the sound of course must stop exactly where the vibration or aii'-wave ceases. Let this fact be distinctly impressed upon the minds of all who desire to become public speakers. Another fact must be remembered, which is, that it is one thing to be heard and quite another thing to be understood. A speaker may have great jDOwer in rolling out sounds, yet the aspirates and sub- vowels may be so feebly given, or mouthed in such a slovenly way, as to make the speech all sound and no sense. It is plain that the vowels must receive great practice in regard to loudness, to length of tone, to clear )i€S3 of tone, to evenness in swelling and diminishing the same sound, either for speaking or singing. The vowel-sounds are the basis of spoken language, and subserve a double purpose. They are not only the motive power of speech, but express the musical tones, and to a great degree the affectional and passional elements. This will be readily seen if we notice the utterances of animals and birds, also of children before they learn to express their wants and desires by articulated words. 26 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. CHAPTER V. Vocal Gymnastics — Exercisks ix Accent and Emphasis — Sounds of THE Letter A. Every pupil should be required to notice distinctly not only all the specific soumh of our language, simple and compound, but also the different and exact positions of the vocal organs necessary to produce them. The teacher should unyieldingly insist upon having these two things faithfully attended to ; for success in elocution and music absolutely demands it. No one therefore should wish to be excused from a full and hearty compliance. Master these elementary princi- ples, and you will have command of all the mediums for communi- cating your thoughts and feelings. In practicing the folloAving vocal-sounds the mouth must be as wide open and the lips as free and expanded as the nature of the sound will allow. The sounds must be made pure and strong, free from any nasal taint ; the position of the body elevated enough to permit the perfect and harmonious action of the dorsal and abdominal muscles. ^Vhon the sound is entirely emitted the mouth must be closed, and the replenishing breath received slowly and moderately through the nose. There must be no raising of the shoulders, nor any kind of heaving or motion of the upper portions of the lungs ; but an even inhalation, that will contract the diaphragm and put in motion the abdominal muscles. The pupil in elocution and music is strongly urged to attend to the right and the Avrong method of producing the sounds of our letters, as well as in enunciating words. By all means make the effort entirely below the diaphragm, while the chest is comparatively at rest; and as you value health and hfe, and good natural speaking, avoid the cruel practice o^ exploding the sounds, by whomsoever taught or recommended. The author's long experience and practice, with his sense of duty, justify this protest against that unnatural manner of coughing oid the soimds, as it is called. Nine tenths of his hundreds of pupils whom he has cured of the bromhitis have induced the disease by this exploding process, which ought itself to be exploded. MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 27 Bear constantly in mind that all sounds are made of vibrations of air. We will vocalize the sound of a, thus : Ha ^ h. We Avill next produce the vocal-sound, leaving off the aspirate, which will give us the grave sound of a, commencing full and strong, grad- ually diminishing in force and quantity of sound until it ceases. Great care must be observed to make the a h expulsion of the breath even, that the sound emitted may be smooth and pure, bearing in mind that converting all the breath into sound gives purity and sweetness ; whereas, if it is allowed to escape without being thus used, a husky or rasping noise will accompany the voice-sound. After having repeated a few times the example given, we Avill reverse the effort; after which we will unite the swell and diminish; and then reverse it. ;. . These are daily exercises for the voice ; and in each succeeding daily practice the endeavor should be to increase the volume and length of sound ; but caution must be used, lest it fatigue the organs too much. For a second step in measure, we will divide the swell into half the length, the teacher beating or counting the time. " Then I heard a strain of music, So mighty, so pure, so dear, Tliat my very sorrow was silent. And my heart stood still to hear. It rose in harmonious rushing Of mingled voices and strings. And I tenderly laid my message On the music's outspread wings. And I heard it float farther and fiirther, In sound more perfect than speech; Farther than sight can follow, Farther than soul can reach. And I know that at last my message Has passed through the golden gate ; So my heart is no longer restless. And I am content to wait." We will now practice on three notes of the scale involving the diminish and swell. Commence softly on the second note, increasing and slurring into a full swell on the first note ; gradually diminish and slur again to the second note, making it an almost imperceptible sound ; rise to the third note, and descend in the same way, catching breath at the diminishing note. 28 MANUAL OF ELOCUTICTST, To shorten this vocalized bi^eath-souncr cut it up for the formation of words and syllables. We will repeat the word Ah a great nianv times in quick succession, making three sounds at each effort : the first one very loud, the second much fainter, and the third one a mere echo of the second : An-a/i-ah. In the examples just given we take the first step in forming words. By giving stress or force to the first effort, lessening it on the second, and letting the third receive the natural diminution of the sound, we bring into use accent. In this second unaccented expulsion we get the true sound of ah as used in all conditions where there is no partic- ular stress needed. Examples. — I ?aw a man and a boy in a field after a horse, a cow, and a sheep, v.'hile a hawk, a swallow, and a robin flew over them all. Charles bought a large and a small aijple for a cent of a woman who had a stall beside a stream where a lad caught a pike, a roach, and a trout. Ah, alms, arch, ark,- arms, art, aunt, ardent, argue. Here is an illustration of the manner in Avhich words are enun- ciated: ART-ful-ly, ART-Zess-ly, ART-i-zan. In these examples the accent is on the first syllable, while the others are merely spoken loud enough to be heard. In the following examples the accent is on the second syllable, the first one being like the last sound of the preceding measure : Ap-PLi- ance, so-yo-roiis, be-HA v-{or. The accented syllables should be as prominent to the ear as these letters are to the eye. "Let each cadence melt in languor Softly on my ravished ears, Till my half-closed eyes are brimming With a rapture of sweet tears. Summon back fond recollections, Such as gentle sounds prolong ; Flights of memory embalming In the amber of a song." "Then read from the treasured volume The poem of thy choice, And lend to the rhyme of the poet The beauty of thy voice. And the night shall be filled with music, And the cares that infest the day Shall fold their tents like the Arabs, And as silently steal away." ISfANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 29 In expelling the vowel-sounds we find the fiust one in each measure is strongly accented. Now this accent is the element of emphasis. Let us give it several times, as heretofore, and increase in strength and loudness in each succeeding effort. . A as in ale is the name sound of a, and must receive the same kind and amount of practice as the preceding sonnd. Ace, ache, age. Tiiis is always the sound of the article a when contrasted with the word tJie; as, I said a man, nottlie man; a book, not the book; a horse, not the horse ; a knife, not the knife ; a star, not the star. Now let us again expel this sound, and instead of making the emphasis, we will prolong the sound equally, as we did the first a. Let us do the same, but give the swell and diminish instead of the last equal long sound. Let us notice particularly the important principles here indicated, which are the expulsion of sounds, the accented and unaccented syllables, the emphasis, and the measure of speech and song, for these elements are involved in every word and sentence. The practice of these different sounds, according to examples, is for drilling and educating the organs to produce the sounds distinctly, clearly, and musically; and, as these vowels are all distinct sounds, not one should be neglected. Pupils might expect as rationally to perfect themselves in all the notes in the musical scale by practicing' one or two as to think to render all these sounds correctly by practicing one or two of them. Each one requires a different position of the organs, and, of course, exercise on that position to insure strength of the class of muscles used. The third sound of A is broad; and is so called because in making it the mouth is, perj^endicularly, more opened, or broader, than it is when we make other sounds of the same letter. This is shoAvn by dropping and projecting the jaw, bringing the corners of the moutli nearer together, and projecting the lips. Awe, all, awl, Al-ba-ny, al-be-it, al-most, al-ter, al-ways, au-burn, au-dit, au-ger, au-thor, au-tumn, aw-ful, pal-frcy, wa-ter (not "\vot-ter, as many say.j "Once the -welcome light was brolccn, who shall say "U'hat the un imagined glories of the day? TThat the evil that shall perish in its ray? Aid the dawning, tongue and pen ; Aid it, hopes of honest men ; Aid it, paper; aid it, type; Aid it, for the hour is ripe, And our earnest must not slacken into play. Men of thought and men of action, clear the way! " 30 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. We will practice these sounds as before, and see if we can not improve our manner of giving them by making the accent and the emphasis more prominent and musical: Awe — awe — awe. Being careful to observe the important points in this exercise, let us repeat, and give the long equal sound instead of the emphatic one. In making all the long single sounds we must keep the mouth and lips in the same position, from beginning to end, Avhether we make them equal all the Avay, or give the swell and diminish. The fourth sound of A is short, because we can not prolong it at all without changing this peculiar characteristic, as may be seen by trying it: ab, ac, ad, ap, ag, al, am, an, and, apt, as, ash, asp, at, ab-bot, ac-cent, ag-ile, af-ter, al-ley, am-ple, An-na, ap-ple, ar-row, as-pen, ax-es, hash, dash, can, fast, rash, sat, trap, rat, rams. Many incor- rectly tell us to give a long, intermediate sound to this a, nearly like the radical sound, as in fa-ther; but this is entirely wrong, and comes from their not opening the mouth properly, and bringing forward its corners so as to avoid a very unpleasant nasal, whining sound. Thus they run from one extreme into another. Beware of such mistakes in this class of words — grasp, pass, etc. In passing from the radical sound into a in all and ale, and in gliding into a in at, we see in the former case that there is a continuous sound, which is called long because it can be continued without altera- tion ; while in the latter it was instantly stopped because it is a short sound, and never can be prolonged in speech without being altered or changed into something else. Let us try them again, and we shall see the marked difference between long and short sounds. To give the short sounds of a in mat, rat, cat, etc., open wide the mouth, project the under jaw and lips, and let them play freely in speaking such words as 7ias, cast, etc. If any attempt is made to prolong this sound in such words as his and hat, it will run into the sound of e, as hah-et, hi-es. This short explosive sound can not be made without a violent effort of the abdominal muscles. " Poison be their drink, Gall, — loorse than gall, — the daintiest meat they taste; Their sweetest shade a grove of cypress trees ; Their sweetest prospects — mouldering basalisks; Their music frightful — as the serpent's hiss ; And boding screech-owls make the concert full." "Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; Though with patience he stand waiting, with exactness grinds he all." MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 31 CHAPTER VI. Vocal Gymnastics, continued — Sounds of E; Sounds of /; Sounds of 0; Sounds of U — Quantity and Quality. E has two regular sounds: first, the name-sound, which is capable of great prolongation, and must receive practice on all the examples given for the long and broad sounds of a. Eve, east, eel. The second sound of E is short, because we can not prolong it without altering it. Ebb, edge, egg, eld, elf, emblem, en-ter, ep-ic, er-rand, Es-sex, eth-ics, er-ror, ex-cel, ex-cept, ex-empt, ex-pense, ex-tend, beg, cell, dell, pen, gem, hen, jest, let, met, net, pet, guess, rent, sell, test, vest, well, yes, rest. Any attempt to prolong this sound will give us the mongrel sound as as in short a. In expelling this short sound of e we must remember and distin- guish those important things, accent, emphasis, etc. We must be particular to drop and project the jaw a little in making this sound. " Ye clouds that gorgeously repose Around the setting sun, Answer ! have ye a home for those "Whose earthly race is run ? The hright clouds answer' d — 'We depart, "We vanish from the sky; Ask what is deathless in thy heart For that which can not die ! ' " " Joys, that leap'd Like angels from the heart, and wander'd free In life's young morn to look upon the flowers, The poetry of nature, and to list The woven sounds of breeze, and bird, and stream Upon the night air, have been stricken down In silence to the dust." I has two regular sounds: we give the first sound, which is long, in speaking its name. "When pronounced in full it is diphthongal, com- mencing with the sound of ah and ending with e. Ice, ides, ire, isle, i-dle, i-ron (i-urn), i-o-ta, i-vo-ry, bide, cite, drive, pine, knife, hide, mite, nine, pie, ride, site, tile, vile, wine, etc. What part of a sound should be prolonged ? As a general rule, the radical part, which is 82 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. where the vocal organs first open on the sound. But i long is an exception. Tlie first radical ah sound glides into ee. Therefore the position of the organs must change. In giving this narae-sound of i we must be very cautious about having the organs in the right position, 'and making the proper effort from the lower muscles before alluded to. The second sound (rf lis slioH. If, ill, imp, in, ink, inch, inn, is, it, itch, illi-cit, im-be-cile, in-ci-dent, in-dis-tinct, in-hab-it, in-quis-i-tive, in-sip-id, in-stinct, in-di-vis-i-bility, is-o-late ; hid, cid, did, fib, gilt, hilt, jib, kid, lid, mit, nit, pin, quip, sit, tin, victim, wish, zinc. Let us remember that in expelling the vowel-sounds we are prac- ticing some of the most important principles involved in reading, speaking, and singing — meaaure, accent, and emphasis. A peculiarly soft sound is given to % when it follows the hard guttural sound of (j and k. Begin by making two syllables out of one, and then gradually shorten them into one by degrees, speaking them faster and faster. Begin thus : gee-ide, gee-ide, gee-ide, gyide ; kee-ind, kee-ind, kee-ind, ky-ind, kyind ; geear-di-an ; kyind-ness, lov-ing- kyind-ness; which gives us a very soft and pleasant sound, both in speech and song. Let us make our language as agreeable as possible, and we can produce much better effects. " Laughing voices, scraps of song, Lusty mvisic, loud and strong, Rustling of the banners blowing, Whispers as of rivers flowing, Whistle of the hawks wo bore As they rise and as they soar; ITow and then a clash of drums As the rabble louder hums, Now and then a burst of horns Sounding over brooks and bourns. As in merry guise we went Hiding to the tournament.'' has three regular sounds: first, its name-sound, or long. Make the long name-sounds full and complete, by giving them plenty of room. Coal, dole, home, hope, dome, hole, ho-ly, mole, hone, mote, note, pole, role, sole, stole, whole, whol-ly, whole-some. Swell of voice is seen when we begin with a little sound, and grad- ually increase or widen it as we give it continuously. This is a very important practice, but the sound should be given smoothly as it becomes louder and longer. We Avill now expel this long sound of o by giving the accented, unaccented, and emphatic sounds, as before, with the pure measure of speech and song. This is an excellent MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 33 sound to prolong ; but we must be sure to keep the mouth well opened, by dropping and projecting tlie under jaw, protruding the rounded lips, and keeping all the organs in the same state till we complete the exercise. In making the swells and diminish with this sound, as with all the' other single long sounds, we must not move any of the organs, from beginning to end, thus sJwviiig the sound, as it might be said. "O world! O life! O time! On whose last steps I climb, Trembling at that where I had stood before ; When will return the glory of your prime? No more — oh, nevermore. Out of the day and night A joy has taken flight; Fresh Spring, and Summer, and Winter hoar, Move my faint heart with grief, but with delight No more — oh, nevermore." TJie second sound of is dose — oo; so called because the lips. and internal vocal organs are brought close together in pronouncing it ; as ooze, oo-zy, oo-zing; coo, do, fool, roof, soot, tool, moon, loom, cool, doom, hoop, noon, poor, boo-by, cool-ing, do-ing, fool-ing, pooKlle, goose, soup, tooth. In prolonging equally this close sound of o we must not pucker the lips too much, but rather turn them out a little all around, like a funnel. The third soxmd of is short; and, like the other short soimds, can not be prolonged. Odd, of, off, on, or, oz, ob-ject, oc-tave, of-fer, om-e-let, on-ward, op-e-ra, or-der, bod-kin, con-ceit, cob-bler, dol-lar, fol-ly, gog-gles, hob-by, jol-ly, mod-el, non-sense, rob-in, yon-der, bot-tle, dot-ted, fop-pish, gob-ble, jock-ey, knock-er, lot-te-ry, mon-u- ment, non-plus, pop-py, wan-ton, etc. In expelling this short sound of o, and giving the proper accent, etc. , let us vocalize all the breath that escapes, so as to prevent un- pleasant sensations in the throat and injury to the sounds; and by remembering how we pronounce the forbidding word to children, "Och, och, och! let that alone," we shall be the better able to do it. U has three regular soimds : first, its name-sound, because it is the sound we make in speaking its name. At least we get this sound pure in the word you. XJn-ion, u-nique, u-ni-son, u-ni-ty, u-ni-form, u-nit. When the name-sound of ii is at the beginning of a word or syl- lable, it has a triple sound ; tliat is, it is a diphthong, composed of 3 34 MANUAL OF ELOCUTIOlSr. the consonant-sound of y, and its own double or diphthongal sound, which consists of short e and the full sound of u. By drawling out its name-sound, as in use, these three elements may be seen; thus y-u-se ; also in un-ion, nat-ure, vol-ume ; but when a consonant-sound goes before u in the same syllable, the sound of y is omitted. We must never pronounce duty, dooty; tune, toon; news, nooz; stew, stoo; dew, doo. We shall find it somewhat difficult at first to expel this name- sound of u unless we begin aright. Let us therefore commence as though we were going to pronounce short e and close o together, like eiv, or speak the word lute, repeating it several times rapidly, and thus leave off the sound of I and t; thus, lute, lute, lute, ute, ute, ute, ew. Now we will prolong this double sound by dwelling on the radical part of it, and keeping the vocal organs in the same position as when we first began the sound, and make it all the same size. Now let us make the swell and diminish with it, and be very careful to prolong only the root of the sound. TJie second sound of U is short, as in up. Twr-nips AQ-murred at the 7iwjn&-skull of a mush-j scid-\ion ; a cowr-teous hus-hand coup-led himself to a tum-hling tur-t\e ; burst with the bidk of fun and rtin to the un- dertakers. The third sound of U is fidl, as in pw/Z. Brii-tns, the cni-el cuck-oo, would im-hrue his youth-ful hands in Ruth's rouge; sinful butch-ers' bul-let push-ed puss graceful-ly on the -peaceful cush-'ion. To expel this full sound of u in a proper manner is quite hard for most persons, merely because the vocal organs are not in the right position, especially the lips, which must be projected straight forward, without turning them either up or down. Let us speak drawlingly the first syllable of the word wo-man ; let us prolong the letter o a little, and this will be the exact sound of full u. "And if it be Prometheus stole from heaven The fire which we endure, it was repaid By him to whom the energy was given "Which this poetic marble hath arrayed "With an eternal glory, which, if made By hwrnan hands, is not of hwraan thought; And time himself hath hallowed it, nor laid One ringlet in the dust; nor hath it caught A tinge of years, but breathes the flame with which 't was wrought." "The light winds, which from itnstaining wings Shed the music of many mttrmurings." MANUAL OF ELOCUTION, 35 Vanishing force is exhibited when, we begin a word or sentence very k>ud and full, and gradually diminish it to a point of inaudibility. Quantity means the longer or shorter time employed in enunci- ating sounds, syllables, words, and sentences. The further we wish a sound to be heard the longer it must be made, and with a proportioned enlargement of its volume. Quality means the kind of voice we use, and may be soft, harsh, clear, smooth, rough, or deep. There are two special objects to be kept in view. These are the proper cultivation of both voice and ear in connection Avith all tlie elements of speech and song. We shall find that practicing each vowel-sound and vocal conso- nant-sound on all the notes of the scale is of primary importance, and that perfect success can not be attained Avithout such exercise; and Ave must carry each element to its utmost extent in the right direc- tion. AVe can obtain as good control over our vocal organs as over any of our bodily organs. " Rest not content in thy darkness — a clod ! Work — for some good, be it ever so slowly ; Cherish some flower, be it ever so lowly; Labor! — all labor is noble and holy; Let thy great deeds be thy prayer to thy God." "We look before and after, and pine for what is naught. Our sweetest laughter with some pain is fraught; Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought." CHAPTER VII. Pitch of the Voice — Diatonic Scale — Scale or Ladder for the Yoice. Pitch of the voice is a most important subject, and fortunately for us nature has given us just the thing Ave need to definitely fix all kinds of reading, speaking, and singing, in giving us the diatonic scale, on some one of Avhose notes or tones the pitch of the voice is ahvays found. Now, this scale consists of seven different pitches, five of Avhich are each a Avhole tone apart from its neighbor, and two of them only half a tone apart ; but the whole ones may be divided into half-tones, and these into quarters, these into eighths, these into six- teenths, these into thirty -seconds, and these into sixty-fourths; and ALL of these are used more or less by every one Avho talks in the usual manner. 36 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. By stud} -ag the effects that are produced by the voice when we permit it to range from the lowest to the highest notes in the natural scale, we find that the half-tones always occur between the third and fourth and seventh and eighth notes or pitches, both in speech and song. The lower three are for private conversation ; also for emphasis in very grave and solemn subjects, hereafter to be more fully explained. The upper three are for impassioned words and phrases, where tao feelings predominate over the thoughts ; and the middle four are for all the ordinary and general objects of reading and speaking, where the great object is to be heard by all when imparting information on any subject whatever, either by explaining or illustrating the truths of science, philosophy, or religion. When speaking to a person near by, when in company with others, and I do not wish them to hear what I say, I speak on a lower note, or l)itch, as it is called, and suppress my voice so as to be heard only by the person addressed; thus: "My dear friend, I hope you will be very careful about saying any thing ill of your neighbors, and always do as you Avould be done by." In most cases of this kind the voice Avill drop to its lowest natural pitch, or to C, the first note in the diatonic scale. When we call to a person at a great distance we naturally raise our voices to the highest notes or pitches; thus: "Mr. Hall, come ])ack; I have a letter for you." All of which is given on the upper pitches of voice, ranging from eight to ten. If we address a person at a medium distance, in company with others, in a j^ublic assembly, for instance, the voice will range about midway between the first and eighth; thus: "I wish you all to hear what I say before I close; it is this: never, on any consideration, profess what you do not believe; for if you do you are hypocrites." In the above three examples we see what are the two extreme pitches of voice, and the medium ones, which comprehend all that are ever used in speech ; for all the voice-sounds we ever hear come within the scale of the eight notes, though really there are but seven, tlie eighth being the first repeated, just an octave or eighth above or below. (See the illustrations.) As a general rule, we must not begin to speak or read below our third note (which is the upper one of the lower pitches), nor above our fifth note ; for if we do we shall be quite sure to run into extremes. Therefore it is just as necessary to pitch our voices on the right key in reading and speaking ias it is in singing ; for as we begin so shall MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 37 we be likely to continue to the end of the exercise. Let us be certain that we are in the right way, and then persevere in it. Gracchus, the Roman orator, used to have a person stand behind him, privately, to give him skillfully the proper note when he wished to change the pitch of his voice and quicken or soften its vehemence. The knowledge of this fact led the author of these pages to study and practice elocution and music together, and taught him that there is nothing in the latter that does not exist in the former. We must practice each of these sixteen vowel-sounds on every pitch of voice found in the diatonic scale, or voice-ladder, both in the speaking and singing tones. 8. Ale, an, all, at, eel, ell, isle, ill, etc. 7. Ale, an, all, at, eel, ell, isle, ill, etc. 6. Ale, an, all, at, eel, ell, isle, ill, etc. 5. Ale, an, all, at, eel, ell, isle, ill, etc. 4. Ale, an, all, at, eel, ell, isle, ill, etc. 3. xVle, an, all, at, eel, ell, isle, ill, etc. 2. Ale, an, all, at, eel, ell, isle, ill, etc. 1. Ale, an, all, at, eel, ell, isle, ill, etc. The Diatonic Scale is so called because it extends through or comprehends all the pitches of voice and sound ever used in speaking or singing. Let us erect this scale, or ladder for the voice, on our lowest natural note, as before indicated. 8. Eel. Eight. 7. Isle. Seven. Half stop, or tone. G. Ooze. Six. Whole stop, or tone. 5. Old. Five. Whole stop, or tone. 4. At. Four. Whole stop, or tone. 3. Ale. Three. Half stop, or tone. 2. An. All. Two. Whole stop, or tone. 1. One. Whole stop, or tone. Here is a ladder for the voice to ascend or descend on, or to move along upon any of its sounds ; and it is always on some one of these, for it can be nowhere else. It naturally divides itself into three parts — the lower pitches for depressed tones of conversation, and grave and sublime emphasis; the middle for the common uses of speech; and the upper ones for calling out at a distance, and for impassioned eloquence. 38 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. To extend the compass of voice is very desirable both in reading and singing; and an excellent way thus to stretch the voice is to speak any phrase on as low a note or pitch as we can, and ascend the scale, or voice-ladder, by regular steps. Example. 8. you hard hearts you cruel, etc. 7. you hard hearts you cruel, etc. 6. O you hard hearts you cruel, etc. 5. O you hard hearts you cruel, etc. 4. you hard hearts you cruel, etc. 3. you hard hearts you cruel, etc. 2. you hard hearts you cruel, etc. (Lowest.) 1. you hard hearts you cruel men of Rome ! After practicing this exercise awhile, we must try to go higher and lower than these eight degrees, uttering the words as musically as we can, and seeing that the organs are moving properly. The four vowel-sounds which are presented above, when naturally given, will be found on the lower half of the scale, and the other ones on the uj)per half; thus: 8. Ee 1. eight. 7. I sle. seven. 6. Go ze. six. 5. Id. five. 4. A t. four. 3. A le. three. 2. A rm. two. 1. A 11. one. For the varied purposes of elocution the diatonic scale of seven notes is divided only into three parts, which must be perfectly under- stood, otherwise we shall have no solid foundation on which to build these arts. These divisions are the tone pitches. The lower pitch extends from one to three inclusive — i. e., one, two, three ; the middle pitch extends from three to six — three, four, five, six; the highest pitch from six to eight — six, seven, eight. The MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 39 pupil must practice on these several pitches until he or she can tell instantly on which of them the voice is at any time. Directions for Talking the Scale. — A practice to be highly recommended is the talking of the scale, which may be done with the accompaniment of the piano or some other musical instrument, as follows: Strike the middle C of the key-board repeatedly, keeping up the sound as long as required, and speak a whole sentence or couplet in that tone, prolonging the accented vowel in each word in as loud, clear, round, and full a voice as possible, and without any variation of the pitch; then strike the next note below, and repeat all the words in that tone ; and so on down in the same way until the lowest possible pitch of voice is reached. Then ascend the scale in the same manner, speaking all the words on each note slowly, taking ample time for full prolongation, until the highest falsette pitch of voice is reached, without breaking into singing tones ; then gradually descend. For example, take the sentence, " O ye cruel men of Rome ! " O — ve cru-el — men — of — Ro-me! O — ye cru-el — men — of — Ko-me! O — ve cru-ol — men — of — Ro-me! O — ye cru-el — men — of — Ko-me I O — ye cru-el — men — of — Ro-me! O — ye cru - el — men — of — Ro - me ! O — ve cru-el — men — of — Ro-me! O — ye cru-el — men — of — Ro-me! Then talk on the third, the fifth, the seventh, and back again ; then from the third to the seventh, and back again; from the first to the seventh, and back again. This practice persevered in will give great strength and compass to the voice, and flexibility, purity, and sweetness to the tones. When classes are drilled in concert in this exercise, the teacher should beat time, and be careful that harmony of pitch is preserved. 40 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. CHAPTER VIII. Elements of Speech — Exercises in Articulation — Table of Aspirates — Aspirates anb Subvowels — Table of Subvowels. Human speech is made of vibrations of air, or exhaling breath. There are two kinds of sounds made by this exhaling breath — one we denominate voice or vowel-sound, the other breath or aspirate-sound. All voice-sounds are made in the glottis, whether they are pure open vowels or subvowels, as has been before explained. The aspirates are un vocalized sounds ; that is, the air in passing through the glottis is not disturbed by the vocal chords, but passes out freely as in common breathing, is retained in the mouth, and shaped into peculiar characteristics or waves of sound by the tongue, teeth, and lips. What we term the subvowels are voice-sounds, restrained and articulated by the tongue, teeth, and lips, just as are the aspirates. Indeed, these are equally paired, each of the aspirates having a cor- relative vocal or atonic, made by exactly the same position of the organs; the difference being that one is pure breath and the other vocal breath, or breath that has been previously agitated by the vocal chords. TJie asjnrates are articulated breath; tJie subvowels are vocalized aHiculated breath. The table in this chapter will show the division, giving the names of each, as also an arrangement of the correlatives, followed by a full description of the way in which each is produced by the organs of speech. They are minutely described for the benefit of those who lisp, stammer, and have imperfect articulation; the last-named being much more numerous, but equally incapable of making themselves understood. The sounds must be made correctly and practiced with care, for they are the elements of speech. They, with the exercises, are given as a practice for the articulating organs. The exercises on the vowel- sounds have been hitherto mostly for strengthening, increasing, and beautifying the voice ; now we want the same perfection in the enun- ciation of letters, syllables, and words, and they should be used as a MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 41 daily practice even after the pupil has mastered them. They do for the articulating muscles what the five-finger piano exercises do for the muscles of the fingers and hands; i. e., give power and flexibility of motion, and render them intuitively obedient to the will. Particularly do foreigners, who desire a correct pronunciation of our language, require a thorough drill on these sounds and their combinations. A few weeks of practice on these elements would do more than many months of study. The French and Germans find great difficulty in pronouncing the th. For tJi the former give z, and the latter give d ; making they, zay and day. For w they give v — I vos for ivas; vot you zay for what you say. For j> they place b — bleazes for pleases. Such should be taught the true position of the articu- lating organs. A little practice "will overcome the difficulty. Slovenliness in articulation is as deserving of reprehension as slovenliness in dress or gait. Indeed, much more so; for words are used to clothe our thoughts and give expression to our sentiments, but if not clearly and distinctly uttered they can never convey w'ith purity the information we wish. Listen attentively to hear yourself pi'onounce the following exer- cises, and if your ears detect each word perfectly coined they will be much gratified. Exercises. Down in the deep dungeon he did delve; the flaming fire flashed full in his face. The glassy glaciers gleamed in glowing, gorgeous gloze on the glittering globe. The gly-phog-ra-pher glued the gluten glj-cerine, and gave golden gold-fish to the goitered goat-herd. The grunting groom groaned grossly at the golden grotto. Swift the streamlet's soft struggles sent strong strings, stopt stufis of stam- mering stones. He accepts the tracts, and attempts by his acts to conceal his faults. The glands, lands, bands, and sands; barb'dst, muzzl'dst, laid'st, and step'st, black'ndst and mangl'dst nothing. An ocean, an oyster, an iceberg, an uncle, an aunt, a niece, an ink-bottle, a numb-skull, and aji ou-ran-og-ra-phist asked to be mask'd and rasp'd, slash' d and dash'd. Orb'd and robb'd he glow'd, ow'd, mow'd, and bestow'd; roasted and boasted of this thin and that thick thumping thimble. These, those, that, theirs, thine, and mine. Roasting, toasting, boasting, smoking, gloating, singing, clinging, stinging, banking, flanking, and ranting. An exceeding expectant expected the expedient expedite, for an expedition to expel the expensive expert; explain the expletory and explode the exploit; and export the exponent by express, exclaiming excessively for the exchange of exchequer. 42 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. While we waited for the wan watchman, the winds blew bleak along the blustering bosom of the beach. Front rank, full face ; fair and funny fanned the flaming fire full in his face. INFLUENCE. Bt George W. Bungay. Drop — follows rfro/?, — and swells — With rain — the sweeping river; Word — follows word, — and tells — A truth — that lives — -forever. Fl ake — follows jftake, — like spirits Whose wings — the winds — dissever; Thought — follows thought, — and lights — ■ The realm of 77iind — -forever. Beam — follows beam — to cheer The cloud — the bolt would shiver ; Throb — follows throb, — and fear Gives place to joy — -forever. The drop, the flake, the beam, Teach us a lesson ever; The word, the thought, the dream,, Impress the soul — forever. C has four sounds — C in cent, or s. C in clock, or k. C in suffice, or z. C in ocean, or sh. F takes two sounds — F in fife. F in of — V. H takes one sound — H in hope. Table of Aspirates. K takes one sound — K in kirk. P takes one sound — P in pipe. Q has one sound — Q in queen. S takes four sounds — S in so — c. S in is — z. S in sure — sh. S in treasury — 2d of z. T takes two sounds — T in put. T in nation — sh. Ch takes three sounds — Ch in church. Ch in chaise. Ch in chasm. Th takes two sounds — Th in thin. Th in that. The following table shows the aspirates and subvowels arranged in pairs — the two sounds of which require the same position of the organs to produce them : /Ah 1h {? {\ {J [1 ICh f Go IQ / W — Oman I Wh— at rsh 1 Z, 2d sound. f Th— this t Th— thin In} both are subvowels MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 43 B takes one sound — B in bribe. Table of Subvowels. K has a single and double sound — K in arm — single after a vowel. D takes two sounds — D in did. D in banked, fined. G takes three sounds — G in gay — g hard. G in gem — -j. G in charge — z, 2d sound. J takes one sou7id — J in June. L takes one sound — L in lay. M takes one sound — M in man. N takes one sound — N in name. K in Eome — double, trilled fore a vowel. V takes one soujid — Y in vivid. "W takes one sound — W in wall. X has the compound sound of g and : X in exist. Y has three sounds — Y in youth. Y in h3'drant (long i). Y in bymn (short i). Z takes two sounds — Z in zigzag. Z in azure. CHAPTER IX. Aspirates — Manner of formixg Aspirates — Sounds of C; F; H; P; Q; S; Z; K; T. In the formation of words the aspirates interfere and break off the vowel-sounds, whizzing, puffing, and buzzing between them in a very- funny and inharmonious manner, somewhat like the noise of imple- ments or machinery in rapid motion. The ventriloquist is dependent upon the aspirates in imitating the noise of certain kinds of machinery and of escaping steam. These sounds are made by the tongue and lips, and are very penetrating; the tongue assuming certain positions in the mouth in relation to the teeth and lips, forming avenues, angles, and corners around and through which the breath is forcibly expelled. The aspirated sounds make up a large part of our language, and are quite difficult to master in connection with the vowels and subvocals. 44 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. Indeed, the majority of people never acquire a good articulation, which results from want of proper training of the organs used in making these sounds. Many persons lisp all their lives for the reason that they have never been taught where to place the tongue to insure a distinct utterance of the sounds of th and s. They make the sound of th between the point of the tongue and the upper front teeth ; then instead of with- drawing the tongue within toward the roof of the mouth, where the sound of s is always produced, they simply repeat the th, not making the sound of s at all. The words this, these, and others of like ter- mination, lisping people pronounce as thith, thetJw. Example. — A charming young gentleman expressed his lisping and con- fessed his love in this wise: " Thweet Thynthia, my heart-th treathure, thmile upon me, or I thall fly acroth the hroad bothom of the othean and thigh out my latht breath on thome foreign thore." Parents sometimes think lisping in their children very cunning; but the time will come when the children will think it neither cunning nor wise in their parents to have allowed them to retain such a habit. Let no person indulge in this childish habit ; it is not only ridiculous, but devoid of personal dignity. C takes four regular sounds, or rather at times it becomes the equivalent of s, sometimes of h, and again of z, and also of sh. When it is sounded as s in see or so, it takes what is called its soft or name- sound. To produce this clear, shrill sound the teeth nearly, but do not quite, meet; the lips are drawn away, and the end of the tongue is placed in close proximity to the roots of the upper front teeth, leaving just room enough for the breath to be forced over the end of the tongue and out through the mouth. With the organs in this position, make the endeavor to whisper the word see, and continue the sound of s without gliding into ee. It is very difficult for persons who lisp to make this sharp, clear, whistling sound. Indeed, but very few persons can articulate it dis- tinctly when, at the end of ^vords, it follows t or th. Practice the following with a view of gaining the sound distinctly: Withs, smiths, ghosts, hosts, masts, pasts, marts, Christs, boats, toasts, spits, splits, quits, writs. Pronounce the following, where c and s take exactly the same sound: City, cite, cede, cease, cent, cell, Cyprus, civet, citron, circle; saints, sinners, and singers saved Sampson's sisters, Sophia, Susan, and Cynthia. MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 45 A very pretty ventriloquial exercise of this sound (c) is produced by imitating the sharp, clear noise made by the carpenter planing a board. The sound is prolonged, and then brought suddenly to a close in the efibrt to pronounce p. To make the illusion more complete, the performer will take a book or block of some kind and perform the pantomimic action of planing on the surface of a table, but must be very sure to cease the effort as soon as the p is sounded ; thus : C p, c p, c p, c_ p, cp. C usually takes this sound before e, i, and y — Cecil, facile, vagrancy. When c borrows the sound of k it is said to be hard, but it simply assumes the sound of k. This is the correlative of g hard, as in go. To form these two sounds the organs are placed in exactly the same position; the mouth is slightly open, and the end of the tongue pressed down against the lower front teeth. This effort forces the middle of the tongue up near the roof or hard palate in the form of an arch. To produce the clicking sound of a, the breath is then forcibly thrown over the tongue; to make the hard sound of g, the breath is vocalized before it is thrown over — that is all the difference. It takes this sound before a, 0, u, I, r, t — care, came, act, come, clock, craft, cane, cape, case, calf, cask, couple, cork. It is exactly like k in kin, kick, kirk, kit. Pronounce and spell, by the use of the sovuids of the letters, the following: Climac-teric, cackle, cake, calico, caloric, cal-ca-reous, Capricorn, carcass, casque Avith classical cloak; kicking, clicking, and kissing the keepsake. When these soft and hard sounds come together, s and c are re- quired; as in screech, scrawl, scream, scrubble, scripture, scur-ril, scutch-eon, San-skrit, school. C also takes the subvowel-sound of 2, and the manner of producing it is the same as in making the soft sovuid of c, of which it is a correlative ; the difference being that in e soft the breath passes unvo- calized; in z it is vocalized, giving a buzzing sound. C in suffice, s in cheese, and z in wheeze, all have the same sound, which is the first subvowcl-sound of z. Very many words ending in s take this sound also; as was, has, gas, arms, harms, swarms, rags, figs, drugs, tongs, gibs, fibs, bags, etc. When double s occurs, we give the soft sound ; as in grass, pass, glass, wit-ness, good-ness, bright-ness. C sometimes takes the sound of sh after an accent followed by ea, ia, eo, can, ion. This is a pure aspirate -sound, and is the coun- 46 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION: terpart of the second sound of z, as in azure, and is produced by- shutting the teeth together and forcibly blowing the breath between them. When the breath is vocalized before it is thus forced through, it makes the sound of z just mentioned — Grecian, conscientious, propitious ocean, retention, vicious. It has precisely the same sound as %h, in sham, shine, shimmer, shoes. Examples of all the Sounds of C. — Cede, city, crime, clack, charm, social, suffice. i^ is a pure aspirate. To make it the upper front teeth are placed on the lower lip and the breath blown through. V is the counter- part of this, only the breath is vocalized. In o/", / takes the vocal sound, but its usual sound is a pure aspirate; as form, feet, fuss, fool, infinite, effete, affirm, etc. H has one sound, which is produced by opening wide the mouth and forcibly expelling the breath. The vocal counterpart of this aspirate is the vowel ah — hit, harm, home, half, help, hand, etc. P also has one sound, which is an aspirate. It is made by pressing the lips tightly together, then suddenly separating them, as though going to whisper the word puff. It is simply a puff of air — pipe, port, post, ripe, pale, pip-pin. The vocal sound of this same effort is h — bribe, Jacob, break, babble. In Jacob, Jupiter, and Baptist, it is quite difficult to distinguish the one from the other. Q takes one sound, and is also an aspirate. The sound is quite similar to k, but in producing it the lips Avith the corners of the mouth protrude forward and closer together, instead of being drawn back, as in making h; nor is the tongue held down so firmly. Make the effort to whisper queen without reaching the vowel u — quill, quoth, quirk, sequel, sequence. The vowel effort that corresponds to this is 00 or close o. 5 takes four sounds, two of which are pure aspirates — so, sh. It takes the sound of sh in sugar, sure, etc. Both of these sounds have been fully treated of in the remarks about the letter c. It also takes the two sub vowel-sounds of z, which have been before presented. Exercises in the Soft Sound of S. — Sam saved and sawed six slim slippery saplings, and swimming, swam smack into the Swiss swamp, south of Smith's settlement. Amidst the mists he thrusts his fists against the posts, and insists he sees hosts of ghosts, and twists and hoasts of toasts. Get the latest amended edition of Charles Smith's Thucydides, and study the colonists, best interests-. Z — The first sound of z is found in ro-se-ate, pleas-ures, en-thu-si-ate, scis-sors ; was and is on Iser's praise dis-dainful rais'd ; a busy muse, MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 47 applause and despise, the noiseless waves and closing skies; sighs, fantasy, wisdom, and business. The second sound of z is in the following words: Adhesion to ambro-sial inclo-sures to treasures and pleasures, take ho-siers, bra-ziei-'s crosiers, brasions and treasures, for corrosions and explosions, illusions, confusions, conclusions, and intrusions. To make the second sound of 2 the teeth meet firmly together, the lips are thrown out, wdiile the tip of the tongue rests at the base of the lower front teeth, bending the tongue up so as to completely line the upper and lower front teeth, scarcely touching tliem. The vocalized breath is forced through the small aperture and between the teeth. The correlative of this sound is s/i, made in the same way, but with unvocalized breath. K takes one pure aspirate-sound, which has received attention under the letter c. Its vocal equivalent is \&c-keri' st, hla.c-ken'd'st; cr-oney; thin-As, thin-k' st; e-lbe, hu-lb'd, ha-lbs; ho-ld, ho-lds, ho-UTst; e-lf, e-lfs, de-lft ware; hu-lge; mi-Ik, m'l-lk'd, si-Iks, nrn-lct, mu-lcts; e-lm, whe-lni'd, whe-lms; ia-lVn. " Fair ladies masked are roses in their buds, Dismask'd their damask sweet commixture shown, Are angels veiling clouds, or roses blown." His acts being seven ages. The acts of the apostles. This act more than a>l other acts of the legislature laid the axe at the root of the evil. On either side an ocean exists. On neither side a notion exists. When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw. Then rustling, crackling, crashing thunder down. The magistrates ought to prove the charge. The magistrates sought to prove the charge. Nature can only lay the foundation ; the superstructure, with all its orna- ments, is the work of education. Although those noble gifts of mind, without which no one can become an eloquent speaker, are from nature's God, yet articulation, the elements, quantity, etc., are to be learned. He proposed an amicable adjustment of all difficulties. "We must fight it through. It must be so. After the most straitest sect. This was the most unkindest cut. Jlea-lth, hca-ltJis; ento-^nb^d; Hu-m/)A-rey; atte-mpt, atte-mpts; to-??ibs, ento-mb^st; a-nd, ha-nds, se-nd'st; ra-nge, ra-ngd; thi-nk, ihi-nks, thi-nk^st se-nt, -wa-nfst, wa-nts; 6.-ns; &i-tich, &i-nch'd; wi-tic^d; pi-^s, wa-^s^; hed-ged ha-ng^d; so-ngs; stre-ngth, stre-ngths; ^^uck, rip-pled, rip-pies, rip-^j^s^; ^?'-ay cli-ps, ni-p'st; he-rb, ha-rb^d, he-rbs, ha-rVst, 'ba-7-b^d'st; ha-rd, ha-7'ds, hea-7-d'st su-rf, wha-?/'c?; bu-?'^A, bu-j'f^/ts; ba-r^re, i\-rg'd; ha-?'A', ha-rk'd, a-rcs, ba-rA's^, ba-rA'aTs^; sna-rl, hii-rl'd, szia-7-ls, sna-rl'st, sna-rl'd^st. By indefatigable study and long-continued practice the renowned orators of antiquity became almost perfect in articulation. They were unwilling that even a single error should escape their lips. This is one of the great secrets of their immortality. They knew that the faculty of speech is the power of giving sounds to thought. They were correct in their views. He was incapable of a mean or questionable action. He was amiable, respectable, formidable, unbearable, intolerable, utimanageable, ter7'ible. "An hour passed on — the Turk awoke; That bright dream was his last; He woke — to hear his sentries shriek ' To arms ! they come ! the Greek ! the Greek 1' " Do not say the Turky woke; That bright dream wazis las; He woke to hear the sentry sriek "Too arms! they come! the Greek the Greek!" Articulation is the cutting out and shaping, in a perfectly distinct and appropriate manner, with the organs of speech all the simple 54 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. and compound sounds which our twenty-six letters represent. It is to the ear what a fair handwriting is to the eye, and relates, of course, to the sounds, not to the names, of both vowels and consonants. It depends on the exact positions and correct operations of the vocal powers, and on the ability to vary them with rapidity, precision, and effect. Thus articulation is purely an intellectual act, and belongs not to any of the brute creation. Be very particular in pronouncing the jaw or i;o ice-breakers, and cease not till you can give every sound fully, correctly, and distinctly. If your vocal powers are well exercised by faithful practice on the more difficult combinations, they will acquire a facility of movement, a precision of action, a flexibility, grace, and force truly surprising. The awful cruelties, barbarisms, horrors, crimes, massacres, and conflagra- tions of civil wars, regardless of rights or wrongs, wreak rough, wrathful revenge on your shrill-shrieking daughters. The forest's shades and the fortresses' foreheads faced the forecastle's forked form ; thatched the theft and thaw'd the thick thimble, thwack athwart the thyroid. Self-possession, under all circumstances, is a most desirable attain- ment. Running the gauntlet will test it. We have all heard of the practice that prevails among some tribes of Indians called "running the gauntlet." A company is arranged in two rows, a few yards apart, and a prisoner is obliged to run between the ranks. Each throws his hatchet at him as he passes, and if he escapes this ordeal without being killed he is permitted to live without further hazard. In the important exercise here recommended, each member of the class, after making some proficiency, memorizes and recites a strong and powerful sentence, and the others try to put out or break down the one that is speaking, by all sorts of remarks, sounds, looks, and actions, though without touching him ; and the gauntlet-speaker girds up the loins of his mind and endeavors to keep the fountain of feeling higher than the streams, and so long as he does so he is safe ; but alas for him that shrinks into himself and yields to his opponents. Any one who can recite the following Avith expression, under the noise, confusion., and jests of the class, will have achieved a great success : '^ Hast thou, in feverish and unquiet sleep, — Dreamt — th't some mereiless demon of the air Rais'd thee aloft, — and held thee by the hair Over the brow — of a dowvAooking steep, Gaping, beloio, into a chasm — so deep Th't, by the utmost straining of thine eye, Thou canst no resting--p\sLCb descry; MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 55 Not e'en a bush — to save thee, shouldst thou sweep Adown the bhick descent; that then the hand Suddenly jmrted thee, and left thee there, Holding — but by ^/(^re/'-tips the bare And jagged ridge above, that seems as sand To crumble 'neath thy touch ? — If so, I deem Th't thou hast had rather an ugly dream." The following will be easier : "Echoed from earth a hollow roar Like ocean on the midnight shore; A sheet of lightning o'er them wheeled, The solid ground beneath them reel'd ; In dust sank roof and battlement. Like webs the giant walls were rent ; Red, broad, before his startled gaze, The monarch saw his Egypt blaze. Still swelled the plague — the flame grew pale; Burst from the clouds the charge of hail ; With arrowy keenness, iron weight, Down poured the ministers of fate; Till man and cattle, crushed, congealed, Covered with death the boundless field." " Eoll proudly on 1 brave blood is with thee sweeping, Poured out by sons of thine, "When sword and spirit forth in joy were leaping Like thee, victorious Ehine ! Go, tell the seas that chain shall bind thee never ; Sound on, by hearth and shrine ; Sing through the hills that thou art free forever ; Lift up thy voice, O Ehine ! " Vir. How! is it something can't be told At once? Speak out, boy ! Ha! your looks are loaded With matter. Is 't so heavy that your tongue Can not unburden them ? Your brotlier left The camp on duty yesterday — hath aught Happened to him ? Did he arrive in safety ? Is he safe ? Is he well ? In the hader exercises one reads until he or she makes a mistake in articulation, the entire class being critics for the occasion. The moment the leader makes a mistake the next one takes up the w'ord, repronounces it, and proceeds until he is dethroned by an error, and so on around the class. This is an exciting exercise, and requires all to have their eyes and ears open and their tongues supple. All must be careful to mind the "stops." 56 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. Exercise 1. Cicero and Demosthenes. — An orator, addressing himself more to the passions, naturally has much passionate ardor; whilst another, possessing an elevation of style and majestic gravity, is never cold, though he has not the same vehemence. In this respect do these great orators differ. Detnosthenes — abounds in concise sublimity ; Cicero, — in diffuseness : the former, on account of his destroying and consuming everything by his violence, rapidity, strength, and vehemence, may be compared to a hurricane or thunderbolt ; the latter, to a wide extended conflagration, spreading in every direction with a great, constant, and irresistible flame. Exercise 2. The Power of Imagination. The hcnatic, the lover, and the poet Are of imagination — all compact: One — sees more devils — than vast hell can hold ; That — is the madman. The lover, all as frantic, Sees Helen's beauty — in a brow of Egypt. The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, Doth glance from heaven — to earth, from earth — to heaven ; And, as imagination — bodies forth The forms of things unknown, the poefspen Forms them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing A local habitation and a name." Exercise 3. The Human Voice. — Among all the wonderful varieties of artificial instruments which discourse excellent music, where shall we find one that can be compared to the human voice? And where can we find an instrument comparable to the human mind, upon whose stops the real musician, the poet, and the orator sometimes lays his hands, and avails himself of the entire compass of its magnificent cajjacities ? Oh! the length, the breadth, the height, and the depth of music and eloquence ! Exercise 4. Self-sacrificing Ambition. — We need a loftier ideal to nerve us for heroic lives. To know and feel our nothingness without regretting it; to deem fame, riches, personal happiness, but shadows of which human good is the substance; to welcome pain, privation, ignominy, so that the sphere of human knowledge, the empire of virtue, be thereby extended : such is the soul's temper in which the heroes of the coming age shall be cast. When the stately monuments of mightiest conquerors shall have become shapeless and forgotten ruins, the humble graves of earth's Howards and Frys shall still be freshened by the tears of fondly admiring millions, and the proudest epitaph shall be the simple entreaty, " Write me as one who loved his fellow-men." MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 57 CHAPTER XII. Accent — Inflection — Emphasis — Cadence. Accent takes its place in the orthoepy of words. Inflection gives true expression to words. Emphasis defines their value in a sentence. By accent we divide the sounds in a word into syllables (so called), and by giving more stress to one particular combination than to the others we enunciate the word properly. The rudimental principles of accent and emphasis, and the manner of producing them, were given in the exercises for the vowel-sounds. We have been very particular in directing attention to the distinctive characteristics of the vowel, subvowel, and aspirate-sounds, and to their distinctive utterance in all words wherein they are sounded. Words are made up of one or more syllables ; but if we pronounce all the syllables with equal stress of voice, the result, so far as sound is concerned, will be that no word has been articulated. Therefore accent is the discreting clement of words, and plays the important part of directing their pronunciation, and giving beauty and individ- uality to their proportions. Some words, meaning very different things, are spelled alike, and distinguished by their accentuation alone; that is, the stress is placed on one syllable in the one and on another syllable in the other; as, Aii-gust, the name of a month, and au-gust, an adjective expressing something grand or majestic. So also many other words differ in meaning Avhen used to represent different parts of speech. The j)ronunciation of the English language, like most others, is arbitrary, and, like other things, is exposed to the caprices of fashion and taste, and not unfrequently to vulgarism ; but its most deadly foe is affectation. Provincialisms break in upon uniform rules ; and all combined leave but a very uncertain clew to direct us in the use of accent. Orthoepists disagree, and it is not the province of this work to decide. What is required by us is that on whatever syllable the accent is placed it shall be clearly, distinctly, and musically rendered. Accent embraces three functions — Stress, Time, and Pitch — which we will illustrate as follows : 58 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. AccoU denotes pitch, or the stepping down or up from a note or half-note, as the case may be. Pitch and time may both be represented in the word ac-cent so as to correspond to one note and a half-note in music, the accented sylla- ble taking the whole note. The following will make it plain : Ac - rr.nt The forcible prolongation of pitch on a particular syllable is called accent. Any one who is well acquainted with the musical scale, though never having practiced with reference to speech, may readily a.scertain this upAvard and downward intonation of the tones and semitones by catching the note of the vowel -sound, and striking its corresponding tone or key on some instrument. The aspirates have nothing to do with the music of the voice. Rule. — The accented syllable should be made more forcible in utterance and of greater prolongation than other syllables in the word, and on either a higher or lower pitch of voice. It will be well to recall what has been before frequently said about the functions of the vowels as the conveying element of the v*ord. The following arrangement of syllables will indicate the ranges of voice when properly accentuating a Avord : .cent. .cent, -^ ^tion. Ac/ Ac/ ^u/ Any combination of sounds that represent distinct ideas, though they be monosyllables, may be said to have accent. But accent is more clearly discernible in words of two or more syllables ; for it is the thread Avith Av^hich Ave unite letters and syllables into Avords. There ha\'e been some critical discussions on the subject of the change of pitch Avhich accent requires. Sheridan, in an elaborate treatise on accent, declares it to be simple force on a syllable, and likens it to "the hard and soft taps on a drum-head," Avhich are exactly on the same pitch, the more forcible tap producing the louder sound. Accent can be produced exactly in this Avay, and in our rudimentary practice of accent on the vowel-sounds Ave haA'^e so giA'en it. But to say that the accented and unaccented syllables in Avords are always on the same pitch is to make a statement that can not be true, and which must have arisen from an uncultivated ear. So little attention has been giA'^en to the cultivation and detection of the delicate shades of voice-sound that the ear is rarely able to MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 59 catch and discriminate closely the short and delicate steps which a cultivated voice takes in the accentuation of a word of several syllables. Sheridan further says that the difference between our accent and that of the Greek depends upon its seat, which always occurs on a vowel in the latter, while ours may be either on a vowel or a conso- nant, and that the reason why the Greek accent was placed over the vowel was "that, as their accent consisted in a change of notes, they could not be distinctly expressed but by the vowels, in uttering which the passage is entirely clear for the issue of the voice without inter- ruption or stop, as in pronouncing the consonants." But the fact that consonants follow a vowel in a syllable should make no difference in the change of notes, for the vowel-sound ceases as soon as it has performed its mission ; and it should be sounded fully and musically, whether it ends a syllable or is followed by a conso- nant. This surely can in no Avay effect a change of note, for the sound has to be commenced anew, so that the next vowel-sound can take another note just as easily as it can resume the same sound. Besides, the musical effect of speech depends much upon the purity of the vowel-sound, and the modulation of voice which the change of pitch in accent gives. Eead the following with due attention to accent and articulation. Do not leave out any letter that is not silent, but give the accented ones their time and pitch : DEATH OF MORRIS. By Walter Scott. It was under the burning influence of revenge that the wife of Mac^rpgor commanded that the hostage, exchanged for her husband's safety, should be brought into her presence. I believe her sons had kept this unfortunate wretch out of her sight, for fear of the consequences ; but if it was so, their humane precaution only postponed his fate. They dragged forward, at her summons, a wretch, already half-dead with terror, in whose agonized features I recog- nized, to my horror and astonishment, my old acquaintance Morris. He fell prostrate before the female chief, with an elFort to clasp her knees, from which she drew back as if his touch had been pollution; so that all he could do, in token of the extremity of his humiliation, was to kiss the hem of her plaid. I never heard entreaties — for life poured forth with such agony of spirit. The ecstasy of fear was such that, instead of paralyzing his tongue, as on ordinary occasions, it even rendered him — eloquent; and with cheeks as pale as ashes, — hands compressed in agony, — eyes that seemed to be taking their last look of all mortal objects, he protested, with the deepest oaths, his total ignorance of any design on the life of Eob Roy, — whom he swore he loved and honored as his own soul. In the inconsistency of his terror, he said 60 MANUAL OP ELOCUTION. he was but the agent of others; and he muttered the name of Kashleigh. He prayed but for life ; for life — he would give all he had in the world ; — it was but life he asked ; — life^ if it were to be prolonged under tortures and priva- tions ; — he asked only breath, though it should be drawn in the damps of the lowest caverns of their hills. It is impossible to describe the scorn, the loathing and contempt, with which the wife of Macgregor regarded this wretched petitioner — for the poor boon of existence. " I could have bid you live" she said, " had life been to you the same weary and wasting burden — that it is to me — that it is to every nohle — and generous mind. But you, — wretch ! you could creep through the world unaffected by its various disgraces, its ineffable miseries, its constantly-accumulating masses of crime and sorrow ; — you could live and enjoy yourself, while the noble-minded are betrayed, — while nameless — and birthless villains tread on the neck of the brave and long-descended ; — you could enjoy yourself, like a butcher's dog in the shambles, — battening on garbage, while the slaughter of the brave went on around you ! This enjoyment you shall not live to partake of; you shall die, — base dog, and that before yon cloud has passed over the sun." She gave a brief command, in Gaelic, to her attendants, two of whom seized upon the prostrate suppliant and hurried him to the brink of a cliff which overhung the flood. He set up the most piercing and dreadful — cries that fear ever uttered; — I may well term them — dreadful, for they haunted my sleep for years afterward. As the murderers, — or executioners, call them as you will, dragged him along, he recognized me, even in that moment of horror, and exclaimed, in the last articulate words I ever heard him utter, " O Mr. Osbaldistone, save me ! — save me ! " I was so much moved by this horrid spectacle that, although in momentary expectation of sharing his fate, I did attempt to speak in his behalf; but, as might have been expected, my interference was sternly disregarded. The victim was held fast by some, while others, binding a large heavy stone in a plaid, tied it around his neck, and others again eagerly stripped him of some part of his dress. Half-naked, and thus manacled, they hurried him into the lake, there about twelve feet deep, — drowning his last death-shriek with a loud halloo of vindictive triumph, over which, however, the yell of mortal agony — Wiis distinctly heard. The heavy burden splashed in the dark -blue waters of the lake ; and the Highlanders, with their pole-axes and swords, watched an instant, to guard lest, extricating himself from the load to which he was attached, he might have struggled to regain the shore. But the knot had been securely bound ; the victim sank without effort ; the waters, which his fall had disturbed, settled calmly over him ; and the unit of that life for which he had pleaded so strongly was forever withdrawn from the sum of human existence. Inflections embrace the concrete or continuous movements of voice on a single word ; but cadence has reference to the fall or proper closing of sentences. The cadence which is most pleasing to the ear is the fall of a triade, or regular gradation of three notes, from the prevalent pitch of voice. Therefore these two movements MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 61 of voice should never be confounded. Cadence never occurs properly in the middle of a sentence, nor should a sentence ever end with a feeble and depressed utterance. All the slender characteristics of voice are embraced in inflections. Inflection and emphasis are closely related ; in many respects they seem to mean so nearly the same thing that it is quite difficult to treat them as separate subjects. We can scarcely give a decided inflection to a word without its becoming, in consequence, more or less emphatic. Nor can a word receive important emphasis without taking an inflec- tion. Yet each has its own specific function, notwithstanding both are required to give a full expression of the thought. While treating upon accent, Ave demonstrated that it has its own specific mission; which is to give character to a word, or rather individuality, by throwing more stress and prolongation on . one syl- lable than on others, the accented syllable being uttered on a different pitch of voice from the rest. Inflection gives character and expression to the thought by point- ing out all the delicate shades of meaning contained in the word. The true meaning of words, from the lips of the person pronouncing them, can never be misunderstood if the proper inflections are given — whether of pleasure or contempt, fact or irony, love or hate, truth or falsehood. Inflectioxs are the subtle exponents of the state of feeling expressed in speech. It has been said that human speech was invented for the purpose of hiding our thoughts. This statement need not be taken as correct by any means ; for, although human speech conveys many falsehoods which we receive and believe, it is only so because we have not learned to hear correctly. When we have learned what certain intonations express, we can not well accept a falsehood from human lips. Truth and falsehood can not be represented alike by vocality. Each uses unconsciously its own tell-tale inflection, for each has a way of expression peculiar to itself. Our business is to learn hoiv things express themselves. (See Gesture and Deportment.) The modifications of inflections are four; viz., the rising, falling, the wave or circumflex, and the intense monotone. These will be marked in the following examples by these signs : — — ^ — ^ The rising inflection turns the voice upward on a word or sentence ; as, Are you going West ? All direct questions that can be answered by yes or no take this inflection. Indeed, nearly all simple questions take it. 62 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. In addressing individuals or an audience use the rising inflection ; as, " Miss Smith ; " "Mr. Brown;" "Ladies and gentlemen." "Fellow-citizens, I am here to defend this cause." In this example the sense is continuous to the close of the sentence. But if we say, " Fellow-citizens, I am here to defend this cause," the falling inflection before the sense is complete makes a meaningless expression. "I am here to defend this cause" sounds as if a new sentence had been com- menced. Besides, the falling inflection used in addressing a person is expressive of contempt, more or less, according to the amount of circumflex used in the downward pointing of the voice; as, "Mr. Brown — Mr. Brown — Mr. Brown." If the desire is to express con- tempt for persons, then this inflection is appropriate ; but never give the falling inflection to a name you desire to present respectfully. Exercises. " Friends, Komans, countrymen ! Lend me — your ears. I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him." " But thou, O Hope ! with eyes so fair, What was thy delighted measure ? " " Kind friends, at your call I 'm come here to sing, Or rather to talk, of my woes." "Fathers, we once again are met in council." " Mr. Chairman — I trust, that I shall he indulged in a few reflections on the danger of permitting the conduct — upon which it has been my painful duty to animadvert — to pass without a solemn expression of the disapprobation of this house." "Falstaff. Master Brook, you shall hear. As good luck would have it, comes in one Mrs. Page, gives her intelligence of Ford's approach, and by her invention, and Ford's wife's direction, — I was conveyed into a buck-basket. "Brook. A buck-basket ? ''Fid. Yea ;— buck-basket." Great care should be observed lest in reading the voice acquire the habit of taking the full falling inflection in the middle of a sen- tence. Such a practice produces a very monotonous effect, and makes it difficult for the listener to follow the chain of thought. Many speakers fall into this error in their endeavor to obtain a solemn, impressive manner. Another equally pernicious habit is a sort of rainbow style, or reading on a curve. This is equally solemn, and quite as somnolent as the other — is much employed in reading hymns and poetry generally. MAISTUAL OF ELOCUTION. 63 Exercise, , no dreams of care are .^ a\ec^ .Vous thoughts, that n^ay J^S The voice here rises in the middle of the lines, and falls at each end. It is well to respect the ear and good sense of an audience ; and the above style of reading any composition can only be used with propriety and effect when the speaker wishes to soothe listeners into a quiet slumber. It is meaningless, and of course can excite no attention. The proper use of inflections is to give expression to the thought. Affectation has its own inflection, which is easily detected ; therefore beware of the misuse of these delicate and trutliful expo- nents of thought and feeling. Rules for the Falling Ixflection. — Falling inflection is a turning of the voice downward on a word, lower than it began. It is ahvays heard in the answer to a question; as, "Yes; I shall go next week." Also in affirmative sentences; as, "I shall do so." And in the language of authority; as, "Back to thy punishment, false fugitive, and to thy speed add wungs." Also of terror; as, "The light burns blue," In the surprise of indignation; as, "Go, false fellow! and let me never see your face again." In contempt; as, "I had as lief not be as live to be in awe — of such a thing — as myself." And of exclamation; as, "O heaven! O earth!" And always in the final pause (not the interrogative form) where the sense and sentence are completed. All general rules have some exceptions. Exajmples in Bising and Falling Inflections. "Are they ministers of Christ? Are they Jews?" "They are." "Did you not speak tolt?" "My lord, I^." "Armed, say you?" "Armed, my lord." In conversation people are nearly always right in their use of in- flections. In reading or reciting they are usually wrong. Therefore it is W' ell to train the ear to colloquial language by close attention ; also to cultivate the voice by breaking up sentences wherein difficul- ties occur, putting them in colloquial form for the practice of inflec- tion. They who do this will soon see how foolish and unnatural has been their use of what should be delicate exponents of feeling. Of course it will be understood that there is a great difference between 64 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. the delicate turning of the voice on a word in a sentence and the full falling cadence of a closing period. Or. When or in its di.'yunctive sense connects words and clauses of an interrogatory character, the rising inflection occurs before it and the falling after it. "Will you speak — or be silent?" "What prompted you, love — or hate?" This implies that the question can not be answered by yes or no, but demands an explanation. When or is used in a conjunctive form, and can be replied to by yes or no, it is usually followed by the rising inflection. "Shall you go next week — or this?" Few examples are given here because it is desired that the learner furnish specimens under all the rules, and point them, for the criti- cism of the class or teacher. It is only by such close analysis that proper attention can be directed to this most important branch of reading. The following exercises may be rendered under the rules above given : EXTRACT FROM "AS YOU LIKE IT." Will. And good even to you, sir. Touch. Good even, gentle friend. Cover thy head, cover thy head; nay, prithee, — be covered. How old are you, friend? Will. Five and twenty, sir. Touch. A ripe age. Is thy name William? Will. "William, sir. Touch. A fair name. Wast born i' the forest here? Will. Ay, sir, I thank God. Touch. Thank God ! a good answer. Art rich ? Will. Faith, sir, so so. Touch. So so is good, very good, — very excellent good : and yet it is not ; it is hut so so. Art thou wise? Will. Ay, sir, I have a pretty wit. Touch. Why, thou sayest well. I do now rememher a saying, " The fool doth think he is wise; hut the wise man knows himself to he a fool." The heathen philosopher, when he had a desire to eat a grape, would open his lips when he put it into his mouth; meaning thereby that grapes were made to eat and lips to open. You do love this maid? Will. I do, sir. Touch. Give me your hand. Art thou learned? Will. No, sir. Touch. Then learn this of me: to have is to have; for it is a figure in rhetoric that drink, — being poured out of a cup into a glass, — by filling one doth empty the other; for all your writers do consent that ipse is he: now, you are not ij)se, for I am he. Will. Which he, sir? Touch. He, sir, that must marry this woman. Therefore, you clown, abandon — which is in the vulgar leave — the society — which in the boorish is MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 65 company — of this female — which in the common is woman; which together is abandon the society of this female, or, clown, thou perishest; or, to thy better understanding, dicst; or, to wit, I kill thee, — make thee away, — translate thy life into death, thy liberty into bondage: I will deal in poison with thee or in bastinado, or in steel; I will bandy with thee in faction; I will o'errun thee with policy; I will kill thee a hundred and fifty ways: therefore tremble and depart. Aud. Do, good William. Will. God rest you merry, sir. The importance of rendering the inflections correctly Avill be ap- parent by reading the following exercise with the rising inflection : " The man who is in the daily use of ardent spirits, if he does not become a drunkard, is in danger of losing his health and character. It will be seen that using the rising inflection on the words marked for emphasis implies that the man must become a drunkard in order to preserve his health and happiness. If rendered with the down- ward inflection, the true idea will be conveyed. Rule. — When two words are connected, expressing an alternative, the first one takes the rising, the second the falling inflection. Swift — or slow; rough — or smooth; smooth — or rough. Live — or die; sur- vive — or perish. But when spoken in an interrogative manner the inflection is changed, the first word taking the falling and the second the rising inflection ; as, "Swift — or slow? Good — or bad?" etc. The monotone or intense forward inflection indicates that the voice is kept nearly on the same pitch or tone for several successive words. This sometimes occurs in rapid expression, and sometimes gives marked effect in grave and solemn passages. "But hark! through the fast flashing lightning of war;" "But that I am forbid to tell the secrets of my prison-house;" "Haste me to know it, that I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge." There is much abuse of this inflection, many persons trying to render whole paragraphs without the least regard to emphasis or the sentiment of the piece, taking for granted that a low continuous tone expresses all of gravity. A greater mistake could not be made. Many actors, indeed almost without exception, in playing the part of the ghost in "Hamlet," assume what they probably consider a sepulchral tone of voice. For what reason they take this liberty it is hard to imagine. Is it a style peculiar to ghosts? Who can tell us? Or did the senior Hamlet talk in that way. 5 66 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. CHAPTER XIII. The Circumflex, or Wave — Emphasis — Stress asd Quantity — Khetorical Pauses. The circumflex, or wave, is a union of the rising and falling inflec- tions, sometimes on one syllable and sometimes on several. Sneers, taunts, gibes, and reproachful expressions have an accentuation pecul- iarly their own, and partake largely of circumflections. What we mean does not depend so much on what we say as on the manner in which we say it. The modifying influences of accentuation, inflection, and emphasis change the intention or whole idea, making it something else. Whether we will or not, whatever is uttered under the pressure of strong feeling expresses itself exactly. If the same words are uttered under diflferent circumstances, with reversed or changed inflection, indicating a different state of mind, they will mean something else. Therefore we must bear in mind that nature, true to herself, stamps her meaning in all outward expression. The question arises here then, of what use is the study of elocution if nature is the best and only reliable teacher? As our education in letters is obtained from books, and Ave become fixed in the habit of using the letter without the spirit, we neglect giving such attention to the manner as nature, the great master, prompts. The true elocu- tionist, like the teacher of any art, can not go beyond the expression of nature and give any degree of satisfaction. All that he can do is to gather facts by close and critical study, and embody them in such rules and distinctions as will place the pupil on the right road to knowledge. If we take the following examples and simply read them without taking into consideration the spirit in which they are uttered, we will not convey their meaning. If we were to say candidly to some persons, "You are very ivise men, deeply learned in the truth; we, weak, contemptible, mean per- sons ;" it would indicate an appreciation of merits in them far superior to our own. But if we use the waves of voice that express sarcasm we give just the reverse of what the simple definition of the words MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. ^57 implies : that they are self-conceited, and entertain a poor opinion of vs ; as, " You are very wise men, dkeply learned in the truiJi; we, \veak, contemptible, mean persons." The Queen of Denmark, in reproving her son Hamlet for his conduct toward his stepfather, whom she married shortly after the murder of the king, her husband, says to him emphatically, "Samlet, you have your father much offended." He replies, with the circumflex that indicates a taunt, "Madam — you — have my father much offended." While she meant that he had offended her second husband, he, using the same words, flings the reproach upon her that she had proven untrue to his own father ; thus endeavoring to give expression to his suspicions and plant the dagger of remorse in her bosom. Art, studied appreciatively, adds beauty, ease, and gracefulness to the promptings of nature, giving greater power for good or evil. Yet there is a distinction that must be made when art is studied and applied to evil purposes or to deceive ; then it is leveled to trickery. But wdien it is sought for ennobling objects, for higher achievements, it becomes the handmaid of progress. Study it always in behalf of the latter, and you Avill help to bless the world. Close and critical attention to these delicate slides of voice is all- important. In speech, the right or Avrong rendering of these gives a pervading character to the whole delivery, and the grace and refined ease of polished society is much indebted to the correct expression of inflections. Do not fear that time will be lost in the study and practice of these essential elements in good reading and speaking. The following examples may now be rendered : " Moneys — is your suit. What should I sai/ to you ? Should I not say, Hath a dog money ? — is it possible A cur can lend — three thousand ducats?" " "What says that fool of a Hagar's offspring ? " " What ! — can so young a thorn begin to prick ? " " How like a fawning publican he looks ? " "They tell us to be moderate; but they — thky are to revel in profusion ! '" " Then Satan — answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job — fear God — for naught? And Job answered — and said, No doubt — but ye — are the ^^eo/^/e, and wisdom — shall die with you." In strongly impassioned sentences it frequently requires the slur of several notes on one word to express the intensity of scorn. The following reply of Death to Satan gives a striking example of this gg MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. length of circumflex. The scorn and contempt exhibited is so intense there is little danger of overdoing : "And reckon'st thou thyself with spir-its of heaven, HEITL-DOOMED, and breath' st defiance luu^e and scorn, wherel reign king, and to enrage thee more, — tJiy king, and Lord." The circumflex is also used in grand and impressive passages. In the following example from Isaiah, so simple, yet so grand and com- prehensive, is a fine illustration of the pitch of dignified descent or cadence of the slur, and of the intense monotone : 4 i- is the Lord God of Hosts. 3 I Holy, <^ The whole earth — is full — 2 ) Holj) of ^*^S GLOltY. 1 I Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or — who — shall — stand — in his holy 2>lace ? The following words which Shakespeare put into the mouth of the untamed Hotspur most perfectly expresses his opinion of an efieminate dandy. The recitationist should endeavor to look through the eyes of a blunt, straightforward, honest, earnest soldier, defending himself from an unjust accusation. It will be found that only a free use of the slender qualities of voice, made up largely of inflections and waves, can express the utter contempt and insignificance with which he regards the subject. Exercise. ^^ Hotspur. My liege, — I did deny no prisoners. But I rememher when the fight was done, When I was dry with rage, and extreme toil, Breathless, and faint, leaning upon my sword, Came there a certain lord; neat, trimly dress'd; Fresh as a bridegroom ; and his chin, new reap"d, Showed like stubble-\&.ni}L — at harvest home. He was perfumed like a milliner; And 'twixt his finger and his thiwib he held A pouncet-hox, which ever and anon He gave his nose. And still he smil'd and talk'd; And as the soldiers — bore dead bodies by. He called them untaught knaves, unmannerly, To bring a slovenly, unhandsome corse Betwixt the tvind — and his nobility. With many holiday — and lady terms He question' d me ; among the rest, demanded My prisoners in her majesty's behalf. I then, all smarting with my wounds, being gall'd MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 69 To be so pestered with a popinjay, Out of my grief, and my impatience, Answered negligently — I know not what, — He should, or should not ; for he made me mad To see him shine so brisk, and smell so sweet, And talk so like a waiting gentlewoman Of guns, and drums, and wounds (heaven save the mark!) And telling me the sovreign'st thing on earth Was spermaceti — for an inward bruise; And that it was a great pity (so it was) That villainous saltpetre — should be digged Out of the bowels of the harmless earth, Which many a good tall fellow had destroy'd So cowardly ; and but for these vile gu7is He would himself have been a soldier. This bald unjointed chat of his, my lord, I answered indirectly, as I said ; And I beseech you let not his report Come current, for an accusation. Betwixt my love and your high m,ajesty." There have been many rules laid down and suggestions given in regard to the proper rendering of tlie emphatic words in sentences. With what degree of success they have been attended, or what actual guide they have been to the student, we will not discuss here. Most readers and speakers, however, regard emphasis as a matter of private judgment, w^iich their own taste and appreciation of the sentiment should dictate, and which can not be determined by fixed rules; forgetting that taste would lose its significance, or at least become very bad taste, if it failed to translate the author's sentiments correctly. We might, with as much propriety, use the same liberty with the accentuation of syllables, or declare that individual taste should settle the various parts of speech. Emphasis is either something or nothing. It has a specific use or it has no use. If it has a legitimate place, it must be amenable to some law. Then who is to decide this matter, it is asked. Is not one person as good authority as another? To the first question we would reply, nature is to decide; to the second, they are the best authority who have studied most closely natural effects. People in earnest, animated conversations and discussions, in asking or answering questions, always place the emphasis on the proper word, and would not deviate in rendering the ideas of others if they had not been erroneously taught by those who have ignored nature's invaluable lessons. 70 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. We will give some specimens where taste and appreciation of sen- timent decided the emphatic words. Example 1. — The first sentence in the soliloquy of Macbeth when he is debating the murder of King Duncan — " If it were done when 'tis done, then it were well it were done quickly." Any one who has observed critically the rendition of this passage by different professional readers and actors will have heard it empha- sized in the following various styles: "If it were done when 'tia done, then it were ivell it were done quickly." The sense of which is: "If it were done when 'tis, it were ivell." Here the sense is already com- pleted, and "it were done quickly" becomes a meaningless clause, having no reference to what precedes it. Example 2. — "If it were done when 'tis done, then it were well it were done quickly." "If it were when 'tis" is without meaning. If it is, it absolutely is; there is no "if it were" about it. By such emphasis we are led to this conclusion, that "if it were wdien 'tis, then it were well it were." The true idea to be conveyed is that the act does not prevent consequences following it; that committing the murder is no surety that the business Avill be finished — the object attained. Let us substitute the word finished for the first "done," and we will have no trouble in placing the emphasis : " If it were finislied when 'tis done, then it were Avell it were done quickly." Of course we can not help wishing that Macbeth had possessed a more copious language, and had not been obliged to use the same word three times in a sentence. But the office of the elocutionist is to find the meaning of the author and give it the proper expression, no matter how much it may be hidden by inexpressive words. We will give one other example, from Paul : "O death ! where is thy sting? O grave ! where is thy victory?" The majority of persons who read these sentences place the em- phasis on is, which conveys the idea that the sting of death and the A'ictory of the grave are things the reader is searching to find and eager to possess. They are simply exclamations of triumph, in con- sequence of the resurrection having gained the victory over death and the grave. This having been fully demonstrated, the apostle bursts forth with this paean, placing the emphasis on where; meaning, where now is thy sting : " death ! where is thy sting ? grave ! where is thy victory?" MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. yj We hope these quotations will be sufficient to convince both reader and student that emphasis must be governed by fixed rules, inherent in the nature of things. As we have shown that emphasis placed on the wrong words entirely changes the meaning of the author, it will be further seen that close and critical analysis is required, not only to find the truly emphatic word in a sentence, but to ascertain in what way it is con- trolled by something previously expressed. Rule. — Simple courtesy requires that all proper names, when introduced for the first time, should receive emphasis. This rule must also be observed in presenting people to each other ; and further, when several names are spoken in succession, each must receive stress, and must not be pronounced in the same pitch of voice nor with the same breath. ExAJiPLE. — " George and Mary, James and Cynthia, John and Eliza attended the celebration." These persons are distinctly and separately introduced, and each individual name must be pronounced vith dif- ferent emphasis (or pitch of voice) from the preceding one. We can readily see the folly of disregarding this rule if we present a number of persons in succession, trying to pronounce their .names with one breath and in exactly the same pitch of voice. Certainly nothing could be more disrespectful. Therefore we see here a law, founded on the nature of things, to neglect or disobey which would be inexcusable. The above rule applies also to objects and topics when first pre- sented. It is but an act of politeness, due to the listeners, that they may become acquainted with a new subject demanding their consid- eration. If this is neglected, the subject — its acts, qualities, etc. — mingle in inextricable confusion in the mind of the listener. Note. — After a formal, emphatic presentation of nouns has taken place, according to the preceding rule, on their recurrence they do not take the same prominence ; but their acts and qualities are next in order to receive stress. ExAiNiPLE. — It rained, it hailed, it blew, making the storm terHfic." Storm does not receive stress, becau.?e it stands in the position of a recurrence of the word. But the writer has introduced three distinct acts to express the character of the storm, and these should not be spoken on the same pitch of voice. As they all mean different things, different qualities of voice are required. Therefore all students of elocution should analyze each sentence, for the purpose of gaining the author's full meaning. This, of course, involves an amount of study that may be discouraging to those who 72 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. expect to become proficients without labor ; but it is the shortest and only road to excellence. One very simple way of finding correct emphasis is by questions and answers. Let us take a part of the 23d Psalm, and by questions and answers see what we learn : "The Lord is my Shepherd: I shall not want." Why shall I not want? Because the Lord is my Shepherd. Therefore we get this rendering: "The Lord is my SJiepherd: I shall not want" "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures." Where doth He make me to lie down ? In green pastures. He leadeth me where? By the still waters. He leadeth me in what paths? Of righteousness. For whose sake? For His name's salce. Again, "Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul!" Unto whom do I lift up my soul? Unto diee. What do I lift up unto thee? My soul. Note. — Remember that my is never emphatic unless it is used to denote possession, in contrast to something possessed by others, or when the object possessed is a subject of con- troversy. "The Lord said unto my lord, sit thou at my right hand until I make thine enemies — thy footstool," is correct, for two separate lords are designated. Rule. — When any two words in a sentence are brought in contrast they are emphatic; as, "Why should it live — while Jam fallen?" In simple emphasis, where there are repetitions, or a succession of particulars to be designated, the stress is marked more by different pitches of voice and inflection than by increased loudness. "They (through faith) subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions; — out of weakness were made strong, — ■waxed valiant m fight, turned to flight the arms of the aliens." " But the fruit of the spirit is love, peace, long-sutiering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." " The rocks crumble, the trees fall, the leaves fade, and the grass withers." Emphasis may be properly divided into two classes, the Grammat- ical and Rhetorical. Grammatical emphasis sustains the corresponding relation to words in a sentence that accented syllables do to words, it being one of the essential elements that helps to give correct meaning, as well as life and soul to all delivery. As the subject and predicate are the important words in a sentence, they receive the stress from grammatical necessity. We will construct an example in simple grammatical emphasis. In pronouncing the name of God we should give it sufficient force to convey our devotional reverence for his name. If we say God is, there MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 73 is an interest awakened, and the important stress is placed on the predi- cate, which means that he exists, that he is all in all. If we say God is great, it then becomes a simple copula; great is the thing predicated, and which receives the important stress. In all simple declarations this is a rule : John is wUe ; Julia is beautiful ; Javies is good. Rule 1. — But if they assume the form of positive affirmation or opposition to some other expressed opinion, then the copula receives the important stress; as, John is ivise, notwithstanding you do not think so ; Julia is beautiful, and James is good. Rule 2. — In altercations and disputes the emphasis is changed from the pronoun to the verb; "This is my book. It was your book, but it IS not now." The student should be required to originate sen- tences, emphasizing according to the preceding examples. Rule 3. — In the repetition of a question the verb takes the stress; as, TF/io is this man of whom you speak? No answer being received, the question is repeated. Who is this man of whom you speak? In all affirmations confirming a fact about which doubt has been expressed follow the same rule. There are two ways of making emphasis — by stress and quantity. Stress is simple unimpassioned emphasis, such as occurs in important words in general conversation, or in reading sentiments or thoughts not particularly impressive. Quantity is either loudness or force, with more prolongation of the vowel-sounds on the unaccented sylla- bles, and is marked also by variety of pitch. When two or more states, conditions, or qualities are used in the predicate they are all emphatic, and usually increase in force of utterance, the last one receiving more stress than the preceding ones; but they should be spoken on different pitches, rather than in loudness of voice, bearing in mind also that two emphatic words must not be spoken Avithout taking breath between them. God is ^^^great — and ^-^good — and ^^)glorious. Exercise in Medium Emphasis. Ere three shrill notes the pipe had uttered, You heard as if an army muttered; And the grumbling — grew to a mighty — rumbling, And out of the house the reds came tumbling; — Great rats, small rats, lean rats, hraivny rats, Brown rats, black rats, gray rats, tawny rats ; Grave old plodders, — gay young friskers ; Fathers, mothers, — uncles, cousins, Curling tails and pricking whiskers; Families — by tens and dozens; — 74 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. Brothers, sisters, husbands, wives — Followed the piper for their lives. From street to street he piped, advancing, And step for step they followed, dancing, Until they came to the river Weser, Wherein all — plunged and perished Save 07ie, — who, stout as Julius Caesar, Swam across, and lived to carry To iJaMand-home his commentary. Words are emphatic when opposition is expressed or understood, or when we wish to enforce contrast. Example. — He who can not bear a joke should never give one. He that is past shame is past hope. The Aearf— without the heart — is like a stQ&ra-engine without the boiler. They are generally most ridiculous themselves — who see most to ridicule in others. Words used to exhibit differences, joined by conjunctions, are emphatic; as, ^^ Sink or swim, — live or die, — survive or perish." "The sun and moon — refused to shine." "Heaven and earth — will witness." "Land and sea." Over, under, beneath, below, above, upon, unto, within, Avithout, my, your, our, their, etc. , are never emphatic unless made so by being contrasted by their opposite in meaning. Example. — We went over the bridge, not under it. We took the road below the town, not the one leading throitgh the town. This is my seat, not yours. He is the governor of our state, not of theirs. Remark. — If we say, we loved, you hated, they wept, both subject and predicate receive stress ; for attentioa is drawn to the fact that there are not only different parties, but tliat they are doing different things. Exercise in Emphasis axd Ehetoeical Pauses. — How mean, — how timid, — how abject, must that spirit be which can sit doioi — contented with mediocrity. As for myself — all that is within me is on Jire. I had rather be torn into a thousand pieces than relax my resolution of reaching the sublimest heights of virtue — and knowledge, of goodiiess — and truth, of love — and wisdom. Nothing so admirable in human affairs but may be attained by the industry of maw. We are descended from heaven ; thither let us go. Let nothing satisfy us — lower than the summit of all excellence.'^ Note. — Parenthetical clauses must be spoken in quicker time, and at least a note lower, than the words preceding and following. The student may now be required to read the following exercise from "The Passions," paying strict attention to all that has been said about emphasis, breathing, pitch, and parenthetical modulation : " When Music (heavenly maid) wa.s young. While yet, in early Greece, she sung, MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 75 The Passions oft (to hear her shell) Throng'd around her magic cell, — Exulting, trembling, raging, fainting, — Possess'd beyond the Muse's painting. By turns, they felt the glowing mind Disturbed, delighted, raised, refined ; Till once ('tis said) when all were fired, Filled with fury — rapt — inspired — From the supporting myrtles round They snatched her instruments of sound; And, as they oft had heard apart Sweet lessons of her forceful art. Each — (for madness ruled the hour — ) "Would prove his own expressive power." After facility in simple emphasis has been acquired, it will be easy to master the rhetorical. Rhetorical emphasis has relation to the expression of the forcible, passional, and emotional qualities. It does not interfere with the grammatical sense, but conveys intensity and passional expression that the other fails to do. If we say, "To arms, they come," the grammatical sense is complete ; But if the clauses are repeated, it is indicated that there is something more to be expressed. If we repeat the words without any additional stress of voice, there is nothing gained by their repetition. "They come! to arms! to arms! to arms!" The simple call, "They come! to arms!" will convey just as much as the repetition; but if each additional "fo arms" is given with increasing force and higher pitch, some idea of the state of alarm and the necessity for immediate resistance will be manifested. ^^ .„w„ r TO arms! _, , , , TO arms! They come ! to arms ! This manner of rendition is absolute in all such passages where alarm and sudden resistance, or desire for help, is to be expressed. ' T is nature's own expression. Let this and similar clauses be prac- ticed by commencing with the loud and high pitch, and diminishing in ratio to the close, and it will be seen how foolish and inadequate is the result. Resistance and bravery will appear to be rapidly oozing out. KoTE.— Words, phrases, and sentences that require high pitches of voice before the climax is attained we denominate intense rising emphasis; those which require descent to lower and graver pitches of voice we will denominate the intense falling or descending emphasis. The repetition of words always indicates their increased expression, but does not indicate that they shall always be given on higher pitches 76 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. of voice. Repetitions of a sacred, grave, impressive, and dignified character require the downward stepping of the voice; and, if the last repeated word closes the sentence, takes usually a low, emphatic, prolonged half-whisper. If I were an American as I am an Englishman, I never would lay down my arms ; no, never, „„„ '' ' ' ' NEVER, , ' never! The student will see at once the marked contrast in the two exam- ples above given, and also the difference of expression necessary to render the opposite conditions or states of mind. The cool deliberation of a person debating a strong case, endeav- ormg to convince the judgment of an assembly, and enforcing his arguments by the powers of reason and rhetoric, would be quite different from the excited condition of one trying to arouse people to resistance against immediate danger. Neither would he use the scold- ing or high tones of anger ; to do so would only make him ridiculous, and be but a waste of breath and passion. The same rule is in force where a succession of words follow each other which directly appertain to the same subject, although not the same words repeated ; as, They, — by a strange frenzy driven, — fight for power, for plunder — and extended rule; we, — for our country, ,, j ' ' ■^' our altars, — and 7 ' our homes. Without a grave, — , ,, , ' uncofftnea, — and , ■" ' unknown. Also in all clauses and words that are used to express contempt ; as. Thou slave, ,■, , , ' thou wretch, ,-, , ' thou coward! Thou art too base for man To tread upon : , , , ^ ' thou scum! ., ,., , thou reptile I But this full, falling emphasis occurs on the last-repeated word only when it ends a sentence. But if the repeated words or clauses commence the sentence — as in this example, ''Ever thicker, thicker, thicker froze the ice on lake and river" — the first and second should take the increasing descending emphasis, but the last word "thicker" commences on exactly the pitch on which the second terminated, rising with a circumflex of voice to the pitch on which the first word "ever" was spoken; for it is a law that no Avord should receive a full falling inflection or cadence until the sense or thought in the sentence is complete. The sense is here continued; and while the grave and impressive stress is required, it MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 77 can not terminate there; for the words are introductory and not completory. thicker, ^^^^;r.g^^ tM'^^ Ever J ^„™. fell the snow o'er all the landscape. '^''P'''^ deeper, deep^^ ^ How often we hear clergymen read the following passage: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God," etc., in a grave and monotonous tone of voice, giving just exactly as much force on one word as on the other; and the "who was, and who is, aqc^ who is to come," with the emphasis each time on the who. ^°^y' holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, "Who was, and who is, and who is to come. Was, is, and is to come are used here to express the omnipresence of the Lord God Almighty, from the beginning to the end of time. If these are not emphasized the sense is not rendered. When a sentence is commenced with repeated clauses which have reference to time, place, distance, or particular qualities, the noun should be the first to receive the emphasis ; in the second repetition the adjective receives the stress; in the third or last, both adjective and noun take increased power. , ,, , half a I.EAGXJE omvard. 1 -rr ij? 7 naCf a league, •' 1. Half a league, •' ° ' ^^^„ ^^■.^. +!,„ v^,.„„^ none but the brave deserve the fair. f> TVT v i i-v z. none but the brave, 2. None but the hrave, ' . and nothins; btjt our country. r. r\ i our WHOLE Country, = •' 3. Our country, •" Repeated sentences commencing with the same word or clauses ex- pressing excited passion take the intense rising emphasis during the entire sentence without any downward dropping of the voice. 3. Strike — for the green graves of your sires. 2. Strike — -for your altars and your fires; 1. Strike — till the last armed foe expires; The following is to be read in the same manner, except the first line where the parenthetical clause occurs : 3. CHARGE home — avertge them one and all. 2. Charge home — your bleeding comrades fall ! 1. Charge home — (brave men) — at freedom's call; The climax occurring on the last word. In the above each repetition of the words drilce and hrnne takes an increasing circumflex also. 78 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. Pauses sometimes correspond to rests in music. As we have dwelt so much upon the necessity of respiration, it will be only necessary to say that the first use of a pause is to give time for the speaker to take breath. Pauses, or suspensions of voice, are of various lengths, from the slight breaking of voice between syllables to the prolonged rhetor- ical pause required to give effect and particularize a meaning which rapidity of utterance never allows. Close, attentive listening to rapid reading or speaking will enable a person to catch the leading idea of the author, but scarcely any thing further than this. To present a subject fully requires something more. "There is a time for all things," is a saying as old as Solomon ; and that all things require time for their completion and perfect work is equally true. And it frequently becomes essential that not only a suspension of voice is necessary, but a visible pause is required before a word to excite expectation in the minds of the listeners, else they will not be impressed with the full importance of the word which is to follow. We denominate this "rhetorical efiect," and the suspension of voice RHETORICAL PAUSE. The rhetorical pause occurs before or after the important words, and it is sometimes necessary that a word or sentence shall be com- pletely cut ofi* or separated from what precedes it, and also from that which follows, by this suspension of voice, in order that sufficient attention may be drawn to it. But the words or clauses thus set apart receive emphasis in some form of modulation of voice that is not given to the others. Thus where opposite things or qualities are contrasted, the quality of voice must be used that will best express the character of each; as, Virtue — leads to happiness; — vice, — to misery. These pauses are of greater or less duration, and are regulated in length by the importance of the words or clauses before and after which they occur. To give some idea of the comparative length of these rests, we will illustrate by the use of one or more little pause- dashes, but give them merely as an illustration ; for the pupil should strive so to enter into the spirit of what he says or reads as to have them prompted by his feelings. A Deity — believed — is joy begun ; a Deity adored is joy advanced ; a Deity BELOVED is joy matured. It will be seen that this gives a separate molding of the different degrees of development of the religious state; and when rendered with the proper observance of the pauses, and a slightly increasing MANUAL OF ELOCUTIOX. 79 emphasis, with an equally increasing rising circumflex of voice on the words believed, adored, beloved, the effect is very impressive. " Roll on, — thou deep — and dark — blue ocean, roll ; Ten thousand fleets sweep — over thee in vain." '^Hail! universal Lord! Be bounteous still — to give us only good; and if the night — have gathered — aught of evil — or concealed, — diverse it now, as light — dispels the dark." It must be remembered that these pauses follow the law of climax just as does emphasis; that there are always strong points to be made, and the greatest force and expression must be reserved for that purpose. "Be our plain answer — this, The throne we honor — is the peoples choice; the laws we reverence — are our fathers' legacy; the faith — we follow — teaches us — to live in bonds of charity with all mankind, — and die — with hopes of bliss — beyond — the grave" Let any person read the following extract from the flight of Xerxes without the suspension of voice, and then with it, and they will dis- cover the importance of its use : " He who with heaven contended Fled like a fugitive and slave; Behind, the foe — before, the wave." " Behind, the foe ; before, the wave." In the first case Xerxes is behind the foe ; in the last, the foe is behind him. Again, in the following quotation from Othello, where he smothers Desdemona, the distinction between putting out the light of a taper and the extinguishing of life could not be expressed without this prolonged pause. Although Othello had many admirable traits of character, the passion of jealousy was too fierce to be controlled by his frank and generous nature. The pathetic detail which he gave to Desdemona of the dangers and hardships he had passed "in the tented field," excited in her the profoundest sympathy and love for this rough and swarthy soldier; "and he loved her that she did pity them." Othello was truly and devotedly attached to his wife; but, being impetuous and hasty in his disposition, his suspicions were easily awakened. Desdemona possessed a nature full of sweetness, gentleness, and compassion, and was ever true and constant to her husband. But lago, a pretended friend of Othello — whose villainy has scarcely a parallel even among the most odious characters which Shakespeare has painted — by his dark innuendoes and insinuations 80 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. against the conduct of Desdemona, succeeds in making Othello madly jealous of her. In his tones of mingled jealousy, despair, and revenge he says : "She is gone! — I am abused; and my relief Must be to hate her." After the agitation of the storm in his bosom had in some measure subsided, he concluded to terminate her existence. In the scene, Desdemona is lying on a couch ; Othello enters with a light, and, with convulsed frame and broken murmurs, gazes upon his sleeping victim, and then gives expression to his feelings in the folloAving words : " It is the cause, it is the cause, — my soul ; Let me not name it to you, — you chaste stars I — It is the cause. Yet I '11 not shed her blood ; Nor scar that whiter skin of hers — than snow, And smooth as monumental alabaster. Yet she must die, else she '11 betray more men. Put out the light, — and then Put out — THE light! If I quench thee, — thou flaming minister, — • I can again ihj former light restore, Should I repent me : but — once put out thine (Thou cunning'st pattern of excellent nature), I know not where is that Promethean heat That can — thy light relume. When I have plucked thy rose^ I can not give it vital growth again, — It needs must wither. I '11 smell it on the tree. O balmy breath, that doth almost persuade Justice herself to break her sword ! One more, one more ! Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee, — And love thee after." To read or recite this requires great rhetorical expression ; and the line wherein occurs, "Put out the light, and then put out the light," must be particularly significant. The phrase "put out the light" in the first case implies blow out the candle. Where it is repeated — thus, " and then put out the light" — means put out the light of life; quite a difierent matter. A rhetorical pause ought therefore to be made after the word tlien and before the word the — the taking also a prolonged emphatic circumflex. To read or recite this soliloquy merely in a grammatical manner, without emphasis or rhetorical pause, would make it unimpressive, flat, and even farcical — would convey the idea that smothering one's wife was an easy and simple act in the course of events. MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 81 CHAPTER XIV. Climax — Deep Breathing — Air — Stammering. In argumentative composition there is always a point to be made clear ; the culmination of proofs must be enforced gradually and with increasing intensity of voice until the climax is attained. Example 1. — " Let us contemplate then this connection which hinds the posterity of others to our own ; and let us manfully discharge all the duties it imposes. If we cherish the virtues and principles of our fathers, Heaven will assist us to carry on the work of human liberty and human hapjnness." Example 2. — "Auspicious omens cheer us. Our firmament now shines brightly above us. Washington is in the clear upper sky; Adams, Jefferson, and other stars have joined the American constellation; — they circle round the center, and the heavens — beam with neio — light. Beneath this illumination let us walk the course of life; and — at its close devoutly commend our beloved country, — the common parent of us all, — to the Divine Benignity." In this peroration the last clause should terminate in a solemn half- whisper, accompanied with the upraised hand of veneration. Another equally good specimen is from the supposed speech of John Adams on the Declaration of Independence, given elsewhere. In highly poetical and emotional compositions the same law of preserving the climax must be observed, or the beauty and perfection of the idea as a whole will be lost. To illustrate this we Avill take the last four verses of the 24th Psalm in full, as they are replete with intense devotional fervor combined with great poetical exaltation. After enumerating the qualities of head and heart that will insure the blessing from the Lord, the Psalmist bursts forth in this j^oetical rapture on the greatness and power of the King of glory : Lift up your heads, — O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory — shall come in. Who — i^ this King — of glory? The Lo7-d — strong — and mighty, the Lord — mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates ; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors ; — and the King of glory shall come in. Who is — this Khig of glory? The Lord of Hosts, — he is the King — oi glory. 6 82 MANUAL OF ELOCUTIOX. The following monologue (Avliich Sir AValter Scott put in the mouth of Bertram, as descriptive of what that terrible outlaw wished his own death to resemble) is given here as an example. Bertram was a tyrannical and brutal character, showing compassion to none, but ruling all over whom he could gain the least advantage with a rod of iron. He wished his life to have an ending which would com- port with his fearless career. 5. " And now, — my race — of terror — run, 6. Mine — be the eve — of tropic sun; 6. No pale gradaiions — quench his ray, 5. No twilightC'') — dews — his wraih allay: 4. With(5) disk (3)like battle target— rerf, 6. He rushes — t' his burning hed; 5. Dyes the wide wave — with hloody'S') light; 3. Then sinks — ('•2)at once, — and ail is — (I)night." mine — be the eve — of tropic sun ; And now,— my race — of terror — run, No pale gradations — quench his ray, no twiliL'ht- -dews — his wrath — alia}' fO he rushes — t' his Vjr.rnin" bed ; -disk '■ With like battle target — red, — light; Dyes the wide wave — with blood)- -then siuks- at once — and all is — • ■ night.- ExERCiSE ON Pitch, Rhetorical, Pause, Ejiphatic Circumflex, Catiline. "Banish'd from Rome? — "What 's banish'd — ^but set free From daily contact with the things I loathe? ^ Tried — and co7ivicted — traitor/' Who says this ? MANUAL OF EEOCUTIOX. 33 Who '11 prove it, at his peril, on my head? Banisii'd — I thank you for 't. It breaks my chains I — I held some slack allegiance till this hour; — But now my sword 's my own. Smile on, my lords! I scorn to count what feelings, — wither'd hopes, — Strong provocations, — bitter, — burning — wro7igs — I have within my heart's hot colls shut up — To leave j^ou — in your lozi/ — dignities. But here I stand and scotf you; here I fling Hatred — and full defiance in your face. — Your Consul 's merciful. For this, all thanks. He dares not touch — a hair of Catiline." * Exercises embRxVCing Inflections, Emphasis, RHETORiCAii Pauses, Modulation, and Prolongation. All the preceding knowledge gained on these subjects must be put in practice on these exercises. The numbers indicate the modulation of voice required, as explained before by the use of lines and spaces. It will be well for the teacher to write these and similar passages on the blackboard for concert practice, as this will allow the class per- sonal freedom for the graces of gesture. (c)""What a piece of work — is man! how noble — in {5)reason/. how infinite — in (G) FACTJLTT ! in ^^)fortn — and (5) moving — how (6) express and admirable ! — in action how — like an angel ! — in apprehension how — (^)like a god!" Note. — The last " toio " must roceive the upward, concrete slur of three notes (4, 5, G) ; the voice then falling to the 1st, by a discrete movement, on the word " like," finishing the climax in a half-whisper. "My JUDGMENT — approves this measure, and my whole heart — is in it: all that I have,(-i) — all that(5) I am, — and all that(<') I hope— in this life,(5) I am 11010 ready (■!) here — to stake upon it; — and I leave off — as I began; th't('l) siJik — or sicim,{^) LIVE— or die, SURVIVE(G)— or PEEISH,— (7)/ am for the Dec- laration. (4)11 is my living sentiment, and,(2) — by the blessing of God, — (^)\t shall be my dijhig sentiment. (5) Independence — (C) now — and independence (9)forevek." The first essential qualification for becoming a good speaker, reader, or singer, is good breathing. It is a solemn fact that one half the civilized world knows not how to re.?pire. All infants breathe prop- erly ; but natural inflation is soon squeezed out of them. Air is very well for animals, but is too common and vulgar for refined humanity. A little air is all — a little short breath to flutter and pant with makes a deliciously-interesting condition of health. It is so exquisite to be too delicate to sing, and too feeble to read or converse. Very false notions have hitherto prevailed Avith regard to the im- portance of the uses of bodily functions. It is time that there should 84 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION". be an earnest protest instituted against any neglect of them. They Avere given us as instruments and means of expressing the high, noble, and almost infinite faculties with which our Creator has been pleased to endow us, and should be reverently and wisely preserved and used for the purposes for which they were designed. People who squeeze all the breath they can out of their lungs should never attempt to sing praises to the name of God "with voice and cornet," for they can not do it. That which was breathed into our nostrils, and made us living souls, must have an abiding place ; and if we give it not room, how can we thank or praise him while refusing to accept freely and fully this first gift of life ? There are certain muscles used in the act of breathing that must be strong and flexible, else the process of respiration is very imperfect, the blood is not vitalized, and a general debility and disease is the result. Those to which we shall call special attention are the dia- jihragm and the abdominal muscles. If these are weak and inactive the person is incapable of drawing a full breath and expelling it with adequate force ; and under these circumstances it will be out of the question for a speaker to properly economize and utilize his breath. He will suflTer from fatigue, and be wanting in evenness and purity of tone, and fail entirely in becoming impressive. The diaphragm is an exceedingly elastic muscle, dividing by its grand arch the lungs above from the stomach below. It is sometimes spoken of as "the floor of the lungs and the roof of the stomach." When this muscle is strong and under good control it contracts and expands Avith great power. In the process of inhaling breath it sliould contract so as to allow the lower air-cells of the lungs to liecome fully inflated with air. This motion acts on the stomach, and by its downward pressure on the abdominal muscles produces an expansion. In exhaling breath these motions are reversed. And this beautiful, harmonious contraction and expansion of the muscles not only cause a vitalization of the blood, but incite the stomach to activity and the viscera to healthy conditions, and render them all efl[icient co-operators in the act of speaking. Indeed, if proofs are wanted in regard to the use of these lower muscles, we may derive instruction from observation of the animals in their expulsion of voice-sounds. Observe the cow, how her flanks expand and contract, and what tremendous expulsions of sound she makes, when bellowing for her lost youngling. The majority of persons breathe by taking as small a quantity of air as possible into the upper portion of the lungs. If asked to take MANUAL OF ELOCUTION, 85 a deep breath, they will iuhale what air they can, raise the shoulders, expand the diaphragm, press it up against the lower portions of the lungs, thereby preventing any possibility of this vitalizing element entering that region. And they will hold this breath in the upper part of the respiratory organs as long as they can, distending and straining them to tlieir utmost capacity. This they call deep breath- ing; but the human organism in a normal condition of respii'ation never makes such spasmodic exertions. Deep breathing is quite a different process, and requires an op})osite muscular movement. As before stated, in the act of inlialing breath the diaphragm should con- tract and the abdominal muscles expand, leaving room for the lower cells of the lungs to become perfectly inflated. Then when the return action of these muscles takes place there is a goodly quantity of breath out of which to produce sound ; and these friendly muscles are in a proper condition and position to hold and control the expulsion of breath, make the vibrations even and the sounds pure. In the method first referred to the muscles have already done their best in sending the air into the upper cells. The contraction is already com- pleted, and they ai*e unprepared to assist the laryngeal chords in controlling the voice-sounds. Besides, the unnatural forcing of air into the upper part of the respiratory organs, straining and distending them, and the rapid expulsion of this concentrated column of breath, passing out by mere force of its accumulation, excite undue activity of the vocal chords and often cause their paralysis and a consequent loss of voice. In all cases it renders them disobedient to the will ; the vibrations are uneven and the voice-sounds imperfect. Stam- mering, weak throats, and bronchial affections are the results most common. Indeed, the amount of labor thrown upon the laryngeal chords to perform without sufficient air, and without the friendly co-operation of the dorsal and abdominal muscles, is appalling. And the discordant, rating, rasping, screeching, sounds produced in con- sequence are enough to drive one mad with torture. To convey the ideas of the human mind, its emotions, its shades of thought, requires a variety of vocal efforts. At times, loud and strong tones — again, high and piercing ones — and again, delicate inflections and soft intonations are necessary. All these subtle move- ments of the chords and muscles should be of the nicest and most delicate order, or the voice utterly fails to give such expression as the mind desires. Certain means must be used to produce certain desired results. Therefore it will be seen that a full, natural respiration is the first essential qualification for producing a good voice. It is not 86 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. to be understood that good breathing is all that is necessary; but without a full expansion of the lungs, and a perfect control of the muscles used in respiration, there can not be lasting resonance and beauty of voice. The ancient teachers of vocal culture, called plonasei or vocists, in order to develop strength of voice in their pupils, carried them through a severe course of training of all the chords and muscles used in breathing and speaking. How well they understood the co-operation of the diaphragm and the abdominal muscles with the vocal apparatus, and the importance of their strength and flexibility, is shown by their compelling their pupils to lie on their backs with weights on their chests, and to declaim while walking, running, and climbing. We know but faintly what wonderful power, flexibility, and sweetness of voice Ave are capable of cultivating. The silver voice of Cicero and the thunder-tones of Demosthenes echo through cen- turies and encourage us to labor for perfection. A speaker with a strong, magnetic voice comes before his audience clothed with power. There is nothing so inspiring ; it gives weight to thought and enforces argument. All great orators and tragedians have possessed great force and resonance in this wonder-working instrument. It is said that Garrick could speak with ease to ten thousand people. Let any one seriously contrast the full, round, healthful voice with a sick, feeble, squeaking one, and he will be willing to work faithfully for the better one. INFLUENCE OF POETRY AND MUSIC. As tlie tendency of poetry — is to exalt the thoughi, so that of music is to exalt the affeciions. As the aspirations of the -poet are to raise the mind to higher flights and sentiments, so those of the musician are to elevate it to higher — and fuller exaltation of the emotions. "We read poetry for the former, and resort to music for the latter; and in vocal music ioth effects are produced if the m.eans — are adapted to the end. Poetry in its external form should be expressed in language that implies the elevation of the senti- ments, and be composed in rhythmical or metrical lines. ^ Music — in its outward form is a composition of varied sounds or tones, expressed in such style as to imply the elevation of the affections, and composed in rhythmical 2>Toporiio?i. 'What poetry is — to thought, music is — to feeling. As in painting or in sculpture we speak of the "poetry of forin," so music may be called the poetry of sound; and, internally, the poetry of feeling and emotion. How sad it is — to think of its being perverted and made the servant or slave to the lower passions ! Stammering is sufficiently common to require no description here, further than to say it is a hesitation or interruption of speech. It presents a variety of forms. In some cases the stammerer makes an MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 87 efiort to speak while his lips seem to be hermetically sealed ; in others, he will, while speaking, suddenly lose all power of volition over his articulating organs, while his mouth remains wide open. Others, again, make an efibrt to speak, and all breath is expelled without producing a sound. In most cases, however, there is usually little or no vocality. To enumerate all the phases is unnecessary, as tlie cause is essentially the same in all — weakness of the vocal and respiratory muscles. But many persons continue the habit, which was acquired in a delicate state of health, after these chords and muscles are strong. In such cases it becomes exceedingly obstinate, and requires great patience and determination on the part of both pupil and teacher to effectually overcome it. It will be recollected that we have said all voice or vocal sounds are made in the top of the larynx, and that aspirates are pure breath- sounds. Therefore, when Ave find the organs of speech simply give us aspirate-sounds without any voice-sound, we refer the fault to the place where the voice is produced. If the laryngeal chords are too weak to obey volition, and can not contract soon enough to obstruct the breath and cause an immediate vibration of air, the tongue and lips take the unvocal breath and make it into aspirates. The organs are all ready to talk, and the effort is to co-operate naturally. And when the unfortunate person finds but a portion of his organs woi'king vigorously while the rest are making only spasmodic efforts, it becomes embarrassing, and this of course only heightens the difficulty. The first step toward a cure is to direct the mind of the afflicted person to the seat of the diflSculty ; the second, a return to a normal condition of breathing. The patient must acquire a full, even inhala- tion and exhalation of air — so complete that the whole abdominal surface will rise and fall harmoniously, unaccompanied by any spas- modic exertions from the top of the lungs, or raising of the shoulders. Notliing can be done that will give the least promise of success until this much is gained. The next step should be a course of vocal gymnastics, with as little talking as possible. Indeed, it would much facilitate improvement if talking should be dispensed with altogether at first, and the patient concentrate all energy in forming the vowel- sounds. All the vowels should be expelled by different degrees of force, in different lengths, and in different qualities of voice, until the vocal muscles are strengthened and become perfectly obedient to the will — never forgetting that these exercises must be moderate, and be discontinued at the slightest indication of fatigue, and never losing D 02 GO O M o > w o WO"^C^(Mi-i Q01>C5iOTfCf^C^ri 1 _. 1 1 ( «'J ) -y 3 _c; ■B o 3, 2 g "^ o 1 a! « 1 gj, c! aj s 't. ^ C" £ 1 *«C d :3 :; 3 £ o ■3 5 13 ^ • r- i c ^ d ,; : rr OQ aJ y ' o . .2 ]3. .a ^/ ■•'.. •''; 1 7 » o a. 5 a C3 c ci. s ^ ^ ^ .— r- ^O -^ £. - O ^ FIh o _. d e- ^ a o ^. 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Who dazzles the fancy, and tickles the ear With exquisite tropes and musical style, As gay as a tulip, — as polished as oil. Sells truth — at the shrine of polite eloquence, To please the soft taste and allure the gay sense." DIGNITY AND QUANTITY. "High on a throne — of royal state, which far Outshone the wealth of Ormus and — of Ind, — Or — where the gorgeous East with — richest hand — Show'rs — on her kings — barbaric — pearl and gold, — Satan exalted sat, — by merit raised To that bad eminence, — and, from despair — Thus high uplifted beyond hope, aspires Beyond thus high, — insatiate to pursue Vain war with Heaven" SOFT AND SMOOTH. "How sweet the wtoow-light sleeps upon this bank, Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music — Creep in our ears ; soft stillness, and the night — Become the touches of sweet harmony P ^ 102 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. QUICK AISTD JOYOUS. " Let the merry hells ring round, And the jocund rebeck sound, To many a youth — and many a maid, Dancing — in the checkered shade. CHAPTER XVI. Modulation — Delivery — Examples in Various Styles: Tenderness; Rapid, Light, and Brilliant; Awful; Threatening; Revenge; Scorn; Disgust and Contempt; Sarcasm; Remorse and Humilia- tion; Contrition and Doubt; Fear; Love; Sorrow and Grief; Horror and Agony. Modulation comprises all the qualities of speech heretofore treated, from the division of accent, and all qualities of voice in shades of inflection and varieties of pitch. To have good modulation requires the mastery of every element in the art, with judgment and taste to direct their use. This gives the music of speech and the melody of oratory. The most delicate shades of sound are those made by human speech. It is through the ear that we learn to imitate sound, as through the eye we learn to imitate motions. Let not persons say they can not learn to sing because they have no ear for music — can not detect sound or learn tunes. If such had not possessed a dis- criminating ear, they never could have learned to utter those words in which they say they have not the ability to detect sound. They are denying the sounds they use. 'T is true Ave all have ears, and hear not the wonderful sounds that strike the tympanum; but it is because consciousness is not atten- tive — does not listen for them; and of course the mouth can not articulate what is unknown to the ear. The dumb are only so because the ear is dead. Therefore those who have eyes and ears need never limit their attainments. EuLES. — To be lieard distinctly at a distance requires a full expul- sion of the wn;eZ-sounds ; to be uiiderstood requires a clear and perfect articulation of the aspirates and svhvoivels ; to be apjyreciated the voice must be modulated so as to present each new thought or sentiment on a different pitch from the preceding one. MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 103 Delivery is word-painting ; the speaker sees the subject in his mind distinctly. If it is a picture of a landscape, a battle-scene, a death- scene, it matters not what, it must be first distinctly understood and appreciated by the individual before any attempt should be made to express it. We have words, similes, tropes, analogies — the various tones and movemdhts of voice, which correspond to the pigments of the artist — by which we transfer what we have in our own mind to the minds of others. Therefore let the student get a general outline of the subject of the piece he is about to recite. First comprehend the general situation of affairs, then the various objects in its com- position, their relations to each other and to the main subject, and then, by voice and action, endeavor to make it intelligible to others, exactly as it lies in his own mind. Take the following extract, learn it, analyze it, review it, and then recite it : [King Henry before the pates of Harfleur; the governor and citizens above, on the walls of tlie besieged city. The attitude and action tliose of one spealting to an audience at some elevation — the voice loud and prolonged, to enable, it to be heard at a distance ; together with the imperious tone of command, to express the matter of the speech, the tenor of which is a threat.] K. Henry. How yet resolves the governor of the town ? This is the latest parle we will admit : Therefore to our best mercy give yourselves ; Or, like to men proud of destruction, Defy us to our worst: for as I am a soldier — A name that in my thoughts becomes me best — If I begin the battery once again, I will not leave the half-achieved Harfleur Till in her ashes she lie buried. The gates of mercy shall be all shut up; And the flesh'd soldier, rough and hard of heart, In liberty of bloody hand shall range With conscience wide as hell; mowing like grass Your fresh fair virgins and your flowering infants, "What is it then to me if impious war, Array'd in flames like the prince of fiends, Do, with his smirch'd complexion, all fell feats Enlink'd to waste and desolation? What is 't to me, when you yourselves are cause, If your pure maidens fall into the hand Of hot and forcing violation ? What rein can hold licentious wickedness When down the hill he holds his fierce career? We may as bootless spend our vain command Upon the enraged soldiers in their spoil, As send precepts to the Leviathan 104 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. To come ashore. Therefore, you men of Harfleur, Take pity of your town and of your people, Whiles yet my soldiers are in my command ; "Whiles yet the cool and temperate wind of grace O'erblows the filthy and contagious clouds Of deadly murder, spoil, and villainy. If not, why, in a moment, look to see The blind and bloody soldier with foul hand Defile the locks of your shrill-shrieking daughters ; Your fathers taken by the silver beards, And their most reverend heads dash'd to the walls; Your naked infants spitted upon pikes. Whiles the mad mothers with their howls confused Do break the clouds, as did the wives of Jewry At Herod's bloody-hunting slaughtermen. What say you? Will you yield, and this avoid? Or, guilty in defense, be thus destroy' d? Examples in Various Styles. TENDERNESS. " There 's another, — not a sister ; — in the happy days gone by You 'd have known her — ^by the merriment that sparkled in her eye; Tell her — the last night of my life (for ere the moon be risen My body will be out of pain, my soul be out of prison) I dreamed I stood with her, and saw the yellow sunlight shine On the vme-clad hills — of Bingen, fair Bingen on the Rhine ! I saw the blue Rhine sweep along, — I heard, or seemed to hear, The German songs we used to sing, in chorus sweet and clear ; And doivn the pleasant river, and uj) the slanting hill. The echoing chorus sounded, through the evening calm and still ; And her glad — blue eyes were on me as we passed with friendly talk, Down many a path beloved of yore, and weiZ-rememhered walk ; And her little hand lay lightly, — confidingly in mine ; But we '11 meet no tnore at Bingen, loved Bingen on the Rhine ! " [Mrs. Norton, gentle — tender. " Softly ! She is lying With her lips apart. Softly I She is dying Of a broken heart. Whisper! She is going To her final rest. Whisper! Life is growing Dim within her breast. Gently I She is sleeping ; She has breathed her last. Gently ! While you are weeping, She to heaven has passed !" MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 105 RAPID, LIGHT, AND BRILLIANT. " I come ! I cowie / ye have called me long : I come o'er the mountains with light and song I Ye may trace my step o'er the wakening earth, By the winds which tell of the violet's birth, By the primrose stars in the shadowy grass, By the green leaves opening as I pass," " Away ! away to the mountain's brow, Where the trees are gently waving; Away ! away to the vale below, "Where the streams are gently laving." SLO"W, AND EXPRESSIVE OF THE AWFUL. " I had a dream — which was not all a dream : — The bright hin was extinguished; — and the stars Did wander — darkling in the eternal space, Rayless — and pathless ; and the icy earth Swung blind and blackening — in the moonless air; Morn came^ and went, and came, and brought no day." [Byron. threatening conversational. Cassius. Brutus, — bay not me ! I '11 not endure it. You forget yourself, To hedge me in : I am a soldier, I, Older in practice, abler than yourself To make conditions. Brutus. Go to ; you are not, Cassius. Cas. I am. Bru. I say you are not ! Cas. Urge me no more, I shall forget myself; Have mind upon your health, tempt me no further! Bru. You say you are a better soldier : Let it appear so ; make your vaunting true. And it shall please me well. For mine own part, I shall be glad to learn of noble men. Cas. You wrong me every way ; you wrong me, Brutus : I said an elder soldier, not a better. Did I say better? Bru. If you did, I care not ! Cas. When Caesar lived, he durst not thus have moved me. Bru. Peace, peace ! you durst not so have tempted him. Cas. I durst not ? Bru. No. Cas. What ! durst not tempt him ? Bru. For your life, you durst not! Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love ; I may do that I shall be sorry for. 106 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. KEVENGE CIKCUMELEX. " If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me of half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorn'd my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies. And what's his reason? 1 am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes'? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Is he not fed with the same food ; hurt with the same weapons ; subject to the same diseases; heal'd by the same means; warm'd and cool'd by the same summer and winter, as a Christian is? If you stab us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh ? If you poison us, do we not die ? And if you icrong us, shall we not revenge ? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility ? Revenge. If a Chris- tian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example ? Why, REVENGE. The villainy you teach me, /will execute; and it shall go hard but I will better the instruction." HORROR. Macbeth. I drink to the general joy of the whole table, And to our dear friend Banquo, whom we miss ; Would he were here ! to all, and him, we thirst, And all to all. Lords. Our duties and the pledge. Macb. Avaunt ! and quit my sight ! Let the earth hide thee ! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with. Lady Macbeth. Think of this, good peers, But as a thing of custom : 't is no other ; Only it spoils the pleasure of the time. Macb. What man dare, I dare : Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, The arm'd rhinoceros, or the Hyrcan tiger; Take any shape but that, and my firm nerves Shall never tremble : or be alive again. And dare me to the desert with thy sword ; If trembling I inhabit then, protest me The baby of a girl. Hence, horrible shadow \ Unreal mockery, hence ! Why, so, being gone, I am a man again. Pray you, sit still. " Ay, go thy way, thou painted thing, Puppet, which mortals call a king, Adorning thee with idle gems, With drapery and diadems, And scarcely guessing that beneath That purple robe and laurel wreath MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. IQJ There 's nothing but the common slime Of human clay and human crime I My rags are not so rich, but they Will serve as well to cloak — decay. •' And night will come ; and thou wilt lie Beneath a purple canopy ; With lutes to lull ihee, flowers to shed Their iavQVish. fragrance round thy bed; A princess to unclasp thy crest, A Spartan spear to guard thy rest. Dream, — happy one ! thy dreams will be Of danger and of — perfidy ; — The Persian lance, — the Carian club ! — I shall sleep sounder in my tub ! DISGUST AND CONTEMPT. Ham,let. O God ! your only jig-xnakcv. What should a man do but be — merry ? for, look you, how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within these two hours. Ophelia. Nay, 't is twice two months, my lord. Ham. So long? Nay, then, let the devil wear black, for I'll have a suit of sables. O heavens ! die two months ago and not forgotten yet ! Then there s hope a great man's m,emory may outlive his life half & year ; but, by'r lady, ho must build churches then, or else shall he suffer not thinking on, with the hobby-horse, whose epitaph is, "For 0/ for 0/ the hobby-horse \s forgot!" ALARM AND GRIEF. Macduff. Approach the chamber, and destroy your sight With a new Gorgon. Do not bid me speak : See, and then speak yourselves. Aivake ! aicakel Eing the alarum-bell. Murder and treason ! Banquo and Donalbain ! Malcolm ! awake ! Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, And look on death itself! — up, up, and see The great doom's image ! Malcolm ! Banquo ! As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites To countenance this horror ! Ring the bell. Lady Macbeth. What 's the business, That such a hideous trumpet calls to parley The sleepers of the house ? speak, speak ! Macd. O gentle lady ! 'T is not for you to hear what I can speak : The repetition, in a woman's ear. Would murder as it fell. — O Banquo ! Banquo ! Our royal master 's murder'd I 108 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. CONTEMPT. Polonius. What do you read, ray lord ? Hamlet. Words, words, — words. Pol. "What is the matter, my lord? Ham. Between whom ? Pol. I mean the matter that you read, my lord. Ha?n. Slanders, sir: for the satirical rogue says here that old men have gray beards; that their /aces are wrinkled; their eyes purging thick amber and plum-tree gum ; and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, together with most weak hams: all which, sir, though I most powerfully and potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down ; for you yourself, sir, should be old as I am, — if, like a crab, you could go backward. Julia. Why ! do you think I '11 work ? Duke. I think 't will happen, wife. Julia. What ! 7'ub and scrub your noble palace clean ? Duke. Those taper fingers will do it daintily. Julia. And dress your victuals (if there be any) ? Oh ! I shall go mad. [TOBIN. KEMORSE AND HUMILIATION. •- King. Oh ! my offense is rank, — it smells to heaven ; It hath the primal eldest curse upon 't, — A brother^ s murder I Pray can I not, Though inclination be as sharp as will : My stronger — guilt defeats my strong intent ; And, like a man to double business bound, I stand in pause where I &h&\\ first begin. And both neglect. What if this cursed hand Were thicker than itself with brother's — blood, Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens To wash it white — as snow ? AVhereto serves mercy But to confront the visage of offense? And what 's in prayer, but this two-fold force, — To be forestalled, ere we come to fall, Ov pardon' d, being down? Then, I'll look up: My fault is past. But, oh ! what /or-m of prayer Can serve my turn? Forgive me mj foid — murder/ That ca7i not be ; since I am still possess'd Of those effects for which I did the murder, — My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen. May one be pardon! d and retain th' offense ? In the corrupted currents of this world Offense's gilded hand may shove by jastice ; And oft 'tis seen, the wicked prize itself Buys out the laiv ; but 't is not so — above ; There is no shiiffling, — there the action lies In his true nature ; and we ourselves compell'd, MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 109 Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults, To give in evidence. What then ? what rests ? Try what repentance can : what can it not ? Yet what can it, when one can not repent ? O ivretched state ! O bosom, black as death ! O limed soul, that, struggling — to be/ree, Art more engaged I Help, — angels ! make assay : Bow, stubborn knees ; and, heart, with strings of steel. Be soft as sineivs of the new-born babel All may be well. CONTRITION AND DOUBT. Hamlet. Ay, so, God be wi' you ! Now I am alone. Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am 1 1 Is it not monstrous that this player here, But in a fiction, in a dream of passion. Could force his soul so to his own conceit. That, from her working, all his visage wann'd; Tears in his eyes, distraction in his aspect, A broken voice, and his whole function suiting With forms to his conceit ? and all for nothing ! For Hecuba ! What 's Hecuba — to him, or he — to Hecuba, That he should lueep for her ? What would he do Had he the motive and the cue for passion That I have ? He would drown the stage with tears, And cleave the general ear with horrid speech. Make mad the guilty, and appall the free. Confound the ignorant ; and amaze, indeed, The very faculties of eyes and ears. Yet I, — A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak. And can say nothing : no, not for a king, Upon whose property, and most dear life, A damn'd defeat was made. — Am I a coward? Who calls me villain ? breaks my pate across ? Plucks off my beard, and blows it in my face ? Tweaks me by the nose ? gives me the lie i' the throat As deep as to the lungs ? Who does me this ? Ha ! Why, I should take it ; for it can not be, But I am pigeon-liver'd, and lack gall To make oppression bitter, or ere this I should have fatted all the region kites With this slave's offal : bloody, bawdy villain ! Eemorseless, treacherous, cruel, kindless villain ! Oh, vengeance ! Why, what an ass am I ! This is most brave, That I, the son of a dear father murdered. Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, 110 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. Must, like a wench, unpack my heart with words, And fall a cursing, like a very drab, A scullion ! Fie upon 't ! foh ! About, my brain ! — I have heard That guilty creatures, sitting at a play, Have by the very cunning of the scene Been struck so to the soul, that presently They have proclaimed their malefactions ; — For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak "With most miraculous organ. I '11 have these players Play something like the murder of my father Before mine uncle : I '11 observe his looks ; I '11 tent him to the quick : if he but blench, I know my course. The spirit that I have seen May be the devil : and the devil hath power T' assume a pleasing shape ; yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness, and my melancholy (As he is very potent with such spirits). Abuses me to damn me. I '11 have grounds More relative than this : the play 's the thing Wherein I '11 catch the conscience of the king. PLOTTING CRUELTY AND HORROR. Macbeth. Is this a dagger which T see before me. The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee ; I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible 1o feeling — as to sight? or art thou but A dagger of the mind, & false creation, Proceeding from the Aea^-oppressed brain? I see thee yet, in form as palpable As that which now I draw. Thou marshal st me the way that I was going; And such an instrument I was to use. Mine eyes are made the /oois of the other senses, Or else worth all the rest : I see thee still ; And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, Which was not so before. There 's no such thing : It is the bloody business which informs Thus to mine eyes. Now, o'er one half the world Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse The curtain'd sleep ; now witchcraft — celebrates Pale Hecate's offerings ; and withered murder. Alarmed by his sentinel, the wolf. Whose howl 's his watch, thus with his stealthy ^^ace. With Tarquin's ravishing strides toward his design — Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth, Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. m Thy very stones prate of my whereabout, And take the present horror from the time, Which now suits with it. "Whiles I threat, he lives : — "Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives. I go, and it is done ; the bell invites me. Hear it not, Duncan; for it is a knell. That summons thee to heaven or to hell. " Ah ! mercy on my soul. What is that ? My old friend's ghost? They say none but wicked folks walk ; I wish I were at the bottom of a coal-pit. See ! how lojig and pale his face has grown since his death: he never was handsome; and death has improved him very much the wrong way. Pray do not come near me! I wisKd you very well when you were alive; but I could never abide a dead man, cheek by jowl with me. Ah, ah, mercy on us 1 No nearer, pray ; if it be only to take leave of me that you are come back, I could have excused you the ceremony with all my heart ; or if you — mercy on us ! no nearer, pray; — or if you have wronged any body, as you alioays loved money a little, I give you the word of a frightened Christia7i, I will pray as long as you please for the deliverance or repose of your departed soul. My good, worthy, noble friend, do, pray disappear, as ever you would wish your old friend to come to his senses again." SORKOW AND GRIEF. " I love it ! I love it ! and who shall dare To chide me for loving that old arm-chair? I 've treasured it long as a sainted prize, I've bedewed it with tears and embalmed it with sighs; 'T is bound by a thousand bands to my heart, Not a tie will break, not a link will start ; Would you know the spell ? a mother sat there I And a sacred thing is that old arm-chair. In childhood's hour I lingered near That hallowed seat with a listening ear To the gentle words that mother would give To fit me to die and teach me to live ; She told me shame would never betide With truth for my creed and God for my guide ; She taught me to lisp my earliest prayer As I knelt beside that old arm-chair. I sat and watched her many a day When her eye grew dim and her locks were gray, And I almost worshiped her when she smiled And turned from her Bible to bless her child : Years rolled on, but the last one sped. My idol was shattered, my earth-star fled ! I felt how much the heart can bear When I saw her die in that old arm-chair. 112 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. T is past ! 't is past ! but I gaze on it now With quivering lip and throbbing brow; 'T was there she nursed me, 'twas there she died, And memory still flows with lava-tide. Say it is folly, and deem me weak, As the scalding drops start down my cheek; But I love it ! I love it ! and can not tear My soul from my mother's old arm-chair 1 " [Eliza Cook. " Three years ago to-day We raised our hands to heaven, And on the rolls of muster Our names were thirty-seven ; There were just a thousand bayonets, And the swords were thirty-seven, As we took the oath of service With our right hands raised to heaven. Oh ! 't was a gallant day, In memory still adored, That day of our sun-bright nuptials With the musket and the sword ! Shrill rang the fifes, the bugles blared, And beneath a cloudless heaven Twinkled a thousand bayonets. And the swords were thirty-seven. Of the thousand stalwart bayonets Two hundred march to-day; Hundreds lie in Virginia swamps. And hundreds in Maryland clay ; And other hundreds, less happy, drag Their shattered limbs around. And envj' the deep, long, blessed sleep Of the battle-field's holy ground. For the swords — one night, a week ago. The remnant, just eleven. Gathered around a banqueting-board With seats for thirty-seven ; There were two limped in on crutches, And two had each but a hand To pour the wine and raise the cup, As we toasted ' Our flag and landl' And the room seemed filled with whispers As we looked at the vacant seats. And, with choking throats, we pushed aside The rich but untasted meats ; MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. J 13 Then in silence we brimmed our glasses, As we rose up — just eleven, And bowed as we drank to the loved and the dead Who had made us thikty-seven." [Private Miles G'Reillt. OF LOVE. "I Md thee — long — and dearly, — Florence Vane; My life's bright dream, — and early, — hath come again ; I renew — (in my fond vision) — my heart's dear pain, — My hope, — and thy derision, — Florence Vane. Th' ruin — (Zone — and hoary), — th' ruin old, — ..^ Where thou — didst mark my sto7'y (at eveti told;) — That STpot, — (th' hues Elysian — of sky — anA plain,) — I treasure — (in my vision), — Florence Vane. Thou — wast lovelier — than th' roses — (in their jprime;) Thy voice — excell'd the closes — of sweetest rhyme; Thy heart — was as a river — without a main; Would — I had loved thee never, — Florence Vane! But— /aires^, — coldest wonder! thy glorious clay Lieth — the green sod under; — alas! th' day! And it boots not — t' remember thy disdain — T' quicken love's pale ember, — Florence Vane. Th' lilies — of th' valley — by joxxng graves — weep; — Th' pansies — love t' dally — where maidens sleep; May their bloom, — (in beauty vieing,) never wane — Where thine earthly part — is lying, — Florence Vane." — [Cooke. BELIAL'S SPEECH AGAINST THE WAR WITH HEAVEN. Milton. I should be much for open war, O peers ! As not behind in hate, if what was urged, (Main reason to persuade immediate war,) Did not dissuade me Inost, and seem to cast Ominous conjecture on the whole success: When he, (who most excels in fact of arms, In what he counsels and in what excels Mistrustful,) grounds his courage on despair. — And utter dissolutioti, as the scope Of all his aim, — after some dire — revenge. First, lohat — revenge ? The towers of Heaven are filled With armed watch, that render all — access — hnpregnable : oft on the bordering deep Encamp — their legions, or with obscure wing Scout far and wide into the realm of night, ScoT7iing surprise I Or could we break our way Bj' force, and at our heels all hell should rise With blackest insurrection, to confound Heaven's purest light; yet our great Enemy, — All incorruptible, would on his throne 8 114 MANUAL OF ELOCUTIOlir. Sit unpolluted, — and the ethereal mold, — Incapable of stain, — would soon expel Her mischief, and purge off the baser fire, Victorious. Thus repulsed, our final hope — Is flat despair : we must exasperate The Almighty Victor to spend all his rage, — And that must end us : that must be our cure, — To be — no more. Sad cure ! for who would lose, — (Though full of pain,) — this intellectual being, — Those thoughts that wander through eternity, — To perish rather, — swallowed up and lost In the wide womb of uncreated night. Devoid of sense and motion ? and who — knows, — Let this be good, — whether our angry Foe Can give it, or will ever ? how he can. Is doubtful ! that he never will, — is sure. Will he, so wise, let loose at once his ire, Belike through iynpotence, or unaware. To give his enemies their wish, and end Them in his anger, whom — his anger saves To punish endless? — Wherefore cease we then? Say they who counsel war; we are decreed, Reserved, and destined to eternal woe; Whatever doing, what can we suffer more, What can we suffer worse ? Is this then worst, Thus sitting, thus consulting, thus in arms ? What I when we fled amain, pursued and struck With Heaven's afflicting thunder, and besought The deep to shelter us ? this hell then seemed A refuge from those wounds : or when we lay Chained — on the burning lake? that sure was worse. What if the breath that kindled those grim fires. Awaked, should blow them into sevenjold rage, AnA. ])hinge us — in the flames? or — from above Should intermitted vengeance arm again His red — right hand to plague us? what if all Her stores were opened, and this firmament Of hell should spout her cataracts of fire, — Impendent horrors, threatening — hideous — fall — One day upon our heads ? while we, perhaps Designing — or exhorting glorious war. Caught in a fiery tempest, shall be hurled. Each on his rock — transfixed, the sport and prey Oi racking whirlwinds; — or forever sunk Under yon boiling ocean, wrapp'd in chains; There to converse with everlasting groans, Unrespited, — unpitied, — unreprieved, — Ages of hopeless end? This would be worse. MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. II5 SHIP ON FIRE. The storm o'er the ocean flew furious and fast, And the waves rose in foam at the voice of the blast, And heavily labor'd the gale-beaten ship, Like a stout-hearted swimmer — the spray at his lip ; And dark was the sky o'er the mariner's path, Except when the lightning illumed it in wrath. A young mother knelt in the cabin below. And pressing her babe to her bosom of snow. She prayed to her God 'mid the hurricane wild, " O Father ! have mercy, look down on my child." It pass'd — the fierce whirlwind careered on its way, And the ship, like an arrow, divided the spray; Her sails glimmer'd white in the beams of the moon. And the breeze up aloft seem'd to whistle, to whistle a tune; And the wind up aloft seem'd to whistle, to whistle a tune. There was joy in the ship as she furrowed the foam, For fond hearts within her were dreaming of home; The young mother press'd her fond babe to her breast, And sang a sweet song as she rocked it to rest ; And the husband sat cheerily down by her side, And looked with delight on the face of his bride. "Oh, happy," said he, "when our roaming is o'er, We '11 dwell in our cottage that stands by the shore ; Already in fancy its roof I descry. And the smoke of its hearth curling up to the sky Its garden so green and vine-covered wall. The kind friends awaiting to welcome us all. And the children that sport by the old oaken tree." Ah, gently the ship glided over the sea. Hark ! what was that ? Hark, hark to the shout ! — Fire ! then a tramp and a rout. And an uproar of voices arose in the air; And the mother knelt down, and the half-spoken prayer That she oflFered to God in her agony wild Was, " Father, have mercy, look down, look down on my child !" She flew to her husband, she clung to his side. Oh ! there was her refuge w^hate'er might betide. Fire! fire I it was raging above and below; And the cheeks of the sailors grew pale at the sight, And their eyes glistened wild in the glare of the light. 'T was vain o'er the ravage the waters to drip, The pitiless flame was the lord of the ship ; And the smoke in thick wreaths mounted higher and higher — O God ! it is fearful to perish by fire. Alone with destruction, alone on the sea. Great Father of mercy, our hope is in thee 1 Ug MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. Sad at heart and resigned, yet undaunted and brave, They lowered the boat, a mere speck on the wave ; First entered the mother, enfolding her child, It knew she caressed it, look'd upward and smiled. Cold, cold was the night as they drifted away. And mistily dawned o'er the pathway the day ; And they prayed for the light, and at noontide about The sun o'er the waters shone joyously out. "Ho ! a sail ! Ho ! a sail ! " cried the man on the lee; "Ho! a sail! " and they turned their glad eyes o'er the sea. They see us, they see us, the signal is waved ; They bear down upon us, they bear down upon us, They bear down upon us, the signal is waved. Thank God ! thank God ! we 're saved. MOTHER AND POET.— Mrs. Browning. Turin, after news from Gaeta, 1861. Dead ! one of them — shot — by the sea — in the east, And one of them — shot — in the west by the sea. Dead ! both — my boys I When you sit — at the feast — And are wanting — a great song — for Italy — -free ! Let none — look at me ! Yet — I was & poetess — only — last year, And good — at my art, (for a woman, — men said.) But this woman, — this, — who is agonized here. The east sea — and west sea — rhyme on — in her head — For ever — instead. What art — can a woman — be good at? Oh, vain ! What art — is she good at, but — hurting her breast With the mi^^-teeth — of babes, and a smile — at the pain 9 Ah, boys, how you hurt ! you were strong — as you pressed, — And I^-proud, — by that test. What art 's — for a woman ? To hold on her knees Both darlings ! to feel all their arms — round her throat Cling, — strangle — a little ! To sew by degrees. And 'broider — the long-clothes — and neat little coat I To dream — and — to dote. To teach them ... It stings — there ! I made them indeed Speak plain — the word — country. I taught them (no doubt) That a country 's — a thing — men — should die — for — at need. I — prated of liberty, rights, and about The tyrant — turned out. And when their eyes — flashed .... O my beautiful eyes ! I — exulted ! nay, let them go forth — at the ivheels Of the guns, — and denied not. But — (then) — the surprise, When one sits quite alone I Then — one weeps, then — one kneels I (^God! how the house feels!) MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. H'j Aijirst — happy news came, — in gay letters, — moiled — With my kisses, — of camp-\\fe — and gloi-yl and how They both loved me, and — soon, — coming home — to be spoiled, In return — would fan off every ^3/ — from my brow With their green — laurel bough. Then — was triumph — at Turin : " Ancona — was free ! " And some one — came out of the cheers — (in the street, — With &face — pale — as stone), — to say something to me. My Guido — was dead! I fell down — at his feet, While they — cheer' d — in the street. I bore it; friends — sooth' d me: my grief — look'd sublime — As the ransom, — of Italy ! One boy — remained — To be leant on — and xvalked with, — recalling the time — When the first — grew immortal, — while both of us — strained To the height — he had gained. And letters — still came, — shorter, — sadder, — more strong, — Writ — (now) but in one hand. ("/ was not to faint I One — loved me — for two .... would be with me — ere long : And — 'Viva — V Italia!' — he died for our saint, Who forbids — our complaint.") My Nanni — would add — " He was safe, — and aware — Of & presence — th't turned off the balls .... was imprest — It was Guido — himself, who knew — what I could bear, And — how — 't was impossible, — (quite dispossessed,) — To live on — for the rest." On which — (without pause) up the telegraph-line Swept smoothly — the next news — from Gaeta — "Shot/ Tell his mo^/ter." Ah, ah! "his" — "their" vaother: — not — "mine." No voice — says "-my mother" — again to me. What I You think Guido — forgot 9 Are souls — straight — so happy — th't, — dizzy — with heaven, — They drop — earth's affections, — conceive not — of woe ? I think not. Themselves — were too lately — forgiven — Through that Love — and Sorrow — which reconciled so — The Above, — and Below. O Christ — of the seven wounds, — who look'dst — (through the dark) — To the face — of thy mother ! consider, I pray, — How we — common mothers — stand desolate, mark, — Whose sons, — (not being Christs,) die — with eyes — turned aicay — And no — last — word — to say ! Bothhoys — dead! but that's — out of nature. We all Have been patriots, — yet — each house — must always — keep on^, 'T were imbecile — hewing out roads — ^to a wall. And, when Italy 's — tnade, — for what end — is it done — If we — have not a son f 118 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. Ah, ah, ah ! when Gaeia 's taken, — what then ? When the fail' — wicked queen — sits no Tuore — at her sport — Of the_;?re-balls — of death — crashing souls — out of men? When the guns — of Cavalli — (with final retort) — Have cut the game short; When Venice — and Rome — keep their new jubilee, — When your flag — takes all heaven — for its white, — green, — and red, When you — have your country — from mountain — to sea, — When King Victor — has Italy's crown — on his head, (And I-^have — my dead !) — What theji ? Do not mock me. (Ah, — ring your bells — low. And burn your lights^aintly.) My country — is there, Above the star — pricked — by the last peak of snow. My Italy 's — there ! with my brave — civic Pair, To disfranchise — desjiair I Forgive me. Some women — bear children — in strength. And bite back — the cry — of their pain — in seZ/-scorn ; But — the birth-T^&ngs — of nations — will wring us (at length) — Into wail — such as this ! — and we sit on — (forlorn) — When the man-child — is born. THE RUM MANIAC. Allison. Say, — (Doctor,) may I not have rum To quench — this burning thirst — within? Here, — on this cursed bed I lie. And can not get one drop of gin. I ask not health, — nor even life: — Life! what a curse — it's been to me! I 'd rather sink — in deepest hell Than drink — again — its misery. But, (Doctor,) m,ay I not have rum? One drop — alone is all I crave: Grant — this small boon ; — I ask no more. Then — I '11 defy — even the grave: Then, (without fear,) I'll fold my arms, And bid the monster — strike his dart To haste me — from this world of v)oe. And claim his own, — this ruined heart! A thousand curses — on his head Who gave me first — the poison'd bowl, — Who taught me first — this bane — to drink ; — ■ Drink — death — and rui7i — to my soul. My soul! Oh! cruel, — Aorric? thought! Full %oell — I know — thy certain fate; / With what instinctive horror — shrinks The spirit — from that awful state I MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. II9 Lost! lost! I know — -forever \osi\ To vie — no ray of hoj^e — can come: My fate — is sealed; my doom is . But give me — ru7n; I will have rum. But, (Doctor,) don't you see him — there? In that dark coriier — low he sits ; See! how he sports — his fiery tongue, — And at me — burning brimstone spits ! Say, — don't you see — this demon face? Does no one — hear? will no one — cotnef Oh! save me! save me! I will give — But rum! — I must have, — will have — rum. Ah ! now — he 's go7ie ! once mo7'e — I 'mfree ! He — (the boasting knave — and liar) — He said — tb't he would take me off- Down — to . But there! my head 's on fire! Fire! tvater! help! come, — haste! I'W die! Come — take me from this burning bed! The smoke! I'm choking! can not cry! There! now it's catching — at my head! But see! again — that demon 's come! Look! there — he peeps through yonder crack! Mark — how his burning eyeballs flash ! H.ovf fierce he grins! what — brought him back? There, — stands his burning coach oi fire! He sm.iles, — and beckons me — to come! What are those words — he's written there? "In hell we never tvant — for rum!" One loud — one piercing shriek — was heard ; One yell — rang otit — upon the air; One sound, and one — alone — came forth, — The victiTn's cry — of wild despair. Why longer wait? I 'm ripe for hellt A spirit 's sent — to bear me doicn; There, — in the regions — of the lost, I sure — will wear — a fiery croivnf Damn'd — (I knov),) without a hope! One moment — tnore — and then — I'll comet And there — I '11 quench — my awful thirst — With boiling! burning! fiery rum! SOLILOQUY OF THE DYING ALCHEMIST. N. P. Willis. The night wind — (with a desolate moan) — swept by; And the old shutters — of the turret swung Creaking — upon their hinges ; and the moon, (As the torn edges of the clouds flew past,) Struggled aslant — the stained and broken panes So dimly, that the watchful eye of death Scarcely was conscious — when it went — and caTne. 120 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. The_^re — beneath his crucible — was low: Yet still — it burned ; and ever, (as his thoughts Grew insupportable,) he raised himself — Upon his wasted arm and stirred the coals — "With difficxxM energy, and when the rod Fell from his nerveless _^n^ers, and his eye — Felt — faint — within its socket, he shrunk back Upon his pallet, and — (with unclosed lips) Muttered a curse — on death! The silent room, (From its dim corners) mockingly gave back His rattling breath; the humming — in the_/?re — Had the distinctness — of a knell; and when — Duly — the antique horologe — beat one He drew a vial — (from beneath his head) And drank. And instantly — his lips compressed, And (with a shudder — in his skeleton /rame) He rose — with supernatural strength, and sat Upright, — and com.muned — with himself: — I did not think to die — Till I had finished — what I had to do; I thought — to pierce th' eternal secret through — With this — my mortal eye; Ifelt — God! it seemeth — even now This can not be the death-dew — on my brow! And yet — it is ; I feel (Of this dull sickness — at my heart) afraid; And in my eyes — the rfea^A-sparks — flash — and/arfe; And something — seems to steal Over my bosom — like a frozen hand, — Binding its pulses — with an icy band. And this— is death ! Bnt why — Feel I this recoil ? It can not be The immortal spirit — shudder eih — to he free! Would it not leap — to fly Like a chain'd eaglet — at its parent's call? I fear, — \fear — that this poor life — is all! Yet thus — to pass away ! — To live — but for a hope — that mocks — at last, — To agonize, — to strive, — to watch, — to fast, To waste — the light of day. Night's better beauty, — feeling, — fancy, — thought. All — that we have — and are, — for this, — for naught! Grant me another year, God of my spirit ! — but a day, — to win Something — to satisfy this thirst — within ! I would know something — here! Break for me — but 07ie seal — that is imbroken ! Speak for me — but one word — that is unspoken I MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 12I Vain, — vain! — my brain — is turning With a swift dizziness, and my heart grows sick, And these hot iemple-throhs — come fast — and thick, And I a,m freezing, — burning, — Dying! O God I if I might only live! My vial Ha ! it thrills me, — I revive. Aye, — were not man to die, — He were too mighty — for this narrow sphere! Had he but time — to brood on knowledge — here, — Could he but train his eye, — Might he but wait — the mystic word — and hour, — Only his Maker — would transcend — YAspowerl Earth — has no mineral strange, — Th' illimitable air — no hidden wings, — Water — no qualify — in covert springs, And fire — no power — to change, — Seasons— no mystery, — and stars — no spell, Which the unwasting soul — might not compel. Oh ! but for time — to track The upper stars — into the pathless sky, — To see th' invisible spirits, eye — to eye, — To hurl the lightning back, — To tread — unhurt — the sea'a dim-lighted halls, — To chase Day's chariot — to the Aorizow-walls, — And more, — much more, — for now — The life-sea}ed fountains — of my nature move, — To nurse — and purify — this human love, — To clear the godlike brow Of weakness — and mistrust, and bow it down, — Wo7'thy — and beautiful, — to the much-loved one, — This — were — indeed — to feel The soM^-thirst — slaken — at the living stream, — To live, — O God! that life — is but a dream,! And death Aha! I reel; — Dim, — dim, — 1 faint, — darkness comes o'er my eye; — Cover me ! save me ! God of heaven! I die I ' T was morning, — and the old man — lay alone. "No friend — had closed his eyelids, — and his lips, {^Open — and ashy pale,) th' expression wore Of his rfeai'A-struggle. His long silvery hair Lay on his hollow temples — thin — and wild; TSas frame — was wasted, — and \i\s features — wan And haggard — as with want ; — and in his palm His nails were driven — deep, as if the thi'oe Of the last agony — had wrung him sore. 122 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. The storm — was raging still. The shutter — swung Creaking as harshly — in the fitful wind, And all without — went on, — as aye it will, Sunshine — or tempest, — reckless — that a heart Is breaking, — or has broken, in its change. The^re — beneath the crucible — was out: The vessels of his mystic art — lay around, Useless — and cold as the ambitious hand Th&t fashioned them, and the small rod, (Familiar to his touch — for three-score years,) Lay on th' alembic's rim, as if it still Might vex the elements — at its master's will. And thus — had passed — from its unequal frame — A soul of fire, — a sun-bent eagle — stricken From his high soaring down, — an instrum,ent — Broken — with its own compass. Oh, how poor — Seems the rich gift of genius when it lies, (Like the adventurous bird — that hath outflown His strength — upon the sea,) — amhition-wveckedL, — A thing — the thrush might pity — as she sits — Brooding in quiet — on her lowly nest I CHAPTER XVII. Exercise in Eapid and Parenthetical Movements op Voice — Echo — How TO GIVE Imitations — Examples. Critical attention must be observed in articulating the words. After we have thoroughly conquered our indistinctness of articu- lation, we must acquire the facility of rapid and clearly enunciated utterances. There are many passages that require a spirited, brilliant, and rapid rendering, else their intention is not expressed. "Let Stanley charge — (with spur oi fire — With Chester charge, and Lancashire), — Full upon Scotland's central host, — Or victory and England 's lost ! " " Burned Marmion's swarthy cheek — like fire, — And shook his very frame for ire; And — 'This to me I' — he said; — 'An' 'twere not — for thy hoary beard, — Such hand — as Marmion's — had not spared To cleave the Douglas' head! MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 123 And, first, — I tell thee, — haughty peer, He who does England's — mensage here, (Although the meanest in her state,) May well, — -proud Angus, — be thy mate; And, Douglas, — mo7-e — I tell thee here, High, rapid. (Even in thy pitch of pride, — Here, in thy hold, — thy vassals near,) — thesirn^re'nTtid'!"' ""*"■ (^'^y- ^^'■''^^ ^0°^ "P'^" >'""!• ^Ord, And lay your hand upon your sword,)^ ReturniDg to pitch or first t i. ii iU xi. i i i i> i i parenthesis. 1 tell thee, — thou rt defied! And if thou said'st I am not peer And nowtocontiDQatioDof m i i ■ r. .> >i pitch before the first paren- io any lord in Scotland here, Rowland — or higM&nd, — far — or near, — Lord Angus, — thou hast lied ! ' — Slow and descriptive. On the EavVs chcek — the^«s/t of rage — O'ercame the ashen hue of age. Fierce — he broke forth : ^And dar'si thou then Rapid anger. T' beard the lion in his den, The Douglas in his hall ? And hop'st thou hence unscathed to go? — No, by Saint Bryde of Bothwell, no 1 — Loud calling. Up drawbridge, grooms ! — what, warder, ho I Let the portcullis fall.' Lord Marmion turned, — well was his need, — And dashed — the rowels — in his steed, — Like arrow — through the archway — sprung, — The ponderous grate behind him rung: To pass — there was such scanty room, The bars, — descending, — razed his plume." — [ScOTT. I Example of Rapid Enunciation. "By torch and trumpet fast array'd, Each horseman drew his battle-blade ; And furious every charger neigh'd To join the dreadful revelry. Then shook the hills with thunder riven; Then rush'd the steed to battle driven; And louder than the bolts of heaven, Far flashed the red artillery." "Ah! what is that flame which now bursts on his eye? Ah! what is that sound which now 'larums his ear? 'Tis the lightning's red glare, painting hell on the sky I 'T is the crushing of thunders, the groan of the sphere ! He springs from his hammock; — he flies to the deck; — Amazement confronts him with images dire; Wild winds and mad waves drive the vessel a wreck; The masts fly in splinters, the shrouds are on fire! 124 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. Like mountains the billows tremendously swell ; In vain the lost wretch calls on mercy to save. Unseen hands of — spirits are ringing his knell, And the death-angel — flaps his broad wing o'er the wave!" In the last stanza the voice falls from the loud and rapid move- ments of excitement to the slow and conversational pitch. In the two last lines it descends to the very slow and grave tones, while on the word "spirits" it falls to a whisper, and the word "flaps" is ren- dered in a tremulous half-whisper. A full rhetorical pause is necessary before both of these words to give them proper effect. " NO." By Eliza Cook. Would you learn — the bravest thing — That man — can ever do ? Would you be an unorown'd king, Absolute — and true? Would you seek to emulate All we learn in story Of the m.oral, — -just, — and great, Rich — in real glory ? Would you lose much bitter care In your lot below ? Bravely speak out — tvhen — and where — 'T is right to utter— "No." Learn to speak this little word — In its proper place ; — Let no timid doubt be heard. Clothed with skeptic grace; Let thy lips — without disguise — Boldly pour it out, Though a thousand — dulcet lies Keep hovering about. For be sure — our hearts — would lose Future years — of woe If our courage — could refuse — The present hour — with — "iVo." When tem.ptation' s form — would lead To some pleasant wrong ; — When she tunes her hollow reed — To the syren's song ; — When she offers bribe — and smile, And our conscience feels There is naught — but shining guile In the gifts she deals ; Then, oh! then let coverage rise To its strongest flow ; Show — that ye are brace — as wise, And firmly answer — "No." MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 125 Hearts — that are too often given Like street merchandise ; — Hearts — that — like bought slaves — are driven — In fair freedom' s guise; — Yet — that poison soul — and mind With perjury's foul stains ; Yet — who let the cold world bind — In joyless marriage chains ; Be <7*Me — unto yourselves — and Ood, Let rank — and fortune go; If love — light not the altar spot, — JjGi feeling answer — '■'■No." 3Ien — with goodly spirits blest, Willing — to do right, Yet who stand — with wavering breast Beneath Persuasion's might. When companions seek — to taunt Judgment — into sin ; When the loud laugh — fain would daunt Your better voice — within ; Oh ! be sure — ye '11 never meet More insidious foe; But strike the coward — to jonv feet By Reason's watchword — ^^No." Ah, how many thorns — we wreathe To twine our brows around, By not knowing — when — to breathe This important sound I Many a breast — has rued the day When it reckoned tess — Of fruits — upon the moral — "Nay" Than flowers — upon the — "Ves." Many a sad — repentant thought — Turns — to " long ago," When a luckless /a^e was wrought By want of saying — "No." Few — have learned to speak this word When it should be spoken ; Resolution — is deferred, Vows to virtue — broken : More of courage is required This one word — to say Than to stand — where shots are fired In the battle fray. Use it fitly — and ye '11 see Many a lot below — May be schooled — and nobly ruled — By power — to utter — "No." 126 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. THE RED HUNTERS, OR PRAIRIE ON FIRE. M. V. Fuller. Out of the woods — at midnight The swift — red hunters — came ; The prairie — was their hunting-gronnd, The bison — was their game : Their spears — were of glist'ning silver, Their crests — were of blue and gold ; Driven — by the panting winds of heav'n, — Their shining chariots — rolled. — Over that level Awn^m^r-ground, Oh, what a strife — was there ! What a shouting ! — what a threatening cry ! — What a murmur — on the air ! Their garments — over the glowing wheels Streamed — backward, — red and fair ; They flamited — their purple banners In the face — of each pale star. Under their tread — the autumn flowers By myriads — withering lay : (Poor things ! — th't from those golden wheels Could nowhere — shrink away !) Close, — and crashing together, The envious chariots — rolled ; — While anon, before his fellows, — Leaped out — some hunter bold. Their — hot breath, — thick and lowering^ Above — their wild eyes — hung. And around — their {ro-wning; foreheads, Like wreaths of night-shade, hung. " The bisons ! ho, the bisons ! " They cried — and answered back — (Poor herds of frightened creatures With such hunters — on their track !) With a weary, — lumbering swiftness They sought — the river's side, — Driven — by those hunters — from their sleep Into its chilling tide. Some face — their foe — with anguish, Dilating — their brute eyes ; — The spears of silver strike them low, — And dead — each suppliant lies. Now by the brightening river — The red hunters — stand — at bay; * Vain — their appalling splendor — The river shields their prey ! Into the waves with baffled rage They leap — in death'' s despite; — Their golden wheels roll — roaring in, And leave the withered night. MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 127 The eelw is a re-percussion or reflected sound, and is sometimes repeated several times, always growing fainter in each reverber- ation. When giving imitations of this in recitations, it is simply neces- sary, after speaking the word to be echoed, to pause long enough for the supposed sound to return from a distance; then utter it in a softer tone of voice, making it softer and less distinct in each repetition. "'Gitchd Man'ito, the mighty I' Cried he with his fiice uplifted In that bitter hour of anguish, 'Give your children food, O father I Give us food, or we must perish ! Give me food for Minnehaha, For my dying Minnehaha!' Through the far-resounding forest, Through the forest vast and vacant Rang that cry of desolation; But there came no other answer Than the echo of his crying, Than the echo of the woodlands, — [J5?cAo.] Minnehaha ! — Minnehaha ! " BUGLE SONG. Tenntson. ' The splendor falls on cas^Ze-walls, And snowy summits old in story; The long light shakes across the lakes, And the wild cataract leaps in glory. Blow, bugle, blow; set the wild echoes flying: [Echo.] Blow, bugle, blow. Blow, bugle, blow; answer, echoes, dying, — dying, — dying. [Echo.) dying, dying, dying. Oh, hark! Oh, heart how thin — and clear, And thinner, — clearer, farther going ! Oh ! sweet and far, from cliff and scar, The horns of Elf -Umd— faintly blowing ! Blmo; let us hear the purple glens replying: Blow, bugle; — answer, echoes, dying, — dying, dying. [Echo as above."] O love ! — they die — in yon rich sky, They faint — on field, on hill, on river; Our echoes — roll — from soul — to soul, And grow — forever — and forever. Blow, bugle, — blow ; set the wild echoes flying, And answer, — echoes, answer, dying, — dying, — dying. 128 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. ECHO SONG. Echo in the hollow glen, "Wake ye from your stilly sleep ; Let us hear your voice again, Clear and deep. [EcIw.] Clear and deep. Warble for us. Echo, pray ! lEcho.] WarWe for us, Echo, prayl Tell-tale spirit, listen ! [Echo.] Listen i Now our morning song repeat; IEc1u>.1 now our morning song repeat. Answer now, Echo, pray ! lEcho.] o pray i THE LONG EXPECTED: TRUE LOVE NEVER LOST. Massey. Oh! many and -many a day — before we met I knew — some spirit — walked the world alone, Awaiting the Beloved — from afar ; And / — was the anointed — chosen one Of all the world — to crown — her queenly brows — With the imperial crown — of human love, — And light its glory — in her happy eyes. I saw not — (with mine eyes — so full of tears,) But heard — Faith's low — sweet singing — in the night, And, — (groping — through the darkness,) touched — God's hand. I knew — my sunshine — somewhere — warmed the world, Though / — trode — darkling — in a perilous way; And I should reach it — in His own — good time, Who sendeth sun, — and dew, — and love — for all : My heart — might toil on — blindly, but, — (like earth,) — It kept sure footing — through the thickest gloom. Earth, — (with her thousand voices,) talked of thee; — Sweet winds, — and whispering leaves, and piping birds; The trickling sww-light and the flashing dews; Eve's crimson air — and light of twinkling gold ; Spring's kindled greenery, and her breath of balm; The happy hum — and stir — of summer woods, And the light dropping — of the silver rain. Thine eyes — oped with their rainy lights — and laughters, In April's tearful heaven — of tender blue. With all the changeful beauty — melting through them, And dawn — and sunset — ended — in thy face. And standing, — as in God's own presence-ch&vcCbQV, When silence — lay like sleep — upon the world. And it seemed rich — to die — alone — with night, Like Moses — 'neath the kisses — of God's lips. The stars — have trembled — thro' the holy hush. And smiled down tenderly, — and said to me — The love — hid for me — in a budding breast. Like incense — folded in a young^ower's heart. Strong — as a sea-swell — came the wave of wings, — Strange trouble — trembled thro' my inner depths, MANUAL OP ELOCUTION. 129 And aiiswering wings — have sprung within my soul ; And — from the dumb, — waste pkices — of the dark A voice has breathed — "She comes! " and ebb'd again; While all my life — stood listening — for thy coming. Oh ! I have guessed — thy presence, out of sight, And felt it — in the beating — of my heai't ! "When all — was dark — within — sweet thoughts would come, As starry guests — come — golden — down the, gloorn, — And thro' night's lattice — smile a rare delight; While, (lifted — for the dear — and distant dawn,) The face of all things — wore a happy light, — Like those rfrsawt-smiles — which are the speech of sleep. Thus — love — lived on, — and strengthen d — with the days, — Lit — by its owyi true light — within my heart, Like a live diamond — burning — in the dark. Then — came there One, — a mirage — of the dawn. She swam on toward me — in her sumptuous triumph, Voluptuously upborne, — (like Aphrodite,) — Upon a meadowy s^oell — of emerald sea. A ripe, — serene — smile, — affluent graciousness, — Hung, — (like a shifting radiance,) — on her motion,— As bickering hues — upon the dove's neck — burn. Her lip — might flush a wrinkled life — in bloom ! Her eyes — were an omnipotence — of love ! "Oh, yes!" — (I said,) "if such — \o\iv glories be, Sure — 't is a warm heart — feedeth ye — with ligJd." The silver throbbing — of her laughter — pulsed The air — with music — rich — and resonant, — As — from the deep heart — of a summer night Some bird, — (in sudden sparklings — of fine sound,) — Hurries its startled being — into song; And, (from her sumptuous wealth — of golden hair — Unto the delicate — pearly ^n^rej'-tip,) Fresh beauty — trembled from its thousand springs: And, — (standing in the outer porch of life,) All eager — for the tempted mysteries, With a rich heart — as full of fragrant love — As May's nmsk-roses are — of viorning's wine. What marvel — if I questioned not her brow. For the /?ft»ne-signet — of the hand divine. Or gauged it — for the crown — of my large love ? I plunged — to clutch the pearl — of her babbling beauty. Like some swift diver — in a shallow stream, That smites his life out — on its heart of stone. Ah! how my life did run — with^?'e — and tears! With what a Ti^nn-pulse — my loxte did beat! But she, — (7'o.se-lined — without — God pity her!) Was cold — at heai-t — as s7iow — in last year's tiest, — 9 130 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. And struck, — (like death,) — into my burning brain. My tears — (th't rained out life) she froze — m falling, And wwe them, — (Jewel-W\ie,) — to deck her triumph I But love — is never lost, — tho' hearts run waste; Its tides — may gush — 'mid swirling, — swathing deserts, Where no green leaf — drinks up precious life; Yet love dotli — [evermore) — enrich itself ; — Its bitterest waters — run some — golden sands! No star — goes down — but climbs — in other skies; The rose — of sunset — folds its glory up To burst again — from out the heart of daton; And love — is never lost, — tho' hearts run waste. And sorrow — makes the chastened heart — a seer; The deepest dark — reveals the starriest hope, — And Faith — can trust her heaven — behind — the veil. , LOVE, OR HOW I WON MY GENEVIEVE. Coleridge. All thoughts, — all passions, — all delights, Whatever — stirs — this inortal frame, All are — but ministers — of Love, And feed — his sacred ^fame. Oft — in my waking dreams — do I Live o'er again — that happy hour, When — [tnidway) on the mount I lay Beside the ruin'd toioer. The moonshine — (stealing o'er the scene) Had blended — with the lights of eve ; And she — was there, (my hojie, — vaj joy!) My own — dear Genevieve ! She leaned — against the armed 7nan, The statue — of the armed knight ; She stood — and listened — to my lay Amid the lingering light. Few sorrows — hath she of her own. My ho})e! mj joy! my Genevieve I She loves me best — whene'er I sing The songs — th't make her grieve. I plaj'ed a soft — and doleful air, I sang an old — and m.oving story, — An old — rude song, th't suited ivell That ruin — ivild — and hoary. She listened — with a flitting bhish. With downcast eyes — and modest ^rrace ; For well she knew — I could not choose But gaze — upon her face. MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. ]31 I told her — of the Knight — that wore Upon his shield — a burning brand; And — th't (for ten long years) — he wooed The Lady — of the Land. I told her — how he pined: — and, ah! The low, — the deep, — the pleading tone — With which — I sang another's love, Interpreted — my oum. She listened — with a flitting Mush, With downcast eyes — and modest grace ; And she forgave me — th't I gazed Too fondly — on her /ace. But — when I told — the cruel scorn Which crazed — this bold — and lovely Knight, And — that he cross'd — the moMwtein-woods, Nor rested — day — nor night; But — sometimes — from the savage den. And — sometimes — from the darksome shade, And — sometitnes — starting up — (at once) — In green — and sunny glade, — There came — and looked him — (in the /ace) — An angel — beautiful — and bright ! And — th't he knew — it was a Fiend — (This m-iserable Knight!) And — th't, unknofwing — what he did, He leaped amid a murderous band, — And saved from outrage — worse than death — The Lady — of the Land; And — how she wept — and clasp'd his knees, And — how she tended him — in vain, — And — ever — strove to expiate The scorn — th't crazed his brain ; And — th't she nursed him — in a cave; And — how his madness — went away When — (on the yellow /oresf-leaves) — A dying m,an — he lay ; His dying words, — but when I reached That tenderest strain — of all the ditty. My faltering voice — and pausing harp Disturbed her soul — with pity ! All impulses— of soul — and sense — Had thrilled — my guileless Genevieve! The m.usic — and the doleful tale, — The rich — and balmy eve ; 132 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION, And hopes, — and /ears — th't kindle hope, An undistinguishable throng ; And gentle wishes — long subdued, Subdued — and cherished — long ! She wept — with pity — and delight, She blushed — with love — and virgin shame; And, — (like the murmur — of a dream^) I heard her — breathe my name. Her bosom heaved, — she stept aside ; (As conscious — of my look, she stept;) — " Then — suddenly — (with timorous eye) She^erf — to nie — and wept. She half inclosed me — with her arms, She pressed me — with a meek embrace ; And, — (bending back her head,) looked up And gazed — upon my face. 'T was partly — love, — and partly — fear^ And partly — 't was a bashful a?'<, That I might raihevfeel — than see — The swelling — of her heart. I calmed her fears ; and she was calm, And told her love — (with virgin pride;) And so — I won — my Genevieve ! My bright — and beauteous bride ! EDWARD GRAY. Tennyson. Sweet Emma Moreland — (of yonder town) — Met me — walking on yonder way, — "And have you lost — ^your heart?" — (she said;) "And are you married yet, — Edward Gray?" Sweet Emma Moreland — spoke to me : Bitterly weeping — I turned away: " Sweet Emma Moreland, — love — no more — Can touch — the heart — of Edward Gray. Ellen Adair — she loved me well, — Against hev father' s — and mother's will: To-day — I sat — (for an hour,) and wept — By Ellen's grave, — on the windy hill. Shy she was, — and I thought her cold; Thought her proud, — and fled — over the sea; Fill'd I was — with folly — and spite, — When Ellen Adair — was dying — for me. Cruel, — crttel — the vjords I said! Cruelty — came they back — to-day: 'You're too slight — and fickle,' — (I said,) ' To trotible — the heart — of Edward Gray.' MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 133 There — I put my face — in the grass — Whispered, — ^Listen — to my despair : I repent me — of all — I did: Speak a little, — Ellen Adair .'^ Then — I took a pencil, — and wrote On the mossy stone, — (as I lay,) — 'Here — lies the body — of Ellen Adair; And here — the heart — of Edward Gray I ' Love — may come, — and love — may go, AnAJly, — (like a bird,) from tree — to tree: But / — will love — no more, — no more — Till Ellen Adah — come back to me. Bitterly — wept I — over the stone : Bitterly weeping — I turned away: There — lies the body — of Ellen Adair t And there — the heai-t — of Edward — Gray ! " ADDRESS TO THE OCEAN. Byron. Oh ! that the desert — were my dwelling-Tpi&ce, With one fair spirit — for my minister, That I might all forget — the human race, And, hating no one, love but only her I Ye elements! — (in whose ennobling stir I feel myself exalted) — Can ye not Accord me such a being ? Do I err In deeming such — inhabit many a spot ? Though with them to co?it>erse— can rarely — be our lot. There is 9u pleasure — in the pathless woods; There is a rapture — on the lonely shore ; There is . . society, where none intrudes, By the deep sea, and music in its roar : I love not man — the less, but nature — more, From these our interviews, in which I steal From all I may be, or have been — before, To mingle — with the universe, — and/eeZ-;- What I can ne'er express, yet can not all — conceal. Roll on, thou deep — and dark blue ocean, — roll ! Ten thousand fleets — sweep — over thee in vain ; \ Man — miarks the earth — with ruin ; — his control Stops — with the shore ; — upon the watery plain — The wrecks are all thy deed, — nor doth — remain A shadow — of man's ravage, — save his own, When (for a moment,) like a drop of rain. He sinks — into thy depths — with bubbling groan. Without a grave, — unknelled, — uncoffined, — and unknown. 134 • MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. His steps — are not upon thy paths; — thy fields — Are not a spoil — for him; — thou dost arise, — And shake him from thee; — the vile strength — he wields For earth's destruction, thou — dost all despise, Spurning him — from thy bosom — to the skies. And send'st him — [shivering) in thy playful spray, And howling — to his gods, — where — haply — lies His petty hope, in some near ^or^ — or bay, And dashest him again to earth : — there — let him lay. The armaments — which thunderstrike — the walls Of rock-built cities, — bidding nations quake, And m,onarchs tremble — in their capitals; — The oak leviathans, — whose huge ribs — make Their clay creator the vain title take Of lord — of thee, — and arbiter — of war; These — are thy toys, — and, — as the snowy flake, They melt — into thy yest of waves, which mar Alike the Ar^nada's pride — or spoils — of Trafalgar. The shores — are empires, — changed in all — save thee. Assyria, — Greece, — Rome, — Carthage, — what are they? Thy waters — vjasted them — while they were free. And many a tyrant — since; their shores — obey The stranger, — slate, — or savage; their decay — Has dried up realms — to deserts :^noi so thou, Unchangeable, — save thy wild waves' play, — Time — writes no torinkle — on thine azure brow ; — Such . . as creation's dawn beheld, thou rollest now. Thou glorious mirror, — where the Almighty's form — Glasses itself in tempests; in all time, — Calm — or convulsed — in breeze, — or gale, — or storm, Icing the pole, — or in the torrid clime Dark heaving; boundless, — endless, — and sublime — The image — of eternity — the throne — Of the Invisible; even from out thy slime — The 7nonsters — of the deep are made; each zone — Obeys thee ; thou goest forth — dread, — fathomless, — alone. And I have loved thee, — Ocean! and my joy Of youthful sports — was on thy breast to be Borne, like thy bubbles, — omoard: from a boy — I wantoned with thy breakers: they — to »?ie — Were a delight; and if the freshening sea Made them a terror, — 't was a pleasing fear, For I was, (as it were,) a cMld of thee, And I trusted to thy billows^far — and near, And laid my hand — upon thy mane, — as I do here. MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. I35 My task — is done; my sow^ hath ceased; — my theme Has died — into an echo: it '\9> Jit The spell should bi-eak of this protracted dream. The torch — shall be extinguished — which hath lit My midnight lamp, — and — what is writ is writ. Would — it were ivorthier! — but I am not now — That — which I have been, — and my visions — flit Less palpably before me, — and the glow — . Which — in my spiHt dwelt — is fluttering,— faint, — and low. THE OCEAN. Fanny Green. With the boundless sea around, — and the boundless sky above, I have been for days, as it were, swallowed up in the grandeur of the scene. You remem- ber, my brother, when we stood together in the midst of the Great Desert, and the deep repose of a starry night was folded round us as a garment. Silence stretched out her great wings, brooding over all things, and Fear shrunk trembling into the deepest shadows. The crouching lion was hushed in his lair, and stirred not even when the grim shadow of the silent-footed camels fell across his track; and the silly ostrich hid her head in the sand and nestled silently, as if she too felt the great Power that lives in Nature. We stood together, grasping each other by the hand, — silent before the Majesty which had clothed itself in vasiness, and reigned alone. Oppressed with a strange awe, we could only whisper, "How g7-eat is Allah!" Then we started at the sound of our own voices, which were drunk up in a moment; for the stilbiess itself — was the profoundest voice of God. A night view of the sea is akin to that; but in some respects quite different. The desert lies stretched out in its immensity, boundless in extent, and terrible in stillness; but wholly void of life. The great creation seems to have dropped still-born from the hands of Allah ; and, thenceforth become dead, it lies as it was first laid, with the sorrowful and silent stars looking in its wan face; though the Ages have embalmed it, and like the Dead of Egypt it has been brought to the Banquet of Life. But the sea is full of rnotion, of physical character and life in their grandest forms. It is in itself a great motive power, and only weaker than the Strong- est. As I look afar over the broad, heaving bosom of the ocean, I am filled with a variety of strange and neio sensations. I feel a deep longing after the Beautifid and the True. I stretch out my arms to embrace the Greatness. I aspire toward all the Possible. THE ALPS. Willis Gatlobd Clark. Vroxxdi m,onunients — of God! sublime ye stand Among the wonders — of his mighty hand: With summits — soaring in the upper sky, Where the broad day looks down — with burning eye; Where gorgeous clouds — in solemn pomp repose, Flinging rich shadows — on eternal snoivs : Piles — of triumphant dust, ye stand alone, And hold, (in kingly st&te,) & peerless throne I 136 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. Like olden conquerors, on high ye rear The regal ensign, and the glittering spear : Kound icy spires — the mists, (in wreaths unrolled,) Float ever near, in purple— or in gold; And voiceful torrents, sternly rolling there, Fill (with wild music) the unpillared air: What garden, or what hall — on earth beneath, Thrills to such tones as o'er the mountains breathe? There, (through long ages past,) those summits shone "When morning radiance — on their state was thrown; There, (when the summer day's career was done,) Played the last glory — of the sinking sun; There, (sprinkled luster — o'er the cataract's shade,) The chastened m,oon — her glittering rainbow made; And, — (blent with pictured stars,) her luster lay Where — (to still vales) the free streams leaped away. Where — are the thronging hosts — of other days, Whose banners — floated o'er the Alpine ways; Who, (through their high defiles,) to battle — wound. While deadly ordnance — stirred the heights around ? Gone, like the dream — that melts at early ynorn, When the lark's anthem — through the sky is borne: Gone, like the wrecks — that sink in ocean's spray. And chill Oblivion — murmurs : Where are they ? Yet "Alps — on Alps" still rise; the lofty home Of storms — and eagles, where their pinions roam ; Still — round their peaks — the magic colors lie, (Of m,or7i — and eve,) imprinted — on the sky ; And still, while kings — and thrones — shall fade — and fall, And empty crowns — lie ditn — upon ihepall; Still — shall their glaciers flash ; their torrents roar, Till kingdoms fail, and nations — rise no more. , THE CELESTIAL ARMY. T. Buchanan Read. I stood by the open easement. And looked upon the night, And saw the westward-going stars Pass slowly out of sight. Slowly the bright procession Went down the gleaming arch, And my soul discerned the music Of their long triumphant march. Till the great celestial army. Stretching far beyond the poles, Became the eternal symbol Of the mighty march of souls. MANUAL OP ELOCUTION. 137 Onward! forever onward, Ked Mars led down his clan, And the moon, like a mailed maiden, Was riding in the van. And some were bright in beauty, And some were faint and small ; But these might be in their great height The noblest of them all. Downward ! forever downward. Behind earth's dusky shore, They passed into the unknown night — They passed, and were no more. No more! Oh, say not so! And downward is not just; !For the sight is weak and the sense is dim That looks through the heated dust. The stars and the mailed moon, Though they seem to fall and die. Still sweep with their embattled lines An endless reach of sky. And though the hills of death May hide the bright array. The marshaled brotherhood of souls Still keeps its upward way. Upward! forever upward! I see their march sublime, And hear the glorious music Of the conquerors of time. And long let me remember. That the palest fainting one May unto divine wisdom be A bright and blazing sun. THE URSA MAJOR. H. Ware, Jh. With what a stately and majestic step — That glorious constellation of the North — Treads its eternal circle ! — going forth Its princely way amongst the stars in slow And silent brightness. Mighty one, — all hail I I joy to see thee on thy glowing path Walk like some stout and girded giant — stern, — Unwearied, — resolute, whose toiling foot Disdains to loiter on its destined way. The other tribes forsake their midnight track. And rest their weary orbs beneath the wave; 138 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. But thou dost never close thy burning eye, Nor siay thy steadfast step ; — but on, — still on, While systems — change and suns — retire, and worlds — Slumber — and wake, thy ceaseless march proceeds. The near horizon tempts to rest in vain ; Thou, faithful sentinel, dost never quit Thy long-appointed watch ; — but, sleepless still, — Dost guard the fixed light of the universe, And bid the north — forever know its place. Ages have witnessed thy devoted trust. Unchanged, unchanging. When the sons of God Sent forth that shout of joy which rang thro' heaven. And echoed from the outer spheres — that bound The illimitable universe, — thy voice Joined the high chorus; from thy radiant orbs The glad cry resounded, swelling to his praise Who thus had cast another sparkling gem, Little but beautiful, amid the crowd Of splendors — that enrich his firmament: As thou art now, — so wast thou then the same. Ages have roll'd their course, and time grows gray; The seas have changed their beds ; the eternal hills Have stoop'd with age; — the solid continents Have left their banks; and man's imperial works, — The toil, pride, strength of kingdoms, which had flung Their mighty honors in the face of heaven, As if immortal, — have been swept away, — Shatter' d and moldering, — buried and forgot. But time has shed no — dimness on ih\ front, Nor touched the firmness of thy — tread: — youth, strength, And beauty still are thine, — as clear, as bright As when the Almighty Former sent thee forth, Beautiful offspring of his curious skill, To watch earth's northern beacon, and proclaim The chorus of — Eternal Love. I vjonder as I gaze ! That stream of light, Undimm'd, — unquench'd, — ^just as I see thee now. Has issued from those dazzling points thro' years That go back — far into eternity. Exhaustless flood ! — forever spent ! renewed Forever ! Yea, and those refulgent drops. Which now descend upon my lifted eye. Left their fair fountain twice three years ago: — So far from earth those mighty orbs revolve ; So vast the void through which their beams descend. Yea, glorious lamps of God, he may have quencKd Your ancient /fames, and bid eternal night Rest on your spheres, and yet no tidings reach MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. ^39 This distant planet. Messengers still come, Laden with your far fire, and we may seem To see your lights still burning, while their blaze But — hides the black wreck of extinguished — realms, Where anarchy — and darkness long have reign'd. Yet what is this which to the astonish'd mind Seems measureless, and which the baffled thought Confounds ? A span, a point in those dominions "Which the keen eye can traverse. Seven stars Dwell in that brilliant cluster ; and the sight Embraces all at once ; yet each from each Recedes as far as each of them from earth, — And every star from ev'ry other burns No less remote. From the profound of heaven, Untravel'd e'en in thought, — keen-piercing rays Dart through the void, revealing to the sense Systems — and — xvorlds — unnumbered. Take the glass, And search the skies. The opening heavens pour down Upon your gaze — thick showers of sparkling yzVe; — Stars crowded, — thronged, in regions so remote That their swift beams — the swiftest things that be — Have traveled centuries on their flight to earth. Earth, sun, and nearer constellations, what Are ye amid this infinite expanse And multitude of God's most infinite works? And these are Suns! — vast central, — living — fires, — Lords of dependent systems, — kings of worlds — That wait as satellites upon their power, And flourish in their smile. Awake, my so^il, And meditate and — wo7ider.' Countless suns Blaze round thee, leading forth their countless worlds! "Worlds — in whose bosoms — living things rejoice, And drink the bliss of being from the fount Of all-pervading love. "What mind can know, "What tongue can utter all their multitudes? Thus numberless in numberless abodes ! Known but to the blessed Father! Thine — they are Thy children — and thy care; and none — o'erlooked Of thee! — no, not the humblest sonl that dwells Upon the humblest globe — which wheels its course Amid the giant glories of the sky. Like the mean mote that dances in the beams, Amongst the mirror 'd lamps — which fling Their wasteful splendor from the palace wall. None can escape the kindness of thy care : All compass'd underneath thy spacious wing, Each fed and guided by thy powerful hand. 140 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. Tell me, ye splendid orbs, — as from your throne Ye mark the rolling provinces that own Your sway, what beings fill those bright abodes ? Do they bear The stamp of human — nature^ or has God Peopled those purer realms — with lovelier forms And more celestial — minds? Does innocence Still wear her native and untainted bloom ; Or has sin breathed his deadly blight abroad And sown corruption in those fairy bowers? Or are they yet all Paradise, — unf alien And uncorrupt, — existence one long joy, Without disease upon the/rame, or sin Upon the heart, — or weariness of life ? Hope never quenched, — and age — unknown. And — death — unf ear' d; — while fresh and fadeless youth Glows in the light from God's near throne of love? Open your lips, ye wonderful and fair! Speak ! speak ! the mysteries of those living worlds Unfold! No language? Everlasting light And everlasting silence? Yet the eye May read and understand. The hand of God Has written legibly what tnan may know — The glory of his Maker. There it shines, Ineffable, unchangeable; and man. Bound to the surface of this pigmy globe, May know, and ask no more. In other days. When death — shall give the encumbered spirit wings. Its range shall be extended; it shall roam Perchance amongst those vast mysterious spheres ; — Shall pass from orh to orb, — and dwell in each, Familiar with its children. Eternity Shall thus roll on with ever fresh delight, — No pause of pleasure or improvement; While the soul, — Advancing even to the source of light And all perfection, — lives, adores, and reigns In cloudless knowledge, purity, and bliss. PARADISE AND THE PERI. Moore. One morn — a Peri at the gate Of Eden stood, — disconsolate; And as she listened to the Springs Of Life within, — like music flowing, — And caught the light upon her wings Through the half-open portal glowing. She wept to think her recreant race Should e'er have lost that glorious place! MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 14^ " How happy," exclaimed this child of air, " Are the holy Spirits who wander there 'Mid flowers that shall never fade or fall; Though mine are the gardens of earth and sea, And the stars themselves have flowers for me, One blosson of Heaven outblooms them all. "Though sunny the lake of cool Cashmere, With its plane-tree Isle reflected clear, And sweetly the founts of that valley fall; Though bright are the waters of Sing-su-hay, And the golden floods that thitherward stray ; Yet, — oh ! 't is only the blest can say How the waters of Heaven outshine them all! "Go, — wing your flight from star to star, From world to luminous world, as far As the universe spreads its flaming wall : Take all the pleasures of all the spheres, And multiply each through endless years. One minute of Heaven is worth them aW/" The glorious Angel, who was keeping The gates of Light, beheld her weeping; And, as he nearer drew and listen'd To her sad song, a tear-drop glisten'd "Within his eyelids, like the spray From Eden's fountain, when it lies On the blue flow'r, which — Brahmins say — Blooms nowhere but in Paradise. " Nymph of a fair — but erring line ! " Gently he said — " One hope is thine. 'T is written in the book of fate, That Peri yet may be forgiven Who brings to this eternal gate The gift that is most dear to Heaven ! Go, — seek it, — and redeetn thy sin — 'T is svseet to let the Pardoned in." Kapidly as comets run To the embrace of the Sun ; — Fleeter than the starry brands Flung at night from angel hands, At those dark and daring sprites Who would climb th' empyrical heights, Down the blue vault the Peri flies, And, lighted earthward by a glance That just then broke from Morning's eyes, Hung hov'ring o'er the world's expanse. 142 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. But whither shall the Spirit go To find this gift from Heaven? "I know The wealth," she cries, "of every urn, In which unnumbered rubies burn. Beneath the pillars of Chilminar : I know where the Isles of Perfume are, Many a fathom down in the sea, To the south of sun-bright Araby ; I know, too, where the Genii hid The jewel'd cup of their King Jamshid, With Life's elixir sparkling high : But gifts like these are not for the sky. Where was there ever a gem that shone Like the steps of Alla's wonderful Throne? And the Drops of Life — oh ! what would they be In the boundless Deep of Eternity?" While thus she mused, her pinions fann'd The airs of the sweet Indian land. Whose air is balm, whose ocean spreads O'er coral rocks and amber beds-^ Whose sandal groves and bowers of spice Might be a Peri's Paradise ! But crimson now her rivers ran With human blood ; — the smell of death Came reeking from those spicy bowers ; And man, — the sacrifice of man, — Mingled his taint with every breath Upwafted from the innocent flowers. Land of the Sun ! What foot invades Thy Pagods and thy pillar' d shades, — Thy cavern-shrines, and Idol-stones, Thy Monarchs and their thousand Thrones ? 'T is He of Gazna — fierce in wrath He comes, and India's diadems Lie scattered in his ruinous path. His bloodhounds he adorns with gems. Torn from the violated necks Of many a young and loved Sultana ; Maidens, within their pure Zenenna, Priests — in the very fane he slaughters, And chokes up with glittering wrecks Of golden shrines the sacred waters ! Downward the Peri turns her gaze, And, through the war-field's bloody haze. Beholds a youthful warrior stand Alone, — beside his native river, — The red blade broken in his hand, And the last arrow in his quiver. MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. I43 " Live," said the Conqueror, " live to share The trophies and the crowns I bear ! " Silent that youthful warrior stood ; Silent he pointed to the flood. All crimson with his country's blood; Then sent his last remaining dart, For answer, — to the Invader's heart. False flew the shaft, though pointed well ; The Tyrant lived,— the Hero— fell ! Yet marked the Peri where he lay ; And when the rush of wars was past, Swiftly descending on a ray Of morning light, she caught the last, — Last — glorious drop his heart had shed Before his free-born spirit fled ! " Be this," she cried, as she winged her flight, " My welcome gift at the Gates of Light. Though foul are the drops that oft distill On the field of warfare, — blood like this, For Liberty shed, so holy is. It would not stain the purest rill That sparkles among the Bowers of Bliss ! Oh ! if there be on this earthly sphere ' A boon, — an off"ering Heaven holds dear, 'T is the last libation Liberty draws From the heart that bleeds and breaks in her cause ! " " Sweet," said the Angel, — as she gave The gift into his radiant hand, — " Sweet is our welcome of the Brave "Who die thus for their native land : — But see — alas ! — the crystal bar Of Eden moves not ; — holier far Than even this drop the boon must be That opes the Gates of Heaven for thee ! " BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. F. S. Cozens. It was a starry night — in June; the air — was soft — and still, When the minute-men — (from Cambridge) came, — and gathered — on the hill. Beneath us — lay the sleeping toivn; around us — frowned i\iQj1eet; But — i\ie jjulse — oi freemen, [not of slaves,) within our bosoms beat; And eve7'y heart — rose /dgh — with hope, — as — (fearlessly) we said, — " We will be numbered — with the free, — or numbered — with the dead." " Bring out the line — to mark the trench, — and stretch it — on the sword!" The trench — is marked, — the tools — are brought, — and we utter — not word; But stack our guns, — then fall to work — with mattock — and with spade, A thousand men — with sinewy anns, — and not a sound — is made : So still were we — (the stars beneath) th't scarce a whisper — fell; We heard the ?-ec^coat's musket click^ — and heard him cry, — ("ylii '.s well!") 144 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. And here — and there — a twinkling port^ — reflected — on the deep, — In many a wavy shadow — show'd their sullen guns — asleep. Sleep on! thou bloody — hireling crew! in careless slumber lie; The trench — is growing broad and deep, — the 6?-eas^-works — broad — and high : No striplings — we, — but bear the arms — th't held the French — in check, The drums — th't beat — at Louisburg — and thundered — at (Quebec! And thou — (whose joromtse — is deceit,) — no more — thy wo7'd — we trust; Thou butcher, — [Gage!) thy power — and thee — we'll hum,ble — in the dust; Thou and thy Tory tninisters — have boasted — to thy brood, — "The lintels — of the faithful — shall be sprinkled — with our blood!" But — tho' thin walls — those lintels be, — thy zeal — is all in vain : A thousand freemen — shall rise up — for every freeman — slain; And when — o'er trampled crowns — and thrones — they raise the mighty shout, This soil — their Palestine shall be ; their altar — this redoubt. See — how the morn — is breaking, — the red — is in the sky ; The mist — is creeping — from the stream — th't floats — in silence by; The Lindy^s hull — looms thro' the fog, — and they — our works — have spied, — ■ For the ruddy j^asA — and round shot — part — in thunder — from her side. And the Falcon and the Cerebus — make — every bosom thrill With gun, — and shell, — and drutns, — and ball, — and boatswains^ whistle slmll , But deep — and wider — grows the trench, — as spade — and mattock ply, For — we have to cope — vf^h fearful odds, — and the time — is drawing nigh ! Up — with the /ii?ie-tree banner ! Our gallant Prescott stands Amid the plunging shells — and shot, — unA. plants it — with his hands. Up — with the shout! for Putnam, — comes upon his reeking bay, "With bloody spur — and foaming bit, — in haste — to join the fray; And Pomeroy, — (with his swow-white hair, — and/«ce — all dust — and siveaf,) Unscathed by French — or Indian, — wears a youthful glory yet. But thou, — whose soul — is glowing — in the summer — of thy years, Unvanquishable Warren, — thoti, — (the youngest — of thy^}ee?*s,) — Wert born, — and bred, — and shaped, — and made — to act &patrioVs part; And dear to us — thy presence is — as heart's blood — to the heart ! Well may ye howl, — ye British wolves ! with leaders — such as they Not one — will fail to follow — where they — choose to lead the way. As once before, — scarce two months since, — we followed on your track. And — with our rifles — marked the road ye took — in going back. Te slew a sick man — in his bed; ye slew (with hands accursed) A mother — nursing, — and her blood — fell on the babe — she nursed; By their own doors — our kinsme7i fell, and perished — in the strife; But — as we hold a hireling's — cheap, — and dear — a freeman's — life, By Tanner brook and Lincoln bridge, (before the shut of sun,) We took the recompense — we claimed, — a score — for every one ! Hark ! from the town — a trumpet ! The barges — at the wharf Are crowded — with the living freight, — and now — they 're pushing off: With clash — and glitter, — trump — and drum, — in all its bright array, Behold the splendid sacrifice — move slowly — o'er the bay! And still — and still— the barges fill, — and still — across the deep. Like thunder-c\Q\x&?, — along the sky, — the hostile transports sweep ; MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. I45 And noro — they Wc forming at the Point; — 7iow — the lines advance: We see — (beneath the sultry sun) — their polished bayonets glance; We hear — (anear) — the throbbing drum, — the bugle challenge ring; Quick bursts — and loud — the flashing cloud, — and rolls — from wing — to wing ; But — on the height — our bulwark stands, — tremendous — in its gloom, — As sullen — as a tropic sky — and silent — as the tomb. And so — we tvaited — till we saw, — at scarce ten rifles' length, The old — vindictive Saxon spite, — in all its stubborn strength; When — sudden — flash — on flash — around the jagged rampart burst From every gun — the livid light — upon the foe — accursed: Then — quailed a monarch's might — before a, fi'ee-horn people's ire; Then — drank the sward — the veteran's life — where swept the yeoman's fire. Then — staggered — by shot — we saw their serried columns reel. And fall — as falls the headed rye — before the reaper's steel: And the7i — anon a mighty shout — th't might — have waked the dead, — ^^Htirrahf they run.' the field — is won/" " Hurrah! the foe \s fled!" And every man — has dropped his gu>i — to clutch — a neighbor's hand. As his heart — kept praying — (all the while) for home — and native land. Thrice — on that day we stood the shock — of thrice — a thousand /oes, And thrice — [that day) — within our lines — the shout of victory rose! And — tho' our swift fire — slackened then, — and reddening — in the skies — We saw — (from Charlesiown's roofs — and ivalls) the flamy colu7nns rise; Yet — while w-e had a cartridge left — we still — maintained the fight. Nor gained the foe — one foot of ground — upon that blood-stamed height. What — though for us — no laurels bloom, — nor — o'er the nameless brave — No sculptured trophy, — scroll, — nor patch — records a warrior's grave ! What — tho' the day — (to us) — was lost! Upon the deathless joa^re — The everlasting charter stands — for every land — and age! For man — hath broke — his felon bands, — and cast them — in the dust, And claimed his heritage divine, — and justified — the trust. While — thro' his rifled j>7'ison-bars — the hues of Freedom pour — O'er every nation, — race, — and clime, — on every sea. — and shore. Such glories — as the patriarch viewed — when — 'mid the darkest skies He saw — above a ruined world — the Bow — of Promise rise ! ODE TO ELOQUENCE. Heard ye — those loud contending waves That shook Cecropia's pillar'd state; Saw ye the mighty from their graves Look up, and tremble at her fate ? Who shall calm the angry storm ? Who the mighty task perform. And bid the raging tumult cease? See — the son of Hermes rise, With syren — tongue and — speaking eyes Hush the noise, and soothe to peace ! 10 146 MANUAL OP ELOCUTION. Lo! from the regions of the north, The reddening storm of battle pours, Rolls along the trembling earth, Fastens on the Olynthian towers. "Where rests the sword? — where sleep the brave? Awake! Cecropia's ally save From the fury of the blast ; Burst the storm on Phocis' walls ! Kise ! or Greece forever falls ; Up! or freedom breathes her last !" The jarring states, obsequious now, — View the Patriofs hand on high ; Thunder gathering on his brow^ Lightning — flashing from his eye ! Borne by the tide of words along, One voice, — one mind, inspire the throng! — "T' arms! t' arms! t' arms!" thoy cry, " Grasp the shield, — and draw the sword. Lead us to Philippi's lord; Let us conquer him, or die ! " Ah, Eloquence ! thou wast undone. Wast from thy native country driven, When Tyranny — eclips'd the sim And blotted out the stars of heaven I When Liberty — from Greece withdrew, And o'er the Adriatic /?ew To where the Tiber pours his ■nr^i, — She struck the rude Tarpeian rode; Sparks — were kindled by the shock; — Again thy fires began to burn ! — Noiv, — shining forth, thou mad'st complaint, The conscript fathers to thy charms. Roused the world-bestriding giant. Sinking fast in Slaveiy's arms !— I see thee stand by Freedom's fane, Pouring the persuasive strain, Giving vast conceptions birth: Hark ! I hear thy thunders sound, Shake the Forum round — and round, Shake the pillars of the earth ! First-horn of Liberty divine ! Put on Religion's bright array: Speak! and the starless //ravjc — shall shine The portal of eternal day! , MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. 147 Rise, kindling with the orient beam, Let Calvary's hill inspire the theme, Unfold the garments roll'd in blood ! Oh ! touch the soul, — touch all her chords With all the omnipotence of words. And point the way to heaven — to God ! THE MARSEILLES HYMN. DeL'Isle, Ye sons — of Freedom, wake — to fflory I Hark! Jiark! whAt my Had a — bid you rise/ Your children, — reives, and granddres hoary, Behold their tears, — and hear their cries. Shall hateful iyranis, — {mischief breeding, With hireling hosts, — a ruffidu band,) AffriyJit — and desolate the land, While pe«ce — and liherty — lie bleeding'? To arms! to arms, ye brave! Th' avenging sword unshcath: March on, march on, — all hearts resolved On victory — or death! Now, — new, — the dangerous storm is rolling. Which treacherous kings, [confederate,) raise; The dogs of vjor, — (let loose,) — are howling. And lo ! OVLV fields — and cities — blaze ; And shall we basely — view the ruin, While lawless /orce, — (with guilty stride,) Spreads desolation — -far — and ii:idc, With crimes — and blood — his hands imbruing? To arms! to arms, — ye brave! The aA'enging sword unshcath : March on, — march on, all hearts resolved — On victory — or death ! With luxury — and pride — surrounded, The vile — insatiate dexpofs — dare, (Their thirst oi power — ixnd^gold — uhbounded,) — To mete — and vend — the light — and air. Like beasts of burden — would they load us ; UiVa gods, — would bid their slaves — adore; But 7nan — is man, — and who — is more ? Then — shall they longer — lash — and goad us? To arms! to arms, — ye brave! Th' avenging sword unsheath : March on, march on, — all hearts resolved — On VICTORY — or death ! 148 MANUAL OF ELOCUTION. O Liberty ! can man resign thee Once — having felt thy generous ^ame? Can dungeons, — bolts, — and bars — confine thee, Or whips — thy noble sjnrit tame ? Too long — the world has wept, — bewailing That false^tood's dagger— z'j/raw^s Avield : 'Butfreedo7n — is our sword — and shield, And all — their arts — are uiiavuiling. To ARMS ! to AKMS,— ye brave ! Th' avenging sword unsheath : March ox, march on, — all hearts resolved — On VICTORY — or dcathl COLUMBIA. Timothy Dwight. Columbia, Columbia, to glory — arise, The queen of the woi'ld — and the child of the skies; Thy genius commands thee; with rapture behold, While ages — on ages — thy splendors unfold. Thy reign is the last — and the noblest of time; M-Ost fruitful thy soil, most inviting — thy clime; Let the crimes of the East — ne'er encrimson ^Ayname; ^Q freedom and science and virtue thy fame. To cnnqncst and slaughter — let Euroj)e aspire ; Whelm nations — in blood and wrap cities — mfire; Thy heroes — the rights of mankind shall defend, And triumph pursue them, — and glory attend. A world — is thy realm ; for a world — be thy laws, Enlarged — as thine empire, and just — as thy cause; On Freedom's broad basis — thaf empire shall rise, Extend — with the main and dissolve — with the shies. Fair Science — her gates — to thy sons shall unbar. And the east — see thy morn — hide the beams of her star. New bards — and new sages, unrivaled, shall soar To fame, unextinguished, — when time is no more; To thee, the last refuge of virtue designed. Shall fly — from all nations — the best of mankind; Here, grateful — to Heaven, — with transport shall bring Their incense, — move fragrant — than odors of spring. Nor less shall i\\j fair ones — to glory ascend, And genius — and beauty — in harmony hlend; The graces oi form shall awake pure desire. And the charms of the soid — ever cherish the /?re; Their sweetness unmingled, — their ■tnnnncrs refined, And m?'/?