ed as the HARMONIC CADENCE ;* it is formed by the introduction of two intermediate rising inflections of a third and fifth, between two falling inflections: the melody of the first line is composed of a similar alternation of inflection, with the variation of a rising inflection to mark the suspension of sense, at the termination of the line.

The introduction of this melody and cadence, where the sense will admit of it, lends additional music to the rhythm: but they must not be used to supersede just inflection or Emphasis required by the sense: for the melody must never be permitted to destroy the force of the line. Nor must this cadence be too frequently resorted to, or it will give a sing-song sameness to the reading-tiresome and unmeaning.

It is to be observed that the inflections of the voice, in the reading of verse, are not to be marked so strongly, or, as I may say, so angularly, as in prosereading. Smoothness, and an easy, flowing style, are to be cultivated; and, therefore, the inflections must be, as it were, rounded and polished; so that the voice shall not leap, but gently undulate from tone to tone, and float along in an unbroken stream of sound.

A great fault in the reading of verse, is the too strongly marking, or, as I call it, hammering the rhyme: this is destructive of melody, and has a most unpleasing effect on the ear. To avoid it, we must

* The harmonic cadence may be used with grace in prosedeclamation, as well as in verse; when the passage does not demand any particular force, as:

I shall content myself with wishing that I may be one of those whose follies may cease with their youth and not of that number" who are ignorant in spite of experience.—Johns.

keep the voice suspended, avoiding a frequent recurrence of the falling inflection at the close of the line, except where the close of the sense, too, demands it. Otherwise we shall fall into that methodical, alternate, closing rise and fall, which deprives rhythmical Elocution of all variety and grace.

Pope's lines are good practice for melodious reading for he frequently suspends the sense through several successive lines, and, so, affords opportunity for variety of inflection and cadence. I therefore give (marked,) a passage extracted from his Essay on Man.

HAPPINESS.

Oh Happiness!" our being's end and aim !”—

ཡ

Good,~ pleasure, ease," content!" whate'er thy name
That something, still which prompts th' eternal sigh,

Plant of celestial seed!" if dropp'd below,"

Say in what mortal soil thou deign'st to grow?"_

Fair op'ning to some court's propitious shine,`

Or deep with diamonds in the flaming mine?
Twin'd with the wreaths Parnassian laurels yield,
Or reap'd in iron harvests of the field?

Where grows? where grows it not? If vain our toil,

།

We ought to blame the culture, not the soil:

Fix'd to no spot is happiness sincere,

པ

77

་

'Tis nowhere to be found, or everywhere:

'Tis never to be bought, but always free,~

And fled from monarchs, dwells, my friend, with thee.

It is not within the scope of this work to analyse the different rhythms and metres used in versification: but for the convenience of the reader, the Practice at the end of this Division contains extracts in a variety of rhythm; by exercise on which, in accordance with the preceding rules and directions, he may acquire an elegant and easy style of rhythmical Elocution.

We now proceed to

EXPRESSION.

Expression is the modulating or regulating the organ of the voice to tones of gentleness or force, according to the nature and degree of feeling, or passion expressed in words. Expression is the natural language of emotion. It is, in Elocution, to a certain extent, a vocal imitation of passion. But this must be done without "aggravating the voice" (as Bottom has it). It is a grace which requires the nicest management; and cannot be achieved but with the best cultivation of ear and voice; in order to catch and reecho the tones of the heart to the ears and hearts of others. It depends mainly upon pitch of voice, and the expression of each different feeling has its appropriate pitch.*

* Roger Ascham, tutor to Queen Elizabeth, thus quaintly writes, touching the matter of pitch of voice:

"Where a matter is spoken with an apte voyce for everye affection, the hearers, for the most part, are moved as the

Expression therefore is a refinement on Intonation : they go hand in hand: we cannot think of the one without the other. Intonation gives the voice volume and power; expression uses and adapts it to the feeling of the moment.

Even monotone has its expression.

MONOTONE

is intonation without change of pitch: that is, preserving a fullness of tone, without ascent or descent on the scale.

THE EXPRESSION OF MONOTONE.

It expresses repose of feeling or scene-the calm confidence of power-vastness of thought-veneration—and the over-awing sublimity of grandeur.

But it must not be listless, vapid, soulless monotone; it must be a deep, swelling, crescendo monotone, speaking as it were from the recesses of the heart; as,

Calm-ness sits throned on yon un

mo-ving cloud.

speaker woulde; but when a man is always in one tone, like a humble-bee, or else now in the top of the church, now downe that no man knoweth where to have him ; or piping like a reede, or roaring like a bull, as some lawyers do, which thinke they do best when they crye loudest; these shall never move, as I know many well-learned have done, because theyr voyces were not stayed afore, with learninge to singe. For all voyces, great and small, base and shrill, may be holpen and brought to a good point by learninge to singe."

H

It requires practice; and the practice of monotone tends essentially to the improvement of intonation.

The sign of monotone is an even line or mark (denoting an even tone of voice) over the words to be spoken without inflection: but mark,—the sound must swell and gather volume as it proceeds.

EXERCISE ON MONOTONE.

Our revels now are ended: these our actors,

As I foretold you, were all spirits, and

Are melted into air, into thin air;

And like the baseless fabric of this vision

The cloud-capp'd towers the gorgeous palaces

The solemn temples the great globe itself

།

Yea, all which it inherit shall dissolve

And like this unsubstantial pageant faded

Leave not a rack behind.

Shaks.

The following passage from Talfourd's classical tragedy of Ion is also good practice in the Intonation of Monotone.

Commence on a deep, full tone.

Ye eldest Gods,

Who in no statues of exactest form

Are palpable; who shun the azure heights

Of beautiful Olympus, and the sound
Of ever-young Apollo's minstrelsy;

Yet mindful of the empire which ye held
Over dim Chaos, keep revengeful wrath

L