Legouvé claims that the study of elocution improves the memory; and certainly the effort necessary to retain the mental picture once made must be beneficial to the memory. We should be careful to personate the different characters represented by suitable looks, gestures, and tones. "Persuade yourself that there are blind men and deaf men in your audience whom you must move, interest, and persuade. Your inflection must become pantomime to the blind, and your pantomime inflection to the deaf." SELECTED READINGS AND RECITATIONS FOR PRACTICE. SCENE FROM TAMING OF THE SHREW. Baptista. Now, in good sadness, son Petruchio, I think thou hast the veriest shrew of all. Petruchio. Well, I say-no: and therefore, for assurance Let's each one send unto his wife; To come at first when he doth send for her, Pet. Twenty crowns! Twenty crowns. I'll venture so much on my hawk or hound, Bap. Son, I will be your half, Bianca comes. 53 [Exit. Luc. I'll have no halves: I'll bear it all myself. Re-enter BIONDELLO. Sir, my mistress sends you word How now! What news? Bion. That she is busy, and she cannot come. Pet. How! she is busy, and she cannot come ! Is that an answer? Gremio. Ay, and a kind one too: Pray God, sir, your wife send you not a worse. Pet. I hope, better. Hor. Sirrah, Biondello, go, and entreat my wife To come to me forthwith. Pet. [Exit Biondello. Oho! entreat her! I am afraid, sir, Nay, then she must needs come. Hor. Do what you can, yours will not be entreated. Re-enter BIONDELLO. Now, where's my wife? Bion. She says you have some goodly jest in hand; She will not come; she bids you come to her. Pet. Worse and worse; she will not come! O vile, Intolerable, not to be endured! Sirrah, Grumio, go to your mistress; Say I command her come to me. [Exit Grumio. Hor. I know her answer. Pet. Hor. What? She will not. Pet. The fouler fortune mine, and there an end. Enter KATHARINA. Bap. Now, by my holidame, here comes Katharina! Katharina. What is your will, sir, that you send for me? Pet. Where is your sister, and Hortensio's wife? Kath. They sit conferring by the parlor fire. Pet. Go fetch them hither; if they deny to come, Swinge me them soundly forth unto their hus bands. Away, I say, and bring them hither straight. [Exit Kath. Luc. Here is a wonder, if you talk of a wonder. Hor. And so it is; I wonder what it bodes. Pet. Marry, peace it bodes, and love, and quiet life, An lawful rule, and right supremacy; And, to be short, what not, that's sweet and happy. Bap. Now fair befall thee, good Petruchio! For she is changed, as she had never been. Re-enter KATH. with BIANCA and WIDOW. See, where she comes; and brings your froward wives As prisoners to her womanly persuasion.Katharine, that cap of yours becomes you not: Off with that bauble, throw it under foot. [Kath. pulls off her cap, and throws it down. Widow. Lord, let me never have a cause to sigh, Till I be brought to such a silly pass! Bianca. Fie! What a foolish duty call you this? Luc. I would your duty were as foolish too: The wisdom of your duty, fair Bianca, Hath cost me an hundred crowns since suppertime. Bian. The more fool you for laying on my duty. Pet. Katharine, I charge thee, tell these headstrong women What duty they do owe their lords and husbands. Wid. Come, come, you're mocking; we will have no telling. Pet. Come on, I say; and first begin with her. Wid. She shall not. Pet. I say she shall ;—and first begin with her. Kath. Fie! fie! unknit that threat'ning unkind brow; And dart not scornful glances from those eyes, And in no sense is meet, or amiable. A woman moved, is like a fountain troubled, |