CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. The Elementary Sounds of the English Language.... Articulation, or Examples in some of its most difficult Com- 30. Imaginary Meeting of Satan, Sin, and Death.... 31. Adam and Eve's Morning Hymn..... 37. Lines relating to Curran's Daughter...... 38. The Temperance Reformation, a Harbinger of the Millenium. 51. The Petition of the Wife of Almas Ali Cawn. 52. Speech of the Earl of Chatham...... 53. Night before the Battle of Waterloo. 61. Mr. Burke's Remarks to the Electors of Bristol. 62. Hamlet's Soliloquy on Death...... 63. Speech of King Richard III..... Page. 79. Lady Randolph's Soliloquy. 81. Song of the German Soldiers after Victory. 82. Defence before his Judges.. 83, Part of the Burial Service.. 85. Scene between Virginius and Lucius. 87. Or Cultivating the Faculty of Speech.. 83. Captain Bertram and Jack Bowlin.. 89. Alexander the Great and a Robber. 90. Prince Henry and Falstaff.. 91. A Scene from William Tell. 92. Extract from Damon and Pythias.. 93. Isabella pleading before Angelo.... 94. Upbraidings of Edward and Warwick.. 118. Union of the Statesman and Man of Letters.. 119. Elocution of Divinely Inspired Speakers.. OBSERVATIONS ON ELOCUTION. ELOCUTION is the art of reading and speaking well. It demands of a reader that he institute an inquiry into the meaning of an author; and, having ascertained it, that he convey it, not only correctly, but with force, beauty, variety, and effect. And it requires a speaker to impress the exact lineaments of nature upon his sentiments. In order to read or speak well, the articulation must be correct and elegant, and the voice must be under the command of the will. A good articulation, it need not be said, is a primary beauty of elocution. It is to the ear what fine penmanship is to the Without it, no individual can be a correct reader or speaker. It is the first step towards becoming an elocutionist. eye. In Austin's Chironomia, it is truly observed: "That a public speaker, possessed of only a moderate voice, if he articulate correctly, will be better understood and heard with greater pleasure, than one who vociferates without judgment. The voice of the latter may indeed extend to a considerable distance, but the sound is dissipated in confusion; of the former voice, not the smallest vibration is wasted, every stroke is perceived at the utmost distance to which it reaches; and hence, it has often the appearance of penetrating even farther than one which is loud, but badly articulated. In just articulation, the words are not to be hurried over, nor precipitated syllable over syllable; nor, as it were, melted together into a mass of confusion; they should not be trailed or drawled, nor permitted to slip out carelessly, so as to drop unfinished. They are to be |