It is important to note that, as the thought and language be. come more intense and fervid, there is a change or variety in the melody of the cadence. In the natural rise of climactic intensity, as in the last illustrative example, the Partial Cadence might be written in musical form, thus,

The same principle evidently obtains, but, in its application, the musical form is changed. This is an important fact, and relievethe ear from the constant recurrence of the same musical effect which is extremely annoying to people of cultivated taste.

It now remains for us to discuss the complete cadence. This occurs at the close of sentences and paragraphs, and is preceded by the penultimate slide. The penultimate slide is an upward movement of the voice, and occurs generally on the last word or words of the penultimate clause. The special function of the penultimate slide is to lift the voice up on the musical scale so that the descent on the last clause may be more impressive and perceptible to the ear. If, in the delivery of a climactic paragraph, the voice be allowed to move on to the end without any special rise, and the closing cadence be immediately applied, the suddenness and abruptness of the descent will fail to produce the pleasing impression of repose and completion. In order to secure the most satisfactory results, the voice must reach the line of full repose by successive descents at the longest possible intervals. The penultimate slide has been aptly called "the flourish of the period."

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE

But the same impartial history will record more than one

admiration of success

true moral greatness is eaten out of the hearts of men by a mean in the exhortations of

and

power;

never

the prudent magistrate counseling his fellow-citizens for

their

good;

never

in the dark ages of national fortune, when anxious patriots explore the annals of the past for examples of

public

never

virtue;

in the admoni

tion of the parent forming the minds of his children by lessons of

The recurring word never receives the emphatic slide of the fifth, increasing to the octave on the last repetition of never; the words Napoleon and other receive the stroke of the fifth, while the sentences of the paragraph are closed with partial cadences; and the penultimate slide, preparatory to the complete cadence occurs on the words modern days.

The penultimate slide is not confined to oratorical selections, but occurs in all common reading, though applied in a more subdued form and with a shortened upward stroke. In grand, sublime and reverential styles, its use is indispensable.

The fullest cadential melody is the "Triad of the Cadence," or three successive downward steps on the musical scale, thus:

Doing well makes the current of our peculiar

swift

and

deep."

affections

In the best manuals of elocution may be found a full discussion of the various forms of complete cadence: the Monad, Duad, Triad, Tetrad and Pentad forms. However, the triad form is recommended for general use as the most pleasing and satisfactory, even if we are obliged to use words instead of syllables in executing the successive downward steps, and sometimes are obliged to sacrifice a trifle in strength for the sake of melodious closing effects. If the question is asked, Would you ever use a monad or duad form of cadence? I should answer, Yes; but for general practical use the triad is preferred for reasons stated. This, like all other ideas in this discussion, is offered as a suggestion rather than as a general law, and for the following reason: in all matters of melody, whether current or closing, the student must be allowed the largest possible liberty consistent with a cultivated musical

taste.

EXPRESSION

By Expression we mean the utterance of words with their accompanying emotions. We do not develop the full thought of an emotional selection by the mere repetition of the words. If we did, the tenderest pathos and the sublimest passion would alike sink to the level of the most common talk. The temper or emotion which is the life of the thought, and which seeks conveyance in the words, must be expressed before the meaning of the author can be made known.

A knowledge, then, of the laws of Expression is necessary to the proper interpretation of thought. The method proposed in this book for the attainment of such knowledge has taken shape in my daily experience as a teacher, and has no greater merit than its practicability. No merely arbitrary rules are of value here. Nature must ever be the great teacher, and he who observes most clearly her best manifestations must be, of necessity, the best fitted to deduce the laws that underlie and control those manifestations.

It is, however, of great importance to the student of Elocution to remember that there is a certain best way to render every emotion, and having mastered one selection of a great class, the power has been acquired to render all selections of that type. By pursuing such a method, the reader will be lifted from the contemplation of a single piece to the class of which it is a specimen, and eventually to a classified knowledge of the laws that develop every sentiment and passion of the human soul.

NARRATIVE, DESCRIPTIVE, AND

DIDACTIC STYLES

This class of selections includes all that is generally designated as common reading, viz.: conversations, essays, newspaper composition, or any selection which is intended simply to convey information to the mind. So frequent is the use of this style of address that more than two-thirds of everything the professional man has to utter falls under this head, and in non-professional life nearly everything that is spoken. The excellences of common reading may be compassed by observing the followin~ suggestions:

Purity of tone is of as much importance in common reading as in the rendering of sentiment. Every tone should fall from the lips like the tinkle of a coin upon the table. A clear, musical and crystalline articulation is the highest charm of common reading.

Variety of tone is an element not to be overlooked. An essay can be written out in musical forms as well as an oratorio, and he who makes the best music is, other things being equal, the best reader. A well-modulated voice traversing the musical scale with happy intonations renders common reading not only interesting, but highly artistic and charming. The only caution necessary is that over-much variety may render the reading fantastic and flippant.

Distinctness of enunciation must always be stricty demanded. As a rule, we enunciate the first parts of our words distinctly, but the last parts are frequently blurred, or left untouched. The only relief in such cases is a thorough drill in the consonantal elements, until firmness, accuracy and force are developed in enunciation. The last syllable in a word should be brought out as distinctly as the first, and the middle syllables as distinctly as the last.

The question may be raised, are Narrative, Descriptive, and Didactic styles all read in the same manner? Narrative and Descriptive Readings, appealing in many instances to feeling and