ELOCUTION.

Elocution is the art of managing the voice, countenance, and gesture in speaking, so as to express the thought, senti ment, or emotion intended to be expressed, distinctly, and in the most pleasing, appropriate, and effective manner.

The qualifications necessary to enable the reader or speaker to bring out the sense and sentiment of discourse in a pleasing and impressive manner are:

First.-A full and correct understanding and appreciation of the meaning and the sentiment of the language spoken.

Second.-A clear, full, flexible, and resonant voice of more than ordinary compass.

Third.-A distinct articulation and a correct pronuncia

tion.

Fourth.-The speaker should have such a control of his voice as to be able to vary its modulations in pitch, force, stress, quantity, and quality at pleasure. He will then be able readily to give those tones and modulations that are most appropriate to the natural expression of the thought or feeling.

Fifth. In recitation or declamation he must be able to enter into the spirit of the piece, and deliver it as if expressing his own thoughts and sentiments.

Sixth. He must be able to adapt his manner of delivery to the kind of piece or the subject, and to the character

15)

and spirit of his discourse, and, when necessary, to rapidly change his tone, position, action and facial expression.

Seventh.-A thorough, practical knowledge of the elementary sounds is the most essential condition of good articulation.

This course of instruction will, therefore, commence with information concerning the elementary sounds, and with simple, practical exercises on words and upon such short passages as are best calculated not only to give the student the necessary knowledge concerning these sounds, but also to strengthen his voice, improve its quality, increase its compass, resonance, and flexibility, and to give him, from the first, practical exercises in emphasis and expression, and clear ideas of the conditions on which they depend.

ELEMENTARY SOUNDS.

The elementary sounds of the English language are classified under three great divisions: First, the Vocals; Second, the Subvocals; Third, the Aspirates.

VOCALS.

The vocal sounds form the basis of the English language, and should therefore be perfectly familiar to all who speak it. The vocals are divided into Monothongs and Diphthongs. Monothongs have the same sound from the commencement to the close. Diphthongs begin with one sound and end with another.

Monothongs are also divided into the single open vocals and the short vocals. When an open vocal unites in a syllable with a subvocal, neither of the elements retains exactly the same sound it has when given separately.

An open vowel admits of greater quantity and more musical expression before a subvocal than before an aspirate. No vowel has the fullness and melody, when united with an

aspirate, that it has when united with a subvocal or when given alone.

When a short vowel is united with an explodent aspirate sound, it is slightly changed from the one it has when united with a subvocal sound.

The shades of difference between some of the vowels are so very slight that only a practiced ear can perceive them.

as heard before r, in care, there, air, pear.

1. e,

2. a,

3. a,

SUBVOCALS.

Correlatives.

21. b, 22. d,

as in babe, web; b stops with the light sound of p.

32. 1, as in hill, shall, well, all.

33. r, (the hard or trill sound), as in rise, drum, roar.
34. r, (the soft sound) at the end of the word, as in roar, fear.

EXERCISES ON THE VOWEL SOUNDS.

Before speaking any of the following passages, be sure that you understand their meaning, and the spirit with which they should be expressed. The words marked in italics contain the sounds to which attention is to be directed. Give the italicized word in each passage, first interrogatively, and then affirmatively, with a distinct utterance, in a conversational tone, and exactly the same way in which you ask or answer a question.

ILLUSTRATION.—1. Did you say dream? Answer: Yes, I said dream. 2. Did you say shame or blame? I said blame, not shame.

Repeat these words with gradually increasing force, and with each repetition enlarge the opening of the mouth and throat, and let each word occupy more time in its development; be very careful to avoid drawling, mouthing, affected and artificial tones. Be natural in tone and manner.

The object of the following exercises is to enable the student to obtain a critical knowledge of the elementary sounds, and give them with ease and accuracy singly or in any connection in which they occur.

SINGLE OPEN VOWELS.

Element No. 1.

1. To this one standard make your just appeal,
Here lies the golden secret, learn to feel.

2. Seems, Madam? nay, it is not seems, it is.
3. Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee!

E'en though it be a cross

That raiseth me;

Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to thee,

Nearer to thee.