áncestos, by all their regard for postérity, by all their gratitude to Him who has bestowed on them such unnumbered and countless blessings, by all the duties which they owe to mankind, and by all the duties which they owe to themselves, to pause, solemnly pause at the edge of the precipice, before the fearful and dangerous leap is taken into the yawning abyss below, from which none who ever take it, shall return in safety

NOTE I. The ordinary direct address, not accompanied with strong emphasis, takes the rising inflection, on the prin ciple of the pause of suspension.

EXAMPLES.

1. Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell in Jerúsalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words. Bible

2.

Fight, gentlemen of E'ngland! fight, bold yeóman !

Draw, árchers, draw your arrows to the head.

NOTE II.-In some instances of a pause of suspension, the sense requires an intense falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

1. The prodigal, if he does not become a pauper, will, at least, have but Little to bestow on others.

REMARK.-If the rising inflection is given on pauper, the sense would be perverted, and the passage made to inean, that, in order to be able to bestow on others, it is necessary that he should become a pauper.

RULE VI.

Expressions of tenderness, as of grief, or kindnes commonly incline the voice to the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.

1. O my son Ab'salom! my son, my son Ab'salom!

had died for thée, Ab'salom, my són, my són! Bible.

Would God I

Note I., and examples. Repeat Note II., and example. Rule VL, and example.

RULE VII.

The Penultimate Pause, or the last but one, of a pas sage, is usually preceded by the rising inflection.

EXAMPLES.

1. The changing seasons declare the knowledge, pòwer, wisdom, and goodness of God.

2. When the savage provides himself with a hut or a wigwam for sheitor, or that he may store up his provisions, he does no more than is done by the rabbit, the beaver, the beé, and birds of every species.

REMARK. The rising inflection is employed at the penultimate pause in order to promote variety, since the voice generally falls at the end of a sentence.

RULE VIII.

Expressions of strong emotion, as of anger or sur· prise, and also the language of authority and reproach, are expressed with the falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

1

Strike for your homes and liberty,

And the Heavens you worship o'er you!

2. O Fools! and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have written concerning me! Bible.

3.

Hush! breathe it not aloud,

The wild winds must not hear it! Yet, again,

I tell thee-WC a FRÈE!

4. Arise! shine! for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Bible.

RULE IX.

An emphatic succession of particulars, and emphatic repetition, require the falling inflection.

Rule VII., and examples. Rule VIII., and examples. Repeat File IX.

:

1.

EXAMPLES.

Hail, holy light! offspring of Heaven first.born,
Or of the eternal, co-eternal beam.

The tear,

The groan, the knèll, the pall, the bièr,
And all we know, or dream, or fear

Of agony, are thine.

REMARK.-The stress of voice on each successive particular, or repetition, should gradually be increased as the subject advances.

The CIRCUMFLEX is a union of the two inflections on the same word, beginning either with the falling and ending with the rising, or with the rising and ending

with the falling; as, If he goes to me. I shall go to Pa mis

ра

RULE I.

The circumflex is mainly employed in the language of irony, and in expressing ideas implying some condition, either expressed or understood.

EXAMPLES.

1. Nero was a virtuous prince!

2. O, čxcellent interpreter of the laws!

3. Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?

4. If you do that, we will do this.

5. They said, too, as you say: "It is our destiny."

6. That power is used, not to benefit mankind. but to crush them. 7. It has been said that this law is a measure or peace! Yes; such peace as the wolf gives to the lamb-the kite to the dove!

8. They follow an adventurer, whom they fear, and obey a power which they hate; we serve a monarch whom we love,-a God whom we adore.

QUESTIONS.-What is the Circumflex? When is the circumflex mainly employed? Give examples.

REMARK.-The rising inflection and circumflex are so nearly allied, that, in many instances, it may be difficult to determine which should receive the preference in the reading of a pas sage. This is particularly the case where intense inflection is not required. But he difference between the circumflex and the falling inflection is so obvious, that no one would be liable to mistake which should be employed.

SECTION IV.

MODULATION.

MODULATION implies those variations of the voice, heard in reading or speaking, which are prompted by the feelings and emotions that the subject inspires.

FULL
TONE.

EXAMPLES.

EXPRESSIVE OF COURAGE AND CHIVALROUS EXCITEMENT.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more,
Or close the wall up with our English dead!

MIDDLE In peace, there's nothing so becomes a man,
S
As modest stillness and humility;

TONE.

SHORT

AND

QUICK.

HIGH

AND LOUD..

QUICK

AND

VERY LOUD.

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;

Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,

Disguise fair nature with hard-favored rage.
On, ON, you noblest English,

Whose blood is fetched from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers, that, like so many Alexanders,
Have, in these parts, from morn till even fought,
And sheathed their swords for lack of argumert.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot;
Follow your spirits, and, upon this charge,

CRY-HEAVEN FOR HARRY! ENGLAND! AND ST. GEORGE!

Shakespeare.

QUESTIONS.-What is Modulation? Give an example.

REMARK.-To read the foregoing example in one dull, mo notonous tone of voice, without regard to the sentiment expressed, would render the passage extremely insipid and lifeless. But by a proper modulation of the voice, it infuses into the mind of the reader or hearer the most animating and exciting emotions.

A correct modulation of the voice is one of the most important requisites in the speaker. For if the voice is kept for a considerable length of time on one continuous key or pitch, he will not only fail to present that variety and force which the subject contains, but he will weary both himself and his hearers.

The voice is modulated in three different ways. First, it is varied in PITCH; that is, from high to low tones, and the reSecondly, it is varied in QUANTITY, or in loudness or volume of sound. Thirdly, it is varied in QUALITY, or in the kind of sound expressed.

verse.

PITCH OF VOICE.

PITCH OF VOICE has reference to its degree of elevation.

Every person, in reading or speaking, assumes a certain pitch, which may be either high or low, according to circumstances, and which has a governing influence on the variations of the voice, above and below it. This degree of elevation is usually called the KEY NOTE.

As an exercise in varying the voice in pitch, the practice of uttering a sentence on the several degrees of elevation, as represented in the following scale, will be found beneficial. First, utter the musical syllables, then the vowel sound, and lastly, the proposed sentence,-ascending and descending.

QUESTIONS.-In how many ways is the voice modulated? What is meant by pitch of voice? What practice is recommended for varying the pitch of voice?