Lochiel ! Lochiel ! beware of the day! V. TIME, This head has reference to the slow or rapid utterance with which passages must be pronounced. In the first three verses of “Waterloo" we have a sufficiently good illustration of slow, ordinary, and quick time. EXERCISES. Slow TIME. An earthquake's spoil is sepulchred below! Or column trophied for triumphal show? As the ground was before, thus let it be ;- And in this all the world has gain'd by thee, ORDINARY TIME. And Belgium's capital had gather'd then The lamps shone o'er fair women and brave men; Music arose with its voluptuous swell, And all went merry as a marriage bell ;- QUICK TIME. Or the car rattling o'er the stony street. No sleep till morn, when youth and pleasure meet ye But, hark !-that heavy sound breaks in once more, And nearer, clearer, deadlier than before ! VI. PAUSE. think proper. The pause is one of the most effective elements in reading and recitation. Its importance cannot be sufficiently impressed upon the pupil. Besides the rest which the voice naturally takes at the marks of punctuation, there are places between these where the pupil should be accustomed to pause. We name some, leaving teachers to fix others as they (1.) After introductory conjunctions. (2.) Between the subject and the predicate. (3.) After the subject or object, when followed by an adjective with words dependent on it. (4.) After two or more adjectives preceding a simple subject except the last. (5.) Before and after some prepositional phrases. (6.) Before the relatives. (7.) Before the conjunction that. (8.) Before the infinitive when separated from its governing verb. (9.) At an ellipsis. POETICAL READINGS AND RECITATIONS. BROWNING. THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN. (1.) THE RATS. HAMELIN town's in Brunswick, By famous Hanover city; The river Weser, deep and wide, A pleasanter spot you never spied ; Almost five hundred years ago, From vermin was a pity. They fought the dogs, and kill'd the cats, And bit the babies in the cradles, And lick’d the soup from the cook's own ladles, By drowning their speaking With shrieking and squeaking (2.) THE CONSULTATION. At last the people in a body To the Town Hall came flocking: Or, sure as fate, we'll send you packing!" An hour they sate in council, At length the Mayor broke silence : "For a guilder I'd my ermine gown sell; I wish I were a mile hence! It's easy to bid one rack one's brain— At the chamber door but a gentle tap? "Bless us!" cried the Mayor, "what's that? Only a scraping of shoes on the mat? (3.) THE PIPER “Come in !" the Mayor cried, looking bigger ; He advanced to the council-table : By means of a secret charm, to draw And people call me the Pied Piper." B |