The following are the consonant elements susceptible of explosive force in a greater or less degree.

ΠΕΙΤΕ

jade, large.

loll.

h

1

m

main.

n

noon.

roar.

sap, pass.

thine, tithe. thrust, north. church.

th

ch

sh

shine, dash.

wh

what, whine.

zh

azure.

When the pupil has acquired some facility in exploding the foregoing consonant elements, it will be found profitable to require him to combine with each of them, one of the vowel elements, giving the utmost prolongation to the consonant sound; thus, ab-b; eb-b; ib-b; ad-d; ed-d; id-d; &c., &c. Then let him go over the same exercise, placing the consonant first; thus, b-be; d-de; g―ga; m―mo, &c.

EXERCISES

ON COMBINATIONS OF CONSONANT ELEMENTS.

Some of these sentences are selected with reference to the correction of the habit of dropping the unaccented vowel.

He is a man of great sensibility and susceptibility.

The swallow twittered at the eaves.

Canst thou not be satisfied?

He begged to be permitted to stay.

They searched the house speedily.
Whelmed amidst the waves.

They dragged the ruffian to prison.

Bursting his bonds, he sprang upon the foe.

He can not tolerate a papist.

Shot madly from its sphere.

When will the landscape tire the view?

The lightnings flashed.

The thunders roared.

The hail rattled.

His hand in mine was fondly clasped.

Stand your ground, my braves.

He gasped for breath.

I'll grapple with my country's foes.
His limbs were strengthened by exercise.
They cultivated shrubs and plants.
He has marshaled his hosts.

He selected his texts with great care.

The unsearched mine hath not such gems.

His lips grow restless, and his smile is curled half into scorn

Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

And all her paths are peace.

He has singed his hair.

What further wait'st thou for?

She milked six cows.

Give me a yard and three eighths.

Ha! laugh'st thou, Lochiel, my vision to scorn?

The chill precincts of the narrow house.

Oh! breeze that waft'st me on my way.
Thou prob'dst his wounds too freely.
Thou begg'dst in vain for mercy.
Thou wrong'dst thyself and me.
Thou troubl'dst thy father's friends.

Vaunt'st thou thyself of thy strength?

Thou boast'st of what should be thy shame.

Thou pluck'dst a bitter fruit.
Disabl'dst, strangl'dst, burn'dst.
Clasp'dst, twinkl'dst, respect'st.
Lash'dst, haggl'dst, swerv'dst.

From depths unknown, unsearchable, profound.
Forth rushed the wandering comets girt with flames.

When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw,

The line too labors and the words move slow.

One blast upon his bugle-horn were worth ten thousand men.

Life's* fitful fever over, he rests well.

This sculptor has executed three busts.

From peak to peak, the rattling crags among,
Leaps the live thunder; not from one lone cloud;
But every mountain now hath found a tongue,
And Jura answers from her misty shroud,
Back to the joyous Alps, which call to her aloud.

Thou that dost scare the world with tempests set on fire,
The heavens with falling thunderbolts, or fill'st

*Beware of running words together.

The swift dark whirlwind that uproots the woods,
Where is the mortal, that forgets not at the sight
Of these tremendous tokens of thy power
His pride, and lays his* strifes and follies by?
Canst thou fill his* skin with barbed irons!
He was distinguished for his conscientiousness.
From star to star the living lightnnings flash,
And falling thunders through all space proclaim
The goings forth of Him whose potent arm
Perpetuates existence or destroys.
God journeyeth in the heavens.

Refulgent stars
And glittering crowns of prostrate seraphim
Emboss* his burning path. Around him fall
Dread powers, dominions, hosts, and kingly thrones.

That morning, thou that slumber'dst not before,
Nor sleep'st, great Ocean, laid'st thy waves* at rest,
And hush'dst thy mighty minstrelsy

QUESTIONS.-What should be the first object of the student of elocution? What is said of the advantage of practice upon elementary sounds? Which are the vowels elements? Give examples of each. (Let the pupil explode them as directed.) What are the advantages of thus exploding the elementary sounds? Can the consonants be exploded? Which can not, and why? What is said of uttering the consonants distinctly? (Let the pupil explode them as directed.)

II. INFLECTIONS.

INFLECTION is a bending, or sliding of the voice either upward or downward.

The upward, or rising inflection, is marked by the acute acent, thus, (); and in this case the voice is to slide upward; as, Did you call? Is he sick?

The downward, or falling inflection, is marked by the grave accent, thus, (); and indicates that the voice is to slide downward; as, Where is London? Where have you been? Who has come?

*Beware of running words together.

Sometimes both the rising and falling inflection are given to the same sound. Such sounds are designated by the circumflex, thus, (-) or thus (A). The former is called the rising circumflex; the latter, the falling circumflex.

When several successive syllables are uttered without either the upward or downward slide, they are said to be uttered in a monotone, which is marked thus, (-).

EXAMPLES.

Does he read correctly or incorrectly?

In reading this sentence, the voice should slide somewhat as represented in the following diagram:

Do they act prudently, or imprudently`?
Are they at home, or abroad?
Is he willing, or unwilling?
Did you say Europe, or Asia?
Is he rich, or poor`?
Are they old, or young`?
He said pain, not pain ́.
You should walk, not ride.
Are you engaged, or at leisure?
Shall I say plain ́, or pain`?
He went home, not abroad.
Does he say able, or table?
He said hazy, not lazy.
Must I say flat, or flat`?

Must I say cap ́, or cap`?

You should say flat`, not flat.

My father, must I stay"?

Oh! but he paûsed upon the brink.

It shall go hard with me but I shall use the weapon.

Heard ye those loud contending waves,

That shook Cecropia's pillared state?
Saw ye the mighty from their graves
Look up, and tremble at her fate?

Borne by the tide of words along,

One voice, one mind, inspired the throng,
"To arms! to arms! to arms!" they cry`;

'Grasp the shield ́, and draw the sword.

Lead us to Phillippi's lord`;

Let us conquer ́ him or die "