Now in darkness and billows he sweeps from my sight: 760. Impose upon me whatever hardships you please; give me nothing but the bread of sorrow to eat; take from me the friends in whom I had placed my confidence; lay me in the cold hut of poverty, and on the thorny bed of disease; set death before me in all its terrors; do all this,only let me trust in my Savior, and I will fear no evil,I will rise superior to affliction,-I will rejoice in my tribulation. 761. The Highlands of Scotland are a picturesque, but in general a melancholy country. Long tracts of mountainous desert covered with dark heath, and often obscured by misty weather; narrow valleys, thinly inhabited, and bounded by precipices resounding with the fall of torrents; a soil so rugged, and a clime so dreary, as in many parts to admit neither the amusements of pasturage, nor the labors of agriculture; the mournful dashing of waves along the friths and lakes that intersect the country; the portentous noises which every change of the wind, and every increase and diminution of the waters is apt to raise in a lonely region, full of echoes, and rocks, and caverns; the grotesque and ghastly appearance of such a landscape by the light of the moon; objects like these diffuse a gloom over the fancy, which may be compatible enough with occasional and social merriment, but cannot fail to tincture the thoughts even of an ordinary native in the hour of silence and solitude. 762.* To be or not to be-that is the question- *In reading this extract, the pupil must recall to mind the remarks made on the 49th page, relating to accent. Or to take arms against assail* of troubles, The heart ache, and the thousand natural shocks 763. To die;-to sleep ;— To sleep! perchance to dream;-―ay there's the rub; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, 764. Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought; In most of the editions of Shakspeare we read, "to take arms against a sea of trouble ;" but this expression is a manifest violation of all rhetorical rule. [See Progressive Exercises in English Composition, Lesson 25, p. 49.] The improved reading in this passage is taken from Steele's "Prosodia Rationalis," a work already referred to in a preceding note. LESSON XXXIX. BLENDING OF WORDS PRODUCED BY ACCENTED FORCE. Under the head of accented force, Mr. Walker, in his Rhetorical Grammar, has noticed the peculiar manner in which words, or parts of different words, are sometimes blended so as to appear in pronunciation like a single word. Thus the sentence, "Censure is the tax a man pays to the public for being eminent," when it is read with a proper regard to the measure of speech, accent, emphasis, &c., will appear as if it were written thus: 765. Censure forbeingeminent. isthetax amanpays tothepublic It will be needless to insert any extracts for the exercise of the pupil in this principle. The teacher will select from any part of the book such sentences for him to read as will enable him readily to perceive the difference between accented words and accented syllables. It may here be remarked, that most kinds of reading are included in the three terms, NARRATIVE, DESCRIPTIVE, and EXPRESSIVE; each of which is respectively characterized by its appropriate degree of accented force; and it is proper that the pupil, in studying a reading lesson, should endeavor to discern under which head his lesson is included, in order to adapt his style of reading to the character of the piece. On this subject much has been said in the previous lessons of this book. It remains for the pupil, who has gone through these lessons in course, to endeavor to apply the instructions given him, in all the various kinds of reading in which he may be exercised. If he has a correct ear, he will not fail to observe that both the rising and falling inflections of the voice admit of different degrees. These are technically described in Dr. Barber's Grammar of Elocution, and more fully developed in the respective works of Dr. Rush and Mr. Steele, to which reference has already been made. The subject is also particularly noticed in Walker's Rhetorical Grammar. In these Exercises, which are designed for com mon schools, it is deemed inexpedient to present any intricate views of the subject; but, after the statement of a principle, to leave the pupil to the guidance of Nature. [See preface and title page.] LESSON XL. IMPROVEMENT OF THE VOICE. The voice, like all the other faculties of the body or the mind, is susceptible of great improvement; and under proper management, one that is naturally feeble may be rendered more effective than another, which is endowed with great strength. The two most important requisites in a good voice are CLEARNESS and STRENGTH. In the twenty-fifth lesson of this book, some exercises are presented with the design to accustom the pupil to distinct articulation. If he has passed over that lesson with little attention, he is advised to return to it; and, by persevering practice, acquire a facility in the pronunciation of those sounds which are represented by the combination of the consonants alone. In connexion with this exercise, he is advised to practise the vowel sounds, in the manner which shall presently be pointed out. The sounds of the Vowels are as follows: These sounds of the vowels and consonants should be uttered in various ways. 1st. Let the pupil practise what is called exploding* them; that is, let him pronounce each of them in a quick, sudden manner, like the report of a pistol. 2d. Let him prolong the same sounds, with care, to preserve their purity. 3d. Let him practise both the abrupt and the prolonged sounds of each, in conjunction with the consonants, and the combination of the consonants presented in Lesson 25. 4th. Let him practise all the above mentioned sounds, in each of the different pitches or keys of the voice, mentioned in Lesson 27, p. 69; and likewise in a whisper.t Among the consonants there are two which require particular attention, namely, and r; and if there are *This practise," says Dr. Barber, "will be found a more effectual method than any other of obtaining a strong and powerful voice-of strengthening such voices as are feeble, and of giving fulness and strength of tone to all in proportion to their natural capacities." He adds immediately after, "The student has not obtained that use of his voice which it is the object of this table to teach him, until every sound it contains can be uttered with the suddenness of the report of fire-arms, without any apparent effort preceding the explosion, with a very high degree of percussive force, and with strength and fulness of tone." Again, he says in another place, "We know that persons with feeble voices have been rendered capable of speaking forcibly and impressively in public, by a perseverance in the practice here recommended." -Gram. of Elocution, p. 30. Dr. Barber's work carnot be too highly recommended to all who would pursue this subject scientifically. In this lesson the author has departed in some respects from the arrangement of the vowel sounds, as presented in the tables of Dr. Barber, and adopted that which is contained in the spelling books commonly used. These lessons are designed principally as an introduction to the subject; and not as a full treatise. Those who have leisure for a more extended view, are referred to Dr. Barber's Grammar, and to the very able, scientific, and more voluminous work to which reference has been already made, Dr. Rush on "The Philosophy of the human voice." Mr. Steele's work entitled "Prosodia Rationalis," is likewise well worthy the attention of those, who would acquire a thorough knowledge of the powers and peculiarities of the human voice. †The importance of clear and distinct utterance will be seen by the following sentences in which the meaning depends upon it: That lasts till night. That last still night. Who ever imagined such a notion to exist? Who ever imagined such an ocean to exist? |