15. A Natural Manner.-A speaker, to avoid weari. ness and the injurious effects of vicious speaking, should express himself naturally, that is to say, with the same kind of variety in the pitch and tone of voice which the most of sensible persons use in good conversation. "Speaking with a tone," as it is often termed, usually consists of the constant and frequent recurrence of the same note in the scale, or the same succession of two or three notes. If the vowel sounds are drawn out a little more than is common, the speaker seems to sing. Sometimes this peculiarity becomes a nasal twang. The misfortune is that few who have these evil habits are aware of it, and that they can not overcome them but by the most assiduous effort. A tone rather betokens hypocrisy than genuine feeling. Men seldom use it when off their guard and deeply in earnest. 16. Monotony should be Avoided. Speaking on the same key of voice will be likely to break down the strongest throat, sooner or later. A man with this habit becomes more weary from one hour's effort, than he would from six hours' steady speaking if he varied the tone of his voice sufficiently often. A man can work ten hours if he has the usual variety of muscular exercise, with less fatigue than would follow from making one simple motion of the arms incessantly for one hour. Speakers should therefore habituate themselves to several distinct pitches of voice, from low to high, and the various degrees of loudness and of rapidity of utterance.

17. Proper Inflation of the Lungs.-Let the lungs always be fully inflated with air at the beginning of a

FULL

FULL LUNGS-PRONUNCIATION.

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long sentence, and as far as possible keep them all the time inflated. This practical direction is of great value to speakers. In an expiration the lungs are never entirely emptied, but they may be so nearly so that it is impossible to speak easily and loud. In such a case the muscles of the throat and the upper part of the chest do all the work. The result is exhaustion and, often, bronchitis. But let the lungs be full, let the position be erect, and let the speaker pause frequently enough to inflate his lungs fully-not usually through the mouth, but through the nostrils-and the voice. comes out easily, the whole chest plays, and the abdominal muscles, as a kind of reserved force, assist the lungs in time of need; and thus a man, with suitable variations of tone and rapidity, can address a thousand people for several hours without bodily weariness, and repeat the exercise daily without harm. Speak naturally, variously, and with fully expanded lungs, thus using the abdominal muscles, and so far from producing bronchitis, public speaking will be found to be its most efficient preventive, and even remedy. This should not be called "preachers' sore throat," but "poor speakers' sore throat."

18. A Correct Pronunciation.-It seems almost superfluous to call attention to correctness of pronunci ation, as one of the mechanical elements of Elocution. Sometimes, but rarely, does a mispronunciation of a word-an error in accent or in the sound of a syllable -mislead the hearer, but it always betokens that the speaker is ignorant of the right way. If one pronounces many words incorrectly he will be regarded as an

ignorant man; his opinion, especially on matters that require scholarship and attention to nice particulars, will not be so highly esteemed as though he were habitually correct.

19. Proper Positions of the Body.-The bodily positions assumed by the speaker have an influence upon the hearers, and, reciprocally, upon the speaker, and thus constitute an element of mechanical Elocution. For the most part, the body should be naturally erect, so as to give full play to the lungs and throat, but not excessively and unyieldingly so, thus indicating haughtiness or pride. If the weight is supported chiefly upon the left foot, with the right foot a little advanced, and right knee slightly bent, the body is in the best natural position to furnish an easy play for the right hand in gesture. A similar resting upon the right foot is an equally easy position, furnishing an easy play for the left hand. Animated speaking will naturally lead to an advance of the foot that was partially unoccupied, now resting the principal weight upon it, and communicating to the person an appearance of deep earnestness. Any position not uncouth or awkward, or too persistently maintained, is allowable. Speaking behind a high desk which conceals the most of the person, and is often leaned upon, leads to pernicious habits of position, and often deprives what is uttered of a great part of its effect. Speakers should not be separated from audiences by a fence. If the fence exists, let the speaker, as far as possible, ignore it.

20. Gesticulation.--Gesticulation may, to a narrow

extent, be an element of natural language. There are gestures instinctively acknowledged to be significant. The open hand betokens generosity and favor; the clenched hand earnestness, sometimes defiance; the quivering hand excitement and zeal. No explanation is needed of such gestures as pointing in any direction, looking upward or downward, striking with the hand, or stamping with the foot. If by private practice the student has disciplined himself to a variety of movements, not constrained but free and easy, the motions that will be spontaneously assumed under the influence of excited feeling will be the best for him to employ. An impassive, immobile style of speaking is the most reprehensible. The speaker is not a machine to grind out words mechanically. There should be some good reason why the people would rather hear than read his speech. If he has earnestness, or any emotion, it will show itself in the voice, the eye, the position, the movements of the hands, and arms, and feet, and the whole body. The body of an orator should be, for the time, an obedient servant of the mind. It should not be trammelled by any awkward habits, but yield itself to the expression of thought and emotion.

At the same time excessive gesture is more disagreeable than deficiency. It soon satiates and disgústs. It reacts against the speaker, and calls attention away from the words uttered to the manner, which is fatal to all genuine eloquence.

CHAPTER III.

INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL ELEMENTS OF ELOCUTION.

21. Intellectual Character of Elocution.-ELOCUTION is far more comprehensive and subtle in its laws and powers than would appear simply from those mechanical elements already described. It is pre-eminently intellectual and emotional. It is the art by which mind and heart produce the greatest effect on mind and heart. It is almost inexhaustible in its resources, and makes subservient to its purposes nearly all modes of acting upon the human soul.

22. Relation of Sound to Thought.-Consider first its relation to sounds. Some sounds intrinsically suggest certain thoughts and feelings. It is not a matter of association, but of intuition. Even a young animal can distinguish between a call, and a cry of alarm and warning, made by its mother. Is a human being inferior, in this matter, to a brute? Does a child need to be taught that the roar of a lion or the barking of a dog is disagreeable, that the hissing of a snake is hateful, or that the singing of a bird is melodious? How early does an infant distinguish the meaning of the various voices of the mother! In these facts we see the germ of music, whose wondrous power has been the theme of many an oration and poem.