*

There was no light in heaven but a few stars;
The boats put off o'ercrowded with their crews:
Our ship then gave a heel-a lurch to port,
And, going down head foremost-sunk, in short.
Then rose from sea to sky the wild farewell;
Then shrieked the timid, and stood still the brave;
Then some leaped overboard, with dreadful yell,
As eager to anticipate their grave:

And the sea yawned around her "in its swell,"
And down she sucked with her the whirling wave,
Like one who grapples with his enemy,

And strives to strangle him before he dies.

And first one universal shriek there rushed,
Louder than the loud ocean, like a crash
Of echoing thunder; and then... all was hushed,
Save the wild wind and the remorseless dash
Of billows: but at intervals there gushed,
Accompanied with a convulsive splash,

A solitary shriek, the bubbling cry

Of some strong swimmer in his agony.

Remarks. In these examples, those letters most liable to an indistinct or perverted articulation, are designated by Italick characters. However imperfect such helps may be, it is hoped that they will afford some assistance to the ambitious student, and serve to direct the attention of the teacher to this particular subject: and to both teacher and learner, the author begs leave to suggest the propriety of frequently referring the corrections made in reading the exercises, back to the principles that are violated.

The unpractised student may deem a scientifick and an analytical development of the elementary principles of vocal sounds, a procedure more curious than useful; but so erroneous would such a conclusion be, that, on the contrary, he ought to consider investigations of this description, of paramount importance in the study of elocution. These elementary principles form the only proper basis of the science; and the want of a knowledge of them, is the principal cause of multitudinous errours in reading and speaking. It is, therefore, incumbent on him who would excel in the science of elocution, to obtain a perfect mastery over these elementary and primary principles, before he proceeds to general reading:-and of the truth of these remarks, the author trusts that enough has been displayed in the foregoing, imperfect development of the subject now under consideration, to convince even the most skeptical.

RULE VII.

The practice of miscalling words, is a transgression altogether inadmissible.

The besetting sin of careless readers alluded to in this Rule, is an abomination altogether unendurable. In a child, it is inexcusable; in an adult, disgraceful.

The following examples are sufficient to show, that the miscalling of words, is not only capable of perverting the meaning of a passage, but, sometimes, of giving it a meaning altogether ludicrous.

EXAMPLES.

Correct Reading-Lysimachus, the governour of Alexander, being an austere man, and a near relative of Olympias, inured his pupil to hardy habits, which invigorated his constitution.

False Reading-Lysimachus, the governour of Alexander, being an auster man, and a near relative of Olympias, &c. Correct. And the Lord smote Abijah the Hittite that he died. False. And the Lord smote Abijah Hi-te-ti-te that he died. Correct. And the Lord smote Job with sore boils. False. And the Lord shot Job with four balls.

RULE VIII.

A distinct articulation is greatly promoted by protracting all such vowel sounds as will admit of it.

A full, bold explosion, and lengthening out of the tonick elements, especially the long tonicks, add greatly to expression in delivery, and are absolutely necessary to the proper application of emphatick force. The reader or speaker should be very particular, therefore, to protract the vowel sounds, and make the most of them he possibly can, without doing violence to the laws of propriety. This subject is again referred to under the head of Time Page 129.

QUESTIONS.

Please to repeat Rule 7th, and read the examples which follow it. Repeat Rule 8th.

What adds to expression in delivery?

Please to read the exercises under Rule 8th, and point out some of the tonick elements which admit of lengthening.

Do any of the subtonick elements admit of protraction?

EXERCISES.

In the following exercises, those vowels whose sounds ought to be protracted, are distinguished thus: ā, ē, ī, ō, ũ.

There are but very few who know how to be idle and innocent. A man of a refined imagination, is let into a great many pleasures which the vulgar are not capable of receiving.

A beautiful prospect delights the soul as much as a demonstration; and a description in Hōmer has charmed mōre readers than a chapter in Aristotle.

But pleasures are like poppies spread,

You seize the flower, its bloom is shed;
Or, like the snow-falls in the river,
A moment white-then melt forever;
Or. like the borealis race,

That flit ere you can point the place;
Or, like the rainbow's lovely form,
Evanishing amid the storm.

He spoke; and awful bends his sable brows,
Shakes his ambrosial curls, and gives the nod;
The stamp of fate, the sanction of a God;

High heaven with trembling the dread signal took,
And all Olympus to its centre shook.

Oh, unexpected stroke, worse than of death!
Must I thus leave thee, Paradise? Thus leave
Thee, native soil? these happy walks and shades,
Fit haunt of gods; where I had hoped to spend
Quiet, though sad, the respite of that day
Which must be mortal to us both? Oh, flowers
That never will in other climate grow,

My early visitation, and my last

At even, which I bred up with tender händ

From your first opening buds, and gave you names;
Who now shall rear you to the sun, or rank

Your tribes, and water from the ambrosial fōunt?

Remark-In reading the foregoing examples, it will be observed, that not only the tonick, but, also, the subtonick, elements frequently admit of protraction.

IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD ARTICULATION

The prescribed limits of this Essay, render it impracticable to pursue, to any great extent, investigations on this branch of elocution. If enough has been presented to arrest the attention of the learner, and excite in him a spirit of inquiry, the design of the writer is accomplished: but he is unwilling to take leave of this subject without laying before the reader a few more considerations that may urge him to push his investigations in this department by his own individual efforts, and by an attentive perusal (if he can procure them) of "The Philosophy of the Human Voice" by Dr. Rush, and of Dr. Barber's "Grammar of Elocution."

That a clear, full, and distinct utterance of syllables and

words, is of vastly more importance than any and every other good quality of utterance, any one may readily convince himself, by attentively observing a few of our best, and of our worst, speakers and readers.

What was that mighty charm by which the late John Randolph bound the senses, and seized the passions, of his auditors? As far as his manner of delivery was concerned, it must doubtless be obvious to every one that ever listened to him, that the grand secret of his masterly power in oratory, lay in the distinctness of his ARTICULATION. The same may be said of our Durbin and, indeed, with him this appears to be, not only the primary, but the PRINCIPAL, ingredient of that eloquence by which he lays hold of the sympathies, and, as it were, with a Timothean power, takes the hearts of his hearers captive at his will, and transports them to the haven of bliss.

In farther confirmation of what I would enforce, I might cite the example of Henry Clay, of Daniel Webster, of William Wirt, of Alexander Hamilton, of Fisher Ames, of Henry Bascom, of John M. Duncan, of Alexander McClelland-of a Summerfield, a Mason, and even a Master Burke, together with a hundred other master spirits whose glowing geniuses adorn, or have adorned, our western hemisphere. But the citation would be gratuitous. No one has any thing more to do, than to open the eyes of his understanding, to look, OBSERVE, and BE CONVINCED. Let conviction, then, lead to attention and PRACTICE. To young gentlemen, especially, who are just launching their bark upon the waves of a professional life, this appeal should be IRRESISTIBLE.

Who ever listened with rapture, or even delight, to a reader or a speaker, whose articulation was indistinct? The thing is impossible an absurdity-a mockery, which tramples upon the philosophy of the human voice, and the elementary principles of human nature.

The first example cited, is, moreover, a remarkable instance of the wonderful effects of industry and perseverance in overcoming the obstacles of nature in order to the attainment of excellence in oratory; for who, unless it was Demosthenes himself, (whose voice was by no means similar,) ever possessed, naturally, a more disagreeable, uncouth, piping, creaking voice, than John Randolph of Roanoke? And yet, whose voice, by cultivation, ever became so alluring, so fascinating, as his? It fell on the ear like a soft strain of musick, and haunted the hearer like the spell of an enchantress, or the soft murmur of a distant waterfall. And the second example is no less remark

able in showing what a bewitching charm-what a mighty power may be wielded, by a voice naturally fine and feeble.

These examples are, also, both instructive, as evincing the importance of a reader or a speaker's adhering to the natural tones of his voice, be they, at first, ever so peculiar, disagreeable, or unpromising. Although natural tones may be softened down and attuned by cultivation, yet they must never be exchanged for artificial ones; for the same holds true with the voice, as with the sentiments, of an orator: both must be real and his own, or they will be rejected by his auditors, on whom it is impossible to palm counterfeit ware. These examples should also excite emulation in others. If, when labouring under so great disadvantages, men have, by dint of application, and attention to distinctness of articulation, attained such lofty heights of excellence in the field of eloquence, what encouragements are not held forth to those whose voices are naturally strong and melodious !

Let no one plead, that, because a good articulation is generally neglected, it, therefore, becomes a matter of little moment. It is a paltry trick of sophistry to bring forward the faults of others for the purpose of extenuating our own misdeeds. This mischievous delusion must always result disadvantageously to him who adopts it. No malefactor ever found the halter less severe on account of the numerous victims which the gallows claims.

It is a great mistake to suppose, that, in order to fill an extensive space, so as to be clearly understood by the most distant hearer, a reader or a speaker must necessarily raise the pitch, and increase the volume and force, of his voice. Who has not observed, that partially deaf persons much more readily apprehend what is said to them in a clear, moderate tone of voice that is perfectly distinct, than what is uttered in a loud tone, and in a rapid and indistinct manner? Of course, the same holds true in addressing an audience or an individual whose sense of hearing is not impaired: and it is not a little singular, that a consideration so important to publick speakers, is, by them, so generally disregarded. If they would only reflect, that the clear and distinct enunciation even of a feeble voice, is far more efficacious than the boisterous precipitancy of a strong one, it is apparent, that, at the bar, in the sacred desk, in our legislative halls, and elsewhere, we should have more speaking, and less... bawling. With distinctness, the singsong whine of the most canting speaker, does more execution than the voice of a Stentor without it. Although a fluent, and