There's the bell! the birds and beasts Want to see the monkeys more!" Cries the showman, "Turn 'em out! Bring your little sisters too." Exit mother, half distraught, "Want to see the monkeys more!' "" Or, take the following colloquial narrative in rhyme, as it offers a study for rapidly varying tone, manner, and expression. Care must be taken to modulate the voice, so as to make each day appear to be speaking for itself. A good caricaturist would be able, with this piece, to create a "mimic stage" scene, with his several days for characters. THE DAYS' DISPUTE: A FABLE. By C. P. CRANCH. Once on a time the Days of the Week And Monday said, "I wash the clothes ;" Said Friday, "I'm the day for fish ;" And Sunday said, One declared he was made for prayer, Another for keeping treasure. Some of them said, "We are best for work;' Now, as they quarrelled, their tempers rose, They blew and rained, and hailed and snowed- Old Father Time was passing along, Said he, "Here's something going wrong- "These children of mine have lost their wits, "You, Sunday, sir, with your starched cravat, "You are the loudest speaker here- Then Sunday said, "Good Father Time, "The church "Here Monday blurted out, "The folks are glad when you leave 'em ; They all want me, to go on with their work, And the pleasure of which you bereave 'em." But Tuesday said, "I finish your work, And Wednesday said, "I'm the best of the days, And Thursday, Friday, Saturday, all But Father Time he cut them short: "To God's great eye all shine alike, That day is best whose deeds are best, "Where Justice lights each passing hour, There shines the radiance of the skies, POETICAL ELOCUTION. Finally, we think it will be seen from the following selec tions how varied must be the voice in its tone and emphasis, as well as the movements of the body, if such marked contrasts in the character of the words are to be delivered with accuracy and effect. And mind, such examples are to be met with in all directions among the productions of our Poets. Sometimes you will find that an entire poem will have running all through it the same strain; but in others you will notice that they vary with the development of the subject. Some will begin full of joy, and then pass on and end in sadness. Others will open in a tranquil spirit, and then change to the vigorous and, perhaps, impetuous mood. Indeed, you will find that it is im possible to place any limit to the character of these changes. If, therefore, the beauty of the words, or the proper meaning of the author is to be conveyed, every change in the style must be carefully studied, or the meaning of the words will be misunderstood, or perhaps misrepresented, and thus the author's intention entirely destroyed. Let us proceed to illustrate this by the following examples, to which the reader is recommended to give special attention Pathos. We watched her breathing through the night, Her breathing soft and low, As in her breast the wave of life Kept heaving to and fro, Awe and Amazement. Now o'er the one-half world Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse Whose howl's his watch, thus, with his stealthy pace, Solemnity. When all Thy mercies, O my God, Anger and Defiance. And if thou said'st I am not peer Scorn. I loathe you with my bosom ; Courage. Stand! the ground's your own, my braves; Will ye give it up to slaves? Will ye look for greener graves? Hope ye mercy still? What's the mercy despots feel? Hear it in that battle peal! Read it on yon bristling steel! Horror. Methought I heard a voice cry, "Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep: " the innocent sleep : Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care, The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast. G Hate and Malice. I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak : To shake the head, relent, sigh, and yield I'll have no speaking; I will have my bond. Stillness. Leave me! Thy footstep with the slightest sound, Too strong, for aught that lives and dies to bear. Grandeur and Sublimity. Thou glorious mirror, where the Almighty's form Dark, heaving, boundless, endless, and sublime, Of the Invisible ! even from out thy slime Joy. I come, I come! ye have called me long; I come o'er the mountains with light and song; O, young Lochinvar is come out of the West! So faithful in love, so dauntless in war, There never was knight like the young Lochinvar. ▾ Feebleness. "Mother, the angels they do smile, and beckon 'Little Jim.' I have no pain, dear mother, now; but, O, I am so dry! Just moisten poor Jim's lips again; and. mother, don't ye cry." |