EXAMPLE 4.-Positiveness.

I tell you, if, circumstanced as you are, you pass this act, it will be a nullity, and that no man in Ireland will be found to obey it.

The war is inevitable, and let it come. I repeat it, sir-let it come. We must fight. I repeat it, sir-we must fight.

For practice on this stress, the student is referred to the tables of Consonants and Vowels, sounds in Explosion and Slides, &c.

SECTION 8.-MEDIAN STRESS.

1. This stress is heard on long syllables or indefinites, and cannot be exhibited with any effect on the short elements or immutables. Pronounce slowly the word "Hail" with extended time, let the voice swell as it approaches the middle and diminish at the close, and you will have a specimen of this property of speech.

2. It is somewhat analogous to the swell in music, with this difference-the swell continues generally on the same pitch, while the median stress is executed on the rising and falling concretes; it may also be used on the waves, tremulous scale, semitone, and in fine as an auxiliary to many kinds of expression in which atonic elements do not too largely enter. “Thus, if the median stress is laid on the semitone, it gives force to its plaintiveness; if on the downward concrete, it adds to the degree of its wonder or positiveness; if on the rising third or fifth or octave, it sharpens the spirit of interrogation." There is nothing violent in its use; in this respect it differs materially from the denouncing radical or irritable vanish, by enforcing speech with dignity and stateliness.

3. "It is most appropriate to dignified subjects; to words which convey awful warning, smooth insinuation, reverential awe, sublime exultation, the lofty but chastised emotions of personal and religious veneration, of sober enthusiasm, joy, hope and surprize." Deep pathos, sorrow, penitence, and all plaintive sentiments require it, in conjunction with the semitone. Its more frequent use should be in the pulpit, where, as a substitute, we have a disagreeable singsong tone. Actors of eminence possess it in a high degree, and with skilful management it performs high offices in recitation. "Britain's great mistress of the voice" possessed it to a wonderful extent. Dr. Rush gives us her voice as the "mirror of poetic feeling" and the "great model of ideal elocution."

4. Let the student practise on the table under the head of Quantity; let every word be given again and again, until the mastery over this "moving power" is complete.

EXAMPLE 1.

Lochiel, Lochiel! beware of the day

When the lowlands shall meet thee in battle array.

EXAMPLE 2.

Again I warn you, do not dare to lay your hand on the Constitution EXAMPLE 3.

That soldier, mark me, is a man.

Hail, happy spirit! hail, favored of the Lord! Hail, deliverer of my soul! hail to the world of eternal glory.

EXAMPLE 4.

Cit. What can we do? we are unarmed and weak.

Ces.-But strong in your good cause! Oh, ye are strong if ye would know your strength.

Yourselves you may extinguish, but parliament you cannot extinguish.

Dr. Barber has the following, as illustrative of this stress; it will be understood that the italicised words are intended as the examples.

Horatio. He was a goodly king.

Hamlet.-He was a man.

Oh swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,
That monthly changes in her circled orb.

And Nathan said unto David, THOU art the man.

SECTION 9.-VANISHING STRESS.

1. Force is frequently applied at the termination of syllables as well as at the commencement and middle. If the student will take one of the long vowels, and carry it concretely through a 3d or 5th, and at the conclusion give it a sudden jerk or explosion, he will have a display of the vanishing stress. It is necessary to remember the distinction between the vanishing stress and movement; in the former there is at the termination a violent jerk, with increased volume of voice, while in the latter there is a delicate drawing out of the volume, until "sound and silence meet."

2. The hiccough is a good example of this stress, and it is distinctly marked in the passionate sobbing of children. The Irish people employ it on most words in every sentence; they use it generally on a wave of the second, heard, of

course, on the latter part, and constituting what is generally called the "Irish jerk." It has been observed that the Radical stress is best adapted to rapid utterance; this stress, on the contrary, for a full development of its power, demands more time. In this respect it resembles somewhat the Median, though it is destitute of the grace and dignity that characterize the latter. It may be practised on all the vowel sounds or tonics, and also on most of the sub-tonics, or those which admit of quantity.

3. In my experience as a teacher of Elocution, I have observed a disposition in the pupil to "overstep the modesty of nature" in the application of this function of the voice. In elementary exercise it may be well to be somewhat ultra, but in reducing to practice, the pupil should use all gently," and in this, as in all others, in the "tempest, torrent and whirlwind of his passion beget a temperance that will give it smoothness.”

4. It is appropriate to eager haste, irritable interrogation, impatient ardor, peevishness, fretfulness, complaint, and all kindred emotions.

Shall you tell me this, and must I be so very a slave as not to repel it?-Emmet.

EXAMPLE 4.

Banished from Rome? who says this?
Who'll prove it at his peril on my head?

EXAMPLE 5.

Cassius.-I an itching palm?

Brutus.-Hear me, for I will speak.

Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?

Must I budge?

Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humour?

Cassius.-Chastisement!

O! ye Gods! ye Gods! must I endure all this!

SECTION 10.-COMPOUND STRESS.

We have seen that Force may be applied to the commencement, middle and termination of a syllable; there seems to be yet another form; by using the radical at the beginning and the full vanishing at the end, we can get a correct idea of this stress. On short syllables this power cannot be distinguished from the vanishing, but on long quantity, or on the wave, it may be made very conspicuous; in the latter case, the final effort is heard on the last constituent. Rush mentions the shake in music as a beautiful exemplification of the alternate radical and vanish, but owing to the narrow interval of the scale its peculiar characteristic cannot be easily detected. He observes, "the Compound Stress is by no means an agreeable mode of force. There is a snappishness in its intonation, which should always be avoided by a good reader, except on those rare occasions that especially call for the peculiarity of its expression." The following examples are adduced by Dr.

Rush.

EXAMPLE 1.

Arm, warriors, arm for fight-the foe at hand
Whom fled we thought, will save us long pursuit
This day.

EXAMPLE 2.

Dost thou come here to whine?

To outface me by leaping in her grave?

SECTION 11.-QUANTITY OR TIME.

1. In our remarks on this subject, Quantity, Time, and Prolongation, are to be considered synonymous terms. Long and short will indicate the time of elements and syllables; and quick and slow will designate an "aggregate of words or sentences. In the commencement, we find it necessary to remind the student, that the application of Quantity, must never caricature the sanctioned pronunciation of syllables. Some words admit of almost indefinite time, while others are fixed or immutable.

2. They may be divided into 3 classes. 1st, those of short quantity; 2d, those that are some longer, but nearly immutable; and 3d, those which may be prolonged to any extent. Most of those syllables that end with an atonic, belong to the first class. The following are examples: hat, eat, sit, fat, rate, dip, cup, lack, &c.

If you attempt to prolong these words, the pronunciation. will be found to be affected and deformed. These are called Immutable syllables.

3. The second class comprise those syllables, where subtonic and atonic are joined with tonic sounds. These admit of some quantity, according to the elements used in their formation. Grate, Mate, What, Conviction, &c. are examples. Their quantity, however, is limited, and any effort to undue prolongation gives a disgusting drawl.

4. In the third class, are enumerated those syllables which terminate with tonic or sub-tonic elements. Rush, however, excepts b, d, g, but by much effort, the student will find he can give these sounds much time. The 3d class may be prolonged above all others, and, in fact, admit of quantity to any extent, without, in the slightest degree, affecting the acknowledged pronunciation, or producing that disagreeable drawl, which results from a similar attempt on immutables; they are, therefore, styled Indefinites.

5. The last class are among the most effective elements in speech, and the requisite power to enunciate them properly is by no means possessed by all speakers. Our colloquial habits, though not destitute of force and beauty, generally employ short syllables. The intelligent reader will mark the difference between this time, and a note in song. This demands the concrete and vanishing movement. The following are examples of Indefinite syllables. Hail, star, arm, day, war, roll, &c.

6. Take the above words, and speak them short, at first, then increase the time more and more at each successive effort, and they will produce a fine effect on the ear, entirely destitute of any thing like drawl. Extended quantity necessarily. ímplies a use of the wave, with the gradual vanishing volume of the voice (vanishing movement).

7. Unskilful speakers, having ascertained the impressive power of time, as an agent in oratory, are prone to use it indiscriminately on vowels and consonants; we will, therefore, point out the peculiarities of the consonant sounds, in which the student will recognize the atonic and sub-tonic elements.

8. P, S, and K, have no time, and therefore never give the emphasis of quantity to words. They are limited in their pitch, destitute of vocality, and do not allow of the concrete movement; cu-p, p-a-t, k-ic-k, are examples.

9. There are 7 consonants, called aspirations, that may