loss to the community; that those who are unhappy without guilt, ought to be relieved; and the life which is overburdened by accidental calamities', should be set at ease by the care of the publick'; and that those who', by misconduct', have forfeited their claims to favour', ought', rather', to be made useful to the society which they have injured', than driven from it'. But the poet is employed in a more pleasing task than that of proposing laws. . which', however just and expêdient', will never be made; or of endeavouring to reduce to rational schemes of government', societies which were formed by chance', and which are conducted by the private passions of those who preside in them. He guides the unhappy fugitive from want and persecution', to plenty, quiet', and security, and seats himself in peaceful scenes of solitude and undisturbed peace'. SECTION IV. Female Fortitude.-IRVING. 1. I have often had occasion to observe the fortitude with which'. . wômen'. . sustain the most overwhelming reverses of fortune'. Those disasters which break down the spirit of man', and prostrate him in the dust', seem to call forth all the energies of the softer sex', and give such intrepidity and elevation to their character', that', at times', it approaches to sublimity. Affected Greatness.—IB. 2. We have', it is true', our great mên in America: not a city but has an ample share of them. I have mingled among phrases, or interrupters of the sense, are of very frequent recurrence, and demand particular attention in elocution. Like parenthetick clauses, they express a meaning not necessary to the sense of the sentences in which they occur, and yet, not sufficiently foreign to it to allow the distinctive marks of the parenthesis to be applied to them; and, therefore, they do not require quite so low a tone as parenthetick clauses. A happy variety in modulation will be greatly promoted, by observing to give all the appropriate inflections and waves of the voice, by a distinct articulation, and frequent protraction of the elements of speech, and, especially, by a strong and varied explosion of emphatick force. REMARKS ON SECTION IV. Semitone. The sarcastick irony of the 2nd paragraph, requires the adoption of the semitone and wave, particularly in pronouncing the phrases "great men," ""small man," and "city." them in my time', and been almost withered by the shade into which they cast me'; for'. . there is nothing so baleful to a smâll mân.. as the shade of a great one', particularly', the great man of a city'. America and Europe Compared.—IB. 3. On no country have the charms of nature been more prodigally lavished'. . than upon America. Her mighty lakes', like oceans of liquid silver'; her mountains, with their bright', aerial teints'; her valleys', teeming with wild fertility'; her tremendous cataracts, thundering in their solitudes'; her boundless plains, waving with spontaneous verdure'; her broad', deep rivers, rolling in solemn silence to the ocean'; her trackless forests, where vegetation puts forth all its magnificence'; her skies', kindling with the magick of summer clouds and glorious sunshine' :-nô', never need an American' . . look beyond his own country for the sublime and beautiful of natural scenery`. But Europe'.. holds forth all the charms of storied and poetical association'. There are to be seen the master-pieces of art, the refinements of highly cultivated society', the quaint peculiarities of ancient and local customs. America' . . is full of youthful promise; Europe'.. is rich in the accumulated treasures of age. Her very RUINS'. . tell the history of times gone by, and every mouldering stone'. . is a chronicle'. It is pleasant to wander over the scenes of renowned achievement—to tread', as it were', in the footsteps of antiquity-to loiter about the ruined castle-to meditate on the falling tower' -to escape', in short', from the commonplace realities of the present, and lose one's self among the shadowy grandeurs of the past. Inflection.-Before each of the members of the second sentence in paragraph 3d, the phrase "There are,” is understood, so that each member constitutes a distinct, affirmative proposition, requiring at "lakes," "mountains," "valleys," and so on, and at "silver,"" teints," "fertility," and so forth, the falling inflection, agreeably to Rule 1, page 75. To the Teacher.-In exercising his pupils in these "Select Paragraphs," and, also, in other selections, the teacher would do well to require them to read each sentence, paragraph, or section, several times oner, before they proceed to another paragraph or section. In the first reading, particular attention should be given to a distinct articulation and protraction of the elementary sounds; in the second reading, to inflection; in the third, to emphasis; in the fourth, to pause; in the fifth, to modulation; in the sixth, to time; and, lastly, let the pupil endeavour to display all the qualities of voice requisite to a happy and forcible elocution. But, inasmuch as example speaks louder than precept, let not the teacher forget the importance of illustrating every thing with his own voice before he requires his pupil to do it. SECTION V. PARAGRAPHS IN VERSE. Simile.-SHAKSPEARE. How far the little candle throws its beams'! Vice'. . is a monster of so frightful mien', Wo'! wô'! the time of thy visitation' Sweeps over thy guilty head at last. Wâr', wâr', wâr', against Babylon`! Fame.-BYRON. What is the end of fame'? 'tis but to fill' Whose summit (like all hills) is lost in vapour': To have', when the original is dust', A name', a wretched picture', and worse bust. And largest, thinking it was just the thing' Let not a monument'.. give you or me nopes', SECTION VI. The Family Altar.-BURNS. When kneeling down to heaven's Eternal King', REMARKS ON SECTIONS V. AND VI. 99.66 Final Pause-The words "visitation," "desolation," "king," and "thing," in section 5th, and "praise," "dear," "pride," " see, ""adore," beyond," ," "self," and fears," final pause: see page 140. think," in section 6th, illustrate the Hope 'springs exulting on triumphant wing'' No more to sigh', or shed the bitter tear, While circling time moves round in an eternal sphere. May hear', well pleased', the language of the soul, Bliss of the Future State.*-BYRON. In darkness spoke Athena's wisest son', 'Tis ours', as holiest men have deemed', to see' With those who made our mortal labours light'! The Bactrian, Samians sage', and all who taught the right! Future Bliss.—IB. If that high world which lies beyond' Accent. In reading poetry, it is inadmissible to sacrifice sense to sound. Hence, ca e should be taken not to lay any stress upon little words that would not admit of it in prose: as in the lines "Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As, to be hated, needs but to be seen." In enunciating this example, many would accent, or lay a stress upon, the words "is,' 39 66 of," and "to," in order to perfect the poetick feet, or Altered from the original. † Socrates. + Zoroaster. § Pythagoras. It must be so': 'tis not for self` To hold each heart the heart that shares. SECTION VII. Musick.-SHAKSPEARE. There's naught so stockish', hard, and full of rage', Mercy.—IB. The quality of mercy is not strained'; Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings'; It is an attribute to God himself'; And earthly power doth show most like to God's More free from peril than the envious courts'? render them all as regular iambuses-a thing not at all designed by the poet-but this would be a gross dereliction from every principle of correct taste, and be apt to degenerate into a singsong, or mere gingling of rhymes. REMARKS ON SECTIONS VII. AND VIII. 99 66 99.66 Final Pause.-In reading the first selection in section 8th, the final pause is demanded at "bow," appear," "survey," "scene," and "repair;" but in the selection of blank verse from Pollok, which follows it, |