Whose fame will blaze along down the track of time with Newton's'? Doctor Franklin's'.

Whose fame in lexicography', is identified with the English language', along with Johnson and Walker's'? That of Webster and Cobb'.

Who rank among the American', classical prose-writers and poets of the present day'? Irving', Cooper', Flint', Paulding', and Wirt', Channing', Marshall', Ramsay, Kennedy', Adams', Walsh', Waldo', Mason', and Verplanck, Nott', Everett', Carter', Madison', Jefferson', Silliman', Sands', Sprague', Sparks', Neale', Howe, Dennie', Griffin', Willis', Buckingham, Leggett', Rush', and Griscom', Webster', Abbott', Gallaudet, Goodrich', Bird', Simms', and Hoffman', Slidell', Knapp', Hall, Prentiss', Fay', and Crafts, Beck, Francis', Hosack', Chapman', Godman', and Dewees', Miss Sedgwick', Miss Gould, Mrs. Willard', Mrs. Hale', and Mrs. Sigourney'-Coffin', Halleck', Percival', and Pierpont', Hillhouse', Wilcox', Waldo', Whittier', Bryant, Brooks', and Brainard', Drake', Mellen', Dana', Tappan, Ware', and Eastburn', and many others.*

These exercises are presented mainly for the young tyro in elocution, as preliminary to the application of the following rules. Let him, therefore, in the first place, read them several times over, observing carefully to apply the inflections of the voice according to the prescribed marks. But in order to enforce upon his mind the great importance of a strict attention to the upward and downward slides of the voice, after having learned to pronounce these examples correctly, let him reverse the process: that is, let him make the falling inflection, where the voice ought to rise, and the rising, where it should fali, and he will readily perceive, that the performance will be difficult and unnatural, and, also, that the meaning and the melody of the sentences will thereby be impaired. This procedure will qualify him more readily to detect the proper inflections wherever they occur, as well as more easily to understand the illustrations and the application of the rules when he comes to enter upon the succeeding exercises.

It will not, perhaps, be deemed impertinent to suggest to the eacher of classes in reading, the importance of frequently requiring several members of the class to pronounce, successively,

• The Anthor is not unaware that his own want of information on this interesting and delicate point, excludes many a worthy name from its legitimate place in this list. He also fears that when time shall have drawn his correcting pencil over it, some of the names now included in it, will be blotted out.

3

the same sentence, and of occasionally causing the whole class to repeat the same sentence at one and the same time. Such procedures will prove, not only a saving of much time and labour, by instructing and exercising many at once, but also have a tendency to excite in their minds a high degree of emulation -the grand secret of able teaching. Let the instructer first read each sentence to the pupil in a distinct and eloquent manner, and then require him to pronounce it exactly in the same

manner.

When the following rules are brought before the learner, no faithful teacher will neglect to explain them clearly, and to enforce them practically. No faithful instructer will lose sight of the important maxim, that the juvenile mind ought to be led along the path of science; not driven. Principles should be developed; rules, illustrated; intricacies, unfolded; obstacles, removed; and, indeed, whatever branch of science a youth is pursuing, should be made plain, easy, and inviting. From the lips of an eloquent teacher, instructions drop like honey from the comb. They flow as clear as the pebbled brook. They fall like sweet musick on the listening ear.

QUESTIONS.

Of what does chapter 3, treat?

What is meant by the inflections of the voice?
How many slides of the voice are there?

In the pronunciation of what words are they most apparent?
What is the upward slide of the voice called?

How is it indicated?

What is the downward slide of the voice denominated?

By what sign is it sometimes represented?

What constitutes a circumflex or wave of the voice?

Describe the protracted sound of y.

Pronounce the letters a, a, e, and u, and the words name, song, &c. in a very deliberate manner, and notice the vanish of the voice at the close of each as it dies away into silence.

What two circumstances in regard to this delicate vanish of the voice at the close of a sound, demand particular attention?

What part of an elementary sound is denoted by each of the terms radical and vanishing movement?

What name is given to the whole movement of the voice in exploding an elementary sound?

What is meant by the rising slide of a second?-Please to illustrate it by experiment.

Please to illustrate the rising slide of a third, of a fifth, and of an octave; and explain each of these terms.

Illustrate the falling slide of a second, of a third, of a fifth, and of an octave; and explain each of these terms.

Now have the goodness to read, several times over, the examples on pages 70, 71, and 72, and describe the inflections adopted.

RULES FOR THE INFLECTIONS OF THE VOICE.

RULE I.

A simple, affirmative sentence, or member of a sentence, generally closes with the falling inflection; as, "God is just'." "Cheerfulness is preferable to mirth." "Liberal principles are advancing rapidly in most parts of the civilized world'.”

EXCEPTION. The inflections of the voice, are sometimes controlled by emphasis, and are, in such instances, styled emphatick inflections, as in the following examples, in which Rule 1st is reversed: "It is the dictate of rea-son to yield the argument to one who commands thirty lê-gions'." "Three thous and duc-ats'; 'tis a good', round sûm'."

"Here', under leave of Brutus and the rest',
(For Brutus is an hôn-ourable mân;
So are they all, all hôn-ourable men,)
Come I to speak in Cesar's funeral."

"A thousand of our years amount'
Scarce to a day in thine account'."

Remarks.—If, in this last example, the emphasis had fallen on account, instead of thine, the inflection at its close, would have been reversed, and, therefore, made according to Rule 1. So, also, in the example which precedes it, were the emphatick force to fall upon man and men, instead of honourable, both these words would close with the falling inflection.

But notwithstanding this exception to Rule 1st, the principle contained in it, is one of extensive application in reading, and, moreover, one that will generally be found to be correct. Hence, we might insist on the importance of the Rule; but its importance becomes greatly increased when it is considered in its relation to Rule 2, which forms a contrast with it.

RULE II.

A negative sentence, or member, commonly ends with the rising inflection; as, "God is not the author of sin'." "He can no longer drown the voice of conscience in the clamorous report of war'."

The novitiate in grammar is informed, that every sentence, or mem

ber of a sentence, which embraces the word no or not, or the affix un, is called negative.

EXCEPTION 1. When a negative sentence is employed to answer a question, it generally closes with the falling inflection; as, "With whom will you abide? With no one." When will you return? Never." Whom did you call? Nobody'." "Were you pleased with the discourse? No; I was not at all pleased with it.'"

66

66

EXCEPTION 2. Rule 2, is sometimes reversed by the controlling power of emphasis; as, "It was once remarked of a gentleman in the Irish Parliament', in allusion to his wellknown gor-mandizing propensity', that he had eaten up his senses; to which Henry Erskine replied', 'Pugh'! they would not be a mouth-ful to him'.'"

Remarks.-Were it proper, in this example, to allow the superiour emphasis, in an inverted equal wave, to fall on him, instead of mouthful, the inflection at its close, would be the rising, in accordance with Rule 2d; thus, "Pugh'! they would not be a mouth-ful to HIM'."

Again, if a friend in entreating me to oblige him in some particular thing, were to put to me the interrogatory, "Can you do it for me?" in case I wished to decline the request in a gentle and conciliating manner, my reply would be, "No; I can-not' with a stress upon can, and the rising inflection upon not; but were I to reply in a harsh and morose manner, the emphasis and the inflection, as well as the intonation, would be changed; thus, "No; I can-not.`

EXCEPTION 3. Doctrinal precepts and moral maxims, (in the enunciation of which, emotion, strong emphasis, and intense inflection, would ordinarily be improper,) though expressed negatively, generally close with the falling concrete when not contrasted; as, Bless', and curse not`.” "Be just, and fear not." "Speak evil of no man'." "Let no cor-rupt communication proceed out of thy mouth'.”

"Thou shalt not kill." "Thou shalt not steal." "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neigh-bour.

But when such maxims are contrasted, or expressed with emotion, they commonly take the rising vanish; as, "Mind not high things', but condescend to men of low estate'." "Be not overcome of e-vil', but overcome e-vil with good."

"I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this life'; but for my single self',
I had as lief not be', as live to be

In awe of such a thing as I my self""

Remarks.-It may be observed to the student, that, in the application of the rules of elocution, discretion must often be his tutor; but let him not hence infer, that these rules are of little or no importance to him. When judiciously applied, their effect will be, not only to correct affected and false modes of reading, but, by conducting him into the paths of accuracy and elegance, to enable him to attain original excellences and beauties.

EXERCISES-Rules 1 and 2.

Envy is bound up in the heart of a fool'.
No one is willing to be thought a fool'.

'Tis not in man', who is of yesterday'—who hastens down to moulder in the dust'-'tis not in man presumptuous to contend with God his Maker'.

A stranger's purpose in these lays',

Is', to congratulate`, and not to praise'.
The path of sorrow', and that path alone',
Leads to the land where sorrow is unknown';
No traveller e'er reached that blest abode',

Who found not thorns and briers in his road.

Remarks.-Let the reader, in pronouncing the second and third of the foregoing examples, or almost any other negative sentences or members of sentences, close each with the falling inflection, and he cannot but perceive that their spirit, and their force, their harmony, and their beauty, will thereby be lost. In the last couplet, it will be observed, that the two negatives no and not, are equivalent to an affirmative; therefore the sentence is closed with the falling inflection at "road," according to Rule 1.

This rule is often violated by clever readers, by celebrated divines, and renowned statesmen. The young student cannot, therefore, be too particular in his attention to it. Some readers would close the first of the following examples, with the rising slide; but, as the two negatives, not and un, by destroying one another, are equivalent to an affirmative', the sentence more naturally takes the falling inflection. It is sometimes, however, a mere matter of taste, whether a rule, or its exception, be followed.

eye separatè,

EXERCISES-Rules 1 and 2, and Notes. Wherefore', come out from among them', and bey saith the Lord'; and touch not the unclean thing'. For I say to every man that is among you', not to think of