SIR ANDREW. 'Slight! I could so beat the

SIR T. Peace, I say.

MALVOLIO. To be Count Malvolio ;

SIR T. Ah, rogue!

SIR ANDREW. Pistol him, pistol him.

SIR T. Peace, peace!

MALVOLIO. There is example for't; the lady of the strachy married the yeoman of the wardrobe.

SIR ANDREW. Fie on him, Jezebel!

FABIAN. O, peace! now he's deeply in; look, how ima gination blows him.

MALVOLIO. Having been three months married to her, sitting in my state,

SIR T. O, for a stonebow, to hit him in the eye!

MALVOLIO. Calling my officers about me, in my branched velvet gown; having come from a day-bed, where I left Olivia sleeping.

SIR T. Fire and brimstone!

FABIAN. O, peace, peace.

MALVOLIO. And then to have the humor of state: and after a demure travel of regard-telling them, I know my place, as I would they should do theirs,—to ask for my kinsman Toby: SIR T. Bolts and shackles !

FABIAN.

O, peace, peace, peace! now, now.

MALVOLIO. Seven of my people, with an obedient start, make out for him: I frown the while; and, perchance, wind up my watch, or play with some rich jewel. Toby approaches; court'sies there to me:

SIR T. Shall this fellow live?

FABIAN. Though our silence be drawn from us with cars, yet peace.

MALVOLIO. I extend my hand to him thus, quenching my familiar smile with an austere regard of control: &c.

The whole dialogue, with the exception of Malvolio's part, is to be spoken somewhat lower than his soliloquy, and will therefore often require an aspirated utterance like a forced whisper, in order to render it audible.

Many other good examples might easily be added; but the student can select them for himself from the plays of Shakspeare or other dramatists. The one here given will serve for practice, if any one should desire to exercise his voice upon the stage whisper, as it is sometimes called.

PART III.

MEASURE OF SPEECH.

CHAPTER I.

PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS INTRODUCTORY TO THE

SUBJECT OF MEASURE.

POWER OF APPRECIATING RHYTHM-MONOSYLLABIC PROPERTY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE-CLASSICAL TERMS-BEAUTY-THE ANGLO-SAXON ELEMENT-STRENGTH-REQUISITES FOR A MODEL STYLE OF COMPOSITIONPERTINENT QUOTATION FROM MACBETH."

66

BEFORE entering upon the "modus operandi" in inculcating a knowledge of Measure, I must advert to the vast difference which seems to exist in different persons as to the power of appreciating harmonious sentences.

It would furnish an interesting subject for philosophical inquiry, to ascertain how far such difference in appreciating sound, or in enjoying rhythm, depends upon physical organization, and how far upon culture. But it is perfectly well known that many persons supposed to have no ear for,music, are yet able to distinguish between a harmonious arrangement of words (121)

11

and syllables, and a style of writing where the laws of measure and rhythmical arrangement are constantly violated.

The question has been asked by unmusical persons, after listening to a speaker whose sentences are harmonious, and periods symmetrical and well-balanced, whether the speaker was reciting poetry or reading prose. This proves that the querist had an ear to perceive rhythmical effect.

If there be persons whose ear could detect no such property in language, it is probable that the study of measure would be unprofitable to them; and the beauties of rhythm might be to such, as a sealed fountain. When we commence an investigation of the philosophy of Measure, we shall be referred to considerations of the analysis of language, and the nature of syllables; which are, as we have already learned, either accented or unaccented. We shall find that accented syllables are so dispersed throughout language as to constitute the first members of measures, of which measures the intervening light or unaccented syllables between the heavy ones, are the second members. That every accented syllable requires a new impulse or effort of voice in its utterance. Now, if a considerable number of these heavy syllables in succession, be followed each by one light syllable, or by two light syllables, it is evident we shall have an uniformity in measure which must have its effect upon the ear. As in the following line,

"Mōrtal | Nature | lifts her | changeful | fōrm."

This, to be sure, is verse. But the same movement of the rhythm may occur in prose composition, as in the following:

"Where the bones of | forty | thousand | persons | bleached the ground."

Two members in each measure; the first member a heavy, and the other a light syllable.

Observe the rhythmic property of the following sentence:

"Seizing the dangerous | weapon that | lay on the | floor at the time."

This is the movement of three syllables, and gives us a succession of dactyles.

But, suppose these intervening light or unaccented syllables to be wanting, and merely a succession of monosyllables to occur, each of course requiring accent; the voice in this case is necessarily suspended after each, a new impetus being required for each accented syllable, thus—

Man, | beast, bird, | fish, and | every | creeping | thing.

The first three measures of this line consist of accented monosyllables, and each is followed by a slight suspension of voice; the time which is given to the suspension in these measures being filled up in the following measures by the unaccented syllables respectively in each, and as much time being occupied by one measure as by another.

The rhythmic movement of such a line suggests a very different feature in our language from the regular and flowing nature of the dactyles in the preceding example.

The monosyllabic character of the English language is due to the Anglo-Saxon element, and it is mainly this which gives