scoring at once, so as to give a harmonious reading accordingly. But it is most confidently asserted that any pupil of ordinary intelligence, who shall have understood and practised the directions and teachings of this book, up to this place; who shall have learned how to articulate and finish his syllables, to discriminate their character and construction, to employ quantity, use accent, emphasis, and pauses with tolerable judgment, will find no difficulty whatever in reconciling such a scoring with his ideas of correctness; and it may be affirmed with equal confidence that a short practice of reading with especial reference to such scoring, will aid him greatly in confirming habits of correctness and grace, so as to be able very shortly to score for himself or others.

But

It is not surprising that the uninitiated should be puzzled to produce a tolerable reading, according to the scoring they will find in such books as this; and this is proof most conclusive that they fail in those very traits of excellence which warrant such scoring, if indeed their reading will authorize the application of anything like a rule or a principle. let a person acquainted with the principles here involved, and having a practical knowledge of pronunciation, take up a book and read according to such scoring, and I am greatly mistaken if stiffness or shackle be observed in his manner; or anything less praiseworthy than an elegant and chaste style of delivery.

To those who choose to test their power of commanding this art, viz., that of reading according to the scoring as they find it; the cautions which follow may be of use. First, the perpendicular lines which mark the measures are never to impede or retard the progress of the voice in the slightest

degree; they frequently divide the syllables of a word, and never indicate a pause or suspension; breath is to be taken at

a rest.

Secondly, although the voice is to be suspended at a rest, yet the suspension may often be exceedingly short. It is by no means implied that in all cases the reader is to dwell on a rest exactly one-half the time of a measure,* only that the voice is to be suspended; and

Thirdly, no preponderating accent must be given to any syllable unless it stand first in the measure, or occupy the first part of the measure.

I next proceed to examine and justify the scoring of the four lines we have quoted above; and to show reasons for it, in the nature of our language, and in the requirements of emphasis and just effect. The rest before the first syllable merely shows that we commence with an unaccented syllable or word. In very many instances, if we commence a piece of composition with an accent upon the first word, when the word should be pronounced without accent, the whole meaning of the first sentence may be materially changed. Witness the following sentences, each commencing with the word 'That':

"That man is, in his infancy, the most helpless of animals, has been affirmed by many philosophers."

"That man is wise, who knows when to be silent."

Now the reader who is to read a sentence like either of these, must first examine the whole construction of it, before

*The alternative is, that the beat must sometimes be accelerated.

he can know whether the first syllable is to be read with accent or without it. Otherwise he will be likely to be compelled to return again and recommence, after having advanced far enough to perceive the meaning intended.*

In the first of the sentences, 'man' is clearly to be read with accent; and of course the word 'that' which precedes it, is the unaccented member of a preceding measure; of which measure the accented member is wanting. The place of this wanting member must then be supplied with a, indicating a downward beat, and the syllable 'that' is uttered as the hand rises.

In the other sentence it is equally clear, by examining the meaning, that the word 'That' with which it commences, must be read with accent in order to make sense.

The neces

sary scoring then becomes obvious. The first sentence would be commenced as follows:

That | man | is, in his | infancy, |

That man is | wise who | knows, | &c.

^

Λ

..

* That is, such an examination is necessary where no scoring is marked; but the moment we commence reading scored language, the correct reading is at once apparent, and we cannot miss the signification of the language.

CHAPTER IV.

ANALYSIS OF QUOTATION FROM "YOUNG" CONTINUED.

ADVANTAGES TO BE DERIVED FROM THE PRACTICE OF READING SCORED LANGUAGE-DANGERS INCIDENT TO MECHANICAL AIDS-SUCH PRACTICE TO BE USED UNDER LIMITATIONS- NO PRESCRIBED SCORING CAN INDICATE THE ONLY POSSIBLE CORRECT READING-THE PRINCIPLES NOT THE LESS BINDING

AND INCONTROVERTIBLE.

We now return to our four lines, "Be wise to-day," &c. Those who know anything of quantity will perceive that the word 'day' in this connection will safely admit of sufficient prolongation in pronouncing it, to occupy the whole space of a measure, a downward and an upward beat. The next syllable being unaccented, it cannot commence a measure; we therefore find a rest to commence with.

The second syllable of the word 'madness,' in order to be thoroughly finished, requires to be followed by a suspension of voice (however short); besides which, it is a word to be emphasized, and such pause is required for this purpose like

wise. The next two syllables are necessarily unaccented, and therefore constitute the second member of the measure, which was commenced by a rest. With regard to the word 'day,' the same reasoning will apply to it here which we used for it in the line above. Its situation is the same. The rest following the word 'precedent' is not so peremptorily demanded as the former rests have been; and many readers might choose to have that immediately following the syllable 'will,' as the nature of this syllable is such as to admit of easy and correct articulation, without a pause or an interruption before it. If this reading be preferred, the syllable may be included in this same measure with the word 'precedent,' and still the scoring will be very good:

The fatal | precedent will | plead. |

These four syllables not being too many for a measure, 'plead' will then immediately follow; and if the length of such a syllable seem insufficient to fill a measure by itself alone, a rest may follow it in the same measure, or may be understood, as in the first two measures of the next line; each of the syl'lables 'thus' and 'on' may be followed by a rest or not: it comes to the same thing practically as regards measure. The reader is at liberty to prolong the sound of 's' on the former of these words, or that of 'n' on the latter, so as to fill the whole time of a measure; or he may observe practically a rest after either or both of them. A rest is usually placed in the

*The same remark applies to the words 'wisdom' and 'procrastination' they are likewise rendered emphatic by the same means.