upon my future practice in teaching. But it surely does not exonerate a teacher from the obligation of explaining to his pupils one of the most beautiful laws of relation (so to speak) between the functional requirements of respiration and the harmonious utterance of language, which can be found in the records of philosophical investigation.

The use of machinery in matters of education is open to some reasonable objections; while it is opposed with a conservative pertinacity which frequently wants the sanction of reason. Practical teachers find a stringent necessity for system. Modes and methods must be employed, if it were only to render their tasks endurable. But it devolves upon them to divest their systems, as far as possible, of the objectionable features and harmful results which may be in a degree incident to the nature of modes and methods.

This prejudice against systems and mechanical aids is not wholly without foundation. It is, doubtless, to be ascribed in part, to the injudicious application which has been made, of some systems. But "usus non tollit abusum❞—the abuse of a thing does not abrogate the just and proper application of it. And when we consider the nature of the principle now in question, that it is not a fanciful contrivance gotten up as a plausible expedient; nor an illustration merely of some analogous facts in nature; but simply the statement of our inner organization; the necessary result of our physical economy; the written exponent of what takes place beyond our control; I see no proper light in which to view this plan of scoring language, other than that of a beautiful adaptation of our physical powers to the

harmonious flow of speech; or to speak, perhaps, more definitely, it is the accommodating to the necessities of our system with regard to respiration, the best possible utterance of written language.

The perfect correctness of Mr. Steele's theory is admitted by the most distinguished philologists alive; and the value of objections raised against its application, or rather of the prejudices existing, has been sufficiently tested by my own experience, to warrant me in continuing to teach it, and to recommend it to others.

I have therefore made the subject so plain, as to enable almost any student to put it in practice without much aid from a teacher; or so simple, that any person at all familiar with music, may master the art of reading scored language, in less than an hour. At all events, those to whom it may not seem desirable to study the subject of Rhythm at all, of course may neglect or ignore this scoring of language; while those who admit that this property in the movement of voice should be treated scientifically, will find themselves reduced to the alternative of accepting this theory, founded as it is in nature; or they must despair of deriving benefit from any one having a less exalted origin.

My daily experience has constantly taught me that what is wanted in the present condition of education in order to produce a reform in reading, is first a thorough training of the voice by suitable exercise, in order to lay a foundation for after instruction.

My argument in favor of such a series of exercises as the book before us contains, is that the ear is in no danger of being misled by the various inflections which are so inseparable from expressive language; and thus

the teacher is enabled to lead the voice both as regards pitch and inflection, until it is divested of the latter property, and utters an element or a syllable, almost like a note of music. Now, I maintain that this subject of inflection can be taught in no other way, than by first divesting the utterance of all inflection.

Written sentences are no adequate substitute for vocal exercises upon unmeaning syllables; and cannot supply their place in rudimental teaching, the opinion of a writer of great taste and culture to the contrary notwithstanding. "For," says Dr. Porter, "as vocal sounds are intended to convey thought, and these simple elements signify nothing of themselves, the pupil is reluctant to exercise his voice upon them with sufficient force to answer the purpose.' The pupil must overcome his reluctance, for the simple reason that expressive language conveys thought and involves inflection; which must now be dispensed with.

It is not an answer to this remark to say that many speakers inflect well, judiciously, and agreeably to the ear who never knew the meaning of the term. This may be true; but will such a speaker easily succeed in transferring his habits of inflection to a pupil? Can he teach the necessary arts for the management of the voice by the rule suggested by the learned Dr. Walker, "Read as I read?" This is a question upon which I am not about to pronounce "ex cathedra." ex cathedra." And if I should do so, my reasoning might fail to convince the multitude of sceptics as to the imperative need of science, in carrying forward all sorts of reform.

Neither would I be understood to say that I esteem it an easy thing to reduce the practical teaching of elo

cution wholly to a system of rules, which may be inculcated and enforced with the same certainty and success which attends the teaching of the exact sciences (so called). Yet it may be maintained with confidence, that whenever it shall seem to those who have culture and conscience, and can command influence in education, to be expedient to place the acquisition of good reading upon an equal footing in importance, with other arts, it will be found necessary to commence the study of it by a course of simple exercises, elementary at first and wholly detached from the sentiments involved in language. The mechanical training of the voice must first be thoroughly performed in order to prepare it for that perfection hinted at in the chapter on EMPHASIS, where it is maintained in effect that the acme of excellence must consist in having such a command of the legitimate and normal use of the voice in its chaste simplicity, as to be able safely to dispense with the unnatural subterfuges of ranting and noise.

With these preliminary remarks, the following pages are offered to the educational world, not claiming the originality of a work of discovery, but as a practical system of teaching, drawn together from the whole range of the literature of Elocution, thoroughly tested by long experience in its use, and freed of everything which is not necessary and useful in its direct application to the instruction of readers.

H. O. A.