PRINCIPLES OF ELOCUTION.

THE subject of Elocution, so far as it is deemed applicable to a work of this kind, will be considered under the following heads, viz:

1. ARTICULATION.

2. INFLECTION.

4. READING VERSE.

5. THE VOICE.

3. ACCENT AND EMPHASIS. 6. GESTURE.

I. ARTICULATION.

FAULTS TO BE REMEDIED.

The most common faults of articulation are the following, viz:

1. Dropping an unaccented vowel.

The vowels most likely to be dropped or incorrectly sounded are italicized.

He attended divine service regularly.

This is my particular request.

He graduated at one of the Eastern Universities.
She is universally esteemed.

George is sensible of his fault.

This calculation is incorrect.

His fears were justified by the event.

What a terrible calamity

I will support the Constitution of the United States.

The whole nation lamented him.

His eye through vast immensity can pierce.

Observe these nice dependencies.

He is a formidable adversary.

Away! presumptuous man.

I will go and be reconciled to my brother.

He is generous to his friends.

A tempest desolated the land.
His reputation is ruined.

He preferred death to servitude.

God is the author of all things visible and invisible.

He is a man of eminent merit.

Expect not my commendation.
Caius's countenance fell.

He has contracted a bad habit.

Tell me the difference between articulation and utterance.

He was delighted with the exhibition.

3. Suppressing the final consonants.

EXAMPLES.

John an' James are frien's o' my father.

Boun' han' an' foot.

Gi' me some bread.

Tuf's o' grass.

The want o' men is occasioned by the want o' money.

We seldom fine' men o' principle to ac' thus.

Beas' an' creepin' things were foun' there.
Thrus' thy sickle into the harves'.
Thou has' thousan' frien's on thy side.
Evenin' an' mornin', an' at noon o' night.

He learned to write.

EXERCISES.

Did you find any birds' nests?

The masts of the ship were cast down.
He entered the lists at the head of his troops.
Be ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves
He is the merriest fellow in existence.

I regard not the world's opinion.

Such were his commands.

He has three assistants.

Thou thoughtest that I was such a one as thyself.
The depths of the sea.

She trusts too much to servants.

He halts between two opinions.
His attempts were fruitless.

That race of animals is extinct.

He chanced to see a bee hovering over a flower.

4. Omitting or mispronouncing whole syllables.