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learned the proper seats of these accents, it is an important rule, to give every word just the same accent in reading as in common discourse. Many persons err in this respect. When they read to others and with solemnity, they pronounce the syllables in a different manner from what they do at other times. They dwell upon them and protract them; they multiply accents on the same word, from a mistaken notion, that it gives gravity and importance to their subject, and adds to the energy of their delivery. Whereas this is one of the greatest faults that can be committed in pronunciation: it makes what is called a pompous or mouthing manner, and gives an artificial, affected air to reading, which detracts greatly both from its agreeableness and its impression.

"Sheridan and Walker have published dictionaries for ascertaining the true and best pronunciation of the words of our language. By attentively consulting them, particularly Walker's Pronouncing Dictionary,' the young reader will be much assisted in his endeavors to attain a correct pronunciation of the words belonging to the English language.*

"EMPHASIS.

"By emphasis is meant a stronger and fuller sound of voice, by which we distinguish some word, or words, on which we design to lay particular stress, and to show how they affect the rest of the sentence. Sometimes the emphatic words must be distinguished by a particular tone of voice, as well as by a particular stress. On the right management of the emphasis depends the life of pronunciation. If no emphasis be placed on any words, not only is discourse rendered heavy and lifeless, but the meaning is often left ambiguous. If the emphasis be placed wrong, we pervert and confound the meaning wholly.

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Emphasis may be divided into the Superior and the Inferior emphasis. The superior emphasis determines the meaning of a sentence, with reference to something said before, presupposed by the author as general knowledge, or removes an ambiguity, where a passage may have more senses than one. The inferior emphasis enforces, graces, and enlivens, but does not fix, the meaning of any passage. The words to which this latter emphasis is given are, in general, such as seem the most important in the sentence, or, on other accounts, to merit this distinction. The following passage will serve to exemplify the superior emphasis.

'Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit

Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste

Brought death into the world, and all our woe,' &c. 'Sing, heavenly Muse!'

"Supposing that originally other beings besides men had disobeyed the commands of the Almighty, and that the circumstance were well known to us, there would fall an emphasis upon the word man's in the first line; and hence it would read thus:

'Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit,' &c.

"But if it were a notorious truth, that mankind had transgressed in

*This remark must now be received, in this country at least, with some qualification. The best dictionary that we have at the present day is undoubtedly that of Mr. Worcester, a gentleman to whose accuracy, fidelity, and industry, the cause of education is much indebted. His dictionary, in the opinion of the author of this work, is the most comprehensive, as well as the safest guide, that has yet been published.

a peculiar manner more than once, the emphasis would fall on first; and the line be read,

'Of man's first disobedience,' &c.

"Again, admitting death (as was really the case) to have been an unheard-of and dreadful punishment, brought upon man in consequence of his transgression; on that supposition, the third line would be read, 'Brought death into the world,' &c.

"But if we were to suppose that mankind knew there was such an evil as death in other regions, though the place they inhabited had been free from it till their transgression, the line would run thus:

'Brought death into the world,' &c.

"The superior emphasis finds place in the following short sentence, which admits of four distinct meanings, each of which is ascertained by the emphasis only.

'Do you ride to town to-day?'

[See Lesson XXII.]

"The following examples illustrate the nature and use of the inferior emphasis:

"Many persons mistake the love, for the practice of virtue.'

"Shall I reward his services with Falsehood? Shall I forget him who cannot forget me?'

"If his principles are false, no apology from himself can make them right; if founded in truth, no censure from others can make them wrong?'

"Though deep, yet clear; though gentle, yet not dull;
Strong without rage; without o'erflowing, full.'

"A friend exaggerates a man's virtues; an enemy, his crimes.'
“The wise man is happy when he gains his own approbation;
fool, when he gains that of others.'

the

"The superior emphasis, in reading as in speaking, must be determined entirely by the sense of the passage, and always made alike; but as to the inferior emphasis, taste alone seems to have the right of fixing its situation and quantity.

"Among the number of persons who have had proper opportunities of learning to read, in the best manner it is now taught, very few could be selected, who, in a given instance, would use the inferior emphasis alike, either as to place or quantity. Some persons, indeed, use scarcely any degree of it; and others do not scruple to carry it far beyond anything to be found in common discourse; and even sometimes throw it upon words so very trifling in themselves, that it is evidently done with no other view than to give a greater variety to the modulation.* Notwithstanding this diversity of practice, there are certainly proper boundaries, within which this emphasis must be restrained, in order to make it meet the approbation of sound judgment and correct taste. It will, doubtless, have different degrees of exertion. according to the greater or

* By modulation is meant, that pleasing variety of voice which is perceived in utter ing a sentence, and which in its nature is perfectly distinct from emphasis, and the tones of emotion and passion. The young reader should be careful to render his modulation correct and easy; and, for this purpose, should form it upon the model of the most judicious and accurate speakers.

less degree of importance of the words upon which it operates; and there may be very properly some variety in the use of it: but its application is not arbitrary, depending on the caprice of readers.

"As emphasis often falls on words in different parts of the same sentence, so it is frequently required to be continued, with a little variation, on two, and sometimes more words together. The following sentences exemplify both the parts of this position: 'If you seek to make one rich, study not to increase his stores, but to diminish his desires.' 'The Mexican figures, or picture-writing, represent things, not words: they exhibit images to the eye, not ideas to the understanding."

"Some sentences are so full and comprehensive, that almost every word is emphatical: as, 'Ye hills and dales, ye rivers, woods, and plains!' or, as that pathetic expostulation in the prophecy of Ezekiel, " Why will ye die!'

"Emphasis, besides its other offices, is the great regulator of quantity. Though the quantity of our syllables is fixed, in words separately pronounced, yet it is mutable when these words are arranged in sentences; the long being changed into short, the short into long, according to the importance of the word with regard to meaning. Emphasis also, in particular cases, alters the seat of the accent. This is demonstrable from the following examples. 'He shall increase, but I shall decrease.' 'There is a difference between giving and forgiving.' 'In this species of composition, plausibility is much more essential than_probability.' In these examples, the emphasis requires the accent to be placed on syllables to which it does not commonly belong.

"In order to acquire the proper management of the emphasis, the great rule to be given is, that the reader study to attain a just conception of the force and spirit of the sentiments which he is to pronounce. For to lay the emphasis with exact propriety is a constant exercise of good sense and attention. It is far from being an inconsiderable attainment. It is one of the most decisive trials of a true and just taste; and must arise from feeling delicately ourselves, and from judging accurately of what is fittest to strike the feelings of others.

"There is one error, against which it is particularly proper to caution the learner; namely, that of multiplying emphatical words too much, and using the emphasis indiscriminately. It is only by a prudent reserve and distinction in the use of them, that we can give them any weight. If they recur too often; if a reader attempts to render every thing he expresses of high importance, by a multitude of strong emphases, we soon learn to pay little regard to them. To crowd every sentence with emphatical words, is like crowding all the pages of a book with Italic characters; which, as to the effect, is just the same as to use no such distinctions at all.

"TONES.

"Tones are different both from emphasis and pauses; consisting in the notes or variations of sound which we employ in the expression of our sentiments. Emphasis affects particular words and phrases, with a degree of tone or inflection of voice; but tones, peculiarly so called, affect sentences, paragraphs, and sometimes even the whole of a dis

course.

"To show the use and necessity of tones, we need only observe, that the mind, in communicating its ideas, is in a constant state of activity, emotion, or agitation, from the different effects which those ideas pro

duce in the speaker. Now the end of such communication being not merely to lay open the ideas, but also the different feelings which they excite in him that utters them, there must be other signs than words to manifest those feelings; as words uttered in a monotonous manner can represent only a similar state of mind, perfectly free from all activity and emotion. As the communication of these internal feelings was of much more consequence in our social intercourse than the mere conveyance of ideas, the Author of our being did not, as in that conveyance, leave the invention of the language of emotion to man, but impressed it himself upon our nature, in the same manner as he has done with regard to the rest of the animal world; all of which express their feelings by various tones. Ours, indeed, from the superior rank that we hold, are in a high degree more comprehensive; as there is not an act of the mind, an exertion of the fancy, or an emotion of the heart, which has not its peculiar tone or note of the voice, by which it is to be expressed; and which is suited exactly to the degree of internal feeling. It is chiefly in the proper use of these tones, that the life, spirit, beauty, and harmony of delivery consist.

"The limits of this introduction do not admit of examples to illustrate the variety of tones belonging to the different passions and emotions. We shall, however, select one, which is extracted from the beautiful lamentation of David over Saul and Jonathan; and which will in some degree elucidate what has been said on this subject.

"The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places; how are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath; publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice; lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away; the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.' The first of these divisions expresses sorrow and lamentation; therefore the note is low. The next contains ⚫ a spirited command, and should be pronounced much higher. The other sentence, in which he makes a pathetic address to the mountains where his friends had been slain, must be expressed in a note quite different from the two former; not so low as the first, nor so high as the second, but in a manly, firm, yet plaintive tone.

"The correct and natural language of the emotions is not so difficult to be attained as most readers seem to imagine. If we enter into the spirit of the author's sentiments, as well as into the meaning of his words, we shall not fail to deliver the words in properly varied tones. For there are few people who speak English without a provincial note, that have not an accurate use of tones, when they utter their sentiments in earnest discourse. And the reason that they have not the same use of them in reading aloud the sentiments of others may be traced to the very defective and erroneous method in which the art of reading is taught; whereby all the various, natural, expressive tones of speech are suppressed, and a few artificial, unmeaning reading notes are substituted for them.

"But when we recommend to readers an attention to the tone and language of emotions, we must be understood to do it with proper limitation. Moderation is necessary in this point, as in other things. For when the reading becomes strictly imitative, it assumes a theatrical manner, and must be highly improper, as well as give offence to the hearers, because it is inconsistent with that delicacy and modesty which

are indispensable on such occasions. The speaker who delivers his own emotions must be supposed to be more vivid and animated than would be proper in the person who relates them at second hand.

"We shall conclude this section with the following rule for the tones that indicate the passions and emotions: 'In reading, let all your tones of expression be borrowed from those of common speech, but, in some degree, more faintly characterized. Let those tones which signify any disagreeable passion of the mind be still more faint than those which indicate agreeable emotions: and on all occasions preserve yourselves from being so far affected with the subject as to be unable to proceed through it with that easy and masterly manner which has its good effects in this, as well as in every other art.'

"PAUSES.

"Pauses or rests, in reading or speaking, are a total cessation of the voice, during a perceptible, and, in many cases, a measurable space of time. Pauses are equally necessary to the speaker and the hearer. To the speaker, that he may take breath, without which he cannot proceed far in delivery; and that he may, by these temporary rests, relieve the organs of speech, which otherwise would be soon tired by continued action; to the hearer, that the ear also may be relieved from the fatigue which it would otherwise endure from a continuity of sound; and that the understanding may have sufficient time to mark the distinction of sentences, and their several members.

"There are two kinds of pauses: first, emphatical pauses; and next, such as mark the distinctions of sense. An emphatical pause is generally made after something has been said of peculiar moment, and on which we desire to fix the hearer's attention. Sometimes, before such a thing is said, we usher it in with a pause of this nature. Such pauses have the same effect as a strong emphasis; and are subject to the same rules, especially to the caution of not repeating them too frequently. For as they excite uncommon attention, and of course raise expectation,. if the importance of the matter be not fully answerable to such expectation, they occasion disappointment and disgust.

"But the most frequent and principal use of pauses is to mark the divisions of the sense, and at the same time to allow the reader to draw his breath; and the proper and delicate adjustment of such pauses is one of the most nice and difficult articles of delivery. In all reading, the management of the breath requires a good deal of care, so as not to oblige us to divide words from one another, which have so intimate a connexion that they ought to be pronounced with the same breath, and without the least separation. Many a sentence is miserably mangled, and the force of the emphasis totally lost, by divisions being made in the wrong place. To avoid this, every one, while he is reading, should be very careful to provide a full supply of breath for what he is to utter. It is a great mistake to imagine that the breath must be drawn only at the end of a period, when the voice is allowed to fall. It may easily be gathered at the intervals of the period, when the voice is suspended only for a moment; and, by this management, one may always have a sufficient stock for carrying on the longest sentence, without improper interruptions.

"Pauses in reading must generally be formed upon the manner in which we utter ourselves in ordinary, sensible conversation, and not upon the stiff, artificial manner which is acquired froin reading books

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