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LESSON XXVIII.

TRANSITION.

[It is important that the pupil practice a change or transition of the voice from loud and forcible utterance to a softer and lower tone; and from rapid to slow pronunciation. In this lesson he is presented with a few examples in which such a change of manner is required.]

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556. [Softly and slowly.] An hour passed on Turk awoke. That bright dream was his last. loudly.] He woke to hear the sentry's shriek, [Very loud and rapid.] "To arms! they come! the Greek! the Greek!" [Slowly and softly.] He woke to die midst flame and smoke, and shout and groan, and sabre stroke, and [Faster and louder.] death shots falling thick and fast, as lightnings from the mountain cloud: [Still louder.] and heard, with voice as trumpet loud, Bozzaris cheer his band; [Very loud, rapidly, and with much animation.] Strike-till the last armed foe expires, Strike - for your altars and your fires Strike for the green graves of your sires, God · and your native land.

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[In a softer and slower manner.] They fought—like brave men, long and well,-they piled that ground with Moslem slain, they conquered [Very slowly, and in a mournful manner.] but Bozzaris fell, bleeding at every

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557. [In a gentle manner and low tone.] When, doffed his casque, he felt free air, around 'gan* Marmion wildly [Much louder, and in a wild and somewhat angry manner.] Where's Harry Blount? Fitz Eustace, where? Linger ye here, ye hearts of hare? Redeem my pennon, -charge again! Cry-Marmion to the rescue.'[Very slowly, and almost in a whisper.] Vain! Last of my race, on battle plain, that shout shall ne'er be heard again! [Increasing in loudness.] Yet my last thought is England's: - [Louder, and with more earnestness.] fly

* A contraction for began. See Apostrophe, Lesson 20, page 44.

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Fitz Eustace, to Lord Surrey hie. [More rapidly.] Tunstall lies dead upon the field; his life-blood stains the spotless shield Edmund is down,- life is reft, the Admiral alone is left. [With much earnestness of manner.] Let Stanley charge with spur of fire, with Chester charge and Lancashire, full upon Scotland's central host, [Slowly.] or victory and England's lost. [Angrily.] Must I bid twice? - hence, varlets! fly! Leave Marmion here alone - to die.

558. [Distinctly, slowly, and in a moderate tone.] Yet still Lord Marmion's falcon flew with wavering flight, while fiercer grew around the battle yell. [Loudly and quickly.] A home! a Gordon! was the cry.

559. [Slowly and with feeling.] Oh what a fall was there, my countrymen ! Then I, and you, and all of us fell down [Loudly and with emphasis.] while bloody treason flourished over us.

560. [Softly and slowly.] Oh now you weep; and I perceive you feel the dint of pity:- these are gracious drops. Kind souls! [Quickly, louder, and with strong emphasis.] What, weep you when you but behold our Cæsar's VESTURE wounded? [Very loudly and earnestly.] Look ye here! - here is HIMSELF - marred as you see by traitors.

561. [Very slowly and sorrowfully.] Oh I could play the woman with mine eyes, and braggart with my tongue! -[With earnestness, and louder.] But gentle heaven, cut short all intermission; front to front bring thou this fiend of Scotland and myself; [Still more forcibly, but with a lower tone.] within my sword's length set him; if he escape, heaven forgive him too.

562. [Proudly and with a loud and angry manner.] But here I stand and scoff you; - here I fling hatred and defiance in your face. [In a much milder manner, slowly and in derision.] Your consul's merciful-For all thanks. [Very loud, and in a threatening man

this

*The pupil will notice that there are many abbreviations of this kind made in this book in pieces which appear to be prose. All the sentences which are poetical have been printed in the form of prose, to prevent the "sing song" manner of reading. But it must be understood and recollected that although abbreviations are allowable in poetry, they are not admitted in prose.

ner. See Number 529.] He dares not touch a hair of Cataline.

563. [In a low tone, very softly.] His words do take possession of my bosom, -[Louder, and with earnestness.] Read here, young Arthur. [Very softly.] How now, foolish rheum! turning despiteous torture out the door! I must be brief, lest resolution drop out at my eyes in tender womanish tears. [Louder, and as if striving to hide his tears.] Can you not read it? Is it not fair writ?

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564. [Slowly and in a very sad manner.] Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect. [In an entreating manner.] Must you with hot irons burn out both mine

[In a stern manner.] Young boy, I must.

eyes ?

[In a very sorrowful and supplicating manner.] And will you?

[Sternly and in an apparently determined manner.] And I will.

565. [With a very earnest, sorrowfur and entreating manner.] Will you put out mine eyes? These eyes that never did, nor never shall, so much as frown on you?

566. [In a rough manner, but still struggling to conceal his pity.] I have sworn to do it; and with hot irons must I burn them out.

567. [In a very pathetic manner.] If an angel should have come to me, and told me, Hubert should put out mine eyes, I would have believed no tongue but Hubert's,

568. [In a kind, relenting, and very feeling manner.] Well see to live; I will not touch thine eyes, for all the treasure that thy uncle owns. Yet I am sworn,

and I did purpose, boy, with this same very iron to burn them out.

569. [In a joyful and grateful manner.] O, now you look like Hubert! all this while you were disguised.

570. [In an animated manner.] The combat deepens[Very loud, rapidly, and with much energy.] On ye brave, who rush to glory, or the grave! Wave, Munich, all thy banners wave; and charge with all thy chivalry.

571. [In a slow, solemn, and mournful manner.] Ah, few shall part where many meet! The snow shall be their winding sheet, and every turf beneath their feet shall be a soldier's sepulchre.

LESSON XXIX.

ELLIPTICAL SENTENCES.

An Ellipsis means an omission; and when any thing is omitted, or purposely left out, it is said that there is an ellipsis in the sentence, and the sentence is called an elliptical sentence.

Elliptical sentences occur very frequently; and it is necessary, in reading such sentences, to supply, in our minds, all that is omitted, in order to give the proper tone, accent, emphasis, and expression. Thus in the following questions, "What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?"—there is an ellipsis or omission of the words, "did you go out to see;" and when these words are supplied the questions will be, "What went ye out into the wilderness to see? Did you go out to see a reed shaken by the wind? Elliptical sentences must always be read in the same manner, with the same emphasis, tone, accent, and sion, that they would be if the ellipses were supplied.

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In the following sentences the ellipsis is supplied in Italic letters in a parenthesis. The pupil will first read them as they stand, and then read them with the omission of those parts which are in Italic letters.

572. What sought they thus afar? (Did they seek) Bright jewels of the mine? (Did they seek) The wealth of seas? (or) the spoils of war? (No, they did not seek either of these, but) They sought a faith's pure shrine.

573. What then would it be reasonable to expect from the fanciful tribe, from the musicians and poets of such a region? (Would it be reasonable to expect) Strains expressive of joy, tranquillity, or the softer passions? No; their style must have been better suited to their circum

stances.

* See Lesson 19, page 42.

574. Art thou the Thracian robber, of whose exploits I have heard so much?

(No! I am not a Thracian robber, but) I am a Thracian, and a soldier.

(Do you call yourself) A soldier? (I consider you as nothing better than) a thief, a plunderer, an assassin! (who is) the pest of the country.

575. No deep and deadly quarrel was between these brothers, and neither of them could distinctly tell the cause of this unnatural estrangement. Perhaps dim jealousies of their father's favor (was the cause of this unnatural estrangement —perhaps) selfish thoughts that will sometimes force themselves into poor men's hearts respecting temporal expectations (was the cause of this unnatural estrangement.)

576. What shall we call them? (Shall we call them) Piles of chrystal light? (Shall we call them) A glorious company of golden streams (Shall we call them) Lamps of celestial ether burning bright-(or) suns lighting systems with their joyous beams? But thou to these art as the noon to night.

577. Hail to your lordship! I am glad to see you well. (It is) Horatio (who speaks to me) or I do forget my

self.

578. (It is) The same, my lord, and (I am) your poor

servant ever.

579. Sir, (you are) my good friend. I'll change that name with you.

580. Ah, whither now are fled those dreams of greatness? (Whither now are fled) Those unsated hopes of happiness? (Whither now are fled) Those busy bustling days? (Whither now are fled*) Those gay-spent, festive nights, (and) those veering thoughts, lost between good and ill, that shared thy life?

581. Almighty! trembling like a timid child, I hear thy awful voice (and when I hear it I am) alarmed

The ellipsis is supplied at each of these enquiries, to show that the falling inflection of the voice is required at each of the questions; [See Lesson 6th,] and it will be noticed throughout this lesson that the ellipsis is supplied in parentheses in many sentences where it may appear to be superfluous-but the author's design in so doing is to lead more directly to the proper intonation of the voice. As a particular instance of this kind, see number 580, 581, and 583.

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