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

"Do you ride to town to day."

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 censures 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; the fool, when he gains that of others."

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 a place or quantity. Some persons, indeed, use scarcely any degree of it: and others do not scruple to carry it far beyond any thing 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 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 less degrees 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 entence, so it is frequently required to be continued with a little

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

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 di minish 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 demonstrabley 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."a 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 recure too often; if a reader attempts to render every thing he expresses of high importance, by a multitude of strong emphasis, 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 Italied characters; which, as to the effect, is just the same as to use no such distinctions at all.

SECTION VI.

In-flec-tion,* In-flêk'-shån, the act offb Pe-cu-li-ar-ly, pè-ků ́-lè-år-lè, par bending, modulation of voice, variation of a noun or verb

See the note in the text.

ticularly, oddly

c Ag-i-ta-tion, áj-ě-tà'-shån, perturba tion, discussion

f So-cial, so'-shal, publick, familiar
g Con-vey-ance, hồn-và-anse, the act
and the means by which any thing q
is conveyed

h E-mo-tion, è-mo'-shůn, disturbancer
of mind

¿ Ad-mit, âd-mit', to suffer to enter, tos grant

Lim-i-ta-tion, lim-me-tà'-shin, re

striction

As-sume, ås-sume', to take, to claim unjustly

The-at-ri-cal, the-ât'-trẻ-kál, suiting a theatre.

j E-lu-ci-date, è-lu'-sè-dåte, to explain, t In-dis-pen-sa-ble,

In dis-pên'-sa-bl, clear, expound not to be spared k Vile-ly, vile'-lè, basely, wickedly u Viv-id, viv'-id, lively, quick Pa-thet-ick, på-thêt'-ik, passionate, v An-i-mate, an'-è-mate, to make amoving m Plain-tive, plan'-tiv, expressive of to In-di-cate, in'-dè-kåte, to show, point

sorrow

n Er-ro-ne-ous, êr-rò'-nè-ås, mistaking,

live, living

-out

TONES

TONES are different both from emphasis and pauses; cònsisting 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 inflexiona* of voice; but tones, peculiarly so called, affect sentences, paragraphs, and sometimes even the whole of a discourse.

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 produce 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 who 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 conveyances 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 various 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

* Inflection.

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 admiti of examples to iilustrate 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, elucidates 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 vilelyk cast away; the shield of Saul, as though he had not been ancinted 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, in a manly, firm, and yet plaintivem 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 nave not the same use of them, in reading aloud the sentiments of others, may be traced to the very defective and erroneous" methodo, 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 it is in other things. For when reading becomes strictly imitative, it assumes" a theatricals 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 indispensablet 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 able to proceed through it with that easy and masterly manner, which has its good effects in this, as well as in every other art."

SECTION VII.

a Ces-sa-tion, ses-sa'-shån, a stop, restir Ter-mi-nate,têr'-mè-nåte, to limit,end Per-cep-ti-ble, pêr-sep'-tè-bl, such ass Mes-sen-ger, mês'-sen-jur, one who may be known or seen

c Meas-ur-a-ble, mêzh'-ur-â-bl, such as t may be measured

d Tem-po-ra-ry, têm'-po-ra-rè, fleeting,

e

short lived

f Ush-er, ish-år, to introduce, an assis

tant

g Ex-cite, êk-site', to rouse, animate
h Dis-gust, diz-gust', aversion, offence
De-liv-er-y, de-liv'-ar-è, act of deliv-a
ering, utterance

delivers a message

Con-junc-tion, kón-jůnk'-shůn, a part of speech, union

Dis-ci-pline, dis'-se-plin, order, edu

cation

Co-in-cide, kò-in-side', to concur
Con-trol, kon-troll', to check, govern
U-til-i-ty, yu-til-e-tè, usefulness
Ag-ri-cul-ture, ág'-rè-kůl-tshàre, til-
lage husbandry

z Spe-cies, spè'-shez, a sort, class
Re-sign, re-zine', to give up claim,

submit

j In-ter-val, in'-ter-vál, space betweenb Mal-ice, mal-lis, intention to injure

places, or times

Se-rene, sè-rène, calm, placid k Punc-tu-a-tion, pångk-tshů-a-shan, a So-lic-i-tude, sò-lis'-sé-tude, anxiety, stops in writing Con-struc-tion,kon-stråk'-shån,mean-e Re-morse, rè-morse', anguish of a guilty conscience

ing, sense

great care

m In-ti-mate, in'-tè-måte, to hint, a fa-f Sen-su-al-i-ty, sen-shu-ál'-étè, luxu

miliar friend

Al-le-vi-ate, al-lè'-vè-åte, to make
light, to ease
In-ter-rog-a-tive,

In-ves-ti-ga-tion, in-vès-tè-ga'-shůn, search, a tracing, examination in-ter-rog'-gå-dvj El-o-cu-tion, êl-d-ku'-shån,eloquence, delivery

denoting a question

PAUSES.

PAUSES or rests, in speaking or reading, 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.