Read Ebook: The Canadian Elocutionist Designed for the Use of Colleges Schools and Self Instruction Together with a Copious Selection in Prose and Poetry of Pieces Adapted for Reading Recitation and Practice by Howard Anna K Anna Kelsey

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In connection with this subject, a few words are necessary concerning impediment of speech, for in cases where a slight degree of hesitation breaks the fluent tenor of discourse much may be accomplished by due care and attention, and most defects of speech, voice, and manner may be modified or remedied by cultivation and diligent study and practice.

In seeking for a remedy the first thing to be considered is the care of the health, for this is the foundation of every hope of cure, and all excesses should be avoided and all irregularities guarded against.

ELEMENTARY SOUNDS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

The number of elements in the language is thirty-eight.

VOWELS

SUB-VOWELS.

ASPIRATES.

WORDS. ELEMENTS.

ale, a-l. day, d-a. fame, f-a-m. crew, k-r-u. call, k-a-l. deeds, d-e-d-z. wool, w-u-l. isle, i-l. dare, d-a-r. ink, i-ng-k. pause, p-a-z. mow, m-o. lose, l-o-z. pray, p-r-a. spell, s-p-e-l. twists, t-w-i-s-t-s. waste, w-a-s-t. awful, a-f-u-l. up, u-p. mouths, m-ou-th-z. sky, s-k-i. lamb, l-a-m. oak, o-k. eve, e-v. once, w-u-n-s. awe, a. power, p-ou-u-r. mulcts, m-u-l-k-t-s. John, d-gh-a-n. objects, o-b-d-jh-e-k-ts. thousandth, th-ou-z-a-n-d-th. wives, w-i-v-z. softness, s-o-f-t-n-e-s. shrugged, sh-r-u-g-d. themselves, th-e-m-s-e-l-v-z. church, t-sh-u-r-t-sh.

PRONUNCIATION AND ACCENT.

Pronunciation is the mode of enouncing certain words and syllables. As pronunciation varies with the modes and fashions of the times, it is sometimes fluctuating in particular words, and high authorities are often so much at variance, that the correct mode is hard to be determined; hence to acquire a correct pronunciation, this irregularity, whatever be the cause, must be submitted to.

Be very careful to give each letter its proper sound and avoid omitting or perverting the sound of any letter or syllable of a word, without some good authority.

Avoid the affectations and mis-pronunciations exemplified in the following list of words which are often mispronounced. Do not say--

QUALITIES OF VOICE.

There are two general divisions of quality: PURE and IMPURE. These are sub- divided into Pure, Deepened or Orotund, Guttural, Tremor, Aspirate, and Falsetto qualities.

PURE QUALITY.

The Pure or Natural tone is employed in ordinary speaking or descriptive language, and is expressed with less expenditure of breath than any other quality of voice. It is entirely free from any impure vocal sound.

"How calm, how beautiful a scene is this,-- When Nature, waking from her silent sleep, Bursts forth in light, and harmony, and joy! When earth, and sky, and air, are glowing all With gayety and life, and pensive shades Of morning loveliness are cast around! The purple clouds, so streaked with crimson light, Bespeak the coming of majestic day;-- Mark how the crimson grows more crimson still, While, ever and anon, a golden beam Seems darting out its radiance! Heralds of day! where is that mighty form Which clothes you all in splendour, and around Your colourless, pale forms spreads the bright hues Of heaven?--He cometh from his gorgeous couch, And gilds the bosom of the glowing east!"

Sweet was the sound, when oft at evening's close Up yonder hill the village murmur rose; There, as I passed with careless steps and slow The mingling notes came softened from below; The swain responsive as the milk-maid sung, The sober herd that lowed to meet their young; The noisy geese that gabbled o'er the pool, The playful children just let loose from school; The watch-dog's voice that bayed the whispering wind, And the loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind; These all in sweet confusion sought the shade, And filled each pause the nightingale had made. But now the sounds of population fail, No cheerful murmurs fluctuate in the gale, No busy steps the grass-grown footway tread, For all the blooming flush of life is fled. All but yon widowed, solitary thing, That feebly bends beside the plashy spring; She, wretched matron--forced in age, for bread, To strip the brook with mantling cresses spread, To pick her wintry fagot from the thorn, To seek her nightly shed and weep till morn-- She only left of all the harmless train, The sad historian of the pensive plain!

OROTUND QUALITY.

The Orotund is a highly improved state of the Natural voice, and is the quality most used, being far more expressive, as it gives grandeur and energy to thought and expression. This voice is highly agreeable, and is more musical and flexible than the common voice.

Dr. Rush defines the Orotund as that assemblage of eminent qualities which constitute the highest characteristic of the speaking voice. He describes it to be a full, clear, strong, smooth, and ringing sound, rarely heard in ordinary speech; but which is never found in its highest excellence, except by careful cultivation. He describes the fine qualities of voice constituting the Orotund in the following words:--

The possession of the power of this voice is greatly dependent on cultivation and management, and experiments have proved that more depends on cultivation than on natural peculiarity. Much care and labour are necessary for acquiring this improved condition of the speaking voice, the lungs must be kept well supplied with breath, there must be a full expansion of the chest, causing the abdomen gently to protrude, the throat and the mouth must be kept well open so as to give free course to the sound. Never waste the breath, every pause must be occupied in replenishing the lungs, and the inhalation should be done as silently as possible, and through the nostrils as well as by the mouth.

Excellence in this quality of voice depends on the earnest and frequent practice of reading aloud with the utmost degree of force. The voice may be exerted to a great extent without fatigue or injury, but should never be taxed beyond its powers, and as soon as this strong action can be employed without producing hoarseness, it should be maintained for half an hour at a time.

This practice is very beneficial to the health, especially if prosecuted in the open air, or in a large, well ventilated room, and if pursued regularly, energetically, and systematically, the pupil will be surprised and delighted at his rapid progress in this art, and his voice, from a condition of comparative feebleness, will soon develop into one of well- marked strength, fullness, and distinctness.

Ye ice-falls! ye that from the mountain's brow Adown enormous ravines slope amain,-- Torrents, methinks, that heard a mighty voice, And stopped at once amid their maddest plunge! Motionless torrents! silent cataracts! Who made you glorious as the gates of heaven Beneath the keen, full moon? Who bade the sun Clothe you with rainbows? Who, with living flowers Of loveliest blue, spread garlands at your feet!-- God! let the torrents, like a shout of nations, Answer! and let the ice-plains echo, God!-- And they, too, have a voice,--yon piles of snow, And in their perilous fall shall thunder, God!

The hoarse, rough voice, should like a torrent roar.

Hurrah! the foes are moving. Hark to the mingled din Of fife, and steed, and trump, and drum, and roaring culverin. The fiery duke is pricking fast across Saint Andre's plain, With all the hireling chivalry of Guelders and Almayne. Now by the lips of those ye love, fair gentlemen of France, Charge for the golden lilies--upon them with the lance! A thousand spurs are striking deep, a thousand spears in rest, A thousand knights are pressing close behind the snow-white crest, And in they burst, and on they rushed, while, like a guiding star, Amidst the thickest carnage blazed the helmet of Navarre.

"Up drawbridge, grooms!--What, warder, ho! Let the portcullis fall."-- Lord Marmion turned,--well was his need!-- And dashed the rowels in his steed, Like arrow through the archway sprung; The ponderous gate behind him rung: To pass there was such scanty room, The bars, descending, razed his plume.

Fight, gentlemen of England! fight, bold yeomen! Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head! Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood! Amaze the welkin with your broken staves! A thousand hearts are great within my bosom! Advance our standards, set upon our foes! Our ancient word of courage--fair Saint George-- Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons! Upon them! Victory sits on our helms!

These are Thy glorious works, Parent of Good! Almighty! Thine this universal frame, Thus wondrous fair!--Thyself how wondrous, then! Unspeakable! who sitt'st above these heavens, To us invisible, or dimly seen Midst these, thy lowest works! Yet these declare Thy goodness beyond thought, And power divine!

An hour passed on:--the Turk awoke:-- That bright dream was his last;-- He woke--to hear his sentries shriek, "To arms!--they come!--the Greek, the Greek!" He woke--to die, 'midst flame and smoke, And shout, and groan, and sabre-stroke, And death-shots felling thick and fast.

Like forest-pines before the blast, Or lightnings from the mountain-cloud; And heard, with voice as trumpet loud, Bozzaris cheer his band; "Strike--till the last armed foe expires, Strike--for your altars and your fires, Strike--for the green graves of your sires, Heaven--and your native land!"

They fought like brave men, long and well, They piled that ground with Moslem slain, They conquered--but Bozzaris fell Bleeding at every vein. His few surviving comrades saw His smile, when rang their proud hurrah, And the red field was won; They saw in death his eyelids close, Calmly, as to a night's repose, Like flowers at set of sun.

GUTTURAL QUALITY.

The Guttural Quality is used in expressing the strongest degree of contempt, disgust, aversion, revenge, etc. Its characteristic is an explosive resonance in the throat, producing a harsh and grating sound, and its expression can be used in all the various tones, giving to them its own peculiar character.

This quality, is, however, of rare occurrence, and needs less cultivation than the other qualities.

Avaunt! and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee! Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold: Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with! Hence, horrible shadow! Unreal mockery, hence!

How like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him, for he is a Christian: But more, for that, in low simplicity, He lends out money gratis, and brings down The rate of usance here with us in Venice: If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. He hates our sacred nation; and he rails, Even there where merchants most do congregate, On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift, Which he calls interest:--Cursed be my tribe, If I forgive him!

Thou stands't at length before me undisguised-- Of all earth's grovelling crew, the most accursed. Thou worm! thou viper!--to thy native earth Return! Away! Thou art too base for man To tread upon! Thou scum! thou reptile!

"And, Douglas, more I tell thee here, Even in thy pitch of pride, Here in thy hold, thy vassals near, I tell thee, thou'rt defied! And if thou said'st I am not peer-- To any lord in Scotland here, Lowland or Highland, far or near, Lord Angus, thou has't lied!"

TREMOR QUALITY.

The Tremor Quality is used in expressing pity, grief, joy, mirth, etc., and its characteristic is a frequent rise and fall of the voice, and a more delicate exercise of that particular vibration in the throat, known as "gurgling." It is apparent in extreme feebleness, in age, exhaustion, sickness, fatigue, grief, and even joy, and other feelings in which ardour or extreme tenderness predominate.

Pity the sorrows of a poor old man Whose trembling limbs have borne him to your door; Whose days are dwindled to the shortest span;-- Oh, give relief, and heaven will bless your store!

The king stood still till the last echo died; then, throwing off the sackcloth from his brow, and laying back the pall from the still features of his child, he bowed his head upon him, and broke forth in the resistless eloquence of woe:--

"Alas! my noble boy! that thou should'st die! Thou, who wert made so beautifully fair! that death should settle in thy glorious eye, and leave his stillness in thy clustering hair! How could he mark thee for the silent tomb, my proud boy, Absalom!

"But death is on thee! I shall hear the gush of music and the voices of the young; and life will pass me in the mantling blush, and the dark tresses to the soft winds flung;--but thou no more, with thy sweet voice, shalt come to meet me, Absalom!"

But let us try to hear it with fortitude. Let us trust that he is better off where he is. Let us take comfort in the thought that his loss is our gain.

Forsake me not thus, Adam, witness heav'n What love sincere, and reverence in my heart I bear thee, and unweeting have offended, Unhappily deceiv'd; thy suppliant I beg, and clasp thy knees; bereave me not, Whereon I live, thy gentle looks, thy aid, Thy counsel in this uttermost distress. My only strength and stay: forlorn of thee, Whither shall I betake me, where subsist? While yet we live, scarce one short hour, perhaps Between us two let there be peace, both joining, As joined in injuries, one enmity, Against a foe by doom express assign'd us, That cruel serpent!

ASPIRATE QUALITY.

The Aspirate Quality is used in the utterance of secrecy and fear, and discontent generally takes this quality.

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