learns to perform the double mental act, first to make the ideas his own, and then to express them to others. Neither is it necessary for ordinary purposes that these two things be done in perfection. Enough of the latter is merely required to give a reasonable degree of life and interest to the reading.

Speaking however, requires a higher excitement and a stronger effort of mind and body. A word of a single syllable may be uttered in three tones: first in that of talking, next in that, partly of apprehending the meaning, partly of soliloquizing, and partly of talking, which characterizes reading, and lastly in those tones of enforcing or explaining ideas which we use in that higher effort to attract the attention of others, which characterizes speaking. There is indeed still another modification which distinguishes what is called recitation, as when a performer recites a poem before an audience, and which implies an intentional display of art and skill—but of recitation we do not propose to treat in the present volume.

In regard to speaking, it is a curious and important fact, that the power in the vocal organs of expressing words in the tone which naturally belongs to it, is not developed by the common intercourse of society. A considerable proportion of those men whose public delivery is confined to compositions prepared beforehand never use this tone-and when they apply for instruction to teachers of elocution, are found to be incapable of employing it at pleasure. They have never made use of it, except that occasionally when strongly excited, they have done so instinctively, but have not been after

wards aware that their vocal organs have been engaged in an unwonted action which they cannot repeat at will. In fact the peculiar open state of the fauces, the more tense contraction of the vocal muscles, and the more sudden and complete emission of the breath which produce the tone of speaking, are natural indeed, but natural only in that sort of excitement of mind which leads a person to speak rather than to talk, and which is not needed in ordinary life. It will be found on investigation that every one who can at pleasure employ the tones of a speaker, has learned to do so at some period subsequent to that of early childhood. Some indeed of the employments of life, such as those of auctioneers, debaters and lawyers, are certain to develope the habit of using the speaking voice, yet those whose regular duties call only for the delivery of compositions previously prepared, are not in circumstances that necessarily elicit this peculiar action of the vocal organs. Boys and young men never exhibit it except after considerable practice; when once however it is established, from that time they find no difficulty in speaking whenever they wish to do so. They may indeed afterwards improve in delivery, but as soon as they practically understand how to command the voice that distinguishes speaking from talking or from reading, they feel a consciousness of having acquired a new faculty, and are ever after confident of their ability to use it. It is indeed a kind of muscular action, which like that of swimming or of skating, is perhaps attained after a long continuance of repeated efforts, but when in fact mastered, is often gained suddenly and at once. Like these acts likewise, that of

speaking when once learned, is never forgotten or lost from want of practice. All the three may also be learned either slowly, or suddenly and by an instantaneous and felicitous effort. The author continually witnesses instances of the latter kind as well as the former. He has been in the habit of telling those who after a long continued repetition of failures, suddenly break into the speaking tone, that from that time forwards, they will be able to speak.

These facts upon which we have been dwelling so long, lie at the foundation of all philosophical and practical elocution. Though they have been too much overlooked by men of learning, yet the unlearned part of the community have always felt that the very act of speaking is a distinct and peculiar one. A sensible and respectable man will say to a teacher, "In town meetings I can talk but I cannot speak, and I wish my child to be taught at school to speak, so that he may take a higher stand than his father." The most ignorant class of enthusiasts in religion indeed esteem the distinction so fundamental, that they attach an obscure idea of inspiration to a suddenly acquired faculty of making religious harangues. President Dwight remarks of this class of religious instructors, that they are generally superior to their hearers in nothing but volubility.* They might also be described as differing from their hearers in the power of using the speaking voice at pleasure.

It is the object of the present volume to assist in acquiring the art of public speaking. The whole course

* Dwight's Travels.

of instruction has for its fundamental idea that the acquisition of this art results in the case of all but a very small number of men, from some course of mental or bodily training. This may be acquired after entering upon life, as is so often done by lawyers and debaters, through practice before audiences; but it is generally considered desirable, that those who are gaining a liberal education should be enabled to step forth from the seclusion of a seminary of learning, adorned and equipped with this addition to their other accomplishments.

This volume is prepared with an express adaptation to the wants of the institution in which its author is employed, and is confined strictly to the topics which he is constantly called on to discuss in the course of his instructions, and in answer to the numerous enquiries of intelligent young men. The lengthened introduction which follows is addressed exclusively to the students of the institution, and is rendered necessary by there being new classes to teach in each successive year.

As "The Philosophy of the Human Voice," by Dr. Rush, is a large volume, and found difficult of comprehension by many, the writer would particularly recommend to those who wish to become acquainted with that gentleman's discoveries, a neat and elegant treatise by Prof. Henry N. Day, of Western Reserve College, which is an independent work on the same general plan. New Haven, Dec. 31, 1845.