Some are not content with the beautiful simple melody of speech with an occasional wave or slide of the octave, fifth and third; but must continually deal out the higher intervals exclusively, thus allowing no repose to the ear and producing a most disagreeable drawling, and monotonous delivery. Even in the loftiest and most imaginative styles of language, the simple rise and fall of the voice greatly preponderates: and the other intervals are applied occasionally to syllables, and are thus diffused through sentences. Proper pausing is better than the immoderate use of the wave and slide. TIME. Rapid.-Moderate.-Slow. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 a, a, a, a. e, e. i, i. o, 0, 0, o. u, u, u. oi,—ou. Even in quick time, seem to be rapid, but not so quick as to make the hearer lose what he would gladly remember. He then hears but forgets. Have the syllables abrupt, but yet take sufficient time in reading the words to be well understood. It requires great skill. Take the utmost pains to have each sound distinct. In slow time breathe deeply, make the sounds full and round, and if there is any tendency to drawling, it will disappear. QUICK. Like adder darting from his coil, Like wolf that dashes through the toil, MODERATE. There were light sounds of reveling. With music I come from my balmy home. There is no breeze upon the lake. The waves bound beneath me as a steed that knows his rider. A vision of beauty appeared on the clouds. The bells he jingled, and the whistle blew. Labor is but refreshment from repose. SLOW TIME-(GREAT QUANTITY). O thou Eternal One, whose presence bright Whom none can comprehend and none explore, Being whom we call GOD, and know no more. 1. As quick as possible.-Quick as the lightning's flash that illumines the night. 2. Very quick.-Charge for the golden lilies, now, upon them with the lance. 3. Quick.-Hurrah! the foes are moving. 4. Rather Quick.-Wild winds and mad waves drive the vessel a-wreck. 5. MEDIUM TIME. untainted. -What stronger breast-plate than a heart 6. Rather slow.-Slowly and sadly we laid him down. 7. Slow. The bell strikes one! we take no note of time, but from its loss. 8. Very slow.-Which like a wounded snake drags its slow length along. 9. The slowest time.-Slow tolls the village clock the drowsy hour. Then with Aspiration, the Tremor, and the Semitone, Force and Pitch. Now turn to some selection in the latter part of the book, and for practice, read first very slowly, then read the same piece in moderate time, and then just as fast as is possible to read and be distinct. The power of suspending the voice at pleasure, is one of the most useful attainments in the art of speaking. It enables the orator to pause as long as he chooses and still keep his hearers in expectation of what is to follow. When well done, the effects are wonderful. The speaker can take advantage of the pauses to inhale imperceptibly a copious supply of air, and collect his ideas. The pauses relieve the ear from the incessant flow of sound, and animate the meaning; they also divide and enforce the harmony of language. AFTER. BEFORE. VOICE AND ACTION. RULES FOR PAUSING 1. The nominative phrase. 2. The objective phrase in an inverted sentence. 4. Each member of a sentence. 5. The noun when followed by an adjective. 7. The infinitive mood. 11. Adverbs (generally). GENERAL RULE. Pause after every two or three words, and at the end of every line in poetry. Pauses are not breaks, they simply suspend the sense. They are short in rapid, long in slow reading. EXAMPLES. The passions of mankind' frequently3 blind them. With famine and death the destroying angel came. He exhibits now and then1 remarkable genius. 6 The morn was clear12 the eve6 was clouded. 7 It is prudent in every man to make early provision against the wants of age and the chances of accident. Nations like men fail in nothing which they boldly attempt11 when sustained by virtuous purpose1o and firm resolution.-H. Clay. A people 12 once enslaved1 may groan12 ages in bondage. 3 They cried "Death to the traitors!" NOTE.-Never pause between the verb and its objective case, in a direct sentence, unless other words intervene. THE MIDDLE PAUSE.-So called because it most frequently occurs in the middle of a sentence. EXAMPLE. These are the men + to whom + + arrayed in all the terrors of Government+I would say++you shall not degrade us into brutes.-Burke. MARCO BOZZARIS. At midnight+in his guarded+tent, In dreams, through camp+ and court, he bore+ In dreams, + his song+ of triumph+heard; Then pressed+that monarch's + throne - -a king; An hour+passed on,—the Turk+awoke; "To arms! they come! the Greek! the Greek!" "STRIKE—till+the last+armed+foe+ expires; They fought+like brave men, long+and well; Bleeding + at every+vein. His few + surviving + comrades+saw+ His smile, when rang+their proud+hurrah, Then saw+in death+his eyelids + close + Like flowers+at set+of sun. |