INDIVIDUAL PRACTICE.

1. Honour thy father and mother, both in word and deed, that their blessing may come upon thee.

2. My son, help thy father in his age, and grieve him not as long as he liveth.

3. Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deeds slack and remiss.

4. My son, gather instruction from thy youth up: so shalt thou find wisdom till thine old age.

:

5. Be not slow to visit the sick for that shall make thee to be beloved.

6. Whatsoever thou takest in hand, remember the end, and thou shalt never do amiss.

7. Open not thine heart to every man, lest he requite thee a shrewd turn.

8. Strive not in a matter that concerneth thee not. 9. He that can rule his tongue, shall live without strife. 10. Better is he that hideth his folly, than a man that hideth his wisdom.

11. It is the rudeness of a man to hearken at the door : but a wise man will be grieved with the disgrace. 12. Many have fallen by the edge of the sword: but not so many as have fallen by the tongue.

NOTE. As a further exercise, the 12th chapter of PROVERBS may be read.

CHAPTER VIII.—The Natural Pitch of the Voice.

The natural pitch of the voice is that particular elevation of sound in which a person naturally and generally speaks, and which is, consequently, most easily sustained.

It is capable of different degrees of loudness,1 force, and modulation, without essentially affecting its fundamental character; but when a higher pitch than is

1 The teacher may illustrate this on a note of music; and explain the accordance between the different degrees of loudness of the same note, and the like variations of the ordinary voice.

natural is adopted, it occasions fatigue, and not unfrequently fails of effect. We may speak louder or softer

in the same key.

When too high a pitch is attained, a kind of scream or shriek is produced, and a return to the lower and natural pitch becomes very difficult.

The use of too high a pitch is a common fault in declamation, and requires to be carefully guarded against. Within the natural compass of the voice, the pitch itself may be varied, if the sentiment so require.

It is sometimes convenient, in commencing an address, to use a pitch rather lower than the natural, and rise to it gradually; but this is an exceptional practice, and not to be regarded as a rule.

CHAPTER IX.-Suspension of the Voice, and Pause.

To be able to sustain the voice to the end of a sentence, and enunciate every word distinctly, has been already shown to be very important; but the power of sustaining the voice is not all that is required in good reading.

Pauses are sometimes required in the middle, and even between the members, of a sentence, to give effect to the meaning and sentiment of the writer.

Such pauses (useful also for drawing breath) must be introduced with judgment, and with due regard to proper effect.

They require the voice to be suspended in such manner as to indicate the sense is incomplete; but their length must depend on the nature of the subject. In ordinary cases, the suspension should be short and slight.

Many rules have been given in relation to pauses; but the exceptions are so numerous, that, probably, it is the best course to be guided only by observation, discretion, and common sense.

The following Exercises will show the necessity of duly considering the Pause, and introducing it in its right place :-

EXAMPLES.

(To be read by selected pupils, the different effects to be
pointed out by the teacher.)

The Hyphen (-) denotes the SUSPENDING PAUSE.

I. Read the examples, as the suspending pauses are marked; and in the instances intended for comparison, state which of the two appears to convey the author's meaning :—

1. These - emmets how little they are in

our eyes! We tread them - to dust, and - a troop of them dies. These emmets, - how little - they are, in our eyes! We tread them to dust - and - a troop of them dies. 2. In works of labour, - or of - skill,

I would be - busy - too ;

For Satan - finds some - mis-chief - still -
For idle hands to do.

I - would be busy - too

For Satan finds - some mischief still

For idle hands - to do.

a hard, he is - an exact

3. Though God is not Master. His service, though not reasonable service.

Though God is not a hard - he is an exact - Master. His service - though not severe, - is a reasonable service. -The fault was mine

4.

To place thee there, where only thou couldst fail. II. Read the following as marked; afterwards Omit the suspending pauses, and note the difference:

INDIVIDUAL PRACTICE.

(The whole class in turn.)

1. It shows, first that true devotion is rational, and well-founded; - next, - that it is of the highest importance to every other part of religion and virtue ; and, lastly - that it is more conducive to our happiness.

2. In the tomb, - the man of business forgets all his favourite schemes, - and discontinues the pursuits of gain. 3. Hitherto - may they go, - but no further.

4. Homer claims our attention as the father, - not only of epic poetry - but, in some measure, of poetry itself.

5. It is not that I love Cæsar - less - but, Rome

more.

6. Unblemish'd let me live, - or die unknown:
O, grant me honest fame - or grant ine none.

7. By foreign hands, thy dying eyes were closed, By foreign hands, thy decent limbs composed, By foreign hands, thy humble grave adorned, By strangers honour'd, - and by strangers mourned. A heap of dust alone, - remains of thee; 'Tis all thou art, - and all - the proud shall be.

Pope.

8. Help the poor, - for the commandments' sake; and turn him not away - because of his poverty.

9. Blessed is the man that doth meditate good things, in wisdom, - and that reasoneth of holy things, by understanding.

10. Once in the flight of ages past

There lived a man ; - and who was he? -
Mortal - howe'er thy lot be cast, -

That man resembled thee.

He suffered, but his pangs are o'er ; -
Enjoyed, but his delights are fled; -

Had friends, his friends are now no more;
And foes, his foes are dead.

He saw

whatever thou hast seen; Encountered - all that troubles thee:

He was - whatever thou hast been ;

He is what thou shalt be.

J. Montgomery.

CHAPTER X.-Inflections of the Voice.

Having learned the utility of the Suspending Pause, it is necessary to bear in mind that that pause is not an abrupt stop, but connected with certain modifications or inflections of the voice.

The three conditions of the voice, most commonly applied in good reading, are

1. Monotone, or, the level, uniform tone of the natural pitch.

2. The Rising Inflection,-which ascends above the natural pitch.

3. The Falling Inflection,-which falls below the natural pitch.

A correct idea of what is meant by the rising and falling inflection, can be conveyed only by the ORAL INSTRUCTION of the teacher. All that can be said here

is, that the former is not an abrupt, and, as it were, a sharp-pointed elevation of the voice; nor the latter a corresponding depression; but the rising inflection is a graceful, upward modulation of the suspending pause, with very little change of tone; and the falling inflection an equally graceful and distinct fall.

In all cases, however, the habitual recourse to what is called the throat voice, or the delivery of words from the throat, must be avoided. For clear enunciation, the sound must proceed from the palate when heard from the throat, it is deep, thick, and unpliant.

SIMULTANEOUS EXERCISES.

These exercises are to be read carefully and distinctly by the teacher; the pupils following him simultaneously. The RISING INFLECTION should be accompanied by the upward movement of the teacher's hand; the FALLING INFLECTION by the downward movement.

I. EXAMPLES, illustrating the two inflections, selected from "An Introduction to the Art of Reading; published by direction of the Commissioners of National Education, Ireland."