2. By an alteration in the rate of the voice as to quickness or slowness. 3. By an abatement of the previous force or loudness. 4. by a change in the phrases of melody.

The falling on the monotone, for a short space, has often a striking effect. All these circumstances will of course, be most conspicuous during the pronunciation of the few first sentences, at the fresh paragraphs, after which the voice will naturally escape into the freer expansion of a more animated delivery. Always at the introduction of a subject requiring a new paragraph the directions here given should be followed. But, in slighter degrees, the changes insisted upon should occasionally be introduced, to mark the opening of successive sentences.

Pupils never find any difficulty in obtaining a command over the changes of the voice here described after they have been once clearly explained and exhibited to them.

The subject of transition may be somewhat farther illustrated by example: and as it is one of considerable practical moment, we subjoin the following extract for the purpose of further explanation.

1. At midnight, in his guarded tent,

The Turk was dreaming of the hour,

When Greece, her knee in suppliance bent,
Should tremble at his power;

In dreams, thro' camp and court, he bore

The trophies of a conqueror;

In dreams his song of triumph heard;

Then wore his monarch's signet ring,
Then pressed that monarch's throne-a king;
As wild his thoughts, and gay of wing,

As Eden's garden bird.

3. An hour passed on.-The Turk awoke :
That bright dream was his last;

He woke to hear the sentry's 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 falling thick and fast
As lightnings from the mountain cloud :
And heard, with voice as trumpet loud,
Bozzarris 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,
God—and your native land!"

4. They fought-like brave men, long and well,
They piled that ground with Moslem slain,
They conquered-but Bozzarris fell,

Bleeding at every vein.

Marco Bozzarris. Elocutionist, p. 307.

The whole of the first section of the superscribed extract, should be read with about the same quality, rate, and pitch of voice, which are employed in conversation, with perhaps a little more force. The second sentence should begin about a radical third lower, with monotone, and a slower movement. Upon the third line, the voice should rise somewhat higher in pitch, with some increase of rate; while upon the fourth, it should be still louder, higher, and more rapid. Upon the last four lines especially, the delivery, should be loud, high and rapid.

The voice should again fall in pitch, upon the commencement of the next section, and should be slow in its movement, with a prevalence of the monotone.

These remarks may serve the purpose of explaining more fully, what we mean by transition.

It is less marked in all its circumstances, in prose composition, than in the extract above cited. Indeed, great

transitions of force and pitch are generally unnatural; and to be carefully avoided, except under circumstances of violent passion: but these are for the most part confined to the stage, and never occur in ordinary composition.

QUESTIONS TO RECITATION SEVENTH.

1. How is the most impressive kind of cadence formed?

2. What are the circumstances to be particularly attended to, in order to effect transitions in the voice? 3. Under what circumstances are they to be employed?

9*

RECITATION EIGHTH.

THE application of the rising and falling thirds, fifths, and octaves, as well as the different waves of the voice, will be seen under the head of emphasis, and that of the language of emotion.

EMPLOYMENT OF QUANTITY.

The extension of the time of syllables without changing their standard pronunciation, is one of the most important uses of the voice. It is not possible to give a serious, solemn, or dignified expression to speech, nor to employ one of the forms of emphasis of a highly impressive and agreeable character, without a command over quantity. Some syllables cannot be extended in their time without changing their natural sound, or rendering their pronunciation affected. Act, pit, cat, fate, dip, are of this sort. So also are blood, carry, memory, abominable. Others again are capable of great prolongation, and with an increase of pleasure to the ear. Hail, all, the, isle, own, how, are of this description.

If any person will take these words one by one, and pronounce them as shortly as possible, and then draw them out more and more, at successive efforts, till (without changing the common and acknowledged sound,) he finds that they are lengthened to such a degree as to become very emphatic, he will obtain an elementary notion of quantity. When this is done properly, the syl

lables are just what they were before, except that they are vastly longer, without drawl, and with a finer effect upon the ear. The high degree of impressive emphasis thus communicated, even upon a solitary syllable, will at once demonstrate the importance of that mutable character, which it possesses as to time. Indeed, how could such a curious power of varying them, be given in vain. It is, like many other powers of voice, directly related to the language of emotion, for the use of all those who have any.

There are syllables susceptible of slight extension, which are intermediate between the two classes above described.

If a syllable cannot be extended in quantity, without changing the elementary sounds which compose it, or rendering its pronunciation affected, it is not to have it. Such a syllable may be considered as immutable with regard to its time. The conditions above stated, limit the time of such syllables as are immutable. Those which are capable of great extension, may be termed indefinite. In giving great length to syllables, and avoiding at the same time, any other form of emphasis except that of time, the flexure of the wave of the second, is necessarily assumed, because the simple rise or fall of the voice is not of sufficient duration for the display of very extended quantity. A power of giving great quantity, therefore, implies a power over the wave, and a few trials will communicate it to the student. The exhibition of quantity is to be perfectly free from the slightest drawl. This can only be avoided by taking care to give the syllable with a gradual lessening of the volume of the voice, during its pronunciation, and by ending it with the vanish for