EXAMPLES.

1. Every condition of life-be it what it may-has both hardships and pains.

2. Whatever future advances of science may do for us in the matter-and I hope they may do much I am afraid I must still say this relation is a mystery.

3. One truth is clear-enough for man to know

Virtue alone is happiness below.

4. In parts superior what advantage lies?

Tell-for you can-what is it to be wise?

5. Superintendent Brown has again been doing a very sensible thing (no uncommon thing for him) in the way of submitting a revised course of study for high schools.

6. God bless the man who first invented sleep!

(So Sancho Panza said, and so say I,)

And bless him, also, that he did not keep
The great discovery to himself, by making it
(As well the lucky fellow might)
A close monopoly of patent-right.

CADENCE.

Cadence signifies that easy, natural dropping of the voice at the end of a sentence or passage, which denotes completeness of sense, or that the speaker has ended what he has to say on that point. No rules can be given which will enable the speaker or reader to regulate the tone and movements of the voice so as to always have a good cadence.

The simplest form of the cadence can be best illustrated by counting one, two, three, four, five, in a deliberate manner, and paying particular attention to the tone of the voice; on five, it will be noticed, the voice falls a little, takes a fuller tone, and denotes that the enumeration is complete.

(1) 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

Give several names in succession, as if calling the roll; as, (2) Roberts, Durham, Noble, Paxton, Henderson, Barclay, Ruble, Freeman, etc. Connect the last names or particulars by the conjunction and, letting the voice rise a little on the last particular but one, and fall, as in the previous example, on the last one, thus: (3) Baltimore, Springfield, Omaha, New Orleans, Cleveland, Chicago, and St. Paul.

(4) The Amazon, La Plata, Mississippi, Missouri, St. Lawrence, Orinoco, and Ohio are among the longest rivers of the New World.

EXPRESSION.

Expression, as applied to oral reading or to speaking, means the rendering of the sense and sentiment of what is read or spoken in the clearest, fullest, most pleasing, and most appropriate manner. Its general meaning is to make manifest thought and to portray feeling.

Expression in elocution, like expression in every other art, may be good, bad, or indifferent. Of the sculptor, painter, and musician, it is sometimes said "he lacks in expression," by which is meant he failed to bring out with distinctness, simplicity, and naturalness, that which he undertook to express.

Expression in speaking means not only the bringing out of the meaning of what is spoken, in the clearest and most appropriate manner, but also the correct and forcible expression of every shade of emotion or passion, and the accurate impersonation of character.

The thing most necessary to attend to in order to obtain correct expression, is to make sure that you have something to express, and that you have clear and original ideas of the meaning of what you are about to read or speak. Old Dr. Beecher, in his advice to the students of Lane

Seminary, said, "Fill yourself chock-full of the subject; then pull out the bung, and let nature caper."

He who has an easy utterance, a distinct articulation, and a clear, full voice, will not be likely to fail in his efforts to express what he knows, believes, or feels, in an appropriate and effective manner.

"To paint the passion's force, and paint it well,

The proper action nature's self will tell."

Do not try to imitate the style of reading or speaking of any one have your own style.

CHANGING THE EXPRESSION BY CHANGING THE EMPHASIS AND VARYING THE DELIVERY.

EXAMPLE.

James said the captain would return home next Saturday.

Place the emphasis, first, exclusively on James, and give all other words in the passage in a light, tripping tone, as if answering the question, Who said the captain would return home next Saturday? Then emphasize successively the words: Said, captain, would, return, home, next, and Saturday. Each time it is delivered, it should convey a different meaning. Give it with every variation of affirmation, interrogation, and negation that you can command, and always with simplicity and naturalness. By changing the passage, and commencing with the words, James did not say, instead of James said, it becomes negative, and should be rendered in a tone and manner expressing denial. Then give it as if carrying on a conversation with a person on the opposite side of the street; then as if talking to some one still farther away from you; and so on to the utmost extent of your vocal capability.

Express it also both interrogatively and affirmatively in a

very pleasant tone and manner; in a sullen, surly manner; in a careless, indifferent, sleepy tone and manner; in a very irritable or excited tone and manner; in a scornful or ironical tone; in a respectful, deferential tone; in a very serious tone, and in a merry, laughing tone, etc.

These exercises, carefully practiced, will facilitate the progress of the student in acquiring a command of the tones, looks, and action by which different meanings can be conveyed, and the various emotions and passions of the soul expressed.

EMPHASIS.

Emphasis does not consist in any peculiar force or stress of voice. It includes every tone, look, posture, gesture, or movement that it may be necessary to employ to express clearly the meaning, and to give the full signification intended by the words spoken.

Generally, emphasis consists chiefly in an increase of vocal force on those words, or parts of a discourse, to the significance of which the speaker intends to call special attention.

No rules can be given which will guide the reader or speaker to a correct use of emphasis. The feeling that prompts to utterance, and the meaning that the speaker wishes to convey, must determine the seat and the kind of emphasis. Nature left to herself will best guide to its right use, when we express our real feelings and convictions. He who fully understands and appreciates what he says will seldom make a mistake in emphasis. A want of knowledge of the sense or sentiment of what is read or spoken is the chief cause of faults in emphasis.

The delivery of persons who read, recite, or declaim without understanding the meaning of the language used, is generally either monotonous, or the emphasis is distributed

at random, and makes nonsense out of language which, if properly expressed, would make good sense.

When an idea is perfectly conceived, and entirely engrosses the attention at the moment it is delivered, nature will always suggest the correct emphasis and the right expression.

EMPHASIS IN DECLARATIVE SENTENCES.

Deliver each passage deliberately, distinctly, and precisely as if the thought was suggested at the moment of its utterance. Carefully avoid all recitative, declamatory, and artificial tones. Aim at simplicity, directness, and naturalness, and deliver each passage according to your own conception of its meaning.

EXAMPLES.

1. The perfection of art is to conceal art.

2. He is a very ingenuous person.

3. Any innocent employment or harmless amusement is better than idleness or emptiness.

4. It is useless to discuss any theory until we know what the theory is.

5. He is the greatest man who does the greatest service to his fellow men.

6. Science is the investigation of facts and phenomena, and of the causes which have brought them into existence.

7. Industry is a virtue that is highly valued among all people and in all nations.

8. The resisting of one temptation tends to disarm the next of its force.

9. The sweetest pleasure is that of imparting pleasure.

10. It is easier to acquire knowledge than to resist temptation.

DIRECTNESS.

One of the qualifications most necessary to successful delivery, either in private conversation or in public speaking or reading, is directness of manner. By directness is meant