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The important words of a fentence, which I call naturally emphatical, have a claim to a confiderable force of voice; but particles, fuch, as of, to, as, and, &c. require no force of utterance, unless they happen to be emphatical, which is rarely the cafe. No perfon can read or speak well, unless he underftands what he reads; and the fenfe will always determin what words are emphatical. It is a matter of the highest con fequence, therefore that a fpeaker fhould clearly comprehend the meaning of what he delivers, that he may know where to lay the emphafis. This may be illuftrated by a fingle example. This fhort queftion will you ride to town to day? is capable of four different meanings, and confeqently of four different anfwers, according to the placing of the emphafis. If the emphafis is laid upon you, the question is whether you will ride to town or another perfon. If the emphasis is laid on ride, the question is, whether you will ride or go on foot. If the emphasis is laid on town, the question is, whether you will ride to town or to another place. If the emphasis is laid on to day, the question is whether you will ride to day or fome other day. Thus the whole meaning of a phrafe often depends on the emphafis; and it is abfolutely neceffary that it fhould be laid on the proper words.

Cadence is a falling of the voice in pronouncing the closing fyllable of a period. This ought not to be uniform, but different at the clofe of different fentences. *

But in interrogative fentences, the sense often requires the clofing word or fyllable to be pronounced with an elevated voice. This, however, is only when the last word is emphatical; as in this queftion, "Betrayeft thou the Son of Man with a kifs ?" Here the fubject of enquiry is, whether the common token of love and benevolence is prostituted to the purpofe of trechery; the force of the queftion depends on the laft word, which is therefore pronounced with an elevation of voice. But in this question, "Where is boafting

*

* We may obferve that good fpeakers always pronounce upon a certain key; for altho they modulate the voice according to the various ideas they exprefs, yet they retain the fame pitch of voice. -Accent and Emphafis require no elevation of the voice, but a more forcible expreffion on the fame key. Cadence refpects the last fyllable only of the fentence, which fyllable is actually pronounced with a lower tone of voics; but, when words, of feveral fyllables close a period, all the fyllables but the laft are onounced on the fame key as the rest of the fentence.

then The emphatical word is boating, which of courfe requires an elevation of voice.

The most natural pitch of voice is that in which we speak in common converfation. Whenever the voice is raised above this key, pronunciation is difficult and fatiguing. There is a difference between a loud and a high voice. A perfon may fpeak much louder than he does in ordinary difcourfe, without any elevation of voice: and he may be heard diftinctly, upon the fame key, either in a private room, or in a large affembly. RULE IV.

Let the Sentiments you exprefs be accompanied with proper Tones, Looks, and Gestures.

By tones are meant the various modulations of voice by which we naturally exprefs the emotions and paffions. By looks we mean the expreffion of the emotions and paffions in

the countenance.

Geftures are the various motions of the hands or body, which correspond to the feveral fentiments and paffions which the speaker defigns to exprefs.

All these fhould be perfectly natural. They fhould be the fame which we ufe in common converfation. A fpeaker, fhould endeavor to feel what he speaks; for the perfection of reading and speaking is to pronounce the words as if the sentiments were our own.

If a perfon is rehearsing the words of an angry man, he should affume the fame furious looks; his eyes fhould flash with rage, his geftures fhould be violent, and the tone of his voice threatening. If kindness is to be expreffed, the countenance hould be calm and placid, and wear a fmile; the tone fhould be mild, and the motion of the hand inviting. An example of the first, we have in these words: " Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." An example of the laft, in these words, "Come, ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world."

A man who should repeat thefe different paffages with the fame looks, tones and geflures, would pafs, with his hearers, for a very injudicious fpeaker.

Let a read

The whole art of reading and speaking all the rules of eloquence may be comprised in this concife direction; er or Speaker exprefs every word as if the fentiments were his own.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS for expreffing certain

PASSIONS OR SENTIMENTS.

[From the Art of Speaking.]

MIRTH or Laughter opens the mouth, crifps the nofe, leffens the aperture of the eyes, and fhakes the whole frame. Perplexity draws down the eye-brows, hangs the head, cafts down the eyes, clofes the eye lids, fhuts the mouth, and pinches the lips; then fuddenly the whole body is agitated, the perfon walks about bufily, ftops abruptly, talks to himself, &c. Vexation adds to the foregoing, complaint, fretting, and lamenting.

Pity draws down the eye-brows, opens the mouth, anḍ draws together the features.

Grief is expreffed by weeping, ftamping with the feet, lifting up the eyes to heaven, &c.

Melancholy is gloomy and motionlefs, the lower jaw falls, the eyes are caft down and half fhut, words few, and interrupted with fighs.

Fear opens the eyes and mouth, fhortens the nofe, draws down the eye-brows, gives the countenance an air of wildness; the face becomes pale, the elbows are drawn back parallel with the fides, one foot is drawn back, the heart beats violently, the breath is quick, the voice weak and trembling. Sometimes it produces fhrieks and fainting.

Shame turns away the face from the beholders, covers it with blushes, cafts down the head and eyes, draws down the eyebrows, makes the tongue to faulter, or ftrikes the perfon dumb.

Remorfe cafts down the countenance, and clouds it with anxiety. Sometimes the teeth gnash, and the right hand beats the breast.

Courage, fteady and cool, opens the countenance, gives the whole form an erect and graceful air. The voice is firm, and the accent ftrong and articulate.

Boafling is loud and bluftering. The eyes ftare, the face is red and bloated, the mouth pouts, the voice is hollow, the arms akimbo, the head neds in a threatening manner, the right fift fometimes clenched and brandished.

Pride affumes a lofty look, the eyes open, the mouth pouting, the lips pinched, the words flow and stiff, with an air of importance, the arms akimbo, and the legs at a distance, or taking large ftrides.

Authority opens the countenance, but draws down the eyebrows a little, fo as to give the perfon an air of gravity. Commanding requires a peremptory tone of voice, and a fe. vere look.

Inviting is expreffed with a fmile of complacency, the hand with the palm upwards, drawn gently towards the body.

Hope brightens the countenance, arches the eye-brows, gives the eyes an eager wifhful look, opens the mouth to half a fmile, bends the body a little forward.

Love lights up a fmile upon the countenance; the forehead is fmoothed, the eye-brows arched, the mouth a little open and fmiling, the eyes languifhing, the countenance affumes an eager wishful look, mixed with an air of fatisfaction. The ac cents are soft and winning, the tone of the voice flattering, &c.

Wonder opens the eyes, and makes them appear prominent. The body is fixed in a contracted ftooping pofture, the mouth is open, the hands often raifed. Wonder at first strikes a perfon damb; then breaks forth into exclamations.

Curiofity opens the eyes and mouth, lengthens the neck, bends the body torward, and fixes it in one pofture, &c.

Anger is expreffed by rapidity, interruption, noife and trepidation, the neck is ftretched out, the head nodding in a threatening manner. The eyes red, staring, rolling, fparkling; the eye-brows drawn down over them, the forehead wrinkled, the noftrils stretched, every vein fwelled, every muf cle ftrained. When anger is violent, the mouth is opened, and drawn towards the ears, fhewing the teeth in a grafhing pofture; the feet stamping, the right hand thrown out, threatening with a clenched fift, and the whole frame agitated.

Peevishness is expreffed in nearly the fame manner, but with more moderation; the eyes a fquint upon the object of dif pleasure, the upper lip drawn up difdainfully

Malice fets the jaws, or gnashes with the teeth, fends flashes from the eyes, draws the mouth down towards the ears, clenches the fift and bends the elbows.

Envy is expreffed in the fame manner, but more moderately. Averfion turns the face from the object, the hands fpread out to keep it off.

Jealousy fhews itself by restleffnefs, peevishnefs, thoughtfulness, anxiety, abfcence of mind. It is a mixture of a variety of paffions, and affumes a variety of appearances.

Contempt affumes a haughty air; the lips clofed, and pouting.

Modefty or humility bends the body forward, cafts down the eyes. The voice is low, the words few, and tone of utterance fubmiffive.

In the following Lessons, there are many examples of antithefis, or oppofition in the fenfe. For the benefit of the learner, fome of thefe examples are distinguished by Italic Letters; and the words fo marked are emphatical.

SELECT SENTENCES.

TEACHING.

CHAP. I.

To be very active in laudible pursuits is the diftinguishing

characteristic of a man of merit.

There is a heroic innocence, as well as a heroic courage. There is a mean in all things. Even virtue itfelf has its ftated limits, which not being strictly observed, it ceafes to be 'virtue.

It is wider to prevent a quarrel before hand, than to revenge it afterwards.

It is much better to reprove, than to be angry fecretly.

No revenge is more heroic than that which torments envy by doing good.

The difcretion of a men deferreth his anger, and it is his glory to pafs over a tranfgreffion.

Money, like manure, does no good till it is fpread.

There is no real ufe of riches, except in the diftribution ; the reft is all conceit.

A wife man will defire no more than what he may get juslly, ufe foberly, diftribute cheerfully, and live upon contentedly.

A contented mind, and a good conscience, will make a man happy in all conditions. He knows not how to fear, who dares to die.

There is but one way of fortifying the foul againft all gloomy perfages and terrors of the mind; and that is, by fecuring to ourfelves the friendship and protection of that Being who dif poses of events and governs futurity. Philofophy is then only valuable, when it ferves for the law of life, and not for the oftentation of fcience.

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