97. Do not slur the final o in such words as occasion, invention, &c. ; nor give the sound of u to a in Indian (Ind'y'an); nor that of fle or fel to the ful of awful, beautiful, and the like; nor that of um to the m in chasm, prism, patriotism, &c. Do not dismiss the letter d from such words as and, minds, hands, depends, sends, &c.

98. Do not say git for get, hoss for horse, idee for idea, thar for there, potry for poetry, jest for just, ketch for catch, kittle for kettle, stah for star, fur for far, ben for been (bin), doos for does (duz), agin for again (agen), ware for were (wur), tharefore for therefore (thurfore), air for are (ar, the a as in far).

99. It is a common fault with slovenly readers to convert the element ng into n in words of more than one syllable, ending in ing. Such readers tell us of their goin' to meetin', startin' in the mornin', seein' one comin', &c.; giving us to infer that they either have a bad cold in the head or have been but indifferently attentive to their elocutionary studies. Always avoid this vulgarism.

100. Where Consonants precede or follow the letter s, care should be taken to avoid the too frequent practice of improperly dropping the sound of one letter or more. For example, in the line, -"And thou exist'st and striv'st as duty prompts," — the sound of the italicized consonants is often imperfectly rendered. So we hear acts incorrectly pronounced ax; facts, fax; reflects, reflex; expects, expex, &c.

101. Great liberties are often taken with the letter r. Do not say bust for burst, thust for thirst, wuth for worth, fust for first, dust for durst, &c. Do not say Cubar for Cuba, lawr for law, wawr for war, pawtial for partial, Larrence for Lawrence, stawm for storm, mawn for morn, cawn for corn. The vibrant sound of the r should not be muffled in such words as rural, rugged, trophy, early, warrior, margin, arch, garment, &c.

102. The sound of the element sh, in syllables commencing with shr, should be heeded; as in the line, "He shrilly shrieking shrank from shriving him." In these and similar words, sh is often perverted into s by bad speakers, as if shrug were srug. To the preservation of the aspirate sound of wh in such words as what, whale, whither, when, &c., attention should be given.

103. A thorough and well-defined articulation will leave a hearer in no doubt as to which word is meant in articulating the following: When, wen; whether, weather; what, wot; wheel, weal; where, wear; whist, wist; while, wile; whet, wet; whey, way; which, witch; whig, wig, whin, win; whine, wine; whirled, world; whit, wit; whither, wither; white, wight; wheeled, wield.

QUESTIONS. -89. Of what must an articulation consist? 90. Name instances in which words ending in al, an, ance, &c., are badly articulated. 91. Words ending in el, en, ent, ens, ess, &c. 92. In er. 93. In in, ity, ille, &c. 94. In o, or, ow, &c. 95. In what class of words ought u to have its long, diphthongal sound? 96. How

do you pronounce such words as b-o-a-t, s-o-a-p, &c.? 97. Pronounce a-w-f-u-l, &c. 98. G-e-t, c-a-t-c-h, b-e-e-n, d-o-e-s, a-r-e, &c. 99. What of the termination in ing? 100. Pronounce a-c-t-s, r-e-f-l-e-c-t-s, &c. 101. Pronounce b-u-r-s-t, l-a-w, c-o-r-n, &c. 102, 103. What of the omission of the aspirate? Repeat some words in which the elements sh and wh are slurred by bad readers.

LESSON VII.

OF EXERCISES IN ARTICULATION.

104. THE voice should be thoroughly exercised in the Elementary sounds given in the Table under Paragraph 20. Beginning with the Vowel sounds, let the different sounds of a in father, fat, fate, fall, be detached from the words in which they occur, and distinctly emitted with a quick, clean, percussive utterance, requiring as slight an expenditure as possible of breath. Proceed in the same way to practise on the other Vowel sounds, till you can deliver them with nicety and accuracy, separately as well as in combination with Consonants.

105. A good succeeding exercise is to combine the Elementary Vowel sounds with the possible Elementary Consonant sounds, in their order, as in the Table mentioned above; thus (the a as in father): ha, ma, na, la, ra, pa, ba, fa, va, tha (th hard, as in thin), tha (th soft, as in thine), ta, da, ka, ga (g as in gun), sa, za, sha, za (z as in azure). Then make the same Consonant combinations with short à in făt, long ā in fāte, broad a in fall, long e in mete, and the other Vowel sounds, simple and compound, according to their order in the Table.

106. As a next exercise, the Vowel sound may be made to precede the Consonant, and such combinations as the following may afford a fitting practice for the voice; thus (the a throughout as in father): ah, ang, am, an, al, ar, ap, ab, af, av, ath (th hard, as in thin), ath (th soft, as in thine), at, ad, ak, ag (g as in gun), ash, az, &c. Then place in similar juxtaposition with Consonants the other Elementary Vowel sounds, simple and compound, a in fat, e in met, u in mute, &c., and continue the practice. These combinations may be easily written out, and much benefit derived from exercising the voice on them, till a clear and accurate articulation of all the Vowel sounds is attained.

107. In what we say of Consonants we allude to their actual sounds, and not to the arbitrary names given to them in the Alphabet. There are many difficult Consonant combinations in the English language, to the proper utterance of which careful practice is essential. Several of the Consonants, as they are heard at the beginning or at the end of a word, can be enunciated independently, although the aid of a Vowel sound may at first seem indispensable. The student can test this, by suddenly suspending the voice before it reaches the Vowel in such com

ON EXERCISES IN ARTICULATION.

31

binations as b'a, d'a, &c.; or by prolonging the Consonant sound after the Vowel in ab—b; eb—b; ib—b; ad—d; ed-d; id-d, &c.; or before, as in b-be; d-de; g-ge, &c.

108. "In taking some of the mute consonants (p, b, ƒ, v, t, d, th, k, I, s, z, sh, zh)," says Professor Latham, and pronouncing them as independently of any Vowel as it is possible to do, we shall succeed in making an imperfect sound. Now, if the mute consonant so taken and uttered be one of the following, p, f, t, th (as in thin), k, s, or sh, the sound will be that of a whisper. The sound of p', ť (such as it is), is that of a man speaking under the natural pitch of his voice, and at a whisper.

109. "But if the mute consonant so taken and uttered be any one of the following, b, v, d, th (as in thine), g, z, or zh, the sound will be that of a man speaking at the natural pitch of his voice, and with a certain degree of loudness and clearness." After experimenting upon the independent consonant elements thus indicated, — carefully distinguishing their alphabetical names from their actual sounds, the student may proceed to practise his voice upon the combinations which they form.

110. The following Exercises contain nearly all the difficult consonant combinations that can occur in English speech. By delivering the words of each paragraph according to the punctuation, at first deliberately, and then more rapidly, as practice makes perfect, they will be found to serve as exercises in respiration as well as in articulation. In elocution, it is important to acquire the power of keeping the lungs well filled by frequent and imperceptible inspirations.

111. To gain this power, the exercise is recommended of prolonging the simple Vowel sounds musically to the full extent of expiratory power; silently replenishing the lungs, and recommencing the sound as expeditiously as possible. The same principle of exercise in connection with articulation may be obtained in counting, by pronouncing the numbers from one to a thousand deliberately and distinctly, with as few perceptible breathings as possible.

EXERCISES IN CONSONANT COMBINATIONS.

I. Orb'd; prob'dst, trouble; troubl'st, troubl'd, troubl'dst; troubles, brand, probes, prob'st; waddle, waddl'st, waddl'd, waddl'dst, waddles; hard'n, hard'n'st, hard'n'd, hard'n'dst, hard'ns, drove; deeds, didst, breadth, breadths, bragg'd, bragg'dst, glow; mingle, mingl'st, mingl'd, mingl'dst, mingles, grow, wags, wagg'st; hedg'd, bulb, bulb'd, bulbs, hold, holds, hold'st, bulge, bulg'd; whelm, whelm'd, whelms, fall'n, shelve, shelves, balls, silk, silks, hulks.

II. Mulct; mulcts, help; help'd, helps, help'st; scalp'st, halt, halts, halt'st; gulf, gulfs, delft, false, fall'st; health, healths, filch, filch'd, entomb'd, entomb'dst; tombs, scamp, scamps, attempt, attempts, nymph, nymphs; entomb'st, send, sends, send'st, range, rang'd, guns, hang'd; hang'dst, hangs, strength, strengths, wink, wink'd, winks, wink'st, daunt; daunts, daunt'st, wince, winc'd, hyacinth, hyacinths, flinch, flinch'd, barb, barb'st.

III. Barb'd; barb'dst, barbs; heard, heard'st, bards; burgh, burghs, urge, urg'd; hurl, hurl'st, hurl'd, hurl'dst, hurls; warm, warm'st, warm'd, warm'dst, warms, warmth; turn, turn'st, turn'd, turn'dst, burnt, burns, curve; curv'st, curv'd, curv'dst, curves, wars, bark, barks, bark'st; bark'd, bark'dst, carp, carps, carp'st, carp'd, carp'dst, hurt, hurts; hurt'st, turf, turf'd, turfs, purse, burst, bursts, hearth, hearths, harsh.

IV. Search; search'd, striv'd; striv'dst, driv'l, driv'l'st; driv'l'd, driv'l'dst, driv'ls, heav'n; heav'ns, eleventh, drives, driv'st, amaz'd; muzzle, muzzl❜st, muzzl'd, muzzl'dst, muzzles, prism; prisms, prison, imprison'st, imprison'd, imprison'dst, prisons, wreath'd; wreaths, wreath'st, wreath, truckle, truckl'st, truckl'd, truckl'dst, truckles; black'n, blacken'st, black'n'd, black'n'dst, black'ns, crafty, act, acts, racks; ripple, rippl'st, rippl'd, rippl'dst, ripples, prove, crypt, crypts, clips, clipp'st.

V. Depth; depths, settle; settl'st, settl'd, trust; combats, combat'st, flame, trifle; trifl'st, trifl'd, trifl'dst, trifles, fragment; waft, wafts, laughs, laugh'st, fifth; fifths, slaughter, nestle, nestl'st, nestl'd, nestl'dst, nestles ; smoke, snail, basin, basins, skip, mask, mask'd, masks; mask'st, har'ass'dst, screw, spatter, rasp, rasp'd, rasps, spring, splash; stay, bust, busts, streets, strides, logarithm, logarithms, through, smith'd, youths, shrink.

QUESTIONS. -104. What practice on Vowel sounds is recommended? 105. On their combinations with consonant sounds? 106. What other combination is suggested? 107. Can Consonant sounds be uttered independently of Vowels? How can this be tested? 108, 109. What difference is found in the mute Consonants in uttering them independently of Vowels? 110. What is said of the management of the breath in reading? 111. What exercise is suggested?

LESSON VIII.

112. In the following exercises, most of the noteworthy difficulties in the articulation of our language have been introduced. In some of the collocations of words, little regard has been had to the sense, the object being either to accumulate difficulties in Consonant combinations or to illustrate varieties of Vowel sounds and their equivalents. Look out all words of doubtful pronunciation in the dictionary.

EXERCISES IN ARTICULATION.

I. A father's fate calls Fancy to beware. All in the hall here haul the aul all ways. Aunt's heart and hearth 32 are better than her head. And shall I, sir'rah, guarantee your plaid? Arraign his reign to-day; the great rain gauge.28 And so our whaling ended all in wailing. Accent' the ac'cent accurately always.

II. Awful, awe, taught, nor, broad, ought, maul. Bulb, bribe, barb, babbling, bibber. Biding thou budg'dst, and budging bravely bidest. Bubbles, hubbubs, barbarous, public. Canst give the blind a notion of an ocean? Churlish chi

EXERCISES IN ARTICULATION.

83

rographers 47 chromatic chanters. Chivalry's 47 chief chid the churl's chaffering choice chimerical.47

Di

III. Call her; her choler at the collar scorning. Crime craves the Czar's indictment curious. Despised despoilers tracked the dastard's doom. aph'ǎnous delusions dep'recate. Drach'mas 47 disdain dispersed despotically. Earn earth's dear tears, whose dearth the heart's hearth inurns.

IV. England her men metes there a generous measure. Cæsar deceives the people from his seat. The key to that machine is in the field. Friends, heads, heifers, leopards, bury, any. Examine, estimate the eggs exactly.

V. Faults? He had faults; I said he was not false. Facundious Philip's flippant fluency. Ghastly the gibbous 50 anger gorges gnomes. Go! though rough coughs and hiccoughs plough thee through! Grudg'st thou, and gib'dst 50 thou, Gorgon, with thy gyves? 50

VI. He humbly 54 held the hostler's horse an hour. His honest rhetoric exhilarates.54 Hear'st thou this hermit's heinous heresy? He twists the texts to suit the several sects. Hope, boats, roads, coats, and loads of grōats and soap. Why hăr'ass❜dst thou him thus inhumanly?

VII. In either 32 place he dwells, in neither fails. Is he in life through one great terror led? In one great error rather is he not? Is there a name — - is there an aim more lofty? I say the judges ought to arrest the culprit. I say the judges sought to arrest the culprit.

VIII. Janglingly jealous jeered the Jacobin. June's azure day sees the jay gayly jump. Knavish the knack could compass such a knot. Keep cool, and learn that cavils cannot kill. Kentucky knows the dark and bloody ground.

IX. Long, lank, and lean, he illy lectured me. Lo! there behold the scenes of those dark ages. The scenes of those dark cages, did you say? Me-te'orous and me-te-or'ic vapors. Mulctedst thou him? In misery he

mopes.

X. Myrrh by the murderous myrmidons was brought. Man is a microcosm, a mimic world. Mute, moping, maimed, in misery's murmurs whelm'd. Mammon's main monument a miscreant makes. Moments their solemn realm to Memnon give.

XI. Neigh me no nays; know me now, neighbor Dobbin. Nipt now the flower is riv'n, forever fall'n. Nymphs 60 range the forests still till rosy dawn. Nay! did I say I scream? I said ice cream. Never thou clasp'dst more fleeting triumphs here.

XII. O'er wastes and deserts, waste sand deserts straying. On the hard wharf the timid dwarf was standing. O, note the occasion, yeoman, hautboy, 28 beau! Or'thoëpy precedes orthog'raphy. Ob'ligatory objects then he

offered.

XIII. Pre'cedents ruled pre-ce'dent Pres'idents. Poor, painted pomp of pleasure's proud parade. Pharmacy far more farmers cures than kills. Psyche (si'ke) puts out the sphinx's 60 pseudo pipe. Politics happ'n to be uppermost. The room's perfumed' with per'fumes popular.

61

XIV. Quilp quoted Quarles's quiddities and quirks. Queens and coquets quickly their conquests quit. Quacks in a quan'dary were quaking there. Quench'd'st thou the quarrel of the quid'nuncs then? Quiescent Quixotism and quibbling quizzing.

XV. Rave, wretched rover, ĕrring, rash, and perjured. Rude, rugged