cipline, it is susceptible of wonderful improvement. In its highest state of cultivation, there is music in its tones. They fall on the ear in choicest melody, Untwisting all the chains that tie 3. The importance of a practical acquaintance with the PRINCIPLES OF ELOCUTION, can not be too highly appreciated by all who wish to become elegant readers or speakers. The advantages which it affords, are not only beneficial to public speakers, but are of great value even to persons engaged in the ordinary avocations of life. A practical knowledge of this science, enables the reader or speaker to render effective whatever he utters-to express his thoughts with A power which awakens, and a grace that charms. These principles, properly understood and applied, do not, as some suppose, tend to form forced, mechanical, and studied habits of expression; but they promote a natural, easy, and graceful mode of delivery, on the part of the reader or speaker, which, while it embellishes thought, enchains the attention of the hearer. 4. Beside these advantages, when it is considered that proper exercise in the various departments of Elocutionary Science, is adapted to promote the health and vigor of the vocal organs, its importance is greatly enhanced. In view of these facts, that the ORGAN of the voice-the most wonderful of musical instruments should remain uncultivated, unimproved, no regard being had to the development of its powers, or to the acquisition of skill in its management, is a neglect which can not be regarded otherwise than culpable. 5. Elementary instructions on the subject of Elocution, are presented in "THE SCHOOL READER, FOURTH Book," of this Series, with which the student should become familiar before proceeding to the following lessons, which are designed to exemplify those principles more fully than a work of that size would permit. LESSON I. ARTICULATION. 1. The first essential department of Elocution, refers to distinctness of utterance, or ARTICULATION. 2. ARTICULATION, in its present comprehensive sense, has reference, not only to distinctness in the utterance of the various sounds of the language, but also to their proportionate fullness in the enunciation of words and sentences. 3. As written language is composed of small characters, called LETTERS, SO vocal language is made up of small portions, called SOUNDS. The number of these elemental sounds, employed in speaking the English Language, is FORTY-ONE. 4. An ELEMENTAL SOUND is one which is not compounded, but is peculiar in itself. Therefore, each elemental sound differs from every other employed in vocal language. 5. The elemental sounds differ from each other, in quality or quantity, or in both quality and quantity. 6. QUALITY refers to the nature of a sound, requiring a peculiar position or movement of the vocal organs to express it. QUANTITY has reference to the volume of a sound. NOTE I. The quality of an elemental sound, is never varied; but the quantity is frequently varied, as from long to short. Thus, the sounds of a in fall and in wad, differ from each other only in quantity, being alike in quality. The first is a long broad; the second, a short broad. But the sounds of a in fate and in fat, are unlike both in quality and quantity. NOTE II.-Sounds differ from each other in quality, mainly by a difference in the pitch of the voice, in which they are naturally uttered. Thus, the sound of a in fall, is low and What is meant by Articulation? Of what is Vocal Language composed? What is an Elemental sound? How many are used in speaking the English Language? In what do the Elemental sounds differ? What is meant by QUALITY? What, by QUANTITY? How do sounds differ mainly in Quality ? deep, while that of the same letter in fate, is higher and more acute. It may be illustrated thus: a -in at. a--in ale. ain all. 8. The elemental sounds are divided into two general classes;-VOWEL and CONSONANT. 9. The VOWEL SOUNDS are those which are made by the open mouth or organs. 10. The CONSONANT SOUNDS are those which can not be fully made without the aid of a vowel sound. NOTE. The consonant sounds are those which are interrupted in their utterance, by some of the vocal organs. The vowel sounds are those which are not thus interrupted in their utterance. Thus, the sounds represented by ƒ and v, are interrupted by the meeting of the under lip and upper teeth. 11. From the nature of the vowel and consonant sounds, it is obvious that the vowel sounds are expressed with readiness and ease; but it is not so with consonant sounds. The voice may be made to dwell on the vowels, and can be swelled to a great extent. But as the voice is interrupted in the utterance of the consonants, it can not be thus extended much beyond its ordinary degree of fullness. Therefore, much exercise is necessary in uttering the consonant sounds, in order to give them a clear and distinct enunciation. 12. To be able to give a graceful and easy enunciation to the elemental sounds in their combination into words and sentences, it is first requisite that the student be able to express them with propriety, separately. Without such skill, there can be no certainty of an accurate and perfect enunciation, when they are sounded in connection. This exercise, though seemingly of slight importance, is most efficient in securing accuracy in articulation, and in developing the vocal powers,— an acquisition which most readily distinguishes the educated from the uneducated, and which every reader or speaker should secure, who would be listened to with interest and attention. How are the elemental sounds divided? In what respect do they differ? Which can be uttered with the greater ease? What practice is recommended to acquire a graceful and easy enunciation ? LESSON II. ARTICULATION.-CONTINUED. General Directions for Expressing the Elemental Sounds. 1. In this, as in every elocutionary exercise, the body should be in an erect and easy posture,—the shoulders thrown gently back. 2. Let the exercise be conducted in a very low WHISPER at first, afterward gradually increasing the sound in force to the utmost extent of the whispering voice. After this, let the sound be VOCALLY expressed in the same manner-gradually increasing from soft to loud. -3. At first, the several sounds should be given in a slow and deliberate manner, afterward the exercise may be increased in rapidity. Nor should the stress of voice be too EXCESSIVE at first, lest it prove an injury, instead of a benefit, to the vocal organs. 4. The following table exhibits the elemental sounds of the language, the first column presenting one or more letters, by which the sound is represented, the second column containing words, in which the sound is heard. ELEMENTAL VOWEL SOUNDS. * 1. Long a, as in l-a-te, th-ey. || 9. Short i and y, f-i-n, h-y-mn. What directions should be observed in expressing the elemental sounds? * This table is designed to exhibit the various sounds of the English Language, without any reference to the particular letters which represent them. Instructions with regard to the sounds which letters represent, are presented in the fore part of SANDERS' SPELLING BOOK. 5. The consonant sounds are divided, according to their nature, into two general classes;—the Vocal and Aspirate. 6. The VOCAL CONSONANTS are those which are uttered in an under or suppressed tone. The ASPIRATE CONSONANTS are those which are merely modified breathings, or emissions of the breath. 7. CORRELATIVES are those consonant sounds which are mutually related, one being an aspirate, and the other a vocal; as that of ƒ and v in fine, vine. How are the consonant sounds divided? What is meant by vocal consonants? What, by aspirate? What is meant by correlative consonant sounds? How are they sounded? P, B. Sh, S, Z. Ch, |