each other, in portions best adapted to present the component parts of the whole in a clear, distinct, impressive manner, according to their comparative length and importance. The thought or sentiment which is thus communicated, falls on the ear with a definite and satisfactory succession of sounds, which the mind easily receives and appreciates. The parts being thus exactly given, each takes its own due weight, and at the same time, enhances the effect of the whole. The result is that the communication is fully understood and makes its just impression.

But young readers, especially, are apt to hasten on, in the act of reading, till they come to a full stop; and even then to slight the due pause. This hurried mode of reading, renders it impossible to give a sentiment force or weight to the ear. Much time, therefore, should be spent in reading sentences of an unimpassioned character, such as usually require the most frequent application of the "rhetorical " pause. The following examples will serve to suggest the most important applications of this pause.

1. "

I.-Between Phrases.

Phrases commencing with a Preposition.

Depart to the house which has in this city been prepared for thy residence."

2. " My heart was wounded with the arrow of affliction, and my eyes became dim with sorrow."

3. "To increase the austerity of my life, I frequently watched all night, sitting at the entrance of the cave with my face to the east, resigning myself to the secret influences of the Prophet."

4. "When I awaked, I laid my forehead upon the ground, and blessed the Prophet | for the instruction of the morning." 5. "The king, whose doubts were now removed, looked up with a smile that communicated the joy of his mind."

Phrases commencing with an Adverb.

1. "He has passed to that world | where the weary are at rest."

2. "The voice of Heaven summons you in these hours | when the leaves fall, and the winter is gathering."

3. "Be entreated to make the decisive effort | ere it be too late."

4. "He continued steadfast in his purpose | while others wavered."

Phrases commencing with a Conjunction.

1. "It is more blessed to give | than to receive."

2. "Yet I know not whether my danger is a reality or a dream."

3. "In the spirit of sympathy, we call on rocks and streams and forests || to witness and share our emotions."

4. "The same sun which now marks the autumn of the year, will again arise in his brightness, and bring along with him the promise of the spring | and all the magnificence of summer."

5. "The voice of despair now whispers | that all exertion is in vain."

6. "We are often deceived because we are willing to be deceived."

II.-Between Words.

The Nominative and the Verb.

1. "The breeze | died away, as the sun | sank behind the hills."

2. "The smoke | rises not through the trees: for the honors of the grove | are fallen."

3. "Weeping may endure for a night; but joy | cometh in the morning."

Ellipsis.

"Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue | knowledge; and to knowledge | temperance; and to temperance | patience.'

The due observance of the pauses indicated by grammatical punctuation, is one of the useful and effectual means of arresting the attention of young learners, and accustoming them to mark distinctly the component portions of a sentence. But the common fault of school reading, and, sometimes, of professional exercises,―a uniform

1 For farther statement and illustration of "rhetorical" pauses, see "American Elocutionist." The "prosodial pauses" will be found on a subsequent page of this manual, and, at greater length, in the "Elocutionist."

and mechanical style, is, in part, owing to exact compliance with the direction to pause, invariably, for a given time at each point. A change of feeling, or a shade of meaning, may lengthen, shorten, or destroy the usual pause at a comma. The syntax of a sentence may demand a separating point, where oral expression glides on continuously, and allows no break. The converse is as true. The rule of syntax may forbid a comma where a sudden change of feeling may produce a pause longer than that usually made at a period. - A most instructive lesson in elocution is given by Sterne, in his satirical sketch of the literal critic, with stop-watch in his hand, taking note of Garrick's "" ungrammatical" pause between the nominative and

the verb.

The mistake, however, is too generally sanctioned by books and teachers, that the comma, semicolon, &c., are intended as guides to the ear. They do, no doubt, incidentally, serve this purpose, - but by no means uniformly. The design of grammatical punctuation is to aid the eye of the reader, in resolving a sentence into its syntactical portions. These often coincide, in phrases and clauses, with the natural cessations of voice, which mark the divisions and subdivisions of utterance that constitute the portions of the oral expression of a thought they enable the reader to refer a given word or clause to another at a distance from it in place, but connected with it in sense, and thus aid his apprehension of its meaning. But, in many cases, this coincidence of grammatical and rhetorical pausing does not take place. Even the close punctuation adopted in modern typography, does not present all the pauses which feeling and sentiment, or abstract thought itself, require; as may be seen by running the eye over the rhetorical and other pauses marked in the exercises occurring in preceding pages. Nor is it possible to read correctly, in many instances, without omitting a pause at the grammatical points; as may be observed even in the familiar phrases, Yes, sir," sir." The comma, if followed as a guide, would here produce an awkward, limping gait of voice, resembling that of a young child in its first lessons.

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no,

The exercise of reading aloud has but one true, safe, and uniform standard, the ear, or, rather the intuitive perception of the mind. The comma and other ocular points are, at best, but collateral and incidental aids, not always to be depended on; and, sometimes, they are to be regarded as impediments which emotion is to put down,` in order to attain true expression.

The general rule of elocution, then, as regards the comma, semicolon, and colon, if we use them as guides to the voice, —must be, to follow them only so far as they coincide with the meaning, and to lengthen or shorten, or omit the pauses corresponding to them, as the sentiment or emotion expressed in a sentence may require, in slow or in lively utterance; — but especially to remember that there may be a long pause of feeling, where no grammatical point occurs.

-

MOVEMENT."

The application of "time" to speech, includes, in addition to points already discussed, the consideration of the rate of voice in successive sounds, sometimes regulated by the predominating "quantities" of a passage, whether these be long, as in the solemn and slow utterance of "indefinite" syllables, or short, as in the brisk and rapid utterance of "immutable" syllables. "Movement," however, has its primary foundation on emotion; and although, in poetry, the "quantities are often beautifully adapted, by the poet's natural ear and prosodial skill, to the expression of emotion, they are not uniformly so; and in prose, which exhibits the effect of " ment" as distinctly as poetry, -less regard is usually paid to the effect of mere "quantity." "Movement," therefore, requires a distinct attention, as a separate element of expression in the voice, and of effect in elocution.

move

The term "movement," for which the word "rate" is sometimes substituted, has the same application in elocution. as in music; and while "quantity" regards single sounds as long or short, "movement" regards successive or consecutive sounds as fast or slow. It unites, too, with "quantity" in regulating the length of pauses; as we find that slow" movement," as well as long "quantity," requires long pauses; and that brisk, or rapid "movement," and brief "quantity," equally require short pauses.

66 Movement," in elocution, is not measured with the comparative exactness implied in the musical terms, adagio, andante, mezzo, vivace, allegro, presto, &c. It approaches, however, to a considerable degree of definiteness in its use of the designations "slowest," or "very slow;" "slow;" "moderate" "lively;" "brisk," or "quick;" and "rapid," "quickest," or "very quick."

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The "slowest," or very slow movement," is exemplified in the expression of the deepest emotions of the soul; as horror, awe, profound reverence and solemnity, and adoration. -The "slow movement" characterizes the utterance of gloom, melancholy, grief, pathos, sublimity, solemnity and reverence, in their usual form, profound repose, grandeur, majesty, vastness, power, and splendor. "Moderate movement" is the usual rate of utterance in unimpassioned language. It belongs to common narration and description, and

i

to didactic thought. The rhetorical modes of style to which it is applicable, are those which are denominated the " dry," the "plain," and the "neat.". Lively movement " implies emotion in that gentle form which does not exceed liveliness, or animation. The lower degrees of all vivid feeling, are expressed by this style of "movement." A slight degree of joy is usually the under current of its effect. "Quick" or brisk movement," is characteristic of gay, exhilarated, and glad emotion: the full feeling of joy is implied in its “ expression." It gives utterance to all playful, humorous, and mirthful moods. It sometimes, on the other hand, gives its characteristic effect to fear.-The "movement" designated as "quickest," "very quick," or " rapid," is that of haste, hurry, alarm, confusion, and fear, when rising to terror.

It is evident from the very nature of "movement," that it must be an element of immense power, in expression. The funeral march suggests to the ear its effect, in music, as associated with awe, gloom, and grief; and the music of the dance reminds us of its power over the feelings of gladness and exhilaration. The grave psalm, and the song of serious sentiment, express, in their measured regularity, the adaptation of gentle and “moderate movement” to tranquil and sedate feeling.

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Similar effects, in degree, characterize the use of the voice, in recitation and in reading. Appropriate elocution accommodates the movement of the voice to every mood of thought,—from the slowest, prolonged, and lingering utterance of deep contemplation, and profound awe, to the swift and rapid strains of lyric rapture and ecstasy. Every mood of mind has its appropriate "movement," or rate" of utterance, as definitely expressed as its "quality" of voice, its characteristic "force," or its peculiar "pitch," "slide," or wave." Utterance, to be natural and effective, must have the genuine expression of its appropriate "movement." Solemnity cannot exist, to the ear, without slowness, nor gaiety without briskness of utterance, gravity without sedate style, nor animation without a lively "move

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The power of" movement," in the elocution of a skilful reader or speaker, is indefinite; as we may observe in the difference between a schoolboy gabbling through his task, in haste to get rid of it, and a great tragedian, whose whole soul is rapt in the part of Cato uttering the soliloquy on immortality, or Hamlet musing on the great themes of duty, life, and death.

A command over the "lively" and "brisk movements" of the voice, is not less important than the power of slow and solemn utterance. The style of reading which is most frequently introduced to enliven the evening circle at home, requires of the reader