fill'd with luxuries, and embellish'd with fine pictures and sculpture, should stand cold and still and vacant, and never be known or enjoy'd by its owner? Would such a fact as this cause you sadness? Then be sad. For there is a palace, to which the courts of the most sumptuous kings are but a frivolous patch, and, though it is always waiting for them, not one of its owners ever enters there with any genuine sense of its grandeur and glory.

I think of few heroic actions, which cannot be traced to the artistical impulse. He who does great deeds, does them from his innate sensitiveness to moral beauty. Such men are not merely artists, they are also artistic material. Washington in some great crisis, Lawrence on the bloody deck of the Chesapeake, Mary Stuart at the block, Kossuth in captivity, and Mazzini in exile—all great rebels and innovators, exhibit the highest phases of the artist spirit. The painter, the sculptor, the poet, express heroic beauty better in description; but the others are heroic beauty, the best belov'd of art.

Talk not so much then, young artist, of the great old masters, who but painted and chisell'd. Study not only their productions. There is a still higher school for him who would kindle his fire with a coal from the altar of the

loftiest and purest art. It is the school of all grand actions and grand virtues, of heroism, of the death of patriots and martyrs of all the mighty deeds written in the pages of history-deeds of daring and enthusiasm, devotion and fortitude.

- WALT WHITMAN.

CHAPTER IV

THE MELODY OF EMPHASIS

NOTHING is more wearisome to the listener than a dead level of monotonous speech, unless it be a meaningless melody. A careful observance of the following directions will enable the student to avoid both faults.

The words of each phrase cluster about some one word, which is the key word or thought word of the group. This word is the one upon which both mind and voice dwell for the longest time. It is usually spoken with a stronger accent, or upon a higher or lower pitch, than the rest. It is called the Emphatic word. In logical expres

sion we shall invariably find that the emphatic word is the word which completes the new idea.

The degrees of emphasis are many. We commonly speak of the most important as Primary, the next as Secondary, and the others as Subordinate.

Those passages which are distinctly unemphatic we speak of as Subordinate.

In refined speech emphasis is manifested by Melody, produced by change of pitch and quantity, that is, greater or less prolongation of tone. For greater precision and earnestness, we often pause before the emphatic word. This pause, in didactic speech, is often filled in with a gesture of the index finger.

In an unimportant phrase there is, strictly speaking, no real emphasis, for the word implies an intention to make

an idea more or less prominent, but still there is always some degree of melodic change as there is always variety of rhythmical movement.

In such a sentence as, "If you wish me to read this paragraph, I will do so with pleasure," there may be little emphasis, in which case the melodic relations of the words. might be represented approximately:

or, if spoken with greater animation, the second phrase might be represented thus:

Implying that you would not do so if it were not desired. Notice, too, the unfinished sound of the sentence if spoken with the last word on a pitch above the starting point, or key note, implying "but otherwise it would be anything but a pleasure.

Notice that each shade of emphasis shows some degree of contrast, either expressed or implied.

For example: "If you (not he) wish"; "If you wish me (not some one else)"; "this paragraph" (not another). Try to see how many shades of meaning you can give to this and similar sentences.

As we read the above examples, we shall notice, (1) that the accented syllable of the most important word is usually spoken on a higher pitch than the rest; (2) that the secondary emphasis is often pitched a little lower than the starting note; (3) that unimportant words are spoken more rapidly and carelessly; (4) that the greater the emphasis, the wider the range of the voice; (5) that, at the completion of a statement, the emphatic words often proceed downward. This is called Cadence, or Close, and indicates completion, or finality, of statement.

We shall find that contrasted thoughts and. pictures have contrast in pitch :

The primary emphasis is not always on a higher note than the rest of the phrase, for the pitch, not only of the emphatic word, but of the phrase, sentence, or whole selection, is determined to a great extent by its meaning, and especially by the motion of the speaker.

Thus, unpleasant or base things have low pitch, while pleasant and joyful moods are usually associated with higher tones. Compare: "How beautiful!" "It is a fearful sight." "Isn't it jolly!" "Poor fellow!" "How disgusting!" "I hate him!"

The pitch of the voice is lower for serious than for trivial ideas, and in speaking very solemnly the voice, instead of rising, is apt to descend, not merely for the emphatic word, but throughout the whole phrase or sentence.

The voice, too, suggests many qualities of the objects we describe, not only by its pitch, but by the rate of movement. "Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean would sound very ridiculous if spoken with the pitch and rhythm of

Merrily swinging on brier and weed,

Near to the nest of his little dame;
Over the mountain side or mead

Robert of Lincoln is telling his name.

- BRYANT.

To say "The curfew tolls the knell of parting day" with brisk movement, high pitch, and joyful melody would be as incongruous as to say "A hurry of hoofs in the village street" with slow and measured expression. Note, however, that in excitement, though the phrases are spoken quickly, the pauses must not be neglected, or the effect will be of mere gabble.

With regard to the melodic direction of unimportant words, the reader will do best to trust to instinct. If he will endeavor to bring out the emphatic words melodically as well as rhythmically, the others will take care of themselves.

Avoid emphasis by forcé, except where the expression absolutely requires it, as in loud calling, or in explosive anger.

Other means of emphasis will be discussed further on.

Rightly to be great

Is not to stir without great argument,
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw,

When honor's at the stake.

-SHAKESPEARE, Hamlet.