Most persons can remember both the words, meaning, and sentiment of a short, pointed poetic passage better than they can remember a passage of the same length of prose. This fact has led me to place in the Elementary Exercises a great many poetic passages, which contain gems of thought or sentiment expressed in choice and simple words. It has been my aim, to produce a book which may serve as a guide to the acquirement of almost every thing that can be taught in Elocutionary Art, and that shall contain nothing in the way of instruction but what I know to be true, important, and practical. An experience of more than thirty years as a teacher of reading and speaking has left me without any faith in pretentious, scientific nomenclature, fanciful theories, and impractical rules as aids to the student of Elocution. I have, therefore, endeavored, in the New Elocution, to avoid all needless explanation, all nice and confusing distinctions, all loose and vague directions, and all unnecessary rules. Cincinnati, Jan 1, 1883. ROBERT KIDD. |