easily and naturally, as to leave no room for just reflection? An affair this, it must be owned, of the utmost delicacy; in which we shall probably often miscarry, and meet with abundance of censure at first. But still, I imagine, that through the regulations of taste, the improvements of experience, the corrections of friendship, the feelings of piety, and the gradual mellowings of time --such an elocution may be acquired as is above delineated; and such as, when acquired, will make its way to the hearts of the hearers, through their ears and eyes, with a delight to both, that is seldom felt; whilst, contrary to what is commonly practised, it will appear to the former the very language of nature, and present to the latter, the lively image of the preacher's soul. Were a taste for this kind of elocution to take place, it is difficult to say how much the preaching art would gain by it. Pronunciation would be studied, an ear would be formed, the voice would be modulated, every feature of the face, every motion of the hands, every posture of the body, would be brought under right management. A graceful, correct, and animated expression in all these would be ambitiously sought after; mutual criticisms and friendly hints would be universally acknowledged; light and direction would be borrowed from every quarter, and from every age; while the best models of antiquity would, in a particular manner, be admired, surveyed, and imitated. The sing-song voice, and the see-saw gestures, if I may be allowed to use those expressions, would, of course, be exploded; and, in time, nothing would be admitted, at least approved, among performers, but what was decent, manly, and truly excellent in the kind. Even the people themselves would contract, insensibly, a growing relish for such a manner; and those preachers would at last be in chief repute with all, who followed nature, overlooked themselves, appeared totally absorbed in the subject, and spoke with real propriety and pathos, from the immediate impulse of truth and virtue."

It has also been well observed that one of the greatest obstacles to the eloquence of the pulpit in Great Britain is the practice of reading sermons, for no discourse which

is designed to be persuasive can have the same power when read as when spoken, what is gained in point of correctness being lost in that of impressiveness and force.

Assuming the student to have already acquired a clear and correct pronunciation, according to the rules laid down by writers on orthoepy, we shall now proceed to consider the higher parts of delivery. These may be conveniently comprised under five heads, viz: Tone, Emphasis, Pauses, Pitch, etc., and Gesture; all of which, it should be observed, are not confined to the more elaborate and pathetic part of a discourse, but are equally effective when judiciously applied to calm and plain speaking.

I.-TONE.

By Tone is meant a particular inflexion of the voice, adapted to express emotion and passion. Inflexions are tones of speech proceeding by slides from one note to another.

The modulation of the voice consists in the proper management of its tones, so as to produce grateful melodies to the ear. Upon the modulation of the voice depends that variety which is so pleasing and so necessary to refresh and relieve the ear in a long oration. The voice must, of course, be adapted to the subject and the feelings of the mind, so as not to be at variance with the expression.

So ever varying and rapid is the motion of speaking tones, that, till the time of the late Mr. Walker, it was deemed to be almost impossible to explain or subject them to rule. That celebrated orthoepist, however, in his "Elements of Elocution," has given a complete analysis of those sounds, reducing them to two single modifications, viz:-an upward and a downward slide: the former primarily signifying incompleteness, and the latter, completion.

In the following exercises, the upward slide will be denoted by an acute accent ('); and the downward slide by a grave accent (`).

TABLE OF THE INFLECTIONS OF THE VOICE.

Did he say háte or hate?
Do you say nóte or nòte?
Was it done correctly or in-
correctly?

Should we say infidel or infidel?

Was she sane or insane? You must not say lónely, but lonely.

Should we say féeble or fèeble?

You must not say fórce, but force.

You must not say idol, but

He said hate, not háte.
I said nòte, not note.
It was done correctly, not
incorrectly.

We should say ìnfidel, not infidel.

She was sàne, not insane. You must not say lonely, but lonely.

We should not say fèeble, but feeble.

You must say force, not force.

You must say idol, not ídol.

You must say soliloquy, not soliloquy.

RULES FOR INFLECTING SENTENCES.

Rule 1. The completion of a period requires the downward infection.

EXAMPLES.

Human affairs are continually passing into some new fòrm. He can neither stand the clamour of the multitude, nor the frowns of the mighty.

Pleasure seems to put forth its blossoms on every side.

He fashions his whole conduct according to his hopes and fears.

Tell me not of rights,-talk not of the property of the planter in his slaves-I deny the right, I acknowledge not the pròperty. The principles, the feelings of our common nature, are in rebellion against it.

He who is of a cowardly mind, is and must be, a slave to the world.

Rule 2. Negative sentences and members of sentences must end with the upward inflection.

EXAMPLES.

It is not by starts of application, or by a few years' preparation of study, afterwards discontinued, that eminence can be attained.

It is not boldness, but necessity that impels me to battle.

Virtue is of intrinsic value and good desért: not the creature of the will, but necessary and immútable, not local or témporary, but of equal extent and antiquity with the Divine mind; not a mode of sensation, but everlasting trúth; not dependent on power, but the guide of all pòwer'.

Rule 3. Antithetic questions and sentences require opposite inflections.

EXAMPLES.

Shall we, in your person, crówn the author of the public calamities, or shall we destroy him?

Is the goodness or wisdom of the Divine Being more manifested in this his proceeding?

Had you rather Cæsar were living, and die all slàves; than that Cæsar were dead, to live all fréemen?

Men should beware of being captivated by a kind of savage philosophy; women, by a thoughtless gallantry. When these precautions are not observed, the man degenerates into a cy'nic, the woman into a coquette; the man grows súllen and moróse, the woman impertinent and fantàstical.

Rule 4. When questions are followed by answers, the question should be pronounced in a high tone of voice, and, after a suitable pause, the answer be returned in a low and firm tone.

EXAMPLES.

Art thou poor? show thyself active and indústrious, péaceable and contented. Art thou wealthy? show thyself beneficent and charitable, condescending and humàne.

Searching every kingdom for the man who has the least comfort, where is he to be found?-In the Royal palace. Whát! His Majesty?—Yes`; espécially if he be despòtic.

You have obliged a man: very well! is not the consciousness of doing good a sufficient reward?

Rule 5. Questions commencing with verbs take the upward inflection.

EXAMPLES.

Does the law which thou hast broken denounce véngeance against thee? Behold that law fulfilled in the meritorious life of the Redeemer.

Can the rush grow up without míre? can the flag grow without wáter?

Can a man take fire in his bósom, and his clothes not be burnt?

Know ye the land where the cypress and myrtle,

Are emblems of deeds that are done in their clíme:
Where the rage of the vúlture, the love of the turtle,
Now melt into sorrow, now madden to crime?

Rule 6. Questions asked by pronouns, or adverbs, adopt the downward inflection.

EXAMPLES.

How is it possible to forget the solicitude which should accompany the consciousness that such a Being is continually darting upon us the beams of observant thought.

Who ever left the precincts of mortality without casting a trembling eye on the scene that is before him.

Who yet has been able to comprehend and describe the nature of the soul?-its connexion with the body, or in what part of the frame it is sìtuated.

O! who can hold a fire in his hand,
By thinking on the fiery Caucasus?
Or cloy the hungry edge of appetite,
By bare imagination of a feast?

Or wallow naked in December's snow,
By thinking of fantastic summer's heat?

Rule 7. A parenthesis must always be pronounced differently from its relative sentence, generally quicker and lower.

EXAMPLES.

Uprightness is a habit, and, like all other habits, gains strength by time and èxercise. If, then, we exercise upright principles (and we cannot have them unless we exercise them), they must be perpetually on the increase.

You know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you (as a father does his children), that you would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glòry.

Notwithstanding all this care of Cicero, history informs us that Marcus proved a mere blockhead, and that nature (who, it seems, was even with the sòn for her prodigality to the father)