Our best orthoepists have indicated, in their directions for pronouncing the vowels a and e in such words as fare, rare, where, there, their, air, chair, prayer, compare, declare, insnare, and the like, that the same sound should be given to them as to long a in fate, late; but this direction is either wrong, or not generally understood, and has, consequently, betrayed some into an affected pronunciation of such words-a pronunciation which must be disgusting to every one of correct taste in elocution. Whether such directions are the offspring of inattention on the part of orthoepists, or whether they have arisen out of the difficulties which trammel them in representing to the eye, merely by the use of arbitrary characters, all the nice shades of difference in the sounds given to letters, is, to the student, a matter of little moment; but of vast importance is it to him who would become an accomplished reader or speaker, not to be led astray by the false or imperfect directions of authors. There is nothing that can expose one's reputation for accuracy and elegance in delivery to greater hazards, than affectation in his pronunciation. Affectation in women, is sickening; in men, insufferable; therefore, all kinds of affectation should be avoided.

Whose conception of natural sounds is so obtuse as not to perceive a marked difference in the sound commonly given to a in fate, and to the more open one of a in fare, e in there, their, a in chair, prayer, compare, and so forth? If it is a fact, then, that this difference of sound is ordinarily made, the point is easily settled for the sounds "commonly given" to letters in particular situations, (I mean, of course, sounds given, not only by the common people, but also by the educated,) are the cor

rect ones.

Primarily, a particular, graphick character, called in our language, a letter, is no more the legitimate representative of a particular sound, than is a pebble, or a blossom, or a silk thread. How is it, then, that letters become the representatives of particular sounds? Only by the general consent of those who adopt and employ them, just as particular sounds and combinations of sounds, called words, become the representatives of certain ideas. Hence we see, that the general practice of those who employ certain letters, to represent particular, vocal sounds, is the only standard of accuracy in the use of those letters for such purposes, and, also, that the same authority is paramount in the use of words and hence we perceive, too, that it is beyond the province of the orthoepist to dictate in regard to the sounds that may, or may not, be given to particular letters, as well as to the grammarian, in regard to the use of words. No; the authority

of each is bound down by the superiour authority of general usage: and from this last authority, there is no appeal. It is true, the province of each allows him to ascertain what good usage is, and to inculcate principles according to it, and to the analogies and idioms of the language as far as sanctioned by good usage; and, moreover, to point out bad usages, that is, such as are not adopted by a great majority of the most intelligent and the most learned; but farther than this, he cannot, legally, go.

In pronouncing the words, jail, pail, sail, pray, lay, say, we give to the vowel a precisely the sound of long a in fate; but an attentive observer will readily perceive, that the sound of this vowel is different, and becomes more open, and less prolonged, in air, chair, stair, prayer, and the like, when these words are pronounced in a natural manner. If this is a true statement of the case, this different sound commonly given to a in fare, air, and so forth, is the correct one; and the attempt to give the long sound of a, as in fate, to a in prayer, air, fare, rare, compare, to e in there, and the like, is affected and erro

neous,

There is, also, a more distressing affectation displayed by many who, in the pronunciation of perfect, person, mercy, interpret, determine, and the like, attempt to give the accented e the sound of e in imperative. It is difficult to describe the affected sound alluded to; but that it is not the same as e in met, as Walker has directed that it should be, and that it is a shocking outrage on good taste and common sense, are facts equally apparent. The sound of e, when exploded in such words, ought to approach as near to that of e in imperative as is possible, without betraying the affected sound alluded to.

Another affected pronunciation of a vowel sound, which is very common among the clergy of New England and New York, deserves the most marked reprehension, as it is too sickening to be endured by civilized beings. (I allude to the sound frequently given to a in heart, part, smart, and so forth. Instead of giving a, in words of this class, its correct sound, as heard in far, bar, par, they attempt to sound it somewhat like e in imperative.

But there is another affectation in exploding the diphthongal sounds of y in sky, i in kind, ui in guide, ua in guard, and the like, which is far more common than the last two referred to, and but little less nauseating. Under a false view of elegance, many pronounce these words as if written ske-i, ke-ind, ge-ide ge-ard. This is abominable, and a total perversion of the sounds

intended to be described and recommended by Mr. Walker. The diphthongal sounds of y, i, ui, and ua, in such words, are not represented by ei and ea when separately pronounced, but when united and blended, as it were, into one sound. Hence, the common people, who know nothing of the diphthongal character of these sounds, nor of Walker's directions concerning them, gencrally pronounce such words correctly, and as Mr. Walker intended they should be pronounced.

The y in my, when emphatical by being contrasted with some other possessive pronoun, is pronounced like long i; but when not emphatical, it may take the sound of short e, as in met. To give i in wind, its long sound, as in mind, and ou in pour, its legitimate sound, as in our, appears, in prose, a little affected, because they are generally pronounced wind and póre, but when these words rhyme with others, at the end of a line in poetry, it is strictly in accordance with good taste, to give i its long, and ou its diphthongal, sound.

"For, as in bodies, thus in souls, we find

"What wants in blood and spirits, swelled with wind.”

"Ye heavens! from high the dewy nectar pour,
"And in soft silence shed the kindly shower."

A strange perversion of the sounds of t and d is sometimes. made in words like the following: duty, produce, fortitude; which are not unfrequently pronounced juty, projuce, fortitshude, ingratitshude.

Under a false conceit of cleverness and elegance, some are in the habit of giving the vowel a, in the words glass, pass, mass, brass, flaunt, &c. demand, command, and the like, a flat sound, somewhere between that of a in hat (its proper sound in the first class of these words) and o in note.

Another disagreeable perversion often occurs in pronouncing the termination ed as a separate syllable in those verbs in which it ought to be contracted; such as walk-ed, talk-ed, lov-ed, smil-ed, and the like; but, in the participial adjective, where the ed should be sounded, it is frequently contracted: thus, "A learn-ed man;" The bless-ed Redeemer;" are often pronounced, "A learn'd man;" "The bless'd Redeemer."

But a more important caution is to be given in regard to the pronunciation of the unaccented vowels e and a in such terminations as ment, nent, dent, lent, cent-ence, nence, denceant, nant, vant, man-lar, lance, and so forth. Although these vowels should have their distinct, natural sounds in such words as commandment, ardent, innocent, influence, confidence, infant,

covenant, servant, gentleman, secular, vigilance, and the like, yet the slightest stress laid upon them, or the least effort to explode their sounds in a very distinct manner in this situation, will cause the pronunciation of these terminating syllables to appear affected. Care should, therefore, be taken to pronounce them in a perfectly easy and natural manner.

QUESTIONS.

Repeat Rule 5.-Repeat Rule 6.

Should a and e in fare, there, air, &c. be pronounced like a in late?— Illustrate the difference between the two sounds.

What is said of affectation in delivery?

What is the standard of accuracy in the use o fletters and words?
Is there any appeal from this standard authority?

What is said of the affected sounds of e in person, mercy, &c. ?

What is said of the affected sound of a in heart, smart, &c.—of y in sky, i in kind, ui in guide, &c.—of y in my, and of i in wind, and ou in pour ?

What is said of affectation in the pronunciation of the letters t and d in duty, fortitude, and the like?

What more is said of affectation in the pronunciation of words?

EXERCISES.

Prayer is an offering up of the desires and petitions of the heart.

From thy throne in the sky, thou look'st, and laugh'st at the storm, and guid'st the bolt of Jove.

Kind friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up to any sudden flood of mutiny and rage.

Bias used to say, that it was in vain to expect an entire exemption from misfortunes by guarding against them; and that that man was unfortunate indeed who had not the fortitude to bear up against those which had befallen him.

A tart temper never mellows with age; and a sharp tongue is the only edgetool that grows keener by constant use.

The hidden ocean showed itself anew,

And barren wastes still stole upon the view.

The flag of freedom floats once more

Around the lofty Parthenon;

It waves as waved the palm of yore,

In days departed long and gone.

Twas twilight, for the sunless day went down

Over the waste of waters, like a veil,

Which, if withdrawn, would but disclose the frown

Of one who hates us; so the night was shown,

And grimly darkled o'er their faces pale,

And hopeless eyes, which o'er the deep alone
Gazed dim and desolate: twelve days had fear
Been their familiar; and now... DEATH was here!

There was no light in heaven but a few stars;
The boats put off o'ercrowded with their crews:
Our ship then gave a heel-a lurch to port,
And, going down head foremost-sunk, in short.
Then rose from sea to sky the wild farewell;
Then shrieked the timid, and stood still the brave;
Then some leaped overboard, with dreadful yell,
As eager to anticipate their grave:

And the sea yawned around her " in its swell,"
And down she sucked with her the whirling wave,
Like one who grapples with his enemy,

And strives to strangle him before he dies.

And first one universal shriek there rushed,
Louder than the loud ocean, like a crash

Of echoing thunder; and then... all was hushed,
Save the wild wind and the remorseless dash
Of billows: but at intervals there gushed,
Accompanied with a convulsive splash,
A solitary shriek, the bubbling cry

Of some strong swimmer in his agony.

Remarks.—In these examples, those letters most liable to an indistinct or perverted articulation, are designated by Italick characters. However imperfect such helps may be, it is hoped that they will afford some assistance to the ambitious student, and serve to direct the attention of the teacher to this particular subject and to both teacher and learner, the author begs leave to suggest the propriety of frequently referring the corrections made in reading the exercises, back to the principles that are violated.

The unpractised student may deem a scientifick and an analytical development of the elementary principles of vocal sounds, a procedure more curious than useful; but so erroneous would such a conclusion be, that, on the contrary, he ought to consider investigations of this description, of paramount importance in the study of elocution. These elementary principles form the only proper basis of the science; and the want of a knowledge of them, is the principal cause of multitudinous errours in reading and speaking. It is, therefore, incumbent on him who would excel in the science of elocution, to obtain a perfect mastery over these elementary and primary principles, before he proceeds to general reading:-and of the truth of these remarks, the author trusts that enough has been displayed in the foregoing, imperfect development of the subject now under consideration, to convince even the most skeptical.