words, which is as great an error as the entire omission

of emphasis.

INFLECTIONS.

INFLECTIONS are those changes of tone which are necessary properly to express certain ideas.

The change of the voice from a higher to a lower tone is called the falling inflection, and may be indicated by the grave accent; as, "Where are you going?"

The change of the voice from a lower to a higher tone is called the rising inflection, and may be indicated by the acute accent; as, "Did you see him' ?"

A union of these inflections upon the same syllable is called a circumflex inflection, and may be indicated by the circumflex accent; as, "It shall go hard but I will better the instruction."

Questions that may be answered by Yes or No generally require the rising inflection.

Questions that may be answered in any other manner usually require the falling inflection.

PAUSES.

PAUSES are suspensions of the voice in reading or in speaking, and are generally indicated by punctuationmarks. Some pauses are required by the sense or by the emphasis when there are no marks of punctuation. In reading poetry, attention must be given to the harmonic pauses, as well as to those which have reference to the sense. There is usually a pause at the end of each line, also one at or near the middle; and frequently there are minor pauses which still further subdivide a line. Care must be taken to avoid a sing-song tone in attempting to give the proper pauses, which sometimes constitute the chief distinction between prose and poetry.

TONES.

TONES are those changes of the voice which indicate the feelings of the speaker.

"The different passions of the mind must be expressed by different tones of the voice,-love, by a soft, smooth, languishing tone; anger, by a strong, vehement, and elevated tone; joy, by a quick, sweet, and clear tone; sorrow, by a low, flexible, interrupted tone; fear, by a dejected, tremulous, hesitating tone; courage, by a full, bold, and loud tone; and perplexity, by a grave and earnest tone."

ELOCUTION.

ELOCUTION has been defined to be "the graceful utterance of words that are arranged into sentences and that form discourse," and it "requires a knowledge and right application of emphasis, pauses, inflections, and tones."

The chief purpose of ordinary reading is to convey an accurate idea of an author's meaning, and this requires a due regard to accent, pauses, and strength and clearness of delivery. This is the manner usual in plain, unemotional reading; but this manner is dry and lifeless. Emotional reading calls into play a much higher order of ability: it not only expresses the meaning of an author, but it also gives the beauty and variety demanded by the feelings which are to be expressed.

Many unsuccessful attempts have been made to formulate a series of rules and directions that will of themselves make good elocutionists. No less an authority than David Garrick, in speaking of such an attempt on the part of Sir Richard Steele, says, "I can easily believe Mr. Steele may imitate a speech he has heard with great exactness, but I cannot persuade myself that one who did not hear it can do the like from any notes or symbols

whatever." Any artificial scheme of teaching elocution must necessarily be imperfect, and at best but a circuitous path to the object in view.

With a full conviction of the truth of the above statement,—a conviction born of practical experience,-no attempt has here been made to prescribe an exact method of elocutionary training warranted to produce certain results. Applying, therefore, to the subject of elocution the words of the poet, that

"all a rhetorician's rules

But teach him how to name his tools,"

and bearing in mind what has already been said in reference to articulation, pronunciation, emphasis, etc., it remains only to give such general directions as can readily be comprehended by a pupil who has reached that stage of advancement in general intelligence that permits a book of this grade to be placed in his hands.

a

The one rule that will best guide us in making a right disposition of modulation, emphasis, inflection, etc., is " faithful, sympathetic attention to the full meaning, sentiment, and feeling of what we are reading." If, through lack of interest or of intelligence, a pupil will not or cannot distinguish naturally between the style of delivery required by a repetition of the multiplication table on the one hand, and by the reading of "Horatius at the Bridge" on the other, it is very certain that no rules can help him to become a good reader.

Important as is clear, correct pronunciation, there is something more required to make reading significant. The various relations of clause to clause and of sentence to sentence must be made manifest by the inflections of the voice ; and these relations must be known beforehand, or be seen

clearly as the reading progresses, in order to convey their full significance to the hearer.

But the quality that especially distinguishes good reading is something above and beyond the mere conveyance to the hearer of the sense of what is read. It is EXPRESSION, or that quality of tone which is imparted by passion or by emotion. It cannot be taught absolutely, like pronunciation or inflection, but it may be drawn out whenever there is a proper basis of understanding and appreciation on which to exercise the imagination. To cultivate this power of expression has been the aim of various voluminous and minute "Rules of Reading," which are as successful in producing the desired result as a work on painting would be in making a fine artist. The most practical direction that can be given is that in emotional reading the student should cease to consider himself a reader and become a speaker; for, while the principles which should guide both are the same, the latter allows more action and more emotion than the former. In this connection we cannot do better than quote a portion of Hamlet's advice to the players:

Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue; but if you mouth it as many of our players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines. Nor do not saw the air too much with your hands, thus,—but use all gently; for in the very torrent, tempest, and (as I may say) whirlwind of your passion you must acquire and beget a temperance that may give it smoothness.

"Be not too tame, neither, but let your own discretion be your tutor suit the action to the word, the word to the action, with this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty of Nature."

FIFTH READER.

1.-OVER THE RIVER.

NANCY A. W. PRIEST was born at Hinsdale, New Hampshire, in 1847. The only education she received was what could be had at an ordinary country school. She worked for several years in a mill, and it was while thus employed that she composed the following beautiful poem. It was laid aside for a time, but was finally published in one of the papers of the day. The author was only twenty years of age at the time of its publication. The melody and touching sentiment of this poem have rendered it deservedly famous. She died September 21, 1870.

1. OVER the river they beckon to me,—

Loved ones who've crossed to the further side; The gleam of their snowy robes I see,

But their voices are drowned in the rushing tide.
There's one with ringlets of sunny gold,

And eyes the reflection of heaven's own blue:
He crossed in the twilight gray and cold,

And the pale mist hid him from mortal view.
We saw not the angels who met him there;
The gates of the city we could not see;
Over the river, over the river,

My brother stands waiting to welcome me.

23