"The labour of years is often insufficient for a complete reformation, and Divine help is needed to keep us in the path of virtue."

Rule XIX. When words or clauses are antithetic in meaning, and emphatic in character, the falling circumflex inflection should be used on the positive or absolute member, and the rising on the negative or relative.

"It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he, who in the midst of the crowd keeps the independence of solitude.”

Rule XX.-All sentences that are ironical in character should have an emphatic circumflex inflection given to the words in which the irony is meant to be conveyed.

"Good friends! sweet friends! let me not stir you up

To such a sudden flood of mutiny

They that have done this deed are honourable.

What private griefs they have, alas! I know not,

That made them do it; they are wise and honourable,

And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you."

Rule XXI. So also passages which are designed to convey scorn, contempt, innuendo, or retort, should have the emphatic circumflex on the important words.

"So, then, you are the author of this conspiracy against me. It is

to you

that I am indebted for all the mischief which has befallen me." The foregoing seem to me the chief rules for the use of those peculiar swelling turns of the voice, which will be observed to abound even in the ordinary conversation of social life, whenever any subject of interest is introduced, and to which the name of circumflex inflections has been given. In cultivated readers and speakers it has been remarked that their circumflex inflections usually descend and ascend by musical fifths, and that the range of each circumflex is in general governed by the exciting feeling; the stronger the passion, the wider being the range of the inflection. I come now to sentences that require a very wide range of either circumflexes or the ordinary rising and falling inflections according to the structure of the sentences. mean those which are in the nature of

CLIMAX.

I

As the Greek word xλağ, whence we have taken the term, signifies " a ladder," on which, of course, every step we mount takes us higher and higher, so in compositions where there is a regular increasing rhetorical gradation of meaning, we use the word "climax" to characterise such passages.

Rule XXII.-Each clause in a sentence characterised by climax,

should be pronounced with a corresponding increase in poise,* and loudness of voice, the inflection, of course, being the same as in sentences of a similar grammatical structure in all respects.

"Consult your whole nature: consider yourselves not only as sen'sitive, but as ra'tional beings: not only as ra"tional, but social: not only as social, but immortal!”

I need hardly remark as a corollary to the foregoing, that in anticlimax there is a gradual decrease of importance which should be carried out by a corresponding decrease in the power and volume of voice, from the first to the last of the clauses in such a sentence. I have already spoken of the value of the circumflex inflection as a means of suggesting an antithesis without openly expressing it, and this brings me generally to the subject of

ANTITHESIS.

The principle of antithesis consisting in opposition of meaning, the speaker or reader should avail himself of every element in the art of elocution to make that opposition as strongly perceptible as possible. Thus he should not merely employ opposite inflections according to the rules previously laid down, but he should also avail himself of different degrees of power and modulation of the voice in the antithetic clauses or sentences, so as to make the contrast in every way as marked as art can render it. And now last of all in this division of my subject, I have to call your attention to what are termed

SUBDUED INFLECTIONS.

I need hardly say that in the speaking voice there is, strictly speaking, no unvaried repetition of the same note, and consequently in its exact meaning the term monotone can scarcely be employed in elocution. That which is usually denominated monotone is in fact an emphatic prolongation of the continuative tone in which the inflections are subdued as much as possible. It has been well remarked that these subdued inflections judiciously introduced, especially on the lower notes of the voice, in solemn and sublime passages as well as in prayer or supplication, serve to the reader or speaker the same end that the shades do with which a skilful artist sometimes invests the principal objects in his painting.

"Methought I heard a voice cry-Sleep no more.
Macbeth doth murder sleep-the innocent sleep:
Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care,
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath,
Balm of hurt minds, great Nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in Life's feast.'

*See cap. Poise, p. 58.

Still it cried 'Sleep no more!' to all the house,

'Glamis hath murdered sleep, and therefore Cawdor

Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more!'"

The apparent monotone used on the words underlined will be found greatly to aid the awe and solemnity designed to be conveyed by the reader.

I have now, I think, made you acquainted with all the leading principles relating to the inflections of the voice in speaking and reading, but it must not be forgotten that strong emotion and ardent feeling will overbear all minor inflections, and an earnest and impassioned speaker will not give the same comparatively limited range of inflection to a passage, as another will do who is correct but tame, and lifeless in delivery. As I have said before, it is impossible to lay down any fixed rigid system that shall note all the inflections and all the modifications of time and tone, unless we consider also the emotion or energy that has to be given; but for all that, even in the most impassioned delivery, it has been justly remarked there are certain general principal or leading inflections which are employed on the important oratorical clauses, and which in a great degree regulate the minor groups of words. Let me, in closing this lecture, just caution you against an error by no means uncommon. A very popular but most erroneous direction is to drop the voice at the end of a sentence, and the unskilful reader allows his voice not to fall on the key-note of the sentence or clause in concluding it, but below it; at the same time that he lets his voice become weak in point of power, and relaxes in strength of articulation. Now this is a great mistake, for the result is that the last words are often inaudible to those who are only but a short distance removed from such a reader or speaker. The concluding clause of a sentence is often its most important part, and therefore should be quite as audible in order to be at all effective.

Remember, therefore, that propriety, harmony, and audibility alike require that the downward slide of the voice should be made from a louder tone and higher key, to the level of the general key, at the same time taking care that the closing words are not less carefully articulated than the rest of the sentence. In other words, the voice is to be lowered as to the place on the musical scale in relation to the note with which the sentence began, but not always necessarily lowered in point of loudness of tone, and energy of expression. My late esteemed friend, the Rev. J. H. Howlett, formerly Chaplain of Her Majesty's Chapel, Whitehall, in his recent admirable work, "On Reading the Liturgy,"* very truly says that the defect in question frequently arises likewise from neglecting to introduce sufficient pauses between the parts of a sentence in consequence of an erroneous notion that one inspiration must suffice for one sentence. Such readers draw in a full breath, commence in a loud, vigorous tone, run on at a rapid rate, attending very

* Published by T. Murby, 32, Bouverie Street, Fleet Street.

little to punctuation, however correct, and utterly regardless of introducing additional pauses, which may add clearness and strength to the meaning; thus they proceed with tone becoming weaker and weaker, till the breath is exhausted, and the sentence ends wholly inaudible by most of the congregation. One method of remedying this defect, especially in the delivery of long sentences, is to search out a fit place for pausing and inhalation, somewhere within a short distance of the end of the sentence. Recruited by a fresh supply of breath, the reader is enabled to conclude with distinctness and suitable force, and not only so, but he will find he can effect it with much less fatigue to himself. In connection with this part of the subject, both readers and preachers should remember the old rule: "take care of the end of the sentence, the beginning will take care of itself." Some preachers are in the habit of suddenly lowering the voice for the purpose of rendering the importance of some concluding remark more deeply felt. Let them be warned against the consequence which frequently follows, viz., that of becoming inaudible except to the nearest listeners.

In endeavouring to avoid the fault of concluding sentences inaudibly, some readers and speakers fall into an opposite error. They terminate almost every sentence with the upward slide of the voice, or rising inflection. This, as I have said before, always suggests the idea that the sentence is incomplete, and leads to the anticipation that more must follow to complete its meaning. No doubt this method may make the concluding words better heard, but this object is not effected without injury to the sense of the passage, and pain to the cultivated ear of taste. An attentive observation of the usual mode adopted in ordinary conversation in polished English society, certainly confirms the correctness of the general principle, that a simple declarative sentence terminates with the downward slide of the voice, or falling inflection.

Mr. Howlett says, with great reason for his remarks, that this last mentioned defect is often found to be accompanied by a peculiar jerk of the voice at the end of the sentence, somewhat resembling what is termed in elocution the rising circumflex, composed of a falling and sudden rising inflection. It is used more especially when there is a wish to conclude any sentence with particular force and animation, though there may not be any intention of conveying an idea that antithesis is either expressed or implied. This peculiarity is very frequently to be found in the Senate, the Pulpit, and at the Bar, and among many public speakers in the higher classes of society. Almost every public reader is sure to caricature it when he gives the famous speech of Mr. Serjeant Buzfuz in that cause celebre, "Bardell v. Pickwick."

It may be illustrated as follows. Supposing, for instance, the following sentence had to be delivered in concluding a speech in Parliament"For these reasons, Sir, I shall give my strongest support to this billbelieving it will promote the peace, welfare and prosperity of the entire nation." To give, as he thinks, a proper degree of energy to such a passage, a speaker having the fault against which I am now cautioning you, would pronounce the last words probably in a solemn declamatory tone, and with a peculiar sudden upward twist or jerk of the voice-" of the

66

entire natíon "—whereas, in the proper mode of delivery, the simple downward or falling inflection would be given to the last word, e.g., of the entire nation."

I will only add, in bringing this lecture to a close, there is no mode of acquiring ease and flexibility of voice more useful than that of practising at first a series of exercises on poetical or dramatic passages, in which, from the nature of the passions and emotions introduced, the voice has ample latitude for ranging over a large variety of inflections of every class and degree.