sensibility of ear or delicacy of taste, from the following fact, that the term movement, in all languages, is equally applicable to both. In this manner successive motion, such as walking, running, galloping, can be imitated by a succession of long or short syllables, or by a due mixture of both. For example, slow motion may be justly imitated in a verse where syllables long in point of quantity chiefly prevail, and the idea is properly carried out by the reader or speaker pronouncing such passage in what is termed slow time-take the following, from Tennyson :—

"And slowly, slowly, more and more,

The moony vapour rolling round the king
Who seem'd the phantom of a giant in it,
Enwound him fold by fold, and made him gray
And grayer, till himself became as mist
Before her, moving ghost-like to his doom."

Secondly, on the other hand, swift, rapid, impetuous motion may be successfully imitated by a succession of short syllables, delivered in quick time, and with the short poise of the voice combined, as in the opening lines of Browning's "Good News from Ghent" :

"I sprang to the saddle, and Joris and he,

I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three."

Thirdly, a line composed of monosyllables, makes an impression by the frequency of its pauses, aided by the slow time and appropriate rhetorical pauses and full poise of voice on the part of the reader, similar to that which is made by heavy laborious interrupted motion. Pope will supply us with a good illustration in the last of these two expressive lines

"First march the heavy mules securely slow,

O'er hills, o'er dales, o'er crags, o'er rocks they go."

Fourthly, the impression made on the ear by rough, harsh-sounding syllables in succession, resembles that made by the sound of rough or tumultuous motion, especially when properly carried out by the art of the cultivated reader; whilst on the other hand, the impression of smooth sounds, gently and flowingly delivered, resembles that of soft gentle motion.

The first couplet in the following lines, from Pope's translation of the Odyssey, will give us an admirable illustration of the former, while the concluding lines will serve well to exemplify the latter :—

"Two craggy rocks projecting to the main,
The roaring wind's tempestuous rage restrain :
Within the waves in softer murmurs glide,
And ships secure without their hawsers ride."

Perhaps a still better illustration of the latter, and then of the former, is to be found in the same poet's "Essay on Criticism."

"Soft is the strain when Zephyr gently blows,

And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows;
But when loud surges lash the sounding shore,

The hoarse, rough verse should like the torrent roar."

Fifthly, to illustrate prolonged motion of various kinds, let us take some of the Alexandrine lines which the same poet so artfully and judiciously introduces in some of his most beautiful passages. The first shall be of slow motion prolonged:

"A needless Alexandrine ends the song

That like a wounded snake drags its slow length along."

The next of forcible motion prolonged :

"The waves behind, impel the waves before,

Wide rolling, foaming high, and tumbling to the shore."

And our last example shall be of rapid motion prolonged.

"Not so when swift Camilla scours the plain,

Flies o'er the unbending corn and skims along the main."

I think I have now given a sufficient number of examples to illustrate sufficiently the leading principles of what, in default of a better term, is called imitative modulation. I just read, in concluding these various illustrations, one magnificent passage from Lord Byron, in which every line may be cited as an example of imitative modulation.

"Then rose from sea to sky the wild farewell,

Then shriek'd the timid, and stood still the brave;
Then some leap'd overboard with dreadful yell,
As eager to anticipate their grave:

And the sea yawn'd around her like a hell;
And down she suck'd with her the whirling wave,
Like one who grapples with his enemy,
And strives to strangle him before he die.

"And first one universal shriek there rush'd
Louder than the loud ocean—like a crash
Of echoing thunder-and then all was hush'd
Save the wild wind and the remorseless dash
Of billows; but at intervals there gush'd,
Accompanied with a convulsive splash,
A solitary shriek-the bubbling cry
Of some strong swimmer in his agony."

Thus, then, it will be seen that in all descriptive reading much expressive beauty is gained by "making the sound seem echo to the sense." As far as possible, the pronunciation of words should be such as will, consistently with the requirements of good taste, convey by their sound the actions they describe, and the objects which they represent.

By availing himself of all the aids afforded by intonation, inflection, modulation, and poise, the skilful reader or speaker can often convey to the mind as vivid and impressive a picture as the artist can convey to the eye by means of his canvas, brush, and palette. In discussing this portion of the subject, Lord Kames well observes that the only general rule that can be given for directing the pronunciation, is to sound the words in such a manner as to imitate or convey to the mind as strongly as possible an idea of the things they signify. In pronouncing words signifying what is elevated, the voice ought to be raised above its ordinary tone; whilst, on the other hand, words expressive of grief, pathos, melancholy dejection, and kindred feelings of depression, should be pronounced in a low key of modulation. To convey the idea of stern, harsh, or impetuous passion, the tone in which the words should be pronounced is loud and strong. On the contrary, again, a gentle and kindly passion should be delivered in a soft, flowing, and melodious tone. In Dryden's poem of "Alexander's Feast," the line "fallen, fallen, fallen!" represents a gradual sinking of the mind, and therefore any person of taste, even without instruction in the art of elocution, would be almost certain instinctively to read each repetition of the words with a tone becoming more and more subdued. Another circumstance which contributes greatly to the resemblance between sense and sound, is slowness or quickness of time in delivery; for though the length or shortness of the syllables in point of quantity be ascertained accurately, yet the whole clause or sentence may be delivered either in slow, medium, or quick time. A clause or sentence ought to be pronounced slowly, when it expresses a similar action, or when it conveys to the mind that which is grave, deliberate, solemn, or important, while, on the other hand, it should be pronounced quickly when it describes action which is brisk or rapid, or conveys emotions that are lively, joyful, or impetuous. And now, a few words in conclusion, in more especial reference to those who will read these lectures hereafter. It is no more to be expected that a person will become an accomplished reader or speaker versed in all the resources which are afforded by the art of elocution merely by becoming acquainted with the theory of the art and learning a determinate set of rules, than that he should become a finished vocalist by studying a treatise on the art of singing and learning the names of the different notes in music, their meaning and value. In one art as well as the other, theory is requisite, but in elocution the power of properly inflecting and harmoniously modulating the voice is to be acquired only by example and practice such as these King's College Evening Classes afford to every student who enters them. To you who listen to me, these lectures hereafter may serve, I would hope, as useful aids to memory in connecting mere theory with actual practice. By pronouncing immediately after a correct reader a series of exercises in inflection and modulation, good ear will convey an impression to the mind of the leading principles of both, and practice will soon make an indifferent reader or speaker advance rapidly in improveBut of course all persons vary in their natural gifts, and there is

ment.

no art in which the advantage of possessing feeling, taste, discretion and education is more apparent than in that of elocution.

Last of all I would say, in order to acquire the power of easily changing the different keys in which you read or speak at pleasure, accustom yourselves to pitch the voice in various keys, from the highest to the lowest you can command in range. It is very probably the case that very few occasions will arise for employing so wide a latitude of modulation in ordinary reading aloud or speaking in public; but still the practice is most useful, and the actual exercise will give you such a power and command of voice as cannot be acquired by any other mode. Having duly carried out this practice till you can read with ease in a wide range of modulation from low keys to high, and from high to low, then read as exercises on this rule such compositions in poetry or prose, (perhaps at first the former is best, on account of the better opportunity for sustaining the vowel sounds in syllables that are long in quantity,) such compositions as have a variety of emotions, actions, or speakers introduced, or dramatic dialogues, observing the various keys in modulation which seem best adapted to each, and endeavouring to change them as nature and art jointly direct. Such practice will prove as beneficial to the voice as it is pleasant and profitable to the mind.

LECTURE VII.

Ancient

Elocution considered as a Science. Mr. Thelwall's opinions. The knowledge of human nature and the philosophy of mind. The theory of the Poise. and modern authorities on the Poise of the voice in Reading and Speaking. Steele's Prosodia Rationalis. The laws of Quantity. The proper observance of the Poise essential to good Reading aud Speaking. Special function of the larynx in reference to Poise. Neglect of the observance of Poise a frequent source of Stammering and Stuttering. The Laws of Rhythm. Pauses. Rhetorical words.

REMEMBER well that the first Lecturer on Public Reading and Speaking who was appointed in this College, the late Rev. A. S. Thelwall-whose name I have already quoted on a former evening-never spoke in his Lectures of the "art" of elocution, as people are generally in the habit of calling it; but he always termed it the "science" of elocution, and claimed for it invariably the rank and dignity of a science. And if we are to take the word "science" in the sense of its original (scientia), as meaning knowledge, I think that a systematic and orderly arrangement of knowledge on any important subject may fairly be said to reduce such a subject to a science.

I think I should be strongly inclined to follow the example of my late excellent predecessor when lecturing here, and, like him, speak of elocution as a science. For any instruction that really deserves that character ought to be founded on truly scientific principles, upon an intimate knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the organs of voice and speech, and an accurate acquaintance with the principles of spoken language. Mr. Thelwall always contended (and here I quite agree with him) that a scientific study of elocution must involve some consideration of the principles of music; for unless we understand so much of that science as to be able to discern how far the principles of music apply to spoken language (as indeed they do in a measure to all vocal sounds), and wherein the music of speech differs from the music of song, we shall not only be destitute of any sure foundation for those rules by which the management of the voice must be regulated, but we shall be liable to many errors and mistakes, and unable to show how various defects are to be remedied. And, moreover, we must have continually to make some reference to a higher and nobler science still, viz., the knowledge of human nature and the philosophy of mind. Indeed without due attention to this how shall we be enabled fitly to express, and intelligibly and effectively to communicate to others the various passions, emotions, sentiments and convictions of the human mind? There is nothing more certain than that if the principles we define and the rules we lay down have not constant reference to this high and important department