may have occasion for all the variety of tone and diversity of voice: as in the support of an argument, the relation of a story, the command given to a fervant, a lamentation, an exclamation of anger, and many other cafes, require not only different tones, but different elevations of the voice. Reading, therefore, in which all the varieties of expreffion in real life are copied, must have continual variations in the height of the voice.

To acquire the power of changing the key on which you fpeak, accuftem yourself to pitch your voice in different keys, from the lowest to the highest notes you can command; reading, as exercifes on this rule, fuch compofitions abound with a variety of fpeakers, obferving the height and tone of the voice neceffary to each fentence, and changing them as the nature of the fubject requires. This will give you fuch a command of voice, as is not to be acquired by any other method.

6. Diftinguish the more fignificant words in every sentence by their proper EMPHASES. The emphafis ferves to point out the precife meaning of a fentence, fhews how one idea is connected with another, gives to every part of a sentence its proper found, and conveys the fenfe of the whole to the mind of the hearer. It also expreffes the oppofition between the parts of a sentence where the fenfe is pointed. Sometimes the emphafis is double, and fometimes treble in a sentence. Emphasis ferves likewife to exprefs fome particular meaning which does not arife from the words themselves; as in this short sentence: "Did Alexander conquer the Perfians?" This fimple queftion may have three different meanings, according to the intention of the speaker; and the emphasis has, confequently, three different places: as when the speaker knew that the Perfians were conquered, but did not know by whom, then the emphasis is placed on the word Alexander as, "Did Alexander conquer the Perfians?" When it is known that Alexander attempted the conqueft, but the iffue is not known, the emphasis is then placed on the word conquer

quer: as, “Did Alexander conquer the Perfians?" When it is known that he conquered the adjacent countries, but it is not certainly known that he conquered the Perfians, the emphafis is placed on the word Perfians: as, "Did Alexander conquer the Perfians ?"

There are four ways by which the emphafis of a fentence is generally destroyed, or mifapplied. First by placing fo ftrong an emphasis on any one word, as to exclude all the other words in the fentence from being in any degree emphatica!, which they often require; for, as was before obferved, the emphasis is fometimes double, and sometimes treble in a fentence. There are alfo, of emphafes in the fame fentence, fome which require a more forcible found than others. This is an error which many animated speakers commit.

Secondly, by placing too great an emphasis on conjunctive particles, and those words of fecondary importance, which, though fometimes proper, yet it is but seldom.

Another way by which emphafis is deftroyed is, by reading in one uniform mufical tone, which is by fome erroneously called reading melodionfly. An agreeable inflexion and variation of the voice, as far as is confiftent with just speaking, deserves attention; but to substitute one unmeaning tone of reading, in exclufion to all the grace and propriety of a just elocution, can be the effect only of great ignorance or a corrupt taste.

Laftly, the emphafis is often placed on a wrong word in a Tentence. This is the most common fault, and the most liable to be committed, and arifes from the want of a thorough knowledge of the fenfe, and the writer's ideas. For if the reader be not perfectly acquainted with the exact construction, and full meaning of every sentence which he recites, it is im poffible he should give thofe inflexions and variations of the voice which the fenfe requires. Some perfons, finding the difficulty of rightly placing the emphasis, have rejected all emphafis entirely, and read with a dull ftupid monotony, which is the worst fault of all.

To speak with a juft and forcible emphasis, nothing more.

is neceflary than previously to enter into the meaning and fpirit of every fentence; and to exprefs it as nearly as poffible. to the manner in which we express ourselves in converfation: for, in familiar difcourfe, we generally exprefs ourselves emphatically, and place the emphafis properly. As to artificial helps, fuch as diftinguishing words by particular characters, they generally mislead rather than affift the reader, by confining him to a particular word or fentence, which he generaily overstrains.

7. Learn to acquire a just variety of pause and cadence. The paufes confift of those certain ftops, which are used both in reading and converfation, and which are always necessary to the fenfe. The cadence is that fall of the voice which is generally directed to be made before every full ftop.

There are principally two faults committed with regard to paufes. The firft, and one of the worst faults a speaker can have, is to make no other paufes than what are neceffary for breathing. Such speakers or readers make no diftinction between a good a fpeaker and quick one; and feem to confider reading quick the fame thing as reading well. But, without paufes, the fenfe must always appear confused and obfcure, the meaning often be misunderstood, and confequently the energy of the piece wholly loft.

The next fault confifts in a too mechanical attention to the ftops or paufes ufed in printing. These, though very proper in writing, are often unnatural in speaking; for, as was ob ferved in, Punctuation, the doctrine of points is very imperfect; the variety of paufes required in difcourfe is fo great. A ftrict regard, therefore, to thefe points has been one chief cause of monotony, by using the reader to an uniform found at every imperfect break, and an uniform cadence at every period. The use of points is, to affist the reader in difcerning the grammatical construction; not to direct his pronunciation. In reading, it is often neceffary to make a pause where the grammatical conftruction requires none, for the fake of pointing out the fenfe more strongly, preparing the audience for

what

what is to follow, or enabling the speaker to alter the tone or height of his voice. In doing this, however, it is neceffary that the tone of the voice be kept up in fuch a manner, that the hearer may know that the fenfe is not completed. Mr. GARRICK and Mr. SHERIDAN often practised this rule with great fuccefs.

The principal fault refpecting cadence confifts in an uniform fall of the voice in the word which precedes every full paufe. This, though fometimes proper, yet when strictly adhered to, feldom fails of deftroying all grace and energy of fpeech. The tones and height of the voice, at the close of a fentence, fhould be infinitely diverfified, according to the nature of the difcourfe, and the particular meaning of the fentence: thus, in plain narrative, argumentative difcourfes, interrogative fentences, and when the laft word of a fentence is emphatical, it is always neceffary to close the fentence with an elevation of the voice. This will appear obvious, if we do but confider the manner in which we relate a story, fupport an argument, or propofe a queftion, in converfation. But when the fenfe of the sentence does not require the laft found to be emphatical, an eafy fall of the voice, fufficient to fhew that the fenfe is finished, will be proper. And in pathetic pieces of the plaintive, tender, or folemn kind, the tone of the paffion will often require a ftill lower cadence of the voice. The best method to correct an uniform cadence is frequently to read felect fentences, where the fenfe is pointed and empha tical; and argumentative pieces, where frequent interrogatories occur; obferving at the fame time, the manner in which they fhould be delivered by a just speaker in familiar converfation.

8. The laft, though not the leaft, rule to form a graceful fpeaker, is to exprefs the paffions and emotions of the mind by tones, looks, and geftures, as well as by words. To exprefs anger, fear, grief, joy, love, or any other active paffion which arifes in our minds, nature teaches us to make use of certain tones, looks, and gestures. We naturally discover our feelings

by the manner in which we utter our words, the form of the countenance, and other well-known figns, And even when we deliver our thoughts on any lefs interefting fubject, and when the more violent emotions are not excited, fome kind of feeling accompanies our words, which fhould always have its proper external expreffion. Thefe exterior expreffions are the effect of nature alone, and every judicious imitation of it in a speaker will always appear graceful and pleafing; none can deferve the appellation of a graceful fpeaker, till, to a diftinct articulation, a perfect command of voice, and a true emphafis, he can add the various expreffions of the paffions and emotions of the mind.

It is impoffible to lay down any fet of rules by which the speaker may form these outward expreffions, as they must be as various as the paffions they indicate; the following general direction is the only one that can be depended upon :→→

In acquiring this accomplishment, as all others in this art, the fundamental rule is, to follow nature. Obferve in what manner the feveral emotions, or paffions, are expressed in real life, or by those who have with great labour and tafte acquired the happy power of imitating nature; and either follow the great original herself, or the best copies to be met with, always obferving the caution given by Shakespeare:"O'erftep not the modefty of nature."

More is to be learned by a strict attention to good exam ples than is perhaps imagined. Example has as much the advantage of precept, as practice has of theory; and many, who have arrived to great perfection in this art, have candidly acknowledged it to he more the effect of imitation, than any theoretical rules.

In order to apply the foregoing rules to practice it is ab folutely neceffary to go through a regular courfe of exercises; beginning with fuch as are moft eafy, and proceeding by flow advances to those that are more difficult. For if the reader cannot deliver with propriety the plain sentiments of fimple narrative, and didactic pieces, how can it be expected he should

do