MOVEMENT.

Movement is the degree of rapidity or slowness with which you speak the articulate sounds. The danger in fast movement is, that you will not articulate plainly; and in slow, that you will drawl.

1. Quick Movement.—Use exercise of chanting and reading sentences, as under "Pitch," using the middle tones of voice; and repeat the words with the utmost possible rapidity, with perfect articulation. In chanting, do not mind the sense; but, in reading, be particular to give the meaning of the sentence.

2. Moderate Movement.—Use exercise as above about as fast as ordinary talking.

3. Slow Movement.—Use exercise as above, with very slow movement of voice. In chanting, prolong each word about alike; in reading, give good expression, and you will see that the more important words usually take the longest time.

ARTICULATION.

Articulation is the utterance of the elementary sounds, which, when combined, make language. You have been using the sounds that make up speech, in combination, every day; but it is a good practice to make each element separately. After you are able to make each sound distinctly, you will find you can make yourself understood in a large hall without using a loud voice. Your jaw, lips, and tongue should move actively and easily. For this purpose use long vowels,—No. 1, No. 8, No. 14,—speaking them in quick succession, one after the other, making them distinct, and making the jaw and lips move as much as you can with ease. Continue to the extent of your breath. Then use the same with p, b, or m before them; then with t, d, or n; then k, g, or y. Continue this practice about five minutes at a time, until the jaw, lips, and tongue will move with perfect ease.

ELEMENTARY SOUNDS.

In the exercises here given, use the sound, not the name of the letters which represents the sound, and practise separately the sounds represented by the Italic letters below. The only correct way to learn them is from the lips of a competent teacher; but you will do well, and improve, if you try the best you can in your way.

VOWELS.

Glides.—1-14 of the vowels, and r when it follows a vowel, are by Prof. Bell called "Glides."

CONSONANTS OR ARTICULATIONS.

Of the vowels, the numbers indicate positions of mouth; and, where numbers are alike, the positions are alike. Each vowel-sound is made by unobstructed sounds issuing through a certain position of mouth. The position is unchanged with single vowels, and those have but one number. The position changes in double vowels and diphthongs; and those have two numbers,—one large, one small. As each number represents a position of mouth, you can easily see by comparing what sounds are made from combining others. The number in the largest size type of the two represents the position that is kept when the sound is prolonged: as in 8¹ prolong the 8 or ah, and make ¹ or ee very short; and in ¹14 make ¹ very short, and prolong 14. The positions represented by the small figures are called "Glides," because the position is hardly assumed before the sound is finished. Diphthongs are sounds made by combining vowel-sounds, as 8¹ ah-ee. Of the consonants, or, as well named by Prof. Bell, articulations,—because two parts of the mouth have to come together and separate in order to finish the element, thus obstructing the breath or voice,—those in line across the page with each other are alike in position of mouth; those in first column are made with breath only, passing out through the mouth; those in second column, with sound passing out through the mouth; those in third column are sound passing out through the nose. For instance, p, b, m, are in line with each other; and, if you will make the three sounds represented by those letters, you will see that the same position of mouth is assumed for each, and that p is breath forced out of mouth, b is sound out of mouth, m is sound passing out of nose.

Practise these sounds of vowels and articulations until you can make them forcibly and easily, with elastic movement of jaw, tongue, and lips; and remember that force depends on the strength and good control of muscles below the lungs. Then unite them by placing articulations before vowels, giving most force to the vowel, but make both clear and distinct. Then use articulations both before and after the vowel, still giving the vowel the most force, but making the articulation that begins and ends equally distinct and clear. To arrange these for your practice in this small book would take too much space. You have above each element of the English language clearly shown, and can easily combine them as directed.

SUMMARY OF PHYSICAL AND VOCAL GYMNASTICS.

PHYSICAL GYMNASTICS.

ATTITUDE.

1. Standing Position.
2. Speaker's"
3. Sitting Position.
4. Change"
5. Poise.
6. Rise on Toes.
7. Holding Book.

CHEST EXPANSION.

1. Active and Passive Chest.
2. Arms at Side.
3. Fore-arm Vertical.
4. Percussion. Full Arm.
5. "Hands on Chest.

BODY AND NECK MOVEMENTS.

1. Body bend forward and back.
2. ""right and left.
3. "turn""
4. Neck bend forward and back.
5. ""right and left.
6. "turn""

VOCAL GYMNASTICS.

Note.—Be sure and keep ACTIVE CHEST in all vocal exercises.

BREATHING.

1. Abdominal.
2. Costal.
3. Dorsal.
4. Puff.
5. Puff—Pause between.
6. "Breathe"
7. Holding Breath.

TONE.

Note.—In following exercises use first long, then short vowels.

1. Glottis stroke. Who, whispered, followed by short vowels quickly spoken.
2. Soft Tones. Use oo-oh-awe-ah first, then any other vowels.
3. Swell Tones. Use vowels as in Soft Tones.

PITCH.

1. Learn Musical Scale. Practise Tone Exercise on each tone within compass of voice.
2. Chant sentences on each tone.
3. Read sentences, beginning on each tone.

INFLECTION.

1. Major fall from different pitches.
2. "rise""
3. ""and fall from different pitches.
4. Minor rise and fall.
5. Circumflex, rise and fall.
6. Monotone, different pitches.

QUALITY.

1. Whisper.
2. Aspirate.
3. Pure.
4. Orotund.

FORCE.

Note.—Use exercises under Pitch, Nos. 2 and 3, with different degrees of force.

1. Gentle.
2. Moderate.
3. Loud.

STRESS.

1. Radical.
2. Median.
3. Terminal.
4. Thorough.
5. Compound.
6. Tremolo.

MOVEMENT.

Note.—Use exercises under Pitch, Nos. 2 and 3, with different rates of movement.

1. Quick.
2. Moderate.
3. Slow.

ARTICULATION.

Note.—Use only sounds represented by Italicized letters in the words and letters below.

1. Elementary Sounds.
2. Syllables.
3. Words.
4. Phrases.
5. Sentences.

Long Vowels. 1. meet. 3¹. may. 5. air. 6. her. 8. ah. 10. awe. 12¹⁴. oh. 12. ore. 14. woo.

Short Vowels. 2. it. 4. met. 5. at. 7. Cuba. 9. up. 11. on. 13. foot.

Diphthongs. 8¹. pie. 11¹. oil. 8¹⁴. out. y14. you.

Glides. 1.—14.-r.

Articulations. Lips—p, b, m-wh, w. Lips and Teeth—f, v. Teeth and Tongue—th (thin), th (then). Tip of Tongue—t, d, n-l-r-ch, j-s, z-sh, zh. Tongue—y. Back of Tongue—k, g, ng. Whispered Vowel—h.

PART THREE.
ELOCUTION.

If you have faithfully practised Parts One and Two, you have gained some control of voice, and can now begin elocution, or expression of thought and feeling. In each of the short extracts you will find some thought and feeling to express; and if you will take pains to understand thoroughly what you have to speak, and then speak earnestly as the thought and feeling prompts you, you will certainly improve. Speak to some person; and, if no one is present, imagine that there is, and talk to them: for you need never speak aloud, unless it is for some one besides yourself to hear. Your first endeavor as a speaker should be to make a pleasant quality of voice, so that you may make good listeners of your audience. The following exercises suggest pleasure, and let your voice suggest the sentiment.

PLEASANT QUALITY.

3. The scene had also its minstrels: the birds, those ministers and worshippers of Nature, were on the wing, filling the air with melody; while, like diligent little housewives, they ransacked the forest and field for materials for their housekeeping.

7. A cheerful man is pre-eminently a useful man. He knows that there is much misery, but that misery is not the rule of life. He sees that in every state people may be cheerful; the lambs skip, birds sing and fly joyously, puppies play, kittens are full of joyance, the whole air is full of careering and rejoicing insects; that everywhere the good outbalances the bad, and that every evil that there is has its compensating balm.

For other selections, see Baker's "Reading Club."

ARTICULATION.

With pleasant quality you will make listeners; but you will soon weary them, unless you make them understand by clear articulation. You have made the organs of articulation elastic by practice of elementary sounds separately and in combination. In combinations you have made syllables, and these syllables make words, words make phrases, phrases make sentences, sentences make up a discourse, address, oration, &c.

Syllables.—Every syllable contains a vowel, or its equivalent; as in the following word, which is separated by hyphens into syllables,—in-com-pre-hen-si-ble: you will hear a vowel-sound in each, the last syllable having the sound of l as an equivalent.

Words.—A word may have one or more syllables; and, when it has two or more, one of them will receive slightly more force than the others, as in the word "common." Pronounce it, and you will give more force to "com" than "mon." This force applied is called accent.

Accent.—In pronouncing words, you will notice that in the longest words, even while you make each syllable distinct, there is no perceptible pause until the word is finished. In words of two or three syllables you will find accent as above; but words of four or more syllables have one accented, and perhaps two syllables besides, that receive less force than the accented, but more than the others. Pronounce incomprehensibility. Properly done, you will hear that you give "bil" the strongest accent, and "com" and "hen" slight accent, but more than the remaining syllables, "in," "pre," "si," "i," "ty." The accent on "bil" is primary accent; and on the "com" and "hen" secondary accent.

Phrases.—Two or more words make a phrase; and a phrase gives you an idea, perhaps, needing a number of phrases to make complete sense. You should speak phrases just as you would a long word, without perceptible pause, and with more force on prominent words than others. Here is a sentence composed of two phrases: "Fear the Lord, and depart from evil." A poor reading of this would be, "Fear (pause) the Lord, (pause) and depart (pause) from evil." A good reading would be, "Fear the Lord, (pause) and depart from evil."

Emphasis.—As in words you have primary and secondary accent, so in phrases you have what is known as emphasis. In the sentence just given, the words that had most force were "Lord" and "evil;" and less force, "fear" and "depart;" and little or no force, "the," "and," and "from." You may call this primary and secondary emphasis, the primary having, as in accent, most force.

Sentences.—These phrases, or groups of words somewhat connected in idea, make sentences; and a sentence gives complete sense. As syllables make words, and in words you have an accented syllable; as words make phrases, and in phrases you have an emphatic word: so, in sentences composed of phrases, you have an important phrase; and this important phrase must be impressed upon the mind of the listener more strongly than any other. This is done by slightly added force and a trifle higher pitch; and, as you will readily see, the emphatic word of the important phrase is the emphatic word of the whole sentence. Thus you have the structure of sentences; and, if you proportion your force well, you will not fail to give the meaning correctly. In the following sentence, the phrases are separated by commas; the emphatic words are in SMALL CAPITALS; the secondarily emphatic words are in Italics. First understand what the sentence means, then speak it as you would in earnest conversation, and you will be likely to give it correctly.

"We ALL of us, in a great measure, create our own HAPPINESS, which is not half so much dependent upon SCENES and CIRCUMSTANCES as most people are apt to IMAGINE."

In this sentence the important phrase is, "create our own happiness;" and the other phrases must be and are, by a good reader, subordinated to this one. This subordination of phrases to the principal one is made by lowering the pitch slightly, and lessening the force slightly on the subordinate phrases. It is naturally done if you'll talk the sentence understandingly.

In the following sentences,—

1st, Sound each element of a word separately.

2d, Pronounce each word separately, with proper accent, being careful to give each element correctly.

3d, Read in phrases, remembering that each phrase should be pronounced as a long word, without pause, and with emphasis.

4th, Read in sentences, subordinating all other phrases to the principal phrase.

3. Grandfather is old. His back, also, is bent. In the street he sees crowds of men looking dreadfully young, and walking dreadfully swift. He wonders where all the old folks are. Once, when a boy, he could not find people young enough for him, and sidled up to any young stranger he met on Sundays, wondering why God made the world so old. Now he goes to Commencement to see his grandsons take their degree, and is astonished at the youth of the audience. "This is new," he says: "it did not use to be so fifty years before."

6. Be not lulled, my countrymen, with vain imaginations or idle fancies. To hope for the protection of Heaven, without doing our duty, and exerting ourselves as becomes men, is to mock the Deity. Wherefore had man his reason, if it were not to direct him? wherefore his strength, if it be not his protection? To banish folly and luxury, correct vice and immorality, and stand immovable in the freedom in which we are free indeed, is eminently the duty of each individual at this day. When this is done, we may rationally hope for an answer to our prayers—for the whole counsel of God, and the invincible armor of the Almighty.

FULNESS AND POWER.

Fulness of voice is necessary, that, when you are speaking in a large hall, your voice may be powerful. Most persons could make themselves heard, and, with good articulation, understood; but yet they would lack power, because the voice wants fulness. The extracts given below will suggest to you the necessity of a full voice to express them well. Observe these directions in trying to get a full, energetic tone:—

1st, Correct speaker's position, take active chest, and keep it.

2d, Take full breath, breathe often, and control it. (See "Holding Breath.")

3d, Articulate perfectly.

4th, Use conversational and lower tones of the voice.

5th, Fix the mind on some distant spot, and speak as if you wished to make some one hear at that point.

6th, Remember to be very energetic, and yet have it seem to a looker-on or listener to be done without the slightest effort.

6. All hail to our glorious ensign! Courage to the heart, and strength to the hand, to which in all time it shall be intrusted! May it ever wave in honor, in unsullied glory, and patriotic hope, on the dome of the capitol, on the country's stronghold, on the entented plain, on the wave-rocked topmast!

INFLECTION.

Inflection is a slide of voice, either up or down in pitch, or both, on the accented syllable of a word. You have learned in previous pages what kinds there are. Major inflections express strength: minor express weakness.

Rising inflections refer to something to come that shall complete the sense. If you speak a phrase that needs another to complete its meaning, you will use a rising inflection to connect them. If you defer to another's will, opinion, or knowledge, in what you say, you will use a rising inflection. If you speak of two or more things, thinking of them as a whole, and not separately, you use a rising inflection.

Falling inflections are used when a phrase or sentence is complete in itself. If you state your own will, opinion, or knowledge, you will use falling inflection. If you speak of two or more things separately, wishing to make each one by itself distinct in the hearer's mind, you will use falling inflections.

Circumflex inflections, being composed of rising and falling inflections combined, are doubtful in meaning; for if rising means one thing, and falling means another, a combination must mean doubt. It expresses irony, sarcasm, &c.

Monotone is a varying of inflection within very narrow limits, and comes as near to chanting as the voice can, and still retain the expressiveness of inflection in speech. It expresses any slow-moving emotions, as grandeur, awe, solemnity, &c.

Practise the short extracts under each head until you are sure you give the right inflection in the right place.

MAJOR RISING INFLECTION.

1. Would the influence of the Bible, even if it were not the record of a divine revelation, be to render princes more tyrannical, or subjects more ungovernable; the rich more insolent, or the poor more disorderly? Would it make worse parents or children, husbands or wives, masters or servants, friends or neighbors?

2. But why pause here? Is so much ambition praiseworthy, and more criminal? Is it fixed in nature that the limits of this empire should be Egypt on the one hand, the Hellespont and Euxine on the other? Were not Suez and Armenia more natural limits? Or hath empire no natural limit, but is broad as the genius that can devise, and the power that can win?

MAJOR FALLING INFLECTIONS.

3. Mahomet still lives in his practical and disastrous influence in the East. Napoleon still is France, and France is almost Napoleon. Martin Luther's dead dust sleeps at Wittenberg; but Martin Luther's accents still ring through the churches of Christendom. Shakspeare, Byron, and Milton, all live in their influence,—for good or evil. The apostle from his chair, the minister from his pulpit, the martyr from his flame-shroud, the statesman from his cabinet, the soldier in the field, the sailor on the deck, who all have passed away to their graves, still live in the practical deeds that they did, in the lives they lived, and in the powerful lessons that they left behind them.

MINOR RISING INFLECTIONS.

1. "Let me see him once before he dies? Let me hear his voice once more? I entreat you, let me enter."

MINOR FALLING INFLECTIONS.

1. God forbid that we should outlive the love of our children! Rather let us die while their hearts are a part of our own, that our grave may be watered with their tears, and our love linked with their hopes of heaven.

CIRCUMFLEX INFLECTION.

1. Were I in England now (as once I was), and had but this fish painted, not a holiday-fool there but would give a piece of silver. There would this monster make a man: any strange beast there makes a man. When they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Indian.

2. If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches, and poor men's cottages princes' palaces. It is a good divine that follows his own instructions. I can easier teach twenty what were good to be done than be one of the twenty to follow mine own teaching. The brain may devise laws for the blood; but a hot temper leaps over a cold decree: such a hare is madness the youth to skip o'er the meshes of good counsel the cripple.