RULE V. Read only so fast that each word may be heard distinctly. REMARK.-The three last-mentioned Rules are quite likely to be observed or broken together. Those who violate them belong to what may be called the galloping class of readers. Having taken breath, their only object appears to be to get out as many words as possible before stopping to breathe again. They huddle words together in one confused mass, pay little or no attention to the stops, and, if a period is in sight, make a desperate effort to reach it before pausing to take breath again. Such a fault must be overcome, before there can be any approach to good reading. RULE VI. Read with animation, and avoid drawling out words and sentences. RULE VII. Give to each word of more than one syllable its proper accent, and to each emphatic word the due degree of emphasis. RULE VIII. Be careful to use the rising and falling inflections as the sense requires. Inflection may be defined, the modulation or variation of the voice which we practise in reading or speaking. In reading correctly, the voice is constantly passing from one note to another, as in singing. This is done by a constant sliding up and down, so to speak, or undulation, of the voice, like the waves of the ocean. In descriptive pieces, or where the language does not express deep or violent emotion, these inflections are moderate, and pass from one to another in a gradual manner; it is the ocean rippled by a gentle breeze. If the language is impassioned, and the transitions abrupt, the inflections are likewise abrupt, frequent, and marked;-it is ocean in a storm. Much of the beauty of reading consists in using correctly these rising and falling inflections. Read the following sentence in a monotone, or keeping the voice upon the same pitch through the line :— My son, go not in the way of bad men. Read now the following, in the same manner :- In free and familiar conversation, we give, naturally, the right inflections. It will be a pretty safe guide, in reading, to use the same inflections as if we were repeating the passage in conversation to a friend. The rising inflection is sometimes indicated by the acute accent; the falling inflection, by the grave accent; and, where both the rising and falling inflections are required upon the same word, the broad character is used. See Lesson II. RULE IX. Direct questions, or those which may be answered by yes or no, require the rising inflection, and indirect questions, or those which cannot be so answered, the falling inflection, after them. EXAMPLE. Will you return to-morrow? This is a direct question, which may be answered by yes, or no, and requires the rising inflection on to-morrow. Will you return to-morrow, or Friday? This is an indirect question, and requires the falling inflection on Friday. COMMON ERRORS. 1. Clipping short words ending in ing; as, lingerin', for lingering; bringin', for bringing, &c. 2. Failing to give the letter r its full sound; as, buhds, for birds; impawtant, for important; stawk, for stork; cuss, for curse, &c. 3. Omitting the sound of e and o; as, wandring, for wandering; histry, for history; and sometimes substituting another letter for the right one; as, histery, for history; calkelation, for calculation; perlitical, for political, &c. 4. Failing of the correct pronunciation in words ending in ous; as, stupendyus, or stupendyu-us, for stupendous; tremendyus, or tremendyu-us, for tremendous. 5. Not giving the full sound to words ending in st, or sts; as, bose, for boast; hoce, for hosts, &c. 6. Giving the wrong pronunciation to words in which the vowel u begins a syllable; as, nater, or nachoor, for nature; edecation, for education; colyume, for column; vollum, for volume, &c. THE VILLAGE READER. LESSON I. Select Sentences. Exercises in Rule II. See also the classes of Common Errors. The figures after the words show the application of the corresponding number in the list of Common Errors. im 1. LIKE Winter lingering' in the lap of Spring. 2. The battle of Waterloo was attended with more portant consequences than any other recorded in history3. 3 The eccentricity of his movements defied all ordinary* calculation3. 4. Novogorod is about eighty versts from St. Petersburgh. 5. The hosts still linger on th' embattled plain. 5 2 6. The American boasts that his government gives a degree of liberty to the citizen not enjoyed by any other people in the world2. 7. Keep back thy servant, also, from presumptuous* sins. 8. Who coverest" thyself with light as with a garment2; who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain2. 9. Where the birds make their nests"; as for the stork2, the fir-trees are her house. 2 10. Notwithstanding the disparity of force, the British were repulsed with tremendous slaughter. 11. The volume of creation unfolds the natural" perfections of God; but the volume of revelation more gloriously reveals his moral attributes. A verst is a Russian measure, being about three fourths of an English mile. 6 12. What is the blooming tincture of the skin, To peace of mind, and harmony within? 13. He who the vast immensity can pierce', See worlds on worlds2 compose one universe'. 14. The terrestrial' globe represents the earth, and the celestial the starry2 heavens. 2 15. The severest" strife for mastery now took place. 2 6 16. He peremptorily issued his last commands. 5 17. The best interests of society are promoted by the diffusion of useful knowledge. 18. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill, He treasures up his bright designs, LESSON II. Select Sentences. Exercises in Emphasis and Inflection. 1. It costs more to revenge' injuries than to bear them. 6. Who's here so base', that he would be a bondman' ? If any', speak'; for him' I have offended. Who's here so rude', that would not be a Roman'? If any', speak'; for him I have offended. Who's here so vile', that will not love his country? If any', speak'; for him' I have offended. I pause' for a reply'. 7. To advise the ignorant', relieve the needy', and comfort the afflicted', are duties that fall in our way almost every day of our lives. 8. I am come to save life, not to destroy` it. |