It is appropriate to the expression of strong aversion, horror, anger, and similar sentiments. It should, therefore, be in the power of the speaker to use it in its place, but its habitual use, in any degree, should be carefully avoided.

EXERCISES ON THE ASPIRATED TONE.

Avaunt! and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee!
Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;

Thou hast no speculation in those eyes

Which thou dost glare with.

Hence, horrible shadow!

Unreal mockery, hence!

Me miserable! which way shall I fly,
Infinite wrath and infinite despair?

Which way I fly is Hell! myself am Hell!
And in the lowest deep, a lower deep,
Still threatening to devour me, opens wide,
To which the Hell I suffer seems a Heaven!

Hence! from my sight! I hate and I despise thee!
Thou standst, at length, before me undisguised,
Of all earth's groveling crew the most accursed.
Thou worm! thou viper! to thy native earth
Return! away! Thou art too base for man
To tread upon. Thou scum! thou reptile!

For additional exercises, see in this book, pages 144, 145, 297.

THE WHISPERING TONE.

The WHISPER is appropriate to the expression of deep awe, paralyzing fear, or violent emotion of any kind, restrained.

This should be at the command of every speaker for occasional use. Its chief value, however, consists in its forming admirable practice for perfecting the power of articulation, and giving control over the organs of speech and the action of the lungs.

REMARK. This by most authors is erroneously classified with pitch or quantity. But its sibilant character

clearly indicates its nature as a quality of voice, and Dr. Rush, in his celebrated work on the "Human Voice," thus classifies it.

EXERCISES IN THE WHISPERING TONE.

In order to derive the full advantage of this kind of exercise, the pupil should practice the whisper with all degrees of force, making his utterance as distinct as possible. He will soon find it easy to whisper so as to be heard at a great distance.

The foe! they come! they come !

Not to myself alone,”

The streamlet whispers in its pebbly way,
"Not to myself alone I sparkling glide;
I scatter life and health on every side,
And strew the field with herb and floweret gay.
Oft in the stilly night,

Ere slumber's chains have bound me,

Fond memory brings the light

Of other days around me.

Hark! they whisper; angels say,

Sister spirit! come away!

For other suitable examples to practice upon, see this book, pages 144, 145.

REMARKS ON VOICE.

REMARK 1.-The speaker should carefully avoid commencing in a high or loud tone. He should adopt one rather under than above a medium pitch and quantity, but should very soon rise into his natural key.

He will find it much easier to elevate than to depress his voice, and he will thus reserve his power for its appropriate place.

REMARK 2.-When it is found that the voice has unconsciously become too high or too loud, let the speaker imagine himself addressing those near him, until the proper tone is regained. This object will be aided by the usc also of the monotone, if the subject admits it.

REMARK 3.-The importance of practice for the attainment of power in the management of the voice can not be overrated. While without it, the highest gifts of nature will accomplish little, with it, very moderate powers may attain almost unlimited excellence.

REMARK 4.—It is very important to efficiency and ease in speaking, that the breath be properly managed. The chest must be thrown out, the head erect, and the lungs well filled. The speaker must have a good supply of breath. He need not wait for the close of a sentence to renew it, but, if necessary, may do this at the pauses.

QUESTIONS.-What things are to be considered with reference to the voice? What is pitch? What are the three divisions of pitch? What is the medium pitch? To what is it appropriate? What does low pitch include? When is it appropriate? What does high pitch include? When is it used? In what does compass of voice consist? How may the voice be improved in compass? What is quantity? From what must it be carefully distinguished? To what does time or movement refer? What is quality? What qualities are mentioned? What is pure tone? What must be avoided in cultivating it? What is the orotund tone? From what does it take its name? In practicing, from whence should the voice come and how should the organs be managed? What is the aspirated tone? To what is it appropriate? To what is the whisper appropriate? In what does its chief value, as an exercise, consist? What is the 1st remark on voice? The 2d? The 3d? The 4th?

V. GESTURE.

GESTURE includes attitude and action.

ATTITUDE refers to the position of the body and its members: ACTION, to the movement of the same.

Gesture, more than any thing else, is the natural expression of thought and emotion. That which arises spontaneously from genuine feeling, even though ungraceful, is preferable to that which is merely studied and affected, however graceful it may be. Certain faults, however, should be carefully avoided, and certain graces cultivated.

NEW EC. S.-4

REMARKS.

REMARK 1.-The pupil must be in earnest, and must fully understand, and really feel what he utters.

There can be no forcible or appropriate gesture without this.

REMARK 2. The position of the body and feet should be natural and easy.

No audience can feel at ease, unless the speaker is obviously so also. The body should rest upon one foot, the other being thrown back or forward, to be ready for an appropriate change. The position should be changed from one foot to the other, and by moving backward or forward, often enough to give relief to the muscles, and the appearance, as well as reality of case. This change, however, should never be made for the sake of change.

REMARK 3.-Avoid a continued bobbing and shaking of the head.

This is a very common fault of many otherwise good speakers. It is only necessary to stop the ears and look a moment at the orator, to see how ridiculous an appearance it gives him. Natural and appropriate gesture always speaks for itself, though not a word should be heard.

REMARK 4.—The eyes should be fixed upon the audience. Half-closed or averted eyes will neutralize every effort to gain attention. The eyes and countenance express more, perhaps, than either gesture or words, and he, who does not use them effectively, will never excite emotion.

REMARK 5.-The arms should be moved in curves, and from the shoulder as a center.

This direction forbids a motion of the arms from the elbows merely; sawing them in straight lines, and permitting them to hang by the side, as if paralyzed.

REMARK 6.-The right hand should be most frequently used.

Avoid an exclusive use of either the right or left hand, and also a regular see-sawing from one to the other.

REMARK 7.-The hand should generally be open, with the fingers slightly curved.

Those cases are excepted, in which the sentiment requires a peculiar expression, such as the clinched hand, etc.

REMARK 8.-There should be no gesture without a reason. Extravagant motion weakens emphasis. The tendency is generally to too much gesture.

Remark 9.—The gesture should be with the utterance of the emphatic word, or if the speaker is much excited, slightly before it.

Gesture, in all cases, should be the pantomimic symbol of the emotion, and should be spontaneously connected with it.

REMARK 10.—Gesture should be forcible, full, and free, so that there can be no mistake as to its meaning.

Feeble attempts at gesture are worse than none at all. The force of what is said is weakened, and the audience is disgusted.

REMARK 11.-No one should be permitted to attempt to commit a piece to memory, until it is certain that he understands it, and can appreciate its sentiment and thought.

The pupil should be permitted to judge of this, to a considerable extent, for himself. He will speak best what he understands and likes.

REMARK 12.-No attempt to speak a piece should be permitted, till it is thoroughly committed.

Unless the mind of the speaker is at case in this respect, he can do nothing. This rule should be insisted upon.

REMARK 13.-When a speaker is before an audience, he should entirely forget himself.

He should think nothing and know nothing about his position, or gestures, or voice, or emphasis. If he has been well drilled, he will be right in these things.

REMARK 14.-Above all things, let it be remembered, that practice, continued, persevering practice is indispensable to excellence, and that, even under the most unfavorable circumstances, it will secure astonishing results.

REMARK 15.—The teacher and pupil should avoid all dependence on plates for instruction in gesture.

There can be no greater humbug, (if the word may be allowed,) than plates, illustrating gesture. A distinguished author very correctly remarks, that "they only serve as a subject of ridicule