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vance of the other; the arms akimbo; the fingers pressing on the abdominal muscles, in front, and the thumbs on the dorsal muscles, on each side of the spine; the chest freely expanded and fully projected; the shoulders held backward and downward; the head perfectly vertical.

2.

Having thus complied with the preliminary conditions of a free and unembarrassed action of the organs, draw in and give out the breath very fully and very slowly, about a dozen times in succession.

3. Draw in a very full breath, and send it forth in a prolonged sound of the letter h. In the act of inspiration, take in as much breath as you can contain. In that of expiration, retain all you can, and give out as little as possible, merely sufficient to keep the sound of h audible.

4. Draw in a very full breath, as before, and emit it with a lively, expulsive force, in the sound of h, but little prolonged, in the style of a moderate, whispered cough.

5. Draw in the breath, as already directed, and emit it with a sudden and violent explosion, in a very brief sound of the letter h, in the style of an abrupt and forcible, but whispered cough. The breath is, in this mode of expiration, thrown out with abrupt violence.

Each of the above exercises should be repeated often, by the student, in his room, or while walking; and may be given with the gymnastic exercises previously introduced.

Utter this couplet as many times as possible, with one breath:

Come one-come all! This rock shall fly
From its firm base, as soon as I.

THE ORGANS OF SPEECH.-HOW TO USE THEM.

The lungs constitute the bellows of the speaking apparatus. The larynx, the pharynx, the soft palate, the nasal passage and the mouth, modify the breath into the elementary sounds of speech.

The lungs are enclosed within the chest ; and, in healthful respiration, they are acted on chiefly by upward pressure of the diaphragm, or midriff, which separates the chest from the abdomen, and this upward pressure is caused by the contraction of the abdominal and dorsal muscles. (Notice the breathing of a healthy child.)

In faulty respiration, the sides of the chest are drawn in upon the lungs, to force out the breath, and the natural action of the diaphragm is reversed. This is exemplified by stammerers.

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The breath, driven from the lungs, ascends the wind-pipe; and its emison is rendered audible only by the resistance which it meets with in the throat, the nostrils, or the mouth.

At the top of the wind-pipe is the larynx-the seat of the voice. The larynx is, practically, a box, the cavity of which is susceptible of a multitude of modifications, affecting the pitch, force, and quality of the voice; though these may be modified, also, by the tongue, teeth, and lips. The orifice of the larynx, the glottis, may be perfectly closed, fully expanded, or contracted in any degree, by the different muscles and the elasticity of its differ

When the whole of the guttural passage is fully expanded, the passing breath creates no sound; but when the glottis, or aperture of the larynx, is definitely narrowed, by the action of the will, its edges vibrate, and produce the sound which is called voice.

VOICE is thus the result of vibration of the edges of the glottis, caused by the air being propelled through by the propelling power below.

The edges of the glottis have been named “vocal ligaments." Above the glottis, and forming part of the larynx, is what may be considered as a pair of lips, the aperture between which is called the "superior," or " false glottis.” The latter, and the passage between the larynx and the mouth, are susceptible of a variety of changes of shape and expansion.

The passage between the larynx and the mouth is called the pharynx. This cavity is susceptible of various degrees of expansion and contraction; and these modifications of the pharynx, assisted by the position of the pen

dulous soft palate, play an important part in the formation of the elements of speech and expression.

The percussive effect of consonants results mainly from the elasticity of the muscles of the pharynx, which compress the breath behind the articulating organs, in proportion as the latter restrain its issue through the mouth. In forming the vowels, the pharynx is for one set of sounds partially, and for another set fully, expanded..

In front of the pharynx is the mouth; and at the top of the pharynx, behind the soft palate, is the entrance to the nasal passages. When the soft palate is raised, it prevents the breath from passing into the nose; and when it is depressed, the breath flows through the nostrils, as well as into the mouth. The soft palate acts the part of a double valve, closing the nasal passage by upward pressure, and closing the mouth by downward contact with the tongue. Both the passages are shut in this manner, by forming the consonant "k." The oral passage is closed, and the nasal passage open, in forming "ng." Both passages are open in forming the French "in,” “on,” And the oral passage is open, and the nasal passage shut, in forming

etc.

the vowels.

The roof of the mouth is an arch; and the tongue, as its various parts the back, the front, or the point-are presented to the back, the front, or the rim of the palatal arch, or the upper gum, gives a great variety of configurations to the channel of the mouth. (See cut.)

1. Back.

2. Front.

3. Point.

From each of these configurations the passing breath or voice receives an audibly different effect, of vowel or of consonant quality. Further modifications result from the degree of contraction of the lips, the teeth, and the condition of the guttural passages.

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To give the voice the full effect of round, smooth, and agreeable tone, the free use of the cavity of the mouth is indispensable; the whole mouth must be thrown open, by the unimpeded action and movement of the lower jaw.

A smothered, imperfect, and lifeless utterance is the necessary consequence of restraint in the play of this most effective implement of speech.

A liberai

opening of the mouth is the only condition on which a free and effective utterance can be produced.

The teeth. These instruments, by their hard and sonorous texture, serve to compact and define the volume of the voice, while they aid one of the important purposes of distinct articulation in the function of speech. Used with exact adaptation to the office, they give a clear and distinct character to enunciation; but remissly exerted, they cause a coarse hissing, resembling the sibilation of the inferior animals.

The lips. These important aids to articulation, not only give distinctness to utterance, but fullness of effect to the sounds of the voice. Imperfectly used, they produce an obscure mumbling, instead of definite enunciation; and, too slightly parted, they confine the voice within the mouth and throat, instead of giving it free egress and emissive force. In vigorous speech, rightly executed, the lips are slightly rounded, and even partially, though not boldly, projected.

They thus become most effective aids to the definite projection and con veyance of vocal sound; they emit the voice well moulded, and, as it were exactly aimed at the ear.

The following cuts will give some idea of the variety of opening and form the teeth, lips, and mouth assume in uttering the long and short vowels. All do not show the teeth quite as much as is indicated in the cut, but all should open them as much :

We may now enter upon the study and practice of the elements of the English language, for the purpose of acquiring

A GOOD ARTICULATION.

A good articulation consists in giving every letter in a syllable its due proportion of sound, according to the standard of pronunciation, and in making such a distinction between the syllables of which words are composed, that the ear shall without difficulty acknowledge their number, and perceive at once to which syllable each letter belongs.

Where these particulars are not observed, the articulation is defective. A good articulation may be acquired by carefully repeating aloud, and in a whisper, the elements of the language. These elements are divided into three classes, Vocals, Sub- Vocals, and Aspirates. Vocals are pure voice, subvocals are part voice, aspirates pure breath.

The vowels, or vocal sounds, are arranged in the following table for indi

vidual and class practice :

A long, as in ale, fate.
A short, as in at, hat.
A Italian, as in arm, far.
A broad, as in all, fall.
E long, as in eve, mete.
E short, as in end, bend.
I long, as in ice, child.
I short, as in pin, whip.

O long, as in old, dome.
O short, as in ox, not.
O long, as in move, prove.
U long, as in mute, cube.
U short, as in up, tub.
U middle, as in pull, push.
Oi, as in oil, choice, noise.
Ou, as in out, sound.