If students do not breathe properly, and so manage the breath as to keep a supply in the lungs, they will fail in vocalizing, as all voice is produced by breath, and good tone by right management of breath and joint modifications of the muscles of the mouth. The lungs must never be exhausted. Study the breathing of a healthy child; observe that all the muscles of the chest, back and abdomen aid in the inhalations and exhalations. For the utterance of vowel tones the organs must come into a rigid form, and retain it on each vowel element as if the vocal organ were of metal; there can be no modification or variation of the opening while the element is emitted. This is one of the secrets of projecting voice. The singer holds the tone on a certain note as the musical instrument holds it until another note is struck; the elocutionist must do this in the preparation of voice for effective utterance, but with cadences. The reader first inhales the air, then in utterance he lets out a portion of it, all of which must be converted into tone. In expelling the breath in voice culture the mouth organs must control the force of the lungs and trachea. To obtain control of breath for the practice of vocalization, first assume an erect position with shoulders thrown down and back, hands resting on the sides of the body; draw in breath slowly through the nostrils, lips closed, until the lungs are filled. Then slowly send out the breath in a straight column through the mouth at first in a whisper, afterward in a tone. Second, inhale as before and then expel the breath audibly with explosive effort. Notice whether the abdominal muscles expand and contract, or rise and fall, in this effort. Third, inhale again, hold the breath until all the air cells of the lungs are fully expanded, and then expel with force, as if shouting the word what, in a whisper to a person at a distance. Fourth, inhale and then force the breath out as if sounding the letter l, in coughing with great violence. Fifth, inhale as before, then expel the breath in jets, forming short ŏ, as in not, until the lungs are exhausted. Repeat each of these exercises in the order named once a day, from five to eight times. Preparatory to this drill, and all other exercises in voice culture, the throat, neck and upper part of the chest should be bathed in cold water and rubbed vigorously every morning on rising. Inexperienced speakers are in the habit of speaking until out of breath; this should never be done. Rhetorical pauses should be of frequent occurrence in good reading or speaking, and at every pause, especially when great emphasis is demanded, the speaker should take a full but imperceptible inhalation, filling the lungs with a new supply of air. At first this seems difficult - almost impossible-but it must be done and practiced until it becomes easy and natural. A good voice for reading or address is sometimes acquired in from two to four weeks by simply learning to manage the breath. Emotion can only be expressed by a variation of voice in power or stress, swelling or subduing it, so as to make it move in gentle or tremulous

softness or burst on the ear with the explosive sound of a rifle, or swell with the fullness of the organ tone.

A few sentences expressing different ideas and emotions, patiently studied and practiced, will give the most gratifying results. See examples under the head of Force and Stress, also under Pitch, Inflection, Circumflex, Quality, Quantity, Emphasis and Modulation, in the first part of this work.

The object of the combination exercises which we have recently introduced is primarily voice culture, natural breathing and control of the speaking instrument. The movements of the body in position and gesture, gentle or animated, aid greatly in acquiring confidence, physical energy and freedom, without which good vocalization is impossible.

EXERCISES IN POSITION, GESTURE AND
EXPRESSION.

FOR EXTENDED CLASS DRILL AND INDIVIDUAL PRACTICE.

It is the business of Elocution to teach the student three things important to be known:

First, How to discover all the meanings that any passage may embody.

Second, How to express the several meanings, supposing each of them to be just.

Third, How to ascertain the true interpretation, or the sense intended by the author.

In all these processes, and especially in the last, much judgment will manifestly be required. Indeed, it may be questioned whether any study is more directly calculated to exercise the mind in all its faculties an the investigation of the precise meaning of a standard author. It true that the critical acumen to appreciate the sense may be possessed without the ability to express it; and herein is manifest the necessity of vocal training, to give the judicious interpreter a command over the mechanics of expression, that he may "make the sound an echo to the sense."

Speaking is the utterance of our thoughts in our own words. Reading is the utterance of the thoughts and words of another.To speak or read with ease, animation, correctness, distinctness, and taste, requires a large amount of knowledge, skill, learning, judgment and care.

Intonation is the raising or sinking ་ ' the pitch or tone of the voice so as to add the pleasure of musical modulation to that of exciting thought. Intonation is true only when it is natura and appropriate. Public Speaking should be intelligible, correct, impressive and

emotional, or oratorical. The latter intensifies all the impressive forms of delivery, and requires a versatile power of adapting the manner to the kind of thought expressed, quickness of eye, rapid intuitive conception, true and lively feeling, and a complete mastery of voice, countenance, mien and gesture; and all must be governed and adjusted by taste and judgment.

Oratory is not likely to be an every-day manifestation of mind. It is the power of reasoning correctly, and of attuning the expression of thought to the purposes of persuasion, and of uttering those thoughts with grace, manner, modulation and enforcement. It is a compound exertion of all the energies of thought, feeling and action in the highest perfection of their various powers.

Within, memory, fancy, judgment, passion,- all are busy.

Without, every muscle, every nerve is exerted; not a feature, not a limb but speaks. The rules for the regulation of the former pertain to rhetoric and eloquence, the latter to elocution.

The student is seriously advised not to imitate, but to think.

Power of Thought. It is hard to rouse in their might these energies of thought; but when once roused,—when felt tingling along every nerve of sensation, the whole inward being thrilling with their enkindling inspiration,

"And all the God comes rushing on the soul,"—

there seem to be no limits to their capacity, and obstacles shrivel into ashes in their fiery path. This deep feeling of power and joy, this ecstasy of the living soul, this untamed and untamable energy of Genius, you cannot check its victorious career as it leaps exultingly from discovery to discovery, new truths ever beckoning imploringly in the dim distance, a universe ever opening and expanding before it, and above all a Voice still crying, On! on!-On! though the clay fall from the soul's struggling powers!-On! though the spirit burn through its garment of flesh, as the sun through mist! - On! on!

"Along the line of limitless desires!"

-E. P. Whipple.

IF.-Circumflex.

I knew when seven justices could not take up a quarrel; but when the parties were met themselves, one of them thought but of an If, as "If you said so, then I said so." "Oh, ho! did you say so?" and they' shook hands and were sworn brothers.-Shakspeare.

IMITATIONS.-Voice.

Nothing is more natural than to imitate, | by the tones of the voice, the quality of the sound or noise | which any external object makes, and to form its name accordingly. A certain bird is termed the CUCKOO, from the sound which it emits. When one sort of wind is said to.. WHISTLE, and another to..ROAR; when a serpent is said to..HISS, a fly to..BUZZ, and falling timber to..CRASH; when a stream is said to.. FLOW, and hail to..RATTLE; the analogy between the word and the thing signified is plainly discernible.-Blair.

CHEERFUL PIETY.-Contrast.

The cultivation of cheerfulness is not sufficiently considered as forming part of the duty of a Christian; but it forms a very material part. It recommends religion to the world in general, and gives a brightness and charm to domestic life. Piety with her skull and cross-bones, her haircloth scourges, and tearful countenance, is a very repulsive personage; but Piety with her gentle silver tones of kindness, her hand of helpfulness, her glad smile, and eyes full of grateful hope fixed on Heaven, is attractive and beautiful. Cheerfulness ought to be one of the unfailing attributes of Christian Piety.

A SELFISH MAN.-Great variety of voice, inflection,

emphasis, force and gesture.

A selfish man may surround himself with everything which he most covets; he may lay under tribute the vales of Cashmere, the looms of Persia; the spice-fields of Arabia; the mines of Golconda; and fence himself around with a wall of gold; and yet the Nemesis of violated equilibrium (balance-sheet and bill in hand) will scale that wall and blast those luxuries, and hurl all the plagues of Egypt upon the delinquent. The water of his hope shall be turned to the blood of disappointment. The "frogs" of discontent shall croak in all his chambers; the "lice" of secret evils shall infest his whole being; the flies of censoriousness shall sting him, the murrain of indulgence shall consume him; the boils of shameless wickedness shall cover him; the hail of perverted blessings shall smite him; the locusts of malevolence shall devour him; the thick darkness of prostituted faculties shall envelop him; and over all shall be heard his wail for the death of his firstborn; of that in which he had most trusted for happiness, on which he had most cherishingly set his heart of hearts.

ANECDOTE.-For Inflection

A doctor was employed by a poor man to attend his wife, who was dangerously ill. The doctor gave a hint that he had fears of not being paid. "I have five pounds," said the man to the doctor, "and if you · KILL or CURE, you shall have them." The woman died in the doctor's hands, and after a reasonable time he called for his five pounds. The man asked the doctor if he KILLED his wife? "No!" 'Did you CURE?" "NO!" "Then," said the poor man, "you have no legal demand!"

WORK BETTER THAN TALENT.

Demosthenes combated an impediment in speech, an ungainliness of gesture, which at first drove him from the forum in disgrace. Cicero failed at first through weakness of lungs and an excessive vehemence of manner, which wearied his hearers and defeated his own purposes. These defects were conquered by study and discipline. He exiled himself from home, and during his absence in various lands passed not a day without a rhetorical exercise, seeking the masters who were most severe in criticism, as the surest means of leading him to the perfection at which he aimed.

WARREN'S ADDRESS AT THE BUNKER HILL

BATTLE.

Stand! the ground's your own, my braves! will ye give it up to slaves? Will ye look for greener graves? Hope ye mercy still? What's the mercy despots feel? Hear it in that battle peal! Read it-on yon bristling steel! Ask it - ye who will. Fear ye foes who kill for hire? Will ye to your homes retire? Look behind you! they're afire! And before you, se! who have done it! From the vale on they come! and will ye quail? Leaden rain and iron hail let their welcome be! In the God of battles trust! Die we may—and die we must: but, O! where can dust to dust be consigned so well, as where heaven its dews shall shed on the martyred patriot's bed, and the rocks shall raise their heads of his deeds to tell?-Pierpont.

BEFORE VICKSBURG.

MAY 19, 1863.

While Sherman stood beneath the hottest fire that from the lines of Vicksburg gleamed, and bomb-shells tumbled in their smoky gyre, and grape-shot hissed, and case-shot screamed; back from the front there came, weeping and sorely lame, the merest child, the youngest face man ever saw in such a fea ful place. Stifling his tears, he limped his chief