The Canadian Elocutionist

A >> Anna Kelsey Howard >> The Canadian Elocutionist

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WALKING.

In walking, the head and body should be carried upright, yet perfectly free
and easy, with the shoulders thrown back, the knees should be straight, and
the toes turned out. In the walk or march, the foot should be advanced,
keeping the knee and instep straight, and the toe pointing downward; it
should then be placed softly on the ground without jerking the body; and
this movement should be repeated with the left foot, and the action
continued until it can be performed with ease and elegance.

"In a graceful human step," it has been well observed, "the heel is always
raised before the foot is lifted from the ground, as if the foot were part
of a wheel rolling forward, and the weight of the body, supported by the
muscles of the calf of the leg, rests, for a time, on the fore part of the
foot and toes. There is then a bending of the foot in a certain degree."

SITTING.

In reading, the student should sit erect, with both feet resting on the
floor, and one foot slightly advanced, the head up so as to be able to use
the whole trunk in respiration.

KNEELING.

To kneel gracefully, assume the first standing position resting the weight
of the body on the right foot, then place the left knee gently down on the
floor keeping the body perfectly erect, then bring the right knee down;--in
rising, these motions are reversed, the right knee being raised first, the
full weight of the body resting on it while rising, bring up the left knee
and assume the first standing position. To be effective these motions
should be very gracefully executed and a great deal of practice must be
given to acquire freedom of action.

HOLDING THE BOOK.

The book should be held in the right hand by the side, standing in the
first position then raise it and open it to place, pass it to the left hand
letting the right hand drop by the side, the book being held so that the
upper part of it is below the chin, so as to show the countenance, and
permit the free use of the eyes, which should frequently be raised from the
book and directed to those who are listening.

CHAPTER II.

BREATHING EXERCISES.

Deep breathing with the lips closed, inhaling as long as possible, and
exhaling slowly, is very beneficial.

Having inflated the lungs to their utmost capacity, form the breath into
the element of long _o_, in its escape through the vocal organs. This
exercise should be frequently repeated, as the voice will be strengthened
thereby, and the capacity of the chest greatly increased. Do not raise the
shoulders or the upper part of the chest alone when you breathe. Breathe as
a healthy child breathes, by the expansion and contraction of abdominal and
intercostal muscles. Such breathing will improve the health, and be of
great assistance in continuous reading or speaking. Great care is necessary
in converting the breath into voice. Do not waste breath; use it
economically, or hoarseness will follow. Much practice on the vocal
elements, with all the varieties of pitch, then the utterance of words,
then of sentences, and finally of whole paragraphs, is necessary in
learning to use the breath, and in acquiring judgment and taste in
vocalizing. _Never speak when the lungs are exhausted. Keep them well
inflated._

SPECIAL DIRECTIONS FOR BREATHING.

1. Place yourself in a perfectly erect but easy posture; the weight of the
body resting on one foot; the feet at a moderate distance, the one in
advance 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_.

6. Inflate the lungs to their utmost capacity and exhale the breath very
slowly, counting rapidly up to ten, as many times as possible with one
breath.

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.

CHAPTER III.

ARTICULATION.

A good articulation consists in a clear, full, and distinct utterance of
words, in accordance with the best standard of pronunciation, and this
constitutes the basis of every other excellence in reading and oratory.
Care and attention, with diligent practice, will keep young persons from
falling into the bad habit of imperfect articulation, for most voices are
good until domestic or local habits spoil them. Hence the great importance
of careful training in early childhood, for if parents and instructors
would direct their attention to this matter a manifest improvement would
quickly follow; yet, to acquire a good articulation is not so difficult a
task "as to defy the assaults of labour."

"The importance of a correct enunciation in a public speaker is well known
--for if he possesses only a moderate voice, if he articulates correctly,
he will be better understood and heard with greater pleasure, than one who
vociferates without judgment. The voice of the latter may indeed extend to
a considerable distance,--but the sound is dissipated in confusion; of the
former voice, not the smallest vibration is wasted, every stroke is
perceived even at the utmost distance to which it reaches; and hence it
often has the appearance of penetrating even farther than one which is
loud, but badly articulated."

In connection with this subject, a few words are necessary concerning
impediment of speech, for in cases where a slight degree of hesitation
breaks the fluent tenor of discourse much may be accomplished by due care
and attention, and most defects of speech, voice, and manner may be
modified or remedied by cultivation and diligent study and practice.

In seeking for a remedy the first thing to be considered is the care of the
health, for this is the foundation of every hope of cure, and all excesses
should be avoided and all irregularities guarded against.

All the mental powers should be enlisted in the combat with the defect, and
the student should speak with deliberation and with an expiring breath, and
when alone practice frequently the words and letters that he finds most
difficult to pronounce, and should also furnish his mind with a copious
vocabulary of synonyms, so that if he finds himself unable to utter a
particular word, he may substitute some other in its place. But above all
he must maintain a courageous command over himself and exert the energy of
his own mind. By observing these rules, if the defect is not entirely
eradicated, it will at least be palliated in a considerable degree.

CHAPTER IV.

ELEMENTARY SOUNDS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

The number of elements in the language is thirty-eight.

They are divided into _vowels_, _sub-vowels_, and
_aspirates_; or, as classified by Dr. Rush in his "Philosophy of the
Human Voice," into _tonics_, _sub-tonics_, and _atonics_.

There are fifteen _vowels_, fourteen _sub-vowels_, and nine
_aspirates_.

_Table of the Elements._

VOWELS

A as heard in _a_le, f_a_te, m_a_y.
A " " " _a_rm, f_a_rm, h_a_rm.
A " " " _a_ll, f_a_ll, _o_rb.
A " " " _a_n, ide_a_, p_a_n.
E " " " _e_asy, im_i_tate, m_e_.
E " " " _e_nd, l_e_t, m_e_nd.
I " " " _i_sle, _i_ce, fl_y_, m_i_ne.
I " " " _i_n, p_i_n, _E_ngland.
O " " " _o_ld, m_o_re, _o_ats.
O " " " _oo_se, l_o_se, t_o_, f_oo_l
O " " " _o_n, l_o_ck, n_o_t.
U " " " m_ew_, f_ew_, t_u_be, p_u_pil.
U " " " _u_p, t_u_b, h_e_r, h_u_rt.
U " " " f_u_ll, p_u_ll, w_o_lf.
OU " " " _ou_r, fl_ou_r, p_ow_er.

SUB-VOWELS.

B as heard in _b_ow, _b_oat, _b_arb.
D " " " _d_ay, bi_d_, _d_are.
G " " " _g_ay, fi_g_, _g_ilt.
L " " " _l_ight, _l_iberty, a_ll_.
M " " " _m_ind, stor_m_, _m_ate.
N " " " _n_o, o_n_, _n_i_n_e.
NG " " " si_ng_, fi_ng_er, lo_ng_.
R " " " _r_oe, _r_a_r_e, o_r_b.
TH " " " _th_en, wi_th_, benea_th_.
V as heard in _v_ice, _v_ile, sal_v_e.
W " " " _w_oe, _w_ave, _w_orld.
Y " " " _y_oke, _y_e, _y_onder.
Z " " " _z_one, hi_s_, _Z_enophon.
ZH " " " a_z_ure, enclo_s_ure.

ASPIRATES.

F as heard in _f_ame, i_f_, li_f_t.
H " " " _h_e, _h_ut.
K " " " _k_ite, ca_k_e.
P " " " _p_it, u_p_, a_p_t.
S " " " _s_in, _c_ell, ye_s_.
SH " " " _sh_ade, _sh_ine, flu_sh_ed.
T " " " _t_ake, oa_t_s, i_t_.
TH " " " _th_in, tru_th_, mon_th_s.
WH " " " _wh_en, _wh_ich, _wh_at.

There are many words in which there are difficult combinations of the
elements; they, as well as those in which the combinations are easy, should
be practiced upon until the pupil is able to articulate each element
correctly. The following is a table of the _analysis of words_, in
which there are easy and difficult combinations of elements. Let the pupil
spell the words, uttering separately each _element_, and not the
_name_ of the word, as is the practice which generally obtains in our
schools.

_Table of the Analysis of Words._

WORDS. ELEMENTS.

ale, a-l.
day, d-a.
fame, f-a-m.
crew, k-r-u.
call, k-a-l.
deeds, d-e-d-z.
wool, w-u-l.
isle, i-l.
dare, d-a-r.
ink, i-ng-k.
pause, p-a-z.
mow, m-o.
lose, l-o-z.
pray, p-r-a.
spell, s-p-e-l.
twists, t-w-i-s-t-s.
waste, w-a-s-t.
awful, a-f-u-l.
up, u-p.
mouths, m-ou-th-z.
sky, s-k-i.
lamb, l-a-m.
oak, o-k.
eve, e-v.
once, w-u-n-s.
awe, a.
power, p-ou-u-r.
mulcts, m-u-l-k-t-s.
John, d-gh-a-n.
objects, o-b-d-jh-e-k-ts.
thousandth, th-ou-z-a-n-d-th.
wives, w-i-v-z.
softness, s-o-f-t-n-e-s.
shrugged, sh-r-u-g-d.
themselves, th-e-m-s-e-l-v-z.
church, t-sh-u-r-t-sh.

They were _wrenched_ by the hand of violence.
The _strength_ of his nostrils is _terrible_.
A gentle current _rippled_ by.
Thou _barb'd'st_ the dart by which he fell.
Arm'd, say ye? Arm'd, my lord!
He _sa_wed _six sl_eek, _sl_im _s_apling_s_.
It was strongly _urged_ upon him.
Ami_dst_ the mi_sts_, he thru_sts_ his fi_sts_ again_st_ the po_sts_.
The swan swam over the sea; well swum, swan. The
swan swam back again; well swum, swan.

PRONUNCIATION AND ACCENT.

Pronunciation is the mode of enouncing certain words and syllables. As
pronunciation varies with the modes and fashions of the times, it is
sometimes fluctuating in particular words, and high authorities are often
so much at variance, that the correct mode is hard to be determined; hence
to acquire a correct pronunciation, this irregularity, whatever be the
cause, must be submitted to.

Be very careful to give each letter its proper sound and avoid omitting or
perverting the sound of any letter or syllable of a word, without some good
authority.

The unaccentuated syllables of words are very liable to be either omitted,
slurred or corrupted, and there is no word in the language more frequently
and unjustly treated in this respect than the conjunction--_and_. It
is seldom half articulated, although it is properly entitled to
_three_ distinct elementary sounds.

Heaven _a_nd earth will witness,
If Rome must fall, that we are innocent. I

The Assyrian came down, like the wolf on the fold,
And _h_is cohorts were gleaming in purple _a_nd gold.

The word _and_, in these and similar examples, is commonly pronounced
as if written _u_nd or _u_n, with an imperfect or partially occluded
articulation of these elements; whereas, it ought always to be
pronounced in such a manner that each of its own three elementary sounds,
though in their combined state, may distinctly appear.

In pronouncing the phrase, "and his," not only the _a_, but the
_h_, is, also, frequently suppressed, and the sound of the _d_ is
combined with that of the _i_ following it; as if written thus,
_u_nd _diz_ cohorts, and so on. Many pronounce the phrase "are
innocent," in the first example, as if written _a rinesunt_. This
practice of suppressing letters, and as it were melting words into
indistinct masses, cannot be too cautiously guarded against.

Avoid the affectations and mis-pronunciations exemplified in the following
list of words which are often mispronounced. Do not say--

G_i_t for g_e_t.
H_e_v " h_a_ve.
K_e_tch " c_a_tch.
G_e_th'er " g_a_th'er.
St_i_d'y " st_e_ad'y.
Good'n_i_ss " good'n_e_ss.
Hon'ist " hon'est.
Hun'd_u_rd " hund'red.
Sav'_i_j " sav'_a_ge.
Ma_w_n'ing " mo_r_n'ing.
Cli'm_i_t " cli'm_a_te.
Si'l_u_nt " si'l_e_nt.
Souns " soun_d_s.
Fiels " fiel_d_s.
Sof'ly " sof_t_'ly.
Kindl'st " kindl'_d_st.
Armst " arm'_d_st.
Gen'ral " gen'_e_ral.
Sep'rate " sep'_a_rate.
Mis'ries " mis'_e_ries.
Dif'frence " diff'_e_rence.
Ex'lent " ex'c_el_lent.
Comp'ny " com'p_a_ny.
Liv'in " liv'i_ng_.
Lenth'en " le_ng_th'en.
Chastisemunt " chastisement.
Bereavemunt " bereavement.
Contentmunt " contentment.
Offis " office.
Hevun " heaven.
Curosity " curiosity.
Absolut " absolute, etc.

CHAPTER V.

QUALITIES OF VOICE.

By Quality of Voice is meant the kind of voice used to express sentiment.

There are two general divisions of quality: PURE and IMPURE. These are sub-
divided into Pure, Deepened or Orotund, Guttural, Tremor, Aspirate, and
Falsetto qualities.

PURE QUALITY.

The Pure or Natural tone is employed in ordinary speaking or descriptive
language, and is expressed with less expenditure of breath than any other
quality of voice. It is entirely free from any impure vocal sound.

1.

"How calm, how beautiful a scene is this,--
When Nature, waking from her silent sleep,
Bursts forth in light, and harmony, and joy!
When earth, and sky, and air, are glowing all
With gayety and life, and pensive shades
Of morning loveliness are cast around!
The purple clouds, so streaked with crimson light,
Bespeak the coming of majestic day;--
Mark how the crimson grows more crimson still,
While, ever and anon, a golden beam
Seems darting out its radiance!
Heralds of day! where is that mighty form
Which clothes you all in splendour, and around
Your colourless, pale forms spreads the bright hues
Of heaven?--He cometh from his gorgeous couch,
And gilds the bosom of the glowing east!"

_Margaret Davidson._

2.

Sweet was the sound, when oft at evening's close
Up yonder hill the village murmur rose;
There, as I passed with careless steps and slow
The mingling notes came softened from below;
The swain responsive as the milk-maid sung,
The sober herd that lowed to meet their young;
The noisy geese that gabbled o'er the pool,
The playful children just let loose from school;
The watch-dog's voice that bayed the whispering wind,
And the loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind;
These all in sweet confusion sought the shade,
And filled each pause the nightingale had made.
But now the sounds of population fail,
No cheerful murmurs fluctuate in the gale,
No busy steps the grass-grown footway tread,
For all the blooming flush of life is fled.
All but yon widowed, solitary thing,
That feebly bends beside the plashy spring;
She, wretched matron--forced in age, for bread,
To strip the brook with mantling cresses spread,
To pick her wintry fagot from the thorn,
To seek her nightly shed and weep till morn--
She only left of all the harmless train,
The sad historian of the pensive plain!

_Goldsmith._

OROTUND QUALITY.

The Orotund is a highly improved state of the Natural voice, and is the
quality most used, being far more expressive, as it gives grandeur and
energy to thought and expression. This voice is highly agreeable, and is
more musical and flexible than the common voice.

Dr. Rush defines the Orotund as that assemblage of eminent qualities which
constitute the highest characteristic of the speaking voice. He describes
it to be a full, clear, strong, smooth, and ringing sound, rarely heard in
ordinary speech; but which is never found in its highest excellence, except
by careful cultivation. He describes the fine qualities of voice
constituting the Orotund in the following words:--

By a fullness of voice, is meant the grave or hollow volume, which
approaches to hoarseness.

By a freedom from nasal murmur and aspiration.

By a satisfactory loudness and audibility.

By smoothness, or a freedom from all reedy or guttural harshness.

By a ringing sonorous quality of voice resembling certain musical
instruments.

The possession of the power of this voice is greatly dependent on
cultivation and management, and experiments have proved that more depends
on cultivation than on natural peculiarity. Much care and labour are
necessary for acquiring this improved condition of the speaking voice, the
lungs must be kept well supplied with breath, there must be a full
expansion of the chest, causing the abdomen gently to protrude, the throat
and the mouth must be kept well open so as to give free course to the
sound. Never waste the breath, every pause must be occupied in replenishing
the lungs, and the inhalation should be done as silently as possible, and
through the nostrils as well as by the mouth.

Excellence in this quality of voice depends on the earnest and frequent
practice of reading aloud with the utmost degree of force. The voice may be
exerted to a great extent without fatigue or injury, but should never be
taxed beyond its powers, and as soon as this strong action can be employed
without producing hoarseness, it should be maintained for half an hour at a
time.

This practice is very beneficial to the health, especially if prosecuted in
the open air, or in a large, well ventilated room, and if pursued
regularly, energetically, and systematically, the pupil will be surprised
and delighted at his rapid progress in this art, and his voice, from a
condition of comparative feebleness, will soon develop into one of well-
marked strength, fullness, and distinctness.

1.

Ye ice-falls! ye that from the mountain's brow
Adown enormous ravines slope amain,--
Torrents, methinks, that heard a mighty voice,
And stopped at once amid their maddest plunge!
Motionless torrents! silent cataracts!
Who made you glorious as the gates of heaven
Beneath the keen, full moon? Who bade the sun
Clothe you with rainbows? Who, with living flowers
Of loveliest blue, spread garlands at your feet!--
God! let the torrents, like a shout of nations,
Answer! and let the ice-plains echo, God!--
And they, too, have a voice,--yon piles of snow,
And in their perilous fall shall thunder, God!

_Coleridge._

2.

The hoarse, rough voice, should like a torrent roar.

3.

Hurrah! the foes are moving. Hark to the mingled din
Of fife, and steed, and trump, and drum, and roaring culverin.
The fiery duke is pricking fast across Saint Andre's plain,
With all the hireling chivalry of Guelders and Almayne.
Now by the lips of those ye love, fair gentlemen of France,
Charge for the golden lilies--upon them with the lance!
A thousand spurs are striking deep, a thousand spears in rest,
A thousand knights are pressing close behind the snow-white crest,
And in they burst, and on they rushed, while, like a guiding star,
Amidst the thickest carnage blazed the helmet of Navarre.

_Macaulay_.

4.

"Up drawbridge, grooms!--What, warder, ho!
Let the portcullis fall."--
Lord Marmion turned,--well was his need!--
And dashed the rowels in his steed,
Like arrow through the archway sprung;
The ponderous gate behind him rung:
To pass there was such scanty room,
The bars, descending, razed his plume.

_Sir Walter Scott_.

5.

Fight, gentlemen of England! fight, bold yeomen!
Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head!
Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood!
Amaze the welkin with your broken staves!
A thousand hearts are great within my bosom!
Advance our standards, set upon our foes!
Our ancient word of courage--fair Saint George--
Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons!
Upon them! Victory sits on our helms!

_Shakespeare._

6.

And reckon'st thou thyself with spirits of heaven,
_Hell-doomed_, and breath'st defiance here and scorn,
Where I reign king? and to enrage the more
_Thy_ King and Lord! _Back_ to thy _pun_ishment,
_False fu_gitive, and to thy speed add wings,
Lest with a whip of scorpions I pursue
Thy lingering, or with one stroke of this dart
Strange horrors seize thee, and pangs unfelt before.

_Milton._

7.

These are Thy glorious works, Parent of Good!
Almighty! Thine this universal frame,
Thus wondrous fair!--Thyself how wondrous, then!
Unspeakable! who sitt'st above these heavens,
To us invisible, or dimly seen
Midst these, thy lowest works!
Yet these declare Thy goodness beyond thought,
And power divine!

8.

An hour passed on:--the Turk awoke:--
That bright dream was his last;--
He woke--to hear his sentries shriek,
"To arms!--they come!--the Greek, the Greek!"
He woke--to die, 'midst flame and smoke,
And shout, and groan, and sabre-stroke,
And death-shots felling thick and fast.

Like forest-pines before the blast,
Or lightnings from the mountain-cloud;
And heard, with voice as trumpet loud,
Bozzaris cheer his band;
"Strike--till the last armed foe expires,
Strike--for your altars and your fires,
Strike--for the green graves of your sires,
Heaven--and your native land!"

They fought like brave men, long and well,
They piled that ground with Moslem slain,
They conquered--but Bozzaris fell
Bleeding at every vein.
His few surviving comrades saw
His smile, when rang their proud hurrah,
And the red field was won;
They saw in death his eyelids close,
Calmly, as to a night's repose,
Like flowers at set of sun.

_Halleck._

GUTTURAL QUALITY.

The Guttural Quality is used in expressing the strongest degree of
contempt, disgust, aversion, revenge, etc. Its characteristic is an
explosive resonance in the throat, producing a harsh and grating sound, and
its expression can be used in all the various tones, giving to them its own
peculiar character.

This quality, is, however, of rare occurrence, and needs less cultivation
than the other qualities.

1.

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!

_Shakespeare._

2.

How like a fawning publican he looks!
I hate him, for he is a Christian:
But more, for that, in low simplicity,
He lends out money gratis, and brings down
The rate of usance here with us in Venice:
If I can catch him once upon the hip,
I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our sacred nation; and he rails,
Even there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls interest:--Cursed be my tribe,
If I forgive him!

_Shakespeare._

3.

Thou stands't at length before me undisguised--
Of all earth's grovelling 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!

4.

"And, Douglas, more I tell thee here,
Even in thy pitch of pride,
Here in thy hold, thy vassals near,
(Nay, never look upon your Lord,
And lay your hands upon your sword,)
I tell thee, thou'rt defied!
And if thou said'st I am not peer--
To any lord in Scotland here,
Lowland or Highland, far or near,
Lord Angus, thou has't lied!"

_Sir Walter Scott_.

TREMOR QUALITY.

The Tremor Quality is used in expressing pity, grief, joy, mirth, etc., and
its characteristic is a frequent rise and fall of the voice, and a more
delicate exercise of that particular vibration in the throat, known as
"gurgling." It is apparent in extreme feebleness, in age, exhaustion,
sickness, fatigue, grief, and even joy, and other feelings in which ardour
or extreme tenderness predominate.

1.

Pity the sorrows of a poor old man
Whose trembling limbs have borne him to your door;
Whose days are dwindled to the shortest span;--
Oh, give relief, and heaven will bless your store!

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