4/99 /67/ A = ^^= o Al ^= o m d 1 1 ^=^ 33 ^^= O 4 = i 8 9 8 2 Smith Hints on Elocution A' THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES % f-aonrPTNEss In niilu? kII ordcrM \^ k iWH.y(. a featnre of our bubl- Ti e. Any Play, Dialogue B.. K, Vigs and Beards— In fact anything you want will be t*eut 1>> AMES' P 'IB- CO., Clyde, Ohio. AMES' SERIES OF . STANDARD AND MINOR DRAMA. No. 17. Hints on Elocution. \flTH OAST OF CHARACTER8, ENTRANCES AND ITS, RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE PERFORMERS 0$ THE STAGE, DESCRIPTION OP COSTUxVIES AND HE WHOLE OF THE STAGE BUSINESS ; CARE- FULLY MARKED FROM THE MOST AP PROVED ACTING COPY. \^ 3^ PRICE m CENTS. CLYDE. OHIO. AMES' PUBLISHING CO. No gjods sent C. O. D. Mouey' MUST accompany all orders. y J^rrn{ •' PMitioii of Plays. Fifteen cents each unless othex'wise marked. '^ NO. eo4 l(Vt Vlb 318 3,=.0 113 SM 3V1 272 160 268 310 284 373 242 161 60 342 343 152 279 173 143 67 97 119 162 38.5 176 2o5 300 311 304 93 390 28;< 314 117 3«6 374 141 19! 3i!2 402 337 194 8 9 136 3.'W 387 417 39 2«1 227 410 3X> 211 251 3t. M. F. DRAMAS. .10 Arthur Eustace, 25c After Ten Years. 7 Auld RoDiu Gray, 25c 12 Advent\ires8, The 8 B%- Force of Love 8 Bill Detrick, 6 Brao, the Poor House Girl... 4 Broken Liuks. t* Beyond Pardon ,. 6 Conn; or Love's Victory 9 Clearing the Mists 5 Claim Ninety-six (96) 2.50... 8 Coinmercial Drummer, The 5 Cricket on the Hearth. The. 6 Dutch Recruit, The 25c 14 Dora n Driven to the Wall_ 10 Defending the Flag. 25c .11 Daisy Garland's Fortune, 25c 5 Driven from Home_ 6 Dutch Jake 4 East Lynne 8 Emigrant's Daughter: 8 False Friend. The 6 Fatal Blow, The 6 Forty-Niner8,The 10 Fielding Manor 9 Freeman Mill Strike, The... 7 Factory Girl 6 Gertie's Vindication 3 Grandmother Hildebrand's Legacy, 2.ic 5 Gyp, The Heiress, 2r)f 5 General Manager, The 5 Gentleman in Black, The... 8 Handy Andy M) Haunted bv a Shadow.. 6 Haunted M"lll,The....: 5 Hal Hazard, 25c 7 Ha/.el Adams « 5 Hearts of Gold.„ 5 Hldileu TreaMUies.™ 3 Hidden Hand 15 Josh Winchester, 25e 5 Joe, the Waif, 25c....: fi Kathleen Mavourneen 12 LightH and Shiwlows of the Great Rebellion, 25c _10 Lady of Lyons 12 Lady A\idley'B Secret 6 Legal Holiday f> LlUle Goldlc, 25c 11 Little Heroine 8 Little Wile, The 6 Life's Revenge 11 Lost In London.... •< Maud's Peril ^ M«>«hanlc's Reprieve, The.. 8 ^- ■ •■ ; ■ r, 25c._ 7 ,. 6 iiiiM. , i.i. ■-■""■■''OOU. 6 3 5 3 6 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 5 3 6 3 i 3 3 5 4 3 6 3 1 1 4 6 1 3 3 4 4 5 4 3 2 4 3 3 3 3 7 3 3 4 5 5 4 o 3 2 3 4 4 3 3 6 2 5 MO. 165 34 229 348 277 355 112 298 237 408 196 223 81 331 405 333 85 83 347 146 419 278 301 280 5 822 420 71 45 275 409 79 336 372 266 364 369 105 201 2ff3 193 200 3M 415 290 41 192 Miriam's Crime. 5 Mistletoe Bough 7 Mountebanks, The 6 Mrs. Willis' Will... Musical Captain, The 25c. ..15 My Pard,25c 6 New Magdalen, The 6 New York Book Agent. 7 Not Such a Fool as He Looks 5 Noel Corson's Oath 6 Oath Bound 4 Old Honesty 5 Old Phil's Birthday 5 Old Wayside Inn, The 9 Old Glory in Cuba, 25c. 8 Our Kittle 6 Outcast's Wife 12 Out on the World 5 Our Country Aunt Our Awful Aunt 4 Our Jack 7 Peuu Hapgood 10 Peleg and Peter, 25c 4 Pheellni O'Rookes' Curse... 8 PhvHs, the Beggar Girl 6 Raw Recruit, The /..^ Rachel, the Fire Waif, 28r' ^71. Reward of Crime, The " Rock Allen ■ ^ Simple Silas » Southern Rose, A. '0 Spy of Atlanta, 25c 'f Squire's Daughter, The.. Sunlight, 25c Sweetbrler 5 10 1! Trlxle '^ Taggs, the Waif, 25c ■ '' Through Snow and SU!" shine „ J? Ticket of Leave Man ^ Tom Blossom.... ^ Toodles ;. j Uncle Tom's C;ibin ■'" Uncle Jed's Fidelity. Under the Americnu Fla 25c Wild Mab Won at Last i Zion. 2 3 2 5 2 5 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 6 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 2 3 A 4 8 4 3 ,s 4 3 3 5 .-? I 4 3 4 75 391 7:1 187 254 '3K 185 189 181 TEMPERANCE PLA'S. Adrift 12 -• Among the Moonshiners... ' - At Last :J ' A AND -w — How to Become an Actor, ORIGINAL AND COMPILED -;{Y- CHAS. W. SMITH, WITH MANY ADDITIONS -BY- -i f>, AKi:s. SXW AND IMPROVED EDITION, CT.YnE OHIO. A. D. AMES, PUBLISHER. Mntered acrorJing to Act of Cottpre^*, »«« (he year .s ., Ay A MES d: HOL OA TE, v% the OJiict of the J^ibru/ian «/ L'ongreas ai Wer- vation of Condiallac, "that we have never so much to say, as when we .-et out from false principles." The first attention of every person who reads to others, doubtless, must be to make himself heard by all those to whom he reads, or, speaks. He nuist endeavor to fill with his voice tlie space occupied, by the company, 'i'his power of voice, it may be thought, is whol- ly a natural talent. It is in a good measure the gift of nature; but it may receive considerable ass'.staiice from art. In order to produce a good voice, and to speak with ease, keep erect, but not perpendicular, whether you stand or sit. The che.^t must be expanded and projected, but not in a constrained manner; the shoulders de]>rcssed and thrown back; the mouth must be well opened by lo\\ering the under jaw, but without distorting the fea- tures. If the mouth be not BulKciently opened, the voice will not have full power; if too mu<-h, the features will be distorted; and in either case, the articulation and quality of the voice will be injured. In P{teakiiig, as much depends on voice and manner as on the lan- guage and sense therein conveyed. A common-place sentiment well delivered, is more elfectlve than choice ideas (;ulled from pro- found thought and research expressed in a shambling or otherwise, fritfering manner. Consequently, too little importance is given to the study of Elocution. Few pcope speak correctly. Without ref- erence to granmiatical errors or i)recision, not one person among ten thousand uses his or her voice i)roperly and in harmony with the re- quirements of good taste and expression. There are absolute laws governing the whole ground which nmst be understood before a per- son is certain of giving force or a sensible meaning to words. Ideas are not necessarily only conveyed in words. Facial expression, ac- tion and pause are eloquent, and intermingled with words aug- mented by the culture of a finely modidated voice, give point, pow- t-r and ellVct to the most t-nnunon arirunient as to ai^ricoless thought. Elocution means something more tlien learning to sj)out "1 come not liere to tjilk" in Rien/.i's address to the Romans, which scliool- )>oy8 harped thread-bare; or cultivating a graceful i)rattle on Poe's Kaven; or losing yourself in oral meM«^' \' ■•' HIXTS ON ELOCUTION. 7 proper decree of slowness, and witli full and clear ailiciil.itioii, is necessary to be studied by all who wish to become good readers: and it cannot be too much recommended to them. Sucii a pronunciation gives weight and dignity to the snl)ject. It is a great assistance to the voice, by the pauses and rests which it allows the reader more easily to make; and it enables the reader to swell all his tones, botli with more force and more harmony. Read conversational dialogues and dramatic scenes, which are ef- fective means of breaking up monotonous and mechanical tone*. Learn to read one character well, then another, then all; modulat- ing the voice for the difterent characters. Avoid all nostrums for "improving the voice." Many are highly injurious, containing opium or other deleterious drugs; and altliougii they may at first to improve the voice, they will ultimately and per- manently injure it. Exercise and temperance are the only sure strengtheners. Whatever improves the general state of the health will equally improve the vocal organs. Practice with moderation, and rest before the voice becomes fatigued. Do not load the stoin- ache before speaking. Cravats should not be thick, as such weaken the vocal organs, nor worn lo tight as to impede their action. But avoid a slovenly looseness, Snufif is very injurious to the voice. Most vocal complaints arise from over exertion, or from too littl'i practice. In the first case, rest — in the latter, dally practice will effect a cure. True impressiveness is only to be given to words by uttering them expressively, that is, in tones expressing the feeling of the passage; in the pitch of the voice natural to the feeling or sentiment to be ex- pressed; in the movement or degree of slowness or fastness appro- j)riate to the words; and with that degree of force which is equal to the energy of the language. These terms are Ireijueutly misapplied. It is a common blunder to confound pitcli with power. A speaker is often said to have spoken in too low a tone to be heard, which is incorrect. High and low, re- fer to the degrees of pitch or acuteness and gravity of sounds, and loud and soft to the degrees of power. You may speak in a large room upon the lowest pitch of your voice, and be heard if you use f^ufficient power, and upon your highest pitch in a smrill room with- out annoying your auditors, if you use power only siiHicieut to fill the j)lace. By tone I mean that peculiar expression of voice which correctly* indicates the feeling of the speaker, as a tone of giief, rage, despair melancholy, confidence, arrogance, &c. Follow nature; consider how she teaches you to utier any sentiment or feeling of your a siyrs ox elocution. lieart. Whether you speak in a private room, or in a great ast?em- bly. renu'iiiber tliat yoii still speak, and speak naturally. As in patliolo>ry, -'^o it is in oratory, what comes from the heart (toes to the, heart, ('onventional tones and action have been the ruin of delivery in the pulpit, the senate, the bar, and on the staj^e. Tone is distinct from quality of the voice, or that peculiarity which distinguislies the speaker's idiosyncrasy. This quality should not be imitated liy any one, for ili.it which sits well upon one person will be uniiatuml in another of different characteristics. Tone is of the highest importance; it is the great secret of powerful delivery, 'i'hcre is as groat a ditl'eronce between a fine passaireread in expressive tones ami in the usual conventional tones adoi^ted by most readers, as there is between an air of Handel sung by Jenny Lind and the most common-place vocalist. Pitch, movement and force, are also of great importance. The four form infinite variety for the expression of feeling and sentiment, and are to be acquired to a great degree by study and practice. The highest degree of expression in tone and force are the prerogatives of genius: but even then, polish is required to ajiproacl) jjofection. We can raise our voice at pleasure to jiny pitch it is capable of; but it requires great art and practice to bring the voice lower when it is once raised too high. It ought, therefore, to be a first principle rather to begin under the common level of the voice, than above it. If yon are naturally weak in voice, or through habit have fallen into a weak utterance ; read or speak daily, and if possible, in a large room, gradually increasing the power ; for the metliod of increasing by degrees is easy in this as in everything else, when sudden transi- ions are impracticable; and every new acquisition of power will enable you the better to go on to the next degree. When you have attained that loudness beyond which yon cannot go without forcing your voice, there stop, and in tliat, or a little under that degree, practice for some time, but not until fatigued. Every person has three pitches in his voice, the high, the middle, and the low one. The high, is that which he uses in callin;; aloud to Bome ]»orson at a distance. 'J'lie low, is when he approaches to a ■whisper. The middle, is that which he emjjloys in common conver- sation, and which he should generally use in reading to others. For it i« a great mistake to suppose that one must take the highest pitch of voice, in order to be well heard in a large company. A speaker may render his voico louder, without altering the key: and we shall always be able to give mo«t body, most persevering force of sound, to that pitch of voice to which in conversation we are accustomed. Whereas by setting out on our highest pitch or key, we certainly allow ourselves less compass, and are likely to Strain our voice before we have done. niXTS ox ELOCUTION. 9 The middle pitch of tlic voice slioiild first bcstrenji^tliened, them the lower and hl^^her pitches. Tait inipo-«il)le to clearly de- scribe the formation by words, and engravings show but part of the process. The best method of correcting defective speech, when not aiising from organic defect, is to imitate the pupil's mode of pro- nouncing to show him what is wrong, and then to pronounce the word correctly, to show him by the movement of your own moutht how he should speak. Defective articulation frequently arises from endeavoring to speak too fast. Time is not given for the organs to form the correct sounds, and habit coiilirnis the fault. Cliildren ought not to be allowed to repeat their lessons in a hurried manner, either while committing them to memory, or repeating them to the teacher. Mrs. Siddon's first direction to her pupils was, "Take time." >Vhere there is a uniformly rapid utterance, it is absolutely impossible that there should be strong emphasis, natural tones, or good elocution. Aim at nothing hight^r, till you can read distinctly and deliberately. "Learn to speak slow, all other graces Will follow in their proper places." The best method of correcting or preventing careless articulation, is to repeat a few words daily, louilly and distinctly, taking them prcniiscuonsly from your reading lesson, and attending wholly to pronouncing then well, without any regard to the context. If you pronounce any particular sound amiss, let wordB containing it pre- dominate, but do not utter too many of these successively. Speak the words in various pitches, tones, rates of utterance, and degrees of force. Write down all the words yon are in the habit of mispro- nouncing, and read tliem over two or three times daily until correct- ed. After u time read over the list again, to ascertain whether the correct pntnunclation has been acquired. Stammerers instead of sp-aKing immediately after inspiration, as they should do, often attempt to speak iuunediately after iexpimt/c>«, when of course they have no power to speak. This is as absurd as trying to blow a tire witii an empty liellows. In singing, the lungs are kept well iiitlated, and tliere is no stuttering. The method of cure is — to keep the lungs well filled, to draw frequent long breaths, to .speak loud, and to j)aust; on tin; instant of linding embarassment in the speech, taking a long inspiration before you go on again. It is not eaf«y to fix upon any standard, by which the propriety of pronunciation may be determined. A rigorous adherence to etymol- ogy, or to analogy, woidd often produce a pedantic pronunciation of wordu, 'J'he fa.shionable ^voiM lias rno inmli c i)(ricc ;iii(i ■'"■■ ■••♦!•. n HIiVTS OX KLOCUTIOX. 11 to I)e linpHc'itly followed. If tliere h\i •,\nv true sUiiidurd of in-omiii- ciatiini, it must he sought for amongst those, who unite the accur.-ui- cy of learniii;^ with the elcg.iuct.! of [)olitj conviTiatioii. The instance of bad pronunciation which is most common, and therefore requires particular notice, is the mis-application of the aspirate h. This defect sonetlmes occasions ludicrous, and even serious mistakes. It is an omission wliicli mnterially oflects the en- ergy of the speaker; the expression of emotions and passions, often depending upon the veliemence witli which the aspirate is tittered. In the majority of words containing the letter h, either at the he- ginning, middle, (fee, the h should be aspirated. In the following words, h is silent ; — heir, heirloom ; lierb, herbage ; honest, honestly ; honor, honorable, honorably; hospital; hostler; hour, hourly, humorist, humorously; and their other derivatives. The A in humble was formerly silent, but it is now aspirated. Humble pie is an incorrect spelling of umblepie, a pie made of umbles, a plural noun, meaning a deer's entrails; the /tis a wrong spelling, and bliould be omitted. The h in the following words, is silent, though not initials— asthma dishabille, isthmus, rhapsody, rhetoric, rheumatism, Rhine, rhinoc- eros, rhomb, rhubarb, rhyme, rhythm, Thames, Thomas. Also in Buch words as — ah, catarrh, Micah, Sarah, &c. Many omit the aspirate, not only at the beginning of words, but after the w, as in w/tere, &c. ; and in the middle of words, as in fore- Aead, which they mispronounce fored, instead of foreAead; in ab- Aor, beA )ld, ex/iaust, ln/^abit, unhorse, &c. Others not only omit the aspirate where it should be sounded, but aspirate where there is no h, or where it should be silent, as Aend for end, &c. This is the grossest fault. Be careful not to mistake loudness for aspiration. Hold up the finger a few inches from the mouth, and pronouncj any word con- taining the h. If you aspirate, you will feel the breath against your linger, but not if you merely speak louder. Many often substitute the sound of ?o for v, and o for lo. To cure this, often repeat a few words beginning with or contaiuing the y, and bite the under lip while sounding the v, until the letter be well pronounced; then repeat words beginning with or containing the w, which must be pronounced by a pouting out of the lips, without suf- fering them to touch the teeth. F'is formed by pressing the lower part of the upper teeth against the inside of the lower lip. B has two sounds — the strong vibratory i\ heard at the beginning of words and of syllables, as in ra/e, error; and ilie smooth r, which is heard at the termination of words, or when it is succeeded by aeon- sonant. The first is formed by jarring the tongue against the roof of 12 HI MS OX ELOCUTION. mouth, near the fore teeth; and the second hy a vibration of the tonorue near the root against the inward region of the palate. In porae parts of Irehind, the r before the titiil consonant, as in card, is pronounced with the force of the conniiencinjj r, accompanied by a strong aspiration at the beginning of the letter; whereas in I^ngland, and particularly in London, it is entirely sunk, and the word sounds :is if written ranil. The Scotch freipieiitly give it witli mure rough- ness at the termination tiian at tlie beginning. Hut the sound they give at the commencement is not the English tenninational sound; it is a negligent and imperfect quivering of tlie tirst English r. In such words as thorn, worm, many of the Scotch as well as the Irish ^ound thf rn, as if they formed a separate syllable. Many persons, from indolence or inattention, instead ()f quivering the tip of the tongue in this letter, give it a burring sound by (luivering the epi- ;;lottis. In looking into tlie mouth of these persons, on desiring them to sound ;•, the tongue is seen tlirust behind the lower teeth; by causing them to lift up the tongue, balance it in the mouth, 'and then breathe strongly, they will frequently at once give the true >ound of the letter. The dithcidty ;>fterwards lies in teaching the terminational r, which they will for a time give with the old sound; in such cases they should use the first v, though it is harsh, and soft- en it gradnally. Give full expression to the words by pronouncing tliem slow or fast, as may be proper, and giving each letter which is not silent, it's due sound. 'J'he English language is most expressive if properly spoken. It abounds ni words wbicii seem to pnint things for which they stand. We are apt to slur the vowels in lo;ig words where they are of most use. The consonants may be styled the bones of the l.inguage, and the vowels it's flesh. As for perfect beauty of form in the human figure, both are required, so are they to beauty of sounil in a language. Tiie English language is in this resijcct nearer to l>erfection than any modern tongue, and next after the Greek. I mean in sound, for our language is not the same in sound, when well spoken, as it looks upon paj»er. Consonants should not be preceded or terminated by any confused sound of their own. Thus: s — such, this — s. Expression does not reside in the mere letters which compose the vord; it depends on the due force given to them in utterance. No letter so harsh, whii'h may not be softened ; so strong, which may not be weakened ; and vice versa. The long may be shortened, and the short h^n^thfned. Whenever the power of the co?isonants is particularly suited to the expression, theii sound should be enforced; when otherwise, softened. As Shakespeare says, "Speak the speech I pray you, as I pro- HIXTS TO AMATEURS. IS nounced it to you. trippingly on the tongue: but if you incut li it, as many of your players do, I had as lief the the town crier had spoken my lines," By 'trippingly on the tongue,' he means tlie bounding from accent to accent; tripping from syllable to 8ylial)le, witliout resting on them; and by 'mouthing' is meant, dwelling upon sylla- bles tliat have no accent, and ought therefore, to be uttered as quick- ly as is consistent with distinct articulation ; or prolonging the sounds of tlie accented syllables beyond their ihie proportion of time. Do not depend on the punctuation, lor the pauses in speaking, and the points in writing, are distinct; pauses belonging to the delivery of a sentence anil points to it's grammatical construction. The punctuation is usually made by tlie printer, according to rule, few authors paying any attention to it. Divide the sentence into groups of words, and pause at each group tlnis: — "To be — or not to be — that is the question — whether — 'tis nobler in the mind — to eufter the slings and ai rows— of outrageous fortune — or to take arms — against a sea of troubles — and by opposing — end them." The Kemble School pronounced whole sentences without a pause, frequently causing the words to be weakened for want of breath. This style hag a monotonous grandeur annalogous to a vast building without architectural divisions, as a large pyramid. The Macready School paused at almost every word, giving undue force to many words. This style had a monotonous smalluess. These actors were great despite their artificial styles. Ea(!h phrase should, by having it's pause, be simply distinct, and, form a part of one grand whole. The following passage from the Tragedy| of '^ Isabella''' X by T. Southern, is one of great beauty : "Sooner or later, all things pass away. And are no more. The beggar and the king. With equal steps, tread forward to their end: The reconciling grave Swallows distinction first, that made us foes ; Then all alike lie down in peace together. When will that hour of peace arrive for me I In heaven I shall find it ; — not in heaven If my old tyrant father can dispose Of things above. But there his interest May be as poor as mine, and want a friend As much as I do here I" At this point we will also give a quotation from the Tragedy ^*The Serf,""* by Talbot. It has the merit of being not only poetical, but true. E'en as a picture, while the canvass yet Is unprepar'd, lives in the painter's eye Distinct in it's gradation from the sharp foreground, Each distance finely stealing from the next. Published hy A. D. Ames. 14 HINTS OX ELOCUTION. "Till all are melted iu tlie dim horizon,— So is the life of man, or ere his birth Mysteriously shndow'd forth \>y fate. Through i-very stiigo ; aud all thst iutervenei lietwi-eii the earliest wuil and dyiuK groau. Is merely coloring. Let the length of the pause be proportionetl to the connection be- tween the groups; the more distant the groups, tlie longer should be. tlie i)aus(', and vice versa. 'I'lius tlie i>lirases or groups of word be- come distinct to the ear as tlie groups in a good picture to the eye. Pause should ever be i)orporiioned to ((uantity. As longer quan- tity is given, the pause between th»' wonis, ami particularly between the h-yical words, or ditVcrcnt tlionglils, s^iiould be iengtiieiied. It is a common fault, in the endeavor to Ik; more deliberate in the pronun- ciation, the pauses oidy, or the quantity only, is lengthened. The correct reading of a passage frequently depends on a pause a^ n the following speech of Sliylocli : — "Bignor Antonio, many a time and oft In tbs Kialto you have rated me About my monies aud my uaauceai" which was read by Henderson, thus; — "Signor Antonio, many a time— and oft In the Rialto," Sec. which agrees with the previous passage : — "And he rails even there where merchants most do congregate. On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift. Which he calls int> rest!" A pause for ettect may often be made when a pause Is not requir- ed. The full power of expression of the voice should be concentrat- ed upon the following word, thus — "yet what to me, is the quintes- 6ence of — c/^t'^^" "It is a tale, told by an idiot, signifying — nothing.'" A succession of pauses and concentrations each increasing in force to a climax is exceedingly effective, but must be used sparingly, and in only high-wrought passion. Pauses are not only necessary, in order to enable the speaker to take breath without inconvenience, and hereby preserve the command of the voice, but in order to give the hearer a distinct preception of the construction and meaning of each sentence, and a clear imderstand- Ing of the whole. An uninterrupted rapidity of utterance is one of the worst faults in elocution. A siteakcr, who has this fault, may be compared to an alarm bell, which, when once put in motion, clatters on till the weight that moves it is run down. Without pauses, the the spirit of what is to be delivered must be lost, and the sense must HIXTS ON ELOCUTION. ir, be confused and may even be niisrepresenteii in .i m.-inmr must ,ili- surd and contradictory. There have been recitators, who have made Douglas say to Lord Kandolpli : — "We fought and conquered ere a sword was drawn. An arrow from my bow had pierced their chief," tliaii from any otli(>r cause, that we so ofien hear persons reail with an inipropt-i- cnipliasis, or witli no emphasis at all ; thai is with a stupid monotony, it ean only he llie ctlect of close attention ami lonj; prav-tice, to lie able, with a merejjlance of the eye, to read any idece \\\X\\ ijood onnhasis awl i/uod lUscretion. In speak- injr, we seareely ever fail to express onrselves enipiiatleally, or to phu-e the emphasis oorrecily, because we understand what we say. Empfidsis is in readini::, what colorinji; is in painting. It is a com- mon mistake to think that mie won! in a sentence shonld be empha- sized, and that empliasis is merely givinji' a certain stress to that word: whereas, some sentences do not need any emphasis, while in others two or more words ought to he emphasised. Also, the degree w/sr/f^s to be given to a word varies from the slightest tint, as it were, to the most intense coloring, according to the ground-work of tlie subject. To correctly projjortion the degree of emphasis to a word is one of the most impurtant i)oints in reading. Every one can correctly emphasize bv understanding and feeling the meaning of that which he reads, as a good i)ainter can color correctly; but to give all the varied degrees of emphasis in reading, and the thousand of tints in a line picture, can only result from the acute judgment, cultivated taste, deep feeling, and last, not least, constant and per- severing practice. "A countcnaDce more in Sorrow, than in Anger." In some sentences the antithesis is double, and even treble ; this must be expresseil in reading, by a coriesponding combination of emphasis. The following instances are of tiiis kind : "To err is human; to forgive divine." "Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heav'n. "He rais'd a mortal to the skies; She drew an angel down." When any term or phrase is used to express some particular mean- ing, not obviously arising from the words, it should be marked by a strong emphasis ; as : "To BE, content his natural desire." Paraphrasing, or drawing out the signification of emphatic words, or hanging the words we are accustomed to emphasize, to another of the same import, is the best guide where the sense is not quite clear. Avoid emphasizing too many words. It is only by prudent reserves in the use of them, that we can give them any weight. If they recur too often; if a speaker attempts to render everything which he says of importance, by emphasis, we soon pay little regard to them. The same applies to action. Kead verse as you would prose, avoiding all sing-song and dwell- HINTS ON ELOCUTION. It Ing upon rhymes. Let every syllable have the same accent, and em- phasize the same words as in prose. The accent may be changed when the ear would be more annoyed with the harshness of thw verse, if the rlo;ht accent were preserved, tlian with a wrong accent which preserves the melody of the verse. Where a word admits ot some diversity in placing the accent, the verse ought to decide ; but when the poet has contrived tliat his numbers shall be harsh, in order to correspond to the idea they suggest, the common accentua- tion must be preserved. Do not pause at the end of a line (verse) unless there be a pause in the sentence. The best pronouncers of tragedy have never observ- ed this pause. The numbers of the verse, tlie dignity of the language, and an inversion of the common order of the words, constitute the verse. All verse requires a stated regular march of the syllables, and It is in this march that the grandeur and beauty of the verse consists. In re:iding blank veise, care must be taken to steer between the one extreme of ending every line \\ ith ;i pause, and the other, of running one line into anotiier more rapidly tliau if they were prose, as some do in seeking to avoid tlie fault. In reading rhymed verse, where rhymes recur at regular inter- vals, and are well defined, as in Campbell's "Hohenlinden," do not dwell upon them, but read the rymes smoothly. They will shew themselves. Where the rhymes recur .-.t *ncgular intervals, as in Dryden's "Alexanders' Feast," or well defined slightly dwell upon them. Action is important to the orator, but it is an error to suppose that the ancients considered it the most important requisite in speaking. This mistake has probable arisen from a common mistranslation in the anecdote related both by Cicero and Quintilian. "When Demosthenes was asked what was the first point of eloquence, the second, and the third, he answered, 'Action, action, action.' " — Outhrie^s Cicero. Actio, with the Komans, comprised tlie general delivery, or vvViat is now styled elocution ; and elocution, the choice of words, or diction. Dr. Blair, in giving the anecdote, translates action delivery. That this is the true meaning is evident; for Cicero in a succeding paragraph says "But as to the advantages and ex- cellency of action, the chief and most desirable line is a good voice." It has been said that action should not be practised, but that if the speaker be in earnest the action will follow. True, but it will frequently be faulty. The action which we use in public, if we are In earnest, will often be difterent to what we used when practicing, but that exercise will improve our involuntary gestures. IS HINTS ON ELOCUTION, Obgerve the nttitiule and actions in paintings, anrl scnlpture, and of aotois and orators. Ado|)t llio-e tliat are expressive and suit you. Tiiose that sit well on one person may appear absurd when used by another of dlfterent personal cliaraeteristics. Practice attitudes and actions by tlieniseives witliout words, In the same manner that; a Binger practices vocal expression apart from songs, and a dancer l)ructices steps and positions apart from the dance of which they form parts. In speaking, let the action rise impulsively, and if you feel naturally, it will be the proper ac;ii>n, and come in the right l)lace. From havin_; been practiced it will be well executed. Support the body on one foot — generally the lefr — so tinnly, that the other can relievo it jiromptly and easily. Let the right foot be a few inches outwards. Always fiice the audience, and brace the figure proportionately to the energy of the language. The head shoidd be held in an erect and natural position, neither dropping on one side, nor thrown l):Kk. Do not shake or nod the head frequent- ly, toss it violently, or a'^iiian the hair by rolling it about. The hair should not he allowed to cl "sler or hang over the forehead. Keep the elbow from inclining to llie body. Avoid swaying your body from side to side. In all motions of the limbs, the movement ought generally to jiroceed from the superior part; that is, iroui the shoulder, not the elbow; from the thigh, not the knee; from the knuckle, not the linger joint; otherwise the movement w ill be angular and ungrace- ful. Sometimes angular actions are natural. The hands are capable of great exjjression, and ought not to be covered. The right hand should perform the principal and greater number of gestures. Its aciion should be more forcible than that of the left. Each arm may perform similar gestures when the body of the speaker is jnesented towards the person addressed precisely in front, but not otherwise; for one arm would conceal the other. Never mark a single idea or word with more than one gesture. Aciion must be moditied by the costume. Changes of action must acconl with tiie language. Sometimes the transition must be instantaneous; at other, modulating through other gestures. The calnser the language, the slower should be the move- ments; Awdi vice versa. Direct your eyes to those you address, unless the subject requires them to be raised, etc. Never use any gestures merely for the dis- play of the person, or of some ornament. Never arrange your dress while speaking. In painting descriptions by gestures, great judgment is necessary. In some Cfuses, a most powerful and natural effect may be produced; whil-t in others, descriptions lealized would be most ridiculous. HINTS ON ELOCUTION. i9 Generally, the voice, features, and limbs should eimnltaneously express the same passion or thought. Sometimes the action should precede the voice, as in ill suppressed feeling. Decisionof action is more important than grace. The most un- graceful action if decided, will be more effective than the most graceful without decision. The two are seldom combined in their highest degrees. Study repose ; witiiout it, both in action and speech, the eyes, ears, and minds of the audience, and the powers of the spealier, are alilvc fat'gued. The language of passion is uniformly taught by Natuie, and is everywhere intelligible. It consists in the use of tones, looks, and gestures. When anger, fear, joy, grief, love, or any other passion is raised within us. we naturally discover it by the manner in which we utter our words, by the features of the face, and by other well known siijns. The eyes and countenance as well as the voice, are capable of endless variety of expression, suited to every possible diversity of feeling, and with these the general air and gesture naturally accord. The use of this language is not confined to the more vehement passions. Upon every subject and occasion on which we speak, some kijid of feeling accompanies the words; and this feeling, whatever it may be, has it's proper expression. It is an essential part of elocution, to imitate this language of Nature. But precept can afford little assistance. To describe in words the particular expression, which belongs to each emotion :ind passion, is wholly impracticable. All attempts to enable men to become orators, by teaching tliera, in written rules, the manner in which the voice, countenance, and hands, are to be employed in expressing the passion, must from the nature of the thing, be ex- ceedingly imperfect, and consequently ineffectual. Therefore, observe the manner in \\ hich the several passions and feelings are expressed in real life; and when you attempt to ex- press any passion, inspire yourself with that secondary kind of feeling which imagination is able to excite; and follow your feel- ings with no other re-strain than "this special observance, that you o'er step not the modesty of nature." Study not only the the effect of the passions, but also their effect on your own face, that you may distinguish those whieh become, fjom tho-e which distort it. Distinuuish the difference be&ween an alternation of the features expressing the feelings, and the grimaces that attend a play of the muscles. ■J'ake care not to work your-elf up to tears: yet if they flow naturally do not attempt to Slop tlieui. When tears flow nauirally they effect powerfully. fO BIXTS ON ELOCUTION. Above all, be in earnest. When the Bishoo of London asked ]Jetterton, ''AVliat could be the reiison that whole audiences should be moved to tears, and have all sorts of passions excited, at tlie representation of some story on the stajre, w Inch they knew to be feii^ned, and in the event of whidi they were not at all concerned; but that the same persons should sit so utterly unmoved at dis- courses from the pulpit, upon subjects of the utmost importance to them, relative not only to their temporal, but also their eternal interests ■::"' he received from the trngeiiian this memorable reply, "My Lord, it is because tee are in earnest.'" But before resigning yourself to the sway of your feelings, be sure that you have the power of guiding and correcting tiiem when they are growing impetuous. "For in the very torrent, tempest, and (as I m.iy say) the whirlwind of passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance, that may give it smoothness." Do not mistake loudness for intensity. Intensity relates to passion or feeling; loudness to amount of voice. The forn)er should be proportioned to the language ; the latter to the size of the place. Their diHerence is that of passion and rant, nature and extravagance. Let there be variety in the pitch of your voice, high, low, &c., according to the nature of the language — variety in tlie tones, every feeling being expressed by its natural tone, as the tone of anger, grief, &c.. — variety in the degree of force given to each phrase, according to its importance — variety in the movement, slow, fast, &c., according to the subject: but let all this variety be used only as required by the language, and never merely for the sal-ervilely, what is good, or avoiding the bad. Remember that trifies make perfection, and that perfection is no trifle. Never read a speech if you can avoid it. Use notes to refer to, if you cannot dispense with all aid. To impart to the delivery of a written discourse something of the vivacity and interesting efl'ect Of real, earnest speaking, the reader must draw off his mind as much as possible from the thought that he is reading, and from too much thought respecting his utterance; he must fix his mind as earnestly as possible on the matter, and strive to adojjt as bis own, at the moment of utterance, every i-entiment he delivers. Children should be early accustomed to read as they speak, and to give up, as much as possible, purel}' mechanical reading. Frequently recite comijositions from memory. This method has several advantages. It obliges the speaker to dwell upon the ideas •w hich he is to express, and hereby enables him to discern their particular meaning and force, and gives him a previous knowledge of the several inflections, emphasis, ami tones, which the words require; by taking off his eyes from the book, it in part lelieves him from the influence of the school-boy habit of reading in a diff'orent manner from that of conversation ; and it affords greater scope for expression in tones, looks, and gestures." .Such recitation, as the great Lord Clarendon says, is, "ihe best and most natural way to introduce an assurance and confiilencein speaking with that leisure and to'ie of prontinciation that is di cent and gracclul. and in which go few iM' 11 atf fxc'llent, for want of information and care when they ai-e 3oiMig.' HINTS ON ELOrUTlON. -•' A FEW USEFUL HINTS TO AMATEUB COMFANIES. — >— ?14(»fs--' — BY A. D. AMES. — :o: — There are at the present time so many Amatucr Coinpjiniea througlioiit the U. S., that a few words of iiistruution to them will not be amiss. There is no class of amusements which are so enter- taining to younj; people, as Amaliier Theatricals. In .-iddilion to the amnseuient it aftords, it is one the bes-t methods Known to the writer of giving that confidence so much needed by all young people ■when it becomes necessary for them to speak and act in public. An Amatuer Company should consist ol about eight to tt n gentle- men and thiee to live ladies, and should they wish for a Constitution and By Laws, the following will be found about what is needed: Art 1. — Namk. This association shall be called Art II. — Object. For the mutual benefit of its members. Advancement in the Art of Acting, and Elocuiion. Art III. — Officers. *^ The officeis shall consist of stage mnnager, business manager, sec- retary, treasurer, prompter and property man. Art IV. — DLties of Officers. Sec. 1st. It sliall be the duty ot thr stage manager to preside at all meetings of tbe club, to direct rehearsals, distribute parts in the plays, and vviih the business manager to select [days for repre- sentation, and to make out a list of properties. Sec. 2nd. It shall be the duty of the business manager to attend to all the business that may arise in the course of giving public representaiions, such as renting rooms, halls, ordering printing, plays, etc., and sboidd it happen tbat tbe stage manager is absent from a regular meeting to preside in liis absence. Sec. 3rd. It shall i elite duly of the secretary to keep full and complete records of tbe i)roceedings of the club. Sec, 4tb. It sball be tbe duty ot tlie tieasurer to safely keep all funds of tbe club, an 2 Bird Family 8 ft Caught in the Act 7 3 Captured ,-. ; S 4 Caste , _ 5 3 Case of Jeitlotisy 4 2 Cigarette, The 4 2 Farmer Larkiu's Boarders, fi 4 Girl from the Midwa.v, The.. 3 2 Heroic Dutchman of '76. 8 3 Home .„ f. 3 In a Splder'8 Web 8 5 Joshua Blodgett. 25o 7 2 Johanes Blatz's Mistake 4 3 tfOvc's Labor Not Lost 3 3 Loudon Assurance. 9 * Miss Blothingay'u Blunder. 3 3 Miss Topsy Turvy 4 4 Muldoon's Bluuders., 25c.... 5 3 New Years in N. Y 7 6 Not So Bad After All. ....,.'.'.. 6 h 0\ir Boys , f, 4 Our Daughters..... ,.. 8 6 Our Summer Boarder'n 6 3 Pug and the Baby 5 3 Passions 9 4 Prof. Jauies' Exptrieuce Teaching Country School... 4 3 Uags and Hotvles 4 1 Scale With Sharps and Flats 3 2 Servants vs. Master........... 6 2 Slight Mistake.^ n Solon Shingle. 14 2 Stub, 25c 8 H Two Bad Boys... 7 3 Three Hats, The " A 3 S2,000 Reward " 2 Valet's Mistiil7 377 Wbo's Wtao7.. :ailHB|||H' 3 WlnniDR a Wife.....',. 3 Vankee Dueliwt .\'.', 3 Yankee Peddler "','\ 7 Yacob's Hotel Eirperi^noe" 3 ETHIOPIAN FARCES. 3CM A'-'' of stars ,\ 172 B • rnnker. ( 9S Ti ii\ie.„ 4 3r 382 376 184 186 The Little Oein Make-Up Box ataoie i^aug-niers o' Ames' Series of Medleys, Re<' ••f.ions and Xubleaiix No Am .ieriea of Medleys, Re':iv Uon» and Panto mlrnet. No. 2. Joan of Arc Drill Victim of Woman's Rigbta. I Family Discipline....: My Day and Now-a-Days... . Price 50 Cents. I7MVBRSITY OF ^ X>R3Sia rE UC SOUTHFRN RFGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY AA 000 408 098 2 i