161. The combination ward is often perverted by bad readers into wud or rud. Do not say forrud for forward, onwud for onward, &c. In these words the a should have an obscure sound of a in fall. Do not misplace the accent in towards (pronounced tō'ards). Do not say alwuz for always. Do not sink the aspirate in wh, so that such words as wheel, whist, whine, whither, white, whit, &c., cannot be distinguished, when uttered, from weal, wist, wine, wither, wight, wit, &c. The y in my and myself, when these words are not em phatic, may have the sound of short i.

9. Fusion of words, misplacing of accents, &c.

162. Some readers have a habit of running their words together so as to make two or more sound as one. They will say am-ightymaze instead of a mighty maze, &c. This habit, in the enunciation of English, should be sedulously shunned. In guarding against an indistinct and slurring habit of articulation, do not fall into the opposite error of too great precision. In giving its true sound to the vowel in unaccented syllables, do not shift the accent. Do not, for instance, say banishment', in trying to give its proper short sound to the e.

163. The wrong accenting of words is a common fault, and may best be avoided by consulting the dictionary. Read what is said on pages 29 and 30, on the subject of accent; and then practise the examples on page 51. . Do not misplace the accent in the following words, which we here accentuate correctly: ex'quisite, superfluous, mis'chievous, vehement, hospitably, indis'putable, incom'parable contrib'ute, sono'rous, horizon, promontory, per'fected. In cases of disputed accent, and where authorities are equally balanced, it is a safe rule to choose that mode by which the word may be the more rapidly enounced with distinctness.

QUESTIONS.124-128. What are some of the common faults in the enunciation of a. 129. What of the sound of long a before r? 130. Of short a ? 131. Pronounce s-t-a-r Epistolary. 132. Law. 133-136. What are some of the faults in pronouncing e er? 137. i? il? ing? ire? ir? 142. What cautions are given in regard to o oa? oi? 00 ? or ? ow 149. U after r? Pronounce t-v-n-e; enduring, &u. 151. How is the sound of ur perverted? 152. When does d take the sound of t? 153, 154. What faults are common in enouncing terminations in ds, kts, lds, pts, m, &c. ? 155. What of r? 156. In what class of words is it perverted or dropped? 158. What of sh? 159. syh? 160. t? th? ward? wh? 162, 163. What of the fusion of words? misplacing of accent?

LESSON XI.

PITCH, MONOTONE, THE PARENTHESIS.

164. By the pitch of the voice we mean the governing tone sometimes called the key, selected for the utterance of a sentence or exclamation. For the sake of illustration, we will suppose that a boy is lying asleep upon the sofa, when his father says to him, in a moderate tone of voice, "Thomas, go to bed." A moment afterwards, the father looks round, and finding the boy not gone, says, with a somewhat higher pitch of the voice, "Thomas, go to bed." The father then resumes the reading of his newspaper, but soon look ing round again, he finds Thomas still on the sofa, and now exclaims impatiently, pitching his voice still higher, "Thomas, go to bed!" Thomas does not stir, and the father now exclaims at the highest pitch of his voice, "Thomas! go to bed!" whereupon Thomas is at length aroused.

165. By modulation we simply mean the regulation of the voice as to its pitch, pauses, &c. The pitch of the voice may be low, middle or high. The range of the voice from extreme low to extreme high we call its compass. The degree in which the pitch is changed, and often even the direction of the change, whether higher or lower, must depend on the reader's judgment, taste, temperament, &c. A low key is naturally adapted to the expression of solemnity, awe, fear, humility and sadness; and a high key to the expression of levity, boldness, pride and joy. Nearly all violent passions are expressed in the high key.

166. In simple narrative, the reader should use the middle pitch chiefly; varying the intensity of the voice according to the distance of his furthest hearer. Any continued address in the same pitch should be avoided. The commencement of a sentence or of a para graph will afford opportunity for changing the modulation, generally to a lower, but it may be a higher pitch. It is a more common fault to begin a sentence in too high than in too low a key.

167. Do not confound force or loudness with a high pitch. A person may speak in a very high pitch in a whisper, and in a low pitch with the full strength of his voice. A low-toned bell struck violently will produce a loud sound in a low key; whereas a hightoned bell struck slightly will produce a soft sound in a high key. Force is an entirely different quality from Pitch; and the most vio

lent efforts of the voice must often be associated with the lowest modulation.

168. Some readers have a disagreeable habit of changing from a low to a high pitch in a harsh, abrupt manner, producing a start ling effect where the language and sentiment do not warrant it. We have heard a good sermon spoiled in the delivery by this fault. Do nɔt commence a sentence vehemently, and then let the voice taper down to an almost inaudible pitch, causing it to mount at the next sentence, with a see-saw mode of utterance, now up and now down; the modulation" running mountains high, then ducking low again.” 169. To acquire the power of changing at pleasure the key in which you speak, accustom yourself to pitch your voice in different keys, from the lowest to the highest notes on which you can articulate distinctly. Many of these would be neither proper nor agreeable in reading; but the exercise will give you such a command of voice as is scarcely to be acquired by any other method. See the Exercises on Pitch, page 69. "Reading aloud and recitation," says Dr. Combe, "are more useful and invigorating muscular exercises than is generally imagined."

170. By monotone we understand a continuation of one tone through many words. This, though generally to be guarded against, is sometimes appropriate and effective in sublime and solemn passages: as, in the following, from Job: "In thoughts from the visiona of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, fear came upon me and trembling, which made all my bones to shake."

171. A parenthesis, as it is a sentence within a sentence, must be kept as clear as possible from the principal sentence, by a lower tone of voice, and generally by a quicker rate of utterance. The power of lowering the voice, and commencing a sentence or clause of a sentence in a different pitch from what preceded, is a qualification indispensable to a good reader; and the parenthesis affords the best opportunity for acquiring it, because the rule is constant.

172. Let the reader imagine that in pronouncing the principal sentence he is to make himself heard at a stance; when he reaches the parenthesis, let him utter it as to some one near at hand, and at its conclusion again address himself as to a distant hearer. The power of changing the key being thus acquired, it may be employed with propriety not only at the Parenthesis, but wherever there is a manifest transition of thought. See Exercises, page 72. Remember that a Parenthesis is sometimes indicated by other marks than these (). See T3

QUESTIONS.-164. What is meant by the pitch of the voice? By the key on which it Is pitched? 165. What of modulation? To what emotion is a low key suited? A high' 166. A middle? 167. Do you understand by a high pitch a loud tone? 168. What dis agreeable fault in the management of pitch is mentioned? 169. What mode of practice is suggested? 170. What is monotone? 171, 172. How ought a parenthesis to be deliv ered?

LESSON XII.

INFLECTION.

173. ANY one who attends to the tones of nis voice will perceive that when he utters the word "Come!" in a coaxing, entreating sense, the tone is quite different from that which he gives to the word "Go!" uttered sternly and as a command. These different tones are called inflections of the voice; and, in the foregoing examples, the word "Come " has the rising inflection, and the word "Go" the falling. These inflections naturally occur, with more or less force, in reading as well as in our common conversation.

174. In counting one, two, three, &c., up to twelve, we give the rising inflection to every number till we come to the last, and to that we give the falling. In the question, "Did you say one?" uttered in an ordinary tone of inquiry, the word one takes the Rising inflection. In the questions "When did I say one?" "Who said one?" uttered without some modifying emotion, the last word takes the Falling inflection.

ΕΙ

175. Besides the Rising and Falling inflection, there is the Compound inflection, or Circumflex, in which the two inflections are united in utterance; a falling or assertive tone being followed by a rising or querulous EI one, or the reverse taking place. This compound tone is that of sarcasm and insinuation, as in uttering such - to strike a passages as the following, ironically: "Brave man woman! courageous chief!" It is also the tone of strong antithesis;" as, "They tell us be moderate, but they revel in profusion."

176. We sometimes adopt the mark of the acute accent (') to denote a word or passage that should have the Rising inflection; the grave accent (`), to denote the Falling inflection; the circumflex (^), to denote the Compound Inflection, or Circumflex, when the falling follows the rising; and this mark () to denote the reverse. 177. A few rules of limited application in regard to inflecting the

voice may be given, but it should be remembered that these rules are no longer rules when peculiar emotions and passions are to be expressed Rules being thus exceptional, the safest guide to a proper inflecting of the voice is to thoroughly learn the meaning of what you read, and enter into its spirit. We must in all cases be guided by the intent of the utterance, rather than by its rhetorical form.

178. Direct questions, which can be answered by yes or no, generally take the rising inflection; as, “Will you ride'?” “Can he read'?" The reason is, that when we pronounce a sentence in doubt or ignorance, and with the desire of assurance or information, we naturally terminate the utterance with a Rising inflection, more or less strong in proportion to the degree of our eagerness to be assured or informed. By the tone of the voice we appeal to the hearer for a satisfactory reply. The answers to such questions generally take the Falling inflection; as, "Can he read?" "He can."

179. Indirect questions, and those which cannot be answered by yes or no, generally take the Falling inflection; and the reason is, that the main fact of the sentence being undoubted and taken for granted, there is an implied reference to this, which dictates a fall, unless there is a querulous emotion expressed, which demands a rise Thus the questions, "Where is he going? What does he mean? ' imply, "Understanding that he is going, I ask, where? Believing that he means something, I ask, what?" But if there is an emotion of sudden consternation or complaint to be expressed, both the foregoing questions may take the Rising inflection. The answers to indirect questions usually take the same inflection with them; as, "Where is he going?" "I don't know`."

180. When the conjunctions or and but connect antithetical E words or clauses, the Rising inflection is generally used before, and the Falling after them; as, "Will you go' or stay`?" "He will not ride', but walk`."

181. The termination of a sentence making complete sense requires the Falling inflection; as, "Live well.” "Take heed to thy thoughts." "Keep thy heart with all diligence`."

182. The pause of suspension, in incomplete sentences, usually takes the Rising inflection; as, "The young, the healthy and the prosperous', should not presume on their advantages`

183. The imperative mood is generally pronounced with a Falling inflection; but the speaker's mood is the regulating principle. A fall conveys command, and a rise expresses entreaty. Thus the Fall ing inflection is associated with what is complete, disconnected, posi