The objects of the Dramatic Re heard: 2. To be understood: 3. To ment of these objects, the following RHETORICAL PUNCTUATION.-Pauses musical rests, quaver, 4, (shortest); ➡, (long), and semi-breve, (longe In addition to the ordinary marks pressive or Emotional pause (...)i INFLEXION Falling slides Rising slides Clauses or sentences that are incor require rising tones. Clauses or sent or assertive, require falling tones. expressed by circumflexed tones. S may be noted by horizontal lines p tones look forward, falling tones loo flective. Every sentence, whatever it is either Appellative, Assertive, or I Slight modulative changes: to his FORCE (5 degrees). V-vehemen f-feeble; p-piano. TIME (5 degrees). R-rapid; qa (adagio)-very slow. STACCATO, the diacritic mark repea >-CRESCENDO (gradual rise) <,-S (emotional). GENERAL NOTES A The importance of the diacritic m of a sentence may be illustrated by t colloquial statement: "I do not inter In addition to the general meanin livery of these simple words, the antithetic when any one word is ma If the student analyses the mode o meanings, he will find that he must n but lessen the vocal force of all the mit of similar differences of meaning alone, but by remission of stress on The Prominent "point" or Empha word, although it is generally devel the word. Thus impeach, approv powered, &c., might have been print Ath contra'diet, over powered, &e. phatic stress is always greater on whole word is slightly affected, espe verbal prominence are employed. be produced by 1. Time-or prolongation of the 2. Tune-inflected tones, simple 3. Stress elevating or lowering t every collocation of words may be read in a variety of ways: it is only where there is doubt as to the special meaning that its introduction should be appealed to. Emphatic words require especial care, because they call attention to directly antithetic thoughts, or to oblique, indirect, or inferential meanings: but such words do not admit of a balanced application of stress because one is in all cases superior, being absolute or positive; while the other is merely negative or relative. There is plenty of scope for difference of opinion and variety of judgment: the "Sir Oracles" of different "readings are not difficult either to be found or confuted. The Editor's professional experience of more than fifty years may entitle many of these markings to some consideration. This Book will be found useful not to young Readers only, but to all who wish to travel with comfort a long journey in a short time: it appeals in the first place to intellectuality and judgment, and will, in its practice, effectually destroy monotony and mannerism in delivery; but it leaves undirected the higher powers of 66 Action, and utterance, and the power of speech "To stir men's blood." In the School-room, it will tend to check the meaningless mumbling, the shrill discord, or the unintelligent gabble of the ordinary reading lesson; it will attract by its variety, harmony and beauty, and store the memory with its lessons of wit and wisdom: in the Family Circle, it will enable age and experience to become directors of an untried source of instruction and amusement: to the Student of either sex, wearied of Greek and Latin prosody, it will emphasize the great "educational" fact that the manner of speech is as worthy of study as the matter: it will impart vigour, variety, and grace to the sleep-compelling monotony of the Clerical Reader: to the Platform Elocutionist it presents condensed forms of dramatic action and expression; while to the Teacher-especially if he is enabled to drill in Simultaneous or Single Reading,-it may be used as a theme for every form of vocal scholastic exercise and instruction.—If these advantages can be realized to the young, what may not be expected in riper years when habit becomes a second nature? "Men are but children of a larger growth." "There were two books," says Archbishop Sharp, "that made me an Archbishop, the Bible, and Shakespeare." To this clerical, may be added a 'judicial record of the late Lord Coleridge: "Leaving out, for obvious reasons, all Greek and Latin writers, before and above every one (including them) I should myself place Shakespeare, an inexhaustible store-house of wisdom, instruction, and exquisite diction; indispensable to any one who has anything to do with speaking or writing I knew well . . . a great Advocate. . . of whom it used to be said, that perhaps he did not know much law, but he did know a great deal of Shakespeare. And a great Judge who knew both law and Shakespeare, when this was repeated to him said, that although, in a lawyer, a little law was desirable, yet, if that could not be had, the next best thing to have was a knowledge of Shakespeare." So, bon voyage to the "Reader's Shakespeare." 1517, THIRTY-FIFTH STREET, WEST WASHINGTON, D. C. The objects of the Dramatic Reader are th heard 2. To be understood: 3. To be felt. T ment of these objects, the following Table is pre RHETORICAL PUNCTUATION.-Pauses may be ma musical rests, quaver,, (shortest); crotchet, (long), and semi-breve, I, (longest). In addition to the ordinary marks of Punctua pressive or Emotional pause (. Rising slides )is frequently Rising circu Falling circu Clauses or sentences that are incomplete, prog require rising tones. Clauses or sentences that ar or assertive, require falling tones. Contrasted expressed by circumflexed tones. Subdued infle may be noted by horizontal lines placed above tones look forward, falling tones look backward flective. Every sentence, whatever its rhetorical is either Appellative, Assertive, or Imperative. MODULATION. 3. 2 1 highest tone, -higher, impor middle or con slightly lower lowest tone: s Slight modulative changes: to higher, -to lo FORCE (5 degrees). V-vehement; e-energe f-feeble; p-piano. TIME (5 degrees). R-rapid; q-quick; m-n a (adagio)-very slow. STACCATO, the diacritic mark repeated 11,-DIMIN -CRESCENDO (gradual rise) <,-SWELL AND FA (emotional). GENERAL NOTES AND SUGGE The importance of the diacritic mark in determ of a sentence may be illustrated by the possible ch colloquial statement: "I do not intend walking to R In addition to the general meaning implied by livery of these simple words, the expression bec antithetic when any one word is made prominent. If the student analyses the mode of producing an meanings, he will find that he must not only accent t but lessen the vocal force of all the other words. mit of similar differences of meaning: to be devel alone, but by remission of stress on the contextual The Prominent "point" or Emphatic indicator, is word, although it is generally developed on the ac the word. Thus impeach, approve, authority, powered, &c., might have been printed im'peach, ap contra'dict, over'powered, &c. Athough the infle phatic stress is always greater on the accented whole word is slightly affected, especially when othe verbal prominence are employed. For Prominence be produced by 1. Time-or prolongation of the whole word. 2. Tune-inflected tones, simple or circumflexed 3. Stress-elevating or lowering the voice on the 4. Pitch-suddenly changing the note. 5. Aspiration-either increasing or reducing the quality of breath. 6. Monotone-by increased and level fullness of voice. 7. Pause-by slight suspension before or after, or before and after, the word. The Reader should endeavour to employ, at various times, all these various modes. .. A change of voice and manner (however slight, should significantly mark the various characters, as well as their varying emotions and sentiments. To secure character" uniformity, the figures of the above scale may be marked on the margin of the page: thus, 3 (the natural or middle tone; ́3 a little higher and 3 a little lower.) In this way fifteen varieties of Pitch-tones may be noted. The names of the characters-(printed in large italics that they may be quickly discriminated by the eye)-do not require to be repeated in reading. The minor directions (printed in smail (Pearl) type and enclosed in brackets; are not intended for the auditor. It is desirable to locate the position of the leading characters, as they may be mentally pictured around the Reader, and to maintain this uniformity throughout the Scene: changing it, however, as occasion may require. Thus-if Brutus addresses Cassius to the right, Cassius will reply to the left: other characters will address their utterances either to the centre—to the right of centre—or to the left of centre. If the Reader is to undertake the continuous delivery of an entire play, the book should be held in the left hand; leaving the right hand free to turn the page, or to give enforcement to the words by attitude or action. The use of a reading-stand is preferable, as both hands are then left free for discriminating and expressive action. The Reader should, if possible, make himself so familiar with the dialogue as not to require to keep his eye constantly on the page: he should look, as it were, at the imaginary person addressed. The narratives should be spoken to the auditors. Blend all your theories (as the great artist said of his mode of mixing colours with brains: read aloud, standing if possible: raise the chest, and keep it raised: give the lungs free scope to expand in every direction: separate logical utterances by free inspirations,-through the mouth for short pauses, through the nostrils for longer,-copiously, evenly, silently: allow no strain on the organs of voice or speech: give full sonorous value to the Vowels: articulate the Consonants sharply and distinctly, especially giving expressive sound to the voice-articulations: open the mouth freely, but without distortion, before and after all clauses and groups of oratorical words: let the voice stream outward, uninterrupted in its channel by the teeth, the tongue, or the lips: allow each distinct portion of meaning to float, as it were (or to rush, if necessary) to your most distant auditor: read from idea to idea, uttering each clause separately, and carefully subordinating inferior words to the "point" of the sentence: pay no undeviating attention to any set of rules: read with the mind, and deliver freely, naturally, and earnestly the sentiments that have thus passed the ordeal of reason and judgment. Then, as Charles Kingsley powerfully says- Think that there is nothing to be ashamed of-but doing wrong: and no being to be feared-but Almighty God; and so go on, making the best of the body and soul which God has given you." Continue to be a Student : "Trust not yourself-try your defects to know— MERES' LIST. In "Palladis Tamia, or Wits Treasury," printe Meres thus writes: "As Plautus and Seneca are accounted the be Tragedy among the Latines; so Shakespere amon most excellent in both kinds for the stage: for ( Getleme of Verona, his Errors, his Love labors lo wonne," his Midsummer night dreame, and his M for Tragedy his Richard the 2, Richard the 3, E John, Titus Andronicus, and his Romeo and Julie The Historical Plays are necessarily arranged in but the following Table, shows, as correctly as tained, their From the above Tabulated Form, it appears that Historical Plays, Six were not printed till in the There is little doubt that many of the early qua printed without the knowledge of the author: the the first Editors-John Heminge and Henrie Co and surreptitious copies, maimed and deformed 1 stealthes of injurious impostors."-It is proper to r these quarto copies have not been overlooked, the been generally followed. Deviations are marked i letters O. R. signifying Original Reading. a Now named "All's Well that Ends Well." b These Thre into One Reading. |