PREFACE.

This work is upon a new plan: it aims to draw the attention of pupils to the proper estimate of their own powers, and to show them how they can best improve themselves. It is designed for schools, colleges, and general readers. Keeping in view conventional usage, nature and common sense, the author has endeavored to strip elocution, as a study, of its repulsive, artificial character, and to make it plain, easy, and attractive. Its principles are embodied and illustrated in a course of reading lessons : and to render these more impressive and pleasing, they are occasionally varied by examinations, conversations, and dialogues. And to guard against conceit and affectation, he has labored to impress upon the student that all right expression must necessarily spring from right thoughts and feelings.—He has introduced what he calls the rising and falling curves, which, it is presumed, will be esteemed a valuable improvement: but in the use of these and other notations, he has purposely avoided all didactic rules. The lessons containing selected pieces are intended for exercises both in reading and speaking; and are equally adapted for botlı sexes. They are interspersed with many amusing anecdotes, with a view to training the pupil to a more colloquial

manner.

The marks over the following vowels are designed to show the different inflections made in reading ; and the others to show the slight pauses not indicated by punctuation :

é Rising Slide. See page 20 to 23.
d Falling Slide.
á Rising Curve.
• Falling Curve.
ŭ Rising Circumflex.
â Falling Circumflex.
| A Bar.

16 19.
| Half Bar.

66

66

ILLUSTRATION.

Was John' there?-NO.
Neither John, nor Jámes, nor Joseph | was thère ?

Ah, it was Jâmes / that did it! I never thought it could be yoŭ !

PAGE.

9

I. Remarks on Reading,

II. Elocution-Reading-Punctuation,

12

III. Pauses unnoted: “divisions,” bars, accent, quantity,

15

IV. Slides-Curves-Circumflexes,

20

V. Paragraphs, as examples to illustrate punctuation,

24

VI. Emphasis and cadence,

31

VII. Examination of a class on inflectious and emphasis, - 37

VIII. Articulation—Vowels Vitiated sounds,

46

IX. Distinct enunciation of consonants. Change of sounds, 51

X. Words classed under vowels and consonants,

59

XI. How vowel sounds are changed. Letters sunk,

63

XII. EXAMINATION on inflections and emphasis,

67

XIII. Modulation-Tone-Pitch—Quantity~Quality of voice, 74

XIV. POETRY, how to read and speak it well,

80

XV. Spring. Cuckoo. Hymn to God. Rural Life. Happiness

not dependent on Fortune. Green River,

XVI. EXAMINATION of a class on Verse-Poetic feet-Cæsura, 92

XVII. The Order of Nature. The Daisy. The Dying Christian to

his Soul. The Destruction of Sennacherib. Conjugal

Felicity,

- 101

XVIII. EXAMINATION on Figures of Speech and Poetic License, 105

XIX. A CONVERSATION,--the Gordons and Dr. Abbott,

114

XX. Action--continued through six lessons,

124

-

87

PAGE,

.

XXVI. CONVERSATION between the Teacher and his Pupils, 149

XXVII. CONVERSATION between Mr. Gordon, his Family, Dr.

Burke and Dr. Abbott, -

161

XXVII*. Behavior in Company. Conversation. Manners,

173

XXVIII. Proverbs. Paragraphs. Fables. Modesty. Opposition, 183

XXIX. Virtue its own Reward. Gratitude. Charity. The

Good Great Man. Lad and his Neighbor. Mercy, 189

XXX. Clearness. Power of Calm Delivery. Sermon Twice

Preached. What Letters should be. Pleasant Re-

tort. Cheerful Music. John Adams and his Father.

The Mother's Law,

194

XXXI. The Unruly Cattle. Abou Ben Adhem. The Great

Distinction of a Nation. Brevity in an Orator de-

sirable. Witty Retort John Philpot Curran. Al-

fred and the Beggar. Convictions of Napoleon, 200

XXXII. The First Hospital. Copernicus. Cobbett's Return to

England. Mr. Bushnell's Song. Washington's Apol-

ogy,

207

XXXIII. The World. National Banner. Turning the Grind-

stone. Live for Something. The Grave. Daniel

Webster's Celebrity,

214

XXXIV. Webster and David Crockett. Burke and the Trial of

Hastings. Maria Antoinette. Two Neighbors and

the Hens. Increase of Printers. Origin of Whig.

Poetry and Oratory,

221

XXXV. Power of a Good Man's Life. Sincerity. Dr. Franklin's

Colloquial Powers. Washington. Swift and the

Lady's Dinner. A Sensible Host. Milton's Intellec-

tual Qualities,

229

XXVI. Character of Hamilton. Autumn. Spring. Henry's

Eloquence and Humor. Effect of Henry's Speech.

Effect of Washington's Policy,

237

XXXVII. American Vessels. The Sabbath. Lord Brougham's

Oratory. This Life. Stuart, the Painter. Foreign

Entanglemont. The Little Boy that Died. A

Sketch,

245

.

PAGE,

XXXVIII. The True To-day. Death's Final Conquest. Essay on

Man. Incentives to Trust. Death of John Quincy
Adams. Peaceable Secession Impossible. Cato's So-
liloquy,

354

XXXIX. Death of Adams and Jefferson. The Common Lot. Henry

Clay on the Compromise. National Character from

National Recollections,

262

XL. Industry Indispensable to Eloquence. Lord Ullin's Daugh-