can only suggest it to you-the pauses and the emphasis I exhibit as before. Oh-then I see-Queen MAB hath been with you She is the fairies' MIDWIFE In shape -and she comes -no bigger than an agate stone On the forefinger of an alderman Drawn with a team of LITTLE atomies Athwart men's NOSES- -as they lie asleep Her waggon-spokes- -made of-long spinners' legsof the wings of grasshoppers The COVER -an empty hazel nut Made by the joiner squirrel- -or old grub—— Time out of mind the fairies' coach-makers And in this state she GALLOPS Through lovers' BRAINS On courtiers' KNEES -night by night— -that dream of court'sies straight O'er lawyers' FINGERS- -who straight dream on FEES- And bakes the elf-locks in foul sluttish lairs Which -once untangled-much misfortune BODES This exquisite passage of wit is to be pronounced "trippingly on the tongue," and not to be mouthed. It should be spoken as lightly as such a light-hearted fellow as Mercutio would utter a piece of pleasantry. A smile should hover upon the lips, but never break into a laugh. As he is addressing three or four of his gay companions, and he turns from one to the other, as he points the illustration to them individually, it is not spoken right on, like a speech, but with frequent and long pauses, and with such slight hesitancies as serve to show that it is an invention of the moment and not a composition committed to the memory. The difficulty of the passage is very great and it grows with acquaintance. After twenty readings you will be less satisfied with your rendering of it than at the first. But, perIt is because of its difficulty that I have selected it for an exercise. When you are able to read this well, you will have made great progress in the art. Do not leave it until you have mastered it. I do not desire that you should read this, or any other of these illustrations, twenty times in one day; you would not improve by such rapid repetitions; but read them three or four times. at a sitting, and repeat them day by day for weeks, until you or your friendly counsellor shall be completely satisfied with the performance. severe. I will now take you to another passage-short, but demanding extraordinary expression to give full effect to it. This, too, was deemed by Mr. Thelwall to be a testpassage, and he read it with wonderful power. Rightly to measure it, begin by reading it without any emphasis, simply uttering the words with the proper pauses. Then read it with emphasis, observing, as nearly as you can, the noting here given : And the Lord sent Nathan unto David-and he came unto him and said unto him-There were two men in one city— the one RICH-and the other-POOR- -The rich man had EXCEEDING MANY flocks and herds-but the poor man had NOTHING save one-little-ewe lamb- -which he had bought and nourished up-and it grew up together with him and with HIS -it did eat of HIS OWN meat—and drank of his own and lay in his BOSOM———— -and was unto him as a DAUGHTER CHILDREN сир -and he -And there came a traveller unto the rich manspared to take of his own flock and of his own herd-to DRESS for the wayfaring man that was come unto him-but took-the POOR MAN'S LAMB and dressed IT for the man that was come unto him. And DAVID's anger was greatly kindled against the MAN and he said to Nathan-" As THE LORD liveth-the man that hath done THIS thing shall surely DIE- -and he shall restore the lamb FOURFOLD- -because he did this thing and because he had no PITY" And Nathan said to David "THOU- -art the MAN!" Few passages could be found in which so much emphasis is required in the same number of words; indeed, it is difficult to distinguish the degrees, where most of them require some expression. Although typography limits me to three degrees of emphasis in the notation, the actual varieties required for a perfectly correct reading are much more numerous, but I must leave them to your own good taste and true ear. If you feel fully the meaning, you will probably give it the right degree of force in the utterance. But it is not varied emphasis alone that is demanded-you must observe the varieties of tone, which the notation does not attempt to indicate. The prophet begins with a narrative, but it is in the nature of a complaint. It is not a mere story told to amuse or inform, but he has a mission he is about to judge the guilty out of his own mouth, and the grandeur of his mission would influence the tone of the voice and the manner of the utterance. Slowly, gravely, almost solemnly, should you speak what Nathan spoke. Beginning thus, the contrast becomes more marked as you proceed. Sorrow should just tinge the tone at the opening; but this should change to positive tenderness in the description of the lamb, not abruptly, but melting by imperceptible shades. This is excellent study, and you should persevere until the very marked tone of pity is perfectly acquired. You change again to sternness, coloured with indignation, when describing the conduct of the rich man. It should be the tone of anger not quite repressed-growing louder and somewhat faster towards the close. Then comes David's exclamation-his anger flashing out suddenly, rapidly, and unrestrained, in a voice louder than that of the prophet, in a tone almost of rage, and rising towards the climax, when he pronounces the doom of death, with an emphasis far beyond any yet employed. Then a long pause, while the prophet might be supposed to be looking full into the face of the angry king, watching the fire of indignation in his eyes, and then, the grand catastrophe-slowly, majestically, with a full, not a loud, utterance, resting upon the word THOU, concentrate all the force of your expression, leaving the other words to drop from your lips without an effort, and only slightly increasing the emphasis again with the final word. I might multiply these examples indefinitely; but space is limited, and I must restrict myself to so many as are necessary to exhibit the most marked varieties of reading. A lesson in pathos will complete the series of illustrations of tone, emphasis and pause. I take the description of the death of little Paul Dombey from Dickens. Read it slowly, in low soft tones, throwing into them that indescribable expression to which has been given the name of pathetic. But to express those tones you must feel those emotions; then they will speak in their own natural language, and kindle sympathetic feelings in every listener. Observe, also, that it must be read easily, quietly, without an effort, with no seeking after an effect; but precisely as you would have told such a story. If at times the voice should quiver, and the eye swell with a tear, so much the better. It will be the more truthful. Paul closed his eyes with those words and fell asleep Then he awoke the sun was high- -and the broad day was clear and warm— He lay a little-looking at the windowswhich were open-and the curtains rustling in the air and waving to and fro- Then he said—" Floy-is it to-morrow?—is she come?" Some one seemed to go in quest of her- -The next thing that happened was a noise of footsteps on the stairs—and then -Paul woke-WOKE mind and body- -and sat upright in his bed-He saw them now about him- -There was no grey mist before them- -as there had been sometimes in the night -He knew them EVERYONE and called them by their names -" And who is THIS?-Is this my old nurse?"-asked the -regarding with a radiant smile a figure coming inYes-YES—No other stranger would have shed those tears at sight of him—called him her DEAR boy—her PRETTY boy——her own-poor-BLIGHTED child-No other woman would have stooped down by his bed- -and taken up his wasted hand—and put it to her lips and breast—as one who had some right to fondle it No other woman would have so forgotten everybody there-but him and Floy-and been so full of TENDERNESS and PITY. child |