5 5. 'Twas then great Marlb'rough's mighty soul was prov'd, That in the shock of charging hosts unmov'd, Examin'd all the dreadful scenes of war ; 6. Rous'd from his trance, he mounts with eyes When o'er the ship, in undulation vast, 7. To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern reply'd. Reign thou in Hell, thy kingdom; let me serve In Heav'n God ever blest and his divine Behests obey, worthiest to be obey'd; Yet chains in Hell, not realms expect: meanwhile (°) So say'ing, a noble stroke he lifted high, Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell 10 On the proud crest of Satan, that no sight, Nor motion of swift thought, less could his shield, Such ruin intercept; ten paces huge He back recoil'd; the tenth on bended knee -Now storming fury rose, And clamour such as heard in Heav'n till now 20 Was never; arms on armour clashing, bray'd Horrible discord, and the madding wheels Of brazen chariots rag'd; dire was the noise Of conflict; over head the dismal hiss Of fiery darts in flaming vollies flew, 25 And flying, vaulted either host with fire. So under fiery cope together rush'd Both battles main, with ruinous assault And inextinguishable rage; all Heaven Resounded, and had Earth been then, all Earth 30 Had to her centre shook. -Long time in even scale The battle hung; till Satan, who that day Saw where the sword of Michael smote, and fell'd 40 Intestine war in Heav'n, th' arch-foe subdu'd. In horror; from each hand with speed retired, Should combat, and their jarring spheres confound. The following examples are selected as a specimen of those passages, which are most favourable to the cultivation of a top to the voice. In pronouncing these, the reader should aim to get up his voice to the highest note on which he can articulate with freedom and distinctness. See remarks page 120. If the student wishes for more examples of this kind, he is referred to EXERCISES [5]. 8. Has a wise and good God furnished us with desires which have no correspondent objects, and raised expectations in our breasts, with no other view but to disappoint them ?—-Are we to be for ever in search of happiness, without arriving at it, either in this world or the next? Are we formed with a passionate longing for immortality, and yet destined to perish after this short period of exístence?--Are we prompted to the noblest actions, and supported through life, under the severest hardships and most delicate temptations, by the hopes of a reward which is visionary and chimérical, by the expectation of praises, of which it is utterly impossible for us ever to have the least knowledge or enjoyment? 9. (°)"Whence and what art thou, execrable shape, That dar'st, though grim and terrible, advance Thy miscreated front athwart my way To yonder gates? through them I mean to pass, 5 That be assured, without leave ask'd of thee: Retire, or taste thy folly; and learn by proof, Hell-born, not to contend with spirits of Heav'n." To whom the goblin full of wrath reply'd; (°) "Art thou that traitor Angel, art thou he, 10 Who first broke peace in Heav'n and faith, till then Unbroken, and in proud rebellious arms Drew after him the third part of Heav'n's sons, Conjur'd against the High'est, for which both thou And they, outcast from God, are here condemn'd 15 To waste eternal days in woe and pain? And reckon'st thou thyself with spirits of Heav'n, Thy ling'ring, or with one stroke of this dart, The Exercises of the foregoing head were designed to accustom the voice to exertion on the extreme notes of its compass, high and low. The following Exercises under this head are intended to accustom the voice to those sudden transitions which sentiment often requires, not only as to pitch, but also as to quantity. 1. The Power of Eloquence. AN ODE. 1 HEARD ye those loud contending waves, And bid the raging tumult cease With syren tongue, and speaking eyes, 2 Lo! from the regions of the North, Fastens on the Olynthian towers. 3 (9) "Where rests the sword?-where sleep the brave? Awake! Cecropia's ally save From the fury of the blast; Up or Freedom breathes her last!" 4 (0) The jarring States, obsequious now, 5 Borne by the tide of words along, Let us conquer him-or die!" 6 (0) Ah Eloquence! thou wast undone; Wast from thy native country driven, When Tyranny eclips'd the sun, And blotted out the stars of heaven. 7 When Liberty from Greece withdrew, And o'er the Adriatic flew, To where the Tiber pours his urn, She struck the rude Tarpeian rock; they cry, |