ELOCUTION.

HOW TO BECOME A GOOD READER AND SPEAKER.

HE subject of elocution is confessedly an all important one to the American people-the love of Oratory is inherent in Americans-they have felt its influence as no other people have, and realize the part it has performed in

the formation and character of the Republic. Prof. Whitman has well said that "it was oratory that made us a free and independent people, oratory that determined the qual

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ity of man, oratory that settled all the important questions of the past, and oratory that must mark the future weal or woe of the American nation-a nation which, it is no exaggeration to say-excells all others in the splendor of her renown, even as one star excelleth another star in glory."" Hon. Frank Gilbert in his Introduction to Prof. Whitman's book, says: "In no other country have orators and oratory played so important a part in shaping public affairs as in this country, the reason is, that nowhere else has free speech' been enjoyed with absolute thoroughness. Every other land either is, or has been cursed by a despotism which dared not give reign to the tongue. Oratory cannot flourish under tyranny."-The oratory of this Republic is one of the great treasures of literature.

Fig. 1.

Our Republican institutions are of such a character as to call for and encourage a practice of not only impromptu and well finished and studied oratory, but a demand for good elocutionists, capable of instituting an intelligent inquiry into the meaning of an author; and, having obtained it, that it may be conveyed not only correctly, but with force, beauty, variety and effect, requiring the speaker to impress the exact lineaments of nature upon his sentiments, such indeed, is the imperative demand for the services of elocutionists of every class, that excellence in the art is a sure road to financial remuneration as well as civil and political preferment.

Fig. 2.

The general inaptitude to extemporaneous addresses of

our citizens is conclusive proof that there is a lamentable deficiency somewhere in their early training. That some are gifted beyond others in the matter of oratory cannot be denied, and that the great majority of our people need nothing but proper training in the season of their youth to fit them the better to enter this department of public life, is equally undeniable. The low state of elocution in this country proceeds chiefly from the defective method adopted

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in teaching it in our public institutions. Though it is gratifying to know that elocution is beginning to secure a portion of attention, corresponding, in some degree, with its importance, but still it is too'

much neglected, not only by the community in general, but even by public speakers and teachers of youth.

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Elocution in our schools should rank in consideration with the more important branches of geography, grammar and arithmetic. The teacher must himself be a good reader, otherwise his scholars cannot become so; he should continually practice the scholars in declamation and drill them in the principles of elocution. It is unreasonable to expect the school-boy to

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analyze the works of the great and unrivalled delineators of human character; the true meaning of the authors must be taught him by his instructor,

and his voice trained to fullness and power, and stately elegance. If our youth be accustomed from their early scholastic life to address audiences even of their own school companions and acquaintances, much will be accomplished toward preparing

them for proficiency in reading and speaking.

The prime qualifications for an orator or reader are a pure and cultivated voice, and a correct and elegant articulation. The different intonations, cadences and inflections

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of the human voice are to be acquired only by indefatigable study and practical effort, and the most assiduous and strict attention under the guidance and instruction of a teacher, competent and qualified to unfold the various beauties, ren

dering them and the science with which they are connected, equally beneficial and interesting to the man of business, the student, the statesman and the divine. The remarks of Sheridan in his lectures on the "Art of Reading" are as true of our own country as of England: "I appeal to the experience of mankind, whether in general anything else be taught, but the pronunciation of words, and the observations of the stops; we are taught to deliver our exercises or the words of others with little or no variation of voice, or else with some disagreeable, discordant cant applied to all sentences alike."

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Dr. Channing, the literary and philosophical essayist, in a discourse delivered as long ago as 1836, on this subject clearly shows, that elocution is calculated to elevate the standard of morality, and moreover, sets forth, most hap