10. Much practice is requisite in becoming skillful in Personation; and the exercise will prove not only useful in acquiring skill in that art, but efficient in disciplining the voice in the various departments of modulation. LESSON X. RHETORICAL PAUSE. 1. RHETORICAL PAUSES are those which are frequently required by the voice in reading and speaking, although the construction of the passage admits of no grammatical pause. It may be denoted thus, ( I ). EXAMPLES. || 1. The worst of slaves, is he l whom passion || rules. 2. Glory is like a circle in the water, Which never ceaseth || to enlarge itself, Till, by broad spreading, it disperse | to naught. 2. The rhetorical pause, properly employed, holds an important rank in Elocutionary Science. Silence often speaks more eloquently than "Words of learned length and thundering sound.” It is effectually employed before or after the announcement of some important truth or sentiment. In such a case, it has a tending to fix the entire attention on the expression, and impress the thought indelibly on the mind. It is usually denoted, in such instances, by the dash (→). EXAMPLES. 1. Where met our bards of old ?-the glorious throng, But where wild Nature girt herself with power; They met where streams flash'd bright from rocky caves, And where dark lakes were heaving to the blast. 2. Hope for a season bade the world farewell, And freedom shrieked-AS KOSCIUSKO FELL! What are Rhetorical Pauses? When is it effectually used? 3. Father, forsake us not!-when tortures urge 3. The important word or passage which precedes or follows the rhetorical pause, should be uttered in a different tone of voice, from preceding portions. Generally, it should be expressed in a lower pitch of voice, with a slower movement. 4. The grammatical pauses, as the comma, semicolon, and the like, are employed with reference mainly to the grammatical construction of a passage, though in reading, a pause in the voice is required at them; but the rhetorical pause is as much demanded by the sense, as the grammatical, though it is denoted by no general sign, except the dash in a few cases. 5. No definite rule can be given in regard to the length of the rhetorical or grammatical pauses. The good taste of the reader or speaker, must determine it. Sometimes a longer pause is required at the same pause than at other times. LESSON XI. POETICAL ELOCUTION. 1. POETICAL ELOCUTION relates to the reading or speaking of poetical compositions. 2. The peculiar manner, in which poetry is read or spoken, constitutes its distinctive characteristic as poetry, aside from its being the language of emotion and excited imagination. 3. Poetry is of two kinds;-Rhyme and Blank Verse. RHYME Consists of lines, two or more of which end in similar sounds. BLANK VERSE partakes of the characteristics of rhyme, except the lines do not end in similar sounds. How should the important word or clause before or after the rhetorical pause be read? How are grammatical pauses used? What is said of the length of the pauses? To what does Poetical Elocution relate? What constitutes Poetry? What are the two kinds of poetry? 4. A poetical line is composed of a regular succession of accented and unaccented syllables. Thus, "Revere' thyself', ] and yet' | thyself' | despise'."| 5. MONOSYLLABLES which are emphatic, or which receive a greater stress than other words, with which they are immediately connected, even though they may not be emphatic with reference to other words in the sentence, are regarded as ACCENTED syllables. Thus, "Much learn'ing shows' how little mor'[tals know' ;| Much wealth', how little world lings can'| enjoy'."] 6. The accented syllables are considered long; the unaccented, short. The long or accented syllables are marked thus, (); the short or unaccented, thus, (~). POETIC FEET. 1. Each regular succession of accented and unaccented syllables, is called a foot. It consists of either two or three syllables. In the following example cach line contains four feet, and two syllables in each foot. EXAMPLE. If happiness on wealth | were built His fears, his wants, | increase | the mōre.] 2. There are four principal feet, called the Tambus, the Trochee, the Anapest, and the Dactyl. The first two contain two syllables; the last two, three syllables. 3. The IAMBUS is a foot which contains two syllables ;—the first is short; the second, long. 1. EXAMPLES. O, ēver thūs from childhood's hōur | I never loved à trèe | ōr flow'r. But 'twas the first | to fade away! What are the principal Of what is a poetical line composed? What monosyllables are regarded as accented syllables? What is a poetic foot? feet called? Of what is the Iambus composed? 2. Think not because the eye is bright, And free from pain and care. 4. The TROCHEE is a foot which consists of two syllables;the first is long; the second, short. 1. EXAMPLES. Change is written | on the | tide,— On the streamlet | glancing | bright,- Lō! the storm hith | passed awây, Mark the rainbow's | vivid | ray! Where? 'Tis past.-We | look ǎjgāin,— Sunshine brightens | all the | plain! 5. The ANAPEST is a foot which consists of three syllables; -the first two are short; and the third, long. EXAMPLES. 1. As a beam | o'er the face of the waters may glow. Can not pass | like the foam | from the seas | Or a mark that the finger hath traced in the dust, 3. When amidst | the dull cares that surround | us in life,- When the bosom is torn with contention and strife, Or when thrill'd with delight at the scenes we survey,— O, then blest is the man who can freely repose In the heart of a friend all his joys and his woes! 6. The DACTYL is a foot which consists of three syllables ;the first is long; and the second and third are short. EXAMPLES. 1. Hōnor ånd | glory wĕre | givăn tõ | chẽrish; Cherish them, then, though all | else should dě|cãy; Of what, the Trochee? Of what, the Anapest? Of what, the Dactyl? Land-marks be these, that are | nevěr to | perish, Stars that will 7. Poetry is divided, according to the character of the feet, of which it is composed, into four classes;—the Iambic, the Trochaic, the Anapestic, and the Dactylic poetry. The Iambic and the Anapestic are most common; the Dactylic is the least common. 8. Poetry is not always composed, uniformly, of the same kind of feet. It is often composed of different kinds; and it is not unfrequently irregular, being rendered so often by established pronunciation. EXAMPLES. I. Full many ǎ stōlic eye | and ās pēct stērn] Mask hearts where grief | his little left | to learn ;[ We have swept | o'er cities in song | renown'd- We have crossed | proud rivers, whose tide | hath roll'd | We have found a change, | we have found | a pall,| 9. When several long syllables occur in succession, they constitute a monotone. EXAMPLE. 1. Father of light and life! Thou Good Suprême! O, teach me what is good!-teach me Thyself! POETIC PAUSES. 1. Besides the regular succession of accented and unaccentented syllables, there is another peculiarity which belongs How may poetry be divided with respect to the feet, of which it is com. posed? Is poetry composed uniformly of the same kind of feet? |