notice of any acute observer interested in the subject of public oratory.

Now as good habits are full as easy to be acquired as those of an opposite description, though the latter, in the process of being got rid of, present a somewhat greater difficulty, yet the means of their acquisition is very similar, viz., constant repetition. If, therefore, the rules laid down for appropriate and graceful action are studied assiduously and frequently in the faithful reflections of the mirror, those principles will become so impressed on the mind of the student, as ever after to influence his bearing and general style of gesture, and that too without stiffness or artificiality; for it is not for a moment pretended that the action which he may then consider appropriate must of necessity be precisely the same he is called upon to use when speaking or reciting in public. This exercise aims alone at the acquisition of grace and ease by the appeal to his own judgment, which this practice will habitually confirm, and ever after influence the involuntary gestures that arise from the emotions of his mind. It is probable that the action may differ-may take a wider sweep, a more extended character-may be more elevated or depressed, slower or more abrupt: it matters not; it will bear the impress of his general study, and manifest itself in force, expression, and grace.

CHAPTER VII.

ON READING VERSE.

ALTHOUGH the rules laid down in the preceding chapters apply alike to poetry and prose, a few observations on the reading of rhymed verse may not be out of place.

There are many excellent readers of prose who entirely fail to distinguish the equable and harmonious flow of sound which distinguishes poetry from ordinary unmeasured composition. These are devoid of what a musician would call "ear," and hence their delivery of rhymed couplets becomes tame and insipid, familiar and commonplace, and too frequently degenerates into mere " sing-song," utterly beneath the dignity of inspired verse. To such persons Mr. Walker recommends (and other writers on elocution have repeated his

advice-some having gone so far as to run on the examples they have given in the prose form) that they should "read verse exactly as if it were prose." Surely this would be an injustice to any living poet and a desecration of the writings of the dead, who if they had intended to convey their thoughts in plain prose, to ignore the measure and the flow, the music and the metaphor, and all the elegances and fancies which distinguish one from the other, would have adopted that form. Many of the transpositions of words or phrases allowable in poetry for the sake of the rhythm (sometimes for the sake of a rhyme) would not be admissible in prose composition; it is obvious, therefore, that to read poetry as prose is to read it as the authors would not have written had they been unfettered by the exigencies of verse.

If, as Walker admits, "poetry without song (i.e., musical flow) is a body without soul," it would be far better that those who are devoid of the power of appreciating should abstain altogether from reading it, rather than they should deliver it in a style that must always be obnoxious to correct taste and sound judgment.

Perhaps one of the greatest difficulties felt by every professor of elocution in teaching youth to recite poetry, is the almost universal inability of the pupil to understand and grasp the meaning of the poem. Unless the author be thoroughly appreciated and his intention, not only expressed but implied, mastered, the natural emotions (and consequently the proper inflexions and varieties of voice) cannot possibly arise, and, if not, how can they be expressed save by a studied, stilted, and artificial style? It is, perhaps, not saying too much to aver that only a poet can read poetry properly : at any rate only those who are perfectly imbued with the poetic feeling can do so. Given all these qualifications, and action, voice, and gesture will follow naturally and spontaneously; the electric fire will flash from the speaker to his audience, enthusiasm will be kindled, and a result that only true genius can achieve will be accomplished.

The great secret in reading poetry is to exercise the art that conceals art, or rather the art that seems to heighten and improve nature and to subdue it, so that it is never apparent that the speaker is delivering the words of others. To the hearers it should

be as though the speaker were giving the utterances of his own heart, and his own brain, an impulsive and involuntary outpouring excited by existing and surrounding circumstances. It was thus Shakspeare wrote, assisted by no rule, his guiding power being only his exquisite sense of the fitness of all things. It was thus that Edmund Kean produced his finest effects,-not from calculation, but from knowledge, impulse, and appreciation, lit by the light that was within him.

But in our schools and colleges teaching must begin before experience has ripened. All that can be done is to apply certain rules, and these, if diligently attended to, will have so far forwarded the work of perfection at which all may arrive when the mind comes to maturity. We would premise that it is essential in all cases that the master should fully explain to the pupil the subject, the meaning, and all the surroundings of the poem or extract he is about to teach.

The rules for the delivery of poetry may be thus briefly stated.

1. In all cases it is better to commence a poem in a simple, natural, and easy style, warming with the subject as the poet becomes passionate or emotional.

2. If the poetry be written correctly, every word should have the same accent as in prose, but as many of our best poets have accented words that change their accent when used as verbs or nouns alike, it is better to sacrifice the sense to the sound rather than the rhythm of the poem should be destroyed.

3. The article the must never be strongly accented in reading or reciting verse.

4. Elisions, so frequently found in our earlier poets, must seldom or never be attended to in reading verse-thus in "gen'rous" the dropped "e" must be sounded as in "generous."

5. The end of every line in poetry must be delicately marked, care being taken not to interfere with the intimate or remote connexion subsisting between the subsequent lines.

6. The rhetorical pauses should be taken at the commencement, and never in the middle of a poetic foot, or the power of what Sheridan calls "making the ear sensible of the versification" will be lost.

7. A simile ought to be read in a lower tone of voice than the portion of the poem which precedes it.

Thus far the rules we have laid down apply to poetry generally, but as the simulations of the passions enter largely into the recital of heroic verse, it will be necessary to enter briefly into this branch of the subject.

Mr. Walker, in his elaborate work "The Elements of Elocution," asks, “How are we to acquire that peculiar quality of sound that indicates the passion we wish to express ?" and he proceeds, "The answer is easy: by feeling the passion which expresses itself by that peculiar quality of sound. But then the question will return, how are we to acquire a feeling of that passion ?" Without following this author through an essay which extends over many pages, it will be sufficient to observe, that he contends that the simulation of the passions may be obtained by imitation—that is, by observing and noting in the memory the various tones and gestures which accompany them when they arise or are indulged in by others, so that we may dispose ourselves to feel them mechanically, and improve our expression of them when we are called on to read or recite the particular pieces in which they occur; for by the imitation of the passions, we meet them, as it were, halfway.

A condensed résumé of Walker's classification of the passions and his rules (re-modelled) for simulating them, will indicate generally the method that may be employed.

1. TRANQUILLITY.-This may be expressed by the composure of the countenance and a general repose of the whole body, without the exertion of any one muscle. The countenance open, the forehead smooth, the eyebrows arched, the mouth nearly closed, and the eyes passing with an easy motion from object to object, but not dwelling too long on one. Care must be taken to distinguish it from insensibility.

2. CHEERFULNESS adds a smile to tranquillity, and opens the mouth a little more.

3. MIRTH requires a laughing, joyous style of delivery; but buffoonery and grimace must be avoided, or the audience will laugh at and not with the speaker, who should let his subject-matter set his audience laughing before copying their example.

4. RAILLERY puts on the aspect of cheerfulness; the tone of voice should be sprightly.

5. IRONY is expressed by the sneer, which is ironical approbation. A satirical tone of voice, look, and gesture, should accompany it.

6. Joy radiates the countenance with smiles, and lights up, as it were, the whole frame. Walker recommends "clapping the hands," "raising the eyes to heaven," and "giving such a spring to the body as to make it attempt to mount up as if it could fly”—but all such extravagances must be avoided.

7. DELIGHT.-The tones, gestures, and looks are the same as joy, but less forcible and more permanent.

8. Love must be approached with the utmost delicacy; it is best expressed by a deep, impassioned, fervent tone; the right hand may be pressed over the heart, but the "languishing eyes" recommended by some authors borders too closely on burlesque. A steady, respectful gaze on the assumed object of affection may be permitted.

9. PITY may be denoted by an expression of pain on the countenance, and a compassionate tenderness of voice. The mouth open, and a gentle raising and falling of the hands and eyes, as if mourning over the unhappy object.

10. HOPE erects and brightens the countenance, spreads the arms with the hands open, as to receive the object of its wishes. The voice is plaintive and inclining to eagerness.

11. HATRED draws back the body as to avoid the hated object; the hands at the same time spread out, as if to keep it off. The pitch of the voice is low, but harsh, chiding, and vehement.

12. ANGER expresses itself with rapidity and harshness—and sometimes with interruption and hesitation, as if unable to utter with sufficient force. RAGE and FURY are exaggerations of this passion.

13. REPROACH requires the contracted brow and the curled lip; the voice is low and the whole body expressive of aversion.

14. FEAR is one of the most difficult and elaborate passions to simulate. The breath must appear quick and short; the voice trembling and weak; the body as if shrinking from danger. When attended with terror and consternation, one foot is drawn back as if putting itself into a posture for flight.