Timotheus,* placed on high,

Amid the tuneful choir,

With flying fingers, touched the lyre:

The trembling notes ascend the sky,

And heavenly joys inspire.

The praise of Bacchus,† then the sweet musician sung,—
Of Bacchus, ever fair and ever young.

Loud and quick.

The jolly god in triumph comes !
Sound the trumpet! beat the drums!

Narrative.

Flushed with a purple grace,

He shows his honest face.

Loud.

Now, give the hautboys breath!

Soft and smooth.

Rich the treasure;

Sweet the pleasure;

Sweet is pleasure after pain.

- he comes! he comes!

Soothed with the sound, the king grew vain;

Increase.

Fought all his battles o'er again;

And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain.

Narrative.

The master saw the madness rise;

Increase.

His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes;

And, while he heaven and earth defied,

* Ti-mo'the-us, one of the most celebrated lyric poets and musicians of antiquity. He flourished, both at the court of Philip, and of his son Alexander. ↑ Bac'chus, in Greek mythology, the god of wine.

Haut boys, (hōboys,) wind instruments somewhat resembling the flute.

Narrative.

Changed his hand, and checked his pride.

Plaintive.

He chose a mournful muse,

Soft pity to infuse;

Dignified.

He sung Darius* great and good!
By too severe a fate,-

Slow and grave.

Fallen fallen! fallen! fallen!

Fallen from his high estate,

And weltering in his blood!

Slow and plaintive.

With downcast look the joyous victor sat,
Revolving, in his altered soul,

The various turns of fate below;

And, now and then, a sigh he stole,
And tears began to flow.

Narrative.

The mighty master smiled, to see
That love was in the next degree;
'Twas but a kindred strain to move;
For pity melts the mind to love.

Soft and smooth.

Softly sweet, in Lydian measures,
Soon he soothed his soul to pleasures.

Quick.

Now strike the golden lyre again!

Fri'us, the name or title of several Persian kings.

Loud.

A louder yet, and yet a louder strain!

Break his bands of sleep asunder,

And rouse him, like a rattling peal of thunder!

Behold a ghastly band,

Each a torch in his hand!

These are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain,

And, unburied, remain

Inglorious on the plain.

Loud and quick.

Give the vengeance due

To the valiant crew!

Dignified.

Behold, how they toss their torches on high!
How they point to the Persian abodes,
And glittering temples of their hostile gods!

Thus, long ago,

Narrative.

Ere heaving bellows learned to blow,

While organs yet were mute,

Timotheus, to his breathing flute

And sounding lyre,

Could swell the soul to rage, or kindle soft desire.

SECTION III.

PERSONATION.

PERSONATION implies those changes or variations of the voice necessary to represent two or more individaals as speaking.

Personation is employed in reading dialogues, and other colloquial compositions. These writings derive much of their force and beauty from the skillful application of this principle. The pupil, therefore, should exercise his ingenuity and discrimination in studying the characters of the speakers, from their language and other circumstances, in the same manner as he would if they were actually before him.

RULE. Consider the condition, the feelings, and the temperament of the characters to be represented, and vary the voice in such a manner as best to personate them.

EXERCISE.

SCENE FROM "VIRGINIUS."-J. S. KNOWLES.

[Virginia was the daughter of Lucius Virginius, a Roman centurion, and was betrothed to Lucius Icilius, one of the tribunes. Appius Claudius, a Roman decemvir, smitten by her beauty, employed Marcus Clau

QUESTIONS. What is personation? In what kind of reading is personation employed? How may the characters of the speakers be studied? What is the rule for personation?

dius to seize her as a slave, and deliver her over to him. Virgiaius, her father, being unable to recover her, seized a butcher's knife, and plunged it to her heart, exclaiming, "This is the only way, my child, to keep thee free and unstained!"]

Lucius. Virginius! you are wanted

In Rome.

Virginius. On what account?

Luc. On your arrival

You'll learn.

looks are loaded

Vir. How is it something can't be told.
At once? Speak out, boy! Ha! your
With matter. - Is 't so heavy that your tongue
Cannot unburden them? Your brother left
The camp on duty yesterday,— hath aught
Happened to him? Did he arrive in safety?
Is he safe? Is he well?

Luc. He is both safe and well.

Vir. What then? What then?-tell me the matter, Lucius.

Luc. I have said

It shall be told you.

Vir. Shall! I stay not for

That "shall," unless it be so close at hand

It stop me not a moment,—'t is too long
A coming. Fare you well, my Lucius.
Luc. Stay,

Virginius; hear me with patience!
Vir. Well,

I am patient.

Luc. Your Virginia

Vir. Stop, my Lucius!

I'm cold in every member of my frame!

If 't is prophetic, Lucius, of thy news,

Give me such token as her tomb would, Lucius,
I'll bear it better. Silence.

Luc. You are still