LITERATURE. Harmonized Hymns and Songs for Bands of Hope. W. TWEEDIE, 337, Strand, London.-Good singing is one of the chief adjuncts to Band of Hope work, and it cannot be attained without our teachers and children are provided with good and suitable music. All singing in which children take part, should be cheerful in its character. The tunes set to the hymns and songs of the little book compiled by the Rev. Newman Hall, will well bear criticism in this respect, especially those of the secular pieces, which are all very good. We have only one word to say in disparagement, and that is, that all the tunes are familiar to us. There are just now so many really good, and yet sweet tunes, which are quite new, that we feel sorry one or two of them are not introduced in this selection. Still, this compi lation is the best we have yet seen, and deserves, as it will doubtless have, a very large circulation. WILLIAM TWEEDIE, 337, Simple Questions and Sanitary Facts. Strand. This is a most useful book, and well adapted to inform its readers on natural phenomena, and the functions and structure of the human body. It is cheap, neat, and well printed, and quite a library in itself. The Band of Hope Register. W. TWEEDIE, 337, Strand; J. WILD, 35, John William Street, Huddersfield.-This is a handsome book for the names of children. It contains ruled lines for the date, number, name, age, parents' or guardian's name, and residence. A better Register we have not seen, and we would strongly recommend it. TO CORRESPONDENTS.-We have to thank our friends for their communications. Some of them, we are sorry to say, are not eligible for insertion. In one case, the intelligence sent relates to a festival held in June! If our friends will send us news-not "ancient history"-we will insert it.- -Mr. has honoured us with an article on some young man, who, it seems, is superior to our most celebrated orators. Well, when we have heard him, and think him superior to them, we will adorn our pages with the paper in his praise.- -Some of our young friends have sent us papers. Try again; you have good powers, and if you persevere and write a little more, you will certainly succeed in producing papers which will appear in our pages.-R. D. is thanked for his letter; which, however, has not altered our convictions on the subject. EDITORIAL NOTES. All communications should be written on one side of the paper only. Intelligence should be sent early. Books for Review, Articles for the Record, &c., may be sent to the Editor, at No. 37, Queen Square, London. J. BALE, Printer, 78, Great Titchfield-street, Marylebone. BAND OF HOPE RECORD. STARVING CHILDREN IN LANCASHIRE. By the Rev. G. W. MCCREE. We have entire confidence in the thoughtfulness and generosity of the children connected with our Bands of Hope. Under the instruction of their conductors they have been taught to pity the erring, and to compassionate the suffering They are familiar with the words : Now pray we for our country, That England long may be So peace be in her walls, In every Band of Hope meeting, bright-eyed and happy children have joined in singing Little deeds of kindness, Little words of love, Make our earth an Eden, Like the heaven above. We Children so taught may be expected to welcome every opportunity for doing good. They will be willing to wipe away tears; they will hasten to heal broken hearts; they will rejoice in being able to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. We have therefore resolved to make an appeal to them on behalf of the starving children in Lancashire. Thousands of fathers and mothers, and their little ones, are now suffering extreme privation. Hunger and cold afflict them, and many homes, formerly bright and cheerful, are now scenes of sorrow. What can be done to lighten their trouble? They must not starve. believe that every child in every Band of Hope will be willing to do something to relieve them from famine, and cold, and despair. It is the intention of the Committee of the Band of Hope Union to unite with the conductors, committees, and members of Bands of Hope throughout the country in doing what may be possible to furnish aid to the starving children of Lancashire. Many Bands of Hope are now contributing weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, in order that funds may accrue on behalf of their little ones whose sufferings are truly pitiable, and should any contributions be forwarded to the office of the Union, an acknowledgment will be given in the next number of the Record. Many children have already done nobly, but we hope they will continue their benevolent exertions during the winter. Come my lads, and lasses too, Try, try, try again, Come let's see what we can do, PRACTICAL PAPERS, No. 9. By Mr. G. M. MURPHY. RECITATIONS AND DIALOGUES. There is a higher excellence, than breaking in merely the monotony of a meeting, attaching to the delivery of recitations, or the speaking of dialogues. Under judicious management such exercises become positive means of instruction to those who speak, as well as a source of pleasure and profit to those who hear. That Band of Hope will best succeed, whose conductors, while not neglecting other important things, give a large store of attention to this. It is possible for a society to get on without such an adjunct, but, like a waggon without grease, it goes hard. Attention is very necessary as to the matter of which recitatations and dialogues are composed. Purity of sentiment and language are essential, and as far as control can be exercised, the subjects should be apposite to the object of the meeting. Where several pieces are to be delivered on the same evening, care should be exercised that subjects should vary in style and treatment, or else the effect will in a great measure be lost. The manner, in which recitation and dialogues are spoken is an important feature in the display. Care must be taken not to feed vanity, or fan the embers of pride into a flame. Unassuming, intelligent and teachable children should always be selected. Distinctions in dress should be avoided, the ordinary attire is always best for young people to wear, at least to repeat in; anything approaching the theatrical, may provoke unhealthy emulation, perchance ending in dissapointment and shame. The tones of voice should be natural and clear. There should be distinct pronunciation, unhesitating speech, with attention to emphasis, and other modulations,-a subdued voice when the subject is pathetic; hopeful when religion is the theme; elevated in description; bold in narrative and history; loud and quick when the fiercer passions are pourtrayed; soft and slow when describing the gentler emotions; a sharp and shrill utterance when fear is made known, and sweetly musical while dealing with love, joy, peace and beauty; powerful and authoritative when commands are being urged; subtle when irony, and hyperbole are used; persuasion when words should win; and tender when application is made. Enquiry, apostrophe, simile, and personification, all require a definite and distinct tone, the only way of obtaining which is, for those who recite to identify themselves as near as possible with those whose words they are supposed to utter, and then place themselves, in imagination, in the positions occupied in uttering them. In reciting, children should not be permitted, or trained, to talk at parents or teachers. It is unbecoming and wrong; if such should ever be, and a laugh created at the time, the laugh might be heard and its mockery of pleasure pass away; but unseen wounds would be left to rankle in some bosoms, which like the mole burrowed in the field, work the more actively against the seed-sowers because out of sight. In the delivery of recitations, &c., method is as valuable as in other things: but methods may vary with circumstances. In some localities it may be advisable to begin, or end, the meeting with them. Where speakers are plentiful, a piece might be delivered between the speeches. Sometimes, when meetings are crowded, or when it might be inconvenient to call up children continually, all the pieces may be said in rotation, without detracting from their merit, but rather enhancing it. In some places monthly, in others quarterly or yearly, prizes might be competed for by the reciters at the Band of Hope Meetings, the successful competitors being presented with books valuable more for their wisdom than their cost. In some instances the boys and girls might alternately compete with advantage. A humorous minister once said that on a particular occasion it was announced that he would preach a sermon to married people, and all the single folks came to hear him, and when he was about to preach to the "single," the church was filled with the "married." On much the same principle, a trial of skill, like that suggested, might bring the girls out when the boys recited, and the boys when the girls displayed their prowess, and thus the room be filled, and interest awakened and sustained. Occasionally, it may be well to keep a list of young persons capable of this duty, and selecting them in due order for taking part in the meetings. If this is done, favouritism must be distinctly disavowed, and adhered to in practice; on the other hand, cir cumstances may render it advisable to depend mainly, if not altogether, on the chance attendants at the meetings. The judicious conductor is prepared for every such contingency, and seeing its need, or supposing it good, would try each of these plans in succession, or any, or every other, so as to maintain a high degree of interest in favour of the cause he loves. In centres of population, such as Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, &c., where large, undenominational halls and rooms are attainable, good might result from amalgamated competition meetings, not so much for prizes of money as to provoke displays of elocutionary skill. What results are we justified in looking for as flowing from the system of repeating dialogues and recitations at meetings by the young people? First, we should say, if those who speak are judiciously instructed, it gives them a consciousness of power. Their words may win some for sobriety, truth, and God. Such children will speak with a humble boldness, which cannot but commend itself to the heart of every hearer. The voice of childhood has a nameless charm. Next, it gives them confidence in communicating their thoughts. This is a great acquisition, especially when, as at present, difference of opinion is so rife. It is almost essential to convincing of an opponent, to state our own conviction with unhesitating assurance, feeling we are right. Should we possess all the acquirements of wisdom, and be a perfect storehouse of wholesome truths, without the confidence necessary to communicate them, our minds would only be like a casket of precious jewellery which was never worn, and more for show than use. Practice makes perfect, and therefore let the little ones rehearse their telling stories. Again, memory is strengthened by the exercise; the more we learn, the more we are able to remember. The power to retain things in the mind is greatly intensified by the exercise of memory in youth. Artificial systems may assist the retentive faculty, but cannot implant it. We might also adduce facts and arguments proving that this work of reciting on the part of the young people provokes thought, begets a love of reading, and enlarges and expands the sympathies, but such instances will at once occur to the remembrance of any who have laboured in this department of the work. We say then, do not neglect the recitations and dialogues; let the matter of them be sensible and sound, the manner of delivery unaffected, but earnest, the methods adopted for their delivery such as commends itself to the mature judgment of the conductor, and not only will the benc |