applications, shall pass to consider another of the attributes of good delivery.*

SECTION IV.

OF STRESS.

has been

And these part of the

EVERY Sound capable of prolongation, uttered without excitement, and in a natural manner, commences full and somewhat abrupt, and gradually decreases in fulness, till it becomes a mere breathing. Though this movement of the voice may be varied almost at pleasure, yet it has suggested the designation of the Radical movement as applicable to the first part of the sound; while the last part-the gradual decrease and final termination of the sound called the Vanishing movement of the voice. designations continue the same, on whatever sound the principal force of the voice is laid. This force of voice however is called STRESS; and, when given at the opening of the sound, is called Radical stress, because given on the radical part of the vocal movement. The stress may be given so as to fall on the middle of the movement, when it is called the Median stress; or it may fall at the vanish, that is, at the close of the sound, in which case it is called the Vanishing stress. A command of the several functions here described, is of the utmost importance to the speaker, since they each have their peculiar significancy, and since, with few exceptions, some one of them must enter into the pronunciation of every syllable forcibly uttered.

We shall therefore propose some exercises which,

*The exercises proposed in the next section on Stress are equally well adapted to the improvement of the voice, as regards Quantity.

while they illustrate this subject, will give the learner the command of quantity, and lay a foundation for general improvement in all the vocal powers.

Radical Stress.-This is the kind of stress heard in the successive strokes upon the keys of a piano. It may also be given by the voice, on both the long and the short vowels; and is the only kind of stress which the Immutable syllables can take. The exercise, however, on sounds or syllables of short quantity, we shall reserve for another section; and here use only such as combine both stress and quantity. And we shall use, for this purpose, the simple elements, and the simplest combinations; because, though we might employ short words, we could scarcely find words embracing all the various elementary sounds, and thus the learner would lose the improvement in articulation, which we purpose to combine with the exercises of this and several of the following sections. Let the learner then refer to Table I; and striking each of the long vowels successively full at the opening, let the voice gradually die away till it becomes inaudible. This will exhibit the simplest modification of quantity; and may perhaps be represented with sufficient accuracy to the eye

thus:

Let this exercise be continued till the learner has acquired perfect smoothness of voice, and the command of the equable movement which decreases gradually till it dies away in silence. When all the beauties of this vanishing movement are developed in execution, the ear is scarcely less delighted than in listening to the higher excellences of music. This function of the voice should then be carefully cultivated; and to aid in its further training, and at the same

time to cultivate other excellences of the art of speaking, we propose the following additional tables of exercise.

hū sů thu

whu

shu chů

whou

shou chou

ků pů tů fü

kou pou tou fou hou sou thou

koo poo too foo hoo SOO thoo whoo shoo choo koy poy toy foy hoy soy thoy whoy shoy choy *NOTE TO THE TEACHER.-This and the four following Tables are carried out so as to embrace all the possible combinations, for the purpose of detecting in the learner any defects of articulation, should such exist. On any combination which proves difficult of utterance, the practice should be continued till the sound is perfectly familiar to the organs of speech.-For the mere purpose of exercise in regard to stress or quantity, where no such difficulty of articulation presents itself, a few only of the most common and agreeable combinations may be used.

For practice on these Tables,

1. Let each of the consonant sounds be successively taken and fully uttered; but without prolonging them, let the voice abruptly burst upon the vowels, taken one by one, which are to be protracted as in the exercise recommended on Table I.

2. Repeat the combinations in Table IV, protracting the sound of both the consonants and vowels.*

атн атн

äтн ётн ітн

оотн оутн

azh azh äzh ezh izh

ōzh üzh ouzh oozh oyzh

In the practice on the foregoing Table, let both the vowels and consonants be protracted as much as possible, consistently with a neat pronunciation.

*Though this exercise of the vocal organs is here recommended, the learner should be cautioned against habitually protracting the initial consonants in ordinary delivery. When thus prolonged, the enunciation becomes disagreeable and affected. This is sometimes heard in the pulpit; and Dr. Rush speaks of having heard this defect in the pronunciation of the following words of Macbeth, by a distinguished actor

Canst thou not m-inister to a m-ind diseased;
Pl-uck from the m-emory a r-ooted s-orrow, &c.

ach ach äch éch ich ōch uch ouch ooch oych

In the practice on the foregoing Table, let the vowels be protracted as much as possible; but the consonants only enough for distinct utterance.

* Oo before k is always short; also before the atonics p and t, in the words hoop and foot.

†The short sound represented by oo is heard only before the tonic consonants d, g, l, and m, as in the words should, sugar, full, and woman; nor has oo this sound before the tonic consonants, except in the five words good, hood, stood, wood, and wool. In all others it is long