20 I'm weary of conjectures-this must end them. 25 30 [Laying his hand on his sword. The wreck of mat-ter, and the crush of worlds. Addison. CHAPTER III. GENERAL PRECEPTS. SECTION I. OF THE MEASURE OF SPEECH. Ir belongs rather to the physiologist than the elocutionist to explain the mechanism of the voice, and the causes which limit or regulate the exercise of its powers. It entirely falls in with our purpose however, to state the principles deduced from this mechanism, so far as it is understood, and the rules, by which a conformity to the laws of the voice is secured. Nor is this a matter of mere speculative interest, in as much as a conformity to these laws is absolutely essential to ease in the use of the vocal organs; and on it are often suspended the health and even the life of the speaker. In the proper places, the principles of Time and of Accent have been developed. It has long been conceived, that by the aid of these, poetic numbers are capable of being subjected to measure. But by the light which modern elocutionists have thrown on this subject, it appears that even the harmonious arrangements of verse are capable of a rhythmus in their vocal execution, which is not at all recognised by the principles of Prosody. The following lines are divided into prosodical feet, and each syllable is marked as long or short* according to the usual notation. *The terms long and short are here employed, as used by English prosodists, with reference to accent and emphasis rather than quantity. I cōme-not friends-to steal-away-your hearts; But ǎs-you know-mě all-ă plain-blunt mān, By examining these measures, it will be seen, that they vary in length from the hurried pyrrhic, consisting of two short syllables, to the long drawn spondee, heard on the words "men's blood." On the contrary, the measures into which the good reader or speaker divides his periods are, at least in theory, equal as to the time of their utterance; and that, whether he is pronouncing verse or prose. The following divisions of the same passage will admit of being read by the vibrations of a pendulum, observing the rests indicated by the new symbol 1, here introduced. The poetic notation of heavy and light syllables is retained for convenience of future reference. I come not, | friends, hearts; to steal ǎ- | way your I am | nō | ōrător, |ås | Brūtŭs | is; |M| But That love my | friend; füll | well | and that man, I 5 That gave mě | public | leave | to | spēak of | hîm. [1 IMI For I have neither wit, nor | words, nor | wörth, I nor the power of speech, | To stir | men's | blood. || I | ōnly | speak | right ōn: 11 I tell you that which | you your- | selves dŏ | know; 10 Show you sweet | Caesar's | wounds, I poor, poor dumb mouths, | Bắt And bid them | speak för mě. 1717 Büt wĕre I Brütüs, | And | Brūtus | Antonỹ, || there were ăn | Antony | Would | rūfflě | up yoŭr | spirits, |ånd | pūt ǎ | tōngue | I I'něvěry wound of | Caesar, that should | mōve | 15The stones of | Rōme to | rise in | mutiny. 17771 1. These measures may consist of from one to four syllables. The number may be extended to five, as in the third measure of the following line:- In the second | | century of the Christian | era. | This occurs but rarely in poetry; and in deliberate reading, such measures would be divided, and a rest interposed, thus: In the second | century of the | Christian | era. | :— 2. Each measure contains one, and only one, heavy or accented syllable; or else a rest to occupy the time devoted to it. This will be seen by comparing the two notations. 3. A single syllable of indefinite quantity may fill out a measure; while accented syllables of shorter quantity standing alone should be followed by a short pause. 4. The heavy syllable opens the measure, and thus the movement is in all cases from the heavy to the light syllables; and this movement should be distinctly marked by the voice,—a measure requiring but a single pulsative effort of the voice. 5. The measure, when consisting of a syllable of indefinite quantity, or of one accented and one or more unaccented syllables,-is called a Perfect Measure; that which contains a rest is called an Imperfect, or Defective Measure. The principles of accent, as has been before said, depend on usage. Thus no rules can be laid down here, which would be of service to the learner. We may repeat however, that such is the law of our language that every word of more than one syllable has its accented syllable; and it may be added, that among monosyllables, the primary parts of speech are usually pronounced with the accentual stress, while the particles, except when made emphatic, fill the light portions of the measures. In all smooth and flowing verse, except the anapastic, the measure of two syllables will prevail; and in the anapæstic the trisyllabic measure will predominate. The measure of Milton's and Shakspeare's verse will however be found remarkably unconstrained and varied. The measures of common prose differ not from those of poetry, except that they exhibit a greater variety without any regular succession of similar measures; and he whose ear has been thoroughly attuned to the rhythmus of speech, as exhibited in the principles and exercises of this section, at the same time cannot but have improved his taste for the beauties of composition. These principles will now be illustrated by a few examples; and, in the absence of all accentual marks, we may repeat, that the principles laid down require in the perfect measure as also in the measure defective in the last constituent, that the first syllable be accented; in measures defective in the first constituent, there is no accented or heavy syllable. By carefully observing these |