pily, its superiority over the drama. He says: "A people should be guarded against temptation to unlawful pleasures by furnishing the means to innocent ones. There is an amusement, having an affinity with the drama, which might be usefully introduced among us-I mean elocution. A work of genius, recited by a man of fine taste, enthusiasm and good elocution, is a very pure and high gratification; were this art cultivated and encouraged, great numbers, now insensible to the most beautiful compositions, might be waked up to their excellence and power. It is not easy to conceive of a more effectual way of spreading a refined taste through a community. The drama undoubtedly appeals more strongly to the passions than recitation, but the Fig. 8. latter brings out the meaning of the, Fig. 9. Elocution, it must be borne in mind, includes reading and conversation, as well as public speaking, and is a matter of nearly as much interest to ladies as to gentlemen, as the greater portion of the time of ladies is employed in conversation and reading; to be able to read and converse well is therefore a very desirable attainment. The following extract from Mrs. Sigourney's excellent "Letters to Young Ladies," is commended to their perusal: “Reading aloud, with propriety and grace, is an accomplishment worthy of the acquisition of females. To enter storm. into the spirit of the author, and convey his sentiments with a happy adaptation of tone, emphasis and manner, is no common attainment. It is peculiarly valuable in our sex, because it so often gives them an opportunity of imparting pleasure and improvement to an assembled family, during the winter evening, or the protracted In the zeal for female accomplishments it would seem that the graces of elocution had been too little regarded. Permit me to fortify my opinion by the authority of Rev. Mr. Galludet: I cannot understand why it should be thought, as it sometimes is, a departure from female delicacy, to read in à promiscuous social circle, if called upon to do so, from any peculiar circumstance, and to read, too, as well as Garrick himself. If the young lady possesses the power of doing it, why may she not do this, with as much genuine modesty and with as much of a desire to oblige her friends and with as little of ostentation, as to sit down in the same circle, to the piano, and play and sing in the style of the first masters? If to do the former is making too much of a display of her talents, why should not the latter be so? Nothing but some strange freak of fashion, can have made a difference; fine reading is an accomplishment where the inherent music, both of the voice and intellect, may be uttered, for Fig. 10.-GRIEF. the scope and compass of each is often fully taxed and happily developed, in the interpretation of delicate shades of meaning and gradations of thought."" The beneficial effects of vocal gymnastics, judiciously conducted, upon health, are not yet fully appreciated. The following on this subject from the pen of Dr. Combe, is worthy of attention: "Reading aloud and recitation are more useful and invigorating muscular exercises, than is generally imagined. In forming and undulating the voice, the chest and the diaphragm are in constant action, and communicate to the stomach a healthy and agreeable stimulus; and, consequently, where the voice is raised and elocution rapid, as in many kinds of public speaking, the muscular effort is more fatiguing than the mental, especially to those who are unaccustomed to it. "When care is taken, however, not to carry reading aloud or reciting so far at Fig. 11.-DISLIKE. one time, as to excite the least sensation of soreness or fatigue in the chest, and it is duly repeated, it is extremely useful in developing and giving tone to the organs of respiration, and to the general system. As exercises in reading aloud, public speaking, and lecturing, require some exertion, they ought to be indulged in with prudence, and constant reference to the constitution and health of the individual. When early resorted to, and steadily persevered in, they are instrumental in warding off disease, and communicating strength to an important function." 1 The editor of the Journal of Health, speaking of "the voice," says: "The preservation of the voice, and the means of improving its tone and com- excess. Fig. 12.-INVOCATION. "The voice should not be exerted after a full meal. It should never be urged beyond its strength, nor strained to its utmost pitch, without intermission. Frequent change of pitch is the best preservative. The voice, when hoarse, should not be exerted, if it can possibly be avoided. "To speak well with anything in the mouth, is scarcely possible. Few things are so injurious to the voice as tobacco. By the use of it, the voice becomes dry, and is rendered harsh and broken. The voice, as well as the health of a speaker, suffers materially, unless the chest is allowed to expand freely. Hence, all compression or restraint should be carefully removed from this portion of the body; for the same reason, an erect position should be assumed, as well in speaking and reading aloud, as in singing." Fig. 13.-PATRIOTISM. BREATHING.In breathing stand in a perfectly erect but easy posture, with the weight of the body resting on one foot, the feet at the proper angle and distance from each other (see Figs. 1 and 2). In effusive breathing draw in slowly a full breath and emit it very slowly in a prolonged sound of the breathing h or ah in a whisper. In expulsive breathing draw in somewhat quicker than the preceding, a full breath, and send it forth with a lively, explosive force, the sound of the h but little prolonged. In explosive breathing draw in a full breath faster than in expulsive, and emit very quickly in the brief sound of the h. WHISPERING.-Those who are accustomed to articulate poorly should practice whispering for in whispering a poor articulation cannot be understood-let the student follow the instructions given in preceding paragraph. In |