Of Accent, Emphasis, and Cadence.

Nothing is of more importance to a speaker, than to pay proper attention to accent, emphasis, and cadence. Every word in our language, of more than one syllable, has, at least, one accented syllable. This syllable ought to be rightly known, and the word should be pronounced by the speaker in the same manner as he would pronounce it in ordinary conversation.

By emphasis, we distinguish those words in a sentence, which we esteem the most important, by laying a greater stress of voice upon them than we do upon others; and it is surprising to observe how the sense of a phrase may be altered by varying the emphasis. The following example will serve as an illustration. This short question, "Will you ride to town to-day?” may be understood in four different ways, and, consequently, may receive four different answers, according as we place the emphasis. If it be pronounced thus, "Will you ride to town to-day?" the answer may with propriety, be given-No; I shall send my son. If thus, "Will you ride to town to-day?" Answer-No; I intend to walk. "Will you ride to town to-day?" No; 1 shall ride into the country. "Will you ride to town to-day? No; but I may to-morrow. This shows how necessary it is, that a speaker should know how to place his emphasis; and the only rule for this is, that he study to attain a just conception of the force

and spirit of the sentiments which he delivers. There is as great a difference between one who lays his emphasis properly, and one who pays no regard to it, or places it wrong, as there is between one who plays on an instument with the hand of a master, and the most clownish and blundering performer.

Cadence, is the reverse of emphasis. It is a depression, or lowering of the voice, and commonly falls on the last syllable in a sentence. It must be varied, however, according to the sense. When a question is asked, it seldom falls on the last word, and many sentences require no cadence at all. Every person who speaks in public should endeavour, if possible, to fill the place where he speaks. But still he ought to be careful not to exceed the natural key of his voice. If he does, it will neither be soft nor agreeble; but either harsh and rough, or too shrill and squeaking. Besides, he will not be able to give every syllable its full aud distinct sound, which will render what he says obscure, and difficult to be understood. He should, therefore, take care to keep his voice within reach, so as to be able to manage it, that he may raise or sink it, or give it any inflection, he thinks proper; which, it will not be in his power to do, if he put a force upon it, and strain it beyond its natural tone.

The like caution is to be used against the contrary extreme, that the voice be not suffered to sink too low. This will give the speaker pain in raising it again to its proper pitch, and be no less offensive to the hearThe medium between these two, is a moderate and even voice; but this is not the same in all; that which is moderate in one, would be high in another. Every person, therefore, must regulate it by the na

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tural key of his own voice. A calm and sedate voice is generally best-as a moderate sound is most pleasing to the ear, if it be clear and distinct. But this equality of the voice must also be accompanied with a variety; otherwise, there can be no harmony; since all harmony consists in variety.

Nothing is more unpleasant than a discourse pronounced throughout in one continued tone of the voice without any alteration. The equality, therefore, we are here speaking of, admits a varity of inflections and changes within the same pitch; and, when that is altered, the gradations, whether higher or lower, should be so gentle and regular as to preserve a due proportion of the parts, and harmony of the whole; which cannot be done when the voice is suddenly varied with too great a distinction; and, therefore, it should move from one key to another, so as rather to glide like a gentle stream, than pour down like a rapid torrent. But an affected variety, ill placed, is as disagreeable to a judicious audience, as the want of it, where the subject requires it. We may find some persons, in pronouncing a grave and plain discourse, affect as many different tones, and variations of their voice, as they would in acting a comedy-and this is manifestly a very great impropriety. But the orator's province is not barely to apply to the mind, but likewisc to the passions; which require a great variety of the voice, high or low, vehement or languid, according to the nature of the passions he designs to affect. So, that for an orator always to use the same tone or degree of his voice, and expect to accomplish all his objects by it, would be as inconsistent as the conduct of that

empiric among physicians, who informs you he can and will, undertake to cure all diseases with one nostrum. And as an entire monotony, is always unpleasant, so it can never be necessary or proper in any discourse. That some sentences ought to be pronounced faster than others is very manifest. Gay and sprightly ideas should not only be expressed louder, but also quicker than such as are gloomy and plaintive.

And when we press an opponent, the voice should be brisk. But when we hurry on in a precipitant manner without pausing, until compelled to stop for want of breath, we certainly commit a great mistake. In this way, the necessary distinction between sentence and sentence is destroyed-and also, that between the several words of the same sentence; and consequently, all the grace of speaking is lost, and in a great measure the advantage derived from being heard. Young persons are very liable to this, especially at first. It however, often arises from diffidence.-Being jealous of their performances, and the success they may have in speaking, they are in pain till the exercise is over; and this puts them into a hurry of mind, which incapacitates them for governing their voice and keeping it under that due regulation, which perhaps they proposed to themselves before they commenced speaking. And, as a precipitant and hasty pronunciation is culpable, so also on the other hand, it is a fault to speak too slowly. This seems to argue a heaviness in the speaker-and as he appears cool himself, he can never expect to warm his hearers, and excite their affections. When not only every word, but every syllable is drawn out to too

great a length, the ideas do not come fast enough to keep up the attention without much uneasiness. Now to avoid either of these two extremes last mentioned, the voice ought to be distinct and sedate. And in order to have it distinct, it is necessary, not only that each word and syllable should have its just and full sound, both as to time and accent; but also, that every sentence, and part of a sentence, should be separated by it proper pause. This is more easy to be done in reading, from the assistance of the points; but it is no less rigidly to be attended to in speaking, if we would pronounce in a distinct and graceful manner. For, let it never be forgotten, that every one should speak in the same manner as he ought to read, if possible to arrive at such exactness. Now, the common rule given in pausing is, that we stop our voice at a comma, till we can tell one; at a semicolon, two; at a colon three; and at a full period four. And, as these points are accommodated to the several parts of the same sentence, as the first three; or different sentences as the last; this occasions the different length of the pause, by which, either the dependence of what succeeds upon that which follows, or its distinction from it, is represented. It is not in our power to give ourselves what qualities of the voice we please; but it is in every one's power to make the best use he can of what a kind and wise providence has bestowed upon him. However, several defects of the voice are capable of being remedied by care, and the use of proper means. As on the other hand, the best voice may be greatly injured by bad management and indiscretion.