Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

innovations and reforms of neighboring states; our constitution, fixed in the affections of the people, from whose choice it has sprung, neutralizes the influence of foreign principles, and fearlessly opens an asylum to the virtuous, 5 the unfortunate, and the oppressed of every nation.

LESSON L.-WOUTER VAN TWILLER.-WASHINGTON IRVING.

[The following specimen of descriptive humor, requires the 'lively movement', in its rate of utterance. The voice is, in this instance, accelerated beyond the rate of serious communication, in any form although it does not possess the rapidity which belongs to the excited style of lyric or dramatic poetry, in the most vivid style of humorous expression. This lesson combines, also, an exemplification of 'moderate' force, and 'middle' pitch. The object in view in the practice of such exercises as this, is to gain animation and briskness, in utterance. A lagging or drawling tone is utterly incompatible with humorous delineation. Mere rapidity, however, will not succeed in imparting liveliness to style: the utterance must be slow enough to be distinct and spirited.]

[u] The renowned Wouter, (or Walter,) Van Twiller, [#] was descended from a long line of Dutch burgomasters, who had successively dozed away their lives, and grown fat upon the bench of magistracy in Rotter5 dam; and who had comported themselves with such singular wisdom and propriety, that they were never either heard or talked of,-which, next to being universally applauded, should be the object of ambition of all ages, magistrates, and rulers.

10 His surname, Twiller, is said to be a corruption of the original Twijfler,* which, in English, means Doubter; a name admirably descriptive of his deliberative habits. For, though he was a man shut up within himself, like an oyster, and of such a profoundly reflective turn, that he 15 scarcely ever spoke except in monosyllables, yet did he never make up his mind on any doubtful point. This was clearly accounted for by his adherents, who affirmed that he always conceived every object on so comprehensive a scale, that he had not room in his head to turn it over, and 20 examine both sides of it; so that he always remained in doubt, merely in consequence of the astonishing magnitude of his ideas!

There are two opposite ways by which some men get into notice,-one by talking a vast deal, and thinking a * Pronounced Tweefer.

little, and the other, by holding their tongues and not thinking at all. By the first, many a vaporing, superficial pretender acquires the reputation of a man of quick parts, -by the other, many a vacant dunderpate, like the owl, 5 the stupidest of birds, comes to be complimented, by a discerning world, with all the attributes of wisdom. This, by the way, is a mere casual remark, which I would not, for the universe, have it thought I apply to Governor Van Twiller. On the contrary, he was a very wise Dutchman; 10 for he never said a foolish thing,—and of such invincible gravity, that he was never known to laugh, or even to smile, through the course of a long and prosperous life. Certain, however, it is, there never was a matter proposed, however simple, and on which your common narrow15 minded mortals would rashly determine at the first glance, but what the renowned Wouter put on a mighty mysterious, vacant kind of look, shook his capacious head, and having smoked, for five minutes, with redoubled earnestness, sagely observed, that "he had his doubts about the 20 matter," which in process of time gained him the character of a man slow in belief, and not easily imposed on.

The person of this illustrious old gentleman, was as regularly formed, and nobly proportioned, as though it had been moulded by the hands of some cunning Dutch statu25 ary, as a model of majesty and lordly grandeur. He was exactly five feet six inches in height, and six feet five inches in circumference. His head was a perfect sphere, and of such stupendous dimensions, that dame Nature, with all her sex's ingenuity, would have been puzzled to 30 construct a neck capable of supporting it; wherefore she wisely declined the attempt, and settled it firmly on the top of his back bone, just between the shoulders. His body was of an oblong form, particularly capacious at bottom; which was wisely ordered by Providence, seeing 35 that he was a man of sedentary habits, and very averse to the idle labor of walking. His legs, though exceeding short, were sturdy in proportion to the weight they had to sustain; so that, when erect, he had not a little the appearance of a robustious beer-barrel, standing on skids. His 40 face, that infallible index of the mind, presented a vast expanse, perfectly unfurrowed or deformed by any of those lines and angles which disfigure the human countenance with what is termed expression. Two small gray eyes twinkled feebly in the midst, like two stars of lesser mag

5

nitude in the hazy firmament; and his full-fed cheeks, which seemed to have taken toll of every thing that went into his mouth, were curiously mottled and streaked with dusky red, like a Spitzenberg apple.

His habits were as regular as his person. He daily took his four stated meals, appropriating exactly an hour to each; he smoked and doubted eight hours; and he slept the remaining twelve of the four-and-twenty. Such was the renowned Wouter Van Twiller,-a true philosopher; 10 for his mind was either elevated above, or tranquilly settled below, the cares and perplexities of this world. He had lived in it for years, without feeling the least curiosity to know whether the sun revolved round it, or it round the sun; and he had watched, for at least half a century, the 15 smoke curling from his pipe to the ceiling, without once troubling his head with any of those numerous theories, by which the philosopher would have perplexed his brain, in accounting for its rising above the surrounding atmosphere.

5

.0

LESSON LI. INVOCATION OF MIRTH.-Milton.

[The extract which follows, is an example of the 'quick' rate of utterance, which characterizes the tones of joy and mirth. The voice, in the reading of such passages as the following, moves with great rapidity, in comparison with the ordinary rate. The utterance, in this instance, is 'high' and 'loud', as well as very quick'. The practice of this style, is useful, not only for its immediate, but its general effect. It enlivens the tones of the voice, and imparts fluency in enunciation.]

[luu] Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee
Jest, and youthful Jollity,

Quips, and cranks, and wanton wiles,
Nods, and becks, and wreathed smiles,
Such as hang on Hebe's* cheek,
And love to live in dimple sleek;
Sport, that wrinkled Care derides,
And Laughter holding both his sides.
Come, and trip it, as you go,
On the light fantastic toe;

And in thy right hand lead with thee,
The mountain-nymph, sweet Liberty;
And, if I give thee honor due,
Mirth, admit me of thy crew,

* The goddess of youth.

[blocks in formation]

To live with her, and live with thee,
In unreproved pleasures free;
To hear the lark begin his flight,
And, singing, startle the dull night,
From his watch-tower in the skies,
Till the dappled dawn doth rise;
Then to come, in spite of sorrow,
And at my window bid good morrow,
Through the sweet brier or the vine,
Or the twisted eglantine:

While the ploughman, near at hand,
Whistles o'er the furrowed land,
And the milkmaid singeth blithe,
And the mower whets his sithe,
And every shepherd tells his tale,

Under the hawthorn in the dale.

Straight mine eye hath caught new pleasures,
While the landscape round it measures,

Russet lawns, and fallows gray,
Where the nibbling flocks do stray,
Meadows trim, with daisies pied,
Shallow brooks and rivers wide.
Sometimes with secure delight,
The upland hamlets will invite,
When the merry bells ring round,
And the jocund rebecs* sound
To many a youth, and many a maid,
Dancing in the checkered shade;

And young and old come forth to play,
On a sunshine holy-day,

Till the livelong daylight fail.

LESSON LII.-MARCO BOZZARIS.-F. G. HALLECK.

[The marking of the following piece, is extended to the indication of tones' and 'modulation', 'stress', and 'quality'; as all these modes of voice, are inseparably connected in utterance, and all of them arise from emotion, as their common source. The principal points in emphasis, inflection, and pausing, are also indicated, wherever they are essential elements of 'expression'.]

This heroic chief fell in an attack upon the Turkish camp at Laspi, the site of the ancient Platæa, August 20, 1823, and expired in the moment of victory. His last

* Rebec, a peculiar sort of violin.

words were," To die for liberty is a pleasure, and not a pain."

[x.-] At midnight, in his guarded tent,

The Turk was dreaming of the hour'
When Greece, her knee in suppliance bent,-
Should trèmble at his power;

In dréams, through camp and court, he bore
The trophies of a conqueror;

In dreams, his song of triumph | heard;
Then wore his monarch's signet ring,—
Then press'd that monarch's throne, a KING;
As wild his thoughts, and gay of wing,

As Eden's garden bird.

[x。-] An hour | pass'd òn :-[I u] the Turk awoke ;[-] That bright dream | [.] was his last ;

He woke to hear his sentry's shriek,

[ocr errors]

1°° u] “To ÀRMS! they come: the GREEK! the GREEK!"
He woke-[o] to DIE | midst flame and smoke,
And shout, and groan, and sabre-stroke,

And death-shots | falling thick and fast |
As lightnings from the mountain cloud;
<And heard, with voice as trumpet loud,
Bozzaris cheer his band;—
"STRIKE-till the last arm'd foe expires,
STRIKE-for your altars and your fires,
STRIKE-for the GREEN GRAVES of your sÌRES,
GOD, and your NATIVE LAND!"

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

[1] They fought, like brave men, lóng and well,
They piled that ground with Moslem slàin;
They conquer'd;-[x.-] but Bozzaris | FÈLL,
Bleeding at every vein.

[x-] His few surviving comrades || saw

His smile, when rang their proud HURRAH,
And the red field was wón;
[xx]Then saw | in death his eyelids close |
Calmly, as to a night's repòse,

[ocr errors]

Like flowers at set of sùn.

[xo.-] Come to the bridal chamber, Death!
Come to the mòther, when she feels,

For the first time, her first born's breath ;-
Come when the blessed seals!

« ElőzőTovább »