LESSON XXXV.

MEASURE OF SPEECH.*

In Lesson 10th, page 16th, the pupil was informed that a pause is sometimes made in reading, where there is no pause in the book. The pause to which allusion is there made, is rendered necessary to allow the reader to take breath. This lesson is designed to explain to the pupil another sort of pause, or rather interruption of the voice, caused by the peculiar operation of the organs of speech.

Dr. Rush, in his work "On the Human Voice," has remarked, with regard to the manner in which children learn to read, that "the close attention which their ignorance requires, and their slowness of utterance, lead them to lay an equal stress upon every syllable, or at least upon every word. This habit continues a long time after the eye has acquired a facility in following up discourse, and in some cases infects pronunciation throughout subsequent life."

The object of this lesson, which is entitled "Measure of Speech," is twofold: 1st. To teach the pupil so to manage his voice, in conformity with the natural operation of the organs of speech, as to break up the monotonous, or equal" manner of reading above mentioned, and to introduce such an agreeable variety, as will cause peculiar melody of utterance; and, 2dly. To enable him to read in such a manner that he will not be "out of breath," and consequently to exercise his voice without fatigue.

A MEASURE OF SPEECH consists of an accented and an unaccented portion of sound, produced by one effort of the

voice.

In pronouncing an accented syllable, the voice makes an effort, which must be repeated, if the next syllable is also an accented syllable. But if the next syllable or syllables be unaccented, the voice can pronounce them all with a single effort. Thus the words spirt, spirit, spiritual, or spiritually, may each be pronounced with a single effort or pulsation of the voice.

* The teacher who would thoroughly understand the subject treated in this lesson, and who aims at excellence in the art of reading, is referred to the very valuable and scientific work of Dr. Rush, of Philadelphia, entitled the Philosophy of the Human Voice," or to Dr. Barber's Grammar of Elocution, a work founded on the principles advanced by Dr. Rush. Dr. Barber, whose opinion on the subject has great weight, says, "In Dr. Rush's work, the reader may repair to a fountain at once deep and full." In another place, Dr. Barber assures " every public speaker, and every philosophical actor, that he will fail in his duty to himself, if he neglects a diligent perusal of Dr. Rush's Philosophy of the Voice." The same may also be said in relation to Dr. Barber's own work. From the works of both these gentlemen, the author has derived assistance in the preparation of these Exercises.

It may here be remarked, that it is not material whether the syllables belong to the same word. The voice may utter, with a single effort, several syllables, even when they constitute different words. Thus each of the following lines may be pronounced by a single effort or pulsation of the voice :

Came to the
When he was in
"Twas at the -

Does to the

Oft did the

, Utterable, &c.

But when two accented syllables follow one another, there must be a distinct effort or pulsation of the voice to pronounce each. Thus the words fate, hate, both being accented, require a distinct effort or pulsation of the voice for the pronunciation of each; and a pause must be made between each, long enough to pronounce an unaccented syllable. It will thus be seen, that the two syllables fatal, or hating, can be pronounced by the same effort that is required to pronounce the syllables fate and hate. And here it may be remarked that, while an accented syllable requires a distinct effort or pulsation of the voice in pronouncing it, an unaccented syllable is uttered without such effort. This distinction of the voice, in pronouncing accented and unaccented syllables, is called by Dr. Barber, in his Grammar of Elocution, the pulsative and the remiss action of the voice.

An accented syllable, therefore, is uttered by the pulsative * action of the voice.

An unaccented syllable is uttered by the remiss* action of the voice.

A perfect measure of speech consists of one syllable, or any number of syllables, (not exceeding five,) uttered during one pulsation and remission of the voice.

It may here be remarked, that a single syllable may constitute a measure; for if it be extended in sound, the first part of that sound may be accented or heavy, and the latter unaccented or light. But a short syllable will not constitute a measure.

More than one syllable cannot be uttered during the pulsative effort of the voice; while one, two, three, and even four, can be uttered during the remiss action; as in the word spiritually, in which the first syllable, spir, is pronounced by the pulsative, and the syllables itually by the remiss action of the voice.

* As a proper understanding of these terms is deemed essential to a clear comprehension of the principle on which this lesson is founded, the teacher who wishes a fuller development of the subject, is referred to Dr. Barber's Grammar of Elocution- -or to Dr. Rush's work, already mentioned, on the Philosophy of the Human Voice, Section 49th, entitled "the Rhythmus of Speech."

An imperfect measure of speech consists of a single sylla ble on which the acute accent is placed,· or of a syllable or syllables which are unaccented.

In the following examples for reading, the lines are di-. vided into several parts, which are separated by a mark like this called bar, and the parts divided by the bars are all

PERFECT or IMPERFECT MEASURES OF SPEECH.

The accented syllables, or those which require the pulsative effort of the voice, are noted by a star under them, and the unaccented syllables, or those which require the remiss action of the voice, have hyphens - under them.

The time occupied in reading each portion between the bars must be equal, whether the bar includes a perfect or imperfect measure of speech. A bar may contain an imperfect measure; the accented or the unaccented portions of the measure being omitted. In that case, a mark like thisis inserted, to indicate a rest or stop long enough to pronounce the portion which is omitted.*

[In reading the following passages, the pupil will recollect that all the syllables which have a star under them are accented that all which have the hyphen under them are unaccented and that all the marks like this indicate that a pause is to be made long enough to pronounce an unaccented syllable.]

* Dr. Rush, in the very valuable work already mentioned, has the following remarks in relation to the method of marking and dividing sentences here introduced:

"This notation will not, indeed, inform us what syllables are to be emphatic, nor where the pauses are to be placed; but it will enable a master, who knows how to order all these things in speech, to furnish that which most men require for every thing they do a copy. If a boy is taught by this method, he acquires the habit of attention to the subjects of accentuation and pause, which may be readily applied in ordinary discourse."

* Although there are many poetical extracts in the preceding parts of this book, this is the first extract in which the lines are distinguished. All the preceding extracts have been presented in sentences like prose, to prevent that "sing song" manner of reading into which children are apt to fall. It is thought that the introductory remarks in this lesson are adapted to prepare the pupil to read verse, without the danger of "favoring the poetry," as this sing-song is sometimes called. The usual punctuation is omitted, in this lesson, as the system of notation adopted fully supplies its place.