Select recitations, orations and dramatic scenes with actions and emphasis; an elocutionary manual, with an appendix

Front matter

Copyright^ ^i^Q^_

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT.

SELECT RECITATIONS, ORATIONS,

Introduction

GENERAL HINTS ON READING AND RECITING.

THE advantages evolving from the study and practice of elocution even for those who are not destined for the life of a public speaker are too numerous and valuable to be overlooked.

Until quite recently our academies, high schools and colleges did not pay the requisite attention to this essential branch of art. Now, realizing the benefits, physical, useful and ornamental, accruing to the pupil from the study of the above as well as the aid which it furnishes to other kindred studies in the curriculum, a certain allotted time, weekly, is spent in the memorization and recital of prose and poetical selections taken frequently from the standard English and American classics.

Attention is paid more particularly to the proper interpretation of the author's lines. Emphasis, which helps to bring so forcibly before the auditor's attention the meaning of the author — Inflection, which by the sliding of the voice upward and downward breaks up the monotony of the reading, once so painfully prevalent, and rendering the result agreeable to the ear — the invaluable benefit of Pauses— the accuracy and distinctness of Enunciation and the proper placing of the Accent on words — these form essential adjuncts in the education of every student.

The practice necessary to obtain ease, grace and effectiveness in posture, expression and gesture, in conjunction with an advance toward vocal perfection, tend to make a completeness which all aspiring reciters should wish to attain.

It is frequently asked by the pupil how he should begin the study of a recitation. Our advice is this: having made a choice in accordance with his years and scholastic attainments he should read the same carefully, with concentration of mind from the beginning to the end, in order to gain a comprehensive insight of the author's meaning.

If words be found therein of whose meaning he is doubtful, these should be looked up in the dictionary. Read the selection through once more and aloud in a clear, firm voice, attending strictly to the grammatical pauses.

Find out the emphatic words in the recurring sentences, as to these is attached the greatest value.

VIII INTRODUCTION.

Endeavor to grasp the spirit of the piece and strive to feel its full significance.

This preliminary work should be done before committing the words to memory.

The recitation should be learned Verbatim; no omissions or interpolations should be made by the pupil without the advice of the teacher or a proper guide. He should study faithfully to perfect the details of his work and a commensurate success will be the reward.

The student in oratorical descriptive and strictly declamatory selections should possess a natural, dignified and impressive carriage; the head gracefully poised, the breast well thrown out, the feet not separated too much, whilst maintaining throughout in his bearing a well-bred and respectful attitude toward the audience.

However, the most perfectly elaborated recitation given under the best possible circumstances — the voice, diction and orthoepedical conditions being manifestly cared for, will be greatly marred by the absence of well-regulated and appropriate ACTION.

The ancient Greeks thought so much of action, that they spent years in the practice of gesture, posings, expressions and the like.

The lecturer reading from his manuscript, the college essayist giving his well-prepared thoughts, logically arranged and transcribed to paper, will be listened to in many cases with but divided attention or mayhap not at all; and this due to the fact, chiefly, that action is wanted and audiences demand it.

The object of this work is to bring before the student the strict mechanism of gesticulation or general action.

The explanations for making of the gestures in the following recitations will be briefly given at the end of the different pieces.

Our object is to make the work as easy and attractive for the pupil as is possible. He frequently forgets the gestures and expressions orally explained by the instructor; or otherwise, in preparing a recitation by his own unaided efforts, he is frequently at a loss what to do.

When, finally, ease is acquired through this mechanical practice, grace of action, flexibility and variety of movement will follow.

The mind of the pupil will associate certain gestures and facial expressions with the certain passionate and emotional passages found in the text.

The object of this work is not to make the pupil an automaton, but to aid him over the difficulties which usually beset the path of the young aspirant to recitative fame.

The extracts found in this book have been selected with some care, with attention paid to their fitness and the elevating and entertaining matter contained in them, also their literary worth. Let us hope the one hundred selections contained in this volume may be found available and useful.

C. J. Birbeck.

Part I.— POETRY

NO. PAGE

1. The Brave Fireman 11

2. Don't Give Up the Ship. ... 14

3. Let's Try to Do the Right,

Boys 15

4. There's Room for You up

Higher 16

5. The Death Ride 18

6. The Will and the Way. ... 22

7. The Lesson of the Mill. .... 24

8. Curfew Must Not Ring To-

night 26

9. The Song of the Sword. ... 29

11. The Singing of the Mag-

nificat 36

12. The Pride of Battery B 40

13. The Melancholy Hen 43

15. Nellie's Prayer 52

16. The Level Crossing 56

17. The Twins , 59

18. The Children. . .-. 61

19. The Reaper and the Flowers 63

20. Footsteps of Angels 64

21. The Story of a Stowaway. . 65

22. The Main Truck ; or, A Leap

for Life 69

23. Auction Extraordinary 70

24. The Lifeboat 72

25. Lulu's Complaint 77

26. Press On. A Valedictory

Poem 78

27. Antony's Speech Over Cae-

sar's Body 79

28. The Same— Continued 81

29. The Drowned Mariner 82

30. Forgive and Forget 84

The Bridge of Sighs 86

The Last Minstrel. 88

The Soldier's Funeral 90

The Gluttonous Duck 93

The Exile of Erin 96

The Slave's Dream 98

The Wreck of the Hesperus. 100 The Last of the Red Men. .102

The Polish Exiles 105

The Mariner's Dream 106

The Old Clock on the Stairs. 109 The Progress of Madness. . .110 The Collier's Dying Child. .113

The Diver ....121

Our Folks 125

Sheridan's Ride 127

Paul Revere's Ride 129

The Dream of the Reveller . 132

Two Loves and a Life 135

The Country Squire 136

Rustic Logic 138

Ask Mamma ! 139

The Spirit of Contradiction . 142

The Spider and the Fly 144

The Slave Ship 146

Paddle Your Own Canoe . .148

Somebody's Darling 150

Papa's Letter 151

The Unhappy Man 153

The Deserter 155

The Polish Boy 157

Adieux de Marie Stuart

(French) 160

Friede (German) 162

CONTENTS.

NO.

66. 67.

70. 71.

77. 78. 79.

Part II.- PAGE

Freedom and Patriotism. . .163 NoNationalGreatness Without Morality 165

True Grandeur of Nations. . 167

Acquisition of Territory 168

Liberty and Despotism 171

The Sabbath 173

Power of Wealth Produced

by Labor 175

Glory of Arms 177

Fourth of July, 1851 178

Aspirations of the American People 180

Eloquence 183

Death of Washington 184

American History 186

Injustice the Cause of National Ruin 187

Blessings of Education .... 189

•PROSE

NO. PAGE

81. What is the French Revo-

lution? 191

82. Decline of the Celtic Race. . 193

83. Emmet's Vindication from

Dishonor 195

84. A Wild Night at Sea 196

85. Sorrow for the Dead 199

86. The Death of Little Dombey201

87. The Funeral of Little Nell. .205

88. God is Love 208

89. The Crucifixion 209

90. On Infidelity 211

91. The Death of the Wicked. . .213

92. On the American War 216

93. On Napoleon Bonaparte. . .217

94. Speech of Serjeant Buzfuz .220

96. Cardinal Wolsey on his

Fall 230

DRAMATIC SCENES.

97. From the Play: " The Iron

Chest" 232

98. From the Play: "William

Tell" 236

99. From the Comedy: " The

Rivals" 239

100. From the Tragedy: beth"

Mac-