The science and art of elocution and oratory: containing specimens

Front matter

■zj

THE

SCIENCE AND ART

Preface

This book must speak for itself. It has been prepared at the request of many teachers, public speakers, and others interested in the author's entertainments, lectures, and teachings. It is the result of long and patient investigation of the art and science of reading and speaking. The author humbly trusts that his experience as a teacher of Elocution, has enabled him to produce a work, so true to nature and so practical, as to make it the interest and pleasure of teachers and students, readers and speakers, to welcome it as a teacher and friend.

Reading and speaking are arts — great, noble, intricate arts. The mind plays upon nature's organs, but science must tune them; and consequently the speaker gives tones and expression to thought, corresponding with the amount and quality of instruction.

My friends, you are charmed with elegant speaking or read ing. You devoutly desire such accomplishments. Come, then, irouse your energies ; open this book, and acquire a treasure more noble, more enduring, than the wealth of Golconda or California — the treasure of cultivated thought, emotion, and speech. Thought is an immortal action of mind, but confined to the individual being ; speaking is thought with a momentum, a noble, philanthropic action, that, like the sun, scatters its beams of light broadcast, to cheer and bless mankind.

By attending with an energy of purpose and action to the scientific part of this work, you can learn the true elements of

IV FKEFACE.

; discipline your articulation ; create a musical and powerful voice ; improve your health ; regulate your gestures and attitude ; fortify yourself with confidence ; and gain a clear and definite knowledge of the philosophy of reading and speaking.

In the Rhetorical and Classical department for practical delivery, you are furnished with ample means for regulating your style of expression, as well as with the loftiest aspirations of genius. Your deepest affections and tenderest sensibilities will be reached, while you may continually indulge by the way in the noblest inspirations of thought.

In the Comical and Musical part, many a moral is enforced, many a deep impression is given, and many a lesson of wisdom is imparted through the medium of a hearty laugh, or by the smiles and sparkles of wit and humor.

To the youth whose generous and noble natures aspire to happiness, usefulness, and honor, the author tenders this work. They have so universally met him with kindness and confidence, as their teacher and friend, in the various institutions of learning, in which he has given lessons and lectures, as to enlist in their behalf his best energies, and make the desire to advance them "onward and upward," a part of his being.

To teachers, public speakers, and others of literary and classical taste, the author submits this book, and is cheered with the hope of their kind consideration and generous approval.

The Author.

Part I, Theoretic And Scientific. Page

Salutatory Dialogue, .....

. 13

Lecture, ......

Elocution as a Science, . . • .

. 16

The Voice, ......

The Organs of the Voice, ....

. 16

The Organs of Speech, ....

Can Elocution be taught ? ...

. 11

Expression, . . .

Characteristics of Heading and Speaking,

. 19

Articulation, .....

The Elementary Sounds, ■ .

. 20

Examples for Practice in Difficult Articulation,

. 25

Force, .

. 21

Rising Inflection, .....

Falling Inflection, .....

. 29

Circumflex, ..»•••

Monotone, ......

. 81

Emphasis, . .....

Quantity, ......

. 33

Modulation, .....

VI CONTENTS.

PAGE.

Quality, .....

. 35

Irony, ... .

Rhetorical Pause, • • .

. ' 38

Tremor, . . . . .

. 40

Styles of Reading and Speaking, . .

Grammatical Style, . . . . .

. 41

Rhetorical Style, ....

Reading, .....

. 44

The Five Rules of Reading,

. ' 45

Rule for Reading Poetry, . . ,

. 45

Attitude and Posture for Reading, ,

Directions for Exercise in Reading, . ,

. 46

Attitude, .....

Gesture, . . ,

.48

Specimens for Reading and Speaking,

PART II. RHETORICAL, CLASSICAL. AND POETICAL. Elocutionary Entertainments

Jenny Lind's Greeting to America, •

Oratorical Action,

New England I love thee, .

Nature and Nature's God,

Ladies should study Elocution,

Apostrophe to Spring,

Importance of the Diffusion of Knowledge,

Woman, ....

Ossian's Address to the Sun, .

Where is the Spirit-land?

The Progress of the Mechanic Arts,

Dr. Channing.

Bayard Taylor.

Forclyce.

Anonymous.

do.

Mrs. Sigoumey.

Miss M. M. Davison.

Horace Mann.

R. H. Townsend.

.

Mrs. Hemans.

Webster.

CONTENTS.

vii

PAGE.

To Mary in Heaven, •

Burns. 78

Influence of National Glory,

Clay. 79

The Needle, .

Woodwortk. 81

Evils of Ignorance,

Horace Mann. 82

The Ocean's Power,

Byron. 87

Tell's Address to the Mountains,

Knowles. 89

Tribute to the Talents of Chatham, ..

Wirt. 90

The Rainbow, ....

The Moral Effects of Intemperance,

. Beecher. 94

Cato's Soliloquy on Immortality,

Addison. 95

The Wife, ....

Irving. 96

The same Subject Concluded,

. Irving. 100

Hope Triumphant in Death, .

The Chamber of Sickness, (two voices,) .

Eulogy on South Carolina,

Hayne. 107

Eulogy on Massachusetts,

The Yulture and the Captive Infant,

Anon. Ill

Marco Bozzaris, ....

Hallech 112

Character of Clay, . . .

Rienzi's Address to the Men of Rome,

Miss Mitford. 116

Soliloquy from Manfred, .

Byron. 118

Bunker Hill Monument,

The Voices at the Throne,

Anon. 122

Burr and Blennerhassett,

Wirt. 124

The Battle Storm,

Shakspeare. 126

Satan to his Legions,

Milton. 127

The Criminality of Dueling,

Dr. Nott. 128

Thanatopsis,

Bryant. 129

Farewell to Hungary,

Kossuth. 132

Pulpit Eloquence,

Mrs.Welby. 134

Tragic Fate of Eliza,

Darwin. 138

Funeral Oration — Death of Clay,

. Rev. Dr. Butler. 140

The Grave, (two voices,) •

• Karamsin. 142

Vlll

CONTENTS.

A Voice for War,

The Gathering Storm of the American

The Missionary's Farewell,

The Young Mariner, .

"Webster's Tomb,

A Mother's Lore,

Warren's Address,

Liberty and Union,

Resignation, . . •

Prayer to Light,

Scene in a Madhouse,

Execution of Madame Roland,

Lord Ullin's Daughter,

Eulogy on Hamilton, .

Battle of Warsaw,

Emmet's Last Speech,

Antony's Oration over Caesar,

False and True Energy,

Rum' 8 Maniac,

Scene at the Great Natural Bridge, .

A Word in Kindness,

Man and Woman,

Speech of Black-Hawk, •

Speech of Red-Jacket,

Speech of Logan, .

The Orphan Sisters, . . •

Description of Byron,

John Adams and the Declaration,

Dream of Darkness,

Speech in Defense of Orr,

Victim Bride and Miser,

The Wilderness of Mind,

The Famine iu Ireland,

PAGE.

Addison. 143

Revolution, P. Henry. 144

Dimond. 148

Tefft. 150

Anon. 151

Pierpont. 152

Milton. 155

Mrs. Be Kroyft 156

Lewis. 157

Lamartine. 159

. Mason. 164

Shakspeare. 169

Wirt. 172

Dr. Nott. 174

. Burritt. 179

Anon. 183

Montgomery. 184

• 185

. 189

Anon. 190

Pollok. 191

Byron. 195

. Curran. 197

Anon. 199

Osborne. 200

. Prentiss. 201

CONTENTS.

IX

Woodman Spare that Tree,

Employment of Indians in "War,

Casabianca,

Appeal against Blake,

The Dying Christian,

Advantages of Education,

Look Aloft,

The Good Wife,

Endearing Thoughts,

The Lore of Home,

Speak Gently,

The Ocean Storm,

The Old Oaken Bucket,

William H. Seward.

A Sacred Memory,

Eulogy on Webster,

Remember Me,

Civil and Religious Liberty,

Cassius against Cassar,

Horace Greeley,

Tell on the Alps,

Fugitives from Justice,

The Groves God's first Temples,

Archimedes,

Parrhasius and the Captive,

Character of Pitt,

The Quality of Mercy,

Reply to Mr. Corry,

The Universal Prayer,

Character of Bonaparte, .

God Giveth all Aright,

The Miseries of War,

The True Greatness of our Country,

A*

PAGE.

Morris. 202

Chatham. 203

Mrs. Eemans. 205

Pope. 208

J. Lawrence, Jr. 210

Geo. W. Bitmap. 211

Anon. 212

Anon. 214

Woodworth. 217

Bungay. 218

Wm. Leggett. 220

Rufus Choate. 221

Moore. 222

H. W.Beecher. 223

Shakspeare. 225

Bungay. 227

Knoioles. 228

H. W. Beecher. 231

Bryant. 232

Winthrop. 235

Willis. 237

Grattan. 240

Shakspeare. 242

Gratian. 242

Pope. 244

Mrs. Lloyd. 247

. Chalmers. 249

X CONTENTS.

Educate the People,

The Sea and its Dead,

The Price of Eloquence,

New England and the Union,

Daniel Webster's Style,

Farmers,

The Mayflower,

Call to Liberty,

Appeal in behalf of American Liberty,

Eulogy on John Quincy Adams,

French Aggressions,

Eeply to Walpole, .

The Idiot's Trial,

The Wrongs of the Indian,

The Tomahawk Submissive to Eloquence,

The Murderer's Secret,

Character of Washington,

The Wreck of the Arctic,

The Liberty of the Press,

The Public Informer,

Irish Emancipation,

Church and State,

Temptations of Large Cities,

The Sword and the Press,

Worth makes the Man',

Influence of Internal Improvements,

Specimen of the Eloquence of James Otis,

TAGE.

. Macauley. 251

Chapin. 254

. C. Coltori. 257

Prentiss. 259

Whipple. 260

Everett. 263

Warren. 265

Story. 266

Paine. 269

Story. 273

Neal. 275

H. W. Bcccher. 280

Cur ran. 284

Dewey. 289

Carlyle. 292

Penn. 293