Who to the shores of Despair may have wandered, A way-wearied swallow, or heart-stricken dove; 23. "COMMAND." [Expulsive Orotund, Middle Key.] Still "Onward!" was his stern exclaim; Each Hulan forward with his lance! My guard, my chosen, charge for France- 24. "MERCY." [Effusive Orotund, Middle Key.] The quality of mercy is not strain'd; Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings; It is enthroned-in the hearts of kings, And earthly power-doth then show likest God's, 25. "REVENGE." [Explosive Utterance, Aspirated and Guttural, Low Key.] If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hinder'd me of half a million; laugh'd at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorn'd my nation, thwarted my bargains, cool'd my friends, heated mine enemies. And what's his reason? I am a Jew! Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands? organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Is he not fed with the same food; hurt with the same weapons; subject to the same diseases; heal'd by the same means: warm'd and cool'd by the same summer and winter, as a Christian is? If you stab us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian what is his humility? Revenge. If a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example? Why, REVENGE. The villainy you teach me, I will execute; and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction. 26. "ADORATION." [Effusive Orotund, Middle Key.] And all things fair and bright are Thine! Among the opening clouds of even, Through golden vistas into Heaven, 27. "SURPRISE." [Expulsive Orotund, High Key.] What dost thou mean by shaking of thy head? 28. "ADMONITION." [Expulsive Orotund, Middle Key.] Give thy thoughts no tongue, Nor any unproportioned thought his act. Be thou familiar; but by no means vulgar. The friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, Bear it, that the opposer-may beware of thee. But not expressed in fancy; rich, not gaudy. 29. "REPROACH.” [Explosive Orotund and Aspirated, Low Key.] Shame! shame! that in such a proud moment of life, Worth ages of history,-when, had you but hurl'd One bolt at your bloody invader, that strife Between freemen and tyrants had spread through the world,— That then, O! disgrace upon manhood!—e'en then You should falter,-should cling to your pitiful breath,Cower down into beasts, when you might have stood men,— And prefer a slave's life to a glorious death! 30. "ENVY AND HATRED." [Explosive Utterance, Guttural, Low Key.] How like a fawning publican he looks! I hate him for he is a Christian; But more for that, in low simplicity, He lends out money gratis, and brings down I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. XV. DIRECTIONS FOR STUDENTS. 1.-POSITION OF THE BODY. The first, and certainly, one of the most important directions to students is, that he should stand erect, and firm, and in such a posture that the chest may be fully expanded, and easy play given to the organs of respiration and utterance. 2.-WEIGHT OF THE BODY. The weight of the body should be thrown upon one foot, leaving the other free to be thrown backward or forwards; or the weight of the body changed to rest upon it, and thus continuing to change as often as fatigue, or the action in speaking may require. When the weight is thus resting upon one foot, the feet should be nearly, but never quite at right angles to each other. 3.-POSITION OF THE HEAD. The head should be held in an erect and natural position, as this, in delivery, chiefly contributes to the expres sion. For, when inclined to one side, it expresses languor; when drooped, humility; when turned upwards pride; and when stiff and rigid, it indicates a lack of ease and selfpossession. 4.-THE EYES. As the eyes are the light of the body, so, also, in delivery, they are the life of expression. They should occasionally glance toward the gesture, as that gives prominence, and attention to it; when we wish to refuse or condemn, the eyes should be turned from the object. Otherwise the eyes should be toward the audience, and assume an expression of earnestness. 5.-MOVING UPON THE STAGE. Moving upon the stage, (while practicing,) even to excess, is advisable: because the grace of an orator is conspicuous in the ease with which he moves and changes his position. The student should, however, (except in cultivation,) be judicious in this practice; as too frequent movements upon the rostrum will indicate that he is disconcerted; always excepting, however, such orators as Gough. 6.-DRINKING WHILE SPEAKING. The thirst, which is experienced by many speakers, is simply a lack of self-possession; and, as soon as the speaker is entirely at ease, the thirst will disappear. But the more he drinks the more thirsty he will become, and the more difficult it will be for him to control his voice. And the use of strong drink, for a stimulant while speaking, is one of the greatest mistakes an orator can make. For under the influence of stimulants the tendency is to speak with the utmost degree of force; and the result is hoarseness or a husky, squeaking tone. Students should never resort to stimulants of any kind, as they are injurious and unnatural. 7.-VOCAL EXERCISE. "The management of the breath, in reading or speaking, requires great care so as not to be obliged to divide words from one another, which have so intimate a connection that they ought to be pronounced in the same breath, and without the least separation. Many sentences are marred and the force of the emphasis totally lost, by divisions being made in the wrong place.”—Sargent. "Reading aloud and recitation, are more useful and invigorating muscular exercises than is generally imagined; at least, when managed with due regard to the natural powers of the individual, so as to avoid effort and fatigue. Both require the varied activity of most of the muscles of the trunk to a degree of which few are conscious till their attention is turned to it."-Combe. Exercising the vocal organs a few moments vigorously, about two hours before speaking in public, is an excellent practice to secure a good tone; but care should be taken that this practice be not prolonged so as to weary the organs, else they may not recover their natural elasticity before speaking. |