RULE 7. The expression of anger is loud, high, vehement, and rapid in movement, varying, however, according to the intensity of excitement.

EXAMPLE.

Must I endure all this?

All this? ay, more.

Fret till your proud heart break;
Go, show your slaves how choleric you are,

And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge?
Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humor? By the gods,
You shall digest the venom of your spleen,

Though it do split you! for, from this day forth,
I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.

RULE 8. The language of authority, reproof, affirmation, denial, and defiance, generally requires a strong, full, energetic voice, deliberate utterance, and falling inflection.

EXAMPLES.

Authority.

Fight, gentlemen of England! fight, bold yeomen!
Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head;
Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood;
Amaze the welkin with your broken staves.
A thousand hearts are great within my bosom;
Advance our standards, set upon our foes!
Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George,
Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons!
Upon them! Victory sits on our helms.

Authority and Defiance.

Whence and what art thou, execrable shape!
That dar'st, though grim and terrible, advance
Thy miscreated front athwart my way

To yonder gates? through them I mean to pass!
That be assured, without leave asked of thee.
Retire, or taste thy folly; and learn by proof,
Hell-born, not to contend with spirits of Heaven.

QUESTIONS. What is Rule Seventh? What is Rule Eighth? How should the Examples under this rule be read? What are the subjects of the examples under Rule Eighth?

To whom the goblin full of wrath replied;
Art thou that traitor angel? art thou he,

Who first broke peace in heaven, and faith, till then
Unbroken, and in proud rebellious arms

Drew after him the third part of heaven's sons,
Conjured against the Highest, for which both thou
And they, outcast from God, are here condemned
To waste eternal days in woe and pain?
And reckon'st thou thyself with spirits of heaven,
Hell-doomed, and breath'st defiance here and scorn,
Where I reign king, and, to enrage thee more,
Thy king and lord? Back to thy punishment,
False fugitive, and to thy speed add wings,
Lest with a whip of scorpions I pursue

Thy ling'ring, or with one stroke of this dart,
Strange horrors seize thee, and pangs unfelt before.

Transition.

TRANSITION means those sudden changes of the voice that are made in reading or speaking, prompted by the emotions which the sentiment of the language inspires.

The general principles upon which transition depends may be learned by carefully studying the rules given for expression.

In order to present these changes to the eye, the following characters will be used.

These marks are in some instances used in combination; as, (s p) slow and plaintive.

EXAMPLES.

He scarce had ceased, when the superior fiend

Was moving toward the shore ;·

He called so loud that all the hollow deep

How far the influence of these characters extends is left for the reader to determine.

QUESTIONS. What is Transition? How can the general principles of Transition be learned ? Explain the characters used to mark the changes of voice in Transition. How shall the reader determine how far the influence of the rhetorical characters extends ?

Of hell resounded. (hl) Princes, - Potentates,
Warriors! the flower of heaven, once yours, now lost,
If such astonishment as this, can seize

Eternal spirits.

The language of the first part of this example being simple narrative, requires a moderate movement, and the middle pitch. In the latter part a transition is made to the high pitch, and a quicker movement, because the language changes from narrative to that of commanding authority.

(q) Away, away, o'er the foaming main!

This was the free and the joyous strain ;
There are clearer skies than ours, afar,
We will shape our course by a brighter star;

There are plains whose verdure no foot hath pressed,
And whose wealth is all for the first brave guest.

(sp) But alas! that we should go,

Sang the farewell voices then,

From the homesteads, warm and low,

By the brook and in the glen!

A thousand hearts beat happily

Soft eyes looked love to eyes which spake again,
And all went merry as a marriage bell;

(1) But hush! hark! - a deep sound strikes like a rising knell ! Did ye not hear it? — No,

't was but the wind,

Or the car rattling o'er the stony street.

(h) On with the dance! let joy be unconfined;

No sleep till morn when youth and pleasure meet
To chase the glowing hours with flying feet-

(1) But hark! that heavy sound breaks in once more;
(i) And nearer, clearer, deadlier than before!

(hl) Arm! arm! it is—it is the cannon's opening roar !
(p) Ah! then and there was hurrying to and fro,

And gathering tears, and tremblings of distress,
and choking sighs;

(q) And there was mounting in hot haste; the steed,
The mustering squadron, and clattering car,
Went pouring forward with impetuous speed,
And swiftly forming in the ranks of war.

QUESTIONS. Why is the first part of the first example spoken on the middle pitch? Why the last on the high pitch?

Personation.

PERSONATION implies those changes or variations of voice, necessary to represent two or more individuals as speaking.

In reading dialogue of all kinds, this principle of elocution is em ployed; and it will at once be seen that it requires great skill to manage the voice in such a manner, as to represent accurately the characters speaking.

RULE. Consider the condition, the feelings, and the temperament of the characters to be represented, and vary the voice in such a manner as best to personate them.

EXAMPLE.

Plain Dialogue.

Alexander. What! art thou that Thracian robber, of whose exploits I have heard so much?

Robber. I am a Thracian, and a soldier.

A. A soldier! a thief, a plunderer, an assassin! the pest of the country! I could honor thy courage, but I must detest and punish thy crimes.

R. What have I done, of which you can complain?

A. Hast thou not set at defiance my authority, violated the public peace, and passed thy life in injuring the persons and property of thy fellow-subjects?

R. Alexander, I am your captive; I must hear what you please to say, and endure what you please to inflict. But my soul is unconquered; and if I reply at all to your reproaches, I will reply like a free man.

To read the language used by the two characters in this extract in the same tone, and with the same expression, would make it disagreeable even to the most unpracticed ear. The condition of Alexander is that of a king and conqueror; his passions are irritated, and it would be natural to suppose that he would speak in the language of authority and contempt.

QUESTIONS. What is Personation? What is the rule for Personation? How should the part of Alexander, in the example, be read?

On the other hand, the robber is a captive, in the power of Alexander; and, from the very circumstances in which he is placed, would use the language of submission and respect.

Rhetorical Dialogue.

When a writer introduces into his composition, for the sake of vivacity, one individual or more, as speaking, it is called Rhetorical Dialogue, and should be read according to the rule given above.

EXAMPLES.

And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man.
Jesus said, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

They turned deadly pale at the fatal rencounter. "I was first at the top," said Bendearg," and called out first, lie down, that I may pass over in peace.' "When Grant prostrates himself before Macpherson," answered the other, "it must be with a sword through his body." "Turn back, then," said Bendearg, "and repass as you came. "Go back yourself, if you like it,” replied Grant.

Rhetorical Pause.

RHETORICAL PAUSE is a suspension of voice where grammatical punctuation does not require it.

The rhetorical pause, when properly observed, adds precision and force to the thought or sentiment uttered. When it precedes an important word or clause, it excites expectation and prepares the mind for what follows.

In general, correct taste and good judgment, will better decide its proper length, and where it should be used, than any set rules. The following rule, however, embraces a few of the instances where its use is required, and is introduced for the purpose of calling the learner's attention to the subject. The pause is marked thus, (|).

RULE. The rhetorical pause is generally required between a verb and its nominative, before and after an

QUESTIONS. How should the part of the robber be read? What is Rhetorical Dialogue? How should it be read? What is Rhetorical Pause? What is the rule?