And the emphatical Words (for there are often more than one) in a Sentence, are those which carry a Weight or Importance in themselves, or thofe on which the Senfe of the reft depends; and these must always be diftinguished by a fuller and stronger Sound of Voice, wherever they are found, whether in the Beginning, Middle, or End of a Sentence. Take for inftance thofe Words of the Satyrift. Rém, facias Rém, HOR. Get Place and Wealth, if poffible, with Gráce, POPE.. In these Lines the emphatical Words are accented; and which they are, the Senfe will always discover. Here it may not be amifs briefly to obferve two or three Things. That fome Sentences are fo full and comprehenfive, that almost every Word is emphatical: For instance, that pathetic Expoftulation in the Prophecy of Ezekiel, Why will ye die! In this fhort Sentence, every Word is emphatical, and on whichever Word you lay the Emphafis, whether the first, fecond, third, or fourth, it ftrikes out a different Sense, and opens a new Subject of moving Expoftulation. 2. Some Sentences are equivocal, as well as fome Words; that is, contain in them more Senfes than one; and which is the Senfe intended, can only be known by obferving on what Word the Emphasis is laid. For inftance-Shall you ride to Town to-day? This Queftion is capable of being taken in four different Senfes, according to the different Words on which you lay the Emphasis. If it be laid on the Word [you], the Answer may be, No, but I intend to fend my Servant in my ftead. If the Emphafis be laid on the Word [ride], the proper Anfwer might be, No, I intend to walk it. If you place the Emphasis on the Word [Town], it is a different Queftion; and the Anfwer may be, No, for I defign to ride into the Country. And if the Emphasis be laid on the Words [today], the Senfe is ftill fomething different from all thefe; and the proper Anfwer may be, No, but I fhall to-morrow... Of fuch Importance fometimes is a right Emphasis, in order to determine the proper Senfe of what we read or fpeak. But I would obferve 3. The Voice muft exprefs, as near as may be, the very Senfe or Idea defigned to be conveyed by the emphatical Word; by a ftrong, rough, and violent, or a foft, fmooth, and tender Sound. Thus the different Paffions of the Mind are to be expreffed by a different Sound or Tone of Voice. Love, by a foft, fmooth, languishing Voice; Anger, by a ftrong, vehement, and elevated Voice; foy, by a quick, fweet, and clear Voice; Sorrow, by a low, Hexible, interrupted Voice; Fear, by a dejected, tremulous, hefitating Voice; Courage, hath a full, bold, and loud Voice; and Perplexity, a grave, fteady, and earnest one. Briefly, in Exordiums the Voice fhould be low in Narrations, diftinct; in Reasoning, flow; in Perfuafions, ftrong: It fhould thunder in Anger, foften in Sorrow, tremble in Fear, and melt in Love. ; 4. The Variation of the Emphafis muft not only diftinguish the various Paffions defcribed, but the feveral Forms and Figures of Speech in which they are expreffed. e. g. In a Profopopeia, we muft change the Voice as the Perfon introduced would. In an Antithefis, one Contrary must be pronounced louder than the other. In a Climax, the Voice fhould always rife with it, In Dialogues, it should alter with the Parts. In Repetitions, it should be loudeft in the fecond Place. Words of Quality and Diftinction, or of Praise or Difpraise, must be prodounced with a ftrong Emphasis. Hence then it follows Laftly, That no Emphafis at all is better than a wrong or mifplaced one. For that only perplexes, this always misleads the Mind of the Hearer. 3. The next thing to be obferved is Cadence. This is directly oppofite to Emphafis. Emphafis is raifing the Voice, Cadence is falling it; and when rightly managed is very mufical. But befides a Cadence of Voice, there is fuch a Thing as Cadence of Stile. And that is, when the Senfe being almoft expreffed and perfectly difcerned by the Reader, the remaining Words (which are only neceffary to compleat the Period) gently fall of themfelves without any emphatical Word among them. And if your Author's Language be pure and elegant, his Cadence of Stile will naturally direct your Cadence of Voice. Cadence generally takes place at the End of a Sentence; unless it clofes with an emphatical Word. Every Parenthefis is to be pronounced in Cadence; that is, with a low Voice, and quicker than ordinary; that it may not take off the Attention too much from the Sense of the Period it interrupts. But all Apoftrophes and Profopopaias are to be pronounced in Emphasis. So much for Paufes, Emphafis, and Cadence: A careful Regard to all which is the firft Rule far attaining a right Pronunciation. II. If you would acquire a juft Pronunciation in Reading, you must not only take in the full Senfe, but enter into the Spirit of your Author: For you can never convey the Force and Fulness of his Ideas to another till you feel them yourself. No Man can read an Author he does not perfectly understand and taste. "The great Rule which the Masters of Rhetoric fo much "prefs, can never enough be remembered; that to make a "Man Speak well and pronounce with a right Emphafis, he "ought thoroughly to understand all that he fays, be fully perfuaded of it, and bring himself to have thofe Affections "which he defires to infufe into others. He that is inwardly "perfuaded of the Truth of what he fays, and that hath a "Concern about it in his Mind, will pronounce with a natural "Vehemence that is far more lovely than all the Strains that "Art can lead him to. An Orator muft endeavour to feel "what he fays, and then he will speak so as to make others "feel it." * The fame Rules are to be observed in reading Poetry and Profe: Neither the Rhime nor the Numbers fhould take off your Attention from the Senfe and Spirit of your Author. It is this only that muft direct your Pronunciation in Poetry as well as Profe. When you read Verfe, you must not at all favour the Measure or Rhime; that often obfcures the Sense and fpoils the Pronunciation: For the great End of Pronunciation is to elucidate and heighten the Senfe; that is, to reprefent it not only in a clear but a ftrong Light. Whatever then obftructs this is carefully to be avoided, both in Verfe and Profe. Nay, this ought to be more carefully observed in reading Verfe than Profe; becaufe the Author, by a conftant Attention to his Meafures and Rhime, and the Exaltation of his Language, is often very apt to obfcure his Senfe; which therefore requires the more Care in the Reader to difcover and diftinguith it by the Pronunciation. And if when you Barnet's Pafioral Care, p. 228. read read Verfe with proper Paufe, Emphafis and Cadence, and a Pronunciation varied and governed by the Senfe, it be not harmonious and beautiful, the Fault is not in the Reader but the Author. And if the Verfe be good, to read it thus will improve its Harmony; because it will take off that Uniformity of Sound and Accent which tires the Ear, and makes the Numbers heavy and difagreeable. III. Another important Rule to be obferved in Elocution is, Study Nature. By this I mean And 1. Your own natural Difpofitions and Affections. thofe Subjects that are moft fuitable to them, you will eafily pronounce with a beautiful Propriety: And to heighten the Pronunciation, the natural Warmth of the Mind fhould be permitted to have its Course under a proper Rein and Regulation. 2. Study the natural Difpofitions and Affections of others. For fome are much more easily impreffed and moved one way, and fome another. And an Orator should be acquainted with all the Avenues to the Heart. 3. Study the moft eafy and natural Way of expreffing yourfelf, both as to the Tone of Voice and the Mode of Speech. And this is beft learnt by Obfervations on common Converfation; where all is free, natural and eafy; where we are only intent on making ourselves understood, and conveying our Ideas in a ftrong, plain, and lively Manner, by the most natural Language, Pronunciation and Action. And the nearer our Pronunciation in Public comes to the Freedom and Ease of that we ufe in common Difcourfe (provided we keep up the Dignity of the Subject, and preferve a Propriety of Expreffion) the mot just and natural and agreeable it will generally be. Above all Things then Study Nature; avoid Affectation; never use Art, if you have not the Art to conceal it: For whatever does not appear natural, can never be agreeable, much less perfuafive. IV. Endeavour to keep your Mind collected and compofed. Guard against that Flutter and Timidity of Spirit, which is the common Infelicity of young, and especially bashful Perfons, when they firft begin to fpeak or read in Public. This is a great Hinderance both to their Pronunciation and Invention; and at once gives both themfelves and their Hearers an unneceflary Pain. It will by conftant Opposition wear off. And And the best Way to give the Mind a proper Degree of Affurance and Self-Command at fuch a Time, is 1. To be entire Mafter of your Subject; and a Conscioufnefs that you deliver to your Audience nothing but what is well worth their hearing, will give you a good Degree of Courage. 2. Endeavour to be wholly engaged in your Subject; and when the Mind is intent upon and warmed with it, it will forget that awful Deference it before paid to the Audience, which was fo apt to disconcert it. 3. If the Sight of your Hearers, or any of them, difcompose you, keep your Eyes from them. V. Be fure to keep up a Life, Spirit, and Energy in the Expreffion; and let the Voice naturally vary according to the Variation of the Stile and Subject. Whatever be the Subject, it will never be pleafing, if the Stile be low and flat; nor will the Beauty of the Stile be dif covered, if the Pronunciation be so. Cicero obferves, there must be a Glow in our Stile, if we would warm our Hearers. And who does not obferve how ridiculous it is to pronounce the ardens Verbum in a cold lifelefs Tone? And the Tranfition of the Voice (as before obferved) muft always correfpond with that of the Subject, and the Paffions it was intended to excite. VI. In order to attain a juft and graceful Pronunciation, you should accuftom yourselves frequently to hear thofe who excel in it, whether at the Bar or in the Pulpit; where you will fee all the fore-mentioned Rules exemplified, and be able to account for all thofe Graces and Beauties of Pronunciation which always pleased you, but you did not know why. And indeed, the Art of Pronunciation, like all others, is better learnt by Imitation than Rule: But to be firft acquainted with the Rules of it, will make the Imitation more easy. And beyond all that hath been faid, or can be defcribed, you will obferve a certain Agreeablenefs of Manner in fome Speakers that is natural to them, not to be reduced to any Rule, and to be learnt by Imitation only; nor by that, unless it be in fome Degree natural to you. Laftly, You fhould frequently exercife yourfelf to read aloud according to the foregoing Rules. It is Practice only that muft give you the Faculty of an elegant Pronunciation. This, like other Habits, is only to be attained by often repeated Acts. Orators |