EXERCISES IN ARTICULATION.

1. Ant, ants, ance.

These unaccented syllables are mispronounced, as if the vowel element were short u. The vowel a should retain its fourth sound, like a in hat, though it should be given feebly and obscurely. Let the a be given pure in the following examples, but be very careful not to overdo, so as to make the pronunciation stiff and awkward.

Tyrants, constant, constantly, instant, instantly, abundant, abundantly, abundance, utterance, important, importance, descendants, vigilance, verdant, constancy, instance, vigilantly, verdancy, currants.

'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view.

These fragrant scents the unfolding rose exhales.
In every ear incessant rumors rang.

Shall crimes and tyrants cease but with the world?

2. Ent, ents, ente.

These syllables, when not under accent, instead of the nat ural sound of short e, given feebly and obscurely, are often uttered as if written with short u. Avoid this error with the same precaution as in Exercise 1.

Commencement, argument, present, presents, independent, independently, independence, different, differently, difference, vehement, vehemence, sentence, reference, imprudent, imprudence, astonishment, magnificent, magnificence, confidence, cadence, current, enjoyments.

Truth is the basis of all excellence.

The experience of want enhances the value of plenty.
Resentment is always followed by grief.

How mysterious are the ways of Providence!
Then silence spreads the couch of ever-welcome rest.

3. Er as in her.

Unaccented er is liable to be pronounced as if written uh, whereas it should have the sound of er in her, though more feebly uttered.

Ever, never, every, governor, govern, government, several, modern, general, generally, sovereign, yonder, sisters, matter, liberty, summer, better, numbers, misery, power, mightier, utterly, poverty, waters, covering, fingers.

The smooth stream in smoother numbers flows.
Hark! they whisper; angels say,
Sister spirit, come away.

4. Ing.

Unaccented ing is mispronounced in; thus, running is miscalled runnin. The ing should have its ringing sound, as in the word sing. Be careful not to overdo, and thus transpose the accent.

Flashing, stunning, burning, evening, laying, arming, planning, meaning, reasoning, understanding, shivering, lightning.

Twilight is weeping o'er the pensive rose.

Exulting, trembling, raging, fainting, possessed beyond the muse's painting.

In pride, in reasoning pride, our error lies.

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True ease in writing comes from art- not chance
Trembling, hoping, lingering, flying,

O, the pain, the bliss of dying.

5. Kts, lts, mts, nts, sts..

The element t, preceded by l, m, n, p, s, or the sound of k, and followed by the sound of s, is improperly dropped. Thus acts is mispronounced ax; faults is miscalled false. Great care must be taken to sound t before the s.

Affects, afflicts, facts, effects, conflicts, defects, insects, wilts, hilts, melts, welts, belts, wants, aunts, tents, presents, descendants, enjoyments, joints, viaducts, tempts, prompts, attempts, precepts, adepts, wastes, mists, lists, lasts, hastes, tastes, repasts.

Coming events cast their shadows before.

A thousand movements scarce one purpose gain.

Where eastern priests in giddy circles run,
And turn their heads to imitate the sun.

The dome's high arch reflects the mingled blaze.
We sail in tempests down the stream of life.
The brightest joy oft melts into a tear.

6. R followed by a consonant; as, rm, rn, &c.

The soft sound of r, which it should have when preceded by a vowel element in the same syllable, is improperly dropped before a consonant, or, at least, perverted in the utterance. Thus morn is mispronounced mawn; whereas the or should sound as in nor. First is miscalled fust; whereas the ir

should have the sound of er in her. In each of these instances the r is entirely lost. Be careful to sound the r.

Worse, worst, purse, warm, warmer, storm, reform,
reforming, horse, arms, armed, arts, hearts, parts.
We worship the pilot that weathered the storm.
Then discord sounds alarms,

Earth echoes, and the nations rush to arms.
There the best of men were treated like the worst.
Thus the loud burst of cannon rends the skies.

7. Ldz, ndz.

When d is preceded by lor n, and followed by the sound of z, it is often imperfectly uttered, and sometimes entirely dropped. To correct this fault, utter the syllable first without the sound of z; then with a slight separation between d and z, and finally together till the d can be distinctly heard.

Hands, ends, commands, commends, sounds, gilds, folds, yields, wilds, moulds, bands, sands, minds, winds, thousands, demands.

Friends, kindred, comfort, all are gone.

Hushed now are the whirlwinds that ruffled the deep.
Our proper bliss depends on what we blame.
On this foundation Fame's high temple stands:
Stupendous pile! not reared by mortal hands.
For us the spring unfolds her flowers.
Weave fresh the garlands of life for me.
The darkest scene hope gilds with light.

8. Shr.

The element sh before r is mispronounced, as if written without an h. This can be remedied by sounding sh fully before joining it with the r. As in shrill, sound sh clearly; then join with rill. Do this more and more rapidly till they are

uttered together.

Shrill, shrub, shrine, shriek, shroud, shrug, shrink, shrunk, shrank, shrive.

To his eyrie has shrunk the gray forest eagle,

And the shriek of the panther is heard on the gale.
From shrub and plant arose the sweet perfume.
The bat, shrill shrieking, wooed his dusky mate.
While o'er him fast through sail and shroud
The wreathing fires made way.

9. Ess.

In unaccented ess, the e, instead of its short sound, as in met, is improperly pronounced like short i. Be careful not to overdo in giving e its proper sound.

Darkness, laziness, careless, carelessly, greatness, wilderness, ceaseless, restless, hopelessly.

Ah, whither now are fled

Those dreams of greatness? those unsolid hopes
Of happiness? those restless cares?

One rose of the wilderness was left on its stalk.
This kind, this due degree

Of blindness, weakness, Heaven bestows on thee.

10. Ow like ō, and ows like ōz.

The unaccented termination ow is often mispronounced, as if written er or uh, and ows like erz or uz. In the following examples, guard against this error, but be careful not to overdo.

Window, windows, shadow, shadows, fellow, fellows, hollow, mellow, widow, to-morrow.

Deep shadows veiled the trodden path.

Billows are murmuring on the hollow shore.

Who now would wish to stretch this narrow span.
They end with sorrows, as they first begun.

REMARKS.

All the other vocal requisites for giving emphasis or meaning to language, such as inflection, tone, pitch, pause, force, quantity, &c., making a complete system of elocution, with practical illustrations, will be found in the two higher books of the series the North American First and Second Class Readers.

While the teacher is respectfully referred to the above-mentioned books, a few exercises are here given, that he may use them as examples for illustration, whenever any pupil needs drilling upon a particular point, either to overcome some difficulty, or the better to bring out the entire sentiment of the author.

INFLECTION.

1. The simple suspension of the voice, or slide of only one note, may be observed in counting

óne, two, thrée, four, five, six.

Here the several numbers are uttered with a slight rising slide, indicating that something more may be expected. The last number, six, has a downward slide, denoting a close, and showing that the counting is finished.

TABLE OF SLIDES.

2. á, é, í, ó, ú—à, è, ì, ò, ù.

Utter the above vowels with a slide of one note, then with the slide of a third, then of a fifth, and finally of an octave, or as nearly so as the pupil can. Do the same with the following table of slides.