pose, while with equal zeal he laboured to gain others to our interest and alliance, as Byzantium, Abydus, and Euboea? Was he not to cut off the best, and most important resources of our enemies, and to supply those in which our country was defective?—And all this you gained by my counsels, and my administration. EXERCISES ON MODULATION. 24] Page 118. Compass of voice. To assist in cultivating the bottom of the voice, I have selected examples of sublime or solemn description, which admit of but little inflection; and some which contain the figure of simile. Where the mark for low note is inserted, the reader will take pains to keep down his voice, and to preserve it in nearly the grave monotone. 1. (6) He bowed the heavens also, and came down ; and darkness was under his feet.-And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire.-The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hailstones and coals of fire. 2. (.) And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man, coming in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.-And he shall send his angels, with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 3. (。) And the heaven departed as a scroll, when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 2 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bond-man, and every free-man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 3 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:-For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? 4 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 5 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened and another book was opened, which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 6 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works. 4. "Tis listening Fear and dumb Amazement all: 5 The Thunder raises his tremendous voice. At first heard solemn o'er the verge of heaven, 5. 'Twas then great Marlb'rough's mighty soul was prov'd, That in the shock of charging hosts unmov'd, 6. Rous'd from his trance, he mounts with eyes When o'er the ship, in undulation vast, 7. To whom in brief thus Abdiel stern reply'd. 5 Yet chains in Hell, not realms expect: meanwhile From me, (return'd as erst thou saidst from flight,) This greeting on thy impious crest receive. (°) So say'ing, a noble stroke he lifted high, Which hung not, but so swift with tempest fell 10 On the proud crest of Satan, that no sight, Nor motion of swift thought, less could his shield, Such ruin intercept; ten paces huge He back recoil'd; the tenth on bended knee -Now storming fury rose, And clamour such as heard in Heav'n till now 20 Was never; arms on armour clashing, bray'd Horrible discord, and the madding wheels Of brazen chariots rag'd; dire was the noise Of conflict; over head the dismal hiss Of fiery darts in flaming vollies flew, 25 And flying, vaulted either host with fire. So under fiery cope together rush'd Both battles main, with ruinous assault And inextinguishable rage; all Heaven Resounded, and had Earth been then, all Earth 30 Had to her centre shook. -Long time in even scale The battle hung; till Satan, who that day Saw where the sword of Michael smote, and fell'd 40 Intestine war in Heav'n, th' arch-foe subdu'd. Now wav'd their fiery swords, and in the air In horror; from each hand with speed retired, Should combat, and their jarring spheres confound. The following examples are selected as a specimen of those passages, which are most favourable to the cultivation of a top to the voice. In pronouncing these, the reader should aim to get up his voice to the highest note: on which he can articulate with freedom and distinctness. See remarks page 120. If the student wishes for more examples of this kind, he is referred to EXERCISES [5]. 8. Has a wise and good God furnished us with desires which have no correspondent objects, and raised expectations in our breasts, with no other view but to disappoint them ?-Are we to be for ever in search of happiness, without arriving at it, either in this world or the next? Are we formed with a passionate longing for immortality, and yet destined to perish after this short period of exístence?--Are we prompted to the noblest actions, and supported through life, under the severest hardships and most delicate temptations, by the hopes of a reward which is visionary and chimérical, by the expectation of praises, of which it is utterly impossible for us ever to have the least knowledge or enjoyment? 9. (°)"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, |