moment! There most be no half-hearted-efforts-no lack of interest in our life work-Our best-means the giving forth of-all-our powers,physical-intellectual-and spiritual.

The Emotional Pause depends upon the emotions of the speaker.

I cannot-speak; my heart-is broken.

The principal Rhythmical Pause in a line of poetry is called the Cæsura; its position should be varied if monotony is to be avoided.

The sun in heaven-was shining gay,

All things were joyful-on that day:

The sea-birds scream'd-as they wheel'd round,
And there was joyaunce-in their sound.

Southey, "The Inchcape Rock."

Rhythmical Pauses also occur in prose.

Emphasis is the stress upon certain words for the purpose of bringing them prominently forward.

Mr. Plumptre says (loc. cit., p. 252): "Emphasis, according to Sheridan's definition, discharges in sentences the same kind of office that stress or weight of the voice does in syllables. As stress or weight dignifies the syllable on which it is laid and makes it more distinguished by ear than the rest, so emphasis ennobles the word on which it is given and presents it in a stronger light to the understanding."

Mr. Plumptre continues further on in his lecture: "Emphasis, generally, may be divided into two kinds, Emphasis of Sense and Emphasis of Feeling. Emphasis of Sense determines the meaning, and, by a change in its position, varies the sense of a passage; Emphasis of Feeling is suggested and governed by emotion: it is not strictly necessary to the sense, but is, in the highest degree expressive of sentiment."

Emphasis of Sense.

Will you go to her?
Will you go to her?

Will you go to her?

Will you go to her?

Emphasis of Feeling.

Will he be so unkind?
Now must he forgive.

Shall I ever forget you?

Without emphasis speech would be but a mere string of words, meaningless and colourless. Students in studying

a recitation must consider which are the words that should be brought out into strong relief, and should underline each important word.

Rate, or Speed. Utterance must be distinct. Do not hurry, but let each word be clearly enunciated. Do not drop the voice at the ends of lines and sentences. Pieces that are of a solemn, tranquil or pathetic nature should be recited slowly.

"For truth and right, 'gainst treason's might

This hand has always striven,

And ye raise it up as a witness still

In the eye of earth and heaven.

Then nail my head on yonder tower

Give every town a limb

And God who made shall gather them:

I go from you to Him."

Aytoun, "The Execution of Montrose"

(Montrose).

Pieces that express mirth, surprise, or any emotion likely to rouse the passions, should be read or recited quickly.

"Whence, and what art thou, execrable shape,

That dar'st, though grim and terrible, advance

Thy miscreated front athwart my way

To yonder gates?"

Milton, "Paradise Lost" (Satan).

Climax. As in music there are gradations of tone, so in reading and recitation. There is always some special phrase to be brought forward into bold relief, some culminating point to be reached, and this point is called the Climax. Sometimes the speed is accelerated as the climax is approached, sometimes the pitch of the voice is altered, sometimes there is a crescendo to the important word or line: occasionally the three different modes of working up to a climax are called into play.

"O Tiber! Father Tiber!

To whom the Romans pray,

A Roman's life, a Roman's arms,
Take thou in charge this day."
So he spake, and speaking sheathed
The good sword by his side,
And with his harness on his back
Plunged headlong in the tide.

(slowly and softly;
low key of voice.)

(increased speed; middle
key of voice; louder.)
(quickly and loudly.)

Macaulay, "Horatius" (Horatius).

CHAPTER V.

ENGLISH VOWEL-SOUNDS.

English Vowel-Sounds. "A vowel", says the late Dr. A. J. Ellis, "is a fully musical modification of an original quality of tone, produced by a definite shape of the cavities of the throat, nose and mouth." ("Pronunciation for Singers", p. 24; Curwen & Sons.)

English vowel-sounds are heard in the following words: Move; Coal; Call; Cart; Sale; Freeze; Bull; Hut; Hot; Cat; Net; Hit.

(The sounds of a and oh are often rendered diphthongal. When this is the case a terminates in the sound of ee and oh in the sound oo.)

Vowel-sounds followed by R: Learn; Mary; Mourn.

English diphthongal-sounds heard in the following words: I in "Isle" is a combination of the French a in patte and i as in pity. (Soames, "Teacher's Manual"; Sonnenschein.) Oi in "Toil" is a combination of the sounds of aw and ee. Ow in "Cow" commences with the sound of ah and ends with that of oo. U in "Tune" commences with the sound of ee and ends with that of oo.

The Vowel-Sounds Oo; Oh; Aw; Ah; A; Ee.

Ah.

In order to sound Ah correctly, the mouth should be well opened and the tongue should lie flat.

Oh.

To produce Oh the mouth must be opened considerably and the corners should be pushed forward a little.

Oo.

When sounding Oo the lips should project a little and the teeth should be just visible.

EXERCISE I.

Inhale slowly through the nose. Hold the breath for a moment. Exhale, singing the word Mart slowly, but softly. Now inhale quickly through the nose, sing the word quickly and repeat it, saying it quickly to the same note on which it has been sung. Repeat this exercise with the words Cart; Moat; Coat; Moot; Boot. Rest for a few moments after each word has been sung and said. (It is advisable to do this exercise with the aid of the piano and to vary the notes, going higher or lower by semitones.)

EXERCISE II.

Inhale slowly through the nose. Exhale, saying two of the words given below softly, but distinctly. Repeat exercise, saying three words as the breath is exhaled.