ELOCUTION is the art of delivering written or extemporaneous composition with force, propriety, and ease.

It deals, therefore, with words, not only as individuals, but as members of a sentence, and parts of a connected discourse: including every thing necessary to the just expression of the sense. Accordingly, it demands, in a special manner, attention to the following particulars; viz., ARTICULATION, Accent, EMPHASIS, INFLECTION, MODULATION, and PAUSES.

SECTION I.

ARTICULATION.

ARTICULATION is the art of uttering distinctly and justly the letters and syllables constituting a word.

the

It deals, therefore, with the elements of words, just as elocution deals with the elements of sentences: the one securing the true enunciation of each letter, or combination of letters, other giving to each word, or combination of words, such a delivery as best expresses the meaning of the author. It is the basis of all good reading, and should be carefully practiced by the learner.

(18) .

*Soft G is equivalent to J; Soft C to S, and hard C and Q to K. X is equivalent to K and S, as in box, or to G and Z, as in exalt.

† WH is pronounced as if the H preceded W, otherwise it would be pronounced W-hen. R should be slightly trilled before a vowel. For further instructions, see Sanders and Merrill's Elementary and Elocu tionary Chart.

B, D, G, H, L, M, N, P, and R, have no substitutes.

The most common faults in ARTICULATION are

I. The suppression of a syllable; as

ch

chaise.

SH. si

pension.

sure.

66

issue.

ti

66

notion.

II. The omission of any sound properly belonging to a

III. The substitution of one sound for another; as,

IV. Produce the sounds denoted by the following combinations of consonants:

Let the pupil first produce the sounds of the letters, and then the word or words in which they occur. Be careful to give a clear and distinct enunciation to every letter.

1. Bd, as in rob'd; bdst, prob'dst; bl, bland, able; bld, humb'd; bldst, troubl'dst; blst, troubl'st; blz, crumbles; br, brand; bz, ribs.

2. Ch, as in church; cht, fetch'd.

3. Dj, as in edge; djd, hedg'd; dl, bridle; dld, riddl'd; dlst, handl'st; dlz, bundles; dn, hard'n; dr, drove; dth, width; dths, breadths; dz, odds.

4. Fl, as in flame; Ald, rifl'd; fst, stifl'st; Az, rifles; fr, from; fs, quaffs, laughs; fst, laugh'st, quaff'st; ft, raft; fts, wafts; ftst, graft'st.

5. Gd, as in begg'd; gdst, bragg'dst; gl, glide; gld, struggľ'd; gldst, haggl'dst; glst, strangl'st; glz, mingles; gr, grove; gst, begg'st; gz, figs.

6. Kl, as in uncle, ankle; kld, trickl'd; kldst, truckľ'dst; klst, chuck'st; klz, wrinkles; kn, black'n; knd, reck'n'd; kndst, reck'n'dst; knst, black'n'st; knz, reck’ns; kr, crank; ks, checks; kt, act.

7. Lb, as in bulb; lbd, bulb'd; lbs, bulbs; lch, filch; leht, belch'd; ld, hold; ldst, fold'st; ldz, holds; lf, self; Ifs, gulfs; lj, bulge; lk, elk; lks, silks; lkt, milk'd; lkts, mulcts; lm, elm; lmd, whelm'd; lmz, films; ln, fall'n;

B