tition with vocal effect, beginning with e, as suggested, and closing with oo, and then repeating inversely, will train the ear to detect the changes in sound and the voice in producing them.

The forcible articulation with rapid repetitions of the sound of b, g hard, and d, has a tendency to strengthen the organs for articulation.

Another useful drill for securing distinctness in the articulation is to separate the words from their meaning by repeating them in inverse order in the sentences in which they occur. The attention is thus drawn to the sound of each word, so that the syllables are not liable to suffer from the divided attention which is given to the meaning, as they stand in connected order

These and similar exercises, if persisted in, will produce marked results in the course of a few weeks of practice.

The passage from the Acts, containing so many repetitions of the word and, is a useful study for distinctness in articulating this word. The author recalls the reading of this portion of Scripture where the reader failed to articulate a single and distinctly :

"And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

"And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them,

And

and to command them to keep the law of Moses. the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith."-Acts, xv, 1-9.

Great benefit may be derived from drill upon the elements of the language, classified for practice with reference to vocal exercise, in the following table :

CHAPTER IV.

DELIVERY OF THE VOICE.-MODE OF UTTERANCE.

If the speaker were to deliver his sentences with the intention of making them heard by the most distant person in the house, as though he were addressing him personally, and very much as he would do if he were requesting such a hearer to open the window, close the door, call the sexton, or the like, he would secure the right idea of the proper poising or projecting of the voice. In the strongest form of such a delivery we should find the sustained force of the calling voice. This is useful as a drill exercise; but the speaker is not a "caller," in the use of his vocal organs. It is simply referred to here as the natural direction for the suggestive ideal of the delivery which is to fill the building. It is to give the power of throwing out or projecting the voice into the house, remembering that, if we make the most distant person hear, our words will be audible to all others in the room. The emptyvoiced, inaudible speaker is not necessarily one of weak organization, for the weak voice of a child will often fill a large auditorium with most unwelcome clearness. But he fails to throw out the voice, like that of the classical hero, or Macbeth's "Amen," which stuck in his throat. The sound seems to be caught, and unable to get forth from the speaker's lips. It is not the retention of the breath, but its delivery; it is not suppression, but literally ex-pression of the voice, at which the speaker aims. This is the ideal of all heraldic effect, to lift up the voice without fear, and boldly to deliver the message of the King. And it is the function of public speaking, as distinguished from the retention of the breath in conversation. This effort of throwing out the voice requires a strong action of the expulsory muscles, and is properly termed expulsive utterance. The exercises given below are for expulsive delivery of the breath in the expression.

Morning Hymn to Mont Blanc.-Coleridge.

"Thou too, hoar Mount! with thy sky-pointing peaks,
Oft from whose feet the avalanche, unheard,

Shoots downward, glittering through the pure serene
Into the depth of clouds that veil thy breast-
Thou too, again, stupendous Mountain! thou
That as I raise my head, awhile bowed low
In adoration, upward from thy base

Slow traveling with dim eyes suffused with tears,
Solemnly seemest, like a vapory cloud,

To rise before me-Rise, O ever rise,

Rise like a cloud of incense, from the Earth!
Thou kingly Spirit throned among the hills,
Thou dread ambassador from Earth to Heaven,
Great hierarch! tell thou the silent sky,
And tell the stars, and tell yon rising sun,
Earth, with her thousand voices, praises GOD!"

In contrast with this energetic delivery we find that more tranquil expression which befits the unimpassioned, profound depths of quiet feeling, the serenity of composed states of heart and mind, or the gentler and more tender emotions. This is the chastened utterance appropriate to the expression of prayer. The delivery of the breath is a gentle effusion, without impulsive energy, and flows as evenly as the undisturbed current of a stream. In all cases where this mode of utterance is naturally required, the preceding style of expulsion will be utterly destructive to the vocal expression of the feeling. All the charm of this style depends upon the equable flow and even pressure of the sound.

Evening in the Grave-yard.

"I've seen the moon climb the mountain's brow,
I've watched the mists o'er the river stealing,
But ne'er did I feel in my breast, till now,
So deep, so calm, and so holy a feeling:

"Tis soft as the thrill which memory throws
Athwart the soul in the hour of repose.

"Thou Father of all! in the worlds of light,
Fain would my soul aspire to Thee;
And, through the scenes of this gentle night,
Behold the dawn of Eternity:

For this is the path which Thou hast given—
The only path to the bliss of heaven."

The more violent and excited states of feeling call for explosive utterance of the syllables. It is the clear, abrupt shock given to the sound which results from the strongest muscular pressure brought to bear upon the organs, and through which occlusions the impetuosity of the feeling bursts its way. The percussion which is produced by this muscular action strengthens the vocal delivery, and summons the full power of expression to instantaneous action. It bursts upon the ear with a startling, electric effect, and is one of the results to be secured by patient practice. The student, while avoiding gentle effusion, should also pass beyond the more energetic expulsion to the abruptness and percussion of this bolder style of explosive expression. It is a power very seldom called into play in the pulpit, but, when required by the emergency of some excited feeling, or some terse, pointed emphasis of thought, should be prepared to respond to the demands of the speaker and his theme.

"On, ye brave,

Who rush to glory and the grave!
Wave, Munich, all thy banners wave,
And charge with all thy cavalry!

"Strike till the last armed foe expires,
Strike for your altars and your fires,
Strike for the green graves of your sires,
GOD, and your native land!"