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-JANUARY 25, 1924′′

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844,

BY WILLIAM RUSSELL,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.

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THE book now offered, under the title of The American Elocutionist, comprises the author's course of instruction, formerly presented in the three distinct works mentioned in the title-page of this.

The change thus made in the form of publication, enables the publishers to afford the whole matter of the original series, at a price very much reduced, with a large addition of pieces for practice, in reading and declamation.

ANDOVER, MASS., Feb., 1844.

**Arrangements are made, still to issue the Lessons in Enunciation, in a separate form, for the convenience of schools for the younger class of learners.

NOTICES OF THE SEVERAL WORKS COMPRISED IN THE
PRESENT VOLUME.

From the Phil. U. S. Gazette.-"Those who take an interest in the important part of Elocution to which this book, (Lessons in Enunciation,) refers, will find in its pages much to elucidate the subject, and insure to the scholar valuable attainments. The book should find its way into all our schools."

From the Boston Courier.-"This little book, (Lessons in Enunciation,) is one of great value. No schoolmaster, no man who ever ventures to read or speak in public, no professor, no student in any college, should be without it."

We recommend Mr. Russell's Elocution' to the favour of instructors, parents, and pupils. Let those who would read easily and agreeably to themselves, and for the gratification and improvement of others, study it well and faithfully.”

From the Massachusetts Common School Journal, Dec. 15th, 1843.-" We have used Mr. Russell's Lessons in Enunciation, ever since their first appearance, and never have seen any thing better adapted to their purpose. ED. P. T."

From the same.-"Lessons in Enunciation, a little work which ought to be in the hands of every teacher in the United States; as being the best book, for its purposes, that can be found in the language."

Mr. George B. Emerson, of Boston, speaking of the author's Exercises in Elocution, says, "I doubt not,-from the great excellence of your Lessons in Enunciation, which I have used constantly, with all my classes, ever since I first saw the book,that it must be a valuable addition to our means of instruction."

From the Boston Christian Register.-"The number is not small, we trust, of those who have studied with profit the excellent books entitled Lessons in Enunciation, and Rudiments of Gesture. The volume before us, (referring to the Exercises in Elocution,) we have read with great satisfaction; and we strongly recommend it to all who are in search of the best helps in the art of reading and speaking."

From Mr. J. E. Murdoch, Elocutionist, Boston.-"I have used Mr. Russell's Lessons in Enunciation, Exercises in Elocution, and Rudiments of Gesture, with my classes, and consider them the best books of any that I have found, in their respective departments, especially as regards systematic instruction in the theory of the art, and the practical application of the principles of the science which are exhibited in Dr. Rush's Philosophy of the Voice."-Boston, April 22d, 1844.

Stereotyped by

GEORGE A. CURTIS,

NEW ENGLAND TYPE AND STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY.

43-224

1643

44

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PREFACE.

THE question has often been asked, doubtingly, whether it is possible to teach the art of reading, by the use of rules. Any art which is grounded on recognised principles, may, certainly, be taught by rules deduced from these principles. Every teacher who corrects the emphasis, the inflections, or the pauses, which his pupils use in reading, must have, in every instance, a reason for his correction. All such reasons are rules; and these it is the duty of the teacher to impart. These, in fact, are themselves the instructions which he has to give.

Every attentive teacher of reading, will endeavour to put his pupils in possession of even those less palpable principles which regulate the nicest modulations of the voice, in the most delicate tones of feeling. But, in the applications of inflection, emphasis, and pause, which determine the meaning of every sentence of audible language, a definite rule is indispensable to intelligible or effective instruction.

The systematic practice of elocution, requires attention, in the first place, to the acquisition of correctness of enunciation, volume and pliancy of voice, vigour of organ, and purity of tone, on the scale of public reading or speaking.

The functions of the voice,-in its operations as an instrument, having been properly regulated, the next stage of instruction and practice, regards the execution

of those sounds which constitute the 'melody' of speech, in successive clauses and sentences, and determine their character and meaning.

The act of enunciating syllables, or of pronouncing words, may be performed without reference to their signification. This forms the strictly elementary part of elocution. The utterance of clauses and sentences, implies a purpose in expression, and is founded on the relations which language bears to thought. The appropriate utterance of meaning, is the object in view in this department of elocution; and the attention of the learner, in this stage, is directed to the notes of the scale, to the relative degrees of force, and to the occasional intermissions of voice, by which reading and speaking are rendered significant. These subjects are comprehended under the technical designations of Inflections, Emphasis, and Pauses.

If we regard enunciation and pronunciation as the mechanical part of elocution; inflection, emphasis, and pausing, may be designated as its intellectual part. The former regards, chiefly, the ear, as cognizant of audible expression; the latter regards the understanding, as addressed by intelligible utterance, and requiring the exercise of judgment, in consecutive and rational communication. This branch of the subject extends, it is true, to some of the forms of tone which give expression to feeling; but its chief offices are strictly intellectual.

A third department of elocution, embraces the consideration of tone, as adapted to the utterance of passion, or the strongest forms of emotion, and is designated by the technical name of Modulation.

Under this term are comprehended all those modifications of voice which are appropriate to empassioned expression, and the changes of tone by which the reader or speaker passes from one emotion to another. This branch of the subject includes, in detail, whatever regards 'force,' or intensity of voice, 'pitch,' or the predominating note of the scale, and 'movement,' or the rate of utterance, as fast or slow.

Cadence, or the appropriate modulation of the voice, at the close of a sentence, would, at first sight, appear

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