whose goodness and truth engage him to make those happy who desire it of him, and whose unchangeableness will securc us in this happiness to all eternity.

"Such considerations, which every one should perpetually cherish in his thoughts, will banish from us all that secret heaviness of heart which unthinking men are subject to when they lie under no real affliction, - all that anguish which we may feel from any evil that actually oppresses us, -to which I may likewise add those little cracklings of mirth and folly, that are apter to betray virtue than support it; and establish in us such an even and cheerful temper, as makes us pleasing to ourselves, to those with whom we conversc, and to Him whom we are made to please."

EXERCISES IN "VARIATION."

ex

The term "variation," in its relations to elocution, is used as a convenient designation for the change of “ pression," which occurs in passing from the utterance of one emotion to that of another, in successive reading or speaking. It is, in reality, nothing else than true expression, adapted to the variations of feeling, in consecutive passages. The term "modulation" is in popular language often employed, though incorrectly, as regards musical nomenclature, to designate the changes of voice which arise from change of feeling.

The actual variation, however, by whatever name it may be called, is felt, by all hearers, to be an essential point in elocution, as the only means of rendering sentiment natural or impressive to the ear. An unvaried voice, as contrasted with one which gives a change of effect to every new turn of thought or feeling, is, relatively, as the dead body contrasted with the living man. The student cannot be too careful to repeat exercises such as the following, till his voice has acquired perfect flexibility, and the full power of instant change of effect, from the style

of one emotion to that of another. Some passages require frequent and entire changes of every trait of voice, to keep up with the perpetually shifting effect of sentiment and expression, in the language of the composition.

The following are but a few specimens of the requisite exercises in this department of elocution; but they may suffice to suggest the mode in which practice should be conducted.

INVOCATION OF LIGHT.-Milton.
Sublimity.

“Orotund Quality," Full Force, “Median Stress," "Low" Pitch, Prevalent "Falling Inflection," and "Monotone," "Slow Movement," Long Pauses, Moderate Emphasis, Powerful " Expres

sion."

Hail holy Light! offspring of Heaven first-born, Or of the Eternal co-eternal beam

May I express thee unblamed? Since God is Light,
And never but in unapproached light

Dwelt from eternity; dwelt then in thee,
Bright effluence of bright essence increate!
Or hear'st thou, rather, pure ethereal stream
Whose fountain who shall tell? Before the sun
Before the heavens thou wert, and, at the voice
Of God, as with a mantle didst invest

The rising world of waters, dark and deep,
Won from the void and formless infinite.
Thee I revisit now with bolder wing,

Escaped the Stygian pool, though long detained
In that obscure sojourn, while on my flight

Through utter and through middle darkness borne,
With other notes than to the Orphean lyre

I

sung of chaos and eternal night,

Taught by the heavenly Muse to venture down

The dark descent, and up to re-ascend,

Though hard and rare.

Thee I revisit safe,

And feel thy sovereign vital lamp.

66

Deep Pathos.

Quality" as before, Force "Subdued," "Stress" as before, "Lowest" Pitch, "Semitone" and plaintive effect of "minor" intervals, "Slowest Movement," Pauses as before, Tender and subdued "Expression."

"But thou

Revisit'st not these eyes, that roll in vain

To find thy piercing ray, and find no dawn;
So thick a drop serene hath quenched their orbs,
Or dim suffusion veiled.

Tranquility, Solemnity, and Sublimity.

Quality" as before, Force "Moderate," "Stress" as before, "Middle" Pitch, "Inflection" varied, "Movement" and Pauses "Moderate," "Expression" moderate.

"Yet not the more

Cease I to wander where the muses haunt
Clear spring, or shady grove, or sunny hill;
Smit with the love of sacred song. But chief
Thee Zion, and the flowery brooks beneath,
That wash thy hallowed feet, and warbling flow,
Nightly I visit; nor sometimes forget

Those other two, equalled with me in fate,
(So were I equalled with them in renown,)
Blind Thamyris and blind Mæonides,
And Tiresias and Phineus, prophets old;

Beauty, — added to the preceding emotions.

Quality” as before, Force softened, "Stress” as before, Pitch deepened, Prevalent "Monotone," "Movement" slower, Pauses longer," Expression" ardent but gentle.

Then feed on thoughts that voluntary move

Harmonious numbers; as the wakeful bird

Sings darkling, and in shadiest covert hid
Tunes her nocturnal note. Thus with the year
Seasons return.

Deep Pathos.

"Quality" as before, Force "Subdued," "Stress" as before, Pitch "Low," Prevalent "Semitone" and occasional "Minor Thirds," "Movement Slow," Pauses long, " Expression" deeply plaintive "But not to me returns

Day, or the sweet approach of even or morn,
Or sight of vernal bloom, or summer's rose,
Or flocks or herds, or human face divine;

Deep Grief and Melancholy.

"Aspirated Orotund Quality," Force "Suppressed,"*" Vanishing
Stress,"
," "Lowest” Pitch, Prevalent "Falling Inflection,” “Slow-
est Movement," Long Pauses, Strong Emphasis, Intense "Ex-
pression."

"But cloud, instead, and ever during dark
Surround me, from the cheerful ways of men
Cut off; and, for the book of knowledge fair,
Presented with a universal blank

Of Nature's works, to me expunged and rased;
And wisdom at one entrance quite shut out.

Sublime and Devout Aspiration.

"Pure Orotund Quality," Earnest and " Empassioned" Force "Median Stress," "Middle" Pitch, Prevalent "Falling Inflection," ," "Moderate Movement," Moderate Pauses, Strong Emphasis, Intense "Expression."

"So much the rather, thou, celestial Light,

Shine inward, and the mind through all her powers
Irradiate; there plant eyes; all mists from thence
Purge and disperse, that I may see and tell
Of things invisible to mortal sight!"

*The distinction between "suppressed" and "subdued" force, is that the latter is "pure," the former "aspirated." "Subdued" force merges the breath wholly in sound: "suppressed" force merges, partially, sound in breath, -and causes a slightly hoarse or whispering effect to the ear.

SOLILOQUY OF SATAN.-Milton.

Hatred.

"Aspirated Orotund Quality," Intense Force, "Thorough Stress," Pitch varying from "Low" to " Middle,” Prevalent "Falling Inflection," "Movement” varying from "Slow" to "Moderate,” and thence to "Rapid," Pauses varying in length with the rate of the "Movement," Intense Emphasis, and Fierce "Expression." "O thou, that with surpassing glory crowned,

Look'st from thy sole dominion like the god
Of this new world, at whose sight all the stars
Hid their diminished heads, to thee I call,
But with no friendly voice, and add thy name
O sun! to tell thee how I hate thy beams,

Regret.

"Pure Orotund Quality," Softened Force, "Median Stress," "Low" Pitch, Prevalent "Falling Inflection" of "Minor Third,” “Slow Movement," Long Pauses, Subdued "Expression.”

"That bring to my remembrance from what state

I fell, how glorious once!-above thy sphere,

Till pride and worse ambition threw me down,

Warring in heaven against heaven's matchless king.—

Remorse.

Style, in all respects, as before, but "Expression" deepened in every trait.

"Ah! wherefore? He deserved no such return
Of me, whom he created what I was

In that bright eminence, and with his good
Upbraided none. Nor was his service hard.
What could be less than to afford him praise,
The easiest recompense, and pay him thanks
How due!-