Samuel Niles Sweet
Published: 2017-01-08
Total Pages: 366
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Excerpt from Practical Elocution: Containing Illustrations of the Principles of Reading and Public Speaking; Also a Selection of the Best Pieces From Ancient and Modern Authors, Accompanied by Explanatory Notes; The Whole Adapted to the Purposes of Improvement in Reading and Oratory Vocal music is more pleasing than instrumental, because the human voice, whether its notes are heard in so or speech, is the sweetest and noblest of all instruments. It, however, di ers from a musical instrument in this respect, among others: it is capable of reducing an infinite variety of sounds. B the tones of the vorce, may expressed, not only all the Operations of t e mind, but every emotion implanted by the God of nature in the soul of man. The best readers and speakers are not governed by particular rules. They read and spca ri ht on. They do not st0p to give a rising in ection of vohce, here; a f ing, there; and a circum ex, elsewhere. Dr. Goldsmith says, that to feel our sub'eet thoroughly, and to speak without fear, are the only rules of eloquence. It is certain, that in order to be eloquent, we must surrender ourselves to the spirit that stirs within us and the mouth must speak from the abundance of the heart. Perfectly satisfied with nature's m of elocution, the author has not presumed to lay down a series of art' cisl rules in the shape, either of marks of in ection or rhetorical notation, m the vain hope of making a better. Those extraordinary endowments of intellect, of imagi nation, and of sensibility, which are derived from nature, and without which preeminence in oratory is unattainable, are possessed by few men in tiny age or country. But all may learn to read and speak correctly and Mpressively, by becoming familiar with the elementary sounds of our lan guage, 'and the other important principles of elocution, and by engaging In practical elocutionary exercises. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."
