them in my time', and been almost withered by the shade into which they cast me'; for'. . there is nothing so baleful to a small mân'. . as the shade of a great one', particularly', the great man of a city'. America and Europe Compared.—IB. 3. On no country have the charms of nature been more prodigally lavished'. . than upon America. Her mighty lakes', like oceans of liquid silver'; her mountains, with their bright', aerial teints'; her valleys, teeming with wild fertility`; her tremendous cataracts, thundering in their solitudes'; her boundless plains, waving with spontaneous verdure`; her broad', deep rivers, rolling in solemn silence to the ocean'; her trackless forests, where vegetation puts forth all its magnificence'; her skies', kindling with the magick of summer clouds and glorious sunshine':-nô, never need an American' . . look beyond his own country for the sublime and beautiful of natural scenery'. But Europe holds forth all the charms of storied and poetical association`. There are to be seen the master-pieces of art, the refinements of highly cultivated society', the quaint peculiarities of ancient and local customs. America' . . is full of youthful promise; Europe'.. is rich in the accumulated treasures of age. Her very RUINS'. . tell the history of times gone by, and every mouldering stone'. . is a chronicle`. It is pleasant to wander over the scenes of renowned achievement—to tread', as it were', in the footsteps of antiquity—to loiter about the ruined castle-to meditate on the falling tower' -to escape', in short', from the commonplace realities of the present', and lose one's self among the shadowy grandeurs of the păst`. Inflection. Before each of the members of the second sentence in paragraph 3d, the phrase "There are," is understood, so that each member constitutes a distinct, affirmative proposition, requiring at "lakes,” 'mountains," valleys," and so on, and at "silver," teints," "fertility," and so forth, the falling inflection, agreeably to Rule 1, page 75. 29.66 To the Teacher.-In exercising his pupils in these "Select Paragraphs," and, also, in other selections, the teacher would do well to require them to read each sentence, paragraph, or section, several times over, before they proceed to another paragraph or section. In the first reading, particular attention should be given to a distinct articulation and protraction of the elementary sounds; in the second reading, to inflection; in the third, to emphasis; in the fourth, to pause; in the fifth, to modulation; in the sixth, to time; and, lastly, let the pupil endeavour to display all the qualities of voice requisite to a happy and forcible elocution. But, inasmuch as example speaks louder than precept, let not the teacher forget the importance of illustrating every thing with his own voice before he requires his pupil to do it. SECTION V. PARAGRAPHS IN VERSE. Simile.-SHAKSPEARE. How far the little candle throws its beams'!` Vice'.. is a monster of so frightful mien', Wô'! wô'! the time of thy visitation' Is come, proud Land', thy doom is cast'; Wâr', wâr, wâr', against Babylon` ! Fame.-BYRON. What is the end of fame? 'tis but to fill' Whose summit (like all hills) is lost in vapour': For this.. men'. . write`, speak`, preach', and heroes kill`; To have', when the original is dust', A name', a wretched picture', and worse bust`. And largest, thinking it was just the thing Let not a monument'. . give you or me nopes', SECTION VI. The Family Altar.—BURNS. When kneeling down to heaven's Eternal King', REMARKS ON SECTIONS V. AND VI. 9966 99 66 Final Pause.-The words "visitation,' ," "desolation," "king," and "thing," in section 5th, and "praise,' dear,"" "pride,' see, adore," beyond," "fears," "self," and "think,” in section 6th, illustrate the final pause: see page 140. Hope 'springs exulting on triumphant wing',' No more to sigh', or shed the bitter tear, While circling time moves round in an eternal sphere`. May hear', well pleased', the language of the soul, Bliss of the Future State.*-BYRON. In darkness spoke Athena's wisest son',t 'Tis ours', as holiest men have deemed', to see' With those who made our mortal labours light'! The Bactrian, Samians sage', and all who taught the right'! Future Bliss.—IB. If that high world which lies beyond' Accent. In reading poetry, it is inadmissible to sacrifice sense to sound. Hence, care should be taken not to lay any stress upon little words that would not admit of it in prose: as in the lines "Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As, to be hated, needs but to be seen.' In enunciating this example, many would accent, or lay a stress upon, the words "is," "of," and "to," in order to perfect the poetick feet, or • Altered from the original. † Socrates. + Zoroaster. § Pythagoras. It must be so': 'tis not for self To hold each heart the heart that shares", SECTION VII. Musick.-SHAKSPEARE. There's naught so stockish, hard`, and full of rage', Is fit for treasons', stratagems', and spoils; Mercy.-IB. The quality of mercy is not strained'; It is an attribute to God himself`; And earthly power doth show most like to God's Solitude.-IB. Are not these wōōds'. More free from peril than the envious courts'? render them all as regular iambuses a thing not at all designed by the poet-but this would be a gross dereliction from every principle of correct taste, and be apt to degenerate into a singsong, or mere gingling of rhymes. REMARKS ON SECTIONS VII. AND VIII. Final Pause.-In reading the first selection in section 8th, the final pause is demanded at "bow," " appear,' survey, scene," and " repair;" but in the selection of blank verse from Pollok, which follows it, The seasons' difference; as the icy fang', Which', like the toad, ugly and venomous', And this'.. our life', exempt from publick haunt', SECTION VIII. Anticipation.-CAMPBELL. At summer eve', when heaven's aerial bōw' The Miser.-POLLOK. But there is one in folly farther gone, The laughing-stock of demons and of men', And by his guardian angel quite given up` The miser, who', with dust inanimate Holds wedded intercourse'. Ill guided wretch'! as well as in the three selections from Shakspeare, in section 7th, no such pause is allowable: see pages 140 and 141. In the selection from Pollok, section 8th, the intervening adjunct beginning with the phrase, "The laughing-stock," and ending with, quite given up," and that, likewise, commencing with, "When good men sleep," and closing with, "their souls to God," should both be pronounced in a lower tone than the rest of the paragraph, though not quite so low as is ordinarily adopted in pronouncing the parenthetick clause |