SCHOOL ELOCUTION.

PART I.

ARTICULATION.

THE formation and improvement of the voice, and the acquirement of a distinct, forcible and just articulation, are points which should first engage the attention of the young pupil, who is desirous to read and speak well; the Master, to enable him the better to do this, must carefully attend to the defects or capabilities as the case may be, of the vocal and enunciative organs, correcting the one or assisting the other by suitable practice and exercises, as need may require.

All speech or language, is composed of certain articulate sounds, some of which are vocal, and some not. Those of the English language are computed to be about twenty-nine in number, and are by writers on Elocution divided agreeably to their different powers into Four General Classes, that is to say, Vowels, Half Vowels, Aspirates and Mutes. The first are purely vocal, without any obstruction in the mouth; the second are likewise vocal, but obstructed; the third are only whispers, or articulations of breath; the fourth are neither articulations of breath nor voice, but quick explosions arising from the close position of the organs.

B

The letters which denote the Vowels, are in Grammar, confined to five, viz. a, e, i, o, u.

To which is sometimes added, y.

These however, as will appear from the foregoing table, are not all the vowel sounds in the language; the same, with their combinations, amounting to Eleven, as in the following scale.

All, More, Good, Run, Arm, Fan, Bed, Fame, See, Kind, Muse.

FORMATION OF THE VOWELS.

The first and fourth, are pronounced with the same position of the tongue, which is pulled backwards, and much depressed, to render the cavity of the mouth as wide as possible. In the second and third, the lips are reduced to a more narrow and circular form. The sound of these first four, is much fuller and louder than the

(1) Vowels, or Vocals, are those full, open, perfect tones, which the voice can utter and dwell on with delight to the ear, and are so denominated from their musical quality. The appellation of name, sounds, is also given them sometimes, from their being al ways joined to, and used in naming the other letters of the alphabet.