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anywhere in a dead calm. Let no man wax pale, therefore, because of opposition. Opposition is what he wants, and must have, to be good for any thing. Hardship is the native soil of manhood and self-reliance.

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3. It is absolutely necessary for the orator to keep one man in view amidst the multitude that surround him; and, while composing, to address himself to that one man, whose mistakes he laments and whose foibles he discovers. This man is to him as the genius of Socrates, standing continually at his side, and by turns interrogating him, or answering his questions. This is he whom the orator ought never to lose sight of in writing, till he obtain a conquest over his prepossessions. The arguments which will be sufficiently persuasive to overcome his opposition will equally control a large assembly.

FORCE.

The term force, as applied to the utterance of syllables and words, has a meaning distinct from the term loudness. Force is nearly synonymous with energy. Energy in delivery may not only be given to single syllables, as in accent, and to single words, as in emphasis, but, unlike accent and emphasis, it may be extended to whole sentences, and even to paragraphs. Of all the vocal qualifications important to the effective expression of earnestness, and to the impressive display of strong passion, force is most necessary.

The difference in the degrees of force may be named: subdued, moderate, energetic, and impassioned. Feelings which require a high key and intensive slides for their proper

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expression also require greater degrees of force. Joy, anger, scorn, intense earnestness, and the like, usually, though not always, are expressed in loud sounds. Sometimes deep feeling chokes the voice, and sometimes the most intense feeling controlled by the will, manifests itself in low tones and with great deliberation. Sorrow, pity, love, grief, and the like, express themselves in subdued tones. Cheerfulness, animation, and moderate earnestness are expressed by a moderate degree of force.

Exercises in the most intense force, and in subdued force, will, more than any other, result in speedily increasing the command of force. When passages that obtain appropriate expression by impassioned force, and others by subdued force, can be easily and correctly rendered, the student will have no difficulty in giving such as require intermediate degrees of force. Nearly all the examples under high and very high pitch are suitable to exemplify great force, those under low and very low pitch appropriate examples of subdued force, and those under middle pitch suitable examples of moderate force.

EXERCISES IN FORCE.

First.-Give a number of the vowel sounds, or of words of one syllable with only conversational force; then repeat them, with increasing force, until you reach the highest degree that you can command. Also, practice upon a few short passages, increasing the energy of utterance with each repetition; as, "It is my living sentiment-and by the blessing of God it shall be my dying sentiment-Independence now, and Independence forever."

EXAMPLES OF INTENSE FORCE.

1. I laid me flat along, and cried in thralldom to the furious winds, "Blow on! this is the land of liberty!"

2. Rouse, ye Romans! Rouse, ye slaves!

3. Here I stand for impeachment or trial! I dare accusation! I defy the honorable gentleman! I defy the government! I defy the whole phalanx!

4. Tried and convicted traitor? Who says this?

Who'll prove it, at his peril, on my head? 5. He dares not touch a hair of Cataline.

EXAMPLES OF SUBDUED FORCE.

Some are in the church-yard laid,
Some sleep beneath the sea;
But none are left of our old class,
Excepting you and me.

And when our time shall come, Tom,

And we are called to go,

I hope we'll meet with those we loved

Some forty years ago.

2. But I forbear. The sorrow of that scene is too awful for words. When the agony ceased upon the sea it was only to break forth afresh upon the land. Who shall measure it? Who shall trace its tear-stained path over this continent? Who shall count the broken hearts and ruined hopes of this dread ravage? None but God. None but He who let the tempest loose, that made the ship its prey; none but He who alone can bind up the bleeding hearts, and inspire with brighter hopes those whose hopes on earth this woe has blighted; none but He of whom not one of us all dares to ask the question, "What doest thou?" None but He to whom every stricken victim of the calamity we deplore may say with reverend lips, "Even so."

STRESS.

Stress relates to the way in which force of voice is applied to single sounds, words, and sentences.

Radical Stress is that in which the force of utterance is usually explosive.

Medium Stress is when the force is applied so as to gradually swell out the first part of the sound or syllable, and gradually decline to the close.

Thorough Stress is when the force is equally loud from the commencement to the close of the syllable.

Vanishing Stress occurs when the sound gradually increases as it swells onward, and then abruptly terminates with a vocal explosion.

Intermittent Stress or Tremor is characterized by a vibratory, tremulous tone.

A clear understanding of the subject of stress can only be obtained by long and careful study, and, if acquired, will be of but little practical use. The only way by which a good command of the different kinds of stress can be acquired, is by careful practice on such a variety of emotional and other passages as will require every imaginable application of stress and force. Clear ideas and right feeling will always suggest the proper stress, but arbitrary rules concerning its use will always confuse and often result in ridiculous mistakes or total failure.

RADICAL STRESS.

Exercises in this kind of stress, if carefully and energetically practiced, will strengthen and deepen the voice, and increase its compass and flexibility more rapidly than any other. Excepting intellectual and moral qualifications, there are no others which it is so important for the reader, actor, or public speaker to possess as a strong, flexible, musical voice, a distinct articulation, and a good command of radical stress.

EXAMPLES OF EXPLOSIVE RADICAL STRESS.

1. Thy threats, thy mercy, I defy,

And give thee in thy teeth the lie.

2. It was the act of a coward who raises his hand to strike, and has not the courage to give the blow.

3. A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse.

4. Hold! hold! for your lives.

5. And, Douglas, more, I tell thee hereEven in thy pitch of pride

Here, in thy hold, thy vassals near,

I tell thee thou'rt defied!

6. Yet though destruction sweep these lovely plains,
Rise! fellow-men, our country yet remains.
7. Unmannered dog! stand thou when I command!
Advance thy halberd higher than my breast,

Or, by Saint Paul! I'll strike thee to the earth, And spurn upon thee, beggar, for thy boldness. 8. Retire! or taste thy folly; and learn by proof,

Hell-born! not to contend with spirits of heaven. 9. Rise! fathers, risc! 't is Rome demands your help. 10. Down! down! cries Mar, your lances down!

Bear back both friend and foe.

11. You blocks! you stones! you worse than senseless things!

Most of the examples given under high pitch, also under emphatic repetition, are equally well suited to illustrate and exemplify explosive radical stress.

EXAMPLES OF INTERMITTENT STRESS OR TREMOR.

1. And when I am forgotten, as I shall be,
And sleep in dull, cold marble, where no mention
Of me more must be heard of,-say I taught thee;
Say Wolsey, that once trod the ways of glory,
And sounded all the depths and shoals of honor,
Found thee a way, out of his wreck, to rise in,
A sure and safe one, though thy master missed it.
Mark but my fall, and that that ruined me.

2. My lids have long been dry, Tom,

But tears came in my eyes:

I thought of her I loved so well,
Those early broken ties;

I visited the old church-yard,

And took some flowers to strew
Upon the graves of those we loved

Just forty years ago.

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