Bozzaris! with the storied Brave We tell thy doom without a sigh; That were not born to die!" Both ludicrous' and sarcastic' pieces should have long circumflex slides' and 'compound' abrupt stress,' 'long quantity and pauses' on the emphatic words; but punning and raillery, when good-natured, should have a higher pitch,' 'faster time,' and 'purer quality' than belongs to sarcasm which should have the middle pitch,' aspirated quality,' and rather slow time.' With both kinds the 'force' changes from 'moderate' to louder with the boldness of the spirit. In the following example the part of Sir Peter Teazle should be read with strongly aspirated quality' and 'abrupt stress,' while the half-laughing raillery of Lady T. should have the 'pure quality' and 'tremulous stress' mingled with the 'compound,' and 'higher pitch and less volume.' 6 Ludicrous or sarcastic example. "SIR PETER. Very well, ma'am, very well so a husband is to have no influence, no authority? LADY T. Authority! No, to be sure: — if you wanted authority over me, you should have adopted me, and not married me; I am sure you were old enough. SIR P. Old enough!-ay, there it is. Well, well. Lady Teazle, though my life may be made unhappy by your temper I'll not be ruined by your extravagance. LADY T. My extravagance! Sir Peter, am I to blame because flowers are dear in cold weather? fault with the climate, and not with me. You should find For my part, I'm sure, I wish it was spring all the year round, and that roses grew under our feet! SIR P. Zounds! madam if you had been born to this, I should n't wonder at your talking thus; but you forget what your situation was when I married you. LADY T. No, no, I don't; 't was a very disagreeable one, or I should never have married you. me be out of the fashion? SIR P. The fashion, indeed! the fashion before you married me ? Sir Peter! would you have What had you to do with LADY T. For my part, I should think you would like to have your wife thought a woman of taste. SIR P. Ay, there again -taste. Zounds! madam, you had no taste when you married me! LADY T. That's very true, indeed, Sir Peter; and after having married you I should never pretend to taste again, I allow. But now, Sir Peter, since we have finished our daily jangle, I presume I may go to my engagement at Lady Sneerwell's. SIR P. Ay, there's another precious circumstance charming set of acquaintance you have made there." - a Example of bitter irony, and sarcasm closing with the impassioned kind.' 66 I speak not to you, Mr. Renwick, of your own outcast condition; — perhaps you delight in the perils of martyrdom: I speak not to those around us, who, in their persons, their substance, and their families, have endured the torture, poverty, and irremediable dishonor. They may be meek and hallowed men, willing to endure; and as for my wife — what was she to you? Ye cannot be greatly disturbed that she is in her grave. No, ye are quiet, calm, prudent persons; it would be a most indiscreet thing of you, you who have suffered no wrongs yourselves, to stir on her account "In truth, friends, Mr. Renwick is quite right. This feeling of indignation against our oppressors is a most imprudent thing. If we desire to enjoy our own contempt, to deserve the derision of men, and to merit the abhorrence of Heaven, let us yield ourselves to all that Charles Stuart and his sect require. We can do nothing better, nothing so meritorious, — nothing by which we can so reasonably hope for punishment here and condemnation hereafter. But if there is one man at this meeting, I am speaking not of shapes and forms, but of feelings, — if there is one here that feels as men were wont to feel, he will draw his sword, and say with me, Woe to the house of Stuart! woe to the oppressors!" 6 Impassioned' pieces, such as the last of the example above and the following, should have very loud force,'' very long slides,' very abrupt stress.' Time accelerating as the pas sion cumulates, from moderate' to 'faster,' with very long quantity' on the emphatic words, middle and higher pitch and quality,' (where the passion is not malignant,) only slightly aspirated.' 6 Impassioned example. 66 6 'My castles are my king's alone, Burned Marmion's swarthy cheek like fire, And This to me!' he said; 'An 't were not for thy hoary beard, Such hand as Marmion's had not spread To cleave the Douglas's head! And, Douglas, more I tell thee here On the earl's cheek the flush of rage Fierce he broke forth: And dar'st thou, then. To beard the lion in his den, And hop'st thou hence unscathed to go? MIXED EMOTIONS. When the elements of expression for each separate 'kind' are clearly understood and readily employed in practice, it will be comparatively easy to teach the natural expression of mixed sentiments. When two different emotions are mixed, the most characteristic elements in the expression of each must be, as far as possible, preserved in the reading of the compound. If these elements are opposed to each other, as 'loud' and 'soft' 'force,' or 'fast' and 'slow' 'time,' there must be a compromise, to suit the mixture of ideas. Examples. "O God, thou hast blessed me, I ask for no more. In this line we have the grave sentiment of reverence blended with the lively feeling of joy. Reverence alone demands low pitch' and 'slow time,'-joy alone demands high pitch and fast time.' The reverential joy, therefore, of the line quoted must be expressed by a natural compromise. The mixed emotions will be somewhat lower in pitch' and 'slower in time' than mere joy, and somewhat higher' and 'faster' than mere reverence. The degree in which either simple feeling must give way to the other, depends, of course, on the relative prominence of each. In Rienzi's speech we find the opposite feelings of sorrow and joy blended in the lines which recall the beauty of his slain brother: "He left my side, A summer bloom on his fair cheeks, a smile The most characteristic element in the expression of pathos, is the 'short' or 'minor slide.' This must be retained, then, in reading this "sad-joy." The most characteristic element in the expression of joy, is the lively, springing 'median stress;' this must in a great measure be retained therefore. The time' and 'force' are opposite, and must be compromised, — that is, a mean between the two opposites must be given. The proper reading will not be so loud or fast as mere joy, nor so slow and soft as mere sadness. In manly pathos, we have often what is bold or noble in feeling blended with tenderness and pathos. Sufficient loudness of force, and length of slide, and fulness of volume must he preserved in reading the compound, to express the manly or noble part, while the force is softened enough, and the slide shortened by a semitone, to express also the pathetic part. "O my son Absalom! my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!" 1. "I profess, sir, in my career hitherto, to have kept steadily in view the prosperity and honor of the whole country, and the preservation of our Federal Union. 'Bold' and 'animated.' "It is to that Union we owe our safety at home and our consideration and dignity abroad. It is to that Union we are chiefly indebted for whatever makes us most proud of our country. Every year of its duration has teemed with fresh proofs of its utility and its blessings. It has been to us all a copious fountain of national, social, personal happiness. 'Joyous.' "While the Union lasts, we have high, exciting, gratifying prospects spread out before us, for us and for our children. 'Grave.' God grant "Beyond that I seek not to penetrate the veil. that, in my day, at least, that curtain may not rise! God grant that on my vision never may be opened what lies behind! |