CHAPTER XV.

GRADUALLY HEIGHTENED STATEMENT, OR CLIMAX.

If the sentences given under this head are rightly understood and felt, the voice in reading them will gradually rise to a highest point, and then, before the end of the sentence, will round itself into a period, but without any sudden fall. But the end of the last sentence in No. 3 must be strong, vigorous, and decisive.

1. It is an outrage to bind a Roman citizen; to scourge him is an atrocious crime; to put him to death is almost a parricide; but TO CRUCIFY him-what shall I call it ?

2. He has visited all Europe,

HOWARD.

to sur

to dive into the depths of dungeons; to plunge into the infection of hospitals; vey the mansions of sorrow and pain; to take the gauge and dimensions of misery, depression, and contempt; to remember the forgotten, to attend to the neglected, to visit the forsaken, and to compare and collate the distresses of all men in all countries. BURKE.

WARREN HASTINGS.

3. I impeach him in the name of the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament assembled, whose parliamentary trust he has abused. I impeach him in the name of our holy religion, which he has disgraced. I impeach him in the name of the English constitution, which he has violated and broken. I impeach him in the name of the Indian millions, whom he has sacrificed to injustice. I impeach him in the name and by the best rights of human nature; which he has stabbed to the heart!

4.

BURKE.

I tax not you, ye elements, with unkindness:
I never gave you kingdoms, called you daughters !*

*This is said by King Lear, when buffeted by the wind and rain.

GRADUALLY HEIGHTENED STATEMENT, OR CLIMAX. 77

5. The traitor lives! Lives! did I say? He mixes with the senate; he shares in our counsels; with a steady eye he surveys us; he anticipates his guilt; he enjoys his murderous thoughts, and coolly marks us out for bloodshed.

CICERO.

6.

While stands the Coliseum, Rome shall stand;
When falls the Coliseum, Rome shall fall;
And when Rome falls the world!

BYRON.

7.

He loved his friends with such a warmth of heart,
So clear of interest so devoid of art;
Such generous friendship, such unshaken zeal,
No words can speak it, but our tears can tell.
O candid truth! O faith without a stain!

O manners, gently fair and nobly plain!
O sympathizing love of others' bliss!
Where will you find another breast

like his ?

LORD LYTTELTON.

8. Let the bugles sound the Truce of God to the whole world for ever. Let the selfish boast of the Spartan women become the grand chorus of mankind-that they have never seen the smoke of an enemy's camp. Let the iron belt of martial music, which now encompasses the earth, be exchanged for the golden cestus of Peace, clothing all with celestial beauty.

SUMNER.

[The teacher should listen to these with his book shut.]

THE object of these Gymnastics is to perfect the pupil in a clear and distinct articulation. Every child has his own besetting fault in pronunciation or articulation; and one pupil will require more practice in one part of these exercises, and another in another. It would be advisable that, where considerable defects exist, the pupil should draw up a set of exercises himself on the points where he happens to be defective. Errors in the pronunciation of vowels are most easily corrected by imitating the teacher; but errors in consonants are best overcome by continued practice in such words as contain several consonants together. Words like facts should have all the three final consonants brought clearly out. The tendency is to lose altogether or to do injustice to the t.