



Produced by Judith Wirawan, David Edwards and the Online
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  _A COMPANION TO BAKER'S READING CLUB._


  ELOCUTION SIMPLIFIED;
  WITH
  AN APPENDIX ON LISPING, STAMMERING, STUTTERING,
  AND OTHER DEFECTS OF SPEECH.

  BY
  WALTER K. FOBES,
  GRADUATE OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ORATORY.


  WITH AN INTRODUCTION
  BY
  GEORGE M. BAKER,
  AUTHOR OF THE READING-CLUB SERIES, ETC.


  BOSTON:
  LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS.

  NEW YORK:
  CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM.
  1877.




  COPYRIGHT.
  1877,
  BY WALTER K. FOBES.




  THIS LITTLE BOOK
  IS DEDICATED TO
  PROF. LEWIS B. MONROE,
  IN TESTIMONY OF APPRECIATION OF HIS MANY QUALIFICATIONS AS A
  TEACHER OF THIS ART, AND OF THE RESPECT AND AFFECTION
  WITH WHICH HE WILL EVER BE
  REGARDED BY HIS FRIEND
  AND PUPIL,
  THE AUTHOR.




PREFACE.

      "Why write this book?" say you.
      "Because it is needed," say I.


There is no "digest" of elocution that is both methodical and practical,
and that is low in price, now in the market.

This book is an epitome of the science of elocution, containing nothing
that is not necessary for you to know, if you wish to make yourself a
good reader or speaker.

You who will thoroughly study and digest this book, and then put in
practice what you here have learned, will have started on the road, the
goal of which is Oratory.




CONTENTS.


                                                                  PAGE
  PREFACE                                                            5
  INTRODUCTION                                                      11
  ACKNOWLEDGMENT                                                    15
    METHOD OF STUDY OF ELOCUTION                                    15

  PART I.
  PHYSICAL GYMNASTICS                                               17
    ATTITUDE                                                        17
      Standing Position                                             17
      Speaker's Position                                            18
      Sitting Position                                              18
      Changing Position                                             18
      Poise of Body                                                 18
      Rising on Toes                                                19
      Holding the Book                                              19
      Note on Attitude                                              19
    CHEST EXPANSION                                                 19
      Active and Passive Chest                                      19
      Arms at Side                                                  19
      Fore-arm Vertical                                             20
      Full-arm Percussion                                           20
      Hand Percussion                                               20
    BODY MOVEMENTS                                                  21
      Bend Forward and Back                                         21
      Bend Right and Left                                           21
      Turn Right and Left                                           21
    NECK MOVEMENTS                                                  21
      Bend Forward and Back                                         21
      Bend Right and Left                                           21
      Turn Right and Left                                           21
      Note on Physical Gymnastics                                   21

  PART II.
  VOCAL GYMNASTICS                                                  22
    BREATHING                                                       22
      Abdominal                                                     22
      Costal                                                        23
      Dorsal                                                        23
      Puffing Breath                                                23
      Puffing Breath, with pause                                    23
      Puffing Breath, breathe between                               23
      Holding the Breath                                            24
    TONE                                                            24
      Glottis Stroke                                                24
      Soft Tones                                                    25
      Swelling Tones                                                25
    PITCH                                                           25
      Learn Scale                                                   26
      Chant Sentences                                               26
      Read Sentences                                                26
    INFLECTION                                                      26
      Major Falling                                                 26
      Major Rising                                                  27
      Major Rising and Falling                                      27
      Minor Rising and Falling                                      27
      Circumflex                                                    27
      Monotone                                                      27
    QUALITY                                                         28
      Whisper                                                       28
      Aspirated                                                     28
      Pure                                                          28
      Orotund                                                       28
    FORCE                                                           29
      Gentle                                                        29
      Moderate                                                      29
      Loud                                                          29
    STRESS                                                          29
      Radical                                                       29
      Median                                                        29
      Terminal                                                      30
      Thorough                                                      30
      Compound                                                      30
      Tremolo                                                       30
    MOVEMENT                                                        30
      Quick                                                         30
      Moderate                                                      30
      Slow                                                          31
    ARTICULATION                                                    31
    ELEMENTARY SOUNDS                                               31
      Vowels                                                        31
      Consonants                                                    32
    SUMMARY OF PHYSICAL AND VOCAL GYMNASTICS                        33

  PART III.
  ELOCUTION                                                         36
    PLEASANT QUALITY                                                36
    ARTICULATION                                                    38
      Syllables                                                     38
      Words                                                         38
      Accent                                                        38
      Phrases                                                       39
      Emphasis                                                      39
      Sentences                                                     39
    FULNESS AND POWER                                               42
    INFLECTION                                                      44
      Major Rising                                                  45
      Major Falling                                                 45
      Minor Rising                                                  46
      Minor Falling                                                 47
      Circumflex                                                    47
      Monotone                                                      48
    PITCH                                                           49
      High                                                          49
      Middle                                                        50
      Low                                                           51
      Very Low                                                      52
    QUALITY                                                         52
      Whisper                                                       53
      Aspirate                                                      53
      Pure Tone                                                     54
      Orotund                                                       55
    MOVEMENT                                                        56
      Quick                                                         56
      Moderate                                                      57
      Slow                                                          58
      Very Slow                                                     58
    FORCE                                                           59
      Gentle                                                        59
      Moderate                                                      60
      Loud                                                          61
      Very Loud                                                     61
    STRESS                                                          62
      Radical                                                       63
      Median                                                        63
      Terminal                                                      64
      Thorough                                                      65
      Compound                                                      65
      Tremolo                                                       66
    TRANSITION                                                      66
    MODULATION                                                      70
    STYLE                                                           77
      Conversational                                                78
      Narrative                                                     79
      Descriptive                                                   79
      Didactic                                                      80
      Public Address                                                81
      Declamatory                                                   82
      Dramatic                                                      83

  PART IV.
  HINTS ON ELOCUTION                                                85
    DEFECTS OF SPEECH                                               93




INTRODUCTION.


Rev. Dr. Hall of New York says, "There is one accomplishment in
particular which I would earnestly recommend to you: cultivate
assiduously the ability to read well. I stop to particularize this,
because it is a thing so very much neglected, and because it is such an
elegant and charming accomplishment. Where one person is really
interested by music, twenty are pleased by good reading. Where one
person is capable of becoming a skilful musician, twenty may become good
readers. Where there is one occasion suitable for the exercise of
musical talent, there are twenty for that of good reading.

"What a fascination there is in really good reading! What a power it
gives one! In the hospital, in the chamber of the invalid, in the
nursery, in the domestic and in the social circle, among chosen friends
and companions, how it enables you to minister to the amusement, the
comfort, the pleasure, of dear ones, as no other accomplishment can! No
instrument of man's devising can reach the heart as does that most
wonderful instrument, the human voice. It is God's special gift to his
chosen creatures. Fold it not away in a napkin.

"Did you ever notice what life and power