A Plea for Spoken Language: An Essay Upon Comparative Elocution, Condensed from Lectures Delivered Throughout the United States |
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Common terms and phrases
accents actor amongst analysis application arsis art of elocution artistic beauty cadences called character circumflex David Garrick degree delivery diatonic scale downward elements elocutionary emotion employed English language example falling inflection feelings forms give Greek guage human voice ical idea imitative intelligent intonation James Wright knowledge labors Love Magdalen College manner marks matter means measure melody metrical foot mind modes movements musical scale musical staff nature notation observation passion perfect Philosophy practical principles pronunciation pupil quarter tone Quintilian reader reading and speaking regard rhythmus rules Rush Rush's says sense sentence Sheridan slide speaker speaking sounds speaking voice spoken lan spoken language Steele student subject of elocution subject of spoken syllables symbols taste taught theory Thomas Sheridan thought tion tones truth utterance variety vocal effects vocal organs vocal signs vocal sound voice in speech Walker words writers Δ Δ
Popular passages
Page 155 - By the world, I think my wife be honest, and think she is not; I think that thou art just, and think thou art not; I'll have some proof: Her name, that was as fresh As Dian's visage, is now begrim'd and black As mine own face.
Page 154 - Think, my lord ! By heaven, he echoes me. As if there were some monster in his thought Too hideous to be shown.
Page 157 - Angels and ministers of grace defend us! Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damn'd, Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell, Be thy intents wicked or charitable, Thou com'st in such a questionable shape, That I will speak to thee: I'll call thee Hamlet, King, father, royal Dane, O, answer me!
Page 47 - Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all Venice. His reasons are as two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff : you shall seek all day ere you find them, and when you have them, they are not worth the search.
Page 84 - Art. Art is the child of Nature ; yes, Her darling child; in whom we trace The features of the mother's face, Her aspect and her attitude, All her majestic loveliness Chastened and softened and subdued Into a more attractive grace, And with a human sense imbued. He is the greatest artist, then, Whether of pencil or of pen, Who follows Nature.
Page 147 - ... rage; Then lend the eye a terrible aspect; Let it pry through the portage of the head Like the brass cannon: let the brow o'erwhelm it As fearfully as doth a galled rock O'erhang and jutty his confounded base, Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Page 145 - I have pass'da miserable night, So full of fearful dreams, of ugly sights, That, as I am a Christian faithful man, I would not spend another such a night, Though 'twere to buy a world of happy days : So full of dismal terror was the time.
Page 27 - Appears far south, eruptive through the cloud; And following slower, in explosion vast, The Thunder raises his tremendous voice. At first, heard solemn o'er the verge of Heaven, The tempest growls; but as it nearer comes, And rolls its awful burden on the wind, The lightnings flash a larger curve, and more The noise astounds: till over head a sheet Of livid flame discloses wide; then shuts, And opens wider; shuts and opens still Expansive, wrapping ether in a blaze. Follows the loosen'd aggravated...
Page 132 - For the king knoweth of these things before whom also I speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
Page 131 - And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee.