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INTRODUCTION.

1. INSTRUCTION in reading the Church-service is best conveyed by oral communication; but when the assistance of a professed Teacher cannot be obtained, considerable advantage may be derived from following the directions. which books supply. That part of Mr. Sheridan's "Lectures on the Art of Reading,” which relates to the Liturgy, drew much attention from the Clergy; as, however, he had failed to remark those upward and downward slides in which the speaking voice is constantly moving, many of his directions respecting emphasis are vague and useless. At a subsequent period, the public were presented with an account of "The manner in which the Common Prayer was read in private by the late Mr. Garrick." This publication supplied some useful directions with respect to the Clergyman's deportment in the desk, and the general manner of delivery, suited to the several parts of the service; but it afforded no instruction with regard to the mode of reading particular passages so

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as to display the meaning with the greatest clearness and force. Here the labours of Mr. Walker in his "Elements of Elocution" and his "Rhetorical Grammar," have proved essentially useful. He was the first to direct the public notice to the two important inflections (for an explanation of which see p. 7), and, by his notation, gave a considerable degree of precision to the rules of Elocution. No use however of these improvements was made in the Rev. Mr. Faulkner's little work, professedly arranged from Sheridan's Art of Reading, and entitled "Strictures on Reading the Church Service." Room therefore was still left for something better. This was supplied a few years ago by Mr. Wright, in his work, entitled "The Philosophy of Elocution, elucidated and exemplified by Readings of the Liturgy of the Church." This production contains much valuable matter; yet it may be doubted whether in the reading of the supplicatory parts of the service, he has not adopted a mode incompatible with strength and harmony *. Besides,

• This author lays down a rule, that "all supplications require their terminating accents to be accompanied with suitable rising inflections of voice ;" and as his system does not direct that antithetic words should be distinguished by opposite inflections, but only by different elevation of similar inflections, the consequence is that the falling inflection is

many passages of the Liturgy, may, from various causes, be understood in various senses, and therefore may afford fair subject for difference of opinion with respect to the best mode of reading them.

2. In the belief that something more may still be done, by means of written instructions,

entirely excluded from all prayers, properly so called. Hence a sameness of tone will, unless the reader is very skilful, be apt to prevail, as well as a want of significancy and force. For example: the conclusion of the Lord's prayer is directed to be read thus: "Léad us not into temptation, but deliver us from évil." In these sentences,' temptation,' and 'evil,' are placed in strong contradistinction: "Lead us not into temptátion; but (if we must be thus tried), deliver us from evil." Now as 'temptation' ends a negative sentence, it requires to be pronounced with the rising inflection, according to the general rule; therefore as 'temptation' receives the rising inflection, 'evil' which is opposed to it, ought to have the falling inflection, agreeably to the rule given by Walker, and followed by other writers. On the contrary, Mr. Wright directs that 'evil' should be pronounced with the rising inflection, but rising less than on 'temptation,' in conformity with his rules respecting the manner of reading supplications and antithetic sentences. Which of these two methods of delivering the above passage will display the meaning with the greater clearness and force, must be left to the judgment of those who have given some attention to the study of Elocution. At the same time, it is admitted that the rule for the terminating of supplications with the rising inflection may be just, except where contradistinction is expressed or implied. See p. 28, Rule xii.

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