Page 12 - Third Book of Reading Lessons

INTRODUCTORY LESSON.
ON READING. .
Goon reading is an imitation of correct and elegant speak-
ing. Reading di ers from speaking in this, that in the lat­ ter, we express our own ideas, in our own language; in the former, we express the ideas of others, in theirs. A reader should endeavour to seize the meaning of his author, make his opinions and sentiments his own, and so to read as to in­ se them into the minds and hearts of his hearers. For this end, he should attend to six things ; namely,-pronuncia­ tion, punctuation, accent, emphasis, the proper modulation of his voice, and, lastly, to the time with which he reads.
By pronunciation is meant-the giving to every word and syllable the sound which accords with the most polite usage of the language. A slight, mincing pronunciation of the ac­ cented vowels, an indistinct pronunciation of the unaccented ones, a slurring of the nal consonants, and the omission of / and d in of and and, are ults which should be care lly avoided. The beauty of pronunciation depends on the cor­ rect sound and judicious prolongation of the vowels; its dis­ tinctness, on the exact and rm expression of the consonants.
By punctuation is meant-a due regard to the pauses which the sense or beauty of a passage may require. To connect words which are naturally separated, or to separate those which are naturally connected, may materia11y alter the sense of what is read. Every word or phrase conveying a distinct idea requires a pause. The length of the pauses
must depend on the nature of the subject; but, generally, the length given to one, determines the length of the others. The reader's judgment must here be exercisd, that he may use such pauses as will mark most accurately the sense or
beauty of the passage he is reading.
Accent is a stress of the voice laid on particular syllables and words ; depending on ordinary custom when laid on syl-