have been given to the world by Dr. James Rush, of Philadel phia a name that will outlive the unquarried marble of our mountains. In his "Philosophy of the Human Voice," this branch of learning is, for the first time, reduced to a science, and established upon the unbending principles of an inductive philosophy. By the lights of science, then, which shone not upon the ancients, may the modern votary of Hermes be guided on his way to the temple of fame.

The most important and particular directions for acquiring a good articulation, will doubtless be found most convenient if presented in the form of Rules.

RULE 1.

Particular regard should be paid to a clear and distinct pronunciation of the elementary sounds employed in vocal utterance.

Of the Elementary Sounds of the English Language.

According to the analysis of Dr. Rush, there are thirty-five elementary sounds, employed and combined by the voice in pronouncing the various words of our language. Some of these sounds are represented by the twenty-six letters which constitute the English Alphabet; and others, by combinations of two or more of these letters.

A perfect Alphabet would consist of a separate symbol for every elementary sound; but the letters of our alphabet, being imperfect in this respect, are employed to represent the sounds which denote their names, and also, other elementary sounds, employed in the utterance of syllables. Hence, there is often a material difference between the elementary sounds, heard in pronouncing syllables, and represented by particular letters, and those sounds which constitute merely the names of the same letters. A few examples may serve to point out this difference, which ought to be specially attended to in practising upon the elementary sounds of the human voice.

In the words a-pe, a-che, a-te, the sounds of the element a, corresponds with the sound given to the name of that letter; but

a different elementary sound is represented by the same letter in the words a-ll, b-a-ll, f-a-ll; and a sound still different in a-t, h-a-t, th-a-t; and yet another sound in b-a-r, m-a-r, a-rbour. In the word n-o-te, the letter o, represents the sound given to its name; but in the word n-o-t, it is the representative of quite a different elementary sound; and of a sound slightly different again in the word n-o-r; to which may be added a fourth elementary sound in m-o-ve. Similar remarks might be extended to e in m-e, m-e-t, to i in p-i-ne, p-i-n, to u in l-u-te, h-u-t, f-u-ll; but those variations in the sounds of the vowels, are familiar to every one, although every one has not noticed, that these five vowels are employed, without combining them, as the representatives of fifteen, distinct, elementary sounds of the voice.

Th

in th-ink, has a different sound from th in wi-th, th-is. · Ch in ar-ch-angel, represents the elementary sound commonly denoted by k, but quite a different sound in ar-ch-er. As these graphick characters called letters, then, are employed to represent, not only the sounds which denote their names, but, also, other elementary sounds which enter into the pronunciation of syllables, the aspirant for excellence in elocution, should deem no attention too minute-no course of labours too arduous, which may be found requisite in order to obtain a complete mastery of all their elementary sounds.

There are many elementary sounds for the representation of which we have no single letters. To make up this deficiency in our alphabet, these sounds are represented by two or more letters combined. By pronouncing the words th-ump, brea-th, brea-the, so-ng, sh-ut, wh-at, ch-ur-ch, ou-t, in a slow and drawling manner, it will readily be perceived by those who have not heretofore attended to the subject, that the combinations th, the, ng, sh, wh, ch and ou, express each an elementary sound which is not represented by any single letter in the alphabet.

The same letter is not only employed to represent different elementary sounds, but the same elementary sound is often expressed by various letters, or by various combinations of letters. In the words s-o-n, d-o-th, d-o-es, the letter o, is employed as the representative of an elementary sound commonly expressed

by u, as in s-u-n, d-u-th, d-u-z. In the words p-u-pil, n-ew, l-ieu, v-iew, b-eau-ty, the letters u, ew, ieu, iew and eau, are employed to represent one and the same elementary sound, a sound commonly denoted by u. The e in th-e-re, ei in th-ei-r, and ai in ai-r, have the same sound as a in sn-a-re.

Of the Radical and Vanishing movement of the Voice.

Among the wonderful contrivances of nature in directing the operations of the vocal powers in the production of speech, in no one thing has she displayed greater wisdom than in that which relates to the simple elements called by Dr. Rush, the Radical and Vanishing movement of the voice. To this philosophical inquirer, the world is indebted for the following analysis of these important functions.

If the vowel a be pronounced without intensity or emotion, and as if it were a continuation, and not a close, of utterance, two successive sounds will be heard: the first, the nominal sound of the letter a, issuing from the vocal organs with a certain degree of abrupt fulness; the last, a feebler sound of the element e, which gradually diminishes until it terminates in silence.

To the unpractised student, the diphthongal character of a will be more clearly demonstrated, if its sound be protracted, and uttered with an emotion of surprise, at the close of an interrogation, thus, 'Do you call that a?"

The character of this opening fulness and feebler vanish, may be still more clearly manifested by pronouncing the element in the following various ways: let the opening be strong and full, and the vanish less forcible, with a pause between the opening sound a and the vanishing sound e, and then a shorter pause, and then a shorter still, and so on, until both the opening and the vanish become blended into one sound, thus, A- -e, A—e, A-e, a-e, æ.

Similar experiments may be practised upon the diphthongs, i as heard in i-sle, y in dr-y, and ou in ou-r, and upon the simple elements, e as heard in ee-l, o in oo-ze, and so forth.

This opening fulness of sound here described, Dr. Rush has denominated the Radical movement; because the following or

vanishing portion of the elementary sound, rises concretely from it as from a base or root: and the last portion he calls the Vanishing movement, on account of its becoming gradually weaker, until it finally dies away into silence.

Division of the Elementary sounds.

The hoary division of the letters of our alphabet into vowels and consonants, handed down to us from the Greek and Roman etymologists, does not seem to be strictly philosophical, nor fully descriptive of their relative characteristicks. A consonant is not only capable "of being perfectly sounded without the help of a vowel," but, moreover, of forming, like a vowel, a separate syllable.

Dr. Rush has judiciously adopted a division and classification of the elementary characters of our language, in accordance with their use in intonation. He arranges them under three general heads: the Tonicks, the Subtonicks, and the Atonicks.

The Tonick elements are those whose sounds display the properties of the radical and vanish in the most perfect manner. There are twelve of them; and they are heard in the sounds commonly given to the separated italicks in the following words: A-te, a-rk, a-ll, a-t, ee-l, e-rr, e-nd, i-de, i-t, o-ld, oo-ze, ou-t. The tonick sounds consist of a distinct vocality, or raucous quality of voice, by which they are contradistinguished from aspirate or whispering sounds. They have a more musical quality than the other elementary sounds, and may be uttered with greater abruptness and force. They are also capable of indefinite prolongation; and admit of the concrete and tremulous rise and fall through all the intervals of pitch.

The Subtonick elements possess, variously, but in an inferiour degree, properties analogous to those of the tonicks. Whilst they admit of being intonated, or carried concretely through the intervals of pitch, they are inferiour to the tonicks in all the emphatick and elegant purposes of speech. They are fourteen in number; as,

B-oat, d-are, g-ilt, v-ice, z-one, y-e, w-o, th-at, a-z-ure, so-ng, l-ate, m-ate, n-ot, r-oe.

Of the subtonicks, b, d, g, ng, l, m, n, r, have an unmixed vocality; v, z, y, w, th, zh, have an aspiration joined with their vocality. M, n, ng, b, d, g, are purely nasal elements; the rest of the subtonicks, are partly oral.

The Atonick elements are mere aspirates, or currents of whispering breath. They are not properly vocal sounds; have but a limited power of variation in pitch; and supply no part of the concrete movement when breathed among the constituents of syllables. There are nine of them, as heard in the words, U-p, a-t, lar-k, i-f, thi-s, h-e, wh-at, th-in, blu-sh.

Although the aspiration of the atonicks, is both significative and emphatick, yet it has no musical quality in its sound, and affords no basis for the functions of the radical and vanish.

Three of the subtonicks, b, d, and g, and three of the atonicks, p, t, and k, possess the explosive character in an eminent degree, as in uttering them, the breath bursts out after a complete occlusion.

These seven of the tonick elements, a-te, a-rk, a-ll, a-t, i-de, o-ld, o-ut, have different sounds for the two extremes of their concrete movement; but the other five, ee-l, e-rr, e-nd, oo-ze, i-t, have each, one unaltered sound throughout the same movement; which fact the student is requested to demonstrate by experiment.

The tonicks may, therefore, be divided into Diphthongs and Monothongs.

The seven tonicks, a-te, i-de, ou-t, &c. are diphthongs, because the sounds of the radical and vanishing movement are different; but the remaining five, ee-l, oo-ze, i-t, &c. are called monothongs, as their radical and vanish are alike in sound.

A-ll has for its radical, the sound of a in all, and for its vanish, a short and obscure sound of the monothong e in e-rr.

A-te has for its vanish, e in the monothong ee-l.

I-de has its radical, followed in like manner by a vanish of the monothong ee-l.

O-ld has for its vanish, the monothong oo-ze.

Ou-t has for its vanish, the same monothong oo-ze.