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TRACTATE

ON

IMPEDIMENTS OF SPEECH.

In architecture, previously to raising the structure, a foundation, must be obtained; but, in getting to the foundation, there are often many obstructions to be encountered, and removed, ere the goodly fabric, can be begun: so, in Elocution—there may be impediments to articulation to be overcome, before the principles of harmonious enunciation, can, with propriety, be inculcated. Instances of malformation in the vocal organs, are wonderfully rare; yet, distinct articulation, is by no means common to the most perfect organization. Indistinctness in speaking, is, more or less, characteristic of all, who have not made speaking a particular object of study. In ordinary conversation with acquaintances, defects, unless

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very prominent, pass unnoticed; but, in all attempts, in public, at reading, or speaking our Standard Language, the imperfect sounds, are grating to the ear; and, instead of attention being roused by the reader, or speaker, his hearers, sink into apathy, and often into disgust.

Without expatiating on the effects of uncouth delivery, I shall, in the mean time, confine my attention to marked defects of speech; to those, indeed, which are acknowledged by all to be IMPEDIMENTS.

In the first place, I shall begin with STAMMERING. "Hold!" exclaims the quack: "Expose not a subject which I can make a "fruitful source of profit. I proceed not upon "fixed principles, it is true; but, I can Do "something, and MAKE my confiding patient

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BELIEVE a great deal; and what is wanting "in skill, I can supply by mystery, and the "solemnity of an oath.”

Whether the disclosure of the means for the cure of Stammering be politic, in a selfish

point of view, is certainly very doubtful; but, I shall have the honour of being the first, who has traced the Impediment to its causes, and found the sure means of its removal, in the invariable principles of vocal sounds. That Stammering, has been cured, admits not of denial, or, even doubt. It is also true, that the persons, by whose agency, the removal of the Impediment, was effected, have often been completely ignorant of the principles of Vocal

action.

That medical men, have been of no use in such cases, proves their little familiarity with the operation of the organs, which are employed in Speech. The empiric, had, therefore, no rival to awe him; and, binding his patients under the spell of an oath, he could run the full career of unlicensed adventure. Groping in the dark, the quack, sometimes succeeded, often failed to mitigate the Impediment. Still, partial success, stimulated to farther attempts, which were subject, of course, to casual events. Immense fees, even in cases

of failure, were exacted, which went far beyond the means of persons in ordinary life, and put even the chance of cure at an immeasurable distance. The quack, uniformly secured his own interest, by having his remuneration in advance. The occulted fraud,-the poor stammerer being bound by an oath,—thus escaped at once detection, and punishment.

Without an acknowledged system for the removal, or, mitigation of this Impedimentwithout confidence in the announcements of empirics, thousands, have been, and are left to their sufferings; their fortunes, marred, their existence, embittered, from inability to articulate in the ordinary business of life.

To shew the causes of Stammering, and point to the standard, and never-failing means of its cure, in the principles of Language, shall be my endeavour in this treatise. No case, however aggravated by time, and habit, but, with patient perseverance, will yield to the simple, yet powerful process, which is enjoined.

Having gone so far in introductory matter, I shall take for my motto, or text, the short prefatory narration of the Evangelist, St. Matthew, to the sermon of our Saviour

"And he opened his mouth, and taught them."

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To persons, who have not studied the phenomena of Speech, the words "opened his mouth," may seem mere expletives; for, to speak, it is taken for granted, implies an opening of the mouth. Were the analyses of vocal sounds well understood, an important fact, would then be manifest; that, though an opening of the mouth, ought to precede all articulation, yet, such opening, is not generally made by the majority of readers, and speakers. The want of this preliminary motion, in one class, by far the larger, produces INDISTINCTNESS; and, in a smaller class,—with some other causes which will be mentioned,—it produces STAMMERING at least, it greatly tends to the formation of the Impediment, that is so designated. We may fairly assume,

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