"the portion, which, in the delivery, is con

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stantly giving out, must be imperceptibly, "and constantly supplied. The speaker, is "not to put off this necessary supply, till he "arrive at a full period, and so, run himself "out of breath, if the sentence should be "long: as any part of a sentence, admitting a "pause between its members, though ever so

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slight-any place, admitting a momentary suspension of the voice,-suffices for the recovery of a small portion of the air, which "is thus expended. This precept, equally

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applies to singing as to public speaking, and "it is considered as a point of the highest

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consequence, in that art, to sustain the voice "with equability: this alone, can be effected "by the management of the breath, and by

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seizing the proper opportunities for inspira"tion. In this beautiful point of art, the

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singers of Italy, excel all others; and it is "the true secret of that unbroken, flowing "stream of voice, which is called the sostenuto, "and which gives the power of swell, and di

"minution of the volume: it regulates, in ef"fect, the whole of their punctuation, (if it "may be so called,) and constitutes the inimi"table expression of Italian song."

I am no medical man, to amuse, or, instruct by describing the processes of inspiration, and expiration; I merely give, in my own phraseology, the results of my experience.

When sitting in an unconstrained posture, and not speaking, the process of breathing, is slow, and regular; so, in walking with a slow step, the breathing, corresponds with the slow movement of the limbs; but, the moment the velocity of the steps, is increased, the number of expirations, and inspirations, must also be increased. Unless I greatly err, the number of these, must be in proportion to the number of muscular motions. If this hold in walking, or running, as I think it will-it must also take place in reading, or speaking.

If a person read with deliberation, his breathing, will go nearly as regularly, as when the body, is in a state of rest; but, when the

motion of the vocal powers, is increased, as in common reading, or, spirited conversation, the number of breathings, will also be augmented.

All persons, who have not been taught the proper management of the voice, are, more or less, subject to difficulty, arising from irregularity in their breathing, when they read, or speak. The Stammerer, is a sure victim to this certain source of uneasiness. In his ardour to proceed, he endeavours to throw out whole battalions of words; but, not knowing, where the breath, may, with propriety, be relieved, he stutters, and splutters, and writhes in ineffectual attempts at speed.

Say that a Stammerer, is to pronounce the sentence-Evil communications corrupt good manners. He runs on so-" Evil communications c-" here he stops, or, at least, his convulsions, begin. There are two causes of this obstruction. The first, is owing to illarranged inspirations-the second, to a want of the knowledge of the true seats of the con

sonants-s, and c hard.

The seat of s being

the teeth, and that of c (c hard), the back of the tongue, before the word, can possibly be articulated, a separation of the teeth, must take place, that the organs, may 'get into a proper position for its enunciation. Had the Stammerer, at this harsh combination of letters, separated his teeth, and stopped thus,

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Evil communications-corrupt good manners,"

he would have felt no obstruction; for, observe, that the separation of the teeth, in this case, serves a twofold purpose; it puts the machinery of speech in a fit state to form c hard, and, at the same time, it opens a passage for the air to rush in, and sustain the vocal powers.

There is, also, the frequent occurrence of double letters in our language, the want of attention to which, causes indistinctness in all speakers. Forexample—

Whose schemes of future reward.

This is a combination of words, which few

persons, could pronounce distinctly. No Stammerer, can articulate them without writhings, and deformity of countenance. The first

word, terminates with a hissing sound-the second, begins with a similar sound: ·-

Whose schemes

In the next three words, the first, has ƒ for its termination—the second, commences with ƒ: this, has r for its termination, (the e, is mute) and the last word "reward," begins with r.

"Whose-schemes of-future-reward."

These double sounds, will not amalgamate; though, in the rapidity of speech, the distinct motions, cannot be perceived by the eye. Unless these sounds be separated, by a joint action of the lips, and teeth, the articulation, must be imperfect. This sort of mouthing, if it may be so called-I do not use the word in a ludicrous sense-is as necessary to produce harmony in speech, as fingering, is requisite to make a violin "discourse its eloquent music."

Numberless instances of double letters, may