A N

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

ART OF READING

WITH

ENERGY and PROPRIETY.

...

CHA P. I.

Obfervations on the Defects and Perfection of Reading in general.

IT

T is remarkable, that among the numerous Writers on the Arts of Speaking and Writing, there are few or none who have treated profeffedly on that of Reading.

We have, indeed, many Books which treat curforily of the Pronunciation of particular Languages: But the Pronunciation,

or Method of Sounding the particular Words of a Language, is acquired by Ha"bit, and not by Art*: And it is poffible (at least we may conceive) that a

Man may be able to pronounce every . Word of a Language in the most unexceptionable Manner, who might, neverthelefs, be incapable of Reading + any Language whatever.

Again, we have Tracts on the Art of Speaking; but neither Reading nor Speaking is confined to mere Sound. A Perfon can with no more Propriety be said to speak than to read a Language he does not underftand. Indeed, the Writers on the Art of Speaking are, for the most Part, so far from confining it to the mere Exercise of the Faculty of Speech, that they extend it fo far as to include the Arts of corporeal Gesture and intellectual Defign or Compo

* At least, if there are People ingenious in their Way, who can facilitate the Acquifition of this Habit, their Art is not yet regularly admitted into the Encyclopedia.

+A Man may poffibly learn to pronounce Latin, Greek and Hebrew, as was the Cafe with the Daughters of Milton, who are faid to have read to him in thofe Languages when he was blind; but Reading, as an Art, is not underftood in that Senfe, in which People may be faid to read what they do not comprehend.

fition;

fition; fo that, according to their Notions, no one can be faid to speak well, who is not at the fame Time a good Actor, and a good Writer: And, indeed, it is allowed, thefe two Characters must enter into that of a compleat Orator.

A Reader, however, need neither be a Writer nor an Actor, much lefs a finished Orator. By the Art of Reading, to which this Effay is intended as an Introduction, is meant fimply the Art of Pronunciation in general, or that of intelligibly and emphatically repeating or rehearfing what is written in any Language: No Patavinity or Provinciality of Dialect*, which is merely local and tranfitory, interfering with an Art, established on the fundamental Principles of all Language.

The

*This may, indeed, in fome Cafes, be fo great as to render fuch Lecture almost unintelligible; but the discerning Reader cannot mistake the Author's Meaning. He fuppofes his Pupil capable of pronouncing every Word in this refpect unexceptionably; it not being his Defign to teach People their Alphabet or Spelling Book. It is true, no Perfon can be faid to speak gracefully or elegantly who retains any Vulgarity or provincial Peculiarity of Pronunciation. This Defect, however, is more juftly excufeable, if not more eafily remedied, than any Deficiency in Emphafis. The Bufinefs of the prefent Effay, is rather to

The Art of Reading, as here defined, may, at first View, feem very easily attainable; on a very little Reflection, however, it will be difcerned, that the Narrative of the Historian, the Descriptions of the Poet, and the Declamations of the Orator, are not to be intelligibly repeated, without fome Portion of the Senfe and Spirit of all three.

S

A mere audible Recital of the Words of any Author, as it may be made by a Person who doth not understand what he fays, fo it may be made alfo in fuch a Manner as not to be understood by those who hear him; or if not totally unintelligible, be at least but imperfectly or falsely understood; whereas the Art of READING confifts in conveying to the Hearer the whole Meaning of the Writer.

To this End, it is evidently neceffary that the Reader fhould himself understand what he reads, before he can poffibly re

1

fhew the Ufe and Means of Reading intelligibly than Speaking gracefully. Perfons may read with Propriety, who do not speak elegantly; but no Person can be Master of graceful Lecture, or Repetition, without first having acquired the Art of Reading intelligibly and emphatically.

peat it intelligibly to others. This is the first and indifputable Qualification of a Reader; without which, the moft articulate Pronunciation, with all the Artifices of Tone, Look or Gefture, will avail nothing, or only ferve to mislead the Hearer; the Orator, Actor and Reader, being all understood to say, what they appear to mean, rather than what they literally ut*.

ter *

Now, as the mere Reader hath no other Means of conveying the Meaning of the Writer than by vocal Utterance or Pro nunciation, fo thefe Means are the leaft equivocal of all others, and the fureft Cri terion of a clear Understanding in the one, and Preciseness of Expression in the other: For it is here to be obferved, that what is ill written can never be well read; for which Reason we should not be too ready to cenfure the indifferent Readers of indifferent Writings.

It is very certain, however, that there are Perfons of moft excellent Understand

* As a Proof of this, might be quoted a Number of Paffages, literally harmlefs and inoffenfive; which may nevertheless be fo fpoken as to inflame the Hearer with the most sudden and impetuous Refentment.