The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-05-15
REVOLUTIONARY rRloks.
An Able Criticism by Well-Knosn Publ
Reader and Elocutionist.

An Able Criticism by Well-Known Public
Reader and Elocutionist.
Public reading or reciting simply as a
source of entertainment Lscan not pre-
tend to be much in sympathy with.
There seems to be nothing definite or
tangible in It,. Take the reading or the
reciting Of THE Bells" for instance.
The running Of the gamut Of sounds,
the attempt to produce the changing or
tinkling of bells-sleigh bells, funeral
bells and the rest-are tricks of voice
that profcssed elocutionist sometimes
employs to amaze and startle his audit
ors. The spirit Of the poem is missed
in Poe's Raven" when the elocutionist
tries to initiate the cawing Of the bird
in the word ''nevermore,' instead Of
giving, as tho poem suggests, the awful,
weird and mournful Significance Of the
word itself.
There is much trash recitcd from the
| platform and there is nothing more hor4
rible than the attempt to impcrsonate
the little maiden holding on the clapper
OF the bell so that ''Curfew shall not
ring tonight" Dull, maudlin senti-
ment made up OF lines and only
showing strain and artificial elo-
cutionary methods should not,
think, be the aim of the artistic re-
otter. The mine from which the elocu-
zionist can draw his material is broad
and deep. A wide field of literature is
before him.. in fact the well-spring of
English undefiled
| | have been told that l am not popu-
lar, at least among the class known as
| professional elocutionists and I have
also beon told that ] have no method,
that / do not sufficiently impersonate or
get enough out of my poems or plays.
know OF nothing more offensive than
pedantic pronunciation. Every public
! speaker should Of course be perfect and
follow the best or most approved rules
regarding pronunciation, but where they
/ are precedents for one or two words it
may be difficult to decide on the best,
and / take it 1t is not the business of
one to criticise.
1t is hard for those who love elocution
to listen to the bumptious efforts of am
bilious 7rcciters, and l know many
who employ music to aid them, such
as singing and whistling and heavens
KNOWS what. 4 nave, IN anL-eX-
perience of twenty years, recited to
all kinds Of audiences. generally poems,
| demanding from my auditors great at
tention. have yet to recall an instance
where l have in any manner felt humil-
lated by want OF courtesy and, If may
use the woru, respect.
Audiences vary. Some come to hear
the reciter, others to hear the recita-
tions. Others with books and pencils
follow him with anxious note to detect
any variation in text. The art OF the
elocutionist is not understood. The
word has an unsavory sound and has
been the subject of great deal of
elaborate and plausible nonsense. Its
self-styled professors have greatly cam
aged it. Many Of these are unworthy to
take the place of the often capable en-
tertainer in the negro minstrels while
| others make capital out of tricks of
voice, exaggerated facial grimace, bell
lowing, murder cries, screech-owls, 6re-
engines, BELTS. cawlng of ravens and the
barking of dogs.-Sydney Woollett, in
N. Y. journal.