Year: 1873

paper, some of the most important !
changes made in the present laws
TEd if! D.


- Reading Aloud.
I'd, On hearing Charles Kemble read
Shakespeare to London audiences, it
oecuITsd to us that it would be well
il, nom among the thousands who
listened to him, few could be in
ducef TO carry the practice into private
life, ' We know of no accomplishment
so valuable as that of reading '.with
good emphasis and discretion;" of
catching the meaning and spirit of
an author, and conveying them to
others with distinct and inteIligible
utterance; and yet, strange to say,
/ there is no department of modern
education so much neglected. Indeed,
so general is this neglect, that scarce
ly one young lady or gentleman in a
dozen who boast of having ''fnished"
their education, can, on being re-
quested, read aloud to a private com
pany with that ease and graceful
modulation which is necessary to the
perfect appreciation of the author.
There is either a forced and unnatu-
raj mouthing, a hesitating and i'm
perfect articulation, or a monotony of
tone so thoroughly painful, that one
listens with impatience, and is glad
when some excuse presents itself for
his absence. Whatever may be the
imperfections of our schools, tuition,
this defect is rather to be attributed
to want of taste, and consequent
neglect of practice on the part of
grown-up individuals, than to any
defect in their elementary training.
There may be a deficiency of good
models; bat the main difficulty arises
from the unequal value which seems
to be attached to good reading as
compared with music, dancing, paint
ing and other fashionable acquire
ments. Why it should be SO, we can
/


discover no good cause, but on the
contrary, see many substantial reas
ons why reading aloud should be
cultivated as one of the most useful
and attractive of domestic accomplish
ments.


70 young ladies, for example, the
habit of reading aloud has much to
recommend it. As mere exercise, it
is highly beneficial on account of the
EstreE.gth and vigor which it confers
on the chest and lungs; while the
mental pleasure to be derived there
from is one of the most delightful
that can adorn the family circle.
Gathered round the winters fire or
evening lamp, what could be more
cheerful for the aged and infrm, what
more instructive to the younger bran
ches, or more exemplary to the care
less, than the reading aloud of some
entertaining author, and who could
do this with greater OF more impress
sive effect than youthful female ?
It requires no great effort to attain
this art, no neglect of music, painting,
or other accomplishments; it is, In
fact, morea practice than a study, and
one which the interest excited by new
books and periodicals would always
prevent from becoming dull or tire
some. Were females of all ranks to
adopt the practice more than they do
az present. they would bind to their
homes many who are otherwise dis
posed to go in search of unworthy
enjoyments, and women add another
chain of delightful associations where
with to attach the young to the fam
/ ilYhearth Another advantage which
it would confer on the fair readers
themselves, would be the impressive
utterance and information which cor
rect reading would produce, instead
of that simpering and isping which
are SO often to be met with even
among females of the higher classes.
Nor is it to women in their domestic
capacity only that the practice of read
ing aloud would be attended with
benefit Many of the middle and
lower classes are under the necessity
of earning livelihood by indoor
employment, such as millinery, straw
plating, pattern-making, and the
! Ike, and being in general occupied
in one apartment of moderate size,
the reading aloud of proper books
would be to them not only a source of
4 healthy recreation, but of amusement
and instruction. In such establish
ments, reading by turns would pre-
sent a beautiful picture, and however
limited the amount of information
disseminated, it would at all events
be thousand times preferable to
that system of idle and worthless
gossip which is said now to prevail.
To young men preparing for pro
fessional labors, the art of reading
aloud is indispensable; and although
not equally necessary for what are
called business men, still to such it
is becoming and valuable acquire
ment. Ask your son, who has lately
gone to the counting-room, to read
you the last debate in parliament, and
ten to one he will rattle through it
with such a jumbGng indistinctness
of utterance that you are glad when
his hour calls him away, and leaves
you to the quiet enjoyment of self
perusal. And why is this? Simply
because the youth has never been
taught to regard reading aloud in the