JENNIE R. MERRIAM by Jennie R. Merriam

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 4, 1873

JENNIE R. MERRIAM

By Jennie R. Merriam

Reading.

(Extract from a Critique read before the Literary Society, Jan. 13, 1873.)

Too little attention is paid to the art of reading. To be a good reader, is a finer accomplishment than to be a good singer, or performer on the piano-forte. The voice of song is not sweeter than the voice of eloquence; and there may be eloquent readers as well as eloquent speakers. To be a good reader, one must be in earnest; and the sentiments and feelings of the author must be infused into his own breast, or he will not be able to convey to the hearer the correct meaning of the author. There is a mistaken idea that to read so as to be understood, we must read very loud; and the voice is pitched so high it has a strained, unnatural sound. The fault generally lies more in the articulation than in the key. Another fault is in the tone of voice. There should be a difference in the tone of the voice, to suit the grave and gay, the sublime and ridiculous.