FRIENDLY HINTS TO YOUNG BEGINNERS. MY DEAR YOUNg Friends, It is always a source of pleasure to every right thinking person to see our young people cultivating a taste for good books and learning the habit of doing good. It is to aid both these efforts that I have gathered together, from many of our best authors, a collection of pieces which will, I trust, be the means of giving you a desire to become better acquainted with many of their productions. By doing this, you will also train yourselves to appreciate the best writings of our noblest men and women, and in this manner store your minds with sentiments and principles which will not only be of great service to yourselves, but, with God's blessing, prepare you to take your part in shaping the thoughts and directing the minds of others, with whom you may have to do in the journey of life. It is also more than probable that many of you who begin by trying to recite, may gradually go on to teach in the Sabbath School, or speak in the Cottage meeting, or even preach in the Pulpit; and who shall be able to anticipate what good may be the result of such efforts? I am glad that you are anxious to try and do a little good; for I am sure you will find, in making any effort in this way, it will be sure to do you good in return. The best of books says "He that watereth others shall be watered also himself;" and again, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Now, it is not only right to desire to do good, but it is also very important that what you do should be done in the best possible way. You know that even a nice picture painted badly will be spoiled in its effect, and in like manner, a good piece of poetry or prose, read or recited badly, will also fail to do the good it would if it had been delivered with taste and care. It is because I am anxious you should do the most good, in the best way, that I venture to give you a few friendly words of advice upon the subject. I hope that you will frequently cast your eye over these "Hints," for I am sure that as you grow older, and gain more practice, you will find that every one of the points to which I call your attention will deserve all the care and all the study which I urge you to give to it from time to time. I. Of course you would like to become a GOOD Reciter or X Reader. Every boy or girl should start out with this desire. Now, if you wish to become a good writer or a good painter, or to play upon any instrument of music well, you know that you must be prepared to give your mind to it earnestly, and to bestow a great deal of time and labour in overcoming any little difficulty which may come in your way. So you will find it equally needful to do so with this work of reciting. There is no smooth and easy path for any lazy boy or girl to slide to success. The price you must be willing to pay will be patience, perseverance, and earnest effort. If you are willing to do this, the day will surely come when you will win the prize. Many boys and girls think they can pick up a piece of poetry and throw it off in a meeting, like they pick up a ball and throw it in the air. There never was a greater mistake. That which costs you little effort to get off, will, as a rule, produce very little effect upon an intelligent audience. If you want to succeed, you must practise, practise, practise, for it is that alone which makes perfect in this or anything else worth doing. II. Do your best to understand what you intend to recite. To do this you will need to read over very slowly and carefully every word, pausing now and then to ask yourself, "Do I know what that word means?" If in doubt, get a Dictionary and see what it has to say, or ask some intelligent friend. Nothing is more absurd than to listen to anyone, either in reading, speaking, or reciting, parrot-like, using words that they do not know the meaning of. Understand what you read, so that you may be able to make those who hear you understand also. III. Try to deliver it with effect. To do this you must feel that you understand every word you utter. By this means you will, almost of necessity, put the proper force on the words, and vary the tone of the voice with which you say them. To be natural and easy, suit the action to the words; and in this way to make what you say live before the people who hear you, it is evident you must realize first all that you say yourself, by realizing strongly the spirit of what you are saying, and so, out of the abundance of your heart, speaking. IV. Do not attempt any subject beyond your power. There is nothing more absurd than to hear grand words uttered by one who does not know what he is saying. It is only to be compared to a village choir trying to produce the grand chorus of the "Messiah" with cracked voices and broken instruments of music. Better, by far, recite a plain homely thing you can understand and enter into with all your heart, than to strut about with a grand poem, not half of which you could tell the meaning of, if asked a few simple questions. Be sure and keep to things you quite understand, and wait until you get older before you try to "do the grand." |