Pronunciation. (2)

In response to: Several years ago an English artist came to this country. He was extensively heralded and, among his other good qualities, was held up as a model of perfect pronunciation. I heard him sing Handel's aria, "Honor and Arms," from "Samson," in which one sentence occurs ten times. Nobody who was not familiar with the score could have made out what the artist meant by declaiming with great vigor, "Doie cuttenty a tablow," instead of "Though I could end thee at a blow." On another occasion I heard a lady sing Tours's charming song, "Heavenwards." Would not you think her singing in Italian if you heard, "Hafarisito hebendia," instead of, "How far is it to heaven, dear?" These illustrations show better than the strongest argument how distressing this fault is to a listener.