\ A SYSTEM OF PRACTICAL ELOCUTION AND RHETORICAL GESTURE; COMPRISING ALL THE ELEMENTS OF VOCAL DELIVERY, BOTH AS A SCIENCE AND AS AN ART ; SO ARRANGED AND EXEMPLIFIED AS TO MAKE IT EASY OF ACQUISITION FOR PRIVATE LEARNERS WITHOUT A TEACHER, AS WELL AS FOR TILE USE OF COMMON SCHOOLS, ACADEMIES, SEMINARIES, &c. ILLUSTRATED BY ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE ENGRAVINGS AND FIGURES, AS WELL AS BY NUMEROUS TABLES AND EXAMPLES, MAKING THE WHOLE EMPHATICALLY PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL. BY DR. J. WEAVER, INSTRUCTOR IN ELOCUTION. PHILADELPHIA : BARRETT AND JONES, PRINTERS, 34 CARTER'S ALLEY, 1846. . -pNiMU TH4- Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1846, By DR. J. WEAVER, of Meehanicsburg, Pa. in the Clerk's Office of the District Court, of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.- INTRODUCTION. The importance of a knowledge of the principles of Elocution, must be strongly impressed upon every reflecting mind ; since that, by the use of these principles, all our personal intercourse with each other is conducted, both of a private and public character. "We cannot speak to each other in the most simple manner in our private intercourse of busi- ness or friendship, without employing more or less of these principles, to effect our purposes. In every word, in every syllable, in every sound, is contained one or more of the elements constituting the basis of Elocution. And it may also be observed, by almost every reader of this introduction, that even in the humbler walks of life, a good elocu- tion gives a very decided advantage over a bad or an awkward one. If the intonations of a man's voice be smooth, flexible, and properly energetic. Ins intercourse in business will be greatly facilitated, and success will more likely and generally follow. For there is a vast amount of matter in sound, hardly to be conceived ; and it is the man- na- of saying a thing, which gives it more effect, in many instances, than the thing itself. Hence, a good elocution gives a man greatly the advantage. Again, when we look around us, and observe those who have become, or made themselves conspicuous in our own country, in the different professions, in church, and in state; we shall find, that in proportion as were eloquent, and had high powers of utterance, they became eminently successful, and are considered and looked up to as superiors in this respect, and consequently take the lead, and are catable also, to lead, and DO really lead the destiny of our country, and, in some respects, that of the world. Eloquent men are not always the most learned ; nor are they the most profound in thought and reasoning. But when eloquence and eru- dition are united in the same individual, he becomes brilliant, and stands head and shoulder above his fellows. Look, for instance, upon Cicero and Demosthenes, of olden times ; upon Sir Robert Peel and Lord Brougham, of modern England ; upon Whitefield and Durbin, of the Toga, Clay and Webster, Calhoun and Preston, Randolph and Adams of our own country ; some of whom did, and the others novj can electrify assemblies, and throw them into a state of intense thought and feeling, in which they are almost unconscious of every thing else, save that thought and that feeling. IV INTRODUCTION. From this, then, we may naturally infer, that to become useful and to do good in this world, a good elocution is one of the most efficient means. And especially in a country like ours, where civil liberty secures to every one a freedom of thought and a freedom of speech, by which he is permitted to act in every way of usefulness, in any depart- ment of life, to which his genius, disposition, and education may incline him. Being governed only by the law of liberty and the law of love, force is never permitted to take the place of reason, and crime and cor- ruption ?ieed not be suffered to go unpunished. The institutions of our country, then, would seem to foster the very spirit of eloquence ; and it would seem almost a crime to check that spirit, or withhold aid in the promotion of its onward progression. Let us endeavor to make a nation of orators, by affording to every r man, woman, and child in our country, the theory and practice, or the means and the mode of acquiring the improvement, and an efficient use of this most important and powerful instrument of the mind — the voice. When we look round upon the great theatre of life, what attracts our attention more strongly, than that spirit-stirring oratory which occa- sionally manifests itself in the corruscations from the moral horizon ? What more distinguishes one man from another, than the power of utter- ance, the power of speech to stir man's blood and start him into action ? Who is generally employed by Providence, to effect any great moral reformation, but the man who is able to wield the almost omnipotent power of a commanding vocal utterance ; the man who, Luther-like, makes himself feel what he says, and makes others feel what they hear '. Who is there that, is not willing to hear the man, who, Paul-like, has power to make an infidel-Felix tremble on his judgment seat ? Who is there that does not love to feel the power and truth of argumentation, and to luxuriate in the feelings which are inspired by eloquence ? Nay, there are none who delight not in being under the influence of the in- spiring tones of a properly modulated intonation, and who do not love to feel the overwhelming power of eloquence. From this, then, we may clearly conclude, that there is a demand, a general demand, which should be supplied. And what better method can be taken, than to place the means of supply within the reach of every man, of every gentleman and lady, of every common school dis- trict, of every academy, and of every college and university in our country. The best method for securing fluency and flexibility of voice, and a pleasant flowing intonation, is to commence almost in the nursery, at least from two years and upward to train the voice concretely and dis- cretely upward and downward through its whole compass, as also on the different modes of stress, especially that on long and short quantity, the former by the Loud Concrete and Median Stress, and the latter by the Radical Explosion. INTRODUCTION. V If children are thus trained in the alphabetic elements, especially the vowels, by the mother or father, the brother or sister, occasionally only, as a pleasant pastime ; the effect upon the voice, as it is developed by age and this pleasant exercise, will be found to be extended far be- yond the most sanguine expectation. The training should not stop here, but be continued in our common schools, and the exercises there made more particular and definite ; and the Elements of Expression, as they are developed in the following pages, should be applied in Reading and Declamation. The application of the principles of Elocution, will then be greatly aided again, by a knowledge of the principles of Grammar, and the mind expanded by the study of Geography and Astronomy, and strengthened again by that of the combination of numbers or Arithmetic. Thus the powers of the mind and the powers of the voice may be trained in a healthful unity and harmony with each other, and the whole man will be developed in all his susceptibilities by these gymnastics of thought and speech. Again, while the mind is still further expanded, and its powers strengthened in the delightful and steady trainings in our Academies and Colleges, by the study of History, ancient and modern ; — by the study of Astronomy, of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, and Mathe- matics, in their several departments; — by the study of Intellectual and Moral Philosophy ; — by the study of the BIBLE, Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric, and, though last, yet not least, by Elocution in all-subduing eloquence, we shall have the man, we shall have the whole man, we shall have the finished man, full grown and of mighty strength, start, (like Minerva out of Jupiter's brain,) in full being and fully equipt, upon the theatre of action and contending life, with all the panoply of successful warfare, though not destructive, neither aggressive nor oppressive in its character, but full of peace, and love, and good-will. The principles, by the application of which, speech becomes impres- sive and effective, are, like the established rules of art. to be considered and studied, not as the barriers of a flood, which in protecting from inroad, restrictively prevents the opportunities of further conquest, but as guides and escorts of art, to acquisitions of wider glory. The high accomplishments of elocution are supposed, by too many, to be the unacquired gifts of nature or of genius, and to consist of -powers and graces beyond the reach of art. So seem the plainest operations of arithmetic to the savage ; or the knowledge of either of the professions to the untutored and humble peasant. Ignorance knows not what has been done ; and indolence thinks nothing can be done ; and both united prevent any effort, and encourage supineness and indifference. But we would here say, that a full knowledge of the principles and practice of an art, enables an industrious and ambitious votary of truth, VI INTRODUCTION. to approach perfection ; and if he find no way made ready for him, he goes to work and makes one for himself. But the embodying of sense by sound, and the coloring of feeling by its expressive modes of intona- tion, are fixed in their constitution, by the decisions of the experienced. And hence, we have encouragement to say, that an impressive and effective delivery is within the reach of every one. And we would further state, that any adult of a sound mind without any insuperable impediment or deficiency in the organs of speech, can acquire the use of all the elements of an impressive intonation, and become interesting and fluent in speech and reading. And this may be done, too, without the aid of a teacher, in the following manner. Let any one take this system of the exposition of the functions of the voice, and, in a room by himself, (or otherwise if he please.) read aloud, with firmness of voice, and a full determination to execute and accomplish all the directions given, every table, and every paragraph, from the beginning to the end. And when he shall have thus waded through the stream, two or three times ; he will be ready to exclaim, that it is surprising that this subject has been neglected for so long a time, and that the powers of the voice are so susceptible of improve- ment. It will be found that the descriptions and directions contained in this course, are so simple, and the tables for exercise and examples so numerous, that the comprehension of the principles of elocution will be comparatively easy, and their production, and the application of them in practice, so clearly illustrated by the examples and tables, that there will be very little difficulty in making them our own. For when we practice any thing until it becomes easy and habitual, it then forms a part of ourselves ; for it is said, that we are but a bundle of habits. Thus, then, if we practice the elements of an impressive intonation into a habit, and have attached to each element its distinctive feeling ; then the feeling or emotion will urge the appropriate element, and the execution of any given element will excite the relative feeling. Hence, the expressive element and the feeling will mutually and reciprocally excite each other. We would take pleasure, here, to state, that the world is indebted to Dr. Rush for laying the foundation of a correct and Philosophical Elocu- tion. The functions of the voice, in the production of Speech, Song, and Recitative, was never understood until he developed it, in his invaluable work on the Philosophy of the Human Voice. The world will ever be under obligation to him for his description of the con- crete function of the voice, by which the different elements of ex- pression are rendered cognizable, and by which the passions, sentiments, and emotions of the heart, are exhibited in their diversified modes of being, and different degrees of intensity. INTRODUCTION. VU The several works already published on this subject have been examined, and it is thought that neither of them is sufficiently practical on the Elements of Expression — the fundamental principles of an im- pressive Elocution. Barber, Walker, Steel, Porter, Russell, Comstock, Caldwell, and several others, have been carefully consulted, and they certainly possess their respective degrees of merit, but are deemed defi- cient in the description and clear distinctions of the several elementary functions of the voice, and of the^ practical trainings on the same. It will be very seldom found, in the course of the following pages, that reference is made to the author from whom any quotation or any useful hint has been taken. It would have encumbered both the work and the mind of the reader, if reference had been made so frequently as would have been necessary. It was, therefore, originally designed to make a general acknowledgment. And here it may be proper to say, that great pleasure is taken in making the grateful acknowledgment. Notwithstanding the many selections that have been made, from those above named and a few others, for it was designed to select the very best of each, and combine it with what is new, and thus make an im- proved whole suited to the present demand or wants of the common people. Yet the general plan of arrangement ; — the alphabetic division ; — the description and arrangements of the vowel and conso- nant elements ; — the numerous tables for exercise and illustration; — the tracing of the functions of the voice on the alphabetic elements to their legitimate effects in the coalescence of the different elements ; — the nature and cause of the pitch of the voice ; — and the giving to the whole work an eminently practical character, &c. may all be regarded as original. The difficulty of setting forth with clearness a subject which has, heretofore, been so much overlooked and neglected, and which must be new to a very large portion of our citizens, has been considered, and continually kept in view ; yet it is believed that this entire matter has been set forth, in so clear and simple a manner, that any person of ordinary capacity and perseverance may master it, without an In- structor. The description of each principle and function, the frequent repetition of the same, and the repeated illustrations of them by numerous and diversified examples, will, the author flatters himself, render it easily attainable by every one who will but put forth the effort a little while.* Let any one undertake and persevere, only a half an hour per day> for * It will be found that many repetitions of the same thing, will occur at different places throughout this work ; but we would remark that this was necessary, partly in - order to show the relation of matters and principles that were unavoidably separated by arrangement, and partly to impress them more indelibly by those repetitions. Vlll INTRODUCTION. three months, and he will find ample encouragement to prosecute the subject until he shall have completely mastered it. The history of the world is full of testimony to prove how much depends upon industry ; not an eminent orator has ever lived but is an example of it. Yet, in contradiction to all this, the almost universal feeling appears to be, that industry can effect nothing ; that eminence is the result of accident ; and that every one must be content to be just what he may happen to be. Thus multitudes, who come forward as teachers and guides, suffer themselves to be satisfied with the most indifferent attainments, and a miserable mediocrity, without so much as inquiring how they may rise higher, much less making any attempt to rise. Multitudes would be ashamed to practice any other art in public, without having first served an apprenticeship to learn it. If any one would sing, he employs a master, and is drilled in every elmentary principle ; and only after the most laborious process dares to exercise his voice in public. This he does, though he has scarce any thing to learn but the mechanical execution of what lies before his eyes in visible forms. But the extemporaneous speaker, who is to invent as well as to utter, to carry on an operation of the mind, as w T ell as to pro- duce sound in certain appropriate modes, enters upon the work without any preparatory discipline. What hours and days would he spend in giving facility to his fingers, in attaining the power of the sweetest and most expressive execution, were he learning to play for public exhibition ? Should he, for in- stance, be devoting himself to the organ, what months and years would he labor, that he might know its compass, and be master of its keys, and be able to draw out, at will, all its various combinations of har- monious sound, and its full richness and delicacy of expression ! And yet, he will fancy that the grandest, the most various, and the most expressive of all instruments, which the infinite Creator has fashioned by the union of an intellectual soul with the powers of speech, may be played upon without study or practice ; he comes to it a mere unin- structed Tyro, and thinks to manage all its stops and movements, and command the whole compass of its varied and comprehensive powers. He finds himself a bungler in the attempt, is mortified at his failure, and settles it in his mind, that the attempt is vain. But, we say, be encouraged ; success, in every art, whatever may be the natural talent, is always the reward of industry and pains. And the instances are many, of men of the finest natural genius, whose beginning has promised much, but who have degenerated wretchedly as they advanced, because they trusted to their gifts, and made no efforts to improve. That there have never been other men of equal endow- ments with Demosthenes and Cicero, none would venture to suppose, • INTRODUCTION. IX but who. if they had devoted themselves to their art as they did, would have become equal or superior to them in excellence ? If these great men had been content, like others, to continue as they began ? and had never made their persevering efforts for improvement, what would their country have been benefited from their labors and genius, or the world have known of their fame? They would have been lost in the undistinguished crowd that sunk to oblivion around them. What would be the present condition of Brougham and of Peel. — of Webster and of Clay, — of Calhoun and of Preston, — of Bascom and of Bethune, if they had contented themselves with but ordinary attainments ? Instead of standing on the very pinnacle of fame, as they now do, they would be mixing with the commingling mass below, a place assigned them by supineness or want of perseverance. For the same reason that men can learn to sing, or play a musical instrument, or become expert in any handy-craft, they may learn to manage the voice in speech, to secure an impressive intonation. Science, as we usefully regard it, does no more than lay down for art those directive rules which sagacity has drawn from observation and trial; and, though it may not always ennoble what it touches, it takes from it the characteristic of brutality, which is defined to be the instinctive execution of what is not understood by the agent. For boxing, low, yet skilful as it is, may be called the science of brachial defence ; and believe me. reader, that the elementary trainings in its positions and motions, carries not more superiority over the untaught arm, than the definite rules of Elocution, founded on a knowledge of the elements of the voice, will have over the best spontaneous achieve- ments of passion. It is not intended, here, to say, that instruction can create the essen- tial powers of a speaker ; but we know it can improve and direct them.- Passion, says a writer, knows more than art. It may know more than art ; but art sometimes knows better than passion. The display of the passions on memorized discourse, is not always addressed to those who are under the sympathetic influence of those passions. When it is so, or when, at moments, the speaker can raise that sympathy, all is right that passion does. When, however, we are in that state of de- liberation which contemplates what passion should be, there arises such comparisons between what we feel ourselves, and what we ought to feel, that we are obliged to call up, from taste, some ideal rule to settle an uncertainty of opinion. We, from a well-devised practical system of Elocution, look for no more than we are every day receiving from established arts. All men speak and reason, for these acts, as far as we know, are as natural as passion ; but the arts of Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric, and Elocution, teach us to do these things in the best manner. For the systematizing of the 1* X INTRODUCTION. principles of an art, signifies the teaching of the best manner of exe- cution in said art. Again, there is a will in man, with a system of muscles which the common calls of exercise render obedient to that will, and which thereby produces motion in every direction not forbidden by the nature of the joints. Now, there is scarcely a boy of any physical activity or enterprise, who does not, on seeing a circus rider, desire to imitate him ; to catch and keep the centre of gravity through all the varieties of balance and motion. Yet, this will not prevent his fall, on a first trial, however natural the tie between his will and all his muscles may be. The truth is, that, without long experience, he knows not what is to be done ; or if he knows, he is unable to effect it. With some analogy to this case, there are many persons, not destitute of feeling or passion, who have a pretty fine command of the voice on the com- mon occasions of life, but who betray a faltering tongue if they attempt to imitate the varied powers of the long-practised speaker. When the voice is prepared by elementary training, the feeling which prompts the expression will find the pliant and strengthened organs ready to furnish a satisfactory and elegant accomplishment of its designs. PART I. ARTICULATION. A perfectly accurate and distinct articulation must form the basis of a good delivery. Speaking and reading cannot be made impressive, if the utterance is indistinct. Teachers and Pupils should, therefore, always attend to distinct articulation , as a primary object ; and it should be prosecuted alone, as a distinct branch of study, and persevered in, until perfection in it will be attained. Indeed, the secret of success in acquiring a distinct articula- tion, consists in attending to the elements of a. thing, and but one thing at a time. The object of this attempt, is to lay down the Elements of Articulation ; and to present this important subject to the view of the pupil and teacher, in such a simple and tangible form, that the one may have a scheme of teaching, and the other a definite mode of acquiring, this preparatory and indispensable requisite of all good reading and speaking. A slight attention to speaking and reading, will show that a good articulation is very uncommon. The attentive listener will observe that letters, words, and sometimes considerable portions of sentences, are pronounced with so little force and precision, that the mind is ever confused in attempting to comprehend the meaning. Distinctness of articulation, is not only necessary, in order to be heard and understood with pleasure, but it is a positive beauty. The elementary sounds of speech, when properly uttered, are, in themselves, agreeable. But to render them so, the following directions of a modern writer must be observed. " In just articulation, the words are not to be hurried over, nor precipitated syllable over syllable ; nor, as it were, melted 11 12 ARTICULATION. together into a mass of confusion. They should neither be abridged nor prolonged, nor swallowed, nor forced ; they should not be trailed nor drawled, nor let to slip out carelessly. They are to be delivered out from the lips as beautiful coin, newly issued from the mint, deeply and accurately impressed, perfectly finished, neatly struck by the proper organs, distinct, in due succession and of due weight." A good articulation is an affair altogether acquired. It requires nothing more than attention to continued elementary practice. It depends upon a few certain definite positions of the organs of speech, and the power of varying those positions with rapidity, precision, and facility. Now, though every body admits this, scarcely any one attends to it. Experience shows, that in order to insure a good articulation to pupils and persons in general, some methods must be adopted, not at present in use. What should these methods be ? We answer, the only sure means are, a SERIES OF PRACTICAL ELEMENTARY EXERCISES, which Constitute a sort of gymnastics of the voice. Those must be practised and persevered in. If this training is steadily enforced, expe- rience enables us to say, it will be successful in ensuring to young persons, as well as older ones, a distinct, forcible, and impressive articulation. Practice, — practice upon a series of elementary tables of the primitive sounds of speech, and of their varied combinations, is the ONLY remedy. We, there- fore, advise, that no pupil be ever permitted to proceed to reading until distinctness of utterance is secured by repeated exercises upon the sounds contained in the following tables. A good articulation consists in a precise, forcible, and sufficiently prolonged utterance of syllables, according to an approved standard of pronunciation. Now, a syllable is some- times a single indivisible sound : but sometimes it consists of several simple distinguishable sounds, into which it can be divided by the voice. If we pronounce the word omen ; the first syllable is ' o,' a simple indivisible sound; 'men/ the second syllable, appears, to a hearer unaccustomed to a scientific consideration of speech, to be but one sound only, and indivisible ; but it consists of several simple distinguishable sounds. In order to illustrate the compound nature of the syllable 6 men/ let it be pronounced distinctly drawling, or prolonging its sound as much as possible ; as m-e-n. It will be observed that the lips are brought together, and pressed against each other, and the air being, at the same time, forcibly im- pelled from the throat through the nose, a sound is heard which somewhat resembles the lowing of an ox. This sound is the ARTICULATION, 13 one represented by the letter ' m? The lips being held in somewhat forcible contact, are now separated, the mouth is opened, its cavity assumes that form which is necessary to sound 'e 5 in met, which is the same as ' e' in men (the last syllable in omen.) Finally, this last sound being completed, the tip of the tongue is carried upward, and pressed against the upper gums, and air issuing from the throat through the nose, produces the sound peculiar to the letter 4 n. 5 Let the position of the lips first adopted, be maintained for some time, and the air passing through the nose, the murmur by which the sound of c 77z' is produced, will be heard distinctly. Let this position of the organs of speech, and the murmur, which is thus heard, be continued, and repeated until both are fixed and retained in the mind, and the element of the letter i m ' will never be forgotten. Then, ceasing to sound 'm,' let the c e' be next sounded alone, observing the particular shape which the mouth assumes during the sound, as well as the character of the sound itself, and retaining both (the position of the organs of speech and the sound thus produced) in the mind, and we shall have a distinct idea of the elementary sound of ' e,' and how it is produced. The element of 6 n' is produced by pressing the tip of the tongue against the upper gums, and letting the air pass through the nose with a gentle murmur. By fixing the attention upon the position of the organs and the sound thus produced, we shall have a lasting impression of this element. In this way, every element of the language may be produced, and may be- come the subject of consideration. After the four sounds of the above word 'omen* be separated and slowly pronounced, as o-m-e-n, they may then be sounded as closely together as possible, and thus we may observe how the distinct elements coalesce or run into each other, in this word; as also in every other word in the lano;uao;e. Now, for the purposes of science, we call the four sounds, heard in the word 'omen,' elements; because they are the simplest possible sounds, into which the word can be resolved. An element is the simplest known form of any thing. A vocal element is the simplest possible sound of the voice, or a sound that cannot be further divided. The division of syllables into their elementary parts, is a branch of vocal analysis, which will be clearly exhibited in the sequel. This analysis shows that the vocal elements of the English language are (not including short vowels) thirty in number. Before proceeding to exhibit the tables of elements, it will be well enough to observe, that we are persuaded that tables of 14 ARTICULATION. elements, if properly used, will be found charmingly effective in teaching very young persons a distinct, forcible, and grace- ful articulation. This must be at once admitted by the reader, when he is informed that the thirty elements (or thirty-seven, including short vowels) exhibited in our tables, do, in different combinations, make up all the syllables of our language. Elements make syllables, syllables words, words sentences, and sentences discourse. If each element which ought to be sounded in a word, is distinctly formed by the organs of utter- ance, the words must be well pronounced ; and if all the words are thus pronounced in a discourse, the Articulation must be faultless. It would be a shame to urge such plain matters of fact, were it not for our extraordinary ignorance on this sub- ject. The vocal elements are never pronounced in the hearing of those ignorant of the subject, without exciting the mirthful wonder of the auditors. " When the elements are pronounced singly, they may receive a concentration of organic effort, which gives them a clearness of sound, and a definite outline at their extremes, that makes a fine preparation for a distinct and forcible pronunciation in the compounds of speech." — (Rush.) And here, we would again say, obtain correct ideas of the sounds of the alphabetic letters or elements, and their influence over each other, the meaning and pronunciation of words, and their power over the mind and the passions of men, when teem- ing with thought and reason ; and then you may expect to become, what you desire to. be — good speakers, readers, and writers. Master all the elementary principles, or you cannot acquire a correct, distinct, appropriate, and graceful intonation. Resolution, self-exertion, and perseverance, are Omnipotent. Try them and see. Avoid rapidity and indistinctness; also, drawling, mincing, mouthing, nasality, and an affected manner; and read, speak, and sing in a clear, strong, full, agreeable, and natural tone, which contains in itself so sweet a charm, that it almost atones for the absence of argument and fancy. Give the consonant sounds or elements, and particularly the final ones with great care and distinctness. This distinguishes, in a great degree, the accomplished scholar and gentleman. It is not the quantity gone over, but the manner of going over, and acquisition of correct principles, with the ability to apply them accurately and involuntarily, that indicates pro- gress in this art. This art, like all others, is made up of many little things ; look well to them, and all difficulties will vanish. Knowledge is power; and the appropriate arrangement and ARTICULATION. 15 modification of the alphabetic elements, form an exhaustless source, and the great medium of knowledge. The interchange of ideas, by the operation of vocal sounds, is the basis of in- struction. Every youth ought, therefore, to blush at the thought of remaining ignorant of the first principles of his native language. ELEMENTS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. The elements of the English Language are the sounds repre- sented by the graphic characters, called the English Alpha- bet. There are Twenty-Six Letters in the English Alphabet, yet there are Thirty Elements, (or thirty-seven, including short vowels,) in the English Language. Therefore, as there are a greater number of elements than letters, some of the letters represent different elements, according to their combi- nation with each other. To have a perfect alphabet, we must have an appropriate character or letter to represent every element. The Alphabet is generally divided into Vowels and Conso- nants, but it may be more properly and philosophically divided into Vowels or Pure Vocal Sounds, Voco-aspirs, and Aspirs* I. Vowels or Pure Vocal Elements. The Pure Vocal or Vowel Elements, are Pure Laryngial Sounds, unmixed with any other sound, and are made, princi- pally in the Glottis, by the air passing through it, without any aspiration, buz, or hiss mixed with them. They display the radical and vanish in a very perfect manner. The Vowel Elements are Seven in number, and may be said to be Seveji different sorts or kinds of vocality. They are the * The words 'Vowel, 1 'Vocal. 1 and '-Voco, 1 have the same origin. They are derived from the Latin word 'Vocales,' which means, having a voice, vocal, or making a noise. They generally refer to a noise, or sound, made in the mouth by the breath ; or a sound made by the organs of the voice — yet the word t vowel' is more generally used to denote those alphabetic characters which represent pure vocality, in opposition to the consonants, which imply impitre vocality. The word « vowel,' however, sometimes denotes the vocality itself. The words ' vocal 1 and « voco 1 refer generally to the voice, or to the sounds made by the voice, which may be either pure or impure vocality. But, in this work, the word ' voco 5 is used in the sense of consonant or impure vocality, or vocality mixed with aspiration, buz, or murmur. The word < aspir 1 is derived from the Latin Aspero, to pronounce or utter with a strong breath; to whisper ; to hiss ; to aspirate. Hence, the voco- aspir elements are sounds, in which there is a vocality mixed with a whisper, buz, or aspiration. The aspir elements are sounds made only by whispering or aspirating them. 16 ELEMENTS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. 17 purest laryngial tones that can be made, having more of a musical quality than the other elements, and are capable of indefinite prolongation; admitting of the concrete and tremu- lous movements, through all the intervals of the scale, and can be uttered more forcibly and abruptly than any other sounds ; thus finely adapted to the display of the delicate structure of the vanish of the voice. They are heard on the following vowel characters, and made by the joint function of the Larynx and mouth, through which the air passes in their formation. ee — eh — ah — aw — oh — 6oh — uh, or < u' in up. They are called vow r el or pure vocal elements, because they are the purest sounds which the voice is capable of making, and always represented by those alphabetic characters, ever called vowels. Division of Vowel Elements, Vowels, or Pure Vocal Elements, may be divided into mono- thongs, diphthongs, and triphthongs. A Monothong is a simple, pure vowel sound or element, unmixed with any other element, and heard on the vowels in the following words, eve — age — arc — awe — ode — ooze — urn. A Diphthong is the coalition or union of a vowel element with the element of ' w' or 6 y' pronounced as closely together as possible, and represented by one, two, or three vowel cha- racters, and heard on the italics in the following, ice — zre — use — z/re. The diphthong is here represented by one vowel character, 1 i' and c u,' and pronounced ayce, ayre — yuse, yure. The diphthongs in the following words, are represented by two vowel characters ; as our, out ; oil, voice ; quote, quick ; spamel ; pronounced iwv, iwt ; 6y\, voyce ; kwot, kwik ; span-yel. In the following words, the diphthongs are represented by three vowel characters ; as beauty, adieu ; pronounced byw-ty, a-dyu. A Triphthong is the union of a vowel element with the ele- ments of c w' and ' ?/,' pronounced as closely together as possi- ble, and represented by two or three vowel characters, and heard on the italics in the subjoined words — choir, q?/ire, represented by two vowel characters, ' oi,' ' uif and pro- 18 ELEMENTS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. nounced — < kwkyr,\ or i kwirf the two words are pronounced precisely alike. In kuoin, kuoit, the triphthongs are represented by three vowel characters, and pronounced kwoyn, kwoyt. Thus, all the diphthongs and triphthongs are resolvable into one pure vowel element, and the elements of 'w> or ay ;' but this cannot be the sound when it is short, as in < ate.' This second element, however, may be made as long as the longest without making a diphthong of it. f These are the only simple elementary vowel sounds, from which, and by the combination of which with each other, and with the consonant elements, every sound which enters into the constitution of the various words of our language, is virtually and substantially made. All the Diphthongs and Triphthongs are made of « y' or < w,' or both. And here we may notice the remarkable similarity in respect to number, that there is in the seven colors of light ; the seven sounds of music, and the seven vowel elements of elocution or speech. \ I and u, written without a figure, denote their diphthongal sounds. Keep this particularly in mind. The constituents of < i' are l a,' in « at,' and « y ;' as ay, pronounced closely together, and sound like <■ eye ;' — those of < u' are '- y, y and i u,' in • full ;' as * yu,' or ; you.' OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE 25 The difference of the vowel elements, in the foregoing table, can be very clearly perceived. Each is pointed out in the word used for illustration, by an italic letter or letters- These letters, if pronounced as they are usually heard in good articu- lation, will give the true element in question. When no teacher is at hand to demonstrate the sounds of the elements with his voice, the following directions will lead the attentive student to a perception and intonation of these distinctive ele- ments. Let each word, by which the elementary sound is illustrated in the preceding and the subsequent tables, be pronounced in a very slow, drawling manner at first. During its pronuncia- tion, let special care be taken to notice the position of the organs of speech, and the particular sound produced on the italicised letter, as it issues from the mouth. For this sound is the intended element thus developed. This slow, and drawl- ing pronunciation is to be repeated over and over again, until the element intended is clearly distinguished by the ear from the rest of the word, and the position of the organs by which it is formed, can be adopted at pleasure. The element itself is then to be pronounced or sounded alone — repeat, and re-repeat with all the different degrees of force and abrupt- ness, of which the individual is capable. It is now to be sounded alone, and then in the words in which it occurs, with such degrees of energy, as to come with marked distinctness, force, and fulness on the ear. This exercise is to vary in pitch as well as force, at least, through every note of an octave, upward and downward, with force, fulness, and abruptness ; and to be continued until he has acquired precision, facility, and distinctness, in uttering them all. This sounding of the elements contained in the several tables, is to constitute the first exercise of the Student of Elocution, and persevered in, until he has acquired what is above stated. EXPLOSION OF ELEMENTS. The most important function of the voice, is the power of explosion. This power can be manifested in the utterance of any of the vowel elements. The vowel elements are the pro- per sounds upon which the voice can exhibit and develope this explosive function. All the vowel elements can be exploded from the throat or glottis, with very great sudden- ness and force. The .glottis and posterior parts of the throat are the parts principally concerned in the production of explo- sive stress. In exploding, there is a previous occlusion of the glottis necessary, that the sound may suddenly burst forth from behind this occluded part. Explosion, then, consists of a very short, violent, full, and single effort, forcibly made from behind the occluded part, upon any vowel element, by the sudden action of the abdominal muscles. . This sudden and violent effort may be made short and quick, in the way of a very short and sudden cough from the very depth of the throat. In mak- ing this cough, great care must be taken to exclude every thing like aspiration, letting nothing be heard but pure vocality. The sound must be free from hoarseness, huskiness, or aspira- tion ; as coughing has more or less of aspiration mixed with it. After the sound can be made purely vocal and distinct, then more effort must be put forth, and by degrees, raised to the utmost degree of percussive stress. Let it be the special business of the teacher to see, and know that the pupils can, and do bring the organs of speech in the proper position to pronounce and explode with distinct- ness and force, by the aid of the abdominal muscles, the several vowel elements, as they are exhibited and illustrated in the preceding table. Let them be exercised, on every degree of pitch, from the lowest to the highest, of which they are capa- ble, and with every degree of force and abruptness, from the lowest and strongest vocality, to the most intense percussive explosion that is capable to be given to them, by the exertion of their utmost effort. In commencing the exercise, begin with the lowest pitch, and rising one note at a time, until the highest degree is at- EXPLOSION OF ELEMENTS. 27 tained, preserving throughout the utmost degree of force, ful- ness, and abruptness,— particularly on the lower pitches. In exploding, the lungs should be filled with air, and then occluding it for a moment by closing the glottis, while a vio- lent effort for expulsion is being made by the abdominal muscles : and then suddenly letting it off with all the sudden- ness and percussive stress, that can possibly be given. In thus exploding the elements, great care should be taken, that the lungs be filled and frequently replenished with air, not suffering them to become exhausted or empty, during the explosion : for it depends upon the full and frequent supply of air in the lungs, that we are prepared to give strong feeling, piercing energy, and electrifying vivacity, as well as distinct- ness to our intonations. The mouth should be opened as wide as possible, and the sound made as far back in the posterior part of the throat as possible, accompanying it with an effort, as it were, to drive the air through the head as it passes out of the larynx. The sound, at the same time, should be made short and abrupt, and yet as full as it can. It may be represented by a disk or cir- cle; thus A| ; to contradistinguish it from a long sound, which may be represented by a cone Jm , or a swell in music _ m ^^^p The report, when properly and correctly made, should be as short and sudden, as the crack of a whip, or the firing of a gun, and as loud, if possible, as the latter. In other words, the explosion should be made with the very highest degree of percussive force, and with the utmost strength and fulness of tone. This sudden and very forcible utterance of vowel elements, is STRESS, in its most simple and elementary state, and in its highest degree. This function of the voice is acquired only by exercise or practice on the elements ; and it may be so ac- quired as to be at the command of the speaker or reader, at any time he wishes to employ it. It will be necessary to use it in various degrees, and according to circumstances. The pupil, however, may assure himself, that the acquisition of it for speaking and reading, is worth all his pains, and that the only mode of obtaining it, is by the method of exercise above recom- mended. That audible and satisfactory distinctness in the utterance of all syllables, (particularly the short ones,) which 28 EXPLOSION OF ELEMENTS. is heard in a very pleasant speaker or reader, is dependent on the degree of percussive stress, with which they are exploded by the voice. This same kind of explosive stress constitutes one of the most important forms of emphasis; and it is the natural symbol of great energy of feeling. If words are not marked by a due degree of percussive or explosive stress, they will not be audible through any extensive space. Brilliancy, Sprightliness, and Energy of delivery, without which, reading is insipid, and oratory has no existence, and which are essen- tial to render a public reader or speaker interesting, are de- pendent on a well executed stress. As, then, the power of uttering the vowel elements, in the manner prescribed, is necessary to a clear and distinct articu- lation, (especially of the short ones,) and as it is one in which practised speakers and teachers are very often deficient, a table of the elements is here again subjoined. When the student can explode them with facility and effect, he may be assured that he has obtained a mastery of one of the most important uses of his voice. When a class is to be exercised, each individual should be required to explode every element in the table, with the utmost degree of force, united with abruptness, which he can com- mand ; and after this, the whole class should pronounce or explode them in concert. This practice will secure the advantages of a strong and powerful voice ; of strength- ening such as are naturally feeble ; and of giving fulness and strength of tone to all, in proportion to their natural capaci- ties. It may be well, perhaps, to add, that we greatly doubt whether persons generally will ever gain strength and ful- ness of voice, in any other way than by exploding the elements ; and it is also known, that persons with naturally feeble voices, have been rendered capable of speaking forcibly, and impres- sively in public, by a perseverance in the practice here recommended. When the seven elements and their compounds, are thus made to be familiar to the ear and organs of speech, the words which are used to illustrate the elements in the table, may be pronounced and exploded in the same manner, that the ele- ments were. Then, the elements and words should be ex- ploded alternately, until facility, fluency, distinctness, and force, are acquired. These are the proper means which will give complete command over elements and words. EXPLOSION OF ELEMENTS. 29 It should always be kept in mind, that the SHORT VOWELS, OR ELEMENTS, are t lie proper materials for the display of the explosive function. 1 i in it, in, emit, yds, pretty, flit. 2 e " ell, egg, ex, edge, whence, shape, met. 3a" at, am, back, ash, patch, add. 4 o " ox, on, what, not, object, odd. 5 o " oat, coat, boat, tor/t, oh. 6 u " full, pull, wool, wolf, wood, woald. 7 u " up, itrr, her, sir, bjrth, myrrh, earth, mjrth. Dipthongs : i in eye, fine, v?'ce, fire, ay, ay. u " you, few, duty, beaty, yu. ou rt out, thou, now, poar, aw. oi " oil, toy, voice, boy, ]oy, ]oice, ay. ui " quire, choir, (pronounced kwkyr) way. uoi" quoit, quoin, u kwoyn) w 9) r . These should be exploded as short and as loud as possible. Let the following character represent the sound, Jfc 'I,' ' eye,' upward vanish; £^ < J,' ' eye,' downward vanish; and in like manner, all the elements and words of the table. Irregularity of Vowel and Diphthongal Sounds. A familiarity with the elementary sounds will show ?f /irsf, That the graphic characters, called letters, represent two things, — the sounds by which they are themselves named — and the real elementary sounds which enter into the vocal utter- ance of syllables : second, That the elementary sounds heard in pronouncing syllables, ought to be carefully distinguished, from the sounds which constitute the names of the letters. This distinction is important, because the sounds of the names of the letters, and the sounds of the elements of them (for both of which, letters stand as symbols,) are, though sometimes alike, often entirely different. For example, a in age, has the same elementary sound as is that of the name of the letter; but this is not the case in the words all, many, arm, furnace, and sugar. Hence, the letter a represents six different ele- mentary sounds, as heard in the six preceding words, illustra- ting these different elements. In the word ivh-i-ch, not one of the sounds of the names of the letters, is heard. Every language, to be perfect, ought to have a graphic 30 EXPLOSION OF ELEMENTS. alphabet, representing the several elements, so that every ele- ment might have its own appropriate character or letter ; and these characters, and none others, should be employed in spelling; and no letter should be admitted into a word which is not actually sounded. As one letter is now often employed to indicate entirely different sounds, and several letters sometimes stand for a single sound, we must be careful not to suffer ourselves to be con- fused by the written letter or letters in the words employed for the illustration of the separate elements. The sound actually heard m pronunciation, is the THING to which we are to attend — the actual element. The same sound is the same element, though represented (as it often is) by different letters. We represent the same vowel sound by the different combination of vowels in the following words : Jew, vievi, adw, beauty. Again, we have the short sound of a, as heard in age, represented by e in edge ; and so we hear the short sound of e in era, on i in it. The two vowel characters ai, variously combined with consonant characters, give the fol- lowing different elements. They represent the element of a in age, in the word ami, — (ame.) of a in add, in the word plaid,— (pi ad.) of i in in, in the word villain, — (villjn.) of u in un, in the word Britazn, — (Brit tin.) Thus may be seen, that the different combinations of vowel characters with consonants, and different consonants wit-h vowels, the elements are, in very many instances, changed from their appropriate and distinctive sounds, according as such elements can be made, in quick succession and with ease, dependent on the parts of the organs of speech, employed in the production of such elements. The following table exhibits some of the many changes and irregularities inherent in our language. And by frequently drilling and exercising children and pupils on this table, so that they shall become familiar with the changes and sounds, they will acquire a distinctness, facility, ease, and grace, that can be secured by no other method. 1 E long, as heard in eve, era, even, demesne, epoch, he, we, me, premium, here, mere, precede. " " on i, in machine, police, fatigue, valice, ravine, marine, bastile, invalid. EXPLOSION OF ELEMENTS. 31 1 E long as heard on ai, in raisins, (re-zns.) " " on ee, in eel, feel, feet, fleet, creed, see, thee, spleen. " " on ea, in yea, plea, ear, year, zeal, peal, seal. " " on ei, in either, neither, deceive, seine, con- ceit, conceive. " " on eo, in people. " " on ae, in aegis, (egjs.) " u on ia, in caviare, (ka-ver.) " u on ie, in liege, mien, tier, coterie, orgies. " " on oi, in turkois, (tur-kez.) u u on oe, in foetus, antoeci. " " on ey, in key, turnkey. " " on uoi, in turqaois, (tur-ktz.) " " on nay, in quay, (ke.) 1 E short as heard in emit, eject, elate, enunciate, antelope, Penelope, yes, linen, pretty, goodness. England, (ing-land.) " " on i, in pin, fin, in, indivisibility, tin, im- print, it, is, his, bit, dignity, masculine, femenine, genuine, discipline, juvenile, servility, spirit, vicinity, infinite, infi- nity, terrible, issue, visage, aborigines, antipodes, perfidious, Indian, (Ind-yun.) " " on o, in women, (wim-in.) " " on a, in furnace, visr/ge, (fur-nis, vjs-jj.) " " on u, in business, (biz-nis,) basy, (biz-ze.) " " on y, in sylvan, tyranny, syllable, typical. " " on ai, in curtain, mountain, fountain. " " on ay, in Sunday, Monday, &c, Sunde, &c. " a on ee, in breeches, (britsh-is.) u " on ei, in foreign, (for-in.) " u on eo, in pigeon, (pid-jin.) w " on ey, in mondz/, honey, barley, Pompey. u u on ia, in carriage, marriage, parliament. " " on ie, in sieve, sullied, studied, duties. " " on oe, in oeconomy, oedematous, pigeon. " u on oi, in tortois, shamois. " " on ui, in qailt-d, gainea, circuit, bisciqt. " " on uy, in plagwy. " " on ua, in victuals, (vjt-tlz.) 32 EXPLOSION OF ELEMENTS. 2 j? long as heard in age, fine, bane, ancient, parent, paper. " " on e, in where, there, tete-a-tete, ere-long. " " on aa, in *#aron, baal. hack. " " on ae, in Gaelic. " " on a?', in fair, pair, hail, paz'n, dram, airy. " " on au 9 in ga?zge-r-ed-ing. " " on ay, in may, day, pa?/, hay. " " on ao 9 in gaol-er. " " on ea, in tear, bear-er, swear-er-ing. " " on ee, in e'er, ne'er. u " on en, in connoisseur, (kon-na-srae.) " " on ez, in their, heir, feign, obez-sance. u u on ey, in he?/, Dey, prey, they, obei/. " " on oei, in coup d'oezl. 2 *# short as heard in any, many, fortunately, alternately. " " on e, in edge, ell, ex, whence, pet, bed. " " on u 9 in bnry-ing-ed. " " on ae 9 in Michael, Michaelmas. " ? on ai 9 in against, said, maintain, again. " " on ay, in says. " " on ea, in stead-y-ily, dead, zealous-ly, deaf. u " on ez, in heifer, nonpareil. " " on eo, in jeopard-y-ize, feof-er-ment. " " on ze, in friend-ly-ship. " " on oe, in assafoetida, foetid. " " on oi y in connoisseur, (kon-nes-sar.) u " on we, in gz^ess-ing, boqwet, gzzest, gaerdon. 3ci long as heard in arm, art, par, ah, father, wrath, mana. " " on aa 9 baa (of a sheep,) ma'am. " " on e, in sergeant, (sar-gent.) " " on au 9 in laundress, laz/gh, draz/ght. " " on ea 9 in heart-en-y-burn-less, blood. " " on ua 9 in gziard, gzzardian, gzzarantee-ty. 3 A short as heard in am, back, mat, wrap, granary, chalice. " " on aa 9 in Isaac. " " on ai 9 in plaid, railery. " u on au 9 in lazznch-ing-ed, azmt, taant-ed-ing. " " on ea, in pageantry. M " on az, in martial, partial, plag/ary-rist-ism. " " on ua, in piqaant. EXPLOSION OF ELEMENTS. 33 kA long as heard in all, fall, ball, call, war, thraldom. " " on o, in or, nor, for, corpse, gone. " " on au, in Pawl, maz/1, defraud, awght. " " on aw, awl, cawl, drawl, shawl, bawl. " " on eo, in George. " " on awe, in awe-ful-ly. " " on oa, in broad-cast-ness, abroad. " " on 02, in reservoir, (rez-er-var.) " " on ou, in owght, fowght, noaght, thoz/ght. 4 A short as heard in what, watch, wash, swallow, quantity. " " on o, in not, forehead, yicht, (yot,) hod. " u on e, in encore (ong-cor.) " " on au, laurel, laz/danum, cauliflower. " " on ou, in hoagh, (hok,) coagh, (kof,) trough. " " on ow, knowledge, acknowledge. 5 long as heard in ode, oh, no, note, sloth, depot, sofa. " " on ao y in Pharaoh, (fa-ro.) " " on au, in hautboy, (ho-boy.) " u on eo, in yeoman-ry. " " on ew, in shew-bread, (sho-bred.) " " on oa, in loathe, goad, hoary, loaf, hoax. u " on oe, in toe, doe, hoe, foe, sloe. o'er. " " on oo, in door, floor. " " on ou, in foz/r, cowrt, dowgh, though, sowl. " " on ow, in show, throw, bowl, tow, low. " " on wo, in sword. " u on eau, in bureaa, beaw, (bu-ro, bo.) " " on owe, in owe. 5 short as heard in domestic, polite, decorate, democrat. " " on ow, in sorrow, fellow, willow, borrow. 6 00 long as heard in coo, too, woo, moon, room, poor, mood. " " on u in rule, ruin, suet, fluid, druid, lurid. " a on o, in move, prove, to. " " on ea, in rheum, rheumatism-tic. " " on ew, in crew, flew, (cru, flu,) yew (yu.) " " on oe, in shoe, canoe. " " on ou, in tour, croup, grozzp, rendezvous. u " on we, in pursue, clue, glue, rue, sue, true. " " on uo, btioy (66-e.) " " on ui, in juzce, sluice, cruise, nuisance. 34 EXPLOSION OF ELEMENTS. 6 00 long as heard on ieu, in lieutenant, purlieu, messieurs. " " on oeu, in manoeuvre -ing u u on ew, in ewer (yu-er.) " " on ewe, in ewe (yu.) " " on wo, in two (tu.) 6 00 short as heard in wool, book, cook, foot, stood, good. " " on o, in woman, bosom, wolf, worsted. " " on u in full, puss, Russia, Prussia, cuckoo. " " on we, in tissue, issue, statue, virtue. " " on ui, in fruit, suit, recruit, pursuit. " " on ou, cowld, wowld, should, bou-je. 7 U long as heard in urn, turn, burn, thrust, fur, uz, burst. " " on o, in come, 16ve, dove, shove, above. << " on e, in her, per, mercy, err, perfect. " " on ea, pearl, earl-y, heard, earth-en-ly-y. c < " on ue, in guerdon, querulous-ly-ness. " " on ou. in scoarcre. 7 U short as heard in up, un, cut, cum, sun, unto, us, must " " on i, sir, fir, first, virtue, virgin, girl, mirth. " " on e, in clerk, were, reader, writer, printer. " " on re, in nitre, lucre, massacre, centre. " " on o, in onion, son, come, nothing, dozen. " " on a, in sugar, vinegar, scholar, leopard. " " on ai, in Britain, (Britun.) " " on ea, in ocean, (o-shun.) " " on eo, in surgeon, dungeon, escutcheon. « " on la, in logician, physician. « « on io, in action, motion, question. " " on oo, in blood, flood. " " on oa, in cupboard, (cub-btird.) " « on oe, in does (dus.) " " on oi, in avoirdupois. « << on ou, in co?isin. trouble, cowple, cowrage. « « on ow, in bellows, gallows. « " on no, in liqzzor (lik-ur.) " « on we, in answer (an-sur.) « " on y, in myrrh (mivr,) myrtle (m\\r-tl.) " " on eou, in gorgeoz/s (gor-giis.) " " on iou, in fact/ows, anx?oas, consc?cas. EXPLOSION OF ELEMENTS. 35 The following; are compounds, or diphthongal, because they are composed of two or more elements, united as closely to- gether as possible, and pronounced or exploded by a single impulse of the voice. / long diphthongal, is composed of 'a' and and 'e,' and heard in vizier (viz-yer.) 10 compounded of c y' and 4 u,' and heard in minion, pinion, {min-yiin, pin-yun.) 1U have the same elements that e 9 ) once (wons.) EXPLOSION OF ELEMENTS. 39 Y, is a vowel in every syllable in which there h no other vowel sound; as type, thy, cry, fly. Y, may form a syllable alone, as man-y, cop-y, (men~t, cop-t.) Y, as a vowel, has the sound of i or e. When c y' is long, and under the primary or secondary accent, it has the elements of diphthongal i, as pry, my, tyre, defy, comply, rhyme, pyre, hydraulics. When it is short, either accented or not, it has the short element of e, as tyranny, syno- nymy, (fer-a/i-Tie, sz-nqn-nt-mt,) sympathy, system, symptom, syllable, holy, duly, any, many. Y, as a consonant or voco-aspir, is sounded by bringing the organs of speech into that position necessary to pronounce the 6 e 5 in 'he, 9 but having the front teeth slightly to touch, and, thus placed, commence the subsequent vowel element. The element thus produced will be a squeezed sound of the element of the c e ? in he. This may be demonstrated by pronouncing the word 'ye, 5 in which the 'y 5 and 'e 5 alone are used. The teeth will be observed to separate a little, while the voice passes from the element 'y 9 to that of azure sAore was what s- per-vocos and per-aspirs. * The small braces connect a voco and an aspir ; and the elements of the italic letters, in each pair, are made by the same position of the mouth; the upper, in each pair, being a voco and the lower an aspir, respectively. Note. — The letters j, g, x, q, c, ch, are made under one or the other of the above positions of the mouth, according to the elements which they may represent. 44 CONSONANT ELEMENTS. Classification of the Consonant Elements. The classification of the consonants, may be made on the principle of their formation in the glottis and the mouth. They may, (by observing this principle,) be divided, as before directed, into two general classes, viz ; Aspirs and Voco- aspirs, The Voco-aspirs are such as have a vocality made in the glottis, united and modified by an aspiration, buz, or murmur, made in the mouth or nose. The Aspirs are such as have no vocality, but are made in the mouth only, by the air or breath passing through it, in some particular manner. The following table exhibits them in pairs, as they correspond to each other in their formation. Sub. Per. Semi. Compounds. Voco-aspirs, b,d,g. v, w, z, th, zh, y. m, n, 1, r, ng. gz,j,g. Aspirs, p, t, k. f, wh, s, th, sh, h. x, ch. Q, has uniformly the sound of c k. 5 C, has either the sound of k, s, sh, tsh, or z ; — where ' c ? has the sound of 'k, 5 Vll-UV Wll ZU-liZ thu-iith zhii-uzh y* 54 CONSONANT ELEMENTS. TABLE IV. Semi- Vocos with a Long and Short Vowel. me-jm ne-jn le-il re-jr ing ! n g ma-era na-en la-el ra-er eng ? n g ma-am na-an la-al ra-ar ang ang ma-om na-on la-61 ra-or ang 9 n g mo-om no-on 16-61 ro-6r 6ng ong mo-om no-on 16-61 ro-or ong ong mu-tim nu-un lu-ul ru-ur UBg V"S Table of Difficult Combinations of Consonant Elements. The following tablical exercises are intended to present the Consonant Elements in various combinations with each other, and words in which many of the letters represent elements belonging to other letters, — giving variety to the exercises, — familiarizing the ear to the sound, — giving facility to the organs of utterance, — and securing great distinctness and grace of intonation. Here are exhibited nearly all the diffi- cult combinations, in a great variety of words, presenting those elements only, which are to be heard in a proper pro- nunciation of them. Following the tables, are select sentences, in which are contained some of the most difficult combinations in successive words, that can well be found in our language. And, by frequently exercising on them, (pronouncing, explo- ding, and reading them,) a fulness and force, a definiteneSs of out- line, and a grace, facility, and elegance, such as never before was thought of, will be engendered, that must be highly capti- vating and fascinating in the possessor. The teacher must insist on the exact intonation of every element, contained in these exercises, in the order in which they are found; and attend to the frequent exercise on them. The more frequently the pupils are drilled on them, the bet- ter ; — persevere ! persevere ! ! persevere ! ! ! DIFFICULT COMBINATIONS. 55 TABLE OF COMBINATIONS OF CONSONANT ELEMENTS. Spelled. Pronounced. Spelled. Pronounced. and and ri&, ribs, ri bbed rib, rlbz, rWd barb barb ro&e, ro&es rob, rbbz hand hand ro&ed r66'd hands hands: candle c an- dZ barbed bkrbd candZes can-dZs end end hand/es hkn-dlz ends ends handZed han-dZ'd ended ended handledst h kn-dPdst h an dedst han-dedsf handiest hkn-dl'st bind bind fondles fon-dZs binds binds fondled fon-dZ'd probe prob fondledst fon-dVdst probes prbbz fondlest fon-dPst -probed prbbd dove duv probedst prob'dst doves d\XVZ probest prbb'st JJame flame orb 6rb ^ames flamz orbed orb'd tri/Ze tri-fl orbs orbz trifles tri-flz band bknd trifled tri-ftd bands bands trifledst tri-fVdst trouble trub-W tr'iflest tri-ftst troubles trub-blz frame fr am troublest trub-blst frames framz troubled trifo-bld framed framd troubledst tr Cib-bl'dst \augk w pebble ptb-bl laughs o w* pebbles ptb-blz laugAed Wt tremble trem-bl laughest \hfst trembles tr&m-blz waft vrkft trembled trem-bVd wafts whfts trembledst tr hm-bPdst waff est whftst 56 DIFFICULT COMBINATIONS. Spelled. Pronounced. Spelled. Pronounced. dij dif with with (as in thou) cliffs clifs bequeafA be-kwith glow gl§ bequeathed he-kwtthd glows gloz beneath he-ntth glowed glo-d this this mangles mhng-glz them th&m mangiest mkng-glst then then mangled mkng-gld truckles tr uk-klz mangledst mkng-gldst trucklest tr iik-klst haggled hkg-gld truckled tr ixk-kld haggles hag-gfe tru ckledst tr\ik-kldst bragged bragd uncle ung-kl braggedst br kg dst thinfo th ingks brags brag2 thinkest thjttgkst hedge htdzh-hhj sacked skkt hprjorpf] ( Mdzh-d 1 heja? packed ipkkt XI *_ UitU blacken blkk-kn' pig" pis blackens blkk-knz pigS iplgz blackenst blkk-knst waggest wkgst blackend blkk-knd wagged wkgd blackendst blkk-kndst wage wkdzh or wkj croney kro-nt waged wkdzhd elb m strange strkn-dzh bulbs biilbz fringe frlndzh bulbed biilbd fringes? frindzhd hold hold breafA br kth, in thin holds hbldz breadth brkdth *lf w breadths brkdths elfs m fifth fifth delft mft sixth sixth bulge hiilj-ldzh ■ thousandth thow-zknth milks milks mulct mxdkt milked m]lkt mulcts m idkts silks silks DIFFICULT COMBINATIONS. 57 Spelled. Pronounced. Spelled. Pronounced. elm him flinched Qinsht elms elmz evinced evtnst whelmed whhlmd hangs hkngz whelms whelms hanged hkngd Mien f'Xll-n songs songz false flls strength str ttngkth fullest Wst pluck plixk hats h kts rippled rip-pld halts hilts ripples rip-plz shelves shtlvz rippledst rip-pldst shelved she Ivd pray prk balls h-dlz prayed prkd filch filsh clips klips filched filsht clippest klipst wealth welth (in thin) clipped klipt healths htlths clippedst klip'p&dst truth truth herbs hrbz truth's sake truth's sake harbed hkrbd humphry hum-yre barbest hkrbst attempt ht-tempt harbedst hkrbdst attempts kt-tempts hard hkrd tombs tomz hards hkrdz entombed en-tomd wharf ed whkrft entomb edst en-tomdst surf surf hands hkndz hurgh hurg send est sendst hurghs hurgz range rknj-ndzh harge hkrj-dzh ranged rknjd urged ur ji-\xrdzhd wan/s wants hark hkrk wentest whntst harked hkrkt fins finz arc krk findest fin-dest arcs krks &inch f\\nsh harked barkt 58 DIFFICULT COMBINATIONS. Sentences in which there are difficult combinations of elements in successive syllables and words. The final elements in the words of a sentence, should be particularly and distinctly uttered in the syllables, in which they occur. Every sound should be uttered in due proportion, and every syllable and every letter in a word be distinctly heard, without mouthing, slurring, whispering, or suppressing any of their proper elements. Deliver the words slowly at first, and then increase progressively in rapidity, taking care not to connect them by a humming or drawling sound. It will give facility and precision in articulation. He spreads forth the great ocean; not gray tocean. Our Priest and King; not Priest Ann King. Then feed on thoughts; not feedon thoughts. From the cheerful ways of men cut off; not cuttoff. Wisdom at one entrance quite shut out; not shuttout. Whatever a savage ferocity could add; not coodad. Can animate their minds and ours; not andotvers. Where'er they pause in' amity, not pawznamity. Are but a handful ; not butter handful. How I hate, how I abhor such hell hounds. Hope, open thou his ear to Aear. Guide thine eye to look on high; not onigh. Teach thine heart the holy art of humbly hearing truth; not thine art, the holy hart. Bail, ye Aigh ministers of Aeaven ! Aow Aappy are we to Aear these, your Aeavenly tidings. This act, more than all other acts of the legislature, laid the axe at the root of the evil. It is false to say he had no faults. j The magistrates ought to prove the charge. { The magistrates sought to prove the charge. Bach! to thy punishment, false fugitive. And, to thy speed, add wings. That last still night. That lasts till night. The hosts still stand in strangest plight. The host still stands in s/rangest plight. His works demonstrate his existence. On either side an ocean exists. On neither side a notion exisfs. Around the rugged rocks the restless rangers ran. I said popular; not poplar. DIFFICULT COMBINATIONS. 59 I said omnip-otence; not omnipertunce. I said prevail; not prevail. I said behold; not bliold. He per'-emptorily refused to enter the receptacle of the dead. He acts from disinterested motives. Think'st thou so meanly of P/iocian ? O'rwhelmed with whirlwinds and tempestuous fires. Henceforth look to your hearths. Can'st thou minister to a mind diseased ? My lords, this is a tremendous and awful crisis! A thousand shrieks for hopeless mercy call. A partridge and a quail on an aged oak. He was capable. He was incapable of a mean or questionable action. He was branded as a traitor. But .Rt^/i clave unto her. Gentlemen may criy peace. The ribs of the animal, are seen through the skin. Now set the teeth, and stretch the nostril wide. Thou prob'dst the wound too deep. Thou prob'st the wound, instead of healing it. He was amiable* respectable, formidable, unbearable, inioler able, unmanageable, terrible. Can you say cream, crackers, crime, cruelly, crutches, crimson. It was an affair of pic-nics. It was the act of all the acts of government the most objec- tionable. The government of England is a mixed government. The spindle and the loom. We saw on the road, large droves of cattle. His deeds speak his praise. The breadth thereof was ten cubits. That thou wouWst harm. They reefed the top-sails. If I quench thee, thou flaming minister. He laughs at me. Thou loolcst from thy throne in the clouds, and laugh'st at the storm. He begged pardon for having troubled the house so long. The table groans beneath its burthen. ^ The syllables lie, die, pie, de, tie, have the e silent, as able, (a~bl,) spindle, (spin-dl,) &c, and therefore, are not heard distinctly over an extensive space. GO DIFFICULT COMBINATIONS. Arm it with rags, a pigmy straw will pierce it. Thou wagg'st thy tongue in vain. A frame of adamant — a soul of fire. He was hedged in on every side. Racked with whirlwinds. Well done, said my uncle Toby. Victory will weaken the enemy. Think'st thou so meanly of my Phocian. Where does the river Elbe arise ? We frequently saw the Elk in our journey. Cry hold, hold. The wolf, whose howPs his watch. I prefer the elm to the oak. All over the realm. Fall'n, fall'n, fall'n, fall'n, fall'n from his high estate. He watched, and wept, he felt and prayed for all. If this were a, false account of Mr. Hastings, the author deserves the severed punishment. It was a species of C&lx which he showed me. Halls of assembly. The word finch is of doubtful derivation. Then if thou falPst, 0! Cromwell, thou falPst a blessed martyr- Health is indispensable to the soldier, (sol-dyur.) Those who lie entombed in the public monuments. The attempt, and not the deed, confounds us. The tombs of our ancestors. But truth, and liberty, and virtue, would fall with him. The song began from Jove. Do you mean plain or playing cards. The range of the vallies is his pasture. He was the first ambassador sent from Columbia. Swords and pens were eagerly employed in its defence. I do not flinch from the argument. He never winced, for it hurt not him. Mind you, do not singe your gown. Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow. Nipt in the bud. The green herb was his food. Thou found? st me poor at first, and keep'st me so. We constructed an ark, and began our voyage without delay. The surf beat heavily. Arms, warriors, arms. DIFFICULT COMBINATIONS. 61 The word burgh, signifies a town or city that sends a member or members to parliament. The admiral's barge appeared first. The word earl, originally was eorl, the Saxon word for noble- man. Return to thy dwelling, all lonely, return. Weave the warp, and weave the woof. Have you a copy of Smith's Thucydidesl He was to be stretched upon a bed of Procrustes. The heights, depths, and breadths of the subject. That tear'st the bowels of thy mangled mate. I give my hand and my heart to this vote. Go starve, and be forgotten. The road jfor&s about a mile hence. He errs in his estimation. Search the scriptures, (scrip-tshurz.) He was a harsh overseer. What, /ear's* thou ? And he slew him. He never swerved from his purpose. We lost our best swivel-gun. Thou livht — liv'st did I say ? appeals/ in the Senate. The muzzles of their pieces were within a few feet of his breast. He was attacked with spasm of the heart. The bells tinkled on the ear. He truckles into power. Is this delft ware ? Thou truckVdst over thy gain too soon. One extremity was pointed, the other bulbed. The bulbs should be immersed in rain water. The policy of this prince was, to mulct the rich Jews. He mulcts his subjects. He holds his trust from the people. Overwhelmed with ivhirlivinds and tempestuous fire. His kindness overwhelms me. He halts between two opinions. Your hearths, gentlemen, (harths.) What wanVst thou? And drowsy tinklings lull the dist ant folds. Earth, that entomb' st all that my heart holds dear. His attends were fruitless. Hold hands off, gentlemen. The sounds, of horses hoofs, were heard, at a distance. 62 DIFFICULT COMBINATIONS. For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn. At the stern of the ship, we saw a large dead fish floating. By the British Constitution, every man's house is his castle. This meteorous vapor is called, Will-OMhe- JFisp. I thrust three thousand thistles through the thick of my thumb. Man wants but little here below, nor wants that little long. Foreign travel enlarges and liberalizes the mind. They were wrenched by the hand of violence. • Their singed tops, though bare, stand on the blasted heath. The strength of his nostrils is terrible. A gentle current rippled by. Do you like herbs in your broth ? Thou barb'st the dart that ivounds thee. Thou barVd'st the dart by which he fell. Many arks were seen floating down the stream. There barked and howled, within, unseen. The culprit was hurled from the tarpeian rock. Words, words, words! Are the goods wharf ed? It was strongly urged upon him. Remarked' st thou that? Mark' st thou? He snarls but dares not bite. Arm?d, say ye? arm?d, my lord/ They have arms in their hands. The delinquent was burned in the hand. Wellington learn'd the art of war under his brother in India. A boundless song bursts from the grove. It was union of hearts as well as hands. Earth's ample breast. He searched the house for it. It hurts me. Thou hurVsi his feelings. Theophilus Thistle, the successful thistle sifter, in sifting a seive full of unsifted thistles, thrust three //&ousand thistles trough the thick of his thumb. PercivaZ's ac/s and extracts. He boasts, he twisfs the texts to suit the several sects. Amidst the mists, he thrusts his fists against the pos/s. The swan swam over the sea, well swum swan ; the swan swam back again, well swum swan. He sawed six sleek slim saplings. Thou wreath'd'st and muzzled'st the far-fetched ox, and im- DIFFICULT COMBINATIONS. 63 prisonel'st him in the volcanic Mexican mountain, Popocatapetl. Thou trifledst with his acts, that thou blackenedst and con- taminatedst even his filched character. Peter Prickle Prandle picked three pecks of prickly pears from three prickly prangly pear trees : if then, Peter Prickle Prandle picked three pecks of prickly pears from three prickly prangly pear trees, where are the three pecks of prickly pears that Peter Prickle Prandle picked from the three prickly prangly pear trees. I like white toine vinegar, toith veal, very well. Feal, wine, and vinegar, will make good sowens. RADICAL AND VANISHING MOVEMENT OF THE VOICE. When the letter c if as heard in the word eye, is pronounced as an alphabetic letter, without emotion, there will be two sounds heard in close succession. The first has the sound of c a,' in at, (which is the third vocal element,) and the second, of c e, ? in he; a-e-ae-ae-ay-i. The first element is made to issue from the organs with a degree of fulness and force, while the second is made by a gradually diminishing sound, vanishing into silence. During the pronunciation, the voice gradually rises or slides upward through the interval of a tone : the beginning of the ' a ? and the termination of the c e,' being, severally, the inferior and superior extremes of this tone. This may be proven by any one who is able to sound the diatonic scale discretely. Let him commence with ' a,' and strike the several points of this scale, by the alternate use of 6 a' and ' e,' drawing out each as a note, and making a palpa- ble pause between the sounds. This will make him familiar with the effect of these letters, when heard on the extremes of a tone. Then let him rise, by a slide of the voice, (or con- cretely,) through the several places of the scale, making the several points of c a' strongly, and the * e 5 faintly, by the alternate use of ' a' and ' e. ? This movement will make him familiar with the concrete rise of a tone. Now, in repeating the ' a 5 and ' e 3 on the two first points of the scale, let the sound of the 6 a' be continued up till the voice reaches the ' e,' and the stress on the i e> be gradually diminished into silence, and he will perceive this diminishing ' e' to be the end of the sound, and also one tone in pitch higher than the commencing ' a.' This movement of the voice is called a concrete rise of a second or tone. This diphthongal sound of ' i,' does, then, in this case, pass through the concrete interval of a tone ; that is, the sound of ' e ? seems to grow out of that of the ' a,' as a twig grows out of a root or stump, and as the sound thus rises in pitch, it gradually diminishes into silence by the time it has passed through the interval of a tone. This rise of the voice on the c e' is called a Concrete, or a concrete rise ; and it is RADICAL AND VANISH. 65 also applicable to the falling movement of the voice, called a falling concrete, or a concrete fall. With a view to distinguish more definitely this movement of the voice, the first position, or that heard on the \ a,' in the above instance, is called the Radical, or the Radical Movement, or the radical part of the movement, because it opens or begins with a sudden fulness, on some given place of the scale, as from a base or root. That portion which follows or rises from the radical, or extends upward into the c e,' is called the Vanish, or the Vanishing Movement, or the vanishing part of the movement, from its becoming gradually weaker and weaker, and finally vanishing away into silence, in the upper extreme of the tone. This important movement of the voice is equally applicable to the simple vocal elements, as well as to the diphthongs and triphthongs, as also to the elements of all the consonants, excepting the aspirs. When any one of the alphabetic ele- ments (except the aspirs) is uttered with propriety and smoothness, and without any emotion, it commences with an abrupt fulness, and gradually decreases in its upward move- ment, through the interval of a tone, having the increments of time and rise, and the decrements of fulness and force, equably progressive. The following diagram may illustrate this important func- tion of the voice — the radical and vanishing movement ; also called the equable concrete. 1 2 3 4 rr^x The thick or heavy end represents the radical, and the thin, terminating point, the vanish ; and from the commencing ful- ness to the end of the point, may be called the equable con- crete, or the rising or falling concrete. No. 1 and 2, in the above diagram, represent the rising, and No. 3 and 4 the falling concrete of the voice ; or the upward and downward vanish. The falling concrete is produced by the voice in the same manner as the rising, only the direction is dovmward ; com- mencing with the radical fulness on the upper line, or higher pitch, and equably diminishing downward into silence, through the interval of a tone on the lower line, or on a lower degree of pitch. 66 RADICAL AND VANISH. This important function of the voice is not applicable to the interval of a tone only, but is equally applicable to every interval of the scale, from a semitone to an octave, or more, if necessary. But a semitone, a tone or second, a third, a fourth, a fifth, or an octave, will generally answer all practicable purposes in elocution. SYLLABICATION. This concrete function of the voice is not only applicable to the simple elements of speech, but also to every syllable. For the uttering of any syllable is but the performance of this concrete function on that syllable. It is the performance of the radical and vanish, or concrete function, on any number of alphabetic elements, that unites these elements, by one effort of the voice, into syllables. For any number of letters which can be sounded by the use of this concrete function, constitutes a syllable. Words may, then, be divided into syl- lables, by the application of the radical and vanishing move- ment of the voice on them : as manfully, man-ful-ly. Here, the concrete function may be employed on man, on fid, and only. 'But on ' manful,' as one syllable, it cannot be thus applied; because, in sounding the elements of these letters, the voice is compelled to repeat the concrete function on u : and therefore these letters must be divided into two syllables; as i manful The two last letters, i lyj are made a syllable, because they cannot be made to coalesce with the preceding letters, c ful, 5 in the performance of the concrete on them: but they, also, require the same function on them in order to pronounce them; as ly, (ley) fully, (ful-le). The vowel elements are those best adapted to display the radical and concrete movement of the voice, on every inter- val, from the semitone to the octave. Therefore, the opening fulness of the radical is uniformly heard on the vowel ele- ment of a syllable. The proper method by which we can ascertain which of the consonants belong to a giveo vowel, is this ; all those consonant elements preceding and following the vowels, which coalesce very readily with each other and the vowel, allowing the concrete function on them, are taken together for one syllable, which may be seen in the word c draughts-man.' The ' d? and ' r 5 before, and the ( g,' < A,' t f, ? and ' s,' after the vowel i a,' (the u being silent,) very readily coalesce with each other, and with the vowel element of 'a,' or the radical and vanishing function can be performed on them ; therefore, they are all taken together for one syllable ; as 6 draughts.' And this, also, is the case with the ; m? and In spaniel, Daniel, minion, pinion, the 'i' has the sound of 6 yf as sfcan-y^l, Dan-^/el, mln-yun, pin-jun. This is also the case in all the other instances of diphthongs and triphthongs. If the radical and vanishing function of the voice alone con- stitutes a syllable, it follows that the aspirs from their being incapable of this function, cannot make a new and distinct syllable, when not joined with a vowel element. The word 6 stitch' is an illustration. For the syllabic function is here made on the vowel element Hj whilst 's, 5 %' % 9 alone, or on £ zm, ? as spaz-zm, schiz-zm, Tith-thm, log-a-rith-fAmz. The reason of this is very obvious, namely ; we cannot make a full effort of the voice (a radical and vanish) by a full opening, then closing it in part, and then again opening it a little, on the same syllable. This constitutes two radicals, and consequently two vanishes, there- fore two syllables. PHILOSOPHY OF SYLLABICATION. In the coalescence of Sounds or Elements. In the production of the elements of speech, the degree of opening and occlusion of the mouth, is that which regulates the succession of elements in syllables, and consequently, the radi- cal and vanishing movement of the voice. In the production of a single effort of the voice, (which is nothing more or less than a radical and vanish,) the mouth opens, either gradually or abruptly, from a state of previous occlusion, and gradually closes again into a subsequent state of occlusion. This ante- cedent occlusion may be called the preparative for an effort of the voice. The radical function cannot be produced by the voice, without this previous occlusion or preparative, from which alone, the voice can suddenly open or burst into or on its radical fulness. By the opening of the mouth, or opening of the organs of speech, is meant, that degree of separation of the organs, necessary to effect this radical, on any of the ele- ments of speech, susceptible of it. In the intonation of the following words, 1, at — 2, rat — 3, vat — 4, brat — 5, trap — 6, strap, the radical is always heard on the vowel element. But it will be observed in pronouncing these words slowly and distinctly, and, at the same time, directing special attention to the posi- tion and change of position of the organs of speech, that there is, in every one, a previous occlusion of these organs, necessary to produce this radical on the vowel. This occlusion is the antecedent state of the organs to that degree of opening, neces- sary to display the radical. The opening of the organs, necessary to give the radical in these examples, is the same; but the state of the preparative, or antecedent occlusion, is different in every word of the examples. In the first word, ' at,' the occlusion is made by closing the glottis, which being suddenly opened to that degree, and the ieeth and tongue also. in that relative position, necessary to sound the ' a.' This gives the radical on this vowel ; as, a, at; a, arm, an. The second word, 'rat/ has its preparation IN THE COALESCENCE OF ELEMENTS. 73 made by elevating the point of the tongue toward the roof of the mouth, and sounding the semi-voco 'r;' then suddenly de- pressing the point, and assuming the position necessary to sound the ' a, 5 the radical is again heard on the ' a ;' as, ra, rat ; ra, rap. The third word, ' vat,' has its preparative made by bringing the under lip slightly in contact w r ith the upper front teeth, and giving the element of ' v ;' then suddenly separating them, and assuming that position again necessary to sound 'a,' gives again the radical display on the vowel ' a, 5 as, va, vkt ; i?a, vkn. The fourth word, 6 brat,' has its pre- parative made by closing the lips, and, on producing the vocality of ' b' and continuing it until the organs suddenly assume successively, the positions necessary for the ; r,' and 6 a,' the radical is again heard on the element of the last. In this syllable, ' bratf the antecedent occlusion or preparative, is that closed position of the lips, which is necessary to give the vocality of the ' b ;' the organs then opening a little assum- ing the position for the ' r,' and then again opening a little wider, to give that position necessary for the sound of the ' a f all which is effected with great rapidity and ease ; as, 6ra, brht ; brh, brkd, brkds. The fifth word, ' trap,' has its pre- parative made by pressing the tongue against the upper front teeth, which is necessary to give the vocule of the ' t ;' then drawing the point of the tongue backward, into that position necessary for the sound of the ' r,' which opens the organs a little, then again depressing it a little, which opens the organs still more, and gives the radical on the ' a,' as before ; as, trh, /rap ; trk, trkck, trhcks. The sixth word, ' strap,' has its preparative made on the i t,' as the preceding word, i trap,' by bringing the tongue, at first, slightly in contact with the upper front teeth, letting the air pass out between them with a hissing sound, which is the element of the commencing '.$,' and then pressing the tongue firmly against the teeth to interrupt this hissing sound of the ' 5,' produce a complete momentary occlu- sion, which is, in this case, the real preparative ; from this position of the organs, they open successively into the positions necessary for the sound of the ' r 5 and the c a,' which latter again exhibits the full radical function of the voice • as, strk, strkp : s/ra, s/rand, strands. In the word l pout,' the organs of speech will open suddenly, from the occlusion necessary for the sound of the ' /?,' on the vowel ' o ;' then contracting a little into the 'w' (which has, in this case, the element of ' w') and closing again on the con- sonant ' /.' The voice will make the voccule of the ' p* run 4 74 PHILOSOPHY OF SYLLABICATION, into the radical fulness, heard on the i 6,' which in turn coa- lesces with the sound of ' uf (but diminishing in volume and force,) and this again glides into that of the ' i, ? and vanishes into silence on it. The voice has finished the radical, when it moves from the ' 6,' to the c u ;' or the radical is performed on the 'jo' and <6 ;' and the vanish, on the 'u' and ' i ;' as, pout, po-ut. The word i strange,' has its radical made on the first four letters, c strk.' From this full opening on the < a,' the organs of speech gradually closing a little on the ' nf are sufficiently compressed on the ' g ? to enable the voice to effect the vanish on it. The ' g? in this word is a compound, composed of i d? and c zh ;' the final ? e> being silent. The word, then, stands elementally thus, c strkndzhS The radical movement is made on, c strhj and the vanishing on the 6 ndzh? — stra-ndzh. From this condition of the movement of the organs of speech, it is very manifest, that in the production of any and every element of speech, there is a certain degree of opening of the organs of the voice, necessary to the production of the elements. Some of these elements require a very small opening of the organs of speech ; as, the sub and per-aspirs p, t, k, — f, wh, sh, th, h ; others require an opening a little larger; as the sub, and per-vocos; as, b, d, g — v, w, z, zh, th, y ; others, again, must have an opening still a little larger; as the semi-vocos, m, n, 1, r, ng. Whilst the vowel elements require the largest opening; as, e, a, ah, aw. From this, there are four degrees of opening necessar}' to produce the different elements. No.l may indicate the vowels, and be represented by this No. 2 may indicate the semi-vocos, and be u " No. 3 may indicate the sub and per-vocos " " No. 4 may indicate the sub and per-aspirs " " From this it may very readily be seen, that the voice may freely glide or slide from No. 4 to any of the lower Nos.; and from No. 1, to any of the higher ones ; or from any of the higher Nos. to a lower one, in the radical function; and from any of the lower to a higher one, in the vanishing function of 41 41 the voice ; as for instance from 4 to 1, as, so, to ; from 4 to 2 IN THE COALESCENCE OF ELEMENTS. 75 4 21 4 2 1 4 21 4 2 1 and 1, as fly, smoke, throw: from 4 to 3 and 1, as swell, 43 1 4 4 21 4421 swoon; from 4 to 4, 2, and 1, as, squire, split. These are examples of the commencing or radical movement of the voice on syllables. The following are instances of the vanishing movements, on the terminating elements of syllables. From 14 14 14 134 134 1 to 4, as, if, it, tip ; from 1 to 3 and 4, as, brads, bags ; from 1234 123 4 12 3 4 1 to 2, 3 and 4, as, bards, nalves, grinds ; from 1 to* 4 and 144 144 1 2 3 44 1 2 3 44 4, as, left, hits; from 1 to 2, 3, 4, 4, as, entomb'st, swervest ; 1 22 344 1 22 344 from 1 to 2, 2, 3,4, 4, as hurl'dst, earnMst. Thus it may be seen, that the voice may easily glide from a vowel to any consonant, and from any consonant to a vowel ; but it cannot slide from a semi-voco to a sub or per-voco, and then to a vowel in the radical part of a syllable ; as, ldo^m. These letters will make three syllables, as, l-doz-m, or l~do-zm. Neither will the voice move smoothly from any of the semi or 2 4 142 2 414 2 per-vocos, to an aspir, and then to a vowel : as, rfotl, msapn* These letters cannot be sounded by a single concrete function of the voice. Three concretes will be heard by endeavoring to sound either collection, as rf-o-tl, ms-a-pn. Hence, the aspirs must always be on the extremes of sylla« bles. If there are no aspirs in the syllable, the sub or per- vocos form the boundaries of syllables. If no aspirs, or sub or per-vocos, the semi-vocos form the extremes of syllables. And if none of either, the vowels alone will constitute the syl- lable. The vowels and vocos have an antecedent occlusion, when pronounced alone or at the commencement of a syllable ; being made by closing the glottis, as a preparative for a full display of the body of the radical of the element. From this circum- stance, the radical and vanishing function of the voice, can be performed on all these elements ; and which may be demon- strated by the voice ; as, e, a, ah, aw, o, oo, uh — b, d, g, — v, w, z, zh, th, y— m, n, 1, r, ng. Observe, in sounding these elements, the motion of the parts concerned. It will be found that the glottis is com- pletely occluded immediately antecedent to the bursting forth of the radical of these elements. The radical and vanish may, then, be performed on each of these elements. The 76 PHILOSOPHY OF SYLLABICATION, vowel sounds are produced without any obstruction after the antecedent occlusion ; the cavity and form of the mouth, how- ever, being of a different shape, for the production of every different vowel element. The sound of the voco-aspirs, are produced, by partially obstructing the free passage of the voice or air through the mouth, though the sound is produced in the glottis. When the elements of the sub-vocos, b, d, g, are made alone, the occlusion necessary for the display of their radicals is made by and in the glottis. But when these letters commence a syllable the occlusion is made, partly, in the mouth, and partly in the glottis, as may be observed by sound- ing them alternately alone, and then in a syllable ; as, b, be, d, do, g, go. The sound of the aspirs being made in the mouth alone, the occlusion, if any, must therefore, also be made there. There are but three which have a preparative, and these are the sub- aspirs, c p, ? ' t,' 6 k.' The preparative of ' p' is made by pres- sing the lips together ; — of ' t,' by bringing the tongue against the gums of the upper front teeth •— of ' k,' by elevating the body of the tongue against the roof of the mouth ; whereas the per-aspirs have no preparative, being themselves the preparatives to the subsequent vowel elements ; as f, wh, s, sh, th ? h — fi, who, so, she, thin, he. The opening of the organs of speech for the display of the body of these elements being so small, and having no laryngial sound, the radical function cannot be performed on them. They, consequently, become preparatives to radicals, and used as vanishing materials of syllables. In any series of consonants and vowels as a syllable, the antecedent occlusion requisite to sound them singly, is prevented in all except the one commencing the series, by their sounds running into each other, when they are sounded together in a syllable ; as left, cleft. Here, in the first example, the occlu- sion is made on the c 1, ? whose sound coalesces with that of the i e,' which latter has its occlusion superceded by being intimately connected with the element of the ' 1 ;' the prepa- rative for the radical on ' e' is, then, made on the c 1.' In the word ' cleft' the preparative is made on the c c, ? whose ele- ment opens into that of the c 1/ and the 6 P into the ' e,' upon which last the radical is again made. The vanish is effected on the i P and < t,' as already explained. ON THE SUCCESSION OF ELEMENTARY SOUNDS. The successive sounds of speech are pleasing to the ear only, when they can be made in such an order of succession, PHILOSOPHY OF SYLLABICATION. 77 in which they severally run or glide into each other, in a natural, smooth, and easy manner. The thirty-seven ele- mentary sounds of which the English language consists, will not all thus run into each other indiscriminately. There seems to be a want of affinity between some of the elements, and this, no doubt, is the reason why there are so many silent let- ters in many of our words ; as fezg*n, (fen,) dracAm, (dram,) might, (mit,) know, (no.) When we attempt to give, in these examples, each letter its proper element in pronouncing them, we shall have a very different sound from that we have on them, when properly pronounced, and a very awkward one, too, as may be heard on trial, as well as a very difficult one to make. This difficulty and difference arises from the imperfection of our organs of speech, not being able to make all possible com- binations unite and glide into each other, by executing the radical and vanish on them. Every element requires a cer- tain and particular position of the vocal organs. This posi- tion is such, as will produce the elements, sometimes in one, and sometimes in another part of the mouth, throat, or glottis. There are some that are made principally by the lips, called labials ; others are principally made by the agency of the teeth, called dentals ; some again are made by the root of the tongue and the roof of the mouth or palate, called palatals : while others again are made in the glottis, called vowel sounds, or pure vocal elements. From these several circum- stances, arises the ability or inability of making smooth and agreeable sounds in certain orders of succession. From the foregoing, then, it will appear that two laws will regulate the order of succession of the elements of the letters in a syllable. First. — Such letters, whose elements may be made easily and smoothly to coalesce with each other, the preceding gliding into the subsequent one, without giving the appearance of affectation, harshness, or difficulty of execution, may have their elements heard on them in the order in which they stand in a syllable. Second. — Where this cannot be done, in cases in which the sound and orthography of the word is fixed and settled, some letter or letters must be made silent, or their elements changed, in order to give the required sound to the awkward orthography, perhaps imposed upon us by a foreign language. From these two rules, the sound of every letter, and conse- 78 PHILOSOPHY OF SYLLABICATON, quently, of every syllable and word, may be regulated and adjusted. The coalescence of elements depends upon the places in the mouth, at or in which they are made : or upon the quick- ness and facility with which the organs of speech can assume the different successive positions, necessary to the rapid pro- duction of the elements, in the display of the radical and vanish. Whenever, therefore, there is a difficulty in the rapid and easy production of the successive elements in a syllable, we may, very reasonably infer, that the places in the mouth at which the several elements are made, are too distant from each other, and cannot be made to assume rapidly and easily the several positions necessary. The natural conclusion, then, is, when this cannot be done, that a letter or letters must be made silent, or some element or elements changed, or else we shall appear affected or awkward, by sacrificing the euphony of our language. In the following examples, it was thought better to make some letter or letters silent, than to change their elements • as knob 7 nob ; jfcnit, nit ; listen, lis-s'n ; bristle, bris-sl • episZle, e-pis-si ; apostle, a-pos-sl. Here, the italic letters are silent, in order to enable the vocal organs to take the several successive positions necessary, with ease and quickness, uniting the several elements in a syllable in an agreeable and euphonical radical and vanish. It would be very unpleasant, indeed, as well as more difficult, to give every letter its own element in the pronunciation of these words ; as knob, knot, Ms-ten, bris-tle, a-pos-tle, &c. This rule is extensively in use in our language and the French j though it obtains to a greater or less degree in almost all languages. In reference to the change of an element in a syllable, we find it obtaining pretty generally ; and this change is dependent upon the principles contained in the above rules. Where the elements of approximate letters will not readily coalesce, or are made with difficulty in succession, one or the other of the letters must have its element changed, to effect the desired elemental coalescence. Hence, then, the u should never have its diphthongal elements where it follows the element either of r or I ; s or z ; th aspir, or th voco ; sh or zh ; wh, w, or i/, even should the vowel be long or short j accented or unac- cented. Examples of ther and Z; as rule, rool ; ruin, roo-iny rumor, r6o-mur ; — Zure, lobv ; alZure, al-Zoor ; Zunacy; Zoo-na- s£, Zurid, Zoo-rid , ilZuminate, il-oo-min-at ; illusion, 11-Zoo- zhOn. Examples of s andz: as suet, 560-tt; sue, s6o ; swpreme, IN THE SUCCESSION OF ELEMENTS. 79 560-prem; assume, as-soom ; consume, con-soom ; — zumic, zbo-mik] zumology, ^oa-mol-o-je ; presume, pre-zoom ; pre- sumable, pre-soo-ma-bl. Here the element of s is changed into that of z. Examples of th : as Murible, £A6o-rj-bl : £A6riferous, thoo- rif-er-As. Examples of sh and zh: as sure, sAoor ; pressure, presli- sAoor ; fissure, f jsh-sA6or ; sugar, sAoo-gur ; azure, k-zhoor ; pleasure, plezh-zAoor ; treasure, trezh-zAoor. Here, the ele- ment of s is changed into that of sh ; and s and z sometimes into that of zh. To give the diphthongal elements to the u, in the above situation, savors very strongly of affectation or pedantry ; and manifests a want of reflection on the cause of the coalescence of sounds. The vowel u may be diphthongal, after the elements of the sub-vocos b, d, g ; the sub-aspirs p, t, k ; the per-voco v ; the per-aspirs f, h ; and the semi-vocos m, n, either accented or unaccented, long or short. Examples of the aspirs, as, Sub-aspirs. P, — impute, compute, depute, dispute, depurate. T, — tube, tune, tumor, tulip, con/wmelious. K, — kufic, (Arabic letters, from Kufa a city.) Per-aspirs. F, — fuse, fume, future, diffuse. H, — Hume, Aw mid, Hugh. Semi-vocos. M, — muse, mute, immure, commune. JS f , — numerate, innumerable, nugatory. Sub-vocos. B, — abuse, rebuke, imbue, ta&wlar, fabulous. D, — dupe, duke, duty, duly, during, due, dew. G, — gula, (a heavy timber in a building,) regular. Per-voco. V, — val^lar, rivulet, volvular, or vobwlus. The vowels A and I, when preceded by the element K or G, it is stated by Mr. Walker and other great authorities, must have the element of e interposed between the consonant and vowel elements, in order to unite them the better, and soften the consonant. Now, this seems to be directly the very re- verse of truth. The elements of K and G, are much more easily united to that of A or I, without the intervention of the e, or more properly y. In confirmation of which, Mr. Walker may be cited ; for he has himself lost sight of the principle (which he stated and endeavored to establish,) in the notation of those words, in the body of his work, which he had pre- 80 PHILOSOPHY OF SYLLABICATION, viously given as examples in the discussion of the subject. This,I have no doubt, he did unintentionally, being led uncon- sciously by the truth; or, in so far as the A is concerned, he has recanted the principle, for he has noted the word, card, cart, regard, without the intervening e or y, contrary to his principle ; though the word ' guard, 9 he has noted (gyard,) in accordance with his principle. Now, with all this authority and inconsistency, it must be very obvious to every unpreju- diced ear, that card, cart, guard, regard, noted kard, kart, gard, and regard are much more easy, natural, and euphonic, than when the notation is kyard, kyart, gyard, regyard, because the elements coalesce more easily and smoothly without the inter- position of either e or y, which latter makes the sound affected unpleasant, and difficult of production. This intended medium of coalescence constitutes, in truth, an obstacle to that easy, natural, and agreeable coalescence which is so much desired in all cases. Inasmuch as the c P is concerned, the same principle ob- tains in its regulation, because the first constituent of the c i 9 is the same element that a has (in card) : and the second is that of y, as, k~y ; ky-i. Now, I would ask the reader, which is the most easy, natural, and euphonic ? To say, A: a or kyk ; — gk or gyk ; — kky or kyky ; — sky or skyky ; — kind or kyind ; — guide or gtjuide ; — catechise (Mt-e-kise, or kyat-e-kyise,) &c. the answer is very obvious. The last of the pairs cannot be pronounced without suggesting the idea of affectation which is always disgusting; besides, they are much more difficult to make. The truth, in this matter, is settled by observing nature in the formation of the elements concerned. There are but four elements concerned : the i kj < g 9 ' a, 9 and the interposed l y 9 When we direct our attention to the place in the mouth, at which the 6 k 9 and ' g 9 are made, and then to that of c a,' pro- nouncing the elements only ; — first alone or separately and dis- tinctly, as, < k? < k 9 ' k ; 9 and then c g, 9 6 g, 9 ' g ; 9 and the < a,' < a,' ' a ; 9 then uniting the element of < k 9 to that of i k, 9 and repeating them frequently, as, kk, kk, kk ; and then do the same with ' g 9 and ' a,' observing the manner and facility with which they unite, then consider, too, how natural and easy it is for them thus to unite. Now, sound the element of f y, 9 and repeat it until it is dis- tinctly perceived ; then place it between that of ' k 9 and ' a," as, kyk, kyti \ and then again between i g 9 and ' k, 9 as, gyk, gyk; after this, contrast them thus, kk, M ; kyk, kyk>—gk> IN THE SUCCESSION OF ELEMENTS. 81 gk ; gyh, gyk. You will, at once, perceive that the element of ' if interposed in this way, produces an unpleasant and affected pronunciation of the words thus sounded with the ' y. ? Now, ask yourself which sounds are the least affected, the most easily produced, and the most euphonic, of these com- pound sounds? You, then, will very readily conclude that, the philosophy of sound and the production of it, require that the 'tf should not be interposed in this situation for the pur- pose proposed. Hence, then, the following words should have the notation as follows : We shall give both notations for contrast — Incorrect or Affected Pronunciation. ky|rd* kyart* gyard re-gyard kyan-dl* gyar-re-sun kyar-rjdzh gy id gy| s gyil bt-.gyil skyi kyind man-kyincl kyat-t-kyis" Where the monothongal 6 v? is preceded by ' x J and has the accent on it, the 'a?' should have the elements of 6 gz f first, because the elements of ' z ? can be made more easily to run into the monothongal c u,' as ^umic, zumate ; second, because it is unpleasant and disagreeable to hear the aspir elements of c xj namely 'ksj immediately before the accented monothongal fuz,) transmit, (trhnz-mit.) S, is always aspir where it begins a word ; as so, such, sit, sap, sop, sup, saw, sell, sold, smile. S, at the end of words, and preceded by any vowel, has its aspir element ;* as us, thus, gas, this, yes, bias, atlas, basis, pus, puss, phebus, chaos, crocus, pious. Where The Phases 1 Concrete Rising Different ] and and Kinds of ■ Discrete ^ Falling ► Waves < of of the of the of the Several Several Several Intervals. Intervals. , Intervals. , Melody, j Diatonic Melody. Compound Melody. Chromatic Melody. II. Time — Includes Long and Short Quantity of Syllables ; — Quick and Rapid Movement of the Voice ; — the Measures of Speech ; — Immutable, Mutable, and Indefinite Syllables ;— and Pauses. III. Force — Includes General Loudness, and the different kinds of stress ; as Radical, Vanishing, Median, Loud, Compound, Thorough, Guttural, and the Em- phatic Vocule. IV. Quality — Includes the Whisper, the Natural, the Common or Unimpassioned, the Falsette, and the Orotund ; — Aspiration and Tremor may be added. Another modification of quality may be the following: — Loud Mild Acute | Tender Smooth j Weak I Thin J Firm or or | or or or or or or Soft. Harsh. Grave. Austere. Rough. ^StrongiThick. Faultering. PITCH. Pitch is that place or degree of elevation, which any note or sound has, in a scale of music, or in a scale of the compass of the voice. The variations of pitch, are denoted by the words high and low* referring to their acuteness and gravity. High and low, however,' are relative terms, and always relate to another place or pitch in the scale. There is always a note previously agreed upon, or understood, as the natural pitch; in regard to which, all other notes or sounds are said to be higher or lower. These terms, however, are too indefinite for practical pur- poses. We have a more definite nomenclature of pitch, in the division of what is called the Diatonic scale. In music as in elocution, there are but seven distinctive, pure, simple sounds, and the common or natural succession of thesp, to which is usually added the octave or a repetition of the first, is called the Diatonic Scale, or the Natural Scale. This scale consists of eight notes and seven intervals. Five of these in- tervals are tones, and two semi-tones. The semi-tones are between the third and fourth, and between the seventh and eighth degrees or notes of the scale* Every note may be called a degree, and these degrees are numbered from below upward. The distance between any two notes or points in this scale, whether proximate or remote, is called an interval. The distance between the first and second degrees is an in- terval of a tone, (sometimes called a second,) — that between the second and third is also a tone ; that between the third and fourth, being about half that of a tone, is called a semi-tone; that between the fourth and fifth a tone ; that between the fifth and sixth, a tone ; that between the sixth and seventh, a tone ; and that between the seventh and eighth, being only half ^ Pitch is also applied in another sense. It refers to the regulating note to which instruments are brought by the act of tuning. And in this, it may be called the concert-pitch. This note, which has been adopted by common con- sent as the concert-pit ch-note, is A, the open note of the second string of the violin, and is written in the second space of the treble cliff. The term pitch is again applied in a sense indicating the degree of elevation of the key, or key-note, or tonic, fundamental note, or base, to which all the other notes of a scale or melody, bear a certain interval relation ; that is, all other notes of the scale must form certain determined intervals with it. DIATONIC SCALE. 91 that of a tone, is again a semi-tone. The semi-tones are also, always between B and C, and E and F. (See diagram.) W o dd Q W p GO O GO O -o -a -o >\ O Q "1 z 5' T CD thro' scale, the oil the scale. c — CD O 4 Now 3 CD CO CD 7 down. P 3 CD Now i U o i 1 m CD 1 GO O 1 6 1 ? f I S° ¥ 1 CO Q i i qs= i i lllllllllllll o u b i i i i *a o o t> i i i i ►7* K> CO ^ Cn C n> o a w o S H l-H Q GO o l> t* w 92 DIATONIC SCALE. The heavy, horizontal, parallel lines represent the notes; and the spaces between them, the successive intervals of the diatonic scale. The order of succession in the Diatonic scale, is by skips of tones and semi-tones. The Chromatic or Semi-tonic scale, rises or falls by skips of semi-tones only, as it is illustrated in the foregoing diagram.* The chromatic scale is used in elocution only for the ex- pression of Plaintiveness. The diatonic scale is that which should be more especially understood in its various particulars. This scale may be divided into two portions ; the low r er portion consists of two tones and a semi-tone ; the upper, of three tones and a semi-tone. The lower portion is called a minor fourth, (from C to F, or from Do to Fa, containing five semi-tones ;) and the upper, d. major fifth, (from F to C,or from Fa to Do, containing seven semi-tones.) It may again be divided into three portions, two are thirds, and one a fourth. The lower portion is a major thwd, (con- taining four semi-tones, from C toE;) the middle portion, a minor third, (containing three semi-tones, from E to G;) and the upper portion, a minor fourth, (containing five semi-tones, from G to C.) These are the most important intervals in music, being the more perfect chords. Harmony is dependent upon the agreeable effect of these intervals. They are called thirds, fourths, fifths, and octaves. The diatonic scale is again divided into the following; inter- vals. From the first or key-note, C, to the second, or D, is called a second, because it includes two notes. From the first to the third degree, or E, is called a third, because this interval includes three notes. From the first to the fourth degree, or F, is called a fourth, because it includes four notes or degrees. From the first to the fifth degree, or G, is called a fifth, be- cause it includes five degrees. From the first to the sixth degree, or A, is called a sixth. From the first to the seventh, or B, is a seventh. And from the first to the eighth, or C, is an eighth or an octave. From the first, as a Root or Funda- mental Base, must grow the third, fifth, and octave, in their harmonious relations, the result of the several intervals which they form with the said root or base. This root or fundamental * The Enharmonic scale is a progression of quarter tones, as the chromatic is of semi-tones, and is of very little use in vocal music, and of none in Elo- cution. DIATONIC SCALE. 93 note is called the key-note or ionic ; and the intervals of the third, fourth, fifth, and octave from this tonic, are called the common chords of the key-note. This note, as it is the regu- lating note of all others in the scale, is properly called the governing or key-note. As each note of the diatonic scale of C, as well as the sharps or flats contained in it, may be assumed as a key-note, it fol- lows that there are twelve keys, or thirteen including the octave ; because there are twelve semi-tones, and thirteen notes includ- ing the octave in the scale. Intonation signifies the sounding of the different notes of a scale or melody, discretely and concretely, with the voice, or with an instrument. When the discrete skips and concrete slides are made with exactness, the intonation may be said to be correct or true. When they are not thus made, the intona- tion is false It is very highly important in speech, to make the intonation correct ; in song and instrumental music, it is indispensable. The charms of melody will be lost, and the concord of harmony will be discord, if the intonation is false. When the bow is drawn across the open string of the one- stringed instrument, represented below, a sound is produced of a uniform pitch, from the beginning to the end. This sound is a ptire note of music, and is identical with the note of song. When the bow is drawn across the same string, while the centre of it, at figure 8, is pressed down with the finger, a sound is heard similar to the first, or similar to that produced by the open string, but an octave higher in pitch. The succes- sive notes of the diatonic scale may be produced by pressing down the string at the several mathematical points indicated by th# figures 1,2, 3, 4, &c. in the diagram, while drawing the bow across it. It will be particularly observed that the distances between the points, 1, 2, 3, &c. are all equal, excepting those between 3 and 4, and between 7 and 8, which are but half that of any of the others. When the sounds of the scale are produced by drawing the bow, while the finger is held stationary for a moment, and then skips on the different points marked 1,2, 3, 4, &c, we have the notes or sounds made discretely, and are called discrete sounds or notes, because they are separate and disjoined from each other, by having no intermediate pitch sounded. If, however, the finger is made to slide either upward or downward during the motion of the bow, we will hear a mew- 94 CONCRETE PITCH. ino- sound, which, from the momemtary changes in ascent or descent of pitch, preventing any apparent break in its course, is a continuous or moving sound, very different from that of the discrete sounds. This continuous sound is called a slide, because the sound is made to slide, as it were, from one pitch to another. It is also called a concrete* sound, because the ^ A slide, a concrete, and the vanishing movement, are nearly synonymous terms; yet the concrete may imply the radical and vanish, or the whole move- ment of the voice, in the production of a note of speech. CONCRETE PITCH. 95 sound made by the movement of the finger, seems to grow out of that made before the finger moves, or out of that note from which the concrete sets out or starts. The sound heard, when any of the 8 points of the string is pressed, and the bow drawn across it, is called a note. This note must, however, be distinguished from a tone, which is that portion of the concrete between two proximate notes dif- fering one degree in pitch. This is also called an interval of a tone, or of a second. When the finger moves on the string from 1 to 2 on the diagram, and the bow at the same time drawn across, a rising slide, or concrete of a second is heard ; if the finger moves from 2 to 1, a. falling concrete is produced ; if the finger moves from 1 to 3, a rising third is heard; if from 3 to 1, a. falling one, or a falling concrete of a third, is produced ; and likewise, if the finger moves from 1 to 4, 1 to 5, 1 to 6, 1 to 7, or 1 to 8, a rising concrete or slide of a fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth, will be heard ; and when the finger moves in the con- trary direction, falling concretes of corresponding intervals, are produced. (See diagram.) It is evident, then, that the scale may be sounded concretely and discretely ; — concretely, when the finger moves gradually and continuously from one place, note, sound, or pitch to any other, either upward or downward ; — and discretely, when the finger skips or jumps from one place, note, sound, or pitch, to any other either upward or downward. The human voice is capable of executing all these move- ments of sound, both discretely and concretely. The pupil, in acquiring the power of intonating the eight notes of the diatonic scale, upward or downward, will use the monosyllables, Do, Ee, Me, Fa, Sol, La., Si, Do. He will rise and fall by the regular intervals of the diatonic scale, until he can sound it with ease and accuracy. He will then rise and fall by thirds, (as it is called) ; as, Do, Me, Sol, Do, — Do, Sol, Me, Do. He will afterward sound every interval of the scale, from a semi-tone to the octave, upward and downward. Thus he will acquire a more definite idea of the different intervals, when he hears them intonated, or when he intonates them himself; or he will have a guide for himself, in the endeavor to intonate any given or designed interval. 96 DISCRETE PITCH. The following table will aid him in training his voice, and obtaining accurate notions of the different intervals of concretes, -S- ■ 7_ -(>- -5- .4 T -3- -2- -1- -C- -B- -A- -G- -F- -E- -D- -C- -Do- -Si- -La- -Sol- •Fa- -Me- 7 -Do- -Do_ -Sol -Me -Do- -Do- *Fa- -Do- -Do- -Me -Re- -Do- Do- -Me -Do- -Do- -Fa- -Me -Re- -Do- -Do- Fa- Do- -Do- -Sol -Fa- -Me -R, -Do- -Do- -Sol -Do- -Do- -La- -Sol -Fa- ■Me -Re- -Do- -Do- -Ea- -Do -Si- •La- -Sol -Fa- •Me -Re- -Do- •Si- -Do -Do -Si- -La- -Sol -Fa- -Me -Re- -Do- -Do- -Do- When one octave or a simple diatonic scale, can be thus in- tonated, it will be very easy to add another, and intonate it, in connection with the first one ; for the second is, in every par- ticular, similar to the first; since that every note in the second, is respectively an octave higher or lower, than its correspond- ing one in the first. Hence, one octave may be added to another, so long as the respective notes can be made to have the octave relation with their corresponding notes in the ad- joining octave. Thus, in our modern pianos, we have six octaves in one scale. It is said, that the human ear is capable of perceiving nine octaves. Vocal expression may be heard under four different kinds or sorts of voice. The Natural, — the Falsette, — the Whisper- in£, — and the Orotund. To which might be added the Semi- tonic and the Tremulous movement of the voice. The Orotund is an improved quality of voice, which we will describe under a separate head. The compass of many voices unimproved, will reach, with difficulty, two octaves. But the medium compass of those, who have properly cultivated their voices, will extend to three, some to three and a half, and a few to four octaves. The Natural voice is that which is employed in ordinary speaking. It includes a range of discrete pitches, from the lowest utterable sound up to that point at which the voice is said to break. At this place the natural voice ceases, and the higber parts of the scale, are made in a shriller kind, called the Falsette. The Natural voice is capable of the concrete, discrete, and tremulous progression. By the concrete and tremulous move- ment, the natural may be continued into the falsette, without PRODUCTION OF SOUND AND PITCH. 97 a perceptible point of union. Thus the concrete rise, in a vehement interrogation, sometimes passes far above the limit of the natural discrete scale, without exhibiting that unpleasant break in the transition to the falsette, which, in the discrete movement, is remarkable both as to quality of sound, and effectual execution, except with persons of great vocal skill. The point at which, in a majority of persons, the voice breaks into the falsette, is about two octaves above the lowest note of the voice. Hence, the natural voice embraces about two octaves. The Falsette is that peculiar kind of voice in which the higher degrees of pitch are made, after the natural voice breaks or runs out. The cry, scream, yell, and all shrillness of sound, are but modifications of the falsette. It must not be under- stood that its compass lies, restrictively, between the point at which the natural scale ends, and the highest practicable note of the voice. This point may be varied or raised higher, or brought lower in the whole scale of the voice, by designed effort. By descending from the highest note of the falsette, we can carry it down ten or twelve degrees, before it breaks into the natural. And by ascending ihvough. the natural scale, we can carry it higher, before it breaks into the falsette, than the point at which it breaks when descending. Vocality is a sine qua non of the falsette ; therefore all the elements may be made in the falsette, except the aspirs, for there is no vocality in these. .Production of Sound and Pitch. The voice, or the sound of the voice, is produced in the larynx. The glottis, being the upper opening of the larynx, is the particular part in which sound is made. The larynx, by the muscles attached to it, can be elevated or depressed at will. The glottis, by another set of muscles, can be enlarged or diminished in size, at pleasure. That open- ing immediately above the glottis, called the Fauces, is sus- ceptible of dilatation and contraction, and is the 5 general regulator of pitch. It is also called throat, or posterior part of the throat. Sound is produced in the glottis, by contracting its diameter 98 PRODUCTION OF SOUND AND PITCH. a little from that in ordinary breathing, and forcibly expelling air or breath through it. Pitch is produced by a more or less forcible expulsion of air through the glottis, aided by the contraction or dilatation of its diameter, by the elevation or depression of the larynx, and by the increased or diminished size or capacity of the fauces or throat. Gravity of sounds, or a grave sound, depends on the degree of depression of the larynx, and the degree of dilatation of the glottis and fauces. Acuteness of sounds, or an acute sound, is dependent on the degree of elevation of the larynx, and the degree of contraction of the glottis and fauces. Thus, Pitch, is the result of the combined action or condition of the Larynx, Glottis,, and Fauces. Hence, also, grave sounds appear to come from the chest, arising from the depression of the larynx — and acute ones,, from the head, arising from the elevated position of the larynx. It is from these circumstances, no doubt, that the error has arisen of calling the natural voice, " voce di petto," and the falsette, " Voce di testa," as we find in some of the Italian authors. The sound of the voice is produced, by the air passing through the glottis, in like manner, as sounds are produced in the aperture of the lips in whistling ; — the aperture of the lips, answering to the aperture of the larynx, called glottis. The lips, in whistling, are more or less protruded, corresponding to the elevation or depression of the larynx,— the aperture of them, is larger or smaller, answering to the difference in the size of the glottis,— and the cavity of the mouth more or less enlarged, agreeing to a similar movement or condition of the fauces. The reason that pitch in whistling cannot be produced much over an octave, is this,— the aperture of the lips, is a very irregular and imperfect opening, made only by contracting, or, as it were, puckering them into a smaller opening, and the cavity of the mouth is not susceptible of much variation in size. The glottis and fauces are much more flexible and exten- sible in their movements, as well as more complete in their structure, and much better adapted to the production of sound and pitch. Therefore the voice is susceptible of a much greater extent of pitch, than can be produced in the act of whistling. PRODUCTION OF SOUND AND PITCH. 99 COMPASS OF THE VOICE. — 8- —29- — C — — Do- _7_ —23— — B— — Si— m H H « > — 6- —27— — A — — La- CO « Tfl fa o O -5— -26— — G — — Sol- o H ^ rg — 4— —25— _F — — Fa- M ■< 3 PS o fa — 3— —24— — E— — Mi- O fa w — 2— -23— — D— — Re- y o -1— — 7— —22— -21— Q . — Do- > — B— — Si— < . — 6— —20— — A — — La- § t> a H h O —5— —19— -G — — Sol- fa lO O fa fa o .-1 fa QJ A T3 _4_ — 3— —18- —17— _F — — E — — Fa- — Mi- fa O > -2— —16— — D — —Re- o w Xfl < _1_ —15— —14— — C — — B-— — Do- — Si- < o o 2 CD > — 6- -13- — A — -La- § H 2 p fa O — 5— —12— — G~- -Sol- S O 13 fa V2 bi o —4- —11— _F — ^Fa- s < fa CJ 0) —3— —10— — E — — Mi- § o 2 g T) — Re- o u > — 8- r c~ — Do- -7— — 7 — _B— -Si— s < Ed £ -6— — 6— — A — — La- d *^ g a — 5 — — 5— — G — — Sol-- o 02 —4— — 4— _ F - — Fa- fa -3- 2 _1_ — 3- 2— — 1_ -E- -D — _c —Mi- The voice should be made frequently, to run over three octaves,— the medium compass of an improved voice, upward and downward, in the regular order of the diatonic discrete ICO WHISPERING. intervals, and also by discrete thirds, fourths, and fifths, as well as by octaves, making the sounds as full and distinct as possible, and with a fine delicate vanish, for the purpose of improving the tone* or quality of the voice. The whispering voice owes its peculiarity to the absence of vocality. Whisper is the proper constituent of the Aspir ele- ments. All the vowels and vocos, however, may be whispered. The cause of the whispering sound is, the less forcible ex- pulsion of air through the glottis, with a wider opening of it, than for distinct vocality. The compass of the voice, in whispering, is about an octave, perhaps a little more in some persons. The whispering v6ice is the symbol of secrecy or mystery — of sorrow or sighing. The natural pitch of the female voice, being the same as that of boys, is about an octave higher in pitch than the male voice. The pitch of the female voice corresponds to the violin, and that of the male to the violuncello. The voice of boys undergoes a remarkable change at the age of about four- teen, and sinks to that of an ordinary man. The lower octave of the natural voice is called Bass, the upper, Tenor , and the falsette constitutes the Treble. (See Diagram.) The lower notes of a female voice are the notes of the middle octave of the male voice ; — the second octave of the female corresponds to the falsette of the male ; — the third octave of the female voice would be the fourth of the male compass scale — continued. Notes in music are named after the first seven letters of the alphabet, and are represented by certain written characters called notes, and placed on five horizontal, parallel lines, and four spaces. These lines and spaces are called the staff, on which music is written, and always counted from below upward. Each line and space is called a degree. Hence, the staff contains nine degrees, five lines and four spaces. The situation of the letters on the staff is determined by given characters, called Clefs. They are three n number. "vy r— jf T ~l^r~i~ The F ~^7~. •" Clef... .GETS J"~ Clef C "■• |~~ !•""" Clef. zzizzl: W.—zz 1 — * The word tone, is sometimes employed to import sound., or note, or quality of sound; as, the tone of his voice is very musical or pleasant; — that is, the sounds are musical and pleasant. Although, in general, it denotes the interval of a second. STAFF AND CLEFS. 101 The F Clef is used in the Bass, and stands on the fourlh line. The G Clef is used for the Tenor, Treble, and Alto, and stands on the second line. The Second Treble is an octave above the First Treble, or Tenor- The C Clef is used for the Counter, and stands on the third line, and is very seldom used in modern music. The pitch of the F, or Bass Clef, is one degree below that of the First Treble, and nine degrees below the Second Treble clef note G, and an octave above the lowest note of a properly cultivated voice, and is also the lower line of the Counter-staff. The Air or First Treble or Tenor, is six degrees, or a sixth above the Bass, and an octave below the Treble proper, or the Second Treble or Alto. The Counter Clef note, C, is the middle C, or the ledger line below the Treble, and the ledger line above the Bass Staff. The Counter-Staff is one degree above the Air. (See Diagram.) Relation and Connection of the Different Parts in Music. 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 13 19 20 21 22 F G A B CDEF GAB CDEFGABCDEF F G A B C D I I -r-r-rT-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-rTT F GABCDEFGABCDEF I I I I I I I I I I I I I I . (4 ) 2d Treble or Alto A -»-»-r~r T"r"r~r-r— r*i i ! i i j i r~r~ f— tt~~ FG AB CDEF GABCDEFGAB CDEF (1) Represents the Bass Staff. (2) Represents the Tenor Staff, or first Treble or Air. (3) The Counter Staff. (4) The Treble, or sometimes called the second Treble or Alto, or Soprano— the higher voice part. 102 CHORDS. This table represnts three octaves of the finger-board of a Piano Forte, and two staffs with their clefs. Each note is placed opposite the key of the Piano, which is named by the same letter of the note. The C note on the ledger line between the two staffs is called the middle C — those keys on the left of this middle C are for the left hand, and correspond to the F, or Bass Clef — those on the right of it, are played with the right hand, and answer to the G, or Treble Clef. The compass of modern Pianos is six octaves, and extends one octave lower and two higher than the finger-board here represented. The construction of the finger-board of Pianos is such, that the diatonic scale is produced by touching the white keys in their regular order, and the chromatic scale, by touching all the keys, white and black, in regular succession. Those notes which, when sounded together, are pleas- ing to the ear, produce harmony; and are called con- cords, and their intervals are consonant intervals. Those which are disagreeable to the ear, are called discords, and their intervals dissonant intervals. The Perfect Chords are Unisons, Major Fifth, Minor Fourth, and Octaves. The Imperfect Chords are Thirds and Sixths, Major and Minor. The Discords* are Seconds, Major Fourths, Minor Fifths, and Sevenths. There are two varieties in the Diatonic Scale. The one is called the Major Mode, or Major Key. The other is called the Minor Mode, or Minor Key. The Natural, or Diatonic Scale, exhibits the Major Mode or Key — the semi-tones being between the third and fourth, and seventh and eighth degrees of the scale. The Minor Mode, or Key, differs from the Major in two particulars. The Minor Key is always a Minor third, or three semi-tones lower than that of the Major. And the semi-tones are found, in ascending, between the second and third, and seventh and eighth degrees, and, in descending, between the second and third, and fifth and sixth. (See Diagram.) A Major Key signifies that the first third of the scale is a Major Third from the Tonic or Key-note — and a Minor Key # Discords are sometimes admissible in music. When they precede perfect chords they greatly increase the power, beauty, and effect ; but they should be seldom used. MAJOR AND MINOR MODES. 103 signifies that the first third is a Minor Third from the Tonic, always counting upward. Major Mode. No. 1. Diatonic or Natural Scale. Minor Mode. No. 2. No. 3. -C- -B- -A- -F -E-! -D-. -C— -Do- 1 —Si—' - La -I —Sol-' -Fa-. --Mi- -Re- -Do- -5- -A- l # x 4--D- -3-;-c- -B- 1 , ~La~ — Sol- «Fa- -Mi- --Re- -Do- — Si— --6- :: i t -La~ -Sol- -Fa- -Mi~ -Re- -Do- -Si— -La- Nos. 1,2, 3, represent the diatonic scale. No. 1 exhibits the Major mode progression, ascending and descending. No. 2 and 3 the Minor mode. No. 2 the ascending, and No. 3 the descending. The Key-note, or Tonic, is that note with which all the others of the scale bear a certain and definite relation. It is called the Key, the Base, the Fundamental note, or Tonic ; be- cause ail the other notes grow, as it were, out of it. Every note or sound in the scale must have its particular and definite interval with this Key-note, as exhibited and illustrated in the diatonic scale of C. (See page 91.) Each note of the diatonic scale of C may be taken as a Key- note, as well as the sharps or flats ; it follows, therefore, that there may be twelve Major Keys, with their related Minors. The Minor Key is always a Minor Third below its Major — and the Major is a Minor Third above its Minor. The following diagram exhibits the diatonic scale of the Major Key or Mode, of every Semi-tonic degree of the Scale, extending from one octave up to another. The columns marked at the bottom with the figures 1,2, 3, 4, &x. show the scales of the Major Key on every semi-tonic degree, note, or letter, of the diatonic scale ; each rising successively one degree above the preceding one. Hence we see that the Major Key of C has neither flat nor sharp. The Mojor Key of D, being one note above that of C, has two sharps, namely, F and C. The Major Key of E, being two notes above C, has four sharps, namely, 104 MAJOR MODES. F, G, C, and D. The Major Key of F, being three notes higher than C, has one flat, which is B. mo! - ! I §W^ ! » -C . .J jBD.SSd pUm "G ^ £ I I I •SJBI^ I md a a a a a v 9 io 'sdjuqg 9 •i^ia a -v a 9 jo 'sdnsqs i 9 s ? •aABJOQ sjBi^^io'djBqg I v o -a a o I ! I P^ to oo to rr i i Descending. KEYS OF THE SPEAKING VOICE, 107 The speaking voice, in good elocution, seldom rises higher than a sixth above the lowest note of its compass. Supposing the lowest note which can be made with a full intonation, to be F, the following scheme will show the relative pitch of keys, adapted to the expression of different kinds of sentiments. KEYS OF THE SFEAKING VOICE. -A- I • -G- _F- . -E- -D- C- 2 — ! Bb -Mi L. -Re L_ -Do 1 -. -Si- — -La L -Sol - I -Fa- -Mi -Re -Do , Vociferation. I Very spirited declamation. \ Spirited declamation. Animated discourse. - Ordinary discourse. -Moderate con versatioji. ) Three millions of people, [armed in the holy cause of liberty, | and in such a country as we J possess, &c. My brave associates, &c. Friends, Romans, Countrymen, &c. He scarce had ceased, &c. — Dignified narrative. — Solemn or sublime description. — I had a dream which was not all a dream. Many persons speak on a key which is too high, not only when they read, or speak in colloquial intercourse, but more especially in public. We not unfrequently meet with persons who always speak on the highest key of the natural voice, and some who speak even in the falsette. In general, a high pitch, in speech, is unpleasant to the ear, and especially to a culti- vated one ; and yet there are a few who speak on so low a key, and with so little force, that they become inaudible. Both extremes are faults. The third or fourth degree is that which should generally be employed to begin with ; and the voice should be made to play a little above and below these. But all the keys of the speaking scale, and all the intervals of the upward and down- ward concretes, either single or compound, (waves,) should be brought into requisition, in order to give a clear and strong expression of the sentiments of respect, veneration, dignity, sublimity, and sarcasm, and to shine in the splendor of oratory, as well as to be impressive in reading and ordinary speaking. CONCRETES OF SPEECH. Concretes, or concrete sounds in the science of elocution, are always notes of speech. These notes, in regard to pitch and force, are continually undergoing a change during the time of their intonation. They are continually either rising or falling in reference to pitch, and increasing or diminishing in reference to force and volume of sound; whereas a note of song is continued on the same line of pitch during the continu- ance of its sound. In giving a description of the radical and vanishing move- ment of the voice, which is really and truly the concrete func- tion of speech, it was said that the radical was a commencing fulness, and the vanish a regular diminution into silence ; as may be illustrated by the sound of < I,' i I,' ' I, 5 ' I,' which should be intonated with a commencing fulness, and an upward equable terminating vanish, distinctly formed. This movement of the voice, called the concrete, may be, yes, must be, executed by the voice, through all and every interval of the scale. The semi-tone, the second or tone, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, and the eighth or octave, or even higher if necessary, — but the semi- tone, the second, third, fourth, fifth, and octave, are all that are necessary for elocutional purposes. And thus we have a definite mode of denoting the pitch or interval of any concrete or note of speech, by adding either of the following words : rising or falling; upward or downward; ascending or de- scending. Hence, then, we have a complete nomenclature in reference to pitch. We have a rising and falling semi-tone, tone or second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth or octave : by this, we mean that the terminating vanish of any concrete or slide, is a semi-tone, tone, third, fifth, or octave higher or lower, than its own radical; or that the radical of any con- crete or note, is a semi-tone, second, third, fourth, fifth, or octave higher or lower, than any other given one. The extent of the concrete intervals does greatly vary, according to circumstances. They may be carried through the whole extent of the compass of the voice ; but the most energetic and piercing interrogations, do seldom rise higher CONCRETES OF SPEECH. 109 than an octave, although sometimes they may extend to a tenth or twelfth, or even higher. Much exercise on the following table should be taken, in order to familiarize the ear and the organs of voice, in this most important function. Great facility should be attained in the execution of the concretes, with a particular attention to give them a fine and delicate vanish. They should also be made on the different ranges of pitch, as indicated by the upper table. PTTCH OF SPEECH. CO 10 Mi 8Do e e e e a a a a ah ah ah ah aw aw oh oh 00 00 u-rn u-rn Mr. President. Mr. President. S 5 Sol e e a a ah ah aw oh 00 u-rn Mr. President. 3 Mi e e a a ah ah aw oh 00 u-rn Mr. President. « IDo e e a a ah ah aw oh 00 u-rn Mr. President. 2d. 3d. 4th. 5th. 6th. 7th. 8th. mmm trttt 4-4 e, in eel, ear, hear, eve, deed, give. a, " age, page, air, their, aim. ak, " arm, harm, arch, bard, card, guard. aw, " awe, all, call, or, for, Pawl, thaw. oh, " ode, ore, sore, load, goad, more. oo, " ooze, loose, coo, woo, move. uh, a urn, turn, burn, urr, her, sir. ou, " our, sour, pour, now, thou- oi, " oil, toil, coin, join, jozce. u, " use, ure, fume, tune, tube. i, " ice, ire, fire, quire, isle, style. 110 CONCRETES OF SPEECH. The student should intonate every element, and afterward every word, through the different intervals of the concrete upward and downward, and on the different pitches indicated by the upper diagram; and should make himself expert in it; so that it may become natural to him : thus art may be said to run into nature. Concretes of the higher intervals may be exemplified in the following sentences on the word 'you* and *Jf giving the rising concrete to the interrogative, and the falling to the affirmative sentence. The intervals of a third, fifth, or octave, may be placed on them, according to the intensity of the feeling. Did he think it was you J: yes, but I told him it was 1\. The word Hell, in the following lines, requires an octave downward concrete. So frown'd^ the mighty combatants, that Hell\ Grew darker at their frown\. The rising and falling concretes will be further illustrated in the sections treating on the intonation of the different con- crete intervals. Waves, or Compound Concretes. A wave is the union of two or more concretes executed on the same element or syllable ; or it is the junction of upward and downward concretes.* As the waves are composed of two or more flexures of the voice, each of which has its inter- val ; and as the direction of the outset, and the number of constituents or flexurs may vary ; it will be seen, that the num- ber of waves, is very considerable. If the intervals of the constituents or concretes of the wave, are equal, it is called an equal wave ; if they are not equal, it is called an unequal wave. If there are only two parts to a wave, it is called a single wave; if there are three parts, it is called a double wave; if more than three, a continued wave. * This function of the voice was known by the Greeks anil Romans; and it is called, by Mr. Steele, and Mr. Walker, the Circuwjlrx Accent. OF THE WAVES. Ill Tf the direction of theirs/ constituent of a wave is upward, the wave is called Direct ; if it is downward, it is called In- verted. Hence, then, there may be A Direct Wave; equal or unequal; single, double, or con- tinued : and of any interval. An Inverted Wave ; equal or unequal ; single, double, or continued ; and of any interval. DIAGRAM EXHIBITION OF THE WAVES. Direct Equal Single Wave. Inverted Equal Single Wave. Semitone. Tone. Third. Fifth. Octave. Semitone. Tone. Third. Fifth. Octave. m gg «^i<-\ e Ky k± Direct Equal Double WavB\ Continued. Semitone. Tone. Third. Fifth. Octave. ass 4T\ A f\ Inverted Equal Double Wave, Continued. Semitone. Tone. Third. Fifth. Octave. CT T t7\ ONI / 5 Unequal Direct Si?igle Wave. Unequal Inverted Single Wave. Semitone. Tone. Third. Fifth. Octave. Semitone. Tone. Third. Fifth. Octave. J^L *3 112 OF THE WAVES. Table of Elements and Words. e, in e, eel, eve, ear, hear, deed, give. a, " age, air, aim, their, page. ah, " arm, arc, arch, harm, far, has. aw, " all, awe, call, or, for, thaw, Pawl. o/i, " ode, ore, own, load, sore, goad, more, roam. oo, " ooze, loose, coo, woo, move, food. uh. " wrn, tarn, barn, her, sir, &r, fwr, err. ou, " our, sour, pozzr, now, thou, growl. oi, " oil, toil, coin, join, joice, voice. i, " ice, isle, ire, lie, quire, style. u, " use, ure, fume, tune, tube, tw-lip. The student should exercise frequently on the diagram and table above, and place the different waves at his ready com- mand. In the interrogative sentence below, the word Hail, should have the inverted, equal, single wave ; and the interval of the Third, Fifth, or Octave may be placed upon it, according to the intensity or earnestness of the question. It may be read with all the different intervals for the sake of practice. Prac- tice them until they become natural. Did you say Hail ? The answer to the question may have the Direct, equal, single wave, on the same word, and the same interval it has in the question. We give the question, and answer below for contrast and exercise. Did you say Bail?— Yes, I said Hail. This question and answer may be read with a single con- crete on the word Aai7, of either a third, fourth, fifth, or octave. Did you say Hail J ? Yes, I said Hail\. MELODY OF SPEECH. Melody is a succession of simple sounds, so varied in pitch, as to produce an agreeable impression on the ear.* A series of graphic notes, representing these sounds, may also be called a melody. There are, in speech, three kinds of melodies ; namely, the Simple Diatonic, the Compound or Emphatic, and the Chro- matic or Semitonic. The Simple Diatonic melody consists of a series of notes or sounds, whose radical and concrete pitches or intervals never exceed a single tone. This melody is used in plain, unim- passioned, or unemphatic utterance. The Compound melody is the diatonic melody interrupted by any or all of the different elements of expression. This melody is used in impassioned or emphatic utterance. The Chromatic melody consists of a succession of sounds, whose concrete pitches or intervals never extend beyond a semi-tone. This melody is used in pitiful or plaintive utter- ance. We say, in plain narrative and description, the concrete utterance of each syllable is made through the interval of a tone • and the discrete pitch is never allowed to exceed the same. The appropriation of the equable concrete to sylla- bles, and the manner in which the succession of the radical pitch is varied, may be exemplified by this notation. He reads in net ture's i?i - fi ■ 7ii te book of se - ere - cy. A , 4 4 A 4 A A A * A A V These four lines and the included spaces, may be supposed, each in proximate order, to denote the difference of a tone in pitch, and the succession of the radical points with their issu- ing vanishes, will show the places of the syllables of the super- * Harmony is a compound series of sounds, so varied in pitch, as to produce an agreeable and concordant impression on the ear ; — or it may be said to be two or more concordant melodies intonated together. 114 MELODY OF SPEECH. scribed sentences, in easy and unimpassioned utterance. The notation of the succession here exemplified, is called the Phonographic Melody of Speech ; and the intonation of this succession, may be called the Phonologic Melody. A more particular description of the melody of speech, would embrace the doctrine of Pitch, Force, Time, and Pauses ; — but as the nature of these constituents will be sepa- rately considered hereafter, the subject now to be discussed is limited to the development of the principles of pitch, when the melody is made exclusively on the interval of a radical and vanishing tone. In order to render the system of melody more intelligible, we may consider it as divided into that which is placed on a sentence generally * and that which occurs on a short portion at its termination. These divisions may be termed, the Cur- rent Melody, and the Cadent Melody. The Current Melody is that succession of rise and fall which is made on all the syllables of a sentence, except those on which the cadence is made. The Cadent Melody consists of those syllables on which the cadence alone is effected. With a view, still further to render the melody of speech more comprehensive, and to make it more definite and tangi- ble, as it were, it will be necessary to regard the variations of the succession of concretes on syllables, and to reduce them into certain forms of aggregation, and give them names. These may not improperly be called Phrases of Melody, and are thus described. Two or more concretes, occurring successively on the same line of pitch, may be called the phrase of the Monotone. A succession of two concretes, having the second, a tone in radical pitch above the first, may be called a Rising Ditone ; — when the radical of the second is a tone below that of the first, it is called a Falling Ditone. A series of three or more, alternately rising and falling a tone in radical pitch, may be called an Alternation, or the Alternate Phrase. A series of three concretes, successively rising a tone, is called a Rising Tritone; when successively falling, a Falling Tritone. The Falling Tritone is called the Triad of the Cadence, when it has the vanish of the last radical downward. There is a second and third form of the Triad which are distinguished by the downward vanish ; the second, has the vanish of the MELODY OF SPEECH. 115 last two radicals downward; and the third, has them all down- ward. The following lines exhibit all the forms of the different phrases of melody, and also applies them graphically to the syllables of a sentence. But from the tomb the voice of na-ture cries. And in our ash-es lives their want-ed fires. -*-4-4 A-4 * 4 AT A -^t Monotone. Falling Rising Rising Falling Alternate Triad of the Ditone. Ditone. Tritone. Tritone. Phrase. Cadence It would seem a part of the nature of the Simple Diatonic Melody, that there should not be a rise or fall of any great ex- tent by proximate degrees. It is limited to the tritone in both directions ; because it appears that a further progression is not agreeable. The melody of speech is made by the movement of the voice, partly in the concrete, and partly in the discrete scale. The radical and vanish of each syllable is strictly concrete ; and it is this equable concrete which distinguishes speech from son g. The transition from one syllable to another partakes, in some instances, of the nature of a concrete junction. Thus, in the first diagram of this section on melody, the vanish of the syllable * he 5 rises through the interval of a tone. The radi- cal of c reads' begins on the place at which the preceding vanish ends; yet the fulness of the radical clearly distin- guishes it from the fine termination of the preceding vanish, notwithstanding the momentary interruption of the line of sound ; yet there is an appearance of one kind of continuity between them. The voice also falls from the vanish of c reads' to the radical of 'in,' as much as it rises concretely on c reads,' though there is no radical change, for the radicals of both are on the same line of pitch ; yet there is a discrete fall of a tone from the vanish to the radical of successive syllables on the same pitch. The transition of the melody from the syllable ' in' to 'na,' is by the discrete scale ; for the radical of ' na' begins a whole tone below the radical of ' in,' and the change from the vanish of c in' to the radical of ' na' is a third, and is here made without the downward continuity of the concrete. In a 116 MELODY OF SPEECH. general view of this subject, it may be stated, that the con- stituents of the phrases of the rising ditone and tritone, are joined by the imperfect kind of concrete spoken of above. In the monotone and the falling phrases, the transition is made by the discrete scale. By a judicious use of these phrases of melody, a sufficiently extensive variety may be produced to answer all the purposes of agreeable and plain narrative and unimpassioned utterance, without running into monotony. Although the necessary con- dition for the expression of plain, simple thought, is, that the vanish is restricted to the interval of a tone, and the radical of any two proximate concretes, should not differ more than a tone in pitch ; yet the voice may be allowed to play from its lowest sound to the highest extent of its compass, without vio- lating the condition of this melody. The beauty of melody consists, not only in varying the order of the phrases, as they succeed each other, but likewise in correctly managing the rise and fall of the voice, through the whole compass of pitch. The following notation shows the progress of the voice, through a compass of nine diatonic degrees ; the rule of rise and fall being observed, and the melody therein agreeably diversified. • If thou dost slan - der her, and tor - ture me, Nev - er pray more : 4 4 4 4 A -k-A**~ A ~~~ T ft ft " ft * ° a - ban - rlon all re-morse ; On hor-ror's head, hnr rors ac - cu - mu late ; A ft ft ft ft 9 A ft ft ft A ft ft A ▲ ~ ~ f Do deeds to make heav - en weep, * all A earth a A mazed : A ft ft — tir— ft w f A ft For nolh - i«? canst thou to dam- na - tion add, Great-er than that. A A ft 4 4 A ft ft ft *

they ? 5 3 With the years beyond the flood. 3 4 It is the signal that demands despatch : 6 How much\ is to be done I 1 3 Mj hopes and fears 4 Start up alarm'd, 5 and o'er life's narrow verge Look down. 6 On what/? 3 A fathomless abyss. 126 CADENT MELODY. A dread eter\nity. 3 2 How surely mine ! 6 3 And can eternity belong to me', 4 Poor pensioner on the bounties of an hour/? 4 How poor^, how rich% how ab\ject, how augustv; 5 How complicate, how wonMerful is man I 1 4 How passing wonder HE/, who made him such ! 3 Who center'd in our make, such strange ex- tremes ! 6 From different natures, marvellously mix'd, 1 Connexion exquisite of distant worlds ! 6 Distinguished link in beings endless chain ! 6 Midway from noth/ing' to the De\ity ! 3 A beam ethe^rial, 3 sullied, and absorb'd I 1 Though sullied, and dishonor'd, 5 still divine! 6 Dim miniature of greatness absolute ! 3 An heir of glo\ry ! 5 a frail child of dust I 1 Helpless immorHtal ! insect in\finite ! 3 6 A worn^ ! 7 5 a God\ !* 4 I tremble at myself, 3 And in myself am lost. 4 At home, a stranger, Thought wanders up, and down, surprised*, aghast\ And wandering at her own. 1 How reason reels! 1 Oh what a miracle to man/ is man ! 7 Triumphantly distressed ! 6 what joy/ ! 7 what dread\ ! 6 CADENT MELODY. 127 Alternately transported and alarmedy! 8 What/ can preserve my life ? 6 or what/ destroy ? 7 An an\gel's arm\ can't snatch me from the grave/; Le^gions of angels can't/ confine\ me there v 8 ON THE DEATH OF JEFFERSON AND ADAMS. This is a spectacle of which we may be per- mitted to be proud. 7 It honors our country no less, than the illustrious dead. 6 And should these great patriots speak to us from the tomb, they w r ould tell us, that they have more pleasure in the testimony, which these honors bear to the character of their country, than in that, which they bear to their individual services. 3 They now see as they were seen, while in the body, and know the nature of the feeling from which these honors flow. 6 It is love/ for loveV It is the gratitude of an enlightened nation to the noblest order of benefactors. 2 It is the only glory worth the aspiration of a generous spirit, 2 Who/ would not prefer this living tomb in the hearts of his countrymen, to the proudest Mau- soMeum, that the genius of sculpture could erect? 8 Jefferson and Adams were great men by nature. 2 Not great and eccentric minds, shot madly from their spheres, to affright the world, and scatter pestilence in their course v - but minds 128 CADENT MELODY. whose strong and steady lights, restrained within their proper orbits by the happy poise of their characters, came to cheer and gladden a world, that had been buried for ages in political night v 8 CURRENT MELODY. The Current Melody is that succession of rise and fall which is made on the consecutive syllables of a sentence, except those, of which we have been treating under the Cadent Melody. There are two kinds of succession in speech, as in song ; the first, by conjoint degrees of one tone only, from one place of the scale to another immediately above or below it; the second, by skips and slides, or transitions from any given place to any other of greater extent. In treating hereafter of the nature of emphasis, emotion, and interrogation, the occasions and manner of using these wider changes of radical and concrete pitches, will be shown. The melody of unimpassioned or inexpressive speech, or simple narration, now before us, always moves by conjoint decrees of a tone ; and its satisfactory close at a period of discourse, is effected by a descent of the radical pitch through three con- joint degrees of a tone, with a downward vanish on the last at least. The scale of the speaking voice has no semi-tone interspersed through it, as has the diatonic scale in music; nor is it limited to a peculiar arrangement of seven constituent intervals. A person may be supposed to possess the ability of speaking distinctly through a compass of ten degrees, including the lowest pitch of articulate utterance, and the highest point of the natural voice ; the melody may, by the use of appropriate phrases, be carried through any varied course of ascent and descent, within these boundaries. Let the speaker take the first syllable of a sentence, on the first place of his supposed range. A ditone will raise the melody to the second; one or two syllables on this second place, will give the phrase of the monotone. From this, a ditone will lead him upward to the third place ; and in like manner ascending, the melody may be carried by the varied use of the ditone, tritone, and the monotone to the tenth. Now from this utmost elevation, a falling ditone will bring him to the ninth ; a monotone on this will prepare for another descent of a ditone or tritone to the seventh or sixth. Having by a similar progression reached the third place, the Triad of the cadence will close the melody on the first. 6* 130 CURRENT MELODY. It may not be improper to state, in this place, that a varied succession of all the phrases, produces the plain, unobtrusive effect of the Diatonic Melody. Yet it will appear that some of these phrases may be employed as the appropriate signs of certain sentiments. A predominance of the Monotone in melody, is suited to the feelings of dignity, solemnity, grief, tenderness, and serious admonition. The phrase of Alternation is expressive of the more active sentiments of anger, joy, and facetiovsness, and to the earnest strife of argumentation. It is, however, to be taken into view, that the current melody must not consist altogether of either of these phrases. This would produce a disagreeable uniformity or monotony. The monotone must occasionally be broken by a rising or falling ditone; and the alternate phrase varied by a limited monotone. An illustration of the dignified expression of the monotone may be given, on that magnificent picture of Satan's imperial presence in Pandenomium, at the opening of the Second Book of Paradise Lost. High on a throne of ro} T - al state, which far out-shone the wealth of A 4 A A 6 A A A A A A A AAA Or- mus, and of Ind Or where the gor-geous East, with rich- est hand _4_4_A- ~A~ -A— A— A-A— A- *-r*-* -*- Showers on^her kings bar - bar - ic pearl and gold, Sa - tan ex - al - ted sat. A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A T The greater part of this melody is monotone. We do not say that the passage requires, exclusively, the order here given to the variations from the predominant phrase, since that an accomplished reader might alter the arrangement, with equal or superior effect. But we would venture to say, that if an equal amount of monotone, however disposed, be not allotted to these lines, the utterance will be, according to the degree of deviation, more or less at variance with the sentiment of the poet, and the rapt dignity of the reader's contemplation. The following notation of the description of AbdiePs En- counter with Satan, from Milton's Sixth Book, exemplifies the CURRENT MELODY. 131 use of the alternate phrase, in the expression of the earnest excitement necessarily produced by the eventful scene. So say - in?, a no - ble stroke he lift - ed hi jh, w lich hung not y ▲ A 4 4 4 A 6 4 4 4 # A 4 4 ^ 4 But so swift with tern - pest fell, On the prouc crest A 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 * 4 4 Of Sa - tan, that no sight nor mo - tion of quick A 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 Thought, less could his shield Such ru - in in - ter - rupt. A * A A A A 4 4 4 © V 4 V In this scheme, we have used a limited variation of radical pitch, with the design to show plainly the alternation. Good recitation would require a wider range : still the alternate phrase should predominate. A prevalence of the monotone might represent the dignified courage and calm security of an aggressor confident of success ; but it would be misplaced coloring, for the hurried mingling of watchfulness and dread- ful expectation, which the description of the huge impetus is calculated to excite. INTONATION AT PAUSES. Pauses, in elocution, are those occasional interruptions in discourse, which are greater than the momentary rests between syllables. They are used for the more conspicuous display of sense and sentiment, by separating certain words or aggregates of words, from each other. It may not be necessary to enter into a very particular account of the circumstantial exposition of the philosophy of Grammar ; yet it may be well to say that, every sentence may, in a most general view, be regarded as resolvable into two constituent generic parts of speech; the noun, with all its accidents of being ; and the verb, with all its various modes of action. All other symbols of thought are only specifications of the attributes of that being and that action, through the modes of time, place, manner, degree, and all other possible relationships of things. Now, the pauses separate the aggre- gates of words, which describe those existences and agencies, with their qualifications : and whilst the continuity of utter- ance within these aggregations or sections, gives unity to the impression on the ear, the understanding remains undistracted through the temporary suspension of the voice by the pauses. The division of discourse, by means of motion and rest, pre- vents the feebleness or confusion of impression, which would result from an unbroken succession of speech, no less remarkable, than the skilful disposition of color, light, and space, disentangle the objects and figures on the canvass from the unmeaning positions and actions of a chaos, or a crowd. The extent of the sections of discourse, thus separated by pauses, varies through all increasing degrees, from the limits of a single word to the full member of a sentence. There are, indeed, some purposes of expression which require a pause, even between syllables. It was shown, in treating of Syllabication, that the full opening of the radical cannot be completely made, except it is preceded by an occlu- sion of the voice. Now, the accented syllable of the word ' &t~tack, y being an immutable quantity, can receive a marked emphatic distinction, only by means of an abrupt explosion of the radical after a momentary pause. The times of the several pauses of discourse, vary in duration, from the slight inter-syllabic rest, to the full separation of successive para- INTONATION AT PAUSES. 133 graphs ; the degrees being accommodated to the requisitions of the greater or less connection of the sense, and to the peculiar demands of the sentiment. All the parts of a con- tinued discourse, which has the least unity of purpose, should bear some relation to each other. But these relations being, severally, more or less close, grammatical points were invented to mark their varying degrees. The common points are, however, indefinitely effective of their purposes in the art of reading. They are described in books of elementary instruction, principally with reference to the time of pausing ; and are addressed to the eye as indices of grammatical structure. The symbols of interrogation and of exclamation, are said to denote peculiarity of intonation ; yet even with this vague reference to a rule, the ear is still without a guide in this important branch of elocution. The efficacy of punctuation should consist not more in the ordering of the measure of time, than in the directing of an appropriate intonation. A just definition of Pause would, perhaps, be as properly founded on the variations and distinctions, produced by the phrases of melody, as on the different duration of the time of rests. To apply proper intonation at pauses, is of very great im- portance in speech. The pauses in melody have here a positive meaning, and often marks a continuation or comple- tion of the sense, when the style and the temporal rest alone, would not, to an auditor, be decisive of its nature. But the purposes of pauses being varied, an appropriate intonation must, by its changes, prevent that monotony, which is so common with most readers, at the grammatical divisions of discourse. With a view to describe the successions of pitch, to be used at the different places of pauses, we would here [state the general powers or indications of the different Phrases of Melody. The Triad of the Cadence denotes a finishing or completion of the preceding sense, and is, therefore, admissible only at a proper grammatical period. But it does not, however, follow that it must always be applicable at the close of the preceding sense ; ■ for in those forms of loose sentences and inverted periods, which frequently occur in composition, there are members with this complete and insulated meaning, which nevertheless do not admit of this downward closing phrase. The Rising Tritone denotes the most immediate connection of parts separated by a pause. 134 INTONATION AT PAUSES. The Rising Ditone carries on the sense in the next degree. The Monotone indicates a diminished relationship to that of the ditone. The Falling Ditone denotes still less of a relationship. The Downward Tritone, produces the fullest suspension of sense, without obstructing its further progression.* The Triad of the Cadence being the maximum of separation between the parts of discourse; the comparison of its downward intonation with the courses of the other phra- ses, may serve to explain the causes or reason of the varying indication of each, by showing the degrees of departure from the form and direction of the descending cadence. The degrees of connection between the members of sen- tences, are so various, and the acceptation of them by readers, maybe so different, that it would not be safe to propose a scheme, for appropriating definitely the kind of phrase, to every instance of pause. From the present knowledge on this subject, it may be said, generally, that the intonation at some pauses, may be varied without exceptionably affecting either sense or elocution : but it may be confidently asserted, that there are cases in which the kind of phrase is absolutely un- alterable. It is not expected that the varied phrases of melody, can be intermingled in regular order, or by special choice, at the ordinary rate of reading and speaking : but this direction may be given, viz : If very small sentences or sections of sentences, are slowly read, subject to the correction of the student's own ear or some teacher, with a view expressly to the employment of a varied melody, in time and by perseverance, the delivery will become free and flowing ; disagreeable monotony prevented, and an agreeable variety secured. With a view to attain this object, the student should acquire a dear perception of the effect of the different phrases of melody, and especially the Falling and Rising Ditones, and a free command over their use, so that they may be made to play fre- quently among the syllables' of discourse. Such a use of the phrases, with a careful observance of emphasis, will diversify * The Falling Tritone differs from the Triad of the Cadence, in this, that the former has the vanish of its last constituent upward, and the latter (or Triad), has it downward. INTONATION AT PAUSES. 135 the melody of speech sufficiently, to render it smooth and agreeable. Frequent and careful practice on the diagrams, will enable the student to discern and employ, with good effect, the phrases of melody, A lively and wakeful anticipation of the effects of style on the ear, in actual delivery, is necessary, or, at least, is greatly assistant, to the art of harmonious writing. If this is true, a person who understands elocution must possess a great advan- tage over one who is ignorant of its principles. A general and popular direction for the management of the voice, may be given in some such terms as these, namely ; — A Period requires some form of the Cadence. A Colon may have a Cadence, or a Falling Tritone, or Ditone, or a Monotone. A Semicolon may have a Falling Ditone, Monotone, or pos- sibly a Rising Ditone. A Comma may have a Rising Tritone or Ditone, a Mono- tone, or a Falling Ditone. All these are more particularly regulated by the sense, and the relation of thoughts or ideas. The foregoing remarks on the phrases of melody, are not exclusively applicable to the common grammatical punctua- tion. The faults of readers, have, long since, been ascribed in part to the vague nature of these points : and to the distracting effect of the caprice of editors in using them. There are many more pauses necessary in reading many sentences, than are marked in ordinary punctuation. In the notation of the following passage, the phrases of melody shall be applied, with reference to the acceptation of the sense of the author, and to the distinct and vivid picture, producible by a proper intonation, without regard to its punc- tuation. The editor points it as follows : So spake the Seraph Abdiel ; faithful found Among the faithless, faithful only he ; Among innumerable false, unmoved, Unshaken, unseduced, unterrified, His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal; Nor number, nor example, with him wrought To swerve from truth, or change his constant mind, Though single. If the reader observes the pauses made in the punctuation of these lines ; he will please to bear in mind, that whether his 136 INTONATION AT PAUSES. decision is favorable to it or otherwise, it may still serve to illustrate the power and place of the phrases. If this be ac- complished, there need be no dispute about the free will of taste in the particular use of these phrases. The object here is to explain the function of the voice, not to contend with critics. In speaking of the employment of a phrase of melody, at a pause of discourse, it should be understood that the phrase is to be applied to the last two syllables preceding a pause. So spake the Ser - aph Ab - die], faith - ful found A - mong the A A A A A A 4 4 4 ® A ..... Qp .. .jp 4 9 # A 4 * * faith - less : faith - ful on -ly he. A - mong in - nu - me - ra - ble, A A A A A A ■© ? * * & & & 4 * A V false, un-mov 'd, un - sha - ken, un - se - duced un - ter - ri - fied, A A & A A A # A 6 A * * 9 • 4 a His loy - al - ty he kept, his love, his zeal. Nor num - ber, A A A 0ft A A 6 A A A 4 w 4 W MB 4 # • nor ex - am - pie, with him wroug ht To swerve from truth, A A A A A A A - 3$ - w 4 4 A * A or ch ange his con - stant mind, Though sin - gle. A A A A A 6 w 9 4 • 9 4 ▼ The pause at Abdiel is marked with a falling ditone ; be- cause the included member does not necessarily produce the expectation of additional meaning or qualification ; and because INTONATION AT PAUSES. 13" this phrase docs not dissolve the grammatical concord between »n which it separates. The falling ditone with the falling vanish on the last constituent, is placed on ifaith- U^/ with a view to indicate the considerable separation of the sense at this point, and to prepare for the eminent display of the sentiment contained id the remainder of the line. The editor has marked the pause with a comma, and thus made the three succeeding words a very dependent clause ; whereas it is very Utile dependent, and should therefore be marked with a colon. The next clause may be regarded as an elliptical sec- tion : and requires the cadence, not only because it might justify a grammatical resolution of it, but because a cadent melody on it, will promote the expressive effect of utterance. These words reiterate the previous attribution of faithfulness to Abdieh with the further affirmation of his singleness in this virtue. The next pause at "'false' is pr-c-ded by a rising ditone, be- cause there is but a slight suspension of the voice and of sense. - structure of this member evidently creates expectancy ; and this species of melody indicates the continuation of the sens- involving expectancy. Of the four succeeding pauses, each rests on a single word. The first three are noted with the m.onotone, to foretell the continued progression of the sense. The fourth, at c (interlined,' has the falling tritone to denote a change and a greater sus- pension, but not a close of thought. Variety may be shown in ordering these four pauses, without affecting the sense, by giving to the two last syllables of ''unshaken,' a rising ditone. phrase at • kept' is the rising ditone ; for since -'love' and 1 zeaP arr . with ; loyalty, 3 the objects of • kept :- not- standing these objects being disjoined bv construction. No other phrase at ; kept," would ;e sa much to the lapment of the idea, which is completed by the full pause placed at ' zeal'; thereby impressing on an audience, the true syntax of the sentence. The editor has placed a semicolon at 'zeal; 3 but the fourth form of the cadence will aid in throwing back c love ; and ; zeal, 5 as objects of •' kept,' and prevent their bearing forward as nominatives to some expected verb: which might not be effected by employing, at this place, sonae of the con- tinuative phrases of melody with a semicolon. The true grammatical construction of the sentence is altogether put out of doubt, by the use of a cadence in this place. The remaining part of the notation contains examples of 138 INTONATION AT PAUSES. the principles just elucidated, and therefore needs no explana- tion. Art thou that trai - tor - an ■ gel, art thou he, A 6 A A & A * A * 4 V •» «r vm %r Who first broke peace in heav - en, and faith, till then, un - bro - ken. -&-A— s— A— r—AT^r- *— A- 4 m & A & w **^A ~ » - . ^_ The phrase ' in heaven' is interposed between ' peace' and c faith,' the two objects of i broke.' Now, in order that the syntactic connection between these words may be impres- singly shown, the slightest pause only is admissible after ' heaven ;' to show its close connection, and a more conspic- uous one must be placed after ' faith,' to indicate a less con- nection. Yet the further expletive c till then unbroken,' is immediately connected with ' faith ;' hence the only means by which this close relationship can be represented in contra- vention to the delay of the pause after ' faith,' which was shown to be necessary for another point of perspicuity, is by using the phrase of the rising ditone, or the monotone on c faith.' Thus the pause at this word, represents clearly the full government of the verb i broke,' whilst the rising ditone or monotone counteracts, to some extent, the full effect of the pause, and prevents it from dissolving the continuity of the previous sense with the subsequent expletive. The pages of Poetry are full of instances of phraseology, that require the management of the voice, here described. Milton and Shakspeare cannot be read well, without strict attention to the apparent collision between the effect of the pauses on the sense, with the reconciling power of the phrases of melody. COMPOUND MELODY. The Compound Melody, as has been stated, consists of an intermixture of the elements of expression with the diatonic melody : — or in other words, the intervals of the compound melody, both concrete and discrete, are not confined to a sim- ple tone ; but may extend from a tone to any and every greater interval, discretely and concretely, within the compass of the voice ; and may comprehend also, any degree and kind of force, as well as any and every extent of quantity. The radical and vanishing tone constitutes the basis and superstruc- ture of the diatonic melody ; and in correct and agreeable elocution is more frequently used than any other interval: since it is appropriated to all those parts of discourse which convey the plain thoughts of the speaker ; if these may be contradistinguished from those emphatic meanings and senti- ments, which are designed to be embraced under the head of the compound melody. Although the tone seems to be excluded, when used in its simplest state, (that is, without long quantity, or the wave or stress on it,) from among the special agents of expression • yet it is, and may be extensively employed in the compound melody, constituting even the greater part of it. It should be kept in mind, that it may receive a concentrated stress on different parts of its concrete course, (though short,) which gives a marked coloring and inspiring influence to its intona- tion. It has already been shown, in the section on time, that an extension of the voice on syllables of long quantity, pro- duces a deliberate enunciation, a dignity and smoothness, which give the highest qualities of the diatonic melody, without a departure from its characteristic simplicity. It may be said, that the radical and vanish are necessary functions of utterance : or in other words, no impulse of voice can be given, without going through the concrete; yet, in short syllables, the flight seems to be so sudden, that the ear cannot clearly measure the fluent course of the transition. But when the radical and vanish are extended on long quantity, the interval of a tone may be very distinctly marked, and even a semitone may be recognized by the ear, under the con- dition of this prolongation. The diatonic melody is, however, rarely found of long con- 140 COMPOUND MELODY. tinuation : the current of the tone being intersected by the concretes of different ranges of pitch. It may be said, that the higher upward intervals of the scale, are used for interro- gative expression, as well as for the different modes of em- phasis : and it should not be forgotten, that these intervals, as well as other elements of expression, are introduced for the display of exclamatory and conditionary modes of intonation. Now, as the occasions for using these higher intervals occur in most discourse, it will be found that the Compound Melody will be used, and formed by detached portions of the diatonic melody, the continuity of it in the tone or second being broken by these higher intervals ; thus giving existence to the com- pound melody ; and this interruption will be more or less fre- quent, according to the prevalence of emphatic expression. An advertisement in a Gazette, a legal instrument, and a purely communicative style of plain narrative and description, may be generally read in the thorough diatonic melody. But there are few compositions which are addressed to taste, that have not their melody varied by the more or less frequent occurrence of the coloring with higher intervals, than the tone or second. According to the distinction we have been endeavoring to draw, between mere thought and what are called senti- ments or feelings, and consistently with their appropriate intonation, it might be supposed that the demonstrations of Euclid should be read in one continuous stream of diatonic melody ; but even these are perpetually varied by the higher intervals, introduced upon illative, absolute, and conditional phrases. The fragments of the diatonic melody, occurring in Prose declamation, in Poetry, and in the Drama, are generally small : and conversation, when not didactic, nor designedly solemn, nor unavoidably dull, almost always banishes the melody of the tone, in the vivid coloring of the highly inflected intonation of the Compound Melody. The following are instances of the intonation of the com- pound melody. None but the brave ! None but the brave \! None\ but the brave/ de-scrve the fairy As the rising third is sometimes used for emphasis alone, independently of its interrogative import : so the falling third may be employed, as the means of emphatic distinction COMPOUND MELODY. ] 41 merely for the purpose of variety, or varying the effects of intonation. This is illustrated by the notation above. There is certainly no inquiry conveyed by these words ; yet there is a rising third set on the last ' brave, 5 which is emphatic. The upward third does, when it is properly considered, certainly convey a feeling of admiration, when it is not used interro- gatively. And it may also be observed, as a law of the rising third and of all emphatic words, whatever other sentiments they may happen to comprehend, they do absolutely carry with them something of the admirable. On this ground, then, all the emphatic repetitions of the word i brave, 5 might receive the same concrete interval. The intonation is varied by setting the plain rising tone to the first • brave ; 5 the falling third to the second, and the rising third to the last— and this appropriation, together with the falling third on the last ' none, 5 does satisfy the ear by its agreeable effect. The last syllable of the word c deserve, 5 and the word c fair, 5 might also have a falling third. Reiteration is the Rhetoric sign of a fulness of feeling, or a rising energy ; and never of a change of sense ; and it should, therefore, have that increasing energy expressed by a gradual increase of stress, increase of radical pitch, or increase of concrete, on every successive repetition of the emphatic sylla- ble : stress being more suitable on short quantity, and a more extended concrete, on long quantity, although they may be united : and a radical elevation may be combined with either of them. When the Queen says to Hamlet, If it be, (that is, if death be the common lot,) Why seems it so particular with thee ? Hamlet replies — Seems, Madam, nay it is ! I know not seems. The intonation of the last line, may be delineated thus, Seems,/Ma-dam 3 nay/it is\! I know not seems. 4- The downward fifth on ' 2*s, 5 represents most perfectly the positive affirmation and surprise of the speaker, at the mis- conception of his real state. The solemn feeling of the 142 COMPOUND MELODY. Prince, which rejects, with indignation, the profanity of the supposition, that there is any formal show in the deep reality of his grief, cannot be expressed by the natural form of the radical and vanish. If the voice be made to swell to a greater stress as it descends, the grave severity and dignified convic- tion of the speaker, become at once conspicuous. But it will be necessary to make a radical skip of a third from ' it' to ' is,' as a preparative, in order to execute, with effect, the down- ward concrete of a fifth on the word ' is? The rising third, or the most moderate form of interrogative expression, is placed on the words 'seems' and 'nay,' for there is in them a slight sentiment of inquiry. The succeeding clause, which contains a most positive affirmation, has the downward fifth to express it : and the whole scheme is calcu- lated to show the opposite, absolute powers of expression in the rising and falling intervals. Awake\, arise\, or be forev'er falKen. It will be observed that there is a radical rising third from the first syllable of c awake* and < arise? to the second of the same words; and then again, a downward concrete fifth on the last syllable of these words. The full and satisfactory feeling of expression, cannot be conveyed without a con- crete rising third or fifth on the last syllable but one of the word 6 forever,' and a downward third on i fall? The strongly inspiring and almost desperate encouragement, which this line requires, could not be exhibited by any smaller intervals on the emphatic words. But Bru'tus, says', he was ambirious v The discrete transition of a falling fifth, or the change of radical pitch through that interval, has somewhat of the expression of its concrete form. It is applied on those sylla- bles which will not bear a prolongation, necessary for the higher concretes ; and on the occasions of its employment, the two extremes of the interval are made on two different syllables; — as, on the word Brutus, and ambitious, in the above line. Give Feb - ius a tri • umph tor his de lay! ▲ A k A A i i * • * A i , ^=k — — L— M COMPOUND MELODY. 143 What, threat you me with tel ■ ling* of the King. A 6 A 4 1 1 IP ^ <■? 4 ▲ 1 8 1 s § The above are two examples of piercing interrogation. They have an interrogative construction, and when read according to the above notation, the interrogative expression will be strong and cuttino*. Sub- jec • ted thus, How can you say to me, I am a King ? ▲ 1 A 4 -r -T-T— f~ 1 ▲ ▲ A J. .K * ' The displeasure and surprising inquiry contained in the above, cannot be given without the slow rising concrete of a fifth on c How,' and a falling one on 'P and 'King 5 of the same extent, and also a discrete fall from ' thus 5 to ' How, 5 and a discrete rise from 'me 5 to ' I' of a third and fourth. in extent. CHROMATIC MELODY, AND THE SEMI-TONE. The Semi-tone is the smallest, though not the least important division of the scale, and requires the vanishing movement of the concrete to be made through the interval of half a tone. The illustration may be made in the following manner : — if we ascend through the diatonic scale, by the repetition of the word fire, sub-dividing it into two syllables, so that fi and yer shall be alternately set on each degree of the scale, it will be perceived, that the transition, from the third to the fourth, and from the seventh to the eighth places, gives the same expression to the word fire, as when it is heard in the streets of our cities and villages, on the occasion of an alarm by fire. Let the pupil here turn to the page on which is delineated the diatonic t>cale ; and let him take the word fire, and, accord- ing to the above directions, run over it upward and down- ward, and note very particularly the interval of the semi-tone, which he finds between the third and fourth, and between the seventh and eighth degrees of it, and catch it (the semi-tone) clearly and distinctly. After he shall have caught a clear perception of its peculiar intonation, let him practice on it, by taking all the vowel elements, and also words and syllables, and exercise on them until he can execute it on them with great ease and readiness, or acquire a complete command over it. This will be best effected by turning to the table of elements and words, and sounding them with strenuous endeavor to give them an une- quivocally plaintive character. Be particular, also, to recognize the downivard concrete of the semi-tone. The sound in the concrete passage from the eighth to the seventh, and from the fourth to the third, will have a plaintive character, whereas the concrete through a whole tone, as from the second to the first degrees of the scale, will not produce that plaintive effect. In the above mode of exemplification of the scale, the effect of the semi-tonic concrete, is very different from that of the concrete passage of a word through the space of a whole tone, as, for instance, between the first and second points of the scale. Among the many voices, when an alarm is given by the cry of 'fire,'' 'fire,' the utterance through the second OF THE SEMI-TONE. 145 is occasionally heard • and it is probable that some of my readers may be able to call to mind the defect of this mode of intonation, which arises from the misapplication of the tone for the semi-tone. The intonation by the concrete semi-tone, is, universally, the symbol of nature for distress, and we never can hear the cry of fire, made through the interval of a tone, without a persuasion of the deformity of that voice or that ear, which can, in this particular, so far transgress the ordination of nature. In ascending the scale, it will be perceived that, if the effect of the transition from the third to the fourth, and from the seventh to the eighth, be compared with the syllabic utterance of a plaintive sentiment, their identity will be ac- knowledged. Now the intervals referred to, on the Diatonic Scale, are severally semi-tones; and therefore the semi-tonic interval is the symbol of Plaintiveness, Pity, Love, Grief, Vexation, Sor- row, Complaint, Disappointment, Pain, Penitential Supplica- tion, and other sentiments congenial with these. All subjects of Great Pathos and Tenderness, require the use of the semi- tone. It is thenatural element of the plaintive emotions. The semi-tone is also employed for the expression of Tenderness and Gentleness of feelings and never for that of great Energy, Harshness, or Impetuosity. It generally requires slow time, or long drawn quantity in its intonation. But it may also be employed or executed, on the short time of immutable sylla- bles. Now, as the emotions which indicate the semi-tone, usually require slow time and extended quantity ; the expression of this interval is generally made by the continuity of its upward and downward concretes. This structure, called the vjave of the semi-tone, answers two important purposes ; it creates a stronger impression of the emotion; and by doubling the inter- val, it allows a prolongation without endangering the integrity of the equable concrete, which, in long quantity, is liable to pass into the protracted radical or vanish of Song or Recita- tive. The emotions which are usually expressed by the semi-tone, are sometimes restricted to individual words : sometimes, how- ever, they extend over phrases and sentences, and even through entire sections of discourse. The last of these, requiring the semi-tone on every syllable, necessarily produces a Melody consisting of a continued succession of this interval of the vanish, and may be called the Semi-tonic Melody. 7 146 OF THE SEMI-TONE. Of the Nature of the Semi-tone. We shall here make a few remarks, in reference to the nature of the distinctive characteristic of the Semi-tone, and consequently of the Chromatic Melody. Now, if a sound be made in a very strongly marked plain- tive character, indicative of great sorrow, or strong feeling of distress ; this sound may be carried upward and downward by a slide or concrete, through any and every interval within the compass of the voice. This same sound of distress may also be made to pass discretely through the several degrees of the diatonic scale, both upward and downward ; but it will require considerable effort at first, yet it can be done. Try frequently, and practice much. Now, if this voice of distress can be made to move upward and downward both concretely and discretely through any given interval ; or, if it is made to pass regularly and dis- cretely through the successive intervals of the Diatonic Scale, it must be evident that the voice moves, by radical skips through the intervals of tones and higher intervals, as they exist in the Diatonic Scale. Hence, then, the Chromatic Melody progresses by radical skips through the intervals of the Diatonic Scale; that is, by tones and higher intervals, and not through the intervals of the Chromatic Scale of music, or through Semi-tones okly, as its name imports. Hence, also, the Simple Chromatic Melody of Speech consists of, and progresses by, Radical Tones, and Con- crete Semi-tones. The Compound Chromatic Melody, like the Compound Dia- tonic, consists of, or progresses b}', intermixing greater inter- vals, with those of the simple Chromatic, for the purpose of expressing interrogation and emphasis. It must be particularly kept in mind, that, in making the concrete intervals of the 3d, 4th, 5th, and 8th, in this Com- pound Chromatic Melody, the same characteristic plaintive and distressful sound, peculiar to the Semi-tone, must be pre- served during the passage of it, through these higher or more extended concretes. It must be a continuously plaintive sound, during its upward and downward progression into silence. It may be satisfactory to examine a little, the physiological function of the Larynx, in the production of this plaintive OF THE SEMI-TONE. 147 intonation. It may be observed, that, when we compare the size and form of the glottis, during the emission of this plain- tive sound, with the size and form of it, during the emission of the ordinary sound, we can distinctly perceive a considerable difference in this particular. The size of the glottis is less, and the shape seems to be of an oval form : its lateral diameter, or that in a line from ear to ear, is longer than the antero- posterior, being the shape of an ellipsis • whereas, in the pro- duction of ordinary sounds, the glottis seems to be round or circular, and a little larger in size. The muscles attached to the larynx regulating the motion, size, and form of the glottis, seems, also, to be in a greater de- gree of tension. An evidence, that this is the true state of the parts concerned in the production of this intonation, is further made clear, by the expression of the countenance, in those who are suffering from great pain, or racked by grief, or in children when crying. In these cases, this plaintive or semi-tonic in- tonation is produced by a spontaneous impulse of nature, not designedly, but involuntarily. The muscles of the face are brought into general action, evidenced by the knitting of the brow, and the cheeks and mouth are drawn laterally, exhibit- ing distress and anxiety. As the face seems to be drawn laterally, and the lips, mouth, and throat being under the same impulse of action, it is very probable that the muscles attached to the larynx are made so to act, as to draw laterally or from ear to ear, and the glottis is made to assume an oval or elliptical shape in the production of the semi-tonic intonation. CHROMATIC OR SEMI-TONIC MELODY. The Diatonic Melody has been represented as formed by the progression of radical and concrete pitch, through the interval of a whole tone. That which is here to be treated, having the concrete only through a semi-tone, may be called the Chro- matic or Semi-tonic Melody. Like the former, it is subdivided into the Current Melody ', and that of the Cadent. The move- ment of its current resolves itself into several sorts of phrases, similar to those of the diatonic progression ; the only difference between them, is this, that the concrete intervals, in the chro- matic melody, pass through the space of a semi-tone; whilst those of the diatonic, move through that of a whole tone. The doctrine of Key and of Modulation, is the same, in the two melodies. A similar appropriation of phrases to the pauses of discourse, and for continuing, suspending, or closing the sense, is used in each • and the same rule for varying the phrases of the current melody, in the production of an agree- able effect, is applicable to both. But as the emotions which dictate the use of the semi-tone and its melody, are always more grave or depressed, than those associated with the dia- tonic, the former, more frequently, assumes the phrase of the monotone. It may be necessary to observe, that special purposes of expression, may call for the introduction of the higher inter- vals of the octave, fifth, fourth, and third. These intervals have a place in the Chromatic Melody, both for the purpose of Interrogation and of Emphasis. The following notations are examples of the Chromatic Melody of Speech. The lines and spaces are intended to re- present the degrees of the ordinary Diatonic scale • but the smaller concretes should be considered as semi-tonic only, and the larger ones, measured by the lines and spaces of the staff, on which they are found. We shall present but a few exam- ples, leaving the determined student to select others, and make his own notations on them : he will cut the road himself when it is laid out for him. CHROMATIC MELODY. 149 Example of Distress. Pi - ty the sor - rows of a poor old man, A i, x 4 4 ^ —A i. 4 4 Whose tremb - ling- limbs have borne him to your door. A a 4 4 - A X x X T T Example of Deep Sorrow. Oh ! my son Ab - sa - lorn, my son, my son Ab - sa - lom, j * . . 4-*-+-*-«-l^-«-« Wouk 1 to God I had died for thee, O, Ab ■ sa - lorn, my son, my son. i. 4, ± ± ^ 1 4 ii^ I * * f A ^ A 1 *» A 4 - T Example of Love. Oh ! Ma - ry, dear, de - part - ed shade, ± X X X X Where is thy . place of bliss - ful rest? I J. Jl X X i. A. ^ | ~ " " A 150 CHROMATIC MELODY. See'st thou thy lov - er, low - ly laid? 3=t Hear'st thou the g roans that rend his breast ? i. | A. A ^ X 1 A i. My Mother ! when I learn'd that thou wast dead. Say, wast thou conscious of the tear I shed ? Hover'd thy spirit o'er thy sorrowing son, Wretch even then, life's journey just begun? Perhaps thou gavest me, though unfelt, a kiss ; Perhaps a tear, if souls can weep in bliss ; Ah that maternal smile ! it answers, yes. I heard the bell toll'd on thy burial day, I saw the hearse that bore thee slow away, And turning from my nursery window, drew A long, long sigh, and wept a last adieu ! But was it such? It was. Where thou art gone, Adieus and farewells are a sound unknown. May I but meet thee on that peaceful shore, The parting word shall pass my lips no more ! Thy maidens griev'd themselves at my concern, Oft gave me promise of thy quick return. What ardently I wished, I long believed, And disappointed still, was still deceived. By expectation every day beguiled, Dupe of to-morrow even from a child, — CHROMATIC MELODY. 151 Thus many a sad to-morrow came and went, 'Till all my stock of infant sorrow spent, I learn'd at last submission to my lot, But though I less deplored thee, ne'er forgot. TREMOR OF THE VOICE. It has been affirmed, that every effort of the voice* is neces- sarily made through the radical and vanishing movement; and we think that it has been satisfactorily shown, that the audible characteristic of the several intervals of the scale, may be distinctly recognised. The smallest interval hitherto ex- hibited, has been that of a semi-tone. But the Tremulous movement of the voice, is an exhibition of succession of dis- crete sounds or impulses, under a still more reduced division than that of a semi-tone ; each point being, as it were, rapidly touched, by a short and abrupt emission of voice. This de- scription may be illustrated, by the manner of that noise in the throat, which is called Gurgling, or by the Neighing of a horse. The analogy here regards the momentary duration, frequency, and abruptness of sound; for the gurgling may be made by a quick iteration on one line of pitch, or in a regular diatonic ascending or descending progression, to any desirable extent; each successive tittle or impulse of sound being taken at a very minute interval above or below the last. The pre- cise radical extent of these small iterant intervals cannot be determined, nor the number of them contained in any given portion of the scale; since this function is executed in a manner, and with a rapidity, which prevent discrimination. If every effort of the voice, is a movement through the radical and vanish, then every impulse of iteration in this tremulous movement, must be a concrete interval, having an abrupt radical, and a rapid vanish. This abrupt radical and rapid vanish, may be called the iterant concrete, or the con- crete of the tittles, in opposition to the tremulous concrete, which is the general tremulous movement through any interval of the diatonic scale. This iterant concrete may be made to pass through the in- terval of a tone or a semi-tone. [Dr. Rush says through every interval of the scale.] From this, then, we have a tremor made on the tone, or on the semi-tone; that is, each of these successive impulses or iterations, may rapidly rise or fall through these intervals respectively. That the constituent concrete tittles, however momentary, do pass rapidly through these intervals, may be proven by trial; for the plaintive THE TREMOR. 153 effect of intonation, which is producible only by the semi-tone, may be heard on every degree of the ascending and descending scale ; and, in like manner, may the plain effect of the tone be given on this interval. When the tremulous movement is made through the rising concrete, or by the upward diatonic progression, the concrete of the tittles takes also the rising direction; but when the movement is descending, either concretely or discretely, it requires the vanishes of the tittles also to be descending: since that, we cannot execute the rising concrete tremor with the falling vanish of the tittles, nor the falling concrete movement with the rising vanish ; the general movement of the voice giving the direction, in this respect, to the particular. This tremulous movement of the voice, then, may be con- tinued on a line for a short time, and then rise or fall any interval and continue again, and, in like manner, passing thus discretely through the scale : or it may be made to rise or fall continuously or concretely through the whole extent of the voice, and even through the falsette. Hence, then, it may be stated, that this tremulous function may be exhibited, either in a rising or falling scale. It is scarcely necessary to add, that it may, also, be carried through the several waves on a long syllable. Let us, then, after the analogy of our preceding nomenclature, call this tremulous rising and falling series, the tremulous concrete, the commencing point of which is the radical part, and the termination of it, the vanishing point, of this tremor. Interrogation and Emphasis are produced by this tremulous concrete through the intervals of a third, a fourth, a fifth, an eighth, or a greater interval if necessary. This tremulous movement through the diatonic scale, may be called the tremulous scale, by which the concretes of the tremor may be measured in point of pitch. Laughing and Crying consist in the use of the tremulous movement upon the iterant concrete of the tone and semi- lone. When the iterant concretes pass through the interval of a tone, it gives the function of Laughing; when they pass through the semi-tone, it displays that of Crying. We laugh on the tone, and cry on the semi-tone. The tremulous tone, is the note of joy or joyful laughter, and the tremulous semi-tone , is the note of sorrow or sorrowful crying. The act of crying has two modes ; it may be in the smooth concrete, or in the tremulous concrete. Infants cry in the first manner, by a protracted semi-tone upon some vowel ele- ment. It ft a long- time before the tremor is heard in their 154 THE TREMOR. voice. The first step toward it, is in the convulsive catch of sobbing; by degrees this increases in frequency, and the cry becomes, at last, of the rapid iteration of the tremor. The use of the tremor increases the force of the expression of all other intervals. For, since crying is the ultimate voice of distress, and its tremulous characteristic is adopted as the means for marking a very great intensity of feeling, tremulous speech is the utmost practicable crying on words. When mirth or sorrow is in the mind, it is hard to restrain its habitual expres- sion. He, who would be to others an unsuspected hvpocrite in his voice, must mask even his own sentiments and emotions to himself. Diagram illustrating the Tremulous Movement through the different Intervals of the Scale. TREMOR, ON THE TONE OR SECOND. -8- -Do- -7- -Si- -6- -La~ -5- -Sol- -4- -Fa~ -3- -Mi~ 2 - -Re-- -i- -Do-- -&*• -QQc ~$9**— -0$$* THE TREMOR. 155 TREMOR OF THE SEMI-TONE. -8- -Do- -7- -Si— -6- -La~ -5- -Sol- -4- -Fa« -3- -Mi- -2- -Re- -1- -Do-- -** -#!♦*- -f**- -** -**»- e, in eel, ear, hear, eve, deed, give. a, " age, page, air, their, aim. a^, " arm, harm, arch, bard, card, gaard. aw, " awe, all, call, or, for, Paid, thaw. o/i, " ode, ore, sore, load, goad, more. oo, " ooze, loose, coo, woo, move. uh, " urn, turn, burn, urr, her, sir. ou, " our, sour, poar, now, thou. oi, " oi], toil, coin, join, joice. w, " use, ure, fume, tune, tube. i, " ice, ire, fire, quire, isle, style. The student should execute the tremor on all the alphabetic elements (except V, T, K ? ) on these four diagrams. The 156 THE TREMOR. former two represent the tremor on the lone, and the latter, the tremor on the semi-tone. Let him sound each element with a prolonged tremor, and then again, as short as possible ; yet never having less than four or five impulses or tittles in the shortest. Let him move over the diagrams, discretely and concretely, upward and downward. Strenuous and persevering efforts will be necessary, in order to rise and fall easily through the different intervals with the tremor. Let him, as a practice,, sound the words contained in the table, taking care that every element contained in them, sustains its due proportion in the concrete. For the full efficacy and the graceful finish of the tremor, are accomplished, — by giving it the greatest number of breaks or iterations of which the time and interval are susceptible; — by making the consti- tuent tittles in an easy flowing succession ; — with a distinct accent ; — with an equal time and an equably diminishing force on the vanish of the tremulous concrete ; — with a proper dis- tribution of them, on all the elements of a word$ — and with a ready power of ascent and descent, through any given interval. It requires more than common facility of voice, to perform the tremor with precision and elegance. But the elementary practice here enjoined, will place it at the command of the reader and speaker; and the following examples will instruct him in its appropriate use. It is to be employed with temper- ance; for it lies at the extremes of the emotions. Indeed, it is with this, as it is with all other striking elements of the art of speech; the student must acquire a temperance, consistent with nature and a refined taste. As the tremor may be applied to all the intervals ascending and descending, and to their combination in the waves; and as these elements bear different kinds or various degrees of ex- pression ; it follows, that the character of the tremor, may appear under other modifications than those of joy and sorrow. When the tremulous function is made through the second, third, fourth, fifth, or octave, or through the wave of these intervals, it joins the sentiment of derision, mirth, joy, or exul- tation, to that of interrogation, surprise, command, or scorn, conveyed by the smooth concrete of these intervals. If in- creases the intensity of all other expressions, and thereby heightens the thrill of joy, mirth, and exultation; adds pun- gency to scorn or derision; deepens the note of sorrow; and enhances the voice of distress. The student should be apprised, that, to the acquisition of the elements, no very great difficulty fies in his way. He only THE TREMOR. 157 wants to know the elements, — name and classify them, — - render them separate objects of elementary practice,— and learn in the way of analysis, before he attempts to compound them, for the purpose of communicating the sense and senti- ment of discourse. Ignorance of them, want of practice upon them, and previous bad habits, mainly growing out of such ignorance and want of practice, are the sources of faulty speaking. The extract from Falstaff ? s Ragged Regiment, when drama- tically read, requires the tremor on almost every word. Very little effect of expression can be given by plain reading. It is a very fine example for the expression of the tremulous move- ment. Example of Tremor on the Tone. 1. I'll not march through Coventry with them, that's flat. No eye hath seen such scare-crows. The above, it may be said, should be read with the diatonic tremulous melody : and the following stanza, with the chro- matic tremulous melody. The tremor of age should be joined with supplicating distress, which can be effected only by the coloring of the semi-tonic tremor. 2. Pity the sorrows of a poor old man, Whose trembling limbs have borne him to your door, Whose days are dwindled to the shortest span • Oh ! give relief, and heaven will bless your store. 3. Thou art the ruins of the noblest man, That ever lived in the tide of time. (Go back, and read the examples at the end of the section on the Chromatic Melody.) MODULATION OR TRANSITION. It has been stated on the subject of Pitch, that the meaning of the word key, is significative of a certain arrangement of the elements of the musical scale ; and here we may consider the propriety of this term to the meJodial arrangement of the speaking voice. As a generic appellation, the term key means the proper or specific succession of tones and semi-tones in the diatonic scale. It includes several species of a similar order of succes- sion, carried on from each of the several places of the scale, as the beginning of those similar orders. It was shown, that there are twelve keys founded on the semi-tonic division of the scale; from each of which an air or melody may he re- strictively performed ; with the regulated means, however, of conducting that melody, from one degree or pitch to another, through the whole twelve. The different arrangements in the order of *the notes, arises from the places of the semi-tones. This gives rise to two modes of the Diatonic Scale. In the one, a semi-tone lies between the third and fourth degrees, and between the seventh and eighth, as formerly taught, and con- stituting the kind of succession called the Major mode or scale. In the other, a semi-tone lies between the second and third, and between the seventh and eighth degrees ascending ; and between the second and third, and between the fifth and sixth descending, and forming the succession of the Minor mode. Now, as there are twelve notes or degrees in the semi- tonic scale, from which a diatonic series may be arranged ; so there may be twenty-four keys ; twelve constructed by the Major mode, and twelve by the Minor. The melody of music, whether in the major or the minor scale, is made by progressions of conjoint degrees and skips of less or greater intervals, through the series of five tones and two semi-tones from any given key ; and the song or move- ment, so constructed, is terminated with entire satisfaction to the ear, when brought to a close on the commencing point of the series, which is called the key-note. The melody of plain narrative or unimpassioned speech, is made by a progression of conjoint degrees only ; and its satis- MODULATION OR TRANSITION. 159 factory close at a period of discourse, is effected by a descent of its radical pitch through three conjoint degrees, with a downward concrete from the last. But the scale of the speak- ing voice has no semi-tone interspersed ; and therefore is not limited, like that of music, to a particular arrangement of seven constituent relative intervals. The speaking scale is the compass of the voice ; let that be eight, or twelve, or sixteen degrees, whose intervals are all equal. From the foregoing account of the musical, and speaking scales, it may be learned, that though their respective con- stituent intervals and melodial progressions, differ from each other • yet with reference to the philosophic sense of the word key, there is a discoverable similarity between them. For since, in speech, the descent of a concrete fourth, or of three degrees of radical skips, with a downward vanish on the last, always produces a cadence, or effects something like the consumation of a key-note in music ) — it follows that in a voice with a compass of ten degrees, every degree, except the three highest, may be the place of what is called the key-note of speech ; and, consequently, this voice might be said to have eight keys ; for a satisfactory close may be made by a descent of a fourth, which constitutes a cadence, on any eight of the lower degrees of the speaking scale. But there is a peculiarity in the specifications of the keys of spoken melody, which must be described. When a musical melody is said to be in a particular key, the expression desig- nates exactly the position of its key-note, which is not suffered to change during the continuance of the melody. But not so with the melody of speech ; for this cannot be said, with pre- cision, to be in any one key during the continuance of any considerable portion of melody ; for the key may change three or four times, or even oftener, in the melody of a single sen- tence. The key-note of the melody of speech can be made to vary with the greatest ease ; since that a cadence can be made on any one of the eight lower notes of the speaking scale, without being embarrassed with the semi-tones. Definitive- ness of key may be affirmed of the cadence ; because the suc- cession of its radicals, and the place of its closing concrete, are unalterably fixed. Looking on the Triad as determining the key, a particular key may be appropriated to each degree of the eight lower of the compass of the voice ; and, conse- quently, the key of the current melody may be perpetually changing. From this view of the speaking voice, it may be understood, 160 MODULATION OR TRANSITION, why, ia the notation of its melody, we have used only the staff of the musical tablature, without reference to its clefs or sig- natures. Clefs are used in music, for the purpose of concert- ing; by determining with precision the proper places of pitch for several voices or instruments, when moving in harmonic accompaniment. They are, therefore, useless to the single- ness of speech. The melody of speech being altogether com- posed of whole tones, without the semi-tone, can have no rule for constructing keys, arising out of the fixed places of the semi-tone, as in the musical scale ; consequently, there is no need of prefixing signatures, such as flats and sharps, or clefs. The naked lines and spaces of the staff denote the extent and relationship of pitch, and afford sufficient means for illustrating the intonation of speech. — (See the Diagram, page 162.) The term Modulation is used, in music, to signify the transi tion of melody and harmonic composition, from one key to another ; and it is equally applicable to the purposes of speech in conducting its melody ; because it serves to elevate or de- press the movements of the voice. The transitions of the voice are truly one of the most im- portant requisites in Elocution : — nothing contributes more to the pleasure of the audience ; — nothing gives stronger proof, that an orator is master of his art, than a well regulated and expressive transition. Transition may be resorted to for variety, but it should be more particularly subservient to sense; for we design, by the transition of modulation, to mark changes of sentiments ;— changes in the train of thoughts ; and changes jor parenthetical clauses. The melody of song is graduated on a scale w 7 hose degrees are as definite as those of Gunter's. But the melody of speech need not be considered as formed with so much mathe- matical exactness ; yet sufficiently so, as to give to each note a name and a place, if desired. For practical purposes, however, it is only necessary to give a notation of the relative pitch of occasional syllables, and especially those that are emphatic. Such a notation may be read by any one who may have a very limited knowledge of music; and, consequently, with the greatest ease, by. those who understand more of the rudiments of this science. Besides, if the relative pitch of the key-note of the current melody, and of the emphatic syllables and their inflections,* are given, the ^ The word inflection is used in this work, to denote the rising and falling vanishes of the concretes of speech. MODULATION OR TRANSITION. 161 remaining syllables will naturally take their proper places of elevation in the general melody. The series of notes, by which the relative pitch and the inflections of the syllables of a sentence are represented, are written on four horizontal, parallel lines, with their interme- diate spaces. These lines and spaces are called the Staff of Speech, in contradistinction to the staff of music, which con- sists of five horizontal, parallel lines, and four spaces. There is a medium pitch of the voice, differing, of course, in different individuals, from which ascent and descent through, its whole compass are easy and natural. This is the natural pitch-note. It is the note most frequently heard in ordinary conversation. Speakers and readers should be careful to familiarize themselves with this note, and acquire a habit of striking on it, at any time, with ease. They should always set out with it in discourse, and often return to it. It is that note, in a melody, which predominates, and, in correct reading and speaking, is always in accordance with the sentiment. This predominant and leading note is the fourth degree from the lowest distinctly audible one, that a person is capable of mak- ing, and may be called the natural key-note of speech. From this note, also, the most satisfactory and complete cadence can be made. A cadence made from any higher note, is less com- plete or satisfactory in proportion to its elevation above this note. This natural key-note is always indicated by the second line of the staff of speech, counting from below. When a person reads or speaks altogether on this key-note, the reading or speaking is monotonous. And reading or speaking will be equally monotonous, if it is confined to a key-note, that is raised or depressed to any degree, above or below this natural key-note. Hence, then, the following definition :— The key- note is that predominant note which, with one or two degrees below and above it, constitutes the principal part of a melody. From this definition, it will appear obvious, that the pitch of the key-note may be made to vary to any degree of the speaking scale, excepting two or three degrees of the highest. The following notation of the staff of speech, will illustrate the key-note, and the modulation of the melody of speech, produced by the transition of this key-note, from one pitch or place of the scale to another. 162 MODULATION OR TRANSITION. Staff of Speech, 2The moon her - self is lost in heav'n ; 6but thou art for i s 4— 4— 4— s 9 s ev er the same, 8re -joic 4 -ing in the bright-ness of thy cause A 4 i 4 6 4. 4 ▲ 4 4 4 # # " # A . 4 m ¥ 2 1 9 8 6 4 2 2When the world is dark with tem - pests, 4when thun - der rolls, ▲ A A ? 4 -4- * 4 4 -4 a 4 - :. and light'-ning flies, 6thou lookest in thy beau - ty from the clouds, 6 4 4 4 4 * 4 4 A 4 4 44 4 4 9, 1 9 and laughest at the storm. 4But to Oss - ian thou lookest in vain. , * * A * 4 4 * r * « 4. "-4 . 2 L t The same sentence is prepared below for reading, by noting the pitch of the key-note by figures, indicating the degrees of elevation from the lowest note. The first or lowest line of the staff of speech indicates the second degree or note ; the second line indicates the fourth degree ; the third indicates the sixth ; and the fourth line, the eighth degree, as may be seen by the figures, placed at the commencement of the staff of speech, in the above notation. The upward and down- ward vanishes of the emphatic syllables, is also noted by a graphic concrete inflection at the end of the syllable. The inflection mark is likewise to indicate the interval of the emphatic concrete by its length, as well as its direction. MODULATION OR TRANSITION. 163 The Prepared Sentences, 4 The moon herself is lost in heav\n ; 6 but thou art for ever the same', 8 rejoicMng in the brightness of thy course v 2 When the world is dark with tempests/, 4 when thunder rollsv, and lightning flies/, 6 thou look^'st, in thy beauty from the clouds/, 8 and laugh\st at the storm v 4 But to OssMan thou look'st' in vain v The following diagram is intended to exhibit the length of the emphatic concretes, or the concretes to be placed imme- diately after emphatic syllables, and may be called the Con- crete The letter ' a,' in the word staff, is about half the length of the c jf> in the same word; hence, if a horizontal line be drawn from the top, and one from the lower end of the c ff ;' and one from the upper, and one from the lower end of ' a ;' and then again, one from the middle of the body of the 6 a ; 5 we have a staff of five lines, as is seen in the above concrete staff: and each line is intended to represent a degree in the scale of speech. We have, then, five degrees to constitute the Concrete Staff. Figure 1, in the above Concrete Staff, repre- sents the rising and falling concrete tones or seconds ; — figure 2 represents rising and falling concrete thirds ; 3 represents concrete fourths ; — and 4 is intended to represnt the interval of a fifth, a sixth, a seventh, or an eighth, as may be desired. Iu this diagram, then, we have a staff of five degrees, that may be transferred, by imagination, or an act of the mind, on every line in a printed page, and be the means by which the reading of it may be regulated. The second line of the Con- crete Staff, which is that made along the lower edge of the body of the short letters, uniformly and exactly corresponds to the key-note of speech. This line is the key-note line of the Concrete Staff, and should always be placed upon, or corre- 164 MODULATION OR TRANSITION. spond to, the key-note of the melody. Then we have one degree below, and three above, this key-note line, to afford variety for the melody on any given key. The figures 1, 2, 3, 4, &x. at the commencement of the Staff of Speech, denoting the nine degrees of the Speaking Scale, and their relative elevation and depression, are used in the exercises in reading, as denoting the rising and falling of the key-note ; or, in other words, they (the figures) are the means by which modulation is effected, and the transitions of the voice, as to pitch, are regulated. The figures 2, 4, 6, 8, are those that denote the lines of the Staff of Speech ; and 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, denote the spaces, including the space above and below the staff, (as figures 1 and 9 will indicate.) (See the Staff of Speech, on page 162.) The figures placed at the commencement of a line or section, in the reading exercises, are the same as those at the com- mencement of the Staff of Speech, and indicate the rising and falling of the key-note of the melody, or the key-note of the Staff of Speech. Then, by placing the key-note of the Con- crete Staff, on the key-note of the Staff of Speech, and keep- ing them in correspondence, as the key-note of the Staff of Speech is made to vary, and we have all the means necessary to the production of any required or desired modulation or tran- sition, as to discrete and concrete pitch, for the production of any melody. Prepared Exercises. 3. 5 Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. 8 Three millions of people, 6 armed in the holy cause of liberty, 5 and in such a country as that which we pos- sess', 8 are invincible to an^y force which our enemy can send against us. 5 Besides, sir, w 7 e shall not fight our battles aloney ; 2 there is a just x Gody who presides over the des\tinies of nations ; 4 and who will raise up friends^ to fight our bat- tles for\ us. 5 The battle, sir, is not to the MODULATION OR TRANSITION. 165 strong alone x ; 4 it is to the vigMlant, the ac\iive, the brave v 4 2 An hour pass'd on ; — the Turk a woke., — 3 That bright dream, was his last ; 4 He woke to hear his sentries shriek v 5 To armsM they conies! the GreekV the GreekM 4 He woke to die midst flame and smoke\ And shout, and groan/, and sa v bre stroke, And death-shots falling thick and fast/ As lightnings from the mountain clouds-*; And heard, with voice as tnim\pet-loud', 3 Bozzarris cheeiA his bandy 4 Strike\ till the last armed foe expires*; 5 Strike^ for your alMers, and your fires v ; 6 Strike v for the green graves of your sires^; 4 God^, and your native land v 2 They fought like brave^ men, — long and welK; They piled^ that ground/ with Moslem slain ; They conquered , — but Bozzar^ris fell/ ■^Bleed'ing at every vein v In these examples, you will observe that the figures indi- cate the pitch of the key-note according to the Staff of Speech : — and the graphic marks of inflection indicate the intervals and the upward or downward vanishes of the con- cretes on emphatic syllables. Much exercise on this part of Elocution, will be necessary, 166 MODULATION OR TRANSITION. to make a good reader or speaker. These examples, and others in this book, should be read frequently. The student should also prepare pieces of his own selection, by marking them with the figures and inflections, as above exhibited, and reading them over and over again, until they become easy and natural, and can be executed with an appropriate and graceful transi- tion. Some speakers, almost immediately after commencing their discourse, run up to the top of the voice, and continue that pitch through the longest portion of an address, thereby pro- ducing a continuous elevated monotony. This is tiresome and offensive, in the highest degree. This high pitch is commonly united with great loudness, with an entire defect of cadence, which aggravate the evil. Others, again, very soon fall to the lowest pitch, and are unable to rise again. They cannot make a cadence, because they cannot descend below the pitch they have assumed. They cannot speak with force, because if the voice descends below a certain point, it ceases to be able to employ force, and finally becomes inaudible. In order, there- fore, to maintain fulness and strength of tone, we must set out with about the fourth degree from the lowest note, from which the voice can be easily managed, both in its employment of force and modulation. Again, let the student accustom himself, by frequent practice, to rise and fall upon a sentence or sentences selected for the purpose, through the w r hole com- pass of the voice. Such a practice was common with ancient orators, both Roman and Grecian, and will be the most effectual method, after the elements of expression are at complete command, of removing the blemishes above described, by giving a ready command over the speaking scale. The sentence below may be taken for exercise, which should be read according to the different notations exhibited by the numerals at the beginning of the lines and members of sen- tences. 5 lu Though you untie the winds 2 and let them fight Against the 3 churches f though the yesty waves 5 Confound and swallow navigation up ; 6 Though bladed corn be lodged, and trees blown 8 down, 7 Though castles topple on their warden's heads, 6 And nature's germins tumble ^altogether, 4 Even till destruction 3 sickens P Answer me." MODULATION OR TRANSITION. 167 Again : 6 though you untie the winds 2 and let them fight 3 Against the churches - 4 though the yesty waves 4 Confound and swallow navigation 5 up ; 5 Though bladed corn be lodged and trees blown down ; 6 Though castles topple on their warden's heads, 7 And nature's germins tumble altogether, s Even till destruction sickens ? 9 Answer me. Modulations or transitions of the voice should be uni- formly made at those parts of a discourse where the speaker enters on a new train of thought, or where the senti- ment takes a different turn. These parts are generally divided, in written composition, by paragraphs : and these are often entirely disregarded by many. Nothing relieves the ear more agreeably than a well regulated transition. It should be effected temperately ; but whenever a speaker or reader enters on a new train of thought, notice thereof should be given to the ear, by the following means, differently modified, accord- ing to existing circumstances. 1. By a change in the pitch of the voice. 2. By an alteration in the rate of the voice, as to quickness or slowness. 3. By an increase of force. 4. By an abatement of the previous force. 5. By a change in the phrases of melody. 6. By the use of the monotone for a short space, which has often a very striking effect. All these means should be at the command of the speaker and reader, and one or more of them should be employed in the pronunciation of the first few sentences at every para- graph ; after which the voice will naturally move into a freer expansion of a more animating- delivery. Always at the introduction of a new paragraph, the directions here given should be followed. The figures placed at the beginning of lines, sections, or words in the examples and exercises, may be said to indicate the radical pitch or key-note of the melody ; or they show the general drift of the voice as it moves along over a sen- tence. The voice, however, may be made to vary, at times, a degree or two below or above the pitch-note, as is noted by the posi- tion of the concrete marks placed after the emphatic syllables, but should be made, very frequently, to return to it again. 168 MODULATION OR TRANSITION. 7. 4 Come\ when the heart beats high, and warm, With bamquet-song, and dance^ and wine v , — 2 And thou art terrible ; — the tears, The groans, the knelk, the pall', the biery ; And all we know', or dream', or fear\ Of ag^ony, arc thine^. 8 But to the hero/, ^when his sword, Has won the battle for the free/, 8 Thy voice sounds like a prophets word\ ; 4 And in its hollow tones, are heard^ 8 The thanks of millions yet to bey. 6 Come\ w 7 hen his task of fame\ is wrought*, — Come\ with her lauVel-leaf, bloody bought, — Come\ in her crownMng hour, 4 and then. Thy sunken eye's unearthly lights, To* him is welcome as the sight, Of sky/, and stars' to prison'd men v 8. 4 We hold these truths / to be self-evident : that all/ men/ are created eyqual ; that they are endowed hy their Creator with certain inalien- able right s\ ; that among these are life/, lib/erty, and the pursuit of hap\piness. 9. 4 Ye are the things that tow\er, that shines, whose smile makes glad\ whose frown is ter- rible. 10. A storm of universal fire x blasted every fieldy, consumed every housed, and destroyed every temyple. MODULATION OR TRANSITION. 169 11. They did not see one mans, not one wo^- man, not one child v not one four-tooted beasO, of any description whatever. In all cases, where there is no figure to indicate the key or radical pitch, the natural key-note is understood, or the fourth degree, as denoted by the figure 4. Any given pitch indicated by a figure, is understood to con- tinue, until changed by another figure. 12. ExultMng, tremybling, ranging, fainting, Possess'd beyond the Muse's painting. By turns they left the glowing mind, Disturb'd^, delighted, rais'd% refm'dv 13. How poor\, how richV, how abvject, how august\ How complicate, how 5 wonMerful is man^. TIME. Time, in Elocution, is the duration or measure of sound. In the utterance of syllables and words, it means the duration or continuance of sound heard on them in speech. This may be long or short, slow or quick, rapid or moderate. Intonation or utterance may be said to be rapid, when the time of syllables is short, and the movement of the voice is quick. The move- ment of the voice is slow, when the time of syllables is long. Moderate movement is, when the time of syllables may be said to be neither long nor short. Time and quantity in reference to syllables or elements, mean exactly the same thing. Time has a relation to pauses, as well as to syllables ; hence, pauses may be long or short, and they may be made long or short at pleasure. If the short sentence, c will you come to me V be uttered with long quantity and long pauses between every two words; as, will — you — come — to — me V the general movement will be slow, because the quantity of syllables is long, as well as the time of the pauses. If the quantity of each syllable be made short, and the time of the pauses also short, the movement will be quick. If the quantity of sylla- bles be short and no pauses, the movement will be very rapid. A person, by the voice, has the power of making quantity long or short at will: hence, he has the command of quantity absolutely. But in reference to syllables, he is somewhat re- stricted. Syllables in themselves, have long or short quantity, according to the constituent elements of which they are com- posed ; yet a person has power to vary the quantity of all syllables, except immutables. By the voice, then, a person has the power of producing long and short quantity on sylla- bles, according as they may require it. From the foregoing statements or facts, the general and clear deduction is, that a sentence may be read rapidly or slowly according to the pleasure of the reader ; and that, the quantity of syllables and pauses, regulates the movement of the voice, in regard to its rate of rapidity or slowness. It may be necessary, however, to be more particular, on the subject of the length and shortness of individual elements and TIME. 171 syllables, comparatively considered. Many of them can be lengthened in pronunciation, to any desirable extent, without altering their distinctive and appropriate sounds, and with an increase of beauty and expression ; whereas others again can- not thus be prolonged. By the voice we have the power of prolonging sound on elements and syllables in the following manner. Let the voice open on the element or syllable with a distinct fulness and abruptness. Let it gradually and equably diminish in volume in its progress through a lengthened time, until it vanishes into silence. The voice, during this movement, must be con- tinually changing in pitch either upward or downward. This full opening, — change of pitch, — equable diminution — and final vanish, are essential to the preservation of pure speech. And the prolongation, thus effected, is an exhibition of quan- tity in its proper elementary state, and the only preventive against the degeneration into indistinctness, drawl, or song. In thus executing quantity, great care must be taken, that the natural and appropriate element or elements be preserved and heard, and that they are altered only in length ; and when thus performed, any thing like drawl or song will be necessa- rily and unavoidably excluded. This mode of uttering the vowel elements and syllables, ensures, by its protracted quan- tity, such an impressive distinction, that it becomes a real beauty in delivery. It is most satisfactorily demonstrated by the voice of the teacher, but may be illustrated by the annexed diagrams. Taking ' P as the element for illustration : in prolonging it, it will gradually and equably diminish into silence, while it rises or falls in pitch. The diagrams represents the radical fulness, and the equable diminution and final vanish, by the heavy beginning, the lessening volume, and the terminating point, — the quantity is shown by the length of the diagrams, — and the pitch, by the elevation and depression of the points, from the heavy commencements. 172 TIME. The voice should be exercised frequently on the following table. Great care should be taken, to execute well the radical fulness, the equable vanish, long quantity, and the change of pitch. e, in e, eel, eve, ear, hear, deed, give. a, " age, air, azm, their, page. ah, " arm, arc, arch, harm, far, has. aw, " all, awe, call, or, for, thaw, Pawl. oh, " ode, ore, own, load, sore, goad, more, roam. oo, " ooze, loose, coo, woo, move, food. uh. " urn, turn, burn, her, szr, ur, fur, err. ou, " our, sour, -pour, now, thou, growl. oi, " oil, toil, com, jozn, jozce, voice. i, " ice, isle, ire, fie, quire, style, u, " use, ure, fume, tune, tube, tw-lip. The time in syllables, exhibits a very great variety of shades of difference from the shortest possible to the utmost prolonga- tion in oratorical intonation. In order to reduce this extended view of time to such distinctions, as may serve for future reference, syllables may be arranged under three heads or classes : — the first, embracing those that are fixed to the shortest quantity : — the second, those that are fixed, or nearly so, to a quantity of somewhat greater duration than the first ; — and the third, those that, in common pronunciation, are of variable length, from the shortest to the longest, or which may be lengthened or shortened, according to design. The extension of the time of syllables, without changing their proper pronunciation, is one of the most important func- tions of the voice. Yet important as it may be, in reference to syllables, some of them cannot be extended without changing their proper sounds, or rendering their pronuncia- tion affected. 1st Class : — The first of the above three classes, is made up of words or syllables, terminating with either one or two of the sub-aspirs p, t, k, immediately preceded by a short vowel TIME. 173 element which, again, may be preceded by one or more of any of the consonant elements : such as up it ic tip pit kick yet wit met nip not tick hap'- st?*uc py '-ture flux'- ■ion strip' con- -ling vict dip sop but fit gic sick what shop whip that stop ac-cep'-tance construe' -tion grat'-i-tude vic'-to-ry con-flicl' Syllables under this class, have this essential characteris- tic ; — they cannot be prolonged without changing their ele- mentary sounds. Hence, every syllable that, when prolonged, will change any of its constituent elements, or will become affected in its pronunciation, must have short quantity. The word i conflict / when accented on. the first as a noun, and on the last as a verb, has, in plain orthoepy, a certain quantity allotted to each syllable. If, for the purpose of oratorical expression, with the noun, the time of the first syl- lable be indefinitely increased, the identical character of the word still remains the same, notwithstanding this prolongation. But when the last syllable of the verb has a similar extension given it, its pronunciation will be remarkably deformed by an unavoidably drawling utterance — as con-fl-i-c-t. All syllables, not admitting of any alteration in quantity, belong to this class, and are called immutables, or immutable syllables. 2d Class : — Those syllables coming under the second class, are such as terminate by any of the aspir or sub-joco ele- ments, preceded by a short vowel, which may have one or more vocos or per-aspirs united with it, either Defore or after, or before and after it. mist flint stab burst stump shad first chink nag sift chirp and did sash hasp grass mince fifth flush latch pulse with truth which The vocos are a class of elements capable of considerable 174 TIME. extension of quantity ; and the syllables in which they occur after the vowel, may be somewhat more prolonged than the preceding class ; but the terminating element being a poor material for quantity, together with the short vowel, prevents an indefinite prolongation on them. But if these should be unusu- ally prolonged, a similar effect will be produced, as in the first class. Therefore, these are also limited in quanity ; yet not so confined to the very short time to which the first class is. Syllables of this class may be pronounced as short as those of the first class ; but they may also be prolonged, if desirable, to some considerable extent longer, yet not indefinitely; and from these circumstances, they are called Mutable Syllables. 3d Class : — Those of the third class are all such as termin- ate with a vowel element or any of the vocos, preceded by a long vowel element. Of this kind are you, thou, thee, for, men, our, more, Rome, throne, high, hail, holy, deny, pour, poic-er, ex-ireme, su-preme, er-ro-neous, con-fuse, save, is, was, his, theirs, ours, pay, wild, flow'd, flows, orb, aid, he, have, be. All syllables having a long vowel element, or a long diph- thongal one, may be placed in the indefinite class, though they are terminated by a sub or per-aspir 3 as joint, joist, shout, trout, voice, Greece, fleece, moon, brook, pound, found,, croup, stoop, wright, flight, rite. If the speaker has a ready command over the sub-vocos, b, d, g, so as to give a full audibility to the guttural murmur, their position at the end of syllables does not absolutely pre- vent an indefinite prolongation, as in the words, deed, plague, babe, beloved, restored, drag, robed. But their effect in these cases is by no means to be compared to that extension of time on the vowel and other voco elements. It is the peculiar nature of syllables under this third class, that they seem to be the same under every degree of duration : while the mutables and immutables, in some cases, almost lose their identity by too great an extension of their time. From their allowable variety, the syllables of this class may be said to be of Indefi- nite Quantity ; or may be called Indefinite Syllables. The sub-aspirs, c p, t, k,' are the least susceptible of quan- tity. Their time is a mere point of sound ; as ' it, up, at, ac, pit, tip, kick.' They give the shortest quantity to syllables. The per-aspirs, < f, s, h, wh, th, sh, ch,' being pure aspira- tion, will allow a little more time ; but they are poor mate- rials for quantity. They ought, generally, to be uttered short, but distinctly fas fife, house, ivhcn, think, faith, she, a .*//., chip, church. TIME The sub-vocos, c b, d, g,' give very little more time than the last, nor should they generally have more, but they may be designedly prolonged by the constituent vocality in them ; as ab, ad, ag, dab, bad, bag. The per-vocos, ' v, z, y, w, th, zh, ? and the semi-vocos c 1, m, n, r, ng,' are all susceptible of extension, and are, next to vowels, the best materials for the display of long quantity. They may be heard in the words, ' valve, zone, size, will, thou, with, you, day, pleasure, maim, noun, roar, bring.' In making long quantity, particular care should be taken to have every element in a syllable heard, in its pronunciation. The voice should pass distinctly, though rapidly, over those consonant elements which precede the vowel, and open with a sudden fulness and strength of radical on the vowel, and, passing on, should execute the equable vanish on the subse- quent successive consonant elements, giving each its proper and proportioned sound. The consonant elements in a sylla- ble which follows the vowel, should generally have more quantity than those which precede it. Long quantity, in speech, is correct and agreeable, only when the concrete has the same equable proportion of rise and diminution, which it has in short quantity. One of the many sources of delight in the voice of a finished speaker, lies in the graceful management of this essential agent of speech, on protracted quantity. The voice should never rest, for a single moment, on the same line of pitch ; it must be continually either rising or falling. If we neglect this rule, we shall make a sound like that heard in drawling or singing. To get rid of these faults, we must persevere in practising on the different slides and waves, till it becomes natural to us to make them with grace and ease, and to any desirable extent of quantity, giving every element correctly ; and thus, only, we shall avoid indistinct- ness, song and drawl. All the vowel elements are eminently susceptible of long quantity, and always with an agreeable effect on the ear ; consequently, all syllables ending with these elements, can be indefinitely prolonged. Exercise, then, on the preceding tables, and endeavor to make the quantity as long as the constituents will admit, ac- cording to the preceding directions, making all the different slides and waves, from the semi-tone to the octave upon every long element in the tables, as a frequent exercise. Let him afterward take every word in the tables, and drawing them through every interval within the octave, upward and down- 176 TIME. ward, so as to have a distinct and lasting impression on the ear ; and thus he will acquire great facility in assuming the different positions of the glottis, and several parts of the mouth concerned in their formation. This exercise will prepare and enable the pupil to make the different slides and waves with more distinctness and ease, and lay a proper foundation forjudging, by the ear, of the length of the rising and falling concretes or slides. It is not possible to give a serious, solemn, or dignified ex- pression, nor to employ one of the forms of emphasis of a highly impressive and agreeable character, without a com- mand over quantity. Long Quantity is the symbol of smooth- ness and dignity, as the Radical Stress is of sharpness and brilliancy. Time and Stress, properly combined and marked, poss ss two essential elementary conditions of agreeable discourse, upon which other excellencies may be engrafted. If either be feebly marked, other beauties will not redeem it. A well- marked stress, and a graceful extension of time, are essential to agreeable speech. They give brilliancy and smoothness. All subjects of a serious, deliberate, and dignified character, require a great extension of syllabic quantit}'. Long quantity is used for Grandeur and Solemnity of description, Reverential Awe, Earnest Prayer, Veneration, Solemn Denunciation, Threatening, and Deep Pathos. The last requires the wave of the semi-tone, which is plaintiveness united with quantity. Long quantity is generally executed by the Median Stress, or the Loud Concrete. (Give long quantity on the italic words.) 1 Nine times the space that measures day and night To mortal men, he with his horrid crew Lay vanquished. 2 Join voices all ye living souls. Ye lirds, 1 1 at singing, up to heaven's gate ascend, £ ear on jom wings, and in your notes His praise. TIME, 177 3. Before the sun, before the heavns Thcu wert 4. We have err'd and strayed from Thy ways, like lost sheep. We have done those things which we ought not^ to have done, and we have left undone those things which we oughh to have done, and there is no healthy in us. But Thou, O ! Lord ! have mercy upon us mis- erable offenders. Spare Thou those, O, God, who confess their faults. Restore Thou those who are penitent, according to Thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O, most merciful jPather, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the Glory of Thy holy name. Time, in song and instrumental music, is divided into equal measures by a pulsative rhythmus. On the Staff of Music, the measures of Time are noted by vertical bars, which cut up the whole time of the piece, or melody, into a number of equal periods or measures, which regulate the movement of the voice in singing. These measures are executed by a stronger and weaker effort of the voice on each. Immediately after each bar, or on the beginning of each measure, a strong or pulsative effort is made, and a weaker or remissive one on the latter part of it. And thus the voice moves over the melody by regular pulsations and remissions, aided by the bars on the staff. The time of these measures is again divided by notes of different lengths, and the number of notes is regulated and limited by their length ; so that every measure must have the same quantity of time in it, whatever may be the number of notes. If the number of notes be many, the time of each must be short ; if there be few, their time must be longer, to 6* 178 TIME. the end that every measure shall contain the same quantity of time throughout the same melody. In speech there is also a similar return of pulsation and remission on every measure, composed of one or more syllables ; but syllables do not always occur at regular intervals, being interrupted by rests or pauses, which make the movement of speech more irregular than that of song ; as, 7 Be | wise to | day ; 7 [ 7 'tis | madness | 7 to de | lay. Movement is that speed or velocity with which a sentence is uttered, or a melody sung, or a strain of instrumental music played. The rate of movement should be accommodated to the demands of the sentiment. Solemn and reverential discourse requires a slow movement ; — simple narration, a medium rate ; — and animated description, as well as that which is expressive of sudden passion, as joy, anger, fear, &c. require a movement more or less rapid, according to the intensity of the emotion. The different rates of the movement of the voice, may be indicated by the following terms, selected from the science of Music. Ad. for La. " Adagio, - Largo, - ■ - Very slow. - Slow. Lar. " Larghetto, - Retarded. An. " Andante, - - ■ Medium or Common time, All. " Allegretto, ■ - Accelerated time. Al. « Allegro, - ■ - Quick. Pr. " Presto, - • - Very quick. These terms denote the rate of movement in a general and indefinite way, leaving a good deal to the judgment and taste of the reader or speaker. Much, very much, may be gained by practising with these symbols of movement, marked on pieces. TIME. 17 ( J The rate of movement may, however, be more definitely designated by THE CHRONOMETER. This instrument, for the purpose of measuring equal portions of time, has been invented by a celebrated teacher of music by the name of Maelzel, which is admirably adapted to the measuring of the time of each bar ; or to apportioning an equal portion of it, to the several successive bars, in any melody of music, or of speech. This Time- Measurer has a graduated scale on the pendulum, to which is attached a sliding weight, by which the instrument is regulated in its movement. This Chronometer is simple in its construction and move- ment, and always has reference to a minute of time. When the weight is placed at 60, sixty beats are given in a minute ; when placed at 80, eighty are given; and so at 160, when 160 beats will be given in a minute. A simple view of the instrument will explain its nature, use, and movement. In reading scored exercises, each measure should correspond to one tick of the instrument ; yet it may also be made to require two ticks or beats, at the will of the reader. This beating of time on each measure, may be accomplished by a downward or upward movement of the hand, like that in vocal or instrumental music. Let the downward motion be executed on the beginning or first half of each measure or bar, and the upward on the last half of it. In other words, let the Pulsative effort of the voice be given on the downward move- ment, and the Remissive on the upward. Try on the examples below. 180 TIME. | Come to the | bower | 7 I have | shaded for | you, | | 7 Your | bed shall be | flowers | 7 all | sprinkled with | dew. | 7 Oh ] thou that | rollest a|bove ] 7 7 | round as the | shield of my | fathers ! | Hail, | universal | Lord | 7 7 | 7 be | bounteous | still | j 7 To | give, us | only | good : 7 | 7 and | 7 if the j night 7 | ] 7 Have | gathered | aught of | evil | 7 or conkealed, | | 7 Dis|perse it, | 7 as | now | light 7 | 7 dis|pels the j- dark. | The student is referred to the examples at the end of the section on the Measure of Speech, for practice. He should score pieces of composition for his own practice, both of Poetry and Prose, and read them by the movement of the Chronometer. FORCE OF VOICE. The third generic element of expression is FORCE, which is that degree of loudness and vehemence with which we speak when strongly animated. It is LOUDNESS and STRENGTH of sound. We know that some persons speak much louder at one time than at another, or they speak more vehemently when they become animated. The degrees of force may be expressed by the terms of loud and soft j strong and weak, forcible and feeble. But these are too indefinite for elocutional purposes. This subject may be considered in two aspects. This voice may be applied to phrases, or to one or more sentences, to distinguish them from adjacent phrases or sentences. It may likewise be limited to single words or syllables, and to certain parts of the concrete movement, to distinguish them from other words and syllables, and from other parts of the concrete. We w r ilt first notice its use on phrases and sentences. From the wide reach of an intense exertion of the voice, there is an obvious propriety in its forceful employment when distance is to be overcome. The indication of nearness, on the contrary, is well expressed by an abatement of force. Secrecy muffles the voice against discovery; and Doubt, whilst it leans towards a positive declaration, cunningly pre- pares the subterfuge of an under tone. Certainty, on the other hand, in the full desire to be heard distinctly, assumes all the impressiveness of force. Anger, hate, ferocity, and revenge, generally uses force of voice in their expression. Sentiments which are unbecoming or disgraceful, are uttered with a softer or smothered voice. Joy is loud in its expression of satisfaction. Bodily pain, fear, and terror, are strong in their expression. We know, too, that loud speaking gives a very different meaning to a sentiment, from that which is softer and less for- cible. For example, the sentence " Take care, sir," if uttered with great force and loudness, would seem like an angry threat; but if uttered in a mild tone, it will appear a very friendly warning. 182 FORCE OF VOICE. Force may be applied on sentences in the five following ways. 1st. A sentence may be pronounced with a gradual increase of force. 2d. With a gradual diminution of force. 3d. With a gradual increase on the first part, and a decrease on the last. 4th. With a gradual decrease on the first part, and an increase on the last. And 5th. With a uniform force throughout its whole extent. From this cursory view of force, employed on the aggregate of words, we pass on to consider the circumstances under which force or stress may be applied to single words or syl- lables, and to the different parts of the radical and vanishing concrete. It will appear very clearly to the attentive mind, that the effect of stress will be very different when applied on the beginning, the middle, or the end of the concrete move- ment, or when heard in immediate succession on its extremes, or throughout its whole course, as well as on the beginning and middle. Different Modifications of Stress. Diminuendo Crescendo et Diminuendo. Crescendo. Radical Stress Median Stress. Vanishing Stress. Compound Stress Thorough Stress. ** Loud Concrete. FORCE OF VOICE. 183 Very particular attention should be given to the subject of force, since that Expression, which is so very important in elocution, is almost altogether dependent on some one or other modification of this attribute of the voice. It may trulv be considered the Light and Shade of a proper intonation. Loud and soft are frequently united with high and low: but they are not necessarily connected, though they very frequently are : yet a sound may be loud and low, as well as loud and high: and it may be soft and high, as well as soft and low. The degrees of force may be represented in the following notation. The upper line gives the notes of song — the lower, the notes of speech. DEGREE? OF FORCE OR STRESS. All the different modifications of force, should be applied on the above table ; — and this should be a very frequent exercise, until the different degrees of force can be given on every modification of stress. e, in eel, ear, hear, eve, deed, give, a, " tfge, page, air, their, aim. ah, " arm, harm, arch, bard, card, guard, aw, " avje, all, call, or, for, Pawl, thaw. oh, " ode, ore, sore, load, goad, more. oo, " ooze, loose, coo, woo, move. uh, iC urn, turn, burn, urr, her, sir. ou, " o?zr, soar, powr, now, thou, ox, " ail, toil, coin, join, joice. u, " use, ure, fume, tune, tube. i, u ice, ire, fire, quire, isle, style. RADICAL STRESS. • • The Radical Stress consists of an abrupt, loud, full and forcible emission of sound at the beginning, or on the radical part of the concrete movement of the voice. The radical and vanishing movement of the voice, described under this name, in another part of this work, is there called the Natural Radical and Vanish, to distinguish it from the other forms enumerated above, and is there represented as having an initial fulness; but the function of stress, now under consideration, is characterised by a higher degree of force and a more sudden explosion, in the first opening of the voice, whilst the subsequent vanish suddenly drops into silence. There are very few speakers able to give a radical stress to syllabic utterance with this momentary burst. With a view to aid the student, we will draw an illustration from the effort of coughing. When the vowel element ' aw, 5 be employed as the element of coughing, its abrupt opening will truly re- present the function of Radical Stress. The clear and forcible radical stress can take place only, after an interruption of the voice. There must be a momen- tary occlusion in the Larynx, by which the breath is barred and accumulated for the purpose of a full and sudden dis- charge. This occlusion is best under command, and the ex- plosion most powerful, on syllables beginning with a vowel element, or with an abrupt one preceding a vowel; for in this last case, an obstruction in the organs of articulation, is com- bined with the function of the larynx, above supposed. When a syllable begins with a consonant element which is not abrupt, the explosion is not so satisfactory, from its not being so suddenly full, as when the occlusion is made on a vowel or an abrupt element; as, mind, frail, strain. If such words have a vehement radical stress, the consonant elements preceding the vowel, should be made very distinct, but very short, so as only to open the voice a little on them, and give the full force of the radical explosion on the vowel RADICAL STRESS. 185 element ; and afterward making the vanish on the subsequent elements, or on the vowel itself, if there be no other elements in the syllable. Should an immutable syllable, beginning with a voco, be prolonged by oratorical license, the prolongation and rise or fall should be made principally on the vowel. Thus it is with the words, c nick,' 'let,' 'rip,' when so into- nated. If this be not observed, the elements of such words will fall into syllables, by involuntarily giving a radical and vanish on the initial vocos. A practice like this obstructs the equable flow of the concrete, and overrules the proper appor- tionment of time to its syllabic elements. Instead of pro- nouncing the words, n-ick, 1-et, r-ip, pl-uck, str-uck, they should rather have the following form — ' ni ck > le^ riP> plu ck > stru ck >' giving the full radical on the vowel, including the ini- tial vocos, and continuing the vowel element through the vanish, and terminating the concrete on the aspirs 6 p, t, k.' It is not a common accomplishment among speakers, to possess the power of giving a strong, full, and clear radical on the vowel elements; yet the free and proper management of this function is of eminent importance. in elocution. Its two principal purposes are, — 1st, to contribute to the excellence of distinct articulation, — and 2d, to form the distinguishing emphasis on immutable syllables. These syllables, admitting only of a faint display of the peculiar effect of the slow con- crete, and being incapable, as will be seen hereafter, of bear- ing the other modes of stress ; the abrupt or explosive enforcement of the radical, is the principal means for their emphatic distinction. It is this full sudden explosion on the radical, which draws the cutting edge across the ear, and startles even stupor itself into attention. It is this that lessens the fatigue of listening, and out-voices the stir and bustle of an assembly. And it is the sensibility to this radical function, through a general in- stinct of the animal ear, which gives authority to the groom, and makes the horse submissive to his radical accent. With this fulness, loudness, and abruptness of the Radical Stress, when employed to give clearness and. distinctness of articulation, the vowel element itself, must be a pure vocality, which will then give that quality of u'.terance called Bril- liancy, and serve to increase the impressive effect of the ex- plosive force. The Radical Stress is best exhibited on short vowel ele- ments, yet it may be applied on indefinite syllables. It is, however, the proper function for the display of emphatic 186 RADICAL STRESS. impressiveness on short quantity, though it may be employed on mutable and indefinite syllables; yet it will always con- tract them into short quantity. The Loud Concrete is the appropriate function for the dis- play of energy and brilliancy on indefinite and mutable, as the radical is for short and immutable quantity. The pupil should now explode the elements and words composing the following table, and be careful that a sudden, full, and explosive sound, be always given, whatever be the degree of general force which may be employed. £ in it, in, vic-tovy, pic-tuve, vi-vip-erous, tip, viv-id, which. k " edge, ev-er, end, bend, whence, when, empire. kh, " at, ac-tive, after, part, ask, back, add. aw, a odd, 06-ject, of-fer, what, got, caught, o^-toman. oh, " oat, boat, coat, loaf, toap-er, soap. 60, " foot, soot, full, pull, food, would. uh, " up,ut-ter,oth-er, urr, sir, her, err, fir. ou, " out, oust-ed, s ho w-er,pow-er, pout, gout. oi, " toy, coy, con-voy, de-coy, destroy. i, " bite, kite, might, fight, tight, type. u, " a-cute, cw-ticle, cure, ac-cz^-mulate, ob-scw-rity. The exercises on Radical Stress must be conducted according to the directions given under the head of " Explosion of Vowels." It must not be understood that the Radical Stress is used merely to give the distinction of sudden loudness to immu- tables, on the higher degrees of pitch ; but it is likewise equally applicable to the lower degrees of the scale. Stress should be particularly intense on the lovjer degrees. This mode of enforcement is appropriate to various sentiments, but it is more particularly a symbol of the highest degrees of pas- sion, or of the greatest degree of energy of feeling. The Radical Stress is the SYMBOL of Strong Anger, and all the passions allied to it. It is appropriate to Wrath, Rage, and Impatience, as well as to Joy, Hope, Exultation, Positive- ness, and to imperious Mirth, and, in a greater or less degree, to the different modifications of these states of mind. All these passions are generally uttered with haste, and therefore take this mode of stress in emphatic places. Radical Stress is also employed for Commanding and Enforcing Authority, for it has, among the modes of stress, a degree of Positiveness, simi- RADICAL STRESS. 1ST lar to no other, but those expressed by the Loud Concrete on wide downward intervals. Examples of this kind, may be had in the following words of Command. ATTENTION-RIGHT face -LEFT face -COYER arms — MARCH-HALT. Let these commands be uttered with strong radical explosive fulness, and every member on parade, will hear with satisfac- tory distinctness, and be charmed into an instinctive and ready obedience. If the sentence, ' OUT with you, 5 be uttered in a hasty and passioned manner, and after it, such a sentence as this, ' He went out,' in a natural and dispassioned manner ; the word 6 out, 9 in the first case, will give a radical explosion, which en- hances the authority of the command ; whereas, in the second, it is made to sink into the unemphatic downward concrete of a tone. The difference can easily be perceived, and when once perceived can not easily be forgotten. Contrast them again. OUT with you. He went out. The following are examples of the Radical Stress. The syllables in italics are those that should have the radical ex- plosion. 1. Whence^ and what\ art thou, execrable shape ? And dar'sts, though grim and terrible, ad- vance\ Thy miscreant front\ athwart my way To yonder gates ? 2. And ra^Xonest thou thyself with spirits of Heaven, Hell\ doom'd/, and breath'st defi/ance here and scorn/, 188 RADICAL STRESS. Where I\ reign king/, and, to enrage the more, Thy\ king/ and Lordy? 6 Back\ to thy /ninVishment, 5 False^ yi^^gitive ! and to thy speed add\ wings,\ 4 Lest with a whip of scorpions I pur.si£6\ Thy lingering, or with one stroke of this dart Strange hor\ror seize thee, and pangs\ un- felt before. 3. The universal cry is — Let us march^ against Phikip, let mjight\ for our /Gerties — let us co?i\quer or die\, 4. Sir, I, in the most express terms, deny the C0/n\petency of parliament to do this act. 5. The prison of his tyr\anny 9 who reigns By our delay. 6. 8 Three mil lions of people, 6 armed\ in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as ours, 8 are in-m>j\cible to an%y force 6 which our enemy can send against us. 7. 6 There is no retreah.but in submission and slav\ery. Our chains &reforged\. Their clankV RADICAL STRESS. 189 ing may be heard on the plains of Boston. The war is in editable, 5 and let x it come ! 4 I repeat it, sir, left it come v 8. He shook the fragment — of his blade, and shouted vic\tory, vkyiory. MEDIAN STRESS. The Median Stress is an enforcement of the voice on the middle portion of the concrete movement. As the Radical Stress is effective for distinguish in£ immu- table syllables, so is the Median, for the display of those called indefinite. The preface of abruptness (the characteristic of the explosive radical,) is not necessary to the execution of the Median. The Median opens with a moderate degree of force, swells in volume and strength, till the force becomes con- spicuous on the middle of the concrete or wave, and then it diminishes in a gradual and equable manner, and ends in a natural and usual vanish. This kind of force can only be shown on syllables of long quantity, and naturally carries them through some form of the wave. Median Stress is well known in music, by the term of swell. There is this difference, how- ever ; the swell of song is usually made on a note continued on the same level of pitch ; whereas, the swell of the Median Stress is always changing pitch, either upward or downward. This element is applicable to all the intervals of the scale, and its very construction indicates the necessity of protracted time for its execution; and therefore, it is most distinguishable on the greater intervals. It is, however, also obvious on the simple rise or fall of a tone and semi-tone when unusually pro- longed. Quantity is rarely extended to any considerable degree on the simple state of these intervals, but on their du- plicature. All those solemn and dignified sentiments which require slow time, indicate the employment of the wave of these two intervals. The swell is always applied on the junc- ture of the contrary flexures of the waves. What is here said of the wave of these two intervals, may be said of the waves of all the intervals of the scale. Median Stress should be practiced upon the vowel elements, as they are more eminently susceptible of it ; as also on the voco elements ; and then on indefinite syllables. When thus practising, great care should be taken to aim at the following MEDIAN STRESS. 191 circumstances; — that the swell' be gradual and moderate, but at the same time distinct; — that it decline gently and equably as it began, and end in a delicate vanish, after a prolonged quantity. e, in eel, ear, hear, eve, deed, give. a, " age, page, air, their, aim. ah, " arm, harm, arch, bard, card, gward. aw, " awe, all, call, or, for, Pawl, thaw?. oh, " ode, ore, sore, load, goad, more. oo, u ooze, loose, coo, woo, move. uh, " wrn, twrn, bwrn, uxx, her. sir. • ou, " out, sour, poar, now?, thow. oi, " oil, toil, coin, join, joice. u, " use, ure, fume, tune, tube. i, " ice, ire, fire, quire, isle, stj/le. Great pains should be taken to acquire a command over Median Stress, as it is a very important element of expression. Median Stress may be applied on the intervals of the tremu- lous scale, and, in effect, enforces by greater loudness, the tittles in the middle of any intervals, or at the juncture of the waves. When thus employed, it adds impressiveness to the sentiments of the tremor, and furnishes variety to the ear. Inasmuch as force may be used conjointly with other means of expression, its principal purpose is to enhance the power of these other means ; — thus, if Median Stress be laid on the semi-tone, it gives force to its plaintiveness ; — if laid on the downward concrete, it adds to the degree of its wonder or positiveness ; — if on the rising third, fourth, fifth, or octave, it sharpens the spirit of interrogation. Such is likewise the effect of the radical sti'ess, the energetic effort of which some- times amounts even to violence. But the Median Stress, now under consideration, sets forth the intensity of the voice in a form of greater dignity than any of the other modes of ex- pression. In the Radical Stress, having an abrupt opening, and in the Vanishing Stress, having a sudden termination, there is a sharp- ness in their manner, which is not conveyed by the Median; the aim and power of which, in the torrent of expression, are to beget a temperance, which constitutes its own inherent 192 MEDIAN STRESS. characteristic, — Smoothness and Dtgnity. It gives emphasis, without communicating a character of sharpness or violence; enforcing, with agreeable smoothness, the expressions of those modifications of joy, exultation, hope, surprise, and admiration, which are compatible with personal dignity. It also gives emphasis to words convej'ing fearful and awful learning, sub- lime exaltation, and smooth insinuation; and to such as express solemn grandeur, reverential awe, prayer, deep pathos, and all kindred emotions. It is truly, the natural characteristic element of Dignity and Smoothness. It is an element requiring great delicacy in its management. The swell is, in general, only slightly marked, when naturally used, — any thing like harshness or violence, is foreign to this specigs of Emphasis. Long Quantity, with Median Stress, should be placed on the italicised words in the following examples. Example of Dignified Grandeur. 1. High on a throne of royal fame, which far Out-shines the wealth of Or-mus and of Ind. 2. Roll on, thou dark and deep blue ocean, rolL Reverential Awe. 3. We praise thee, O God, we acknowledge thee } to be the Lord. Smooth Insinuation. 4. The smoothness of flattery cannot now avail; cannot save us in this rugged and awful crisis. Awful Warning. 5. Wo^unto thee, r Cho-ra-zin, wo unto thee, Beth-sai-da. Serious Admiration. 6. Wonder not, Sov'reign Mistress, if perhaps Thou canst, who art sole wonder ! VANISHING STRESS. 193 Severe Rebuke. 7. And Nathan said unto David, Thou art the man. 8. Hail, holy light, offspring of heaven's first-born! Or, of the Eternal co-eternal beam, May I express thee wn-blamed. 9. We knoio what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 10. For soon expect to feel His thun-der on thy head, de-vour-ing fire. Then, who created thee, lamenting learn, When who can wra-create thee, thou shalt know. 11. Our Fa-iher who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy king-dom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our dai-ly bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we for-give them that tres- pass against us. And lead us not into temptation : but deliver us from e-vil. For thine is the king-dom, and the power, and the Glo-ry, for ever and ever. Amen. 12. And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows. 13. Re-ward him, just Heaven! For this one action, re-gard him, and distinguish him with signal mer-cies, and with great de-/w-erance : save him from wrong, ad- ver-sity, and shame VANISHING STRESS. Vanishing Stress is that, when the force and volume of voice are laid on the termination of the concrete. This stress does, indeed, exhibit a reversed progression of force, by a gradual increase from the radical to the extreme of the vanish. Its mode of production is exactly the reverse of that obtaining in the execution of the Radical Stress, or rather the Loud Con- crete. It gives an abrupt termination with force and fulness at the extremity of the concrete. Some idea of the production of this function, may be ob- tained by the action of Hiccoughing. This mode of making the reader familiar with the perception of this function, is selected, because it may be readily imitated for the purpose of aiding the pupil in his first efforts. Hiccoughing is produced by the gradual increase of the guttural sound, until it is sud- denly obstructed by an occlusion, somewhat resembling the element or