I know of no effect of the voice which is more so. The various forms shown in the diagrams, will furnish ample means for marking the termination of sense and sentiments, by appropriate closes. Many persons end their sentences so feebly, as to be scarcely heard. Care should be taken, (and care in this respect is much required,) that, in lowering the voice in pitch, to form the cadence, its FORCE is kept up sufficiently, to render the close of the sentence, perfectly audible. The fault in question, as respects the sense of a sentence, is a very serious one, and the means of prevention are obvious. Let care be taken so to regulate the general pitch, as not to fall too low in effecting the closes, and then there will be no difficulty in making them sufficiently loud and forcible.

Improper use of intense slides, and the wider intervals of radical pitch.

Some persons have a recurrent third, or fifth, in their delivery. These are most apt to return at emphatic words and pauses, are often united with some increase of force, and are heard so often as to constitute a monotony. They are very apt to occur at the end of the lines in rhyme. Frequently, the rise in question, is an unequal wave, falling a tone, and rising a third, or fifth. This latter is, like the simple rise, a very marked note, deviating so much from the rest of the melody, as scarcely to be mistaken. There is a sort of submissive apology, or sentiment of deference and courtesy, intimated by the circumflex we have described, which subtracts from the manly and authoritative character of speech: besides that, as a mere habit of the voice, it has no assignable meaning. It therefore constitutes a marked deformity

f

of utterance; for all those elements of speech, which, when properly used, add importance to words, are, when improperly introduced, absolute blemishes.

The simple melody, is alone appropriate, unless interrogation, emphasis, or emotion, authorise a departure from it. Persons prone to the circumflex, can never read Milton, or Shakspeare, well. I have known this single fault, (which the light of analysis easily detects, and a little labor disposes of,) mar an actor's fortunes. A fine voice has not been sufficient to redeem him.

If men will learn the truth in such cases, it can easily be told. In all fine arts, consequently in that of acting, A very few favorites of nature, are prompted to excellence by strong and irreversible instinct: but there are many who can be taught to do a thing in the best manner, who would never find it out for themselves. These require the aids of science, and can never reach excellence without them. Often, however, from a want of philosophical comprehension, and from overweening selfconceit, these personages are the least teachable. Humility is the child of wisdom; and it is the modest, and the humble, only, who repair, with unfeigned reverence, to the fountains of philosophy, and in her "golden urns draw light."*

I conclude my remarks on the employment of this circumflex note in speech, by observing, that it is incompatible with a sustained impression of dignity.

* Fontes philosophiæ è quibus illa manabant.

Cicero Tuse Quest.

Defects as respects the downward slide and downward radical pitch.

Few persons have a command over the more intense downward slides. They express exclusive emphasis, surprise and positiveness, as has been observed, and on that account they are very important. They may be placed at our command by elementary exercise. The use of the intenser forms of the downward slide are very impressive; but require from their difficulty particular cultivation. The voice is prone to rise, though it can by no means be always said of it, that in its "proper motion it ascends.” The downward radical pitch should be diligently practiced, as well as the slides, upon the elements, in falls of a third, fifth, and octave.

Defects in the management of emphasis.

We have nothing to remark in addition to what has been already said on the misapplication of emphasis, from a misapprehension of sense. The remedy for this is more close and careful analysis. Some persons produce monotony by always emphasising their words in one way. The most common is that of the rise of a third, or of a fifth, or of an unequal wave. The frequent use of quantity, of mere percussion without elevation of pitch, changes of the quality of the voice, and the antagonist application of the rising and falling slide, and of alternate rises and falls in radical pitch, upon recurrent words, will give all necessary variety both for sense and beauty of

utterance.

Monotony at the pausal sections.

This defect as respects the sense and the ear has been fully treated.

Defects of enunciation.

This subject has been also amply discussed.

Violation of measure.

Measure as a fundamental point in delivery occupies a large space in this grammar.

Defects as to force.

This arises principally, from the want of radical stress. An excess of force constitutes ranting. The improper use of the vanishing stress, is not a very unfrequent fault in delivery. The circumstances which ought to limit its use, have been fully explained elsewhere. The pronunciation of the Irish, will exhibit the fault of an unnecessary vanishing stress, in the highest degree. The general current of discourse is sometimes too feebly marked by the combined and antagonist effects of force and quantity.

Mouthing.

This is a very common fault among young persons, and deserves their serious attention and efforts, to correct it. Its causes have been already explained, page 104.

17

RECITATION EIGHTEENTH.

PREVALENT CIRCUMSTANCES IN ELEGANT SPEECH.

ELEGANT speech is marked by a proper distribution of stress and time. It employs exclusively, the simple melody for plain thought, grafting upon it other upward and downward movements, for purposes of interrogation, emphasis, and emotion. The slides are distinguished by a clear and full opening, and those susceptible of quantity, by a distinct vanish, at their termination. In dignified subjects, the utterance assumes, and maintains, upon words of long quantity, the equal wave of the second, joining with it median stress, for purposes of emphasis. In ordinary discourse, the temporal and percussive emphasis, are blended in due variety, with the alternation of the higher rising and falling movements. tone is restricted to the expression of the plaintive feelings, and tremor is employed on proper occasions, to mark grief and exultation. The intermixture of high intervals in the current melody is avoided, unless for a reason assignable upon an analysis of the sense.

The semi

CIRCUMSTANCES TO BE BORNE IN MIND, IN CRITICISING A PUBLIC SPEAKER.

1. Is his voice full, strong, and agreeable?