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grieved; nor, should a man declare himself to be under the "influence of any of those passions, in the most explicit and strong words that language can afford, would he in the least "affect us, or gain any credit, if he used no signs but words. If any one should say in the same tone of voice, that he uses in delivering indifferent propositions from a cool understanding, ""Sure never any mortal was so overwhelmed with grief as I am at this present?" Or, My rage is rouzed to a pitch of frenzy, I can"not command it: avoid me, begone this moment, or I shall tear

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you to pieces.' Sure no one would feel any pity for the distress "of the former, or any fear from the threats of the latter. We "should either believe that he jested, or if he would be thought "serious, we should be provoked to laughter at his absurdity. And why is this? Because he makes use of words only, as the signs "of emotions, which it is impossible they can represent; and "omits the use of the true signs of the passions, which are tones, "looks, and gestures." Intellectual improvement in a high degree, falls to the lot of few, says Mr. Sheridan, and is not necessary for all. But though it be not necessary to society "that all men should know much, it is necessary that they should "feel much, and have a mutual sympathy, in whatsoever affects "their fellow creatures." Tones are the means for exciting this sympathy, and are understood by all mankind, however differing in language. "That the whole energy or power of exciting "analogous emotions in others, lies in the tones themselves (and

not in the words) may be known from this, that whenever the "force of these passions is extreme, words give place to inarticulate "sounds: sighs, murmurings, in love; sobs, groans, and cries, "in grief; half-choaked sounds in rage; and shrieks in terror, "are then the only language heard."

This language of the passions is extended to all animals; those of the same species feel mutual sympathy; those of different species feel, if the prey of each other, mutual antipathy-man communicates with all. "The horse rejoices in the applauding " tones of his rider's voice, and trembles when he changes them "to those of anger. What blandishments do we see in the dog “when his master sooths him in kind notes; what fear, and even shame, when he changes them to those of chiding? By those "the waggoner directs his team, and the herdsman his flock. "Even animals of the most savage nature, are not proof against " collective powers of the human voice; and shouts of multitudes will put wild beasts to flight, who can bear without emotion "the roarings of the thunder.

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"

To this extract from Mr. Sheridan, I shall be excused for adding one of similar character from Herder, as translated by Mr. Churchill.

"It is singular that the ear should excite, and strengthen compassion so much more powerfully than the eye. The sigh of "a brute, the cry forced from him by bodily sufferance, bring "about him all his fellows, who, as often has been observed, "stand mournfully round the sufferer, and would willingly lend "him assistance. Man, too, at the sight of suffering, is more apt "to be impressed with fear and tremor, than with tender compassion: but no sooner does the voice of the sufferer reach him, than the spell is dissolved, and he hastens to him, he is

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38 Sheridan's Course of Lectures on Elocution. Lec. vi.

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pierced to the heart. Is it that the sound converts the picture "in the eye into a living being, and recalls, and concenters in

one point our recollection of our own, and another's feelings? "Or is there, as I am inclined to believe, a still deeper organic "cause? Suffice it, that the fact is true, and it shews, that sound "and language, are the principle sources of man's compassion. "We sympathize less with a creature that cannot sigh; as it is "destitute of lungs, more imperfect, and less resembling our"selves in its organization. Some who have been born deaf and dumb, have given the most horrible examples of want of compassion and sympathy, with men and beasts; and instances enough may be observed among savage nations. Yet even among these the law of nature is perceivable. Fathers, who are compelled by hunger, and want, to sacrifice their children, "devote them to death in the womb, before they have beheld "their eyes, before they have heard the sound of their voices; "and many infanticides have confessed, that nothing was so painful to them, nothing took such fast hold of their memory, "as the first feeble voice, the suppliant cry, of their child.”

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CHAPTER II.

OF THE VOICE. GENERAL PRECEPTS.

Preservation of the voice, precepts for it—Improvement of the voice— Management-Story of a magpie from Plutarch, illustrating the silent preparation of the voice-Manner of adjusting the pitch-Series of tones-The stage whisper-Variety-Breathing-Echo-Estimation of the powers of the voice.