on the table under quantity, at all the different pitches their compass of voice will allow, and if they belong to that class of resolute spirits, that carve out a road where one is not furnished, they will acquire a function of speech, that every reader and speaker should have at his command. 3. The tremor unites with the other powers of voice in the expression of pity, enhancing sorrow, derision, mirth, joy, exultation, scorn, and distress. EXAMPLE 1.-Sorrow. And now, farewell! 'Tis hard to give thee up, May God have called thee like a wanderer home, 4. The tremor may be heard on the words in italics, and the remainder may be read with the semitone. EXAMPLE 2.-Exultation. (Zanga.)-Why, this is well-why this is blow for blow. Where are you? Crown me, shadow me with laurels, I tread on haughty Spain and all her kings. 5. This passionate and triumphant exclamation of the exulting Moor over Alonzo, after having settled the "great account 'twixt him and vengeance," is a beautiful instance of the expression of the tremor. The last line has the tremulous movement throughout. EXAMPLE 3. Most glorious night, Thou wert not made for slumber! Now, now, my soul, consummate all. (Falstaff.)—I'll not march through Coventry, that's flat, No eyes have seen such scarecrows. Thou glorious mirror. The last two examples are from Barber's Grammar; the first requires a continual tremor. 6. The function we have considered should be used with great discrimination, as it lies on the "extreme of emotion." Common Melody does not require it. It is appropriately used in impassioned oratory, drama, and higher flights of poetry. 7. The "Beggar's Petition," is an example, and may be read with a mixture of the plaintive and tremor. The tenth book of " Paradise Lost," where Eve implores Adam not to forsake her, illustrates the same emphasis. SECTION 14.-TRANSITION. 1. "The ear has its green as well as the eye;" and to what can you attribute the fascination and pathos of song, but to the endless variety which the precise terms and full nomenclature of the science of music afford? Transition must depend on the character of the sentiments to be expressed; in ordinary discourse, they would be temperate, but where energy and high passion were embodied, they would be more marked. Hence the absolute necessity of power and compass of voice to enable the speaker to ascend above the key note, for marked surprize, interrogation, &c., and below, for the purpose of cadence and the expressive power of the orotund. In order, then, to employ transition with effect, the student should have complete command of his voice at any pitch in the scale. This can be said of but few speakers, and the reason they do not vary their voice from that disgusting monotone so prevalent at the bar, forum and pulpit, may be found, not always from a want of correct perception, but from their inability to do it with grace and ease. 2. Every new train of thought requires a corresponding transition of the voice, and a speaker of moderate powers can chain an audience by a skilful and judicious use of this alone. Let the learner, then, take examples and read them with force of voice at all pitches, and practise perseveringly on the elementary tables. 3.-"Be copy, now, to men of grosser blood." Let the reader take the above line and read it on a low pitch, and then raise the pitch, without increasing the loudness of the voice. Again, let him read it on a pitch of 3 or 4, in a voice scarcely audible, and increase in loudness at each successive effort, but carefully preserving the same position in the scale, and he will soon discover his deficiency in compass of voice. I have had many individuals in my classes whose voices were firm and solid at the key note, but at any distance, above or below it, were beyond their command. 4. The facilities afforded for transition, are as numerous as the terms in our vocabulary. They are afforded by the radical, vanishing, compound and median stresses, by the rising and falling inflection at all pitches, by the numerous classes of waves, by change in quality of voice, by changing the quantity from quick to slow, by low and loud, by tremor, aspirate, orotund, falsette and plaintive expression. These, and numerous other properties, can be so combined by the graceful elocutionist, as to completely set at defiance anything like anticipating the tone of the speaker. Few seem to be aware of the mastery an orator can acquire over his audience by a discriminating use of Transition. Moderate. High with rad. stress. Rapid Radical stress. Quantity. Orotund. EXAMPLE 1. An hour passed on - the Turk awoke ; To arms! they come! the Greek! the Greek! Strike-till the last armed foe expires, EXAMPLE 2. But hark! That heavy sound breaks in once more, And nearer, clearer, deadlier than before! Radical. Arm, arm, it is — it is the cannon's opening roar. Plaintive. 5. We intend, hereafter, to treat of this subject more fully; and, in a second part, to form a complete notation of signs, or Rhetorical Key. SECTION 15.-ASPIRATION. 1. Aspiration is heard on the elements f, sh, s, th, wh, ch, and c soft, but it may be heard on all the consonant and vowel sounds, by whispering them out; those we have mentioned, however, are eminently susceptible of it. It has no vocal qualities, and cannot be heard very distinctly in a large audience; yet, nevertheless, it has a peculiar power of expression, that no other principle will supply. This will seem more plausible to the reader, when he considers that the interjections, in all languages, require its application. 2. The aspiration may be spread over whole sentences, or be confined to words and syllables. It is a function that does not admit of much compass, but is limited in its pitch. It is heard correctly in sentiments of mysterious secrecy, deep anger, sneering contempt, loathing scorn, violent rage, intense curiosity, overwhelming surprize, extreme terror and horror,-hissing is an instance. 3. It will rarely be necessary in common melody, but impassioned drama and tragedy afford numerous instances. EXAMPLE 1.-Terror. Macbeth.-Methought I heard a voice cry, sleep no more, Lady Macb.-What do you mean? Macbeth.-Still it cried, Sleep no more! to all the house; Glamis hath murdered sleep; and therefore Cawdor EXAMPLE 2.-Horror. Macduff-O horror! horror! horror! Tongue, nor heart, EXAMPLE 3.-Fear. Macbeth.-Prythee, see there! behold! look! lo! how say you? Thou hast no speculation in those eyes Which thou dost glare with! Unreal mockery, hence ! Hence, horrible shadow, EXAMPLE 4. Hamlet.-Angels and ministers of grace, defend us! Bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell! Be thy intents wicked, or charitable! Thou comest in such a questionable shape That I will speak to thee; I'll call thee Hamlet, King, father, royal Dane; O, answer me! Or, whispering with white lips, the foe, they come, they come ! SECTION 16.-THE OROTUND. 1. It was a beautiful aphorism of the Greeks, that good things are difficult. It may fairly be questioned if this adage be universally true, yet it appears to be peculiarly verified, by the subject under consideration. When a person does not possess a natural Orotund (which is rarely the case), it can, in almost every instance, be acquired. We speak advisedly, from experience and observation ; but the price of high excellence will be-effort. 2. The characteristics of this voice are fulness, depth, strength, smoothness and sonorousness. Its advantages over the common voice consist in its being more musical, rounder, possessing more vocality, and, when once acquired, more completely at the command of the speaker; it is appropriate to epic and tragic reading, and "the only voice capable of fulfilling the majesty of Milton and Shakspeare." 3. We have seen that the tonic sounds have their origin in the back part of the mouth; this, "bounded below by the root of the tongue, above by the commencement of the palate, behind by the posterior of the throat, and on the sides by the angles of the jaw," seems to be the location of the orotund. Let a person cough out one of the tonic elements with abruptness and force, and then, by repeated efforts, divest it of the aspiration and huskiness incident to it, and it will be found to possess a clear, resonant or ringing character. 4. Let him, then, dispense with the abruptness, and give quantity, by forcing a strong current of air against the bony arch of the palate, and he will have a display of this elegant and dignified form of speech. For example, take the word "ha," and first whisper it with a force, then give it vocality, combined with great explosive power, endeavoring to deepen the sound at each successive effort then suddenly change" ha" for a, o, or i, with extended quantity, and the full, unmixed orotund will be heard, deep, clear, full and sonorous. 5. The student will remember that this voice is not to be attempted in public speaking, until he has acquired a perfect command of it, and he may be able to execute it on the elements, when he would fail in a sentence; the reason is obvious. In order to acquire this pre-eminent power, (and we repeat, all can do it,) let all the vowel sounds be exploded with great energy and violence, with the mouth |