in their turn be owing to the action, more or less conspicuous, of all these parts in conjunction.

In this view of the action of the laryngeal muscles in the production and utterance of sound, Signor Bennati justly remarks, that the influence neither of the muscles of the hyoid bone, nor of those of the tongue, nor even those of the superior, anterior, and posterior part of the vocal tube, is taken into account. Some anatomists indeed have, in speaking of the laryngeal muscles, adverted, in certain cases, to the positions of the hyoid bone, in order to define more accurately the functions of several muscles of the larynx. Meckel, for example, when treating of the action of the hyothyroid muscle, says that it serves to elevate the larynx, when the hyoid bone is fixed above. But here, our author asks, is the function of the hyoid bone, or the modulation of the voice, confined to produce this contraction only of the hyo-thyroid muscle, or is it requisite to the constant and perfect action of the muscles of the larynx? This second proposition, with all its consequences, Signor Bennati not only admits, but adds, that the hyoid bone is fixed for every sound, in order to facilitate the contraction of the laryna, and consequently to elicit the notes. In point of fact, if the muscles of the hyoid bone are divided or paralyzed, the laryna left to the action of its intrinsic muscles would reach only phonation, by producing only imperfect sounds and monotones of less intensity and cracked timbre. These observations Signor Bennati assures us he has derived from experiments on different singing animals, and the phenomena of various pathological cases.

The muscles by which the hyoid bone is elevated are the thyro-hyoidei, the mylo-hyoidei, the genio-hyoidei, and the stylo-hyoidei, which act simultaneously with the principal muscles of the tongue, especially the stylo-glossi, which, at the moment of their contraction, are aided by the digastric, by means of an aponeurotic expansion, which, issuing from the tendon of these muscles, is inserted into the hyoid bone, and, consequently, elevates it. In this elevation the genio-glossus, the linguales, and the hyoglossus, concur. It would be convenient, however, to distinguish the last into its three portions, as Albinus has done, the basio-cerato-chondro-glossus, according to the office of the respective fibres. According to this division, the chondro-glossus is the portion which, with the other parts already enumerated, contributes most to the elevation of the os hyoides, and, consequently, to that of the larynx, or the modulatory action of the voice.

It is easy, therefore, to be satisfied of the influence of the tongue in modulation, by considering merely the relations between its muscles and the hyoid bone, and between the latter

and the larynx. This conviction is further strengthened, by observing attentively the motions of the tongue in singing in different sorts of voice, when that organ is observed, during the utterance of acute notes, to contract on its base, and at the same time to widen; and in the most distinct part of the operation of the second register of the soprani-sfogati, its margins rise and form a semiconical cavity, with the apex corresponding to the tip of the tongue.

It is here necessary, however, to give some explanations regarding the different parts of the organ concerned in the production of different sorts of notes. Musical notes have in general been distinguished into true and false, or primary and falsetto. The names of these distinctions, Signor Bennati contends, are totally erroneous; and he proposes to distinguish all musical notes according to the part of the organ which is concerned in their formation. All the true notes, or those which are formed in the larynx, or at least in the chest, trachea, and larynx, he proposes to designate by the name of laryngeal notes, or notes of the first register. The higher notes, which correspond to what are popularly denominated false or falsetto notes, being produced chiefly by the superior part of the vocal tube, he denominates generally supra-laryngeal notes, or notes of the second register. Singers, who use much the notes of the second register, are usually denominated, in the language of the Italian opera, soprani; and as the notes of this scale have a certain range, those singers who at the middle of the second register of notes, can exceed the ordinary scale of the soprani, are denominated soprani-sfogati. Singers, on the other hand, who, in the acute notes, exceed at the middle of the second register the ordinary scale of tenor, are denominated contra-altini

tenors.

Now, in perfect soprani singers, that is, those endowed with a round sonorous voice, modulated almost exclusively by one register, the tongue assumes a position quite different from that which is observed in the soprani, with too distinct registers of notes. Instead of rising at its margins, and forming a semiconical cavity, it is raised, extended, and contracted towards the base, presenting a surface in the slightest degree rounded, in consequence of the depression of the margins. In some individuals, Signor Bennati has seen the edges of the tongue raised during the action of the first register, and particularly during the utterance of the laryngeal sounds of the medium; but this circumstance is less remarkable than that already quoted of the play of the second register in the soprani-sfogati.

Signor Bennati has further ascertained, by numerous observations on the organs of the best modern singers, that in general,

for the production of grave notes, the action of the tongue is less marked, and it retains nearly its ordinary position and form, betraying only a slight undulation. In Mademoiselle Sontag, for instance, who at present displays the most striking example of acuteness, and modulatory facility in the notes of the second register, he observed this cavity to be more marked than in any other soprano.

A fact not less singular, is that in singers endowed with a very sonorous voice, and proceeding almost exclusively on a single register, the volume and dimensions of the tongue are greater than usual by a third, and sometimes more. This phenomenon is illustrated by the instance of Catalani, Lablache, and Santini. The tongue of the last singer, Signor Bennati states to be the longest and the broadest he has seen; that when the genio-glossus has attained its greatest contraction, Santini can touch the lower part of the chin with the tip of the tongue; and that in acute notes its tip is folded backwards in the shape of a hook.

Every one must have observed the singular grimaces and contortion of countenance which some singers, otherwise not void of agreeable features, occasionally exhibit in singing. These, as well as the motions of the lower jaw, with which they are often accompanied, Signor Bennati thinks he can connect with the internal play of the muscles of the larynx; and he has remarked the coincidence in so many cases, that though it may appear mere habit to a superficial observer, yet it is originally only one of the consequences of the ordinary mechanism of the vocal organs.

This opinion he founds not only on certain observations made on Madame Pisaroni, but on the example of a distinguished amateur, the Countess M. Having several times observed that this lady, particularly in singing a certain note, (si be flat,) inclined the mouth to the left side, with the purpose of inquiring whether this proceeded from bad habit, or was the result of the individual mechanism of the organ, he requested permission to examine the superior part of the vocal tube, while this lady was singing the note now mentioned. He then found, that the motion of the mouth and lower jaw depended on the mechanism of the tongue, which, instead of presenting the semiconical cavity in its middle, formed it on the left side; or, in other words, the hollow corresponded to the side to which the tongue was urged by the mechanism of its muscles.

He then adds, as a corollary to these reasonings, that it is chiefly by means of the tongue that the idiomatic peculiarities of different languages in singing are produced and uttered.

With regard to the action of the stylo-glossi muscles, which have been already said to be aided by the digastric by means of

the aponeurotic expansion, the digastric during singing are also much contracted, as any one may satisfy himself, by placing the fingers on the region in which they are situate, when they appear to be no longer elastic, but are as stiff as a board.

On recurring to the larynx, however, Signor Bennati observes, we find that, in proportion as it ascends, it is restrained by the action of the lateral hyo-thyroidei, the oblique hyoarytenoidei, and the transverse hyo-arytenoidei, the superior thyro-arytenoidei, and the inferior thyro-arytenoidei. At the same time, the thyro-aro-et-glosso-epiglottici contract, and shorten the laryngeal and tracheal cavity. In this case, by impelling air with more or less force, a sound is produced more or less acute, according to the vocal power of the individual, but which at a medium rate cannot exceed sol, the extreme limit, beyond which it is impossible to proceed by the sole aid of those muscles, which are now supposed to be in action.

Depression of the hyoid bone and larynx, on the other hand, is effected by the action of the sterno-thyroid, sterno-hyoid, and crico-hyoid muscles; and the larynx at the instant of modulation is enlarged at the same time by the contraction of the cricothyroid muscles, or the anterior dilators of the glottis, and the posterior crico-arytenoid, or the posterior dilators of the glottis, by widening and elongating the laryngeal and tracheal cavity. Air impelled in this case produces a grave sound, but which, by the sole aid of the muscles now supposed to be acting, can reach at least to do, which is not a middle note of the scale.

It is, however, well known that the contra-altini tenors and the soprani-sfogati, can, in the acute notes, proceed as far as upper sharpre, and even higher, which embraces four notes more, or eight semitones; and it is also well known that baritones, or what Signor Bennati denominates bari-tenors and bass voices, can in grave notes descend as low as sol, or even lower, which comprehends four notes more, or eight semitones.

From these facts, Signor Bennati infers, that, since the larynx, whether it be elevated and contracted, or depressed and widened, is inadequate to a series of sounds so extensive, it does not constitute the whole vocal apparatus. Though this had been suspected by some physiologists, it has been proved by none; and even Savart, in his ingenious memoir on the human voice, has not gone beyond the precincts of the larynx in attempting to explain other modifications of sound. Gerdy alone has thought of studying the motions of the pharynx, velum, and uvula; but while his researches are posterior to those of Bennati, he has bestowed less pains in rendering them precise and demonstrable.

Signor Bennati, then, in order to explain these extremes of modulation, directs the attention of the reader to the superior

part of the vocal tube, the action of which, he maintains, is solely. employed in producing these elevated notes.

The first phenomenon that attracts attention in this inquiry is that in grave notes the soft palate is raised by the action of its levator muscle; and then by means of the contraction of the internal and external peristaphylini, by that of the glosso-staphylinus and pharyngo-staphylinus, of the mylo and genio-hyoidei, and even by that of the palato-pharyngeal and stylo-glosso-pharyngeal muscles, which operates at the same instant as the depression of the larynx, the velum palatinum is carried backwards, and assumes an arched shape. At the same instant the uvula retains its ordinary position, although by folding a little on itself, by the contraction of the palato-staphyline muscle, it becomes firmer, in consequence of its abbreviation, which carries the tip towards the base of the organ.

Nature, Bennati observes, appears to have thus arranged this part, in order that it might combine in grave sounds, either with the internal motion of the isthmus faucium, or with that of the laryna, for the purpose of allowing the air a free course, and giving more intensity of volume and force to the gravity of notes. In illustration of this view he refers to the fact, that, in order to produce vibration in the sonorous part, a great aspiration is requisite ;-first, because grave sounds require a greater volume of air than acute ones; and, secondly, because expiration is regulated with so much more difficulty, as the vocal tube, having attained its highest degree of abridgement and widening, is in the least favourable disposition to prevent the issue of air.

Exactly the opposite state of parts is observed in the utterance of acute tones. The velum of the palate, after being raised, is depressed and carried forwards by the more energetic action of the muscles already enumerated in the modulation of grave notes, in which these muscles act from before backwards simultaneously with the depression of the larynx, while in acute notes the motion is from behind forwards, at the same instant at which the laryna is elevated. Eventually the tonsils appear to swell and approach mutually; the uvula, by the strong contraction of its azygos muscle, is entirely folded on itself, and in the most acute notes of the second register it disappears completely. The posterior aperture of the mouth has then no longer that arched shape which it assumes for the issue of graver tones, but the shape of a triangle slightly obtuse at its apex. To exemplify these changes, Signor Bennati assures us that singers with a voice of great compass, especially in the acute notes, for instance, the first contra-altini tenors, David and Rubini, and the most eminent soprani sfogati, as Mesdames Mombelli, Fodor, Lalande, Mesdemoiselles Sontag, Tosi, and others, present the