difficult articulation, here presented, until his voice shall show a cultivation by its rich int mations, nor until his organs of speech have acquired a precision in articulation that shall af ford, not only a pleasure to himself, but secure the attention and admiration of his hearers. PITCH. 1. Pitch of the voice in speaking, regards its de gree of elevation in reference to a musical scale. 2. Nature has a peculiar pitch of voice for her passions and emotions. Let the attentive observer note the variations of pitch in the voice of the child, when speaking under the influence of strong and varied emotion, and he will realize the truthfulness of this remark. 3. There are three departments of pitch in the human voice, common to both sexes, to wit: the high, the middle, and the low. When under the influence of strong and excited feelings, nature prompts us to use high notes of speech; as in calling, screaming, shrieking, &c. The middle range of pitch is adapted to common, colloquial discourse. The low key or grave tone of voice is used in expressing sentiments of sublimity, awe, and devotion. No very definite rules can be given for its regulation in speaking. The nature of the sentiment, and discrim inating taste must determine the appropriate key-note of delivery. EXAMPLES FOR PRACTICE. High Notes. 1. Art thou that traitor angel? Art thou he who first broke peace in heaven? 2. Fire! fire!-the boat is on fire! B Middle Range, or Common Common Colloquial Key. 1. And thou hast walked about!-how strange a story! In Thebes' street, three thousand years ago. Low Key. 1. Speak then thou voice of God within, thou of the deep, low tone. 2. Great ocean, too, that rolled the wild, profound, eternal bass in nature's anthem. TIME. 1. Time in Elocution is the measure of sounds in regard to their duration, as used in reading and speaking. 2. In this department of the science examples and directions can only point the pupil to nature that he may learn of her, for she is the great teacher, guiding and regulating the movements of the voice, as sentiment and feeling may inspire. Devotional and solemn discourse requires slow movement and long quantity in the utterance; unimpassioned conversation and narrative, a medium rate of movement; animated description, comic and lively expression, sudden passion, as joy, anger, &c., produce utterance, more or less rapid, according to the nature and intensity of the emotion. Let the pupil observe the impulses of his own feelings, and study to understand and feel the sentiment he is to deliver, and nature will serve as a kind regulator of the movements of his voice. EXAMPLES. Quick Time. 1. O, come, father, come quickly, let us run—that's a good father -catch me one. Medium Time. 1. As soon as you are capable of reflection, you must perceive that there is a right and wrong in human action. 2. Love has a potent, a magical token, A talisman ever resistless and true. Slow Time. 1. Slowly and sadly we laid him down. 2. O, when shall day dawn on the night of the grave! 3. O! I have passed a miserable night! 4. One dead, uniform silence reigned over the whole region. FORCE. 1. Force relates to the degree of loudness and ex ertion with which sounds are made in vocal delivery. It may be called the momentum of speech. 2. The division of Force most practical and comprehensive, consists of three degrees, to wit: little, medium, and great force. 3. The nature of a few sentences is such, that they should be pronounced with a uniform degree of force, but usually it should be varied during the utterance of a sentence or paragraph. The sentiment sometimes requires that it should be gradually increased or diminished during the enunciation of a sentence. The best general rule that can be given is, that it should be varied according to the sentiment and the emotion. 4. Force, when applied to a syllable, is denominated stress. Stress is divided by some authors into radical, medium, final and explosive. EXAMPLES. Little force. 1. Soft roll your incense, herbs, and fruits, and flowers. 2. Come, then, expressive Silence, muse His praise. 3. Awake not his slumbers, tread lightly around. 4. His great art was to soothe, and in this, he was mild and gen tle as the dews. Medium Force. 1. I had a dream, which was not all a dream. 2. Music that might have charmed Calypso and her nymphs, was his Great Force. 1. Strike! till the last armed foe expires; RISING INFLECTION. 1. The Rising Inflection ends higher than it begins; always rising by a continuous slide from a grave to an acute tone. 2. Inflections are natural language, that perform a very im portant office in the communication of thought. 3. The use of inflections is to show that an expression of sense is or is not complete. In counting five, consecuti' ly, we use the rising slide until we pronounce five, which takes the falling slide, and makes the number conclusive; thus-one', two', three', four', five'. In this instance, the rising inflection makes the number to be counted uncertain, but the falling slide, in this and other instances, gives conclusion to the sen tence and sense. 4. The pupil must remember, that the slide of the voice on a word often determines the sense. For example: Died Abner as the fool dieth'? Died Abner as the fool dieth'. In the first instance, I ask if he thus died; in the second, I de clare it. EXAMPLES. Rising Inflections. 1. Is there no excess of cold', none of heat to offend me'? 2. Is everything subservient', as though I had ordered all myself"? 3. Is life so dear' or peace so sweet', as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery'? 4. To purchase heaven has gold the power'? Can gold remove the mortal hour'? In life, can love be bought with gold'? Are friendship's pleasures to be sold'? FALLING INFLECTION. 1. The Falling Inflection is a downward turn and continuous slide of the voice, ending in a lower key than it began. 2. This inflection takes place when the sense is finished; when an affirmation is made, or a command given; and in all languages expressive of authority, boldness, energy and power. 3. The proper use of inflections is important, as they are agents of thought and sense. For example, if the rising inflec tion is given on the word "pauper," in the following passage, the sense will be totally perverted: 4. A person who neglects his business, if he does not become a pauper', will not be likely to amass wealth. |