Then round to autumn!—so our brief years fly;
So run our days!—sometimes in sunshine drest,
And oft in cloud! so fleeteth fitfully

Each little life into the great eternity!"

Chambers's Journal.

It will be seen, from the foregoing, that even tranquil and subdued force is adapted to considerable variety in the expression, and in the feelings. It may be compared to the flowing of a gentle stream that meets with no impediments in its course:—it may be the mere brook that goes purling through the meadow gay with flowers, or odorous with the scent of new-mown hay; or it may be the mighty river that rolls its flood of waters grandly but tranquilly onward to the ocean, without a murmur, and without a ripple to disturb its peaceful bosom.

DIVISION IV.—Oratorical.

In the following oratorical extract, it is very apparent that the orotund quality of tone will be chiefly used, and more force or energy, and greater volume of voice, than are found in the tones of ordinary conversation.

EULOGIUM ON WASHINGTON.

1. "It matters very little what immediate spot may have been the birthplace of such a man as Washington. No people can claim, no country appropriate him. The boon of Providence to the human race, his fame is eternity, and his residence creation. Though it was the defeat of our arms, and the disgrace of our policy, I almost bless the convulsion in which he had his origin. If the heavens thundered, and the earth rocked, yet, when the storm had passed, how pure was the climate that it cleared! How bright in the brow of the firmament was the planet which it revealed to us!

2. "In the production of Washington it does really appear as if nature was endeavoring to improve upon herself, and that all the virtues of the ancient world were but so many studies preparatory to the patriot of the new. Individual instances, no doubt, there were,-splendid exemplifications of some single qualification. Cæsar was merciful, Scipio was continent, Hannibal was patient; but it was reserved for Washington to blend them all in one, and, like the lovely masterpiece of the Grecian artist, to exhibit, in one glow of associated beauty, the pride of every model, and the perfection of every master."-Charles Phillips. (A celebrated Irish barrister.)

Still greater degrees of force are naturally employed in the violent emotions, such as anger, scorn, defiance, revenge,-excessive joy or gladness,-and the utterance of arousing and exciting appeals. In such cases the voice generally passes beyond that purity and clearness which are indicative of tranquillity of mind, and the aspirate, pectoral, and guttural tones add harshness and intensity to the expression. The following selection, if properly read, will well illustrate the application of these several qualities of voice:

DIVISION V.-Anger, Scorn, and Defiance.

THE SEMINOLE'S DEFIANCE.

"Blaze with your serried columns! I will not bend the knee;

The shackle ne'er again shall bind the arm which now is

free!

I've mailed it with the thunder, when the tempest muttered low;

And where it falls ye well may dread the lightning of its blow.

I've scared you in the city; I've scalped you on the plain; Go, count your chosen where they fell beneath my leaden

rain!

I scorn your proffered treaty; the pale-face I defy; Revenge is stamped upon my spear, and 'blood'-my battle-cry!"-G. W. Patten.

STRESS. The particular kind of force employed in expelling the breath is sometimes denominated stress of voice; for this force may either be exerted in a continuous unbroken flow, as is most frequently heard in oratorical delivery, or may burst forth in abrupt and unequal gushes of sound. It will be evident, from the very nature of the feelings expressed, that abrupt force-often with an abrupt jerk on the emphatic syllable, is appropriate to impatient command, anger, defiance, and indignation, while smooth stress is suitable for the more gentle emotions. The following selections require more of this abrupt, jerky character of voice, than the preceding one:

[1.] "Hence! home, you idle creatures, get you home! You blocks, you stones, you WORSE than senseless things!

Run to your houses, fall upon your knees,

Pray to the gods to intermit the plague
That needs must light on this ingratitude."

In the following invective, feelings of scorn are boldly and abruptly expressed, and the aspirate quality of tone will be naturally applied to the emphatic words :—

[2] "The right honorable gentleman has called me 'an unimpeached traitor.' I ask, why not 'traitor,' unqualified by any epithet? I will tell him; it was because he dare not. It was the act of a coward, who raises his arm to strike, but has not courage to give the blow. I will not call him villain, because it would be unparliamentary, and he is a privy councillor. I will not call him fool, because he happens to be Chancellor of the Exchequer; but I say he is one

who has abused the. privilege of Parliament and freedom of debate, to the uttering of language which, if spoken out of the House, I should answer only with a blow. I care not how high his situation, how low his character, how contemptible his speech; whether a privy councillor or a parasite, my answer should be a blow."-Speech of Henry Grattan against Mr. Corry.

LESSON III.--Pitch of Voice.

By Pitch of voice is meant what musicians understand by its key-note; and the natural pitch for each person is the degree of elevation of the key-note in ordinary conversation,—the one that a person naturally adopts when he reads or speaks most easily and familiarly. Not only are the voices of different individuals pitched on different keys, as one may speak in a high tenor tone, rising, in old age,

66 to childish treble,

That pipes and whistles in the sound,"

while the natural voice of another may be a low bass tone; but two persons may read the same selection at different and equally appropriate degrees of pitch. Yet, for the same voice, quite different degrees are suitable for reading different styles of composition.

DIVISION I.-Medium Pitch.

What may be called Medium pitch, is that moderate elevation of tone that is usually employed in expressing thought with little or no emotion, as in ordinary narration and description; and it is that which is most appropriate in reading the first three selections under the head of FORCE. The following examples will further illustrate the character of the writings to which medium pitch is adapted:

[1.] Narrative and Descriptive.
"It was a summer evening,

Old Kaspar's work was done,
And he, before his cottage door,

Was sitting in the sun;

And by him sported, on the green,

His little grandchild, Wilhelmine."-Southey.

[2.] Descriptive and Didactic.

"Day is for evil, weariness, and pain.

Let us to prayer! calm night is come again :

The wind among the ruined towers so bare
Sighs mournfully: the herds, the flocks, the streams,
All suffer, all complain; worn nature seems

Longing for peace, for slumber, and for prayer."

Victor Hugo.

The medium pitch is often weak in those not accustomed to public speaking, and then it needs cultivation for the attainment of power. A person of weak.voice should, therefore, read or speak much in this middle tone, gradually increasing to as much loudness and volume of sound as possible, without suffering the voice to rise into a higher key. A good practice is to speak animated passages to a real or imaginary audience near by; for then the voice is not so apt to rise into a higher key, as when it is directed to some one at a distance.

DIVISION II.-High Pitch.

We naturally use a high pitch in calling to or addressing persons at a distance; and all animated reading and speaking has a tendency to run into it. Every one can speak in a high key, but when the voice is not well cultivated the high notes are apt to be thin and squeaking. Speaking in the open air is a good exercise for strengthening this tone,