5. Extreme Pity.

("Pure Tone:" "Impassioned" Force: Weeping and Tremulous Utterance.)

Miranda (to her father). Oh! I have suffered
With those that I saw suffer! a brave vessel,
Who had, no doubt, some noble creatures in her
Dashed all to pieces. Oh! the cry did knock
Against my very heart! Poor souls! they perished.
Had I been any god of power, I would

Have sunk the sea within the earth, or ere

It should the good ship so have swallowed, and
The freighting souls within her!

Teachers who are instructing classes will find great aid in the use of the black-board, for the purpose of visible illustration, in regard to the character and effect of the different species of "stress.' Exercises such as the following may be prescribed for simultaneous practice in classes.

To commence with a definite idea of the mode of "stress" in each instance, set out from the standard of a given emotion decidedly marked, and let the degree of emotion and the force of utterance be increased at every stage. Thus, let represent the "radical stress on the sound of a, in the word all, in the following example of authoritative command: "Attend ALL!"<the "vanishing stress" on the same element, in the following example of impatience and displeasure: "I said ALL, not one or two." "median stress " on the same element, in reverence and adoration: "Join ALL ye creatures in His praise!"

the

the "compound stress," in astonishment and surprise : "What! ALL? did they ALL fail?"

the "thorough stress," in defiance : "Come one -come ALL!" the "tremor" of sorrow: "Oh! I have lost you ALL! The practice of the examples and the elements should. extend to the utmost excitement of emotion and force of voice. Review tables of elements with all forms of "stress."

CHAPTER VII.

"MELODY"

THE word "melody" is applied to speech as in music, to designate the successive notes of the voice in reading or discourse.

The use of this term presupposes a certain "pitch," or initial note, whether predominating in a passage, or merely commencing it, and to which the subsequent sounds stand in the relation of higher or lower or identical. There is, however, a marked difference between the "melody" of music and that of speech. The former has comparatively the pleasing effect of poetry: the latter may possess a degree of this charm, but it may, on the contrary, possess no such beauty: it may exhibit a succession of the most harsh and grating sounds, or it may be but a succession of articulations, in the utterance of a fact addressed exclusively to the understanding. In every case, however, the relations of sounds to each other, as measured by the musical scale, can be distinctly traced; and, on this account, the "melody of speech," or of "reading," is a phrase as truly significant as that of the "melody" of a strain of music.

PITCH.

66

This term relates to the voice as high or low on the musical scale, and the study of " pitch" as an element of "melody" leads us accordingly to a classification of emotions as characterized by comparatively high or low notes. The musician, when speaking of a strain of melody, can conveniently refer to a precise note of the scale, by the exact letter which designates it, and which is produced by a given number of vibrations of sound, which may be scientifically marked. The elocutionist, on the contrary, derives his scale from feeling rather than from science or external rule. The natural pitch of human voices varies immensely, not only with sex and age, but in the accustomed notes of one individual, as differing from those of another.

Due attention may, no doubt, enable the elocutionist to ascertain, in a given case, the precise note of the scale required according to the organic formation and the vocal habit of an individual. But such a note might prove too low for the compass of voice in another person, or quite too high to be appropriate or impressive in another still, whose voice is naturally low-pitched.

The language of elocution is accordingly limited to the familiar designation of "low" and "very low," "high" and "very high," when the scale is traced to any great extent beyond the "middle" or average pitch of utterance. This indefinite reference, however, is usually sufficient for the purposes of reading and speaking, which regard a general sympathetic effect, or feeling, rather than any which requires the precise measure of science.

I. "MIDDLE" PITCH.

The "middle" pitch of the voice is that of our habitual utterance on all occasions of ordinary communication in conversation or address. It is the natural note of unimpassioned utterance, seeking to find its way to the understanding

rather than to the heart, and hence avoiding high or low pitch, as belonging to the language of feeling or of fancy.

The proper standard of middle pitch, for the purpose of vocal practice, is that of serious and earnest conversation in a numerous circle.

EXAMPLES OF "MIDDLE" PITCH.

1. Serious Didactic Style.

("Pure Tone: " "Moderate" Force: "Unimpassioned Radical," and gentle "Median Stress.")

PLEASURES Of Knowledge. Alison.

How different is the view of past life, in the man who is grown old in knowledge and wisdom, from that of him who is grown old in ignorance and folly! The latter is like the owner of a barren country, that fills his eye with the prospect of naked hills and plains, which produce nothing either profitable or ornamental: the former beholds a beautiful and spacious landscape, divided into delightful gardens, green meadows, and fruitful fields, and can scarce cast his eye on a single spot of his possessions that is not covered with some beautiful plant or flower.

2. Serious Narrative.

("Quality," "Force," and "Stress," as in the preceding example.) ANECDOTE.

Raleigh's cheerfulness, during his last days, was so great, and his fearlessness of death so marked, that the Dean of Westminster who attended him, wondering at his deportment, reprehended the lightness of his manner. But Raleigh gave God thanks that he had never feared death; for it was but an opinion and imagination; and, as for the manner of death, he had rather die so than in a burning fever; that some might have made shows outwardly; but he felt the joy within.

3. Serious Description.

("Quality," etc., as before.)

SEA-VOYAGING.-Irving.

I have said that at sea all is vacancy. I should correct the expression. To one given up to day-dreaming, and fond of losing himself in reveries, a sea-voyage is full of subjects for meditation; but then they are the wonders of the deep, and of the air, and rather tend to abstract the mind from worldly themes. I delighted to loll over the quarterrailing, or climb to the main-top on a calm day, and muse for hours together on the tranquil bosom of a summer's sea; or to gaze upon the piles of golden clouds just peering above the horizon, fancy them some fairy realms, and people them with a creation of my own; or to watch the gentle, undulating billows rolling their silver volumes, as if to die away on those happy shores.

4. Animated Narrative Style.

("Pure Tone:""Moderate" Force: Vivid "Radical Stress.")
JULIUS CAESAR.-J. S. Knowles.

To form an idea of Cæsar's energy and activity, observe him when he is surprised by the Nervii. His soldiers are employed in pitching their camp. The ferocious enemy sallies from his concealment, puts the Roman cavalry to the rout, and falls upon the foot. Everything is alarm, confusion, and disorder. Every one is doubtful what course to take, every one but Cæsar! He causes the banner to be erected, — the charge to be sounded, the soldiers at a distance to be recalled, — all in a moment. He runs from place to place; his whole frame is in action; — his words, his looks, his motions, his gestures, exhort his men to remember their former valor. He draws them up, and causes the signal to be given, - all in a moment. The contest is doubtful and dreadful: two of his legions are entirely surrounded. He seizes a buckler from one of the

--