19. The crico-thyroid ligament attaches, as its name implies, the cricoïd or the thyroïd cartilage; and (20) the crico-thyroïd muscle facilitates their consentaneous movement, in the production of vocal sound, acute or grave.

21. The pharynx or swallow, situated immediately behind and above the larynx, although not directly concerned in the production of sound, has, by resonant space, a great effect on its character. Persons in whom this organ is large have usually a deep-toned voice; those in whom it is small have comparatively a high pitch. When it is allowed to interfere with the sound of the voice, through negligence of habit or bad taste, it causes a false and disagreeable guttural swell in the quality of the voice.

22. The nasal passages. Through these channels the breath is inhaled in the usual tranquil function of breathing. The innermost part of the nostrils is united into one resonant channel, and opens into the back part of the mouth, behind the "veil," or pendent and movable part, of the palate, which serves as a curtain to part the nasal arch from the anterior portion of the mouth.

Above the valve of

23. The internal tubes of the ears. the orifice of the windpipe, on each side of the root of the tongue, is a small opening, leading to a tube which communicates with the ear, and whose orifice is always opened in the act of opening the mouth. These tubes have a great effect in rendering vocal tone clear and free; as is perceived in the case of obstructions arising from disease, from accident, or from cold, which impart a dull and muffled sound to the voice. "The ear," says an eminent writer on this subject, "being formed of very hard bone, and containing the sonorous membrane of the drum, the sound of the voice entering it through the air-tubes must necessarily be increased by its passage along what may be termed the whispering galleries of the ear.'

The effect of these passages, as conductors of vocal sound may be traced in the fact that the middle and innermost

parts of the nostrils open into several hollows or cells in the adjacent bones of the face and forehead. By this arrangement the whole cavity of the head is rendered subservient to the resonance of the voice. That degree of

clear, ringing, bell-like sound, which is so obvious a beauty of the human voice, seems to be dependent on this circumstance. Hence, too, the stifled tone caused by obstruction arising from cold, from accident, from the deleterious effect of snuff-taking, or from malformation of organic parts.

The fault of utterance which is termed nasal tone arises from lowering too far the veil of the palate, the membrane which separates the mouth from the nasal passages, and raising too high the root of the tongue, in producing a vocal sound. The consequence of these errors is that an undue proportion of breath is forced against the nasal passages, and that these organs are at once overcharged and obstructed. Hence the twanging and false resonance which constitutes "nasal " tone.

24. The cavity, and more particularly (25) the roof, or ridgy arch, of the mouth, in the anterior part of it, together with (26) the palate, and (27) the veil, or pendent and movable part of the palate, and (28) the uvula, or the terminating tag of the veil of the palate in the back part of the mouth, as well as (29) the upper gum and (30) the teeth, in the fore part of it, all serve important purposes in modifying the sound of the voice, and aiding the function of speech.

The most satisfactory mode of forming a correct idea or these organs is to inspect the interior of the mouth by the use of a looking-glass. In this way the position and action. of all these parts in the function of speech may be distinctly observed.

The mouth, by its arched structure, exerts a great influence in moulding the sound of the voice. It serves at once to give it scope and partial reverberation. It gives sweetness and smoothness to tone; as we perceive in contrast

ing the voice duly modified by it with that which loses its softening effect in undue nasal ring or guttural suffocation.

To give the voice the full effect of round, smooth, and agreeable tone, the free use of the cavity of the mouth is indispensable: the whole mouth must be thrown open, by the unimpeded action and movement of the lower jaw. A smothered, imperfect, and lifeless utterance is the necessary consequence of restraint in the play of this most effective implement of speech. A liberal opening of the mouth is the only condition on which a free and effective utterance can be produced.

30. The teeth. These instruments, by their hard and sonorous texture, serve to compact and define the volume of the voice, while they aid one of the important purposes of distinct articulation, in the function of speech. Used with exact adaptation to their office, they give a clear and distinct character to enunciation; but, remissly exerted, they cause a coarse hissing, resembling the sibilation of the inferior animals.

31. The tongue. The various positions and movements of this organ are the chief means of rendering vocal sound articulate, and thus converting it into speech. They exert, at the same time, a powerful influence on the quality of the voice, by contracting or enlarging the cavity of the mouth, and giving direction to vocal sound: it is the position and action of the root of the tongue which render the voice guttural, nasal, or oral, in its effect on the ear.

32. The lips. These important aids to articulation not only give distinctness to utterance, but fulness of effect to the sounds of the voice. Imperfectly used, they produce an obscure mumbling, instead of definite enunciation; and, too slightly parted, they confine the voice within the mouth and throat, instead of giving it free egress and emissive force. In vigorous speech, rightly executed, the lips are slightly rounded, and even partially, though not boldly,

projected. They thus become most effective aids to the definite projection and conveyance of vocal sound: they emit the voice well moulded, and, as it were, exactly aimed at the ear.

Figures 33 and 34 are intended to exhibit the effect of the epiglottis on the character of vocal sound. When the voice is thrown out with abruptness, or even with a clear, decided force and character of sound, there is first a momentary occlusion of the glottis, attended, in impassioned utterance, by the downward pressure of the epiglottis (the lid of the glottis), as in the act of swallowing: [see figure 33]. To this preparatory rallying of the muscular apparatus, and its accompanying effect of resistance, the natural preliminary to a powerful and sudden effort, ceeds an abrupt and instantaneous explosion of breath and sound, produced by the sudden upward impulse of the abdominal muscles and the diaphragm, acting on the pleura and the air-cells of the lungs, and forcing the breath upward, through the bronchi and the trachea, to the larynx. The breath, thus impelled, bursts forth, parting in the act, the glottis from the epiglottis (34), and issues from the mouth in the form of vocal sound.

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Figures 35 and 36 represent the position of the uvula, the one at rest and the other elevated, as in the production of some of the higher, clearer, or harsher sounds of the voice.

Figure 37 represents a view of the vocal cords, reflected by means of the laryngoscope. Figure 38 displays different positions of the vocal cords: A, the position during inspiration; B, in the formation of low notes, C, in the formation of high notes.

MISCELLANEOUS PIECES.

EXTRACTS FOR GENERAL PRACTICE.

EXERCISE I. A SEA-VOYAGE. — Irving.

[This extract exemplifies, in its diction, the forms of narrative, descriptive, and didactic style. The emotions arising from the subject and the language are those of tranquillity, wonder, admiration, pathos, and awe.]

The first of these emotions prevails through the first two paragraphs, and produces, in the vocal "expression," "pure tone," decreasing gradually from gentle "expulsion to "effusion;" the "force " is "moderate;" the "stress," at first unimpassioned radical," gradually changing to a soft 66 median; "the "pitch" is on "middle notes; "the "melody" "diatonic," in prevalent "intervals of the second,” varying from the "simple concrete" to the "wave; the "movement is "slow;" the pauses moderately long; the rhythm" requires an attentive but delicate marking.

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Wonder is the predominating emotion expressed in the third paragraph. It produces a slight deviation from perfect "purity of tone" towards "aspiration; the "force " increases gently after the first sentence; a slight tinge of "vanishing stress " pervades the first sentence; an ample “median ” vails in the first two clauses of the second, and a vivid "radical" in the third clause; and, in the closing clause, a stronger "vanishing stress" than before becomes distinctly audible in proportion to the increasing emphasis; the "pitch" of this paragraph is moderately "low" at first, and gradually de scends, throughout, as far as to the last semicolon of the paragraph; the "slides ' are principally downward "seconds and thirds;" the "movement" is "slow," excepting in the last clause of the second sentence, in which it is "lively;" the pauses are long; and the "rhythm" still requires perceptible marking.