hearers-a point by no means to be overlooked. In this pitch, also, will his tones and inflections of voice be the most natural, and thus enable him to give them the greatest and most grate ful variety of swell and melody.

As a speaker advances in his discourse, especially if it be somewhat impassioned, and increases in energy and earnest. ness, a higher and louder tone will naturally steal upon him, and sometimes he may even change his radical pitch; and in such cases it may require no little address to keep his voice within proper bounds. This may easily be done, however, by occasionally recalling it, as it were, from the extremities of its adventurous flight, and by directing it to those who are near him.

Low Pitch.—An errour more frequent than that last pointed out, though perhaps not so fatal, occurs with those speakers who take their key-note or pitch in too low a tone to be distinctly heard. At the commencement of his discourse, a speaker may presume much upon the indulgence of his hearers; but this is no good reason why he should speak so low as to compel them to listen, with the greatest attention, in order to understand what is delivered. What is worth being uttered at all, is worth being spoken in a proper manner; but can any thing be more improper, than to utter our sentiments in so indistinct a manner, or in so low a tone, as to render it impossible for any one clearly to understand what is said?

This fault, if long continued, is apt to exhaust the patience of the hearers, who justly consider it an abuse of their goodnature, and an insult to their understandings. Therefore, in this, as in all other things, great extremes should be avoided. Affected Tones.-There is not a more besetting, oratorical sin, into which readers and speakers are apt to fall, than that of adopting an acted tone of voice. Many a one who, in ordinary conversation, has nothing peculiar or disagreeable in his tones and modulations, or, perhaps, whose voice is quite agreea ble and melodious, will, nevertheless, when he comes to read or speak in publick, at once divest himself of the natural tones of his voice, as he would cast off an old garment that carried contagion in it, and which he feared would be communicated to his hearers, and enter upon his labours with a stiff, formal, artificial, and affected intonation, in which he appears more unseemly and disagreeable than he would in a borrowed garment, even one that was shabby and did not fit him. Some affect a simpering, soft, silly, sweet prettiness of tone and manner; but more, a rigid, pompous dignity or solemnity; both of

A man of correct taste,

which are equally foolish and absurd. however, will put forth his strength in his natural tones, and be sure, if not to please, at least, not to disgust, his auditory.

Every thing like an academical tone, a scholastick tone, a clerical tone, or a sectarian or professional tone, should, by him who would excel in elocution, be carefully avoided. Even a trilling or tremour of the voice, as it appears, unless very skilfully managed, more or less artificial, is to be very sparingly employed. In general, the only safe course for a reader or a speaker to pursue, is to attempt nothing more with his voice before a publick audience, than what he already knows, by experience, to be both easy and NATURAL; but, in private, he ought to be unceasing in his efforts to improve his voice in all the qualities of inflection, power, volume, compass, tone, and pitch.

MODULATION.

In regard to modulation, it may be observed, that the variations of sound which the voice is capable of producing, are almost infinite; and that the modulations necessary to produce even common melody in prose, are very great. These modulations or variations of tone are produced more or less harmoniously and appropriately by a reader or a speaker, just in proportion to the perfection and delicacy of structure in his organs of sound, the cultivation and refinement of his taste, and the accuracy of his ear. But the defects of most readers and speakers, are no less glaring than frequent. Among these may be mentioned that of pronouncing two or more words which fol low each other in the same construction, with a sameness of modulation. Except in those rare instances, in which the monotone is proper, no two words in the language, belonging to the same class, can immediately succeed each other, where a just elocution does not require, that the modulations of tone employed in pronouncing the one, should be different, at least, in some slight degree, from those adopted in pronouncing the other. If, for example, the words "day and hour," in the following lines, were both to be enunciated in precisely the same tone of voice, how shockingly would the spirit and beauty of the sentiment be marred!

A day, an hour, of virtuous liberty,

Is worth a whole eternity in bondage.

And yet, strange as it may appear, readers are not wanting, who are so totally devoid of refinement in taste, as to pronounce,

not only two words in succession, but even three, four, or five, with scarcely a perceptible variation of tone.

Example He combined within himself all the elements of terrour, nerve, malice, and intellect-a heart that never melted, a hand that never trembled, a mind that never wavered from :ts purpose."

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Remarks. In pronouncing the words terrour, nerve, nalice, and intellect," the intonation should continually vary is it passes on from one word to another. In enunciating 'hand," the modulation should be nearly similar to that given o "heart;" but the effect of a good elocution would be greatly njured, were one to pronounce “mind" without a far greater

variation in his tone of voice. Similar directions might be given for pronouncing the verbs "melted, trembled, and wavered," as well as the adverb "never," although it would be improper to adopt a uniform variety in enunciating these three classes of words.

In such instances as these, the leading characteristick in the change of tone that is proper to be made, consists in an increase of the force and fulness of volume, as the voice advances from one word to another. This augmentation of force and energy, however, must be slight or otherwise, just in proportion to the nature and spirit of the sentiment expressed. Another feature of this kind of modulation, is controlled by the inflection of voice that is proper to be adopted. This subject, therefore, will be resumed again in those chapters which treat of inflection and emphasis.

Errours in Modulation.

Monotony. The monotone may sometimes be advantageously employed in pronouncing a simile, or some other peculiar construction of language; but a dull, monotonous method of pronouncing words in general, is, in the highest degree, reprehensible. When the monotone is proper, a reader or a speaker of ordinary capacity and acumen, will adopt it naturally, and without the least artificial effort, just as he would express, by the modulations and tones of his voice, many of the passions and emotions, merely by the promptings of internal feeling. If we would interest those who listen to us, we must adopt a pleasing and natural variety of tones and modulation and nothing will be more sure to produce the opposite effect, than the adoption of artificial tones, or of a drawling, lifeless monotony.

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Artificial Variety.-But in order to avoid a monotonous manner of delivery, many a one falls into an opposite extreme,

equally offensive to a chaste ear, and not less inconsistent with the principles of correct enunciation. In order to give his words the greatest possible variety of intonation, inflection, and modulation, he loses sight of both principle and natural propriety. He plunges into the depths of artificiality, and soars above the heights of elegance. He gives you correct tones and incorrect, agreeable modulations and disagreeable, all blended together, and displeases more than the dull, plodding, humdrum monotonist. But this artificial variety, is very apt to settle down into what is no less intolerable, a

Uniform Variety.-Among tasteless readers and speakers, a uniform variety assumes as many set forms as Proteus had shapes; but they are far less pleasing. These artificial and uniform modes of delivery, are too numerous to admit of an adequate description: and they too frequently occur not to have attracted the attention, and have elicited the displeasure, of most people.

This displeasing and unnatural uniformity occurs with some speakers who run into the false conceit, that they must begin every sentence in the same tone and elevation, or depression, of the voice, and always close it with the same fall or cadence. A sameness of tone and modulation, they also adopt at every recurrence of any particular stop or pause, how different and varied soever the language and sentiments may be. But in poetry this characteristick of dulness attains its full growth. Here we often see this uniform variety carried into a regular tune; but it is a tune that shocks every ear but that of the pseudosongster.

As these last two faults often arise from an improper application of the inflections of the voice, and of emphasis, they will be more particularly noticed in a subsequent chapter.

QUESTIONS.

What is said of commencing a discourse in an abrupt and vociferous manner?

What is said of a very low pitch?

What is said of affected tones ?-What of natural tones?

What is said of trilling sounds?—What is said of monotony?
What is said of a drawling, lifeless, monotonous enunciation ?
Is artificial variety in modulation, at all admissible?

What is said of uniform variety?

EXERCISES.

King Philip of Mount Hope, was a patriot, attached to his native soil; a prince true to his subjects, and indignant of their wrongs; a soldier, daring in battle, firm in adversity, patient of

fatigue, of hunger, of every variety of bodily suffering; and
ready to perish in the cause he had espoused. Possessing
heroick qualities, and accomplishing bold achievements, that
would have graced a civilized warriour, and have rendered him
the theme of the poet and the historian, he lived a wanderer and
a fugitive in his native land, and went down, like a lonely bark,
foundering amidst darkness and tempest-without a pitying eye
to weep his fall, or a friendly hand to record his struggle.
Placid Tone-Come, gentle Spring! ethereal mildness! come,
And from the bosom of yon dropping cloud,

While musick wakes around, veiled in a shower
Of shadowing roses, on our plains descend.

Low-Adah-Hush! tread softly, Cain.

Cain. I will: but wherefore?

Adah. Our little Enoch sleeps upon yon bed
Of leaves, beneath the cypress.

Cain.

Cypress ! 'tis
A gloomy tree, which looks as if it mourned

O'er what it shadows; wherefore didst thou choose it
For our child's canopy?

Adah.

Because its branches

Shut out the sun-like night, and therefore seemed
Fitting to shadow slumber.

Middle-O'er the glad waters of the dark blue sea,

Our thoughts as boundless, and our souls as free,
Far as the breeze can bear, the billows foam,
Survey our empire and behold our home!

Very Low-Hark! they whisper: angels say,
"Sister spirit, come away."

Loud-The world recedes: it disappears!
Heaven opens on my eyes! my ears
With sounds seraphick ring!

Very Loud-Lend, lend your wings! I mount! Ifly!
Loud-O grave! where is thy victory?
Ŏ death! where is thy sting?

and very Slow.

Plaintive Ye woods and wilds, whose melancholy gloom
Accords with my soul's sadness, and draws forth
The voice of sorrow from my bursting heart-
Farewell awhile; I will not leave you long,
For in your shades I deem some spirit dwells
Who, from the chiding stream, or groaning oak,
Still hears and answers to Matilda's moan.

Slow O, Douglass! Douglass! if departed ghosts and Are e'er permitted to review this world, Plaintive. Within the circle of that wood thou art,

And with the passion of immortals, hear'st
My lamentation; hear'st thy wretched wife
Weep for her husband slain, her infant lost.