It is not expecting too much of the students of this book to require that all shall learn to discriminate between an upward and a downward inflection; and also shall have a clear idea of the distinction between a close and a wide intonation. The former, a close intonation, is where the voice is inflected slightly upon syllables; and such inflections are represented by the smaller intervals of the musical scale: and the latter, a wide inflection, is where the voice is widely inflected upon syllables; and these inflections are represented by the greater musical intervals. Any exercises for articulation may be used to exemplify the subject of inflection. But let the simple sound of a vowel element be first used. Most school boys probably know that in asking a simple question the voice is usually supposed to be inflected upwards; and that in effecting a close at a period a downward inflection is used.

Then let the teacher repeat the vowel sound of long a with each inflection, upward and downward, á, à. If the sounds

use and advantage are clearly demonstrable, although not yet generally recognised by the world. No person having a musical ear, and any scientific acquaintance with the human voice, can dispute the soundness and reality of Dr. Rush's theory of inflection; but it may be a question how far it is advisable to carry the strict measurement of intervals into a work of this kind. We therefore remark, that although some of the musical intervals may be spoken of as applicable to the expression of certain emotions, or suitable to particular words or syllables, yet it is not expected that the indicated intervals will be accurately measured, or certainly recognized by every student; and yet a musician may satisfy himself of their applicability with very little trouble.

be not widely inflected, and the pupil doubt as to their direction or character, then they must be repeated with still wider inflections, until their nature shall become familiar. If now the pupil find it difficult to determine by the ear the nature of inflections not strongly marked, and if the same syllables widely inflected shall be easily distinguishable by him, he already knows the distinction between a wide and a close intonation; and this is much, in a practical point of view. We then inform him that the one, a wide intonation, is proper and necessary for dramatic passages where violent emotion is expressed; and that the other, a close intonation, should be applied to simple narrative and all unimpassioned expression. But for the benefit of such as would learn to estimate the measure of inflections by referring them to the musical scale according to the principles of Dr. Rush, let us refer to the definition of concrete and discrete sounds. The difficulty of arresting and measuring a concrete interval is greater than that of estimating a discrete one, and this is owing to the fact that the point where a concrete sound ends is not at first easy of detection; whereas, the difference in radical pitch,† between two syllables (which is the measure of a discrete interval), is more easily estimated. For the radical pitch of a short syllable is not difficult to determine, as the voice does not dwell upon such syllable long enough for inflection; and not being inflected, becomes discrete to a certain extent, and therefore

*See Emphasis, on page 113.

†The radical pitch of a syllable is the pitch of the prominent sound of that syllable.

a musical note, or so much like one as to be easily referred to the scale. If we take, for instance, a word composed of two short syllables, as hiccup,' the interval between the note, or radical pitch of the first syllable of this word, and that of the second, is easily computed; whether it be spoken as a second, a third, or a fifth. Whereas, if it were required to measure the inflection on the word Christ in the sentence 'Is not this the Christ?' it might not be so easy to do it. But in order to ascertain the interval as nearly as may be, let the word be repeated several times with the same inflection; observe well the note of the radical or first part of the utterance, and compare it with the last audible sound of the syllable; the musical interval most nearly corresponding to the difference between the two, will be the measure of the inflection.

CHAPTER IV.

THE INTERVALS OF THE MUSICAL SCALE.

THEIR APPLICATION AND SIGNIFICATION-CLOSE INTONATION-WIDE INTONATION-NOTATION OF INFLECTION-EXAMPLES OF PASSAGES MARKED FOR INFLECTION-EXCELLENT ILLUSTRATION FROM SCRIPTURE-MEASURE OF SOMEWHAT PRECARIOUS-NO UNALTERABLE PRESCRIPTION

INFLECTIONS

OF INTERVALS POSSIBLE.

THE musical intervals chiefly made use of in measuring the inflections of the voice, are the semitone, the second, the third, fourth, fifth, and octave.

The effect of the semitone is to give a plaintive character to the reading. It is therefore suited to pathetic subjects, and to the expression of tender emotions.

The interval of the second is that which is constantly employed in the natural inflection of the voice upon all syllables in the easy, unimpassioned utterance of language.

The inflection used naturally in asking a simple question is such as would be represented by the interval of a third.

If a question be asked, or an assertion be made with great energy or emphasis, the accented syllable will be inflected so as to be measured by a fifth, or even the octave, when the strongest emphasis is given.

With the aid of these directions, and a nicely discriminating ear, it is to be hoped the student may succeed in recognizing the intervals indicated for the inflection of the syllables in the examples which follow; and certainly the general practical distinctions above pointed out, between the upward and downward inflections, and between wide and close intonation, must be apparent and intelligible to all.*

And with this knowledge, those who would not undertake to compute the measure of an inflection, may avoid gross faults or errors of intonation; unless they resist all that is natural and easy, and seek to produce some striking and extraordinary effects; in which case they will be likely to hit upon eccentricities and fall into errors, rather than to keep within the bounds of simplicity and good taste.

In the examples which will be quoted to show the different inflections, it is not intended to assume that the readings indicated are the only ones which can be accepted; but simply that such would be proper and warrantable, and seem to be free from objections. In some instances the inflections are the same as those marked by Dr. Rush, and some also by other

* But it should not be inferred from this, that correct inflection and smooth and agreeable intonation are so easy in practice, as to be acquired without much watchful attention and study under a judicious

master.