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6. To study variety of tone in delivery is a most important point." The opposite fault is monotony." To variety may also be referred the government of the utterance with respect to rapidity or slowness. And also the various expressions necessary to be adopted in the different passions and emotions of the mind."

23.24.25.26.27

7. The lungs are to be kept always to a certain degree inflated, so that the voice shall not at any time be run out of breath. And the air which is necessarily expended, must be gradually

"without force, is much more sonorous and audible, than when the voice slides up and down "at almost every word, as it must do to be various. This tone is adopted by actors when

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they repeat passages aside. They are to give the idea of speaking to themselves, in such a "manner as not to be heard by the person with them on the stage, and yet must necessarily "be heard by the whole theatre. The monotone in a low key, answers both these purposes. "It conveys the idea of being inaudible to the actors with them in the scene, by being in a "lower tone than that used in the dialogue; and by being in a monotone becomes audible "to the whole house. The monotone, therefore, becomes an excellent vehicle for such passages as require force and audibility in a low tone, and in the hands of a judicious "reader or speaker, is a perpetual source of variety." Walker's Elements of Elocution, p. 309. 2o Secunda, varietas est, quæ solum est pronunciatio. See this passage quoted at large, and translated. Chap. I. note.

21 Monotony is by some writers called flatness. "Of all faults that so frequently pass upon the vulgar, that of flatness will have the fewest admirers." Colley Cibber's Life, p. 61. Dublin. Many instances of the fine effect of variety in the voice may be recollected by those

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who have had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Kemble, particularly in Hamlet.

In his first soliloquy, he delivers in a very low tone (sotto voce,) these words,

"So loving to my mother

"That he permitted not the winds of heaven

"Visit her face too roughly."

Those immediately following:

-"Heav'n and earth."

"Must I remember,”—

he utters with a vehement burst of indignation and grief.

His address on the first appearance of the ghost, is throughout delivered in a pathetic and murmuring trepidation of voice. But when Horatio would prevent him from following according to his determination, he breaks out into an elevated and powerful pitch of voice with the finest effect, expressive at once of the most fixed resolution, and unshaken

and insensibly recovered at the proper times, and in the proper places. And when by nature the breathing is short, it ought to

firmness of mind. This is particularly observable in the first line, and the first word. The rest of the passage is beautifully touched with light and shade.

Why-What should be the fear?

I do not set my life at a pin's fee;
And for my soul, what can it do to that,
Being a thing immortal as itself?—

It waves me forth again-I'll follow it.

23 B. Vous voudriez donc beaucoup d'inegalité dans la voix et dans le geste? A. C'est ce la ce qui rend l'action si puissante et qui la faisoit mettre par Demosthène au-dessus de tout. Plus l'action et la voix paroissent simples et familières dans les endroits où l'on ne fait qu'instruire, que raconter, que s'insinuer; plus preparent-elles de surprise et d'émotion pour les endroits où elles s'éléveront à un enthousiasme soudain. C'est une espéce de musique: toute la beauté consiste dans la varieté des tons, qui haussent, ou qui baissent selon les choses, qu'ils doivent exprimer. Fenelon Dialogues sur l'Eloquence. p. 236.

24 Tum intentis, tum remissis, tum elatis, tum inferioribus modis opus est, spatiis quoque lentioribus aut citatioribus. Quint. l. xi. c. 3.

25 Omnis enim motus animi suum quendam a natura habet vultum et sonum, et gestum: totumque corpus hominis et ejus omnis vultus omnesque voces, ut nervi in fidibus, ita sonant, ut a motu animi quoque sunt pulsæ. Nam voces ut chorda sunt intentæ, quæ ad quemque tactum respondeant, acuta, gravis; cita, tarda; magna parva: quas tamen inter omnes est suo quæque in genere mediocris. Atque etiam illa sunt ab his delapsa plura genera, lene, asperum; contractum, diffusum; continenti spiritu, intermisso; fractum, scissum; flexo sono attenuatum, inflatum. Nullum enim horum similium generum, quod non arte ac moderatione tractetur. Hi sunt actori, ut pictori, expositi ad variandum colores. Aliud enim vocis genus iracundia sibi sumat: acutum, incitatum, crebro incidens Aliud miseratio, ac mœror: flexibile, plenum, interruptum, flebili voce..... Aliud metus, demissum et hesitans, et abjectum. . ... Aliud vis: contentum, vehemens, imminens quadam incitatione gravitatis.... Aliud voluptas effusum, lene, tenerum, hilaratum, ac remissum..... Aliud molestia: sine commiseratione grave quiddam, et uno pressu ac sono obductum. Cic. de Orat. l. iii. c. 58.

26 Dans certains endroits vifs, il faut parler plus vite, mais parler avec precipitation, et ne pouvoir se retenir est un grand defaut. Il y a des choses qu'ils faut appuyer. Il en est de l'action et de la voix comme des vers: il faut quelquefois une mésure courte et impeteueuse pour signifier ce qui est vif et ardeut. Se servir toujours de la même action et de la même mésure de voix, ce comme qui donneroit le même reméde à toutes sortes des malades. Fenelon. Dial. sur l'Eloquence, p. 237.

27 Promptum sit os non præceps: moderatum non lentum. Quint.

be strengthened by diligent practice; after the example of Demosthenes.28.

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8.

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In rooms where the quickly returning echo disturbs the speaker, he must lessen the quantity of his voice till the echo ceases to be perceptible. And when he is disturbed by the slowly returning echo, he must take care to be much slower and dis"tinct in his utterance than usual, and to make his pauses longer. He is to attend to the returning sound, and not to begin after a pause till the sound is ceased."

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9. "In enormous buildings, as old abbeys, cathedrals, and "halls, in which the speaker has no more advantage than if he "were in the open air; he should regulate his voice as he ought "in the open air, and make himself audible as far as he can with"out straining."'" These two last rules may apply to the management of a weak voice in rooms of any extent which it cannot conveniently fill.

ESTIMATION OF THE POWERS OF THE voice.

1. The speaker discovers that his voice has filled the room by the return of its sound to his own ear.

28 Spiritus quoque nec crebro receptus concidat sententiam ; nec eo usque trahatur, donec deficiat. Nam et deformis est consumpti illius sonus et respiratio sub aqua diu pressi similis, et receptus longior, et non opportunus: ut qui fiat non ubi volumus, sed ubi necesse est. Quare longiorem dicturis periodum colligendus est spiritus; ita tamen ut id neque diu, neque cum sono faciamus, neque omnino ut manifestum sit: reliquis partibus optime inter juncturas sermonis revocabitur. Exercendus autem est, ut sit quam longissimus: quod Demosthenes ut efficeret, scandens in adversum continuabat quam posset plurimos versus. Quint. l. xi. c. 3.

29 Sheridan's Lectures, 5. p. 113.

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2. He will judge of the ability of his voice, by the degree of exertion necessary to enable him to fill a room of any particular size."

3. And he may form a judgment concerning the opinion of his audience by the degree of their attention.

I have now gone over the principal circumstances to be attended to in the voice; that most important instrument of the public speaker; and have supported my opinions by many authorities ancient and modern; I refer the reader to the Appendix for the observations of Cresollius upon the voice, which are interesting, but too long for a note.

30 Sheridan's Lectures, p. 111.

CHAPTER III.

OF THE COUNTENANCE.

Herder's observations on the countenance-Observations from Lavater— Cicero on the expression-Demosthenes-A modest expression becomes an orator-Proper expression indicates the sincerity of the speaker— Advantage of a fine countenance-The eyes principally mark the expression-Direction and influence of the eyes-Caution as to direction of the eyes-Eloquence of the pulpit-Its proper character nearly described by Cicero-Extraordinary expression of the eye-Of looking into the eyes-Tears of an orator-When proofs of weakness—Who are subject to soft emotions according to Aristotle-Opinions of the ancients relative to tears-Observations on the eyes by Pliny — by Quintilian-On the eyebrows, forehead, cheeks, and mouth-Persons celebrated for the graces of the mouth-Influence of moral habits on the mouth-Causes of the changes in the mouth.

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