1.

LOW -OROTUND.

But ye ye are changed since ye met me last! There is something bright from your features passed! There is that come over your brow and eye, which speaks of a world where the flowers must die! Ye smile; but your smile hath a dimness yet; - oh, what have ye looked on since last we met?

Away from the dwellings of care-worn men, the waters are sparkling in grove and glen! Away from the chamber and sullen hearth the young leaves are dancing in breezy mirth! Their light stems thrill to the wild-wood strains, and youth is abroad in my green domains!

3.

VERY LOW- OROTUND AND GUTTURAL.

How frightful the grave! how deserted and drear! with the howls of the storm-wind, the creaks of the bier, and the white bones all clattering together!

How peaceful the grave-its quiet, how deep! Its zephyrs breathe calmly, and soft is its sleep, and flowerets perfume it with ether!

Lo! the mighty sun looks forth! Arm! thou leader of the north! Lo! the mists of twilight fly! We must vanish-thou must die! By the sword and by the spear-by the hand that knows not fear Sea-king! nobly shalt thou fall! There is joy in Odin's hall!

6.

VARIED PITCH.

(mid.) Borne by the winds, the vessel flies up to the thundering cloud. Now, tottering low, the spray-winged seas conceal the top-most shroud. (high) "Pilot, the waves break o'er us fast! Vainly our bark has striven!" (low) Stranger, the Lord can rule the blast Go, put thy trust in Heaven!"

Fight, gentlemen of England! fight, bold yeomen!
Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head!
Spur your proud horses hard, and ride in blood!
Amaze the welkin with your broken staves!
A thousand hearts are great within my bosom !
Advance our standards, set upon our foes!

Our ancient word of courage fair Saint George—
Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons!
Upon them! Victory sits on our helms!

We follow the exercises in pitch with prepared exercises in transition. In the practice of our profession, perhaps no question has been more frequently asked, by clergymen especially, than this: "How can I modulate and change my voice ?" "I am monotonous," etc. We com

mend the following suggestions and practice to such :

There is a medium pitch of voice, differing in different individuals, from which ascent and descent, through its whole compass, are easy and natural. This is the natural pitch.

It is the pitch most frequently heard in conversation. It is that note which predominates in good reading and speaking, and is always in accordance with the sentiment.

Some speakers, almost immediately after commencing their discourse, run up to the top of the voice, and continue that pitch through the longest portion of an address, thereby producing a continuous elevated monotony. This is tiresome and offensive in the highest degree. This high pitch is commonly united with great loudness, with an entire defect of cadence, which aggravate the evil. Others, again, very soon fall to the lowest pitch, and are unable to rise again. They can not make a cadence, because they can not descend below the pitch they have assumed. They can not speak with force, because if the voice descends below a certain point, it ceases to be able to employ force, and finally becomes inaudible. In order, therefore, to maintain fullness and strength of tone, we must set out with about the fourth degree from the lowest note, from which the voice can be easily managed, both in its employment of force and modulation. Again, let the student accustom himself, by frequent

practice, to rise and fall upon a sentence or sentences selected for the purpose, through the whole compass of the voice. Such a practice was common with ancient orators, both Roman and Grecian, and will be the most effectual method, after the elements of expression are at complete command, of removing the blemishes above described, by giving a ready command over the speaking scale.

The sentence below may be taken for exercise, which should be read according to the different notations exhibited by the numerals at the beginning of the lines and members of sentences.

1 Though you untie the winds2 and let them fight
Against the churches;4 though the yesty waves

5 Confound and swallow navigation up;

Though bladed corn be lodged, and trees blowns down, "Though castles topple on their wardens' heads,

6 And nature's germins tumble 5 altogether,

4 Even till destruction3 sickens? 2 Answer me.

Assuming the 4th to be the key-note, the following notation of the staff of speech will illustrate the modulation of the melody of speech, produced by the transition of this key-note from one pitch or place of the scale to another:

t

We repeat the prepared sentence with the inflections, and the figures denoting the pitch :

4 The moon herself is lost in heav'n; but thou art for ever the same, 8 rejoicing in the brightness of thy course`. 2 When the world is dark with tempests, 4 when thunder rolls, and lightning flies', 6 thou look'st in thy beauty from the clouds, 8and laugh'st at the storm. 4 But to Ossian thou look'st' in vain.

Practice on the following with the notes changed. Increase in pitch:

1 Though you untie the winds2 and let them fight

3 Against the churches; 4 though the yesty waves

4 Confound and swallow navigation 5 up;

5 Though bladed corn be lodged and trees blown down;
6 Though castles topple on their wardens' heads,
"And nature's germins tumble altogether,

8 Even till destruction sickens?9 Answer me.

5 Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. 8 Three millions of people, 6armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, 8 are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. 5 Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone; there is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations; 4 and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. 5 The battle, sir, is not to the strong.

GENERAL DIRECTIONS.

Modulations or transitions of the voice should be uniformly made at those parts of a discourse where the speaker enters on a new train of thought, or where the sentiment takes a different turn. These parts are generally divided, in written composition, by paragraphs; and these are often entirely disregarded by many.

Nothing relieves the ear more agreeably than a well regulated transition. It should be effected temperately; but whenever a speaker or reader enters on a new train of thought, notice thereof should be given to the ear, by the following means, differently modified, according to existing circumstances:

By a change in pitch, or by an alteration in time, as to quickness or slowness, or by a change in FORCE, or by the use of the monotone, for a short space, on serious passages, which often has a very striking effect.

All these means should be at the command of the speaker and reader, and one or more of them should be employed in the pronunciation of the first few sentences at every paragraph; after which the voice will naturally move in a freer expansion of a more animated delivery. Clergymen and others will be able to change their manner of speaking, from a lifeless to an animated style by the above.

FURTHER EXAMPLES IN TRANSITION.

[This selection demands the entire range of the speaking voice, in pitch-all qualities, and varied force.]

1 Hark! the alarm-bell, 'mid the wintry storm!

5 Hear the loud shout! the rattling engines swarm.
Hear that distracted mother's cry to save
Her darling infant from a threatened grave!
That babe who lies in sleep's light pinions bound,
And dreams of heaven, while hell is raging round!
3 Forth springs the Fireman stay! nor tempt thy fate!
He hears not-heeds not, - nay, it is too late!
6 See how the timbers crash beneath his feet!
O, which way now is left for his retreat?
The roaring flames already bar his way,
Like ravenous demons raging for their prey!
He laughs at danger,-pauses not for rest,
Till the sweet charge is folded to his breast.

Now, quick, brave youth, retrace your path; — but, lo!
A fiery gulf yawns fearfully below!

One desperate leap!-9 lost! 5 lost!-the flames arise
And paint their triumph on the o'erarching skies!
Not lost! again his tottering form appears!

The applauding shouts of rapturous friends he hears?
The big drops from his manly forehead roll,
And deep emotions thrill his generous soul.
But struggling nature now reluctant yields;*
Down drops the arm the infant's face that shields,
To bear the precious burthen all too weak;
When, hark!- the mother's agonizing shriek!
Once more he's roused, his eye no longer swims,
And tenfold strength rëanimates his limbs;

He nerves his faltering frame for one last bound, -
6" Your child!" he cries, and sinks upon the ground!

4 And his reward you ask;-reward he spurns;
For him the father's generous bosom burns,
For him on high the widow's prayer shall go,—
For him the orphan's pearly tear-drop flow.
His boon, -the richest e'er to mortals given, -
Approving conscience, and the smile of Heaven!

8 Rouse, ye Romans! - Rouse, ye slaves!

Have ye brave sons? Look in the next fierce brawl
To see them die! Have ye fair daughters? Look
To see them live, torn from your arms, distained,
Dishonored!-and if ye dare call for justice,
Be answered by the lash! 5 Yet, this is Rome,
That sat on her seven hills, and from her throne
Of beauty, ruled the world! Yet, we are Romans!

* Run down the scale on this line, from 6 to 1.