Ridiculous, my son! Take care and avoid it. Think what you are reading. Think of the tone which it requires. Is it a storm, a prayer, or the ocean? Read it in the base tone. Is it a dew-drop, a stream, the song of birds, joy, happiness, or any gentle thing or passion? Read it in the head tone.

EXERCISES ON TONES OF VOICE.

A few exercises, my son, will impress all that I have said upon your mind, and make you familiar with tones of voice.

BASE TONE.

"O Lord, my God! Thou art very great! Thou art clothed with honor and majesty; who coverest thyself with light as with a garment; who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain; who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters; who maketh the clouds his chariot; who walketh upon the wings of the wind; who laid the foundations of the earth that it should not be removed for ever."

"Toll for the brave!

The brave that are no more;

All sunk beneath the wave,

Fast by their native shore!"

THE HEAD TONE.

"For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds has come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; the fig-tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away!"

"The little brooks run on in light,

As if they had a chase of mirth;

The skies are blue, the air is balm;

Our very hearts have caught the charm

That sheds a beauty over earth."

Tones of voice, said Professor Cadmus, in conclusion, are very important. Commit to memory the names of the sub

jects that require the base and head tones; and when you speak or read, think of what you are reading or speaking about, and use the right tones. Wilmer, you should practice every day on the tones of voice as your sister practices her scales on the piano. Skill in the use of the tones of the voice is to reading what skill in the use of the fingers is to playing.

Power of voice is in it. Power, said Professor Cadmus, is an object of love. Every one seems to be pleased with its exercise. It has a charm for all. In some of its forms, power is a sort of idol. Men worship it. In other forms, it is neglected. Who loves the power of the human voice?

I do, father, said Wilmer. I think it a fine thing. I like it almost as well as sister's music-I mean, what she makes on the piano.

Professor Cadmus was pleased with the frankness of his son, and proceeded. The power of the human voice! It is very great, said the Professor, and admits of endless variety. It may rise from a whisper that does not disturb the sleeping infant to a battle-shout. I will illustrate it by music.

THE OVERTURE.

The Overture, my son, is an opening piece of music. It is performed by a full band. Once I heard a fine one. I almost hear it now. The instruments are lifted. Hark! A soft, sweet, rustling sound, like the breeze of summer in a tree-top, falls upon the ear. It swells. Now it is like.

winds sweeping the outside of distant woods. A waterfall at night! Now it swells clear and loud. All the instruments strike in with startling power. The rush of winds! the tramp of many horses! the shock of waves! I know not what it is like. A pause. Again a crash of storm is past, and tones like

sounds like thunder. The

those of a sweet evening hymn fall upon the ear. What power was here! And yet, it is an illustration of the human voice-nothing more, my son. The organ of voice is a noble instrument. Its tones excel those of the flute or trumpet. One moment it may move us with a whisper or sad tone; the next, startle us with the notes of alarm or victory.

Father, said Wilmer, with emotion, it is wonderful! I never saw it in this way before. I shall practice on the voice. I will try to do so as often as sister practices on the piano. Would I then be as powerful as she is?

As powerful, my son! The voice, I have told you, has more power than any instrument.

POWER OF VOICE.

Father, asked Wilmer, after a pause, what do you mean by power of voice?

Power of voice, said the Professor, is its force, or quantity of tone. It ranges from a whisper to shouting or calling. It may be divided into a whisper, half whisper, softened voice, moderate, loud, very loud, shouting and calling. The moderate power of voice is that used in lively speech. I will give you examples on which you may practice.

WHISPER.

This power of voice is used in extreme fear and conceal

ment.

Hush! One moment! O, grave!

HALF WHISPER.

This power of voice is used in fear and anxiety.

Softly! The babe is asleep. A step may break its slumbers. Be gentle. Ah!

SOFTENED VOICE.

This power of voice is used in sad and gentle feelings. There is a cold shadow on his face. Tears will not come. He dreams over the loss of a sweet child. The clouds are cold above him; but not so cold as his heart.

MODERATE VOICE.

This power of voice is used in quiet speech and subdued feelings.

Choose the path of life in your youth. Let the young heart open up in love to God.

LOUD.

This power of voice is used in all earnest addresses.

Are all hearts ready for the triumph? Truth is victor. The cross of Christ subdues the world.

VERY LOUD.

This power of voice is used in passionate address.

Make way for liberty!

SHOUTING AND CALLING.

These powers of voice are used in alarm, triumph, and distance.

"King of the East! the trumpet calls,
That calls thee to a tyrant's grave."

INSTRUCTION XLV.

PITCH OF VOICE IS IN READING.

WHAT IS IN READING?

Pitch of voice is in it, and this is something that requires attention. High and low are words, said Professor Cadmus,

that mean great things. Their influence on the mind and heart is very remarkable, awakening within a great variety of feelings and purposes. They belong to voice, and impress us as forcibly here, as in any other thing. A high tone often hurries us to heaven. A low one casts us down. Pitch of voice, my son, includes such tones.

I wish, said Wilmer, I knew something about it.

I am going, said Professor Cadmus, to talk a little to you, Wilmer, about the pitch of voice. Since you are fond of music, I will begin it with a musical incident. I know it will please you.

EASTERN MUSIC.

Some Englishmen were travelling in China. They were very good musicians, and played for the Chinese. They tried to amuse them. They tried to awaken wonder in their hearts, and make them feel that English music was very fine. It was all in vain. The "Celestial people" listened without wonder.

How do you like our music? said one of the travellers. Oh, very well! said one of the Celestials. It is good; but our music-it enters into the ear: it goes down into the heart: we understand it.

This was strange, father! What made the difference? I cannot see it.

The difference, my son! The music of the Englishmen was harmony. It consisted of different parts. The music of the Chinese was melody. It was simple tune-a succession of pleasing sounds.

Oh, I see now! said Wilmer. Melody is simple, and is easily understood.

It is so, my son, said the Professor. It is pleasing to all