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This fault, if long continued, is apt to exhaust the patience of the hearers, who justly consider it an abuse of their good nature, 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 affected 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 agreeable 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 which are equally foolish and absurd. The man of correct taste, 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 publick reader or speaker to pursue, is to attempt nothing more with his voice than what he already knows by experience, to be both easy and NATURAL.

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 modu

lations 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 follow 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.

"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 its purpose."

In pronouncing the words "terrour, nerve, malice, and intellect," the intonation should continually vary as it passes on from one word to another. In enunciating "hand," the modulation should be nearly similar to that given to "heart;" but the effect of a good elocution would be greatly injured, 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 fullness 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 constructions 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.

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 monoto

nist. 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 va-' ried 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.

EXERCISES.

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.

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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.

Middie-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! I fly!
O grave! where is thy victory?

O death! where is thy sting?

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.

O, Douglass! Douglass! if departed ghosts
Are e'er permitted to review this world,
Within the circle of that wood thou art,
And, with the passion of immortals, hearst
My lamentation; hearst thy wretched wife
Weep for her husband slain, her infant lost.
My brother's timeless death I seem to mourn,
Who perished with thee on that fatal day.
To thee I lift my voice, to thee address
The plaint which mortal ear has never heard.
Oh! disregard me not: though I am called
Another's now, my heart is wholly thine.
Incapable of change, affection lies

Buried, my Douglass, in thy bloody grave.

QUESTIONS.

Of what does chapter 2nd treat?

What is meant by tones?-What, by modulation?

Are the peculiar beauty and the great variety of tones belonging to

the human voice, an evidence of man's superiority over the brute?

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