Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations, also, of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: He bowed the heavens, also, and came down ; and darkness was under his feet;-and he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind." 18th PSALM, 6-10th VERSES. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the And God said, let there be light,' and there was light." GENESIS, 1st and 3d VERSES. waters. NOTE. The above extracts, save the first, are examples of the sublime, as well as of Monotone. XI. MODULATION. In Modulation are comprehended all the various inflections of which the voice is capable. It may, indeed, be termed the soul or witchery of eloquence; for through its medium the sense is charmed, the imagination taken prisoner, and the most obdurate softened and relaxed. The effect of Modulation upon the heart must ever be acknowledged, as long as the human ear can drink the harmony of its sounds. To attempt a system of accurately teaching this delightful power, would be indeed vain and futile ;* nothing but being possessed of * Mr. Walker, and others, have made very ingenious remarks typified on paper, on the inflections of the human voice; but a just knowledge of the true causes which produce those inflections, will preclude the necessity of any study on the subject, save of the rules to be found in this, and similar books, and of a just conception, as has been above stated, of the author's meaning, which conception will impart the true feeling, and out of that feeling, will arise the natural, and, consequently, the proper inflection, which marks on paper can never correctly convey. Mr. Walker's own words, give cre dence to these observations. In his preface to the third Edition of his Rhetorical Grammar, he says, "The sanguine expectations I had once entertained, that this analysis of the human voice, would be received by the learned with avidity, and applause, are now over; I have almost worn out a long life in laborious exertions, and though I have succeeded, beyond expectation, in forming readers, and speakers, in the most respectable circles in the three kingdoms, yet I have a chastely correct ear, sensibly alive to the good feelings of nature, being perfectly master of your subject, and letting it fully and exclusively occupy your mind, can ever enable you to attain modulation. In stead of paying attention to the different heights, and keys which are said to produce modulation, but which in reality modulation gives even a name to, it is here recommended to every speaker, to commence his subject in a tone sufficiently audible to be perfectly heard; then he can rise, and afterwards fall, as sense and feeling, in conjunction with the rules of this essay and the five inflections of the voice dictate. Those who are possessed of the requisites already mentioned, will find in the following, fit exercises of modulation; but the student will have much to do before he can be capable of reading or reciting, with any prospect of success, such surpassing efforts of poetic genius. Examples. O thou that with surpassing glory crown'd So burdensome still paying, still to owe, but my pronunciation. When I have explained to them, the five modifications of the voice, they have assented and admired, but so difficult did it appear to adopt them, especially to those advanced in life, that I was obliged to follow the old method,-read as I read." Forgetful what from him I still receiv'd; Then happy; no unbounded hope had rais'd Be then his love accurs'd, since love or hate, ; Nay curs'd be thou; since against his thy will By act of grace, my former state; how soon Would height recall high thoughts, how soon unsay What feign'd submission swore? ease would recant For never can true reconcilement grow Where wounds of deadly hate have pierc'd so deep: From granting he, as I from begging peace: Mankind created, and for him this world. TWAS at the royal feast, for Persia won Aloft in awful state, The godlike hero sat On his imperial throne. His valiant peers were plac'd around, Their brows with roses and with myrtles bound, The lovely Thais by his side, Sat like a blooming eastern bride, None but the brave, None but the brave, deserve the fair. Amid the tuneful choir, With flying fingers touch'd the lyre: The song began from Jove, * When he the fair Olympia press'd, * MILTON. And stamp'd an image of himself, a sovereign of the world. The list'ning crowd admire the lofty sound; A present deity, they shout around; A present deity; the vaulted roofs rebound. With ravish'd ears the monarch hears, And seems to shake the spheres. The praise of Bacchus, then, the sweet musician sung; Sound the trumpet; beat the drums; He shows his honest face: Now give the hautboys breath-He comes! he comes! Drinking joys did first ordain; Bacchus' blessings are a treasure ; Sweet the pleasure; Sweet is pleasure, after pain. Sooth'd with the sound, the king grew vain Fought all his battles o'er again; And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain. His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes; Soft pity to infuse: He sung Darius, great and good, Fall'n, fall'n, fall'n, fall'n, With not a friend to close his eyes With downcast look the joyless victor sat, Revolving, in his alter'd soul, The various turns of fate below; The mighty master smiled to see, Softly sweet, in Lydian measures, Never ending, still beginning, Take the good the gods provide thee; |