the sentiments of the author-as if they were the emanations of our own mind.

Mr. Sheridan, in his "Lectures," observes, “There are few persons who in private company do not deliver their sentiments with propriety and force in their manner whenever they speak in earnest; consequently, here is a sure standard for propriety and force in public speaking." And this observation must apply therefore equally to reading; but to reduce this to practice it is essentially necessary that we should first be perfect masters of the nature and subject-matter to be delivered, and the intention of the author; and to this end, therefore, it is always advisable that the student should accustom himself in his private practice, first, to peruse carefully the composition he intends to read aloud, so as entirely to comprehend the full meaning and import of the words, and the general construction of the language, the character of which sometimes bears the distinctive impress of its particular writer, and then let him endeavour to deliver it as if the ideas and sentiments were his own, and in that natural and forcible manner as in that case he would; and this can only be effected by observing those various inflections of voice which Nature herself has prescribed, and adapting them according to the form and sense of the various sentences. These consist of the "Rising," the "Falling," and the “Circumflex," or "Compound Inflections." The first of these is so called from the voice rising or ascending upwards, the second when it falls or slides downwards, and the last when both the rising and falling inflection is combined in the same word, or even in more than one, as is sometimes the case; but when the voice continues on the same note, it is then said to be "monotone."

The "Circumflex Inflection" is capable of being again subdivided for distinction's sake into the rising and falling circumflex, according as it commences with either the rising or falling slide of the voice.

Now, in speaking, the voice is regulated either by the implied or expressed sense or feeling of the subject, or nature of the sentence; that is, it indicates either that the sense is complete or suspendedis "Affirmative," "Negative," "Interrogative," or "Imperative." Thus, suspended sense is accompanied and marked by the "rising

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inflection," coupled with the "middle pause we have before spoken of in a previous part of our subject. Complete or finished sense" is distinguished by the falling, and to it also belongs the "full pause," answering to the period or full stop, as before mentioned. But here it is necessary to notice a very common error-one calculated to generate a bad habit, and one therefore that ought to be exploded for ever; it is the very common direction to drop the voice at the end of a sentence. Now, the last part of a sentenceand more especially the last word, as it completes the sense-must of necessity be the most essential to the perfect understanding of that sentence. To let it, therefore, fall listlessly or feebly on the ear, so as to strain the attention of the auditor, or reduce him to the bewilderment of guessing at its import, is a manifest absurdity. The fact is, it should ever be considered of equal importance to the first; and, though receiving the downward inflection of the voice, as such maintain its full tone, pitch, and enunciation.

To proceed, however. The Affirmative sense is indicated by the falling, and the Negative, as a general rule, receives the rising inflection. The same applies to the Interrogative sentences, while the Imperative is distinguished by the falling: of course, it must be understood that all these are subject to certain exceptions, which exceptions are caused by the influence of what is termed the emphasis* of force or feeling, and depend, therefore, on the judgment and intelligence of the speaker.

The compound or circumflex inflection, as we have before stated, both descends and ascends in what may be described as a curve of the voice, and is generally used in strong or vehement interrogation, its extent being determined by the force or extent of the passion by which it is governed; it is expressive of “Wonder," "Contempt,” Scorn," Ridicule,' Irony," &c., &c.

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The speech of "Brutus," in the quarrel scene between himself and "Cassius," will afford an apt illustration of the nature of this particular inflection of the voice, beginning "All this, and more,” &c., &c.

* This emphasis being distinguished from the emphasis of sense in its inflection by the domination of the feeling with which it is used.

The same inflection must be given to all words or phrases whose meaning and construction are in apposition, but when antithetical or opposed to each other, they demand opposite inflections, and by this agreement of tone in the first and opposition in the latter case, the sound, as it were, is to the ear in accordance with the sense. When many antithetical members, however, follow in succession, for the sake of variety and harmony, the inflections should be alternated. Let the student refer for an example of this to 1 Cor. xv. 39, 40:

39. All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

'40. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

We have instanced these two verses only; but the whole chapter, indeed, from the 20th verse, not only in respect to this, but every other rule, is an admirable exercise in "inflection ;" and its perfect delivery must at all times declare the accomplished elocutionist.

CHAPTER V.

ON PITCH.

THE management and modulation of the voice is another branch of the art of elocution to which the student who is ambitious of becoming a good and effective reader or speaker should devote the most sedulous attention, and for this purpose it is necessary for him to be thoroughly acquainted with the theory and nature of the various pitches of that organ, for by them not only does he derive the variety that is so pleasing to the ear, and secure for himself relief from that inconvenience which his ignorance or neglect in this respect must inevitably entail on him, but he is enabled to exhibit by their just and appropriate use the various emotions and sentiments of his subject, whether they belong to himself or others, with the greater force and power of expression.

The human voice has been observed to possess three distinct tones, and these are distinguished as "high, low, and middle pitch." Of these, the one most used is the middle, for the reason that it is the tone which we naturally are accustomed to in common discourse, and is therefore, from its frequent exercise, generally stronger. It must also be apparent that being easier to rise or fall from it to a higher or lower key, it ought, with few exceptions, to be the one we should adopt when not excited by any particular passion-as, for instance, in calm narration, descriptive statement, or moral reflection.

Now, it cannot have escaped the notice of even the most casual observer that the instant the mind, even in ordinary conversation, receives the impression of any particular emotion, the voice becomes inflected, either upward or downward, to the higher or lower portion of its register, its range being determined by the force or intensity of that emotion. There is a higher, sharper, and shriller tone attained by rage, and a deeper one by sorrow. It is therefore expedient that a just appreciation and a skilful adaptation of these tones should be attended to.

Having already noticed the first of these, its quality and character, on proceeding to the high pitch, we shall find that it is the proper key of all the more impulsive passions or elevated feelings. To it belong rage, threatening, denunciation, invective, joy, and exultation, and, indeed, all eager and animated speech in general; while, on the contrary, grief, melancholy, veneration, deep thought, serious reflection, hate, and suppressed passion, belong to the low pitch.

It is necessary, however, to observe, that there is a great distinction between the terms high and low, and loud and soft, for these are often confounded. This latter, it should be clearly understood, merely signifies the degree of force or volume of sound it may be deemed necessary to use in the same key, and answers precisely to the forte and piano in music, whilst the former intimates a change of key altogether. Pitch, therefore, is independent of force, though force may add frequently to the effect of pitch.

From the want of a proper knowledge of this it is by no means an uncommon occurrence for both orators and readers to commence

at once on the highest key of their voice, under the mistaken idea that they will be heard with greater ease; but this, indeed, is a fatal mistake. In the first place the voice loses its natural power and pliability, producing a monotony of tone that rapidly wearies the auditory, and, in the next, from the unnatural strain to which it is subjected, the organ becomes distressed and weakened, and languor and hoarseness are the inevitable results. Besides, it must be selfevident that if a speaker begins in the middle pitch—that is, as a general rule-that being, as we have before observed, most probably the strongest, he is also able to rise or fall from it according to the range of his voice, and must therefore with greater facility produce those effects which belong to the varying expression of the different emotions his subject may afford him.

With regard to the proper rule for proportioning the quantity or loudness of the voice to the size of the arena in which the speaker may be called upon to exercise his powers, two very great authorities appear to differ. Mr. Sheridan, for irtance, says—

"Let the speaker, after having looke round the assembly, fix his eyes on that part of the auditory which is farthest from him, and he will mechanically endeavour to pitch his voice so as that it may reach them; for his business is to consider himself as addressing his discourse to some one amongst them, in such a manner as that he may be heard by him, and if the person be not beyond the reach of his voice he will not fail to effect it. But," he observes-and this is the point most carefully to be preserved in the student's memory -“still he is to take care not to change his usual pitch in order to do this, but only to add force or degree of loudness in proportion to the distance."

Now, Mr. Walker on this point recommends the reader or speaker to pursue a diametrically opposite plan. Commenting on the passage here quoted from Mr. Sheridan, he goes on to say

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This, I fear, would be attended by very ill consequences if the assembly were very large; as a speaker would be strongly tempted to raise his voice, as well as to increase its force; and by this means begin in a key much too high for the generality of his audience, or for his own power to continue it. The safest rule, therefore, is certainly to begin as it were with those of the assembly that are