Though you untie the winds, and let them fight
Against the churches, though the yesty waves
Confound and swallow navigation up;

Though bladed corn be lodged, and trees blown down;
Though castles topple on their warden's heads,

And nature's germins tumble altogether,

Even till destruction sicken?-Answer me.

By this practice, a command over the scale will be obtained.

Let sentences be selected requiring a low pitch. Solemn sentences are of this description. These are to be read with sustained force, in a very low pitch, with a view of strengthening the voice upon a low note. A high note is, in itself, more audible than a low one; hence the voice is naturally inclined to rise as it increases in force; on this account, it must be kept down while its volume is increased in these exercises. The following sentence will serve the purpose we have in view.

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of water." Rev. c. 14, v. 6, 7.

Other sentences should be read as loudly as possible, at the pitch of a person's common conversation; and others again, at a much higher pitch; and the reading at these respective points of compass, should be steadily continued for a considerable time, as an exercise. This

exercise will produce fulness and clearness of note, throughout the voice's compass.

Rapidity in reading.

It will be found that the practice of reading with great rapidity and loudness, will increase the strength of the voice. It will enable a person to sound the elements with great distinctness, and to vary them with force and precision. We ought to observe, however, that the rapidity of the utterance should never be so great, as to prevent the exact sounding of every element, usually heard in the words. Rapid reading is also an excellent preparative for the proper management of parentheses, and parts of a passionate character, requiring a quick pronunciation. But it is of especial use in giving unerring precision, force, and distinctness, to the organs of speech in ordinary utterance, which are points of the utmost importance to a public speaker.

Let these exercises be steadily pursued, say for a single hour a day, for a few weeks only, and there are very few persons who will have to complain of want of force, loudness, compass, or good quality of voice, or of a feeble and confused enunciation.

We conclude, by observing, that the practice here enjoined, must be followed by all who entertain any reasonable hope of speaking with power in public, to large assemblies. The choice lies between previous industry of preparation, or the anguish of disappointment when the trial comes.

RECITATION FIFTEENTH.

OF THE APPLICATION OF THE VOCAL ELEMENTS, IN EXPRESSING EMOTION.

Loudness.

THIS is appropriate to sentiments of great energy and earnestness, astonishment, exultation, rage, anger, joy, and others.

Feebleness is appropriate to humility, sorrow, penitence, shame, apathy, and other sentiments allied to depression of mind.

The intermediate degrees of force, belong to didactic subjects, from which passion is for the most part, excluded to simple reading, to philosophical, critical, and professional lectures, etc.

Increased rate of voice.

A moderately quick rate of voice, is appropriate to all cheerful subjects, and such as approach the character of ordinary conversation. A quicker time is required in parentheses, and in sections of discourse, which interrupt the main current of thought;—also in the emotions of anger, joy, mirth, and all the more animating passions.

Slowness of voice, or slow time, on the contrary, is appropriate to all grave, solemn, dignified, and pathetic subjects.

Quality of voice.

Familiar subjects are best expressed by the voice of common conversation, while serious, grand, and solemn ones, require the orotund fulness. In conversation, the voice of most persons is comparatively meagre; it wants sonorous fulness, and seems to issue from the lips.

The impression I receive from it, in some instances in which it seems particularly determined to the teeth and lips, might be expressed by the term lip bound; and if the condition of the lips be inspected in persons whose voice is marked by the peculiarity I would now designate, they will be found to be more than usually compressed towards the teeth during speech. The voice, in order to sound full, should have free course. To borrow a homely phrase, the gangway should be kept perfectly clear.

Its sonorous character should not be changed by determining its action to the teeth and lips, by partially closing the former, and compressing the latter or by interfering with its exit, by an improper use of the tongue. When the elements are once formed, the mouth should be freely opened for their explosion. A voice proceeding from the throat, rung upon the roof of the mouth, and having free exit through the teeth, lips, and nose, and little modified by their action, will be most full, sonorous, and dignified. A nasal twang should be especially avoided. Persons frequently have this, who speak in spectacles, from their confining the current of air through the nose.

The semitone.

The semitone ought to be exclusively appropriated to plaintive subjects, and only to such as are very conside

rably so. It cannot often be introduced into narrative reading. Pathetic subjects, if not highly plaintive, when read with a grave tone, and with long drawn time, will be sufficiently expressive without the semitone. The pathetic character of the language itself, being enough to produce the desired impression. The semitone, however, is necessary to express grief, and vexation. It is the natural language of lamentation, sorrow, complaint, disappointment, and pity, in their highest degrees. It is appropriate to the penitential parts of supplication; but only to these not to prayer in the form of requests, etc. The semitone is too much in use, in the pulpit, where it is often combined with a drawl, and a mixture of song; which, certainly, together, constitute a mode of utterance, which can only please those who have their own peculiar associations, to reconcile them to such offence against the laws of agreeable speech. Many persons perform all their religious services, as if under the constant pressure of severe bodily pain.

The simple melody of speech, is appropriate to all those portions of discourse, where emotion, interrogation, and emphasis, do not intervene, and should never be broken, except for the purpose of expressing these.

The rising slides of the voice, differ in intensity, from the simple suspension of the voice at a comma, up to the sneering octave, in scornful interrogation. The slides, and radical changes, appropriate to interrogation, emphasis, and emotion, are those of a third, a fifth, and an octave. The more intense the slide, the more earnest is the question, and the greater the degree of emotion expressed by it. Persons are less likely to fail in the right expression of interrogation, than in many other points of speech. The