The wave of the second, with median stress and a fine terminating vanish with the drift of the monotone, will give to the above cited examples the utmost degree of solemnity and supplicating earnestness. These constituents are the true elements of the grand, the solemn, the dignified and the reverential; which are not expressed by mouthing and inflating syllables, but by long quantity, median swell, and the fine vanishing movement. The words subject to our remarks are italicised.

Drift of radical stress.

All lively subjects take this drift; the animating and the angry passions under their varied modifications are marked by it; a quick time goes with it.

EXAMPLE.

And he (amid his frolic play,)

As if he would the charming air repay,
Shook thous-and od-ors from his dewy wings.

The tremor may play upon most of the syllables of the last line.

The drift of the tremor, seldom lasts beyond a few words. Sometimes, however, united with the semitone, it extends through sentences.

The drift of the monotone, prevails in solemn and plaintive subjects.

The drift of the alternate phrase is appropriate to animation of description and argument; but should not be applied to such subjects as are enumerated under the heads of quantity and median stress.

RECITATION SIXTEENTH.

FAULTS OF DELIVERY.

Defects of the voice.

Few voices are fully competent to all that is required of a public speaker in addressing large audiences. When the space to be filled is extensive, where the difficulty is increased by the structure of buildings ill adapted to public speaking, powerful and well exercised voices will not be more than sufficient to render a speaker audible and impressive.

The modes of improving the voice have been fully detailed. It remains to specify the most common defects of quality. The voice is sometimes feeble, thin, harsh, nasal, mincing, too shrill, or from some unknown cause is ill adapted to a clear and distinct utterance of the elements. In all such cases, time and labor will be required for its improvement. A voice may be created. None of our powers are more improveable than those of the voice. To be agreeable it should be full, sonorous, smooth and strong.

Defects of the slide in the utterance of syllables. The defect is sometimes in the opening of syllables from the want of a well marked radical stress. This may be always removed by exercising the voice perseveringly in exploding the elements, and in forcible abrupt declamation. Oftener, however, it consists in the want

of the lessening volume, during the progress of the syllabic movement and of the terminating vanish. Where the vanishing property of the slide is not marked, there is generally a deficient quantity; and (the force being equal through the whole syllable) speech sounds rough and harsh. Its smoothness depends to a considerable degree on the lessening volume and vanish. These are distinctly marked in the discourse of all cultivated speakers.

Want of quantity.

Some persons cannot lengthen their syllables and consequently cannot be deliberate. Their utterance is therefore always deficient in serious dignity and impressiveness. Such persons cannot use the emphasis of time, and generally employ instead of it, the abrupt forms of stress upon emphatic words. Their discourse, therefore wants smoothness and is monotonous from the frequent recurrence of short percussive impulses.

Some give quantity improperly to their consonant sounds, and in that way, elongate syllables which will not bear extension without a change of their sanctioned pronunciation. Others give a marked quantity to words without assignable cause.

Long quantity, it should be recollected makes a syllable impressive, as compared with others, and should not therefore, be applied without a manifest reason. Some in elongating their words, drawl them, or degenerate into song. This defect is popularly expressed by calling it a " disagreeable tone." It is most prevalent in the

pulpit.

Defects of pitch.

Some persons always read with too low a pitch. This defect is often united with great feebleness, and often with an unvaried monotony. Persons who read in this manner, cannot conveniently increase their force, without raising the pitch of their voice. "Raise your voice," generally means, be more forcible. It is a direction often given by the teacher, when the reader is becoming inaudible. "Raise the pitch, and increase the force of your voice," would be a more proper one. The fault now described, is very prevalent in the reading classes of ladies' schools.

Some public speakers, as we have before observed, adopt too high a pitch. I know a speaker, who, soon after his commencement, runs up to the highest note of his voice, and maintains this high pitch, throughout his discourse, producing of course a constant monotony. He is withall, very loud, and never makes a cadence.

Another, whom I have occasionally heard, commences his sentences with a high and loud note, and, (running down through the octave,) concludes them with a low and feeble one, so as to be scarcely audible. This latter trick of the voice, catches attention at first, but it never pleases the ear long. It is sometimes the result of habit, but oftener marks the charlatan in oratory.

Defects as to transition.

Many persons give no notice to the ear, of the changes of the subject, by change of tone. Transition has been fully treated in a former part of this grammar.

The improper use of the semitone.

The circumstances which ought to regulate the use of

It is a disagreecalled for by the When employed

this element, have been fully set forth. able and unmanly whine, except when strong expression of mournful feeling. to depict the sorrows of the heart in the penitential parts of prayer, or to express, in appeals from the pulpit, the language of genuine pity for perishing man, it is, sometimes, especially when happily united with the tremor, of overwhelming effect. At others, it is the result of mere depression of the animal spirits; a depression, we admit, often felt by those who minister at the altar of God, from causes entitled to the highest respect the semitone, however, is misplaced, except when employed to enhance the expression of sorrowful language; and when otherwise introduced, it cannot fail to communicate some of the painful feeling of the speaker, to the sensitive part of his audience.

Faults in the simple melody.

The most common is monotony, arising from an unvaried radical pitch. The next in frequency, is the jingle, arising from the close recurrence of the same combinations of melody. This has been treated of, page 84. The formal returns are sometimes marked by a conspicuous rise of the voice, and sometimes by an unequal wave. This species of melody is common in the British Parliament, and among the practised speakers of England generally.

Want of cadence.

Some speakers never bring their voices to a full close; not even at the end of a discourse. The repose of the cadence at the termination of any conspicuous train of sentiment, is in the highest degree, grateful to the ear,