Ex. — O yes, you are all that is courteous'.

He is a rare pattern of humanity'.

The same is found in certain kinds of Indecisive Assertions. Ex.-One may be wise, though he be poor'.

އ

I shall go, though I cannot tell when'.

PITCH AND FORCE.

Pitch refers to the general condition of the tones of the voice in repeating a passage, and must be distinguished from Inflection, which describes the transitions of the voice in a word, clause, or sentence. It refers to the key-note of the voice, and marks out a general degree of elevation or depression in the current tone. Force, on the other hand, is the degree of strength expended in the expulsion of the voice.

I treat of them here together, because when combined they make up loudness or softness in the voice, and the combination of different degrees of each, make up a peculiar intonation and expression that must be illustrated by bringing both to bear on the voice at the same time.

I mark four degrees of Pitch: Low, Moderate, High, Very High.

And four degrees of Force: Gentle, Moderate, Strong, Verv Strong.

Moderate

Pitch and force.

Low.

High.
Rising.
Higher,
and

....

Louder.... Very high

and loud....

EXAMPLES IN PITCH AND FORCE.

On the earl's cheek the flush of rage'
O'ercame the ashen hue of age';

Fierce' he broke forth';

And darest thou, then',

To beard the lion in his den'?

The Douglas in his HALL'?

And hop'st thou hence unscathed to go'?
No', by Saint Bride of Bothwell, NO.

Up draw-bridge', grooms'! what, warder, ho!
Let the portcullis FALL'.

Sometimes the expression requires a high pitch, but a gentle or moderate force, or the reverse. The first is required in very plaintive and sorrowful style, or in very joyous and live. expression.

High pitch and low force.

EXAMPLES.

Ah! woe is me; whither shall I fly ?
Pity the sorrows of a poor old man .

Higa pitch

and gentle force.

O, dearest little baby', how sweet becoming
Is thy crown of flowers'.

{Is the crown of how, how

Again the expression may require a low pitch in the voice, but great force in the utterance. The distinction must here be noticed. The force is expended, not on the tone of the voice, but on the strength of utterance, i. e. on the articulation and pronunciation. This indicates great force suppressed. It is used in strong but suppressed Passion - Suspicion, or Fear.

This has reference to the kind of voice used.

Five qualities may be noticed. 1. The Pure Tone. 2. The Orotund. 3. The Aspirated. 4. Guttural. 5. The Trembling.

1. The Pure Tone is the ordinary tone of a good and well trained voice, clear, even, smooth, round, flowing, flexible in sound, and producing a moderate resonance in the head.

Some are highly gifted in this way by nature, but all may improve indefinitely by diligent practice.

It is the tone to be employed in all ordinary reading, where great passion or violent feeling is not expressed.

2. The Orotund is the pure tone deepened, enlarged and intensified for the more earnest and vehement passages of feeling or the profounder emotions of the soul. It produces a greater resonance in the head and chest, requires depression in the larynx, opening of the throat, extension of the mouth, and expansion of the whole chest.

When used with great force and high pitch, it is something more than loudness of tone. It is a rich volume of trumpet sound, inspiring and quickening life, and filling the whole man with exultation and conscious power.

It is an admirable exercise to strengthen the vocal organs, and give life and spirit to the student of oratory; and even in a physical point of view is important, by strengthening and expanding an apparatus so necessary to the health as the lungs. It is

used in all energetic and vehement forms of expression where open courage and force are predominant, as in commanding on the field of battle, or in high and threatening language, and is always accompanied with high pitch and great force.

High pitch. Great force.

tligh and loud.

{

EXAMPLES.

Strike', till the last armed foe expires .
STRIKE', for your altars and your fires'.
STRIKE', for the green graves of your sires',
God and your native land'.

On', ON', you noble English,

Whose blood is set from fathers of war proof.
Wave', Munich', all thy banners WAVE",

And CHARGE' with all thy chivalry.

3. The Aspirated is used in the absence of the vocal sound, and is an expulsion of the breath more or less strong, the words being spoken in a whisper. It is used in amazement, fear, terror. horror.

Low pitch and force.
Aspirate.
Very low

pitch and force.
Aspirate.

Aspirate. Very low pitch.

Very low pitch and force. Aspirate.

EXAMPLES.

How ill this taper burns!

Ha! who comes here?

I think it is the weakness of mine eyes
That shapes this monstrous apparition':
It comes upon me. - Art thou anything?
Ha! soft,

S Have mercy', Heaven'.

'Tis but a dream'.

But then so terrible', it shakes my soul'.

Cold drops of sweat' hang on my trembling flesh;

My blood grows chilly', and I freeze with horror'.

4. The Guttural expresses suppressed hatred and concentrated malignity or loathing.

N. B. It occurs always on the emphatic words.

EXAMPLES.

One is too poor', too weak', for my revengs'.

Thou slave', thou wretch', thou coward!

Thou cold-blooded slave'!

Thou wear a lion's hide'?

Doff it for shame', and hang

A calf-skin on those recreant limbs.

5. The Trembling Tone is used in excessive grief, pity, tenderness, or great plaintiveness, or in an intense degree of suppressed excitement, or satisfaction; in the expression of passion good or bad, or when the voice is enfeebled by physical weakness.

The words with the waving line have the trembling tone.

EXAMPLES.

But now will canker sorrow eat my bud',

And chase the native beauty from his cheek',
And he will look as hollow as a ghost',

As dim and meagre as an ague fit'.

And so he'll die; and rising so again',

When I shall meet him in the court of Heaven,
I shall not know him'.

Therefore, never', never', must I behold
My pretty Arthur more'.

Must thou be gone? It is not yet near day!
It was the nightingale, and not the lark,
That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear;
Nightly she sings in yon pomegranate tree.
Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.

O love, be moderate, allay thy ecstasy,

In measure rein thy joy, scant this excess.

I feel too much thy blessing.

MOVEMENT.

Movement refers to the rate of utterance; and is slow, mode. rate, brisk, or lapid. It should never be so rapid as to be inconsistent with perfect distinctness of articulation.

The Slow movement belongs to Pathos, Solemnity, Adoration, Horror, and Consternation; to expression of Grandeur, Vast

ness, and the like.

The Moderate or Common movement is used in didactic thought and simple narration or description.

The Brisk er Lively, is used in a style cheerful, gay, joyous, and witty, and in all the gentler forms of the vivid emotions. The Rapid, is used in expression of hurry, confusion, violent anger, sudden fear, &c.

EXAMPLES OF SLOW MOVEMENT.

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day;

The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea;
The plowman homeward plods his weary way,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.

On horror's head, horrors accumulate.

High on a throne of royal state, which far outshone
The wealth of Ormus and of Ind,

Satan exalted sat.

EXAMPLES OF MODERATE MOVEMENT.

Who has e'er been in London, that overgrown place,
Has seen "lodgings to let," stare him full in the face.
A warrior so bold and a virgin so bright

Conversed as they sat on the green.

I was ever of opinion, that the honest man who married and brought up a family, did more service than he who continued single and only talked of population.

EXAMPLES OF THE BRISK OR LIVELY MOVEMENT.

The wind one morning sprung up from sleep,
Crying, "Now for a frolic, now for a leap!"
Forth from the passing tumult driven,
Like chaff before the wind of heaven,

The archery appear.

Come, thou goddess, fair and free,

In heav'n yclep'd Euphrosyne;

Haste thee, nymph, and bring with thee
Jests and youthful jollity.

EXAMPLES OF THE RAPID MOVEMENT.

And there was mounting in hot haste,

The steed, the must'ring squadron, and the clatt'ring car, When pouring forward with impetuous speed,

And swiftly forming in the ranks of war.

Up draw-bridge, grooms! what, warder, ho!
Let the portcullis fall!

PAUSE.

The pause I shall treat of here is the rhetorical pause, and not the ordinary pauses marked by the different punctuations