VOCAL AND ACTION -LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION BY E. N. KTRBY TKACHRR OF ELOCUTION IN LVNN HIGH SCHOOLS [WITI.E.3IT7] BOSTON LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS NEW YORK C. T. DILLINGHAM, 678 BROADWAY 1885 COPYRIGHT, 1884, Bv E. N. KIRBY. BOS TO 1 . ELECTROTYPE!) AN ALFRED MUDG1 PREFACE. MANY of my pupils have repeatedly requested me to print for reference the matter on elocution as I have given it in class and private instruction. With this in view, and hoping to benefit professional speakers and others, I venture to make public the subject as it has been received from the best sources in this country, which I am assured, upon the most reliable evidence, affords opportunities superior to those of any other in the world. My aim has been simply to make a concise and practical handbook on elocution, adapted especially to the needs of those who have had no adequate instruction or practice in an art which they must use as readers, speakers, or teachers. I lay no claim to original discovery, except in minor instances ; but claim tbe advantage of having proven in teaching the value of the method and practice herein pre- sented. If the analysis and arrangement are valuable, I shall have accomplished something ; for no book, yet published, sys- tematically presents the whole subject. The authorities for the facts contained in these pages are specialists in their departments. This will make the con- tents of standard value. I would gratefully acknowledge my obligation to my former teachers, prominent among whom were Prof. L. B. Monroe and Dr. Charles A. Guilmette (now deceased) and Dr. C. W. Emerson. I would here offer thanks to Dr. Martin, of Johns Hopkins University, for permission to use figures from his excellent work on "The Human Body," and to Messrs. Henry Holt & Co., publishers, for plates of the same. E. N. KIRBY. JULY 12, 1884. TO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. IT is hardly necessary to say that in no art, and especially not in the art of expression, can a handbook fill the place of a living teacher ; but with good book instruction the faithful student will make decided progress. I am confident that this instruction will also be found a valuable supplement to any teacher's efforts. In this subject, the student would do well to " prove all things," as far as possible, and accept any statement only because it means so much to him. It is recommended, first, that two or more combine in classes for mutual help. Among other things, this secures the advantage of another's eyes to see and another's ears to hear; second, that the student study the contents of these pages, and become thoroughly acquainted with their princi- ples, then to practise faithfully day by day the exercises prescribed. Exercise in this work should be both general and specific, and adapted to individual peculiarities. Each student should seek first to know his own peculiar faults, and then work with the special exercise to overcome them. In addition to this, it is advisable to practise all that brings any development, and to cultivate expression with the fullest use of every agent. Let your work be not only destructive in overcoming faults, but constructive in seeking perfect expression. The student must work with the ear as well as with the mouth. Train the ear to detect every quality of voice and inflection, etc. The caution is given not to become 6 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. discouraged if not able to accomplish any task after repeated efforts. You must " learn to labor and to wait." The time element must enter largely into the problem of all culture, and this is doubly true in the art of expression. The faults you seek to eradicate are the growth of years, perhaps ; but faithful work will accomplish good results in every case. CONTENTS. PREFACE 3 To TEACHERS AND STUDENTS . . 5 LIST OF AUTHORITIES 11 INTRODUCTORY. NECESSITY AND IMPORTANCE OF ELOCUTIONARY TRAINING. Use of Language acquired Practical Necessity Relation to Press 13 OPINIONS OF DISTINGUISHED MEN. Archbishop of York Rev. Dr. Hall Dr. J. G Holland Dr. Kirk Hon. W. E. Dodge 19 HISTORY OF ELOCUTION 21 THE SYSTEM OF ORATORY 24 ORATORY AS AN ART 25 QUALIFICATIONS OF THE ORATOR. Character Truth Thor- ough Knowledge Store of Facts' Memory Tact Good- Will Sincerity Logic Rhetoric Imagination Knowl- edge of the Fine Arts 28 CONDITIONS 31 ..READING AND SPEAKING 32 PART I. VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION, Vocal Culture. CHAPTER I. PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. For Vital Functioning Chest Capa city Erect, Strong Bearing Respiration Freedom ... 37 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. CHAPTER II. THE PHYSICAL BASIS OF VOICE. Sound Musical Tones Force Pitch Quality Overtones Physical Value of Vowels * 40 CHAPTER III. RESPIRATION Inspiration Expiration Kinds of Breathing Air breathed Ventilation Forced Breathing Lung Expansion 45 CHAPTER IV. THE INSTRUMENT OF VOICE 55 THE PHYSIOLOGY AND ANATOMY OF THE VOCAL APPARATUS. Trachea Larynx Lungs Opening of Glottis Ten- sion of Vocal Cords , . . . 56 CHAPTER V. VOCAL DEVELOPMENT. Qualities of Voice 62 CHAPTER VI. ORTHOEPY. Pronunciation Alphabetic Vowels Conso- nants Articulation 72 Vocal Expression. CHAPTER VII. LANGUAGE. Language of Form Attitude Automatic Move- ment Gesture Facial Expression Inarticulate Noises Inflected Tones Articulate Language Deeds 82 ARTICULATE LANGUAGE. Emphasis 84 LANGUAGE OF INFLECTED TONES. Pitch Discrete Con- crete Slides Rising Semitone Falling Circumflex 85 CHAPTER VIII. MELODY OF DISCOURSE. Discrete Pitch Cadence . . . . a 94 MEASURE OF SPEECH. Accent Measure Quantity .... 97 CONTENTS. 9 STRESS. Radical Median Terminal Thorough Intermit- tent 99 FORCE. Gentle Moderate Loud Very Loud 101 MOVEMENT. Quick Moderate Slow Very Slow .... 103 QUALITIES OF Voice JN USE. Pure Tone Full Tone Aspi- rated Guttural 104 PHRASING OR GROUPING , . 105 CLIM\X 1 06 STYLE 107 IMITATIVE MODULATION 108 TRANSITION 108 ANALYSIS OF EXPRESSIVE \OICE no PART II. ACTION-LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. CHAPTER I. EXPRESSION BY ACTION. Sir Charles Bell's Investigations Dar- win's Principles Other Classifications . . . ,. 1115 ORATORICAL VALUE OF ACTION 116 CHAPTER IT. GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE. Preparatory Exercises Laws 122 CHAPTER III. CRITERIA FOR PRACTICE 126 DELSARTE'S CLASSIFICATION '....' . 126 THE CHEST IN EXPRESSION , , . . 120 CHAPTER IV. THE LIMBS IN EXPRESSION. The Feet and Legs The Hand The Arms 128 CHAPTER V. THE FACE AND HEAD IN EXPRESSION. The Eyes The Head, 136 10 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. PART III. EXPRESSION. THE S ANAL\ I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XL XII. PEAKER T1EFORE THE AUDIENC r sis OF WRITTEN LANGUAGE. 146 147 148 149 152 158 162 163 THE ELDER BROTHER . . , THE CHEERFUL LOCKSMITH. LOCHINVAR TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE . SPEECH CASSIUS AND BRUTUS . . . LANGUAGE Monroe's Reader .... Charles Dickens .... Sir Walter Scott .... Wendell Phillips .... Patrick Henry Shakespeare BUNKER HILL MONUMENT . PSALM xxxix JOHN ix THE SURE REWARD . . . FULNESS OF LOVE .... Webster King David St. John _/. G. Whittier Charles Wesley LIST OF AUTHORITIES. THE following are some of the authorities used in this book- ALFORD, DEAN HENRY . . . .,.....-. "'Queen's English." ALGER, REV. WM, R. . . . " Dramatic Art " (in " Life of Forrest ") AUSTIN, GILBERT " Chironomea." BARBER, DR. JONATHAN " Grammar of Elocution.*' BELL, AM " Principles of Elocution.'' BELL, SIR CHARLES " Anatomy of Expression." BELL, SIR CHARLES " The Hand." BROWN AND BEHNKE "Voice Song and Speech/' CATLIN, GEORGE , " Shut your Mouth." DARWIN, CHAS. . . . " Expression of Emotion in Man and Animals/' TTELAUMOSNE, M. L'ABBE. '* Delsarte's Expressive Man." (Trans. by F. Shaw.) GUTTMAN, OSKAR " Vocal Gymnastics." HOLMES, GORDON "Physiology and Hygiene of the Voice/' HELMHOLTZ ....*' Sensation of Tone/* (Trans, by Alex, J. Ellis ) JEBB, JOHN " Attic Orators." LEGOUVE, EARNEST . . " Art of Reading." (Trans, by Edwd. Roth.) MARTIN, H, NEWELI " The Human Body." MONROE, L. B " Vocal Gymnastics " and " Reader." PLUMPTRE, CHARLES J. . . " Lectures on Elocution." QUINTILIAN "Institutes of Oratory." RUSH, DR. JAMES " Philosophy of the Human Voice." TYNDALL, JOHN " On Sound." WHITE, R. G " Words and their Uses." INTRODUCTION ', the residual and supplemental together forming the stationary air, which remains in the chest during quiet breathing. In an ordinary inspiration 30 cubic inches of tidal air are taken in, and about the same amount is expelled in nat- ural expiration. By a forced inspiration, about 98 cubic inches of comple- mental air can be added to the tidal air. After a forced inspiration, there- fore, the chest will contain 228 cubic inches of air. The amount which can be taken in by the most violent possible inspiration, after the strong- est possible expiration, that is, the supplemental, tidal, and complemental air together, is known as the vital capacity. For a healthy man 5 feet 8 inches high, it is about 225 cubic inches, and increases about nine cubic for each inch of height." 4 5O VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. Fresh air comes in between the sashes, the current is -directed upward, preventing a draught upon any one in the room. How to Breathe. Breath may be taken through the open mouth, or through the nostrils, the mouth being closed. Breathing to sustain nature's functions, to oxygenate blood and carry off waste matter, should be carried on through the nostrils. Premature decay, disease, no doubt, frequently are the penalty of habitual mouth breathing. George Catlin, the great traveller among the American Indians, has a very val- uable book on this subject, entitled, " Shut your Mouth," showing the vital importance of nostril breathing, as related to hygiene. His statistics of comparative mortality in certain diseases make an interesting showing in favor of the nostril- breathing savage, compared with the mouth-breathing white man. He would have the legend, Shut your Mouth, written on every bedpost in the land. In mouth breathing, (i) the moisture and liquid of the mouth is carried off, instead of being retained to cleanse the cavities by the processes of solution; (2) cold air is taken immediately upon the lungs, when it would have been warmed by traversing the nasal cavities, before reaching the delicate tissue of the bronchial tubes. The philosophy of holding a handkerchief over the mouth is, that it compels nostril breathing; (3) noxious particles are taken down into the throat, and easily assimilated, when they might have been arrested by the hairs of the nasal cavities and expelled. Forced Breathing. Breathing during the process .of vocal effort, however, must be carried on largely through the mouth, as it can be done so much more quickly during the rapid movement of utterance. The speaker should keep the mouth shut when possible, and breathe through the nostrils. Development. The student's effort should be to secure (a.) The diaphragmatic breathing. (.) Chest development. (<:.) Lung expansion. (//.) Breath control. V VOCAL CULTURE. 51 Practice. i. Diaphragmatic breathing should be not only under control, but established as a habit ; for it gives greater lung capacity, strength to project the voice, and better breath control. Exercise i. Exhaust the lungs slowly, by an effort that flattens or " draws in " the walls of the abdomen, especially in front ; now breathe in slowly, directing the air to the base of the lungs, pressing the walls of the abdomen out, and keeping the collar bone (upper part of the chest) from raising ; follow by costal breathing. As a practice, diaphragmatic breathing is facilitated by lying upon the back ; also by keeping the fingers against the upper part of the abdomen (in front) during respiration ; this culti- vates consciousness in the locality ; now inhale against the fingers and expel from behind them. Lung Expansion. Lung capacity can be increased by enlarging the chest capacity. The late Dr. Guilmette showed us several photographs of himself taken at different periods of his life. The first, taken in his younger days, showed the shoulders bent forward, the chest flat, and the general appearances indicated a delicate man. The other photographs showed the process of develop- ment after he began practice until the time he stood before us, erect, with an astonishingly deep and broad chest. He could inhale three hundred and eighty cubic inches at one breath ; his voice was immense. Exerciser. Primary attitude (weight on balls of feet); active chest (chest lifted and projected) ; hands open in front of face, backs from face ; bring the arms back and down, with firm effort and closed fist ; the face of the wrist will now be out and the forearm vertical. Exercise 3. Inhale deep ; hands on cli2st ; elbows level with shoulders ; now give the chest light percussive taps ; this effort bounces the air into the distant air-cells. Exercise 4. Erect, active chest ; deep inhalation. Throw 52 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. the hand vigorously forward, horizontal and level with the shoulder, backs of hands up ; feel the tension of the muscles on upper back and shoulderblades. Keeping the arms ex- tended, turn the wrists up, clench the fists ; while turning, bring the arm back and down ; now the elbows are at the side, the fist level with the waist and thrown out. The muscles of lower chest and abdomen are developed by this latter movement. Exercise 5. Knead the chest by putting the hands as far up under the armpits as possible and then squeezing the chest. This loosens the articulations at the sternum and vertebrae, allowing the ribs at the same time to elevate themselves more at a right angle, thus giving greater chest capacity. Exercise 6. Distend the lungs with deep, full breath ; hold breath. Upon the principle that heat expands, the air held in the lungs increases in bulk and distends the lungs, as the air in a bladder when warmed distends the bladder. The heat of the body at the heart is about 110. The air when taken in, only about 70 Fahrenheit ; when expelled, 97 Fahrenheit, allowing great increase in bulk by expansion. We should begin the exercise by holding ten seconds and in- creasing gradually. Divers in the South Sea islands can hold their breath for three minutes. Exercise 7. Prolonged breathing while running and walk- ing. This exercise is said to have been much practised by Demosthenes. Breath Control. The importance of controlling the breath so that it shall be economically expended, and vocal effort made with as little friction and fatigue as possible, can- not be over-estimated. Many speakers have the faulty habit of "running out of breath." This should never occur, even in the most impas- sioned discourse or utterance. Another faulty habit to be overcome, is the most vicious VOCAL CULTURE. 53 one of using only the top part of the lungs, with a rigid mus- cular exertion. Accompanying this use of the vocal appa- ratus is the high, narrow tone so disagreeable to the ear. The action in the use of the breath should begin at the dia- phragmatic region. The power to propel the voice should come from the expiratory muscles. Strength of voice and control of breath depend upon the development, contractibility, and elasticity of the muscles of respiration, especially upon the control and development of the expiratory muscles. The diaphragmatic and abdominal muscles contract, forming a solid floor at the base of the chest, that, piston-like, follows up the emptying of the lungs. This solidifies the vocal effort, and is very important. Exercise 8. Diaphragmatic resistance. (i.) Place the hands circling the region just below the floating ribs, thumbs toward the back. Now make a con. tinuous muscular effort, without breathing, resisting the hands. (2.) Place the hands in front, the fingers pressing on the region of the diaphragm ; make muscular resistance. (3.) Place the half-fist on the region midway ; muscular resistance as above. Practise i, 2, and 3 with continuous breathing, also with sudden breathing. Exercise 9. Extend the hands as far over the head as possi- ble, reaching with tips of fingers; now bend body forward, reaching to the floor with palms of hands ; knees unbent ; let hands fall ; bend back ; knees bent forward to .preserve balance. Exercise 10. Hands upon the. hips for support, thumbs to back, bend body forward, and rotate clear around on the axis of the hip joints. Exercise n. Hands hanging; flex to right, to left, without stooping, but stretching while flexing. Exercise 12. Inhale as slowly as possible; hold the breath (lungs distended) as long as possible; now exhale as slowly 54 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. as possible. Time this exercise and witness the increased ability. Avoid prolonging the exercise to discomfort. Other exercises for breath control during vocal effort will be given farther along. VOCAL CULTURE. 55 CHAPTER IV. THE INSTRUMENT OF VOICE. DURING expiration, the breath, forced through the chink between the approximated vocal bands, sets them in vibration. Voice is the sound caused by the vibration of these bands. All animals with a larynx are capable of voice. The voice has been compared to all kinds of musical instruments. It is generally classed among the reed variety, but as it combines so many excellences that others do not possess, it cannot be described by being placed in any cate- gory of manufactured instruments. Physiology and Anatomy of the Vocal Apparatus. The instrument of voice consists of 1. The lungs. 2. The muscles of respiration, especially the muscles of expiration : (a) the diaphragmatic muscle, () the abdominal and the internal intercostal. 3. The trachea. All these have been previously described. x 4. The larynx, containing the vocal bands. 5. The pharynx, the mouth, and nasal cavities. 7 The larynx is a prominence on the front part of the throat, sometimes called "Adam's apple," and has a framework of nine cartilages, bound together by joints and membranes. Muscles attached move these cartilages in relation to one another. Quality of voice depends primarily upon the size of the larynx, or in other words, upon the length of the vocal cords. Modification of the voice, as to pitch, depends upon (a) the 50 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. approximation and separation and (b) upon the tension of the vocal bands. Control of the vocal column, of the stroke of the glottis (so called), and of vowel explosion depends upon the function of these bands. THE FRAMEWORK OF THE LARYNX. Ca From " The Human "Body," by Dr. Martin. Fig. The more important cartilages of the larynx from behind: t, thyroid; Cs, its superior, and Ci, its inferior, horn of the right side; **, cricoid cartilage ; t Arytenoid cartilage ; Pv, the corner to which the pos- terior end of vocal cord is attached ; Pm, corner on which the muscles which approximate or separate the vocal cords are inserted ; Co, cartilage of Santorini. The epiglottis is a cartilage that covers the entrance to the larynx during the act of swallowing. The vocal bands (ordinarily called vocal cords) are liga- ments, elastic, and of a whitish color, about three fourths of an inch long in adult males and about one half of an inch in females. VOCAL CULTURE. 57 The most important muscles of the larynx are : The posterior crico- "> Opening the arytenoidfi. ) vocal chink. The lateral crico-arytenoidei and the 1 Closing arytenoideus, assisted by the \ the thyro-arytenoidei. vocal chink. GOVERNING THE PITCH OF THE VOICE. The crico-thyroidei assisted ^j Stretching by the the posterior crico-arytenoidei. J vocal ligaments. The thyro-arytenoidei. Slackening the vocal ligaments. MUSCLES OF THE LARYNX. GOVERNING SIZE OF THE GLOTTIS. NAME. The crico-arytenoi- dei posterior. The lateral crico- arytenoidei. ATTACHMENT. To back of cricoid cartilage and to aryte- noid. To side of cricoid cartilage, inner sur- face ; run up and back to muscular processes of aryt. cartilage. EFFECT. Pull back and down the muscular proc- esses of the arytenoi- dei, which rotate and widen the glottis. Pull down and for- ward, the muscular processes of the aryte- noidei rotate, the vo- cal processes go in and up, and narrow the . glottis, 58 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. Both acting together neutralize the result ; the arytenoidei are pulled down and out, off the cricoid cartilage. This is the condition of the vocal cords in quiet breathing. TENSION OF THE VOCAL CORDS. NAME OF MUSCLE. ATTACHMENT. The crico-thyroidei, assisted by the poste- rior crico-arytenoklei. Thyro-arytenoidei. Cricoid and thyroid, over cricoid and thy- roid membrane, and are attached to the posterior crico-aryte- noidei. The thyroid lies on each side of the elas- tic folds of the vocal cords. In front at- tached to thyroid, and behind to the aryte- noid. EFFECT. The thyroid carti- lages, to which the front ends of the vocal cords are attached, arc pulled do\vn,stretching the vocal cords, if the arytenoid cartilages at the same time be kept from slipping forward by the muscles behind. Pull the thyroid car- tilage up, and thus re- lax the vocal cords. /, Thyroid cartilage. , image of the larynx in respi- ration ; 3, 3, thyroid cartilage ; 4, epiglottis ; 5, 5, vocal cords ; 7, 7, ven- tricular bands. During speech the movement of the larynx as a whole is frequently made up and down, varying the length of the vocal column, somewhat on the principle of the trombone. SECTION OF THE MOUTH AND THROAT. T, the tongue; V, vocal passage; IT, hard palate; S, soft palate; A, air passage ; B, uvula ; E, epiglottis ; O, Oesophagus ; N, trachea ; C, vocal cord ; L, larynx. VOCAL CULTURE. 6 1 The larynx is attached to the hyoid (tongue) bone and, of course, is moved somewhat by the action of the tongue. It is also moved up and down by the extrinsic muscles of the larynx. It is lowest in position in " oo " and highest in " ee " ; it goes down during inspiration, and also as the pitch of the voice goes down in the scale. It rises during expira- tion and in high pitch. 62 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. CHAPTER V. VOCAL DEVELOPMENT. WE have seen that the vocal function depends upon mus- cular action, and is under the control of the will. Practice then for the development of the voice is as feasible as prac- tice for the development of the biceps, or for skill in finger- ing a musical instrument. While the powers cf the voice are improvable, development, of course, is subject to natural limitations. No speaker need lament that he has a poor voice ; for if he is willing to do the drudgery of practice, he may have a passably good one. Those who have the best voices cannot afford to wait upon nature's gift. No singer attempts his profession till he has practised long upon the cultivation of his voice. Why should the speaker ? We quote from Legouve's " Art of Reading " : " The organ of the voice is not merely an organ ; it is really an instrument, just as much as a piano is an instrument. On leaving the hands of a skilful manufacturer, a piano is an instrument as complete and perfect as human skill can make it, and the sounds it gives forth are as harmonious and cor- rect as artist hand can produce. But the little piano we re- ceive from mother nature is very far from being in such a state of perfection. Some of its strings are wanting alto- gether ; some of its sounds are quite discordant ; some of its notes are absolutely false ; so that by the time we come to be a voice-pianist, we have got to be not only a player, but also a manufacturer, a repairer, a tuner, that is to say, we ourselves are obliged to complete, harmonize, equalize, ad- just, and tune our instrument." VOCAL CULTURE. 63 In discussing vocal culture, we will be obliged to include more than is put in the definition of voice previously given, for we must consider its qualities as modified by the cham- bers of the vocal passage. Breath Control. As voice is only possible during forced breathing, and as voice production depends so much upon breath control, we naturally consider this first. We have already discussed respiration, giving the different ways of taking breath. Here again we insist upon the neces- sity of at once getting control of the deep or diaphragmatic breathing. The inflated lungs should be strongly grasped, and the power to expend the breath be under the control of the speaker. Avoid collapsing suddenly, and thus wasting the breath ; but establish the habit of noiselessly filling the lungs, and of keeping a full supply on hand. See chapter on respi- ration for technical practice. Attack. Too frequently the vocal cords are not closed as promptly and accurately as they" should be, and we have the effect of "gliding," instead of a definite stroke or explo- sion. This relaxed or uneducated action of the vocal cords, lacking control of the vocal column, has been compared to smoke lazily winding out of the top of a chimney instead of being controlled and directed, as a nozzle of a hose controls and directs the column of water. Dr. Guilmette gave the class the syllable "ung" to be ex- . plocled on different pitches , make the stroke firm and clear. Practise : up, oo, oh, oh, ah, ah ; his, him, homely, hospital ; take any selection^ pronouncing the words with vigor. Qualities of Voice. Strength. Strength of tone, as we have seen, results from amplitude of vibration, and this, in turn, depends upon the force of expiration out of well-filled lungs. Seeking for strength, many speakers " grasp" the throat, constrict the 64 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. muscles of the fauces and larynx, giving that unpieasant squeezed sensation, and irritating the throat. This vicious habit is a source of the disease called " clergyman's sore throat." The muscles of the throat should be relaxed, and the motor power gotten from the diaphragmatic and other muscles of expiration. Practice. Instead of working for loudness, think of solid- ity. Use the dynamic method of exploding the vowels ah, oo, o, in pronouncing words. Cultivate intensity. Resonance. In the discussion under the "Physical Basis of Voice," we have seen that bodies in vibration are re-enforced by other bodies of the same pitch and by upper partial tones. The chest, throat, head, and lining membrane of the entire vocal passage re-enforce the vibration of the vocal cords, giving the quality we call resonance. Again the ventricles between the true and false vocal cords, the pharynx, the mouth, and the nares form chambers of resonance that can be tuned to any pitch. This interesting fact was the subject of lengthy experiment by Helmholtz and others. In the late Boston University School of Oratory, the class had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Alex. Graham Bell demonstrate this fact by a skilful adjustment of the vocal cavities accord- ing to the principles of " visible speech," and then producing sound by tapping on the throat. He placed a lead-pencil across the larynx, altering the cavity of the mouth to suit, by changing the position of the tongue, then snapping the lead pencil with his finger, without vocal effort ran up and down the scale with apparent facility. Practice. Great care should be exercised to keep the vocal parts healthy. Congestion, condition of dryness, pre- vents the full development of the parts. Practise the exercises for chest development, lung expan- sion, thoracic flexibility, as found in the chapter on " Respi- ration." Be careful to relax the throat muscles, as all rigidity of these muscles prevents resonance. VOCAL CULTURE. 65 Body. That quality of voice that may be described as body is the result of deep resonance, and includes the lower tones of the scale. Practise exploding oo, 6, a; deep inhalation; round the lips, prolong these sounds, especially the "oo," for this is the lowest tone in the scale. The effect upon the ear is the round, full quality. Take deep inhalation, speak : " Ye crags and peaks, I 'm with you once again ! I hold to you the hands you first beheld, To show they still are free. Methinks I hear A spirit in your echoes answer me, And bid your tenant welcome home again ! " Speak slowly in monotone, with prolonged effort and exhausting the lungs with the effort. The effect upon the ear is the full, diffusive quality. Practise, " O thou that rollest above, Round as the shield of my fathers," with relaxed throat muscles, round mouth, full lungs, dia- phragmatic action, with something of bombast in tone ; do not force the breath. Think of its resonating in the cavities. Let the mind be in a generous attitude. The effect upon the ear will be a deep, full resonance. Brilliancy is the resonance of the upper part of the vocal passage, especially the head and face. This is accomplished largely by bringing the tone front. That vicious habit of ventriloquizing, and of allowing the tone to " focus " far back in the fauces, must be overcome. It has been observed that in savage races the elements of speech are chiefly guttural. Brutes have only voice, and it is confined to the throat. As races advance in civilization, the front elements of speech predominate. Elements that should be formed in the front cavities, when permitted to fall back, sometimes indicate physical weakness, as in the case of sick people or invalids. Often it is a vicious habit, the result of 5 66 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. relaxing the muscles of respiration and allowing the voice to fall back. It is especially marked in some kinds of affecta- tion, again in patronizing goody-goody talk. Practice. (a.) Prolong the "m" sound, lips lightly touching; imagine the tone front, (b.) Pronounce neatly the syllable "him," " Many men need more money," " Most any further margin merits failure." Be careful to hold all the syllables from falling back in the throat, especially the final syllable of each word; let the pronunciation be firm, but easy and clean-cut. For face resonance, practise " n " (organs in " n " position), as "m" above is practised. Sound " ne," " le," prolong. The vowel a locates what we might call the middle resonance. Practice. Sound a, prolong; "They may pay." One point of resonance does not necessarily exclude the other points ; the brilliancy of head and face resonance does not exclude the fulness of throat and chest resonance. In the perfect voice they blend into a perfect whole. The listen- ing ear would locate the perfect tone when sounded between the eyes. Chant, or better, speak on monotone, carefully moulding and prolonging vowels, the tone formed front : Rise, like a cloud of incense from the earth ! Thou kingly spirit, throned among the hills, Thou dread ambassador from earth to heaven, Great hierarch ! tell thou the silent sky, And tell the stars, and tell yon rising sun, Earth, with her thousand voices, praises God. Purity. By purity of voice, we understand freedom from those vicious qualities, the result of faulty use of the vocal organs. Faults, previously enumerated, might be classified here ; but as they have been properly treated, we will name the following in this category : (i.) Dental quality results from keeping the teeth closed VOCAL CULTURE. 6/ and allowing the air to beat against them. The effect upon the ear is that dull and close sound. Practice. Prolong " m " (as before given) ; m + a, glide from m to a, then to a ; m -f- a, gliding from the first sound to the second. Open the mouth wide, and " think" the tone front. Without vocal effort, practise letting the jaw fall freely, opening the mouth wide ; and with vocal effort, practise " fah, lah, etc.," uttering rapidly and letting the jaw fall easily and generously. In separating the jaws, be careful to avoid thrust- ing the lower jaw (chin) forward. A straight edge placed against the chin, lips, and beneath the nose will guide ; in opening, the chin should fall away from the straight edge. Practise reading, exaggerating the opening of the mouth. This fault of keeping the teeth closed is very common, and should be constantly guarded against. Frequently it arises from a lazy way of articulating ; but more frequently it is the force of habit, that vigor alone fails to relieve. In the pro- nunciation of " e," the closest vowel, the teeth should show opening. (2.) Nasality results from allowing the veil of the palate to hang down, closing the mouth aperture and permitting the air to strike against the veil or find its way into the nasal cav- ities. This fault is too common. Mr. Spurgeon, in address- ing a class of young ministers, censured this vicious habit, telling them that physiologists were agreed that the nose was not an organ of speech, but that it was made to smell with. Only " m " and " n " naturally pass through the nose. Practice. "All call Paul." Read any selection while affecting a gape ; hold the nose with finger and thumb ; make a strong effort to get the tone to pass through the open mouth aperture. Cultivate consciousness in the soft palate, and feel when it is up and when down. Listen for the dull thud in the voice, and prevent it, as directed above. (3.) Guttural results from lifting the back of the tongue 68 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. against the 'walls of the pharynx, or of contracting the phar- ynx and bringing the pillars of the fauces too near together. Practice. Be quiet, composed, easy in vocal effort ; relax the " squeezing " effort of the throat, and grasp by use of the abdominal muscles. (4.) Thickness or mouthful quality results from lifting the dorsum of the tongue too high. It is sometimes called " sucking the tongue." Practise the proper use of the tongue as taught in articula- tion. (5.) Huskiness results from (a) diseases, as cold or chronic disorder of the parts ; (b) failure to approximate or make tense the vocal cords. Practice. Of course get rid of the disease under some skilled advice. Beware of the many nostrums to clear the throat. Practise the exercises found under " attack." The clear, penetrating, yet sweet quality of tone, which we call pure tone, is seldom found to perfection ; but of fhe poorest voices, oidinary perseverance will make good one^ in this respect. Practise reading in clear, pure tone : " Ye bells in the steeple, ring, ring out your changes, How many soever they be, And let the brown meadow lark's note as he ranges, Come over, come over to me." Pitch. By pitch we mean the place in the musical scale, The faults to be guarded against are as follows : (i.) Stilting the voine to the higher range of tones ; intense mentality leads to this fault, as does also the effort to made one's self heard by a large audience. In Other cses it is a chronic fault. (2.) Another fault is the opposite one 01 keeping the voice on a low pitch, ventriloquizing in dull monotony. This VOCAL CULTURE. 69 fault frequently arises from intense subjectiveness ; again it is a habit. Practice. Mind and body should be in a free attitude, the middle pitch of voice should be found and used as the com- mon point about which the voice is allowed to play. If the speaker uses the lower half of the vocal range, positive, long downward slides will be impossible ; on the other hand, if the upper half is used, the command of long upward slides is impossible. By using the middle pitch, we have a range above and below that may be utilized. The whole range of voice is necessary to the production of vocal climax, to variety and character of expression, now calling for the thunder of the lower range, anon for the lightning of the upper. All thun- der and no lightning is very monotonous ; all lightning is a terrible. strain upon both speaker and audience. Flexibility of voice is the ability to move from one pitch to another either concretely or discretely with ease and promptness. Variety in pitch and in slide is indispensably necessary to effective expression. This depends (a) upon a clear ap- preciation of the thought behind the language, distinctly and consecutively appreciated ; () then upon a skilful use of the vocal apparatus, the proper adjustment of vocal cords, posi_ tion of the larynx, and form of the pharyngeal and mouth cavities. Practice. Sing the scale promptly ; make the third, fifth, and eighth intervals, sung and spoken, slide up and down in speech on the musical intervals over one step, two steps, etc. ; then swing the voice over the same inter- vals, beginning on a low pitch and swing over the higher, returning to the lower; beginning on a higher and singing to a lower. Pronounce the same word on a different pitch ; take several words, pronounce each on a different pitch. 7O VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. Pronounce Kook-koo, repeat rapidly with prompt attack ("stroke of the glottis"). The finger placed on the larynx outside will reveal the alternate elevation and depression of this organ. Grace. By this we mean that smooth and gliding property noticeable in pleasant voices, which is the effect of vowel quantity. Some sounds that appear simple are really com- pounds. Take, for instance, the vowel " i." Uttered in the simple way we find these characteristics : it opens with some degree of abruptness, and gradually diminishes on the obscure sound of e, ending in a delicate, vanishing point. Dr. -Rush was the first to note this quality. He gives the name of radical to the first part of the element, and van- ishing movement to the second, and calls the whole move- ment a radical and vanishing tone. This property of voice shows its superiority over all other instruments. Dr. Barber says, "The full manifestation of the radical and vanishing in the management of the slides of long quantity, or in other words, the utterance of long syllables in reading and speaking, is in the highest degree captivating to the ear, and is what gives smoothness and delicacy to the tones of the voice." The voice, destitute of this vanishing property, sounds coarse, harsh, and heavy. This perfection of syllabic quantity with vanishing move- ment is really a perfection of pronunciation. But as it so manifestly affects the quality of the voice, we have discussed it under this head. It is also intimately connected with in- flection. This property is noticeable on short syllables, though not so obvious. The necessity of mastering this property of voice is plain. Practise the following elements : a (as in fall), a (far), a (ale)> I (isle), 6 (pole), oo (pool), e (eel), and the diphthongs ou (our) and oy (boy). The sudden opening of these vowels and their gradual vanishing is very noticeable if uttered deliberately. VOCAL CULTURE. 71 Dr. Rush gives the subjoined diagram to furnish a more obvious view of the process. tjL jg .msn -~-^ ABC A. The opening fulness; B. The quantity with diminishing volume; C. The vanishing point. Practise also with the long quantity : orb, aid, all, save, old, home, praise, hail, the, isles, "how, owls, go. Unusual imperfections of voice resulting from congenital conformation, such as cleft palate, etc., hardly find appropri- ate place in this connection. Additional practice : Be careful to observe the faults and excellences enumerated, and practise with attentive ear : " There 's a good time coming, boys, A good time coming ; We may not live to see the day, But earth shall glisten in the ray Of the good time coming. Cannon balls may aid the truth, But thought 's a weapon stronger ; We '11 win our battle by its aid, Wait a little longer." Practise the following, giving especial attention to long quantity ; utter smoothly on long monotone : " There stood an unsold captive in the mart a gray-haired and majestical old man chained to a pillar. It was almost night the last seller from his place had gone not a sound was heard but of a dog crunching beneath the stall a refuse bone or the dull echo from the pavement rung as the faint captive changed his weary feet." Chant the same. Practise on any selection, regarding all the properties above. 72 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. CHAPTER VI. ORTHOEPY. "Words are the sounds of the heart" Chinese Proverb. AFTER voice, the next step naturally leads us to consider words and their alphabetical elements, out of which discourse is made. Pronunciation. The rhetorician will enjoin upon you to be careful to have purity of diction ; then the elocutionist will tell you to conform to the accepted standards of pronun- ciation. No one who aims at perfection will be satisfied with a pronunciation because it is the one generally given. Any word about which he is in doubt ought to drive the student to some accepted standard. The printed standard is final authority. It is true the standard is based upon good usage and general consent of the educated for long periods of time ; but many educated persons are negligent as to pronunciation. The student will have to exercise great caution and diligence to get the exact pronunciation of his mother tongue. Only the other day we heard a Boston doctor of divinity use- a " microscope " several times, instead of the familiar old in- strument, microscope. This was not the only mistake of the kind, nor is this doctor of divinity alone. Many of the most familiar words are often mispronounced by the best educated. " God " is frequently pronounced " Gaud " ; consequently there is but little difference between godliness and gaudiness. The letter " r'" is a very much neglected letter, among Americans especially. Mr. Spurgeon, in his address to students, said : " Abhor the practice of some men who will not bring out the letter ' r.' Such a habit is wewy wuinous and widiculous, wewy VOCAL CULTURE. 73 wetched and weprehensible." Such men make "Laud" out of "Lord," "has" out of "horse," etc., if they do no worse. In the Southern States the final "r" sound is converted into a vowel sound, as in " moah " for "more," "doah" for "door." This letter, so frequently slighted, at other times is made to do service where it is wretchedly out of place, as when the "r" sound is added to a final syllable ending in a vowel. This fault is common to New York and the New England States. Here "law" frequently becomes "lawr"; "formula," "formu- lar," etc. A more common barbarism of New England is the change of long " u," the richest vowel of the English language, to "66," as in "institoot" for "institute," "noose" for " news," " dooty " for " duty." A is apt to be given as a (aunt) in the Middle and Southern States, and a (aunt) in New England. In New York or New England 6 becomes u " stun " for "stone," etc. Localisms, learned in boyhood, cling to the most scholarly, unless special pains be taken to correct them. I have heard a college president in New England speaking of "idears," when he meant "ideas." Proper Names. One may not be expected to know the pronunciation of every modern name ; but mispronuncia- tion of historic names is an indication of ignorance or ex- treme carelessness. I have heard " Goethe " pronounced "Go-eth," "^schines" pronounced "^Es-chi'-nes," and by a minister, " Onesiphorus " transmuted into " O-nes-i-pho'-rus." Dean Alford ("Queen's English") says : "I cannot abstain from saying a few words on the mispronunciation of Scripture names by our clergy. This, let me remind them, is inexcusa- ble." He records the minister of a fashionable London church introducing " Epen-e-tus " and " Pa-tro' bus " to the audience ; and another clergyman reading, " Tro-phi'-mus have I left at Mil'-e-tum sick." Syllabication. A syllable is the shortest appreciable por- tion of pronunciation, and strikes the ear as a single impulse. 74 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. It, however, consists of one or more elementary sounds. " Ah " consists of but one element, while " strands " consists of seven. The simple syllable " m-a-n " has three elements. The organs of the voice must be placed in position for each of them, and the rapidity with which this is done prevents any appreciable silence between the respective elements, and so the three come to the ear as one sound. Languages differ as to how many consonants shall combine with the vowel element to form a syllable. The Hawaiian admits of only the simplest kind of combination, a single preceding consonant. The English stands nearly at the other end of the scale, allowing as many as three preceding and four succeeding consonants, aggregating sometimes seven articu- lates, as in " s-p-1-i-n-t-st.". The method of syllabication, in more refined languages at least, seems to be one of economy, progressing from the less open to the more open position of the mouth aperture, as " s-t-a-y," or the reverse, " a-s-k." These two ways maybe combined, as in " s-t-r-a-n-d." We cannot make zigzags in syllables. T-r-s-n-d-a is an impossi- bility as one syllable, though containing only the same num- ber of elements as "strand." Faults or excellencies of pronunciation depend upon faulty or excellent action of the organs in elementary enunciation. That the organs must assume six or eight different and defi- nite positions in the pronunciation of words of average length, indicates how extremely lively these organs must be, else they will trip and stumble over each other, preventing distinctness and good vowel quality. But facts quite wonderful are possi- ble in pronunciation. Mr. Moody, the revivalist, is said to have spoken two hundred and twenty words in a minute. Syllabication also includes accent. The syllable to be accented must also be determined by the acknowledged standards. Alphabetic. The simplest division of elementary sounds is into vowels and consonants, based upon organic action, as follows : VOCAL CULTURE. 75 Vowels result from definite fixed position of the organs of speech ; they are non-obstructive and syllabic. That is, they do not obstruct the breath or voice, and are the norm of syllables. Consonants result from definite fixed positions of the organs of speech. They are obstructive and non-syllabic. According to Prof. Bell, there are seventeen vowel and twenty- six consonant elements in the English language. Vowel Analysis. Vowels classified so as to indicate the part of the tongue most actively concerned in their moulding : BACK. 65 as in pool, u " " pull, u " " up. o a I " au " " ovv " 01 " " pole. " far. " isle. " Paul. " on. " owl. " oil. TOP. a as in ask. u " " urn. FRONT. ee as in feel, i " " ill. a " " ale. e " " met. a " " at. Proceeding from the top of the column down, you pass successively from the more elevated to the less elevated position of the tongue. The same vowel sound is not uni- formly represented by the same character ; " oo " as in pool is represented by u (rnde), o (do), etc., etc. The sound of each of the above vowels should be familiar to the student ; he should learn to distinguish them early by the ear, and give them promptly in pronunciation by whatever character represented. The organs in moulding these vowels must be definitely fixed, as the character of the vowel depends upon the shape of the mouth cavity. An approximation will only give an approximate vowel. The student should not let the character confuse him as to the sound he is to give ; ei (veil) has the same sound as a (ale). Imperfect Vowel Moulding. Some vowels are more easily moulded than others ; consequently, in careless and 76 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. lazy pronunciation, the organs are adjusted to the easiest position. Habitual faulty pronunciation of certain vowels, sometimes interferes with the proper adjustment for othei vowels. Slovenly speakers give putatuh, for potato; stun, for stone; induvisubility, for indivisibility; cluck, for clock, etc. 1. The most common fault and the one to be guarded against, is the tendency to make long vowels short. The shortening of vowel quantity in pronunciation gives the disagreeable quality of voice previously considered. 2. As unaccented vowels are unmarked in the dictiona- ries, it is sometimes difficult to give the quantity of the obscure vowels. Prof. Monroe gave the following rules to aid in this case : 1. "A, i, y, ending an unaccented syllable is generally short obscure, as in the words, abound, capable, d/rect, pjy-rftes. Exception. These vowels are long when they directly pre- cede an accented vowel, as in ^-e-rial, diameter, hy-ena. 2. E, o, or u, ending an unaccented syllable, is generally long obscure, as in ^-vent, m^-lest, c^-taneous. 3. In cases where the preceding rules will not apply, place the accent on the doubtful syllable to determine its sound; thus change lag'-gard to laggard', and it will readily be per- ceived that the sound in the last syllable is that of a. The article a has always the sound of a (at), obscure, approaching short vowel u (up). The article the is pronounced thi before a vowel, and thti (vowel very obscure) before a consonant. Practice. i. Exercise care and energy in conversational pronunciation. 2. a, 65, ee, may be regarded as key vowels as to the position of the tongue, lips, and vocal cords. In a the lower jaw drops to its widest extent, the upper lip is lifted and arched, showing the upper front teeth, the aperture suggesting an equal-sided triangle, whose base is VOCAL CULTURE. 77 the lower lip, tongue flat and hollow. This position should be mastered. In e the mouth should be extended as far as possible side- wise, showing the tips of the teeth. In "oo" contract and round the lips. 1. Practise uttering these vowels in rapid succession, con- tinuously, e-ah-oo ; ah-e-oo ; oo-ah-e, etc. 2. Arrange a, e, i, o, u in every conceivable order, and utter them as above, and then deliberately. 3. To liberate the jaw, utter rapidly and continuously, fah, lah, etc. Consonants. Consonants, unlike vowels, obstruct the vocal passage by the tongue articulating with the upper teeth, the palate, or by the articulation of the lips, and lip and teeth. Some are given with only breath, others with voice. Care should be taken to permit only the nasals to pass through the nasal cavities. WITH BREATH ONLY. WITH VOICE. NASALS. P - B M Wh (why) W N F V Ng (sing) Th (thin) Dh (this) S Z (zone) T D Sh (shed) R (roll) H Zh (azure) K Y Rh- G _ Yh R (oar) L Articulation. The value of distinct articulation is of prime importance ; for it enables the speaker to make his words, at least, understood. This excellence hides a multi- tude of oratorical sins. Mr. A. M. Bell heard Rev. Mr. Spurgeon address an assembly of twenty-five thousand people in Agricultural Hall, London. The speaker was easily heard and understood by 78 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. all, and this with only usual exertion. Mr. Bell attributed this success to the speaker's accurate and vigorous enuncia- tion. In articulation each word should be cleanly carved and plainly stamped, as the gold piece from the coiner. Some of the faults of articulation are as follows : Thickness, using the middle instead of top of tongue. Sometimes this is a congenital defect, and the surgeon's knife must be sought to "snip the fraenum." Burring, caused by approximating the back of the tongue to the walls of the pharynx. Lisping, giving " th" for the " s " sound. To correct, place tip of the tongue about three quarters of an inch back of the upper teeth in uttering "s." Stuttering and stammering are most serious impediments. The sufferer should seek skilled advice. One or two help- ful points are enumerated : first establish deep and regular breathing during vocal effort, hold the head firm, read and speak lazily. The common faults that beset the greatest number of speakers are the following : Drawling, a habit of making vocal effort while waiting for another thought or word. This class of speakers in extreme cases, hang-ugh on-ugh the-ugh word. Lack of Prompt and Definite Action of the Or- gans. Dental quality, resulting from keeping the teeth too firmly closed. This is a very common fault and one that must be constantly guarded against, especially as it is apt to be ac- companied by a rigid condition of the muscles of the throat. Many speakers do not show the least space between the teeth in uttering the less open vowels. In "e," the closest vowel, there should be space enough between the teeth to admit of a thick paper-cutter. Sluggish, Unruly Tongue. Every voice teacher has experienced the statement of the Scripture that " the tongue is an unruly member." VOCAL CULTURE. 79 To secure good rowel moulding and articulation, the student should direct his efforts mainly to the following points : 1 . To bring the tone forward as treated of before. 2. Free and generous opening oi the lips and separation of teeth. 3. Perfect control of the tongue, especially the ability to keep the tongue flat in the mouth at will. The vowel "ah," may be selected as a practice vowel. While uttering it the tongue should be troughed, the tip touching the lower teeth. This gives an unobstructed passage for vocal emission. The top of the tongue has a constant tendency to arch up, obstructing the passage and producing a squeezed quality of voice. 1 . Practice b(fore tJie mirror. (a.) Open the mouth, depress the tongue, lift the veil of the palate, till the uvula quite disappears. The gaping effort will usually effect this. (.) Hold the mouth open, thrust the tongue far out, sud- denly draw it in as far as possible. (r.) Holding the mouth open, with tip of the tongue reach back to the soft palate as far as possible. 2. Practice for articulation. As the defects of articulation are elementary, correction should be applied to the elements. Learn the position for the consonants, then vigorously ar- ticulate them. 3. Practice for lip mobility. Gently closing the lips with teeth slightly separated, distend the mouth laterally as in smiling. Now without separating the lips, suddenly shoot them out to the " 56 " position. Immovable lips and flat mouth' are very common faults, and should receive the special care of the student. 4. Practise repeating continuously do do, etc., to to, etc. ; this exercise liberates the tongue, also lo and fa, la, si, do. 5. Practise speaking with exaggerated movement of the tongue and lips, as though speaking to deaf mutes. 6. Practise difficult combinations : ip, it, ik, if, ith, iss, ish, 8O VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. im, in, ing, it, id, ig, in, ith, iz, izh, ith, iss, ith, ish, iss, ith, iss, ish, ish, iss, ish, ith, ith, iss, ith, ith, ish, ith, iss, ish, iss, ish, ith, izh, il, in, il, ing, in, ill, in, ing, ing, il, ing, in, ill, in, ing, il, ing, in, in, il, ing, in, il, ing, in, ing, il, ing, in, il, ib, it, id, im, in, ir, ir, ib, ir, ir, pa, ta, fa, tha, sha, ma, na, ga, ha, ka, po, to, fo, tho, sho, mo, no, go, ho, ko, j^a, etc. Pronounce the following with particular reference to the final element, but be careful not to prolong the final sound unnaturally : pip, tip, pip, pit, tit, pik, kik, tik, thith, tath, shooth, sus, shis, shas, shish, bib, gab, did, gid, gog, dog, bog, pif, tath, bit, mir, pop, rim, thid, HI, rol, ral, rin, lin, pan, ram, Hm, sim, rim, ing, ling, ming. Table of Consonant Sounds, -r- ProbWV/, trou-/^, /, rob-Pst, cand/, it may be profitable to look briefly at language in the broadest light. But first, the intentional language of the orator does not consist merely of the literal or spoken form. " It was not what he said, but it was the way he said it," is a comment frequently heard upon another's utterance. The most scathing invective may be couched in language of complimentary form. Irony gets its meaning and sting from the tone in which it is spoken, while the words pretend to praise. Delsarte classified these different agents and methods of expression as " nine languages." First, the language of 'forms. The nature and habits of the snake or eagle may be determined by its form. Man's place in the order of beings is also indicated by the form of his body. The hand especially indicates his superi- ority. The form is more or less modified by the inner life. Second, Attitudes. All emotions strong enough to pro- nounce themselves, find expression in appropriate attitude, or significant change of form and position in relation to others. VOCAL EXPRESSION. 83 Third, Automatic movements. These are unconscious es- capes of character, unpurposed movements, as trembling, nodding, biting of the lips, etc. Fourth, Gesture. This is nature's language, a valuable handmaid to articulate speech. Fifth, Facial expression. " The eye is the window of the soul." I think it is equally as true, and fully as trite, that the face is the mirror of the soul. The animated face is an open book of the soul's contents. Sixth, Inarticulate noises. " All organic or emotional states seeking uncontrolled expression, reveal themselves in crude noises," as the whistle, hiss, cough, sob, groan, etc. Seventh, Inflected tones. " The quality, pitch, cadence of voice, reveal the range of emotion in kind and degree." The "yell of rage," the "wail of sorrow," the "monotone of sublimity," etc., are found under this head. Eighth, Articulate language. Articulate language is the medium of the intellect. Ninth, Deeds. This is a very solid manifestation of self. So the proverb comes that " actions speak louder than words." We will study at greater length the second, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth of these languages. Articulate and Inflected Language. Words reveal the intellectual state. So we have the incisive and compact utterance of the clear thinker, in contrast to the intellectual status of the wordy bankrupt in thought. Voice reveals the sensitive state. None fail to appreciate the " clear, honest voice of health and refinement, the minc- ing fop, the muddy vocality of vice." Inflections reveal the moral state. The positive inflection of the man of conviction, the circumflex of a double dealer, the mechanical and nasal whine of the hypocrite, are inter- preted by all, if all are not able to analyze the mechanics of the language used. 84 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. Articulate Language. The first effort of every speaker should be to make himself understood. Emphasis. The intelligibility of articulate language de- pends upon emphasis. Words are made emphatic by giving them prominence, compelling them to stand out in the sen- tence. This is accomplished by pausing before or after a word, by the quality of the voice used, but most usually by an increased force ("stress") of voice on the accented syllable on a higher pitch. The word to be emphasized is the one that conveys the meaning intended. Any sentence may convey as many meanings or shades of meaning as it has words. Do you study elocution ? Really, I do not. Do you study elocu- tion ? No, but my brother does. Do you study elocution ? No, I ignore it as beneath my dignity. Do you study elocu- tion ? No, I prefer theology. The author must have clearly in his mind what he does mean, and then command the emphasis to express it. Re- porters are not always to blame for misunderstanding the speaker ; speakers and readers are frequently slovenly in using emphasis. In deliberative assemblies, I have heard speakers interrupted, and questioned as to their meaning. With the sarrie sentence, ~but correctly emphasized, the speaker re-states himself, and the audience is no longer in doubt. Usually the word that expresses the most, when separated from the rest of the sentence, is the one that reveals the thought. "From the workshop of the Golden Key, there issued forth a tinkling sound, so merry and good-humored, that it suggested the idea of some one working blithely, and made quite pleasant music" In reading this sentence, the majority of persons will emphasize " sound," but tinkling expresses not only sound, but tells the character of the sound, and should therefore be emphasized. "Tinkling," "blithely," and "music," given VOCAL EXPRESSION. 8$ with proper inflection and action, will express more than any other words of the sentence. New idea. In a succession of ideas, the new one is to be emphasized according to the principle above. " ' Tink, tink ! ' clear as a silver bell, and audible at every pause of the street's harsher noises, as though it said, ' 1 don't care ! " To emphasize " noises," would be to empha- size the old idea included in " tinkling." The idea is to con- trast the clear bell sound with the harsh sounds of the street. Antithesis. Antithetic emphasis is placed really according to the principle of the new idea. Faults. i. Emphasizing too many words. Where all are generals, there are no privates. Emphasizing every word is equal to emphasizing none. 2. Emphasizing words at regular intervals without regard to sense. 3. Placing the emphasis on unaccented syllables. 4. Emphasizing small or unimportant words. 5. Emphasizing words at random, without clearly discern- ing the thought. Practice. i. Get command over the power to place the emphasis on any word at will. 2. Analyze what you are to read, for the most important word ; (a) by separating the words of the sentence, (b) by placing the emphasis on different words in succession. 3. Clearly think your thought, then utter the words that convey your meaning with due emphasis. The Language of Inflected Tones. While words re- veal thought, inflection shows how that thought affects the speaker. It is the language of emotion. A perfect man would have no difficulty in perfectly expressing himself. Chil- dren are generally less trammeled than men, to express them- selves thoroughly and accurately through the inflections. We understand^uiflfijctioft-to-bc the slide of the voice from one pitch to another. 86 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. " Pitch is the place of the sound in the musical scale." Concrete pitch is that movement of sound from a lower to a higher, or from a higher to a lower pitch, without any break ; it is accomplished by one impulse of sound. Discrete pitch is that of two or more sounds separated from each other. If the finger is slid down the string of the violin while the bow is drawn across, we have a sound continuing from one pitch to another, without any break whatever ; this is a concrete pitch, for the pitches grow together. Now if the performer change his finger to give a distinct pitch with an interval between, we have a discrete pitch, for one pitch is dis- tinguished from another. In slides we use concrete pitch. "High," "low," and "middle " pitch refer to the part of the vocal scale. In a succession of two tones, if the second begins a tone above the beginning of the first, it is called a discrete rising second ; if it falls below, it is called a discrete falling second. According to the interval made, we have a discrete rising second, third, fifth, octave, etc., if the voice ascends in the scale ; or falling second, third, etc., etc., if it falls in the scale. The voice may rise or fall two or more tones, making discrete intervals of only a tone, thus touching every tone in ascend- ing or descending. A succession of tones on the same pitch is a monotone. A phrase of melody is an alternating set of rising or falling tones. Rising Slides.* The semitone. Let a plaintive or mournful expression be given to the following sentence, and it will exhibit the rising semitone on the " I," and the falling semitone on " boy " : "I will be . good boy," answering the question, " Who will be a good boy ? " Rising slide of a second. Let the following sentence be de- liberately and clearly uttered, and the " I " will exhibit the * For the examples on the slides of the voice, the author is indebted to Dr. Barber's '* Grammar of Elocution." VOCAL EXPRESSION. 8? rising slide of a second : " As soon as I arrived, he conducted me into the house." It is the suspensive slide. Rising slide of a third. Let the following question be asked in a natural way, expecting the answer "Yes " or "No " : " Did he say it was I that did it 1 " This will illustrate the rising slide of a third. Rising slide of a fifth. Let the same question be asked with emphasis and emotion : " Did you say it was I ? " This exhibits the intense slide of the fifth. Rising slide of an octave. Let the emphasis be still stronger and the question more piercing, expressive of excessive sur- prise, and it will exhibit the more intense rising slide of the octave : " Did you say it was /" ? Children and women often ask questions with this intense and piercing slide. Falling Slides. Falling slide of a second. Let the fol- lowing sentence be uttered in a natural, easy way, without emphasis on the " I," supposing Mr. I and the speaker to be on equal terms : " Good evening, Mr. I." Falling slide of a third. Let the same sentence be uttered, putting " I " in antithesis to you : " Good evening, Mr. 7." Falling slide of a fifth. Let the same be uttered with strong emphasis on " I," to express a considerable degree of positiveness, and an intense downward slide of a fifth will be exhibited : " He said it was 7" (not you). Falling slide of an octave. Now let the highest degree of dictatorial positiveness and energy be given to the " I," and it may reach the downward octave : " He said it was 7." Circumflex Slides. The voice may not only ascend, but also descend, upon the same syllable. This movement of the voice upon a syllable is called a circumflex. " If the rise and fall of the voice on a syllable are through the same interval, it is called an equal wave ; if it is not the same, it is an unequal wave." If the radical or first part rises, it is called a falling circumflex ; if it falls, a rising circumflex; if it rises and falls and rises again, it is a rising double cir- 88 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. cumflex ; if it falls and rises and falls again, it is a falling double circumflex. The circumflex is a second, third, fifth, or octave, according to the interval it passes through. Examples illustrative of the circumflex slides. " Hail ! holy Light." If the word " hail " is uttered with extended quan- tity, with a perceptible downward ending, and with that em- phasis only which arises from its prolongation, it will show the falling circumflex of a second. " High on a throne of royal state." If this sentence is uttered with long quantity, it will show the rising circumflex of the second on the syllables "high," "throne," "roy." " ' I said he was my friend.' If this sentence be deliber- ately uttered with very long quantity upon the ' my/ or an exclusive emphasis, implying that the person spoken of was not your friend," that word will show the falling circumflex of the third. If the answer " Your friend " is made interrogatory, and the word "your " is uttered with very long quantity, with a slight degree of surprise, it will show the rising circumflex of the third. " If the sentence is reiterated, ' I said he was my friend/ with a strong positive emphasis on ' myj together with a very long quantity," the falling circumflex of the ffth will be heard. By increasing the emphasis of surprise, and making the interrogation more piercing, together with extended quantity upon the word "your" in the sentence "Your friend," accom- panied with the former example, the rising circumflex cf the fifth is heard. "'I said he was my friend/ If the word 'my* is uttered with a strongly taunting, and at the same time positive expres- sion, that word will show rising unequal circumflex. If the word ' your ' in the sentence ' Your friend/ is colored strongly with scorn and interrogation, it may be made to show the fall- ing unequal wave." If suspensive quantity with a plaintive expression is put VOCAL EXPRESSION. 89 upon the words "poor" and "old" in the following sentence, they will show the falling circumflex of the semitone. " Pity the sorrows of a poor old man." The word "man " may be made to display the rising circumflex of the semitone, by making it plaintive, with long quantity, and causing the voice to fall upon the second part of the wave. Principles of Inflection. I. The rising slide is pro- spective While the emotions are going on and out to their goal, the rising inflection is used. II. Rising tones appeal : 1. To bespeak attention to something that follows, as com- pleting a statement. 2. For solution of doubt. 3. For the expression of the hearer's will, as in response to a proposition. 4. To question the possibilities of an assertion, as in sur- prise. III. The falling slide is retrospective. When the emotions have reached their goal they rest ; the falling slide is used. Falling tones assert : 1. To express completion of statement. 2. To express conviction. 3. To express the speaker's will, as in command. 4. To express impossibility of denial. Rising tones are deferential. Falling tones are peremptory. IV. The circumflexes are compound in their meaning, par- taking of the character of the rising and falling or of the fall- ing and rising tone ; these, then, are querulous-assertive or assertive-querulous. Circumflexes partaking of the nature both of the rising and falling slide are used, i. When the emotions are unsettled, as in mental per- plexity. QO VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. 2. In double meanings, as in sarcasm, scorn, etc. 3. In conscious insincerity, as when a man of trade rec- ommends for purchase some article with concealed defect. His conscience and will opposing each other, puts the circum- flex- in the voice. 4. In wheedling and flattery ; there is insincerity, too, in this. 5. In compliment, as when you wish to praise a boy for some not very important but commendable deed ; or when you wish to make people feel comfortable. V. Monotone. Monotone is reflective. It expresses the moral states ; it suggests grandeur, awfulness, sublimity ; it is the tone man should use in addressing the Deity. VI. Semitone. Semitone is used in grief, sorrow, etc. Faults. i. Habitual rising slides. These keep the audi- ence in continual suspense ; they find no rest. We have heard ministers who closed positively constructed sentences with the upward slide, in the majority of cases. 2. Habitual downward slides. These are tiresome ; for the listening mind instinctively rests at the downward slide, when lo ! it must up and on, for the thought is not completed. Such delivery is humdrum and tiresome in the extreme. 3. Habitual circumflex. This inflection lacks force and dignity. 4. The recurring cadence given in regular succession, pro- ducing what is called "sing-song." 5. Placing the inflection on the unaccented syllable. 6. Beginning the rising inflection too high, the falling, too low. Practice. i. Use the exercises as given under "Flexi- bility," in Chapter V. *~i2. Think the thought, let the emotion grow out of it, but feel genuinely the truth of what you have to read or speak. 3. Train the ear to detect the various slides. 4. Be able to give the slides at will. VOCAL EXPRESSION. 5. Guard against the faults enumerated above. 6. Practise the rising and then the falling slides of the second, third, fifth, and octave upon the following elements, taking care to educate the ear to distinguish the effect : 7. Make the circumflexes on these. 8. Sing these intervals. 9. Try to express the emotion of the piece, using only the vowels of the accented syllables, as : a o a a e 9 e i i " That you have wronged me doth appear in this." The pitch here constantly becomes higher. i i e o e a a o a Falling Inflection : ' 1. To arms ! To arms ! Ye brave ! The avenging sword unsheathe ! March on, march on, all hearts resolved On victory or death. 2. Hence ! home, you idle creatures, get you home ! You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things, Begone ! Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, Pray to the gods to intermit the plague, That needs must light on this ingratitude. 3 Come to the house of prayer, O thou afflicted, come ! The God of peace shall meet thee there, He makes that house his home. 92 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. Rising Inflection, i. Cicero's accusation of Verres : Is it come to this ? Shall an inferior magistrate, a governor, who holds his whole power of the Roman people, in a Roman province, within sight of Italy, bind, scourge, torture with fire and red-hot plates of iron, and at last put to the infamous death of the cross, a Roman citizen? 2. Must I budge, must I observe you ? Must I stand and crouch under your testy humor? Rising and Falling : 1. Tread softly, bow the head, In rgeverent silence, bow ; No passing bell doth toll, Yet an immortal soul Is passing now. 2. Stand I The ground 's your own, my braves I Will you give it up to slaves ? Do you look for greener graves ? Hope you mercy still ? 3. Can honor set a leg ? No ! Or an arm ? N6 1 Or take away the grief of a wound? No! Honor hath no skill in surgery then? N6! What is honor ? A word. What is that word, honor ? Air. Who hath it ? He that died on Wednesday. Doth he feel it? No! Doth he hear it? N6 ! Is it insensible, then? Yes, to the dead. But will it not live with the living? No! Why? Detraction will not surfer it. Minor Rising Inflection : i. Oh ! pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, That I am meek and gentle with these butchers. 2. Give me three grains of corn, mother, Only three grains of corn. Minor Falling Inflection : i. O my son Absalom ! my s6n, my son Absalom I would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son ! 2. O I have lost you all, Parents, and home, and friends. VOCAL EXPRESSION. 93 Circumflex Inflections : i. What, sir! feed a child's body, and let his soul go hungry! pamper his limbs, and starve his faculties ? 2. What should I say to you? Should I not say, Hath a dog money ? Is it possible A cur can lend three thousand ducats? 3. There was in our town, a certain Tom-ne'er-do-well, an honest fellow, who was brought to ruin by readily crediting that "care will kill a cat." Poor fellow! he never considered that he was not a cat; and accordingly, he made it a point not to care for anything. He did not care for his father's displeasure, and he was disinherited. He did not care for money, and he was always distressed. And lastly, he did not care for himself, and he died in the workhouse. Monotone : 1. Holy, holy, holy, Lord G5d of Sabbaoth. 2. And I heard a voice saying unto me, write, etc. 94 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. CHAPTER VIII. MELODY OF DISCOURSE. NARRATION, negation, affirmation, every passion and emo- tion, has its own peculiar melody. Without understanding the words spoken, we can tell whether the untrammeled person speaks in anger or complacency, whether in joy or grief, by the melody of his speech. The stronger and more pronounced emotions usually ex- press themselves naturally in their own melody ; but all the emotions are not controlling. Many speakers utter the most benevolent emotions in the most discordant fashion ; ethers, again, express the language of anger in the tamest manner. Speech is characterized by variety in pitch (radical pitch and inflection), time, force, movement, accent, quantity, stress. Discrete pitch. Discrete pitch, previously discussed under inflection, is made by a different impulse of the voice for the different pitches. It makes the intervals distinct, and gives variety to the utterance. Melody arising from difference in discrete pitch. Such is the demand of the ear for variety, that if three syllables be uttered * ~ j upon the same pitch the effect is monotonous. Simple melody. In plain, unemotional narrative the dis- crete pitch of the discourse seldom moves from word to word by more than a tone. The slides also usually make intervals of only a tone. Although the proximate syllables may differ by only a tone, yet this melody admits of a great variety of combinations ; for the last syllable of a sentence might pos- sibly be a whole octave above or below the starting-point, hav- ing made a variety of melodious phrases in the mean time. VOCAL EXPRESSION. 95 No prescribed order of these intervals can be written out. They must depend upon the mental and emotional attitude of the reader or speaker. If the mind is not constrained, and is keenly alive, there will be variety enough to prevent dulness. The extemporaneous speaker will usually be more free from this fault of sameness. Readers and speakers from manu- script will have to be more watchful. Care must be taken by all, to avoid falling into the rut of a single emotion. Strong emotion, violent passion, and intense mentality ex- press themselves by wider intervals. Pitch is called high, meditim, and low, according to the range of pitch used. 1. High pitch suitably expresses joyousness, etc. 2. Medium pitch is used in unemotional discourse. 3. Low pitch is employed in seriousness, etc. Cadence. Cadence is the discrete fall of the voice in pitch, in closing a sentence not interrogatory. Variety, to satisfy the ear and to complete the sense, depends measurably upon the manner of closing a sentence, as well as upon the variety of pitch during the progress of the utterance. Cadence properly. includes two other syllables, preparatory to the last one, and is necessary to distinctly separate the dif- ferent ideas of discourse. In simple thought, not interrogative, emphatical, or emotional, the following cadences are used : the cadence of three syllables separates ideas most, the cadence of two less (this is the best ending for plain thought), and that of a single one, the least. The voice must slide down a tone on the final syllable of a cadence, but upon the others it may slide either up or down, and with longer intervals. Faults. Faults of pitch. Speaking on too high or too low a pitch. This fault was discussed under " Inflection." In simple melody the most common fault is sameness, result- ing from unvaried discrete pitch. Sometimes many words are spoken on the same pitch. This is the real "monotone,-' Akin to it is the habit of employing the same two or three 96 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. intervals over and over again, producing another kind of " monotone," so called. Improper use of semitone. Unless called for by strong expression of mournful feeling, the use of the semitone gives an undignified, hypocritical whine. This fault is most fre- quently found in the pulpit. u I pray you avoid it." In pausal melody. Want of cadence. The repose of the cadence is grateful to the ear. Some sp?akers never make a cadence, and the listener, kept in anticipation all the time, must look up to find out when the speaker is through, as the voice gives no indication. Feeble ending, resulting from an imperfect cadence, and expending all the force before the close. Be careful not to let the voice get so low in pitch as to prevent a strong ending on the last words. False cadence, resulting from the voice falling discretely on the last syllable more than one tone. A recurring pausal melody produces another kind of monot- ony, called " sing-song." The ear anticipates this melody, and expects it at certain intervals. One must be careful to avoid this fault in reading metrical composition ; for the recurrence of the measure, or sound in rhyme, especially invites this fault. Again, the style of some speakers in the construction of sentences invites recurring melody. The following, quoted by Dr. Barber from Dr. Johnson, is a striking example of this faulty style : " Homer was the greater genius, Virgil, the better artist. In the one, we most admire the man ; in the other, the work. Homer hurries us with a commanding impetuosity; Virgil leads us with an attractive majesty. Homer scatters with a generous profusion; Virgil bestows with a careful magnificence." Some speakers fall into this melody as a trick of voice, and sometimes, it seems, because it is easier to give than another, as an old song is easier to sing than a new one. Monotony at the close of the sentence is especially noticeable. VOCAL EXPRESSION. t 97 Practice. i. Analyze the sense of the author. 2. In style, construct the sentences so that the formal recurrence of similar clauses and sentences may not lead to the repetition of the same phrase of melody. 3. If the reader or speaker clearly and deliberately thinks the thought, and appreciates the full significance of the lan- guage used, he will help himself largely to a correct use of pitch, slides, and cadence. 4. Let the voice range about its middle pitch. 5. Train the ear to detect monotony, recurring melody, feeble endings, and avoid them. 6. Keep the mind free from constraint ; avoid drifting on one emotion. Measure of Speech. Accent. In the production of all immediately consecutive sounds, the voice acts by alternating pulsation and remission. Two heavy, or accented, syllables cannot be uttered in immediate succession by a single vocal impulse. The word "kingdom" can be uttered by a single effort of voice, consisting as it does of an accented and an unaccented syllable ; but " king, king," requires two efforts with an appreciable hiatus or pause between them. Accent is the property of syllables ; its use is familiar to all. The accent on short syllables is the effect of increased force ; on long syllables it is the effect of time and force. Measure. A perfect measure in speech consists of one or any greater number of syllables, not exceeding five, uttered during one pulsation and remission of voice. Syllables of long quantity may form a measure; those of short quantity cannot. Prose, as well as metrical composition, may be constructed with reference to the number of accented and unaccented syllables in a sentence. Every measure, in speech as in music, should occupy the same time in utterance. The imperfect bars would then require silence to take the time not occupied with the syllable 7 9 8 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. or syllables. This gives an easy and effective delivery, and allows ample time for breathing without breaking the sense. The bar | is employed to separate one measure from another. A measure with one syllable, of course, indicates slow movement, while a measure with four or five syllables indicates rapid movement. The mark P indicates pause; a, the accented syllable; u, the unaccented. Rocks a ^< fens a u dews and a u P A a u Caves ] a u bogs ] a u shades of a u universe of a u u lakes a u death a u death a u The rest in the above measures occupies the time of the word " and." The pause is very essential to easy delivery, and to the sense. Again, breathing must still be carried on in speech. Natural breathing is rhythmical, suggesting that the same may be most economically accomplished by rhythmical breath- ing during speech ; then the beating of the heart, sending blood to the lungs for purification, the action of the lungs, and the production of voice are in harmony, and, of course, friction is avoided. The speaker who neglects accent, as related to melody and pause, labors hard in delivery, and wearies himself unnecessarily. "All persons who speak agreeably and smoothly, speak for the most part by measure." Solely on the ground of ease in delivery, every speaker should studiously regard measure in speaking. VOCAL EXPRESSION. 99 Quantity. Quantity, or the time occupied in uttering the vowels of any syllable, is closely connected with measure of speech. Some syllables are naturally long, others naturally short, depending upon the quantity of the vowel of the syllable. In uttering "a," a full sound at the beginning, succeeded by a vanishing effect, will be perceived by the ear. Prolonged, the sound will be found to be a compound or diphthong tone, a = a -f- e ; I = I -{- e ; O = o-f-oo; u = u + oo; e = e -f- ee. e, u, a are naturally short. Long quantity in speech produces the effect of smooth de- livery, and enables one to fill out a measure without rest, in slow and dignified utterance. Vowels naturally long, when given in short quantity are harsh and jarring. Faults. i. Lack of full quantity on the long vowels. This breaks the measure, and makes the delivery difficult. 2. Hastening on with no pauses to separate the ideas dis- tinctly. Grammatical punctuation does not indicate the only pauses. 3. Pausing at regular intervals without reference to sense. Regularly pausing at the end of each verse [line] of poetry. 4. Accompanying faults i and 2 is the destructive habit of running out of breath. Practice. i. Give long quantity to the proper vowels on separate words. Select words of many syllables, and pro- nounce them deliberately, bringing out every syllable. 2. The same in. reading or speaking, with reference to pauses. 3. Seek pauses, without breaking the expression, for the purpose of breathing. Stress. Stress is the application of force to vocal tone. Dr. Rush was the first to analyze this quality in speech. An explosive force at the beginning of a syllable is called Radical Stress, represented to the eye by ( " ARM, " ARM." IOO VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. It is used to express vehemence, strength of will, and pas- sion. Dignified and clear utterance requires its use. " Up drawbridge, grooms ! What, warder, ho ! Let the portcullis fall." Median stress may be compared to the musical swell. It is used to express tranquil and fervent emotion. It is smooth and continuous, and is adapted to poetic expression. A degree of this stress is one distinction between the voice of a man of culture and a boor. This stress makes special use of long quantity. " O GOLDEN hour." " Father, thy hand Hath reared these venerable columns ; thou Didst weave this verdant roof ; thou didst look down Upon the naked earth, and forthwith rose All these fair ranks of trees. They, in thy sun, Budded and shook their green leaves in the breeze, And shot toward heaven." Terminal stress ) places the force on the final part of. the tone. A growl, ending in explosion, illustrates this quality of voice. This quality suitably expresses stubborn passion, scorn, contradiction. It brings the diaphragm into unusual action. " I SCOFF you." " Speak of Mortimer ! Zounds, I will speak of him ; and let my soul "Want mercy, if I do not join with him. He said he would not ransom Mortimer ; Forbade my tongue to speak of Mortimer." Compound stress (X) unites the radical and terminal stress. It is used to express contending emotions, as in sar- casm, contempt. It usually accompanies circumflex inflection. " Hath a dog money ? J> Thorough stress ( ) is the full sustained force. It is VOCAL EXPRESSION. IOI used in shouting and calling. The boor speaks with thorough stress. Its legitimate use in expression is limited. " Boat ahoy ! Boat ahoy ! " Intermittent stress (^^^^) is the ,tr^nicr,jof the voice,, .It is characteristic of feebleness, old age^giieiJ Lii may be used in pathetic utterance. Used excessively^ it ^roatily^ ^najrs de* livery. ' - ' ' ' '> ; ^ '> > ' > > '- ' - " Pity the sorrows of a poor old man, Whose trembling limbs have borne him to your door." " What ! canst thou not forbear me half an hour ? Then get thee gone, and dig my grave thyself ; And bid the merry bells ring to thine ear, That thou art crowned, not that I am dead. Let all the tears that should bedew my hearse Be drops of balm to sanctify thy head." Faults. i. Lack of median stress. 2. Capricious use of the several kinds of stress, without due reference to expressiveness. 3. Faulty use of the intermittent stress ; trying to put pathos, solemnity, seriousness, in the voice by employing tremolo. This is a weakness very common to the pulpit. Practice. i. For facility in use, practice the several kinds of stress. 2 . Feel deeply the truth to be uttered. 3. Use the appropriate stress in the light of the above instruction. Force. Force, as applied in stress, is quite distinct from its application in the various degrees of loudness. The ap- plication of force in stress has respect to the way in which a tone is opened, continued, or closed. Any stress may possi- bly be given with loud or gentle force. The degree of force, loudness, depends upon (a) the num- ber of persons to be addressed, (b) the character of the emo- tion to be expressed. The following caution is to be ob- served : IO2 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. i . The speaker is not necessarily heard because he shouts. The carrying quality of voice depends first upon its purity and articulation. Shouting sometimes prevents one from being understood. , , 2; ' The strongest bawling and declamation does not express the deepest emotion. Vociferation is loud, but empty. <'"". 'Gfjhtle;Porc'e is suitable to express chaste emotion, plain thought, etc. " Around this lovely valley rise The purple hills of Paradise. Oh, softly on yon banks of haze Her rosy face the summer lays ! Becalmed along the azure sky, The argosies of cloudland lie, Whose shores, with many a shining rift, Far off their pearl-white peaks uplift." Moderate Force expresses ordinary discourse and lively interest. " Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews ; but now is my kingdom not from hence. " Loud Force. This is used in stronger emotion, suitable in parliamentary discussion, etc. "How far, O Catiline, wilt thou abuse our patience ? How long shalt thou baffle justice in thy mad career ? To what ex- treme wilt thou carry thy audacity ? Art thou nothing daunted by the nightly watch posted to secure the Palatium ? Nothing, by the city guards ? Nothing, by the rally of all good citi- zens ? Nothing, by the assembling of the Senate in this for- tified place? Nothing, by the averted looks of all here present ? " Very Loud Force. This expresses strong emotion. M Follow your spirits, and, upon this charge, Cry, Heaven for Harry 1 England and St. George ! " VOCAL EXPRESSION. IO3 Faults. i. Lack of energy in delivery, feeble enuncia- tion, suggesting feebleness of mental action. Sometimes it indicates downright laziness. 2. Uncalled-for declamation, shouting, suggesting the effort to pass off noise for sense. Abuse of throat usually accompanies this vicious delivery. 3. Spasmodic application of force, without reference to fitness, at times a careless mumble, and again loud, as if the speaker was suddenly awakened out of a reverie. Practice. i. Take into consideration the character of what you are delivering. Vary the force to suit. 2. Avoid feebleness, avoid shouting; make the sound smooth and full; endeavor to make the tones carry, with as little expenditure of force as possible. There should be no unpleasant reaction as to the feeling of the throat after speaking. This is always a sign of misuse. Movement. The rates of movement in discourse are as follows : 1. Quick rate. This expresses (a) rapid movement through space ; (b) joyful or intense emotion ; (c) suggests lightness, etc. Moderate rate is used in simple narrative or didactic delivery. Slow rate suitably expresses weighty, dignified matter, profound emotions, slow movement through space, etc. Very slow rate is to express solemn and very weighty matter; labored, tedious motion. Faults. i. Utterance too rapid to be distinctly under- stood, and tiresome to the audience. Of course the rate of utterance varies with the temperament of the individual, but parts may be relatively fast or slow. 2. Dull, slow rate, dragging along on the final syllable, and sometimes adding an "ugh." This is miserable. No audi- ence can resist its bad effects, unless the speaker is tossing them diamonds. IO4 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. 3. Lack of variety in the discourse. The speaker rushes along in a tiresome fluency or incessant loquaciousness, usu- ally skipping all pauses. Fluency is not eloquence. Again the speaker may trudge along at a dull, monotonous pace, not having one spot of briskness. Practice. Endeavor to achieve facility in the most rapid utterance. Take care not to sacrifice distinct articulation to rate of movement. 2. Practise slow, deliberate movements. Make the time on quantity, not between words. Persons with impetuous rate should studiously practise slow rate. Persons with slow rate should spur themselves to quick rate. Qualities of Voice in Use. Pure tone. This is the clear quality free from breathiness, etc. It is used to express plain thought and agreeable emotion, also sadness or grief, when not mingled with solemnity. " Ye bells in the steeple, ring, ring out your changes, How many soever they be, And let the brown meadow lark's note as he ranges, Come over, come over to me." Full tone. This is the deep, large quality variously called the "orotund," the "pulmonic," etc. It is used to express grandeur, vastness, sublimity, etc. " Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean, roll ! Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain." Aspirate tone. This does not make all the breath up into voice, and is therefore not pure. In rare instances it degenerates into a whisper. This qual- ity expresses secrecy, darkness, indefimteness, fervor, moral . impurity. Macbeth. Didst thou not hear a noise ? Lady J/. I heard the owl scream, and the crickets cry. Did not you speak ? Macbeth. When ? VOCAL EXPRESSION. IO5 Lady M. Now. Macbeth. As I descended ? Lady M. Ay. Macbeth. Hark ! Who lies i' the second chamber? Lady JW. Donalbain. Guttural tone. This is the vicious quality of voice formed in the throat. It is sometimes called into use in dramatic execution, as in expressing malevolence, passions, utter disgust, etc. Faults and Practice. i. Avoid the habitual use of any one quality. 2. The guttural and aspirated qualities are less frequently used. They were previously enumerated as faults, but are sometimes appropriately employed in expression. As a habit, they are serious defects. 3. Practise to command the several kinds of voice. 4. Employ the voice that suitably expresses the matter. Phrasing or Grouping. The function of phrasing is to unite the related parts of discourse, to separate the unrelated, to give prominence to the most important, and to cast other parts into shade. The lack of inflectional forms in English, together with the inversions of style, parenthetical and expletive clauses, etc., render it necessary to indicate by the voice the relation and importance of the different parts of the sentence. The means of phrasing are pause, pitch, and rate of utterance. In this connection, we think it profitable to give only one or two leading points in this part of analysis, without endeav- oring to study the unending variety of related parts in con- struction. The principal parts of a sentence, however far they may be separated by intermediate matter, must be plainly indicated. This may be done usually by emphasis, and by placing these related parts on the same pitch. Parenthetical expressions, intermediate matter between IO6 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. the essential parts of a sentence, and, usually, relative clauses, are to be subordinated by reading on a lower pitch with increased rate of utterance. Occasionally, the rate is slower for impressiveness. The old idea in current discourse is to be slurred also. 4< When, therefore, the Lord KNEW how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus himself baptized not> but his disciples], he LEFT Judea, and departed again into Galilee." "JOSEPH, iuho happened to be in the field at the time, SAW the carriage approach, and in an ecstasy of delight, HASTENED to meet it." The parts in small capitals in the above examples are to be related by pitch and emphasis, just as though the direct cur- rent had not been crossed by other streams. The words in italics are to be given on a lower pitch, and in more rapid movement. These are, of course, expressions of the strong- est contrast. The finer shades of relation must first be .clearly distinguished by the mind, and then the organs of expression must be trusted to render them. Faults. i. Too frequently allowing the voice to make a cadence where the thought is not completed. 2. Uttering parenthetical matter on the same pitch, and at the same rate as the direct current of thought. 3, Emphasizing the old idea. Practice. i. Construct the language so that the related parts may not be so complicated as to make it difficult to express them vocally. 2. Carefully study^ the writing in the light of emphasis, as well as grouping. 3. Practise reading complex and compound sentences, separating the principal parts and reading them, then adding the subordinate parts, and reading them in construction with the whole sentence. Climax. There is an oral as well as a rhetorical climax. There is a climax of the discourse as a whole, a climax .of VOCAL EXPRESSION. IO7 sentences and parts of sentences, to be taken into account in delivery. The speaker should not break out abruptly into a full vocal effort at the beginning of his discourse, but gradually rise as the matter increases in importance. The climax of vocal effort is parallel to rhetorical climax. The first clause should be uttered so as to prepare for the second, the second for the third, etc., increasing in interest and importance, till the highest point of thought and emotion is reached. Climax in discourses or sentences naturally comes before the very end. The most obvious elements in making vocal climax are rise in discrete pitch and increased force. Faults. i. Uttering the different parts of a discourse or sentence on the same level of interest. 2. Applying pitch and force at random. Practice. i. Construct sentences with reference to oral climax. (See Rhetoric.) 2. Find the highest point; rise to it in pitch and force. and devil come for If the not I will send them. not arms, arts, or was ambitious ? letters, great in who achieved anything Who ever Style. Styles of discourse are named conversational \ nar- rative, narrative and descriptive, didactic, public address, dcclama- IO8 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. tory, emotional, according to the characteristic drift of the voice. The dramatic style combines all the rest. " Drift is founded on the various modes of vocality, time, force." Drift, or the leading melody or movement in delivery, enables one to recognize one selection as joyous, another as solemn, etc. In addition to the leading characteristic of any delivery, it will be seen that pitch, time, force, quality of voice, etc., vary on the different sentences ; hence drift does not mean sameness. Faults. i. Although drift does not mean sameness, many readers and speakers are borne along on one emotion, until finally in extreme cases there seems to be a total absence of thought, and the delivery is a mere repetition of words. 2. Improper drift. A proper observance of drift is nearly related to the "word fitly spoken, which is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." Many ministers read the psalm of joy and thanksgiving with the same minor sadness of the peni- tential psalms. Too many ministers whine the glad tidings, instead of joyfully proclaiming the gospel of good will. Practice. i. Adapt the style to the occasion and text. 2. Preserve the thread of the whole ; but insert the va- riety of the parts. 3. Let the imagination have its play; be surrounded by the atmosphere of the piece. Imitative Modulation. By the sound of the voice we may imitate the sound or noise of external objects. The roar of the ocean, the boom of cannon, the splash of the water, the hiss of the snake, etc., are naturally given with qualities of voice suggesting the sound, unless some vicious method prevents. A proper use of this modulation is valuable in making the facts real to the audience. Exaggerated, it becomes obtru- sive, and is therefore objectionable. Transition is the various changes of pitch, force, quality, VOCAL EXPRESSION. 109 rate of utterance, in the different parts of reading or speak- ing. It is needed to give appropriate expression to the vary- ing thought and emotion. Its effect is contrast of parts and needful variety. Practice. i. Keep the delivery conversational at basis. MEDIUM RATE AND PITCH. SOFT. PURE TONE. HIGH PITCH. MEDIUM RATE. *' I rather think the gentle dove Is murmuring a reproof, Displeased that I from lays of love Have dared to keep aloof." " Flower in the crannied wall, I pluck you out of the crannies ; Hold you here, root and all, in my hand. Little flower, but if I could understand What you are, root and all, and all in all, I should know what God and man is." FULL VOICE. Low PITCH. LOUD. Low PITCH. MEDIAN STRESS. SLOW RATE. FULL VOICE. SLIGHTLY ASPI- RATED. HIGH PITCH. QUICK RATE. PURE TONE. Low PITCH. SLOW RATE. FULL VOICE. MEDIAN STRESS. " But I hear it rung continually in my ears, now and formerly, 'The preamble! What will be- come of the preamble, if you repeal this tax ? ' The clerk will be so good as to turn to this act, and to read this favorite preamble." " Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations. Before th,e mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." " One touch to her hand, and one word in her ear, When they reached the hall door, and the charger stood near ; There was racing and chasing on Cannobie Lee, But the lost bride of Netherby ne'er did they see." " O God, thou bottomless abyss I Thee to perfection who can know ? O height immense ! what words suffice Thy countless attributes to show ? " no VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. LOW PITCH. MONOTONE. LOUD. HIGH MEDIAN STRESS. ASPIRATED. Low. SLOW. FASTER. INTERMITTENT STRESS. HIGH. PURE TONE. LOUD. SOFTER. Low. FULL VOICE. MONOTONE. MEDIAN STRESS. SLOW. MIDDLE PITCH. SLOW. INTERMITTENT. "Toll, toll, toll, Thou bell by billows swung ! " " Forward, the light brigade ! Charge for the guns ! " Lady M. Alack, I am afraid they have awaked, And 't is not done. The attempt, and not the deed, Confounds us. Hark! I laid their dag- gers ready ; He could not miss them. Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done 't. My husband ! Macbeth. I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise ? ' "Ring! Ring! Ring! Joyful anthems full and loud; For angels of love Came down from above, And brought a new year from God." "I am the resurrection and the life: he that be- lieveth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live : and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." " By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down : yea, we wept when we remembered Zion." Analysis of Expressive Voice. An analysis of voice based upon the mental, moral, and vital nature of man, pos- sesses the value of a summary of the previous discussion on expression. It will also consider the legitimate effect upon the auditor. Corresponding to man's mental, moral^ and vital nature, we have thought, affection, passion. VOCAL EXPRESSION. Ill Mentality. Naturally the voice in intense mentality assumes a high pitch, with head resonance. The effect upon the ear is that of a hard, metallic, narrow sound. Its leading use is to convince the judgment. Persons of intense mental habits use this quality of tone, unless counterbalanced by some other influence. The mathematical professor says, "Now, young gentlemen, you see that problem may be solved in two ways," in this hard, penetrating quality of voice. Peevishness, complaint, scolding, slight pain, naturally express themselves in this tone ; for they are intense mental conditions. Passional. The vital or passional nature expresses itself by the large, full tone, on low pitch with force. Its effect upon the ear is that of largeness, strength. It is adapted to move the passions. Persons of strong, vital habits naturally use this tone. Mere animality, the swaggering barkeeper, the bully, illustrate the lowest stratum of this voice. The man mortally wounded expresses his agony in groans. This quality of voice legitimately expresses strong passion. It is the prevailing voice in parliamentary discussion, and strong composition cannot be appropriately expressed but by its use. Affectional. The affectional or moral nature expresses itself by the medium pitch, gentle force, smooth quality. Its effect upon the ear is gentleness, evenness. It is adapted to. persuade. It lies between and balances the mental and vital qualities, suggesting the central truth of the purest religion, viz. : that the affectional or love nature of man should bal- ance and control the intellectual and passional. One of these qualities does not exclude the others. They blend variously; but usually one of them characterizes the composition. A triangle will suitably represent this analysis to the eye. 112 VOCAL CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. QUALITY. EXPRESSES f Hard metallic j quality, Thought. [ high pitch. Pleasant quality, medium pitch. f Full tone, j strong, ( low pitch. Affection. Passion. ADAPTED TO Convince. Persuade. Move. PART II. ACTION-LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. ACTION-LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION, CHAPTER I. EXPRESSION BY ACTION. UNDER the good English term of Action, will be discussed the language of Attitude, Gesture, and Facial expression. It is desirable in the first place to understand how the body becomes expressive of states of the mind. Sir Charles Bell has shown how intimately the vital organs, the heart and lungs especially, are united to each other, and to the muscles of the neck, face, and chest by a system of nerves. He has also shown how they are affected by the emotions of the mind. " Thus the frame of the body, con- stituted for the support of the vital functions, becomes the instrument of expression ; and an extensive class of passions, by influencing the heart, by affecting that sensibility which governs the muscles of respiration, calls them into operation, so that they become an undeviating mark of certain states or conditions of the mind. They are the organs of expression." Darwin, after an extensive study, treats the subject in his volume on the " Expression of Emotion in Man and Animals," and deduces three principles, which are valuable to students of expression, as showing the uniformity of the language of expression, and the importance of habit as a factor in the subject when practised as an art. They are as follows : I. Serviceable, habitual action. Under this head, certain actions are originated because of their serviceableness. "Whenever the same state of mind is induced, however feebly, there is a tendency, through the force of habit and association, for the same movements to be performed, whether or not of service in each particular case." Il6 ACTION-LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. II. Antithetic action. Certain acts are serviceable. " Now, when a directly opposite state of mind is induced, there is a strong and involuntary tendency to the performance of movements of a directly opposite nature, though these are of no use; and such movements are in some cases highly expressive." III. Constitution of the nervous system, independently from the will, and to a certain extent independent of habit, as trembling, loss of color, etc. In addition to the above principles, which account for a large class of emotional expressions, there is a limited class of expressions purely volitional, and less emotional. They may be classified as follows : (i.) Descriptive, as in representing the course of the rising or setting sun, or as in suggesting height, length, etc. (2.) Location, as in indicating the place or position of any object. Past action is also frequently reproduced. The Oratorical Value of Action. ^Eschines said of Demosthenes, that when asked for the prime requisite in' oratory, he replied, "Action," when asked for the second, he replied, "Action;" and for the third, "Action."'* The " action " of Demosthenes may have included the par- ticulars and sum of man's whole activities ; but it seems quite probable that it was a strong way to express an important oratorical truth. Though dispensable to some degree, yet a perfect orator cannot be imagined without action. If a man feels the truth he attempts to express, he must and will have some actions of face and gesture. We have occasionally seen speakers quite without action, and they have always been as insipid as " expressionless " people. The language of action and form primarily reveals the heart, or inner states, of the man. A life of sin inevitably * Cicero de Orat., c 56. EXPRESSION BY ACTION. JT - impresses the body unfavorably. A life on a high intellectual and spiritual plane lifts the body, and it lightens up with a divine light; so the wise man taught that "a sound heart is the life of the flesh." (Prov. iv. 23.) "The heart of man changeth his countenance, whether for good or evil." (Son of Sirach.) This suggests that perfect expression has a moral basis. Action-language is the natural and universal language of the race. Mr. Darwin sent letters of inquiry to missionaries, and other intelligent persons, in all parts of the world, to ascertain the action of men under certain emotions. The fact was established that men in all grades of civiliza- tion and savagery expressed the different emotions by sub- stantially the same action. " Lay thy hand upon thy mouth, and go with us," said the spies (Judges xviii. 19), just as men do now, when they mean secrecy. Infants first use action-language. A foreigner on our street is unable to make himself under- stood with the scanty vocabulary at his command. He adds the universal language of action, and we at once understand him. " Man does not depend upon articulate language alone ; there is the language of expression, a mode of communication understood equally by all mankind, all over the globe, not conventional or confined to nations, but used by infants before speech, and by untutored savages."* Action is the language of the emotions. The emotions are ' mental on one side, and physical on the other. Through tfre nervous forces the physical is stimulated irresistibly to express whatever emotions may be in the consciousness. We see the persistency with which emotions tend to express themselves in a given way, by the fact that it is difficult to * Sir Charles Bell's " Anatomy and Physiology of Expression." Il8 ACTION-LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION, conceal our feelings when any emotion pronounces itself. Instead of expressing thought, this language tells how we are affected by the thought. This does not necessarily sep- arate action-language from thought. In analyzing any emo- tion, we can frequently succeed best by proceeding from the idea which is the author and part of the emotion. If I give mathematically the height of a mountain, I, without ac- tion, make the statement that the 'mountain is so many feet high. If, however, I am moved by an appreciation of its lofti- ness, I lift my arm suggestive of height. So even gestures, called "gestures of location" are not without emotion. In harmony with this classification, according to another analy- sis, action is the language of the heart, expressing those moods that affect character, as well as the transitory emo- tions. We have seen that the language of the habitual atti- tudes interprets character ; action is only an inflection of attitude. Action-language is elliptical. Action says something in ad- dition to the spoken word. " Suit the action to the word," does not mean that you are to make the action say precisely the same thing that the word does. The orator who said, " And we drop a tear On Lincoln's bier," and suiting the action to the word, with finger and thumb took the tear from his eye and dropped it, hardly appreciated the function of gesture. Gesture, improperly used, may contradict the spoken word ; correctly used, it re-enforces speech. The speaker has in his mind to unfold the subject before him ; instead of saying so, he lifts his hands, obliquely turn- ing the palms out, which indicates the purpose of opening up the matter. This gesture is in common use with most speak- ers, but analyzed by few. If the speaker in one passage is joyous in mood, and in EXPRESSION BY ACTION. 1 19 another serious, he does not say it in words, but in action- language. Action-language is direct and instantaneous, in distinction from speech, which is analytic and successive, spoken by letters, syllables, words, phrases, sentences. A motion toward the door shows the indignation, and gives the order to go, more forcibly than any number of words that could be spoken. Action-language is the picture-making language. It addresses the eye. The value of it is indicated by the increasing use made of object teaching and illustration. An audience is not to be addressed as an individual. "Au- diences are not intelligent," some one has said. The speaker can say to an audience what he could not say to an individual of the audience. The individual independence and intelli- gence is merged in the mass of the audience, and then the emotions have freer play. Any emotion of an audience is strangely catching. Feel- ings of patriotism, indignation, etc., run from heart to heart like fire. The majority of sober people lose their wits in the panic of the crowd ; hence, audiences may be moved as indi- viduals cannot. The thoughtful and most intelligent in audi- ences are no longer themselves, and become more emotional. The staid, matter-of-fact Franklin was once lost in one of Whitefield's audiences. Franklin had stoutly refused to con- tribute to a certain orphanage enterprise under Whitefield's care, because disaffected by the location. He went to hear the preacher, when the appeal was made for the orphanage. Mr. Franklin said : " I had in my pocket a handful of copper, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded I began to soften, and concluded to give him my copper ; another stroke of his eloquence made me ashamed of that, and I concluded to give him my silver ; and he finished so admirably that I gave him my gold, silver, and all." Now, as "audiences are not intelligent," and the "eyes of the ignorant more learned than ears," the value of the action- I2O ACTION -LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. language, addressing the eye and emotions, is made apparent. The number and kind of gestures, effective before an audi- ence, would be ludicrous when speaking to an individual. Action-Language is Cultivatable. Even as speech, so may the language of action be cultivated and refined. That English is our mother tongue, does not imply that all are equally skilful in its use. Action-language is natural lan- guage, but it, too, must be cultivated. The emotions themselves may be refined. The perception of the true, the beautiful, the good, may be cultivated. Ex- pression of emotion, as of thought, of course must wait upon impression. 1 . Emotional expression is partially under the control of the will. This gives us the important starting-point that in- asmuch as emotional expression is more or less under the control of the will, therefore the expression is more or less cultivatable. 2. By expressing any emotion it becomes stronger; as seen in persons who do not control their anger, becoming more and more easily provoked to this emotion, and also to its expression. The merest mechanical expression of any emo- tion reacts upon the mind, and really awakens that emotion. The opposite of this is true also. By the fancy we call up the idea of any emotion, and thus sympathetically feel such emotion and express it. 3. Force of habit. It is well known that habitual move- ments are performed with greater facility than those not so. Availing ourselves of this law of nature, exercise upon the gestures more frequently used, cultivates ease in their use, and insures variety. Habit, however, is harmful if not utilized, as it allows the action of a few movements to repeat themselves over and over again, without reference to expressiveness. Faults. i. Habitual movements or attitudes. Lifting the eyebrows ; lounging on the desk ; closing the eyes ; hands in EXPRESSION BY ACTION. 121 pockets, or nervously fingering some object ; spasmodically drawing the mouth down ; pounding ; tramping ; one move- ment of the arm, as the " sledge-hammer " gesture, etc. ; bending, or other disadvantageous and unbecoming attitudes. 2 . Gestures out of time ; usually after time. 3. Gestures awkwardly expressed. 122 ACTION -LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. CHAPTER H. GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE, Preparatory Decomposing Exercises. The first ef- fort of the student in this connection should be directed to free the arms, in short the whole body, from all rigidity ; to destroy habitual movements, by counteracting exercises and general development. Then the body is prepared to respond to the action of the mind. Exercises. i. Work the fingers to free them front stiff- ness. 2. Dangle the hands, and shake the arms freely from the shoulder, up and down, whirling in, then out ; now rotate the body on the hip-joints, letting the arms and hands fly whither they may, while rotating the body. 3. Lift the main arm until the elbow is level with the shoulder. Shake it back and forth, letting the forearm dan- gle to the very finger tips. 4. (i). Slowly lift the arm extended forward up as high as the level of the head, then down, the back of the wrist leading while moving up, the face of the wrist leading down, while the fingers trail. Take care to make the movements from the shoulder easy and flowing. (2.) Make this same movement; hands level with the shoulders in bringing them near together in front ; then out till extended from the sides. Continue these ; first (i), then (2). In these movements, command a steady body, and feel bal- anced with the " sea-poise," as though buoyed up by a sur- rounding element. 5. Practise any exercise that will give suppleness to the limbs. GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE. 123 In all these movements avoid making hard work of it. Let the mind be free, else the mental constraint will sympatheti- cally affect the muscles. 6. Combination movement. This movement educates the movement of the hand and arm in preparing for a gest- ure, and also combines movements found in many gestures. It also educates the muscles to nicety and precision of action. Slowly lift the arm extended in front, the fingers dangling or trailing ; when the hand is level with the eye, hold and sight over the thumb to an object on the wall ; hold in this position and depress the wrist ; the open palm is now from you, imagine a ball against the palm, turn the hand out around this imaginary ball, now the fingers are depressed and palm up and out; fold the fingers on the palm, beginning with the little finger. We now have the half fist (thumb unfolded). Fold this half fist upon the forearm, the forearm on the main arm. Let the half fist dip in and down, the elbow moving up in opposition. Now unfold the arm, palm down, extending with a final thrust, fingers straightened. In this combination there are at least eight distinct move- ments. These may be resolved into three general movements, the preparation in lifting, the folding in, and the folding out. The latter is spiral. All the above exercises should be practised, first by the right, then by the left arm and hand, and then by both. Cultivate muscular consciousness. When the hands are pas- sive by the sides, we feel their weight. The criteria that will be given in another place will be virtually a following out of this same principle of freeing the body, and educating the muscles to perform the most com- monly used expressions. As the corresponding emotions are associated with their appropriate expression, these criteria will have the additional advantage of the constructive element in their practice. 124 ACTION -LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. Laws. There are seven general principles or laws of gesture, in conformity to which action must be made. 1. Evolution. The expression centres in the eye, first manifests itself there, and then radiates to the extremities of the body. The pugilist watches his antagonist's eyes instead of his fists ; for the purpose and direction of the blow first manifests itself there. 2. Civilization. According to this principle, you can treat truth as you treat a material object. In this case truth is symbolized. A cube of wood may be employed. The hand beneath it, palm up, supports the block ; but on the top it crushes it down. The hand edged in front, protects it ; at the side, limits or defines ; the hand removed from beneath refuses support, and it falls ; a movement against it overthrows it. The hand, in these same positions or movements, not only appropriately but naturally expresses the same attitude or action toward fact or truth. 3. Sequence. Gesture precedes or accompanies the spoken word. This principle is frequently violated. Mechanical gesture has this among other faults. " My Lord Northumber- land, we license your departure with your son." Just before or while uttering the word " departure " make a strong waft- ure of the hand, signifying, depart immediately. Make the same gesture while or after pronouncing the word " son," and mark the difference. 4. Succession. In moving from the centre, the old does not cease till the new begins to act, that is, the eye does not relax till the body begins to move. The main arm does not cease motion till the forearm moves, the forearm does not cease till the hand begins to move. ' This succession pre- vents angular movements. 5. Velocity. The rate of movement is inversely propor- tionate to the mass movedo A trifling matter is tossed off with a quick movement, but " Up the high hill he heaves a huge round stone," is labored and slow. GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE. 125 60 Suavity. Tender, kind emotions express themselves in circular movements. The more vehement the emotion, the more angular will be the gesture. 7 Opposition. In making a movement of two parts of the body in gesture, each part should move in opposite direc- tions, or else a parallelism is perpetrated. To illustrate : If in salutation, the hand be lifted near the face, and the arm, body, and all together, be moved forward in bowing, we have a parallelism. If, however, while inclining the head and body we lift the hands, the movements between these parts are in opposition, then moving the head back to the erect position, we toss the hand out and down in opposition. 126 ACTION -LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. CHAPTER III. CRITERIA FOR PRACTICE. IN the following chapters will be given the sentiments often- est used, with their corresponding expression, for practice. The expressiveness of the various members will be con- sidered, the attitudes and inflections given. The criteria to follow are modifications of Delsarte's classification, and may be analyzed and practised, in order to establish the habit of appropriately expressing the sentiments desired. In practice, gesture must always be made in reference to | an object or audience. Avoid making the gesture too much to one side, and on too low a plane. Though the different parts of the body are considered separately, they do not act exclusively in expression. Each agent of action-language has its rble. It is well to note how each movement is transmitted from agent to agent. Inflections or fugitive movements are transmitted in this manner ; but attitudes are characteristic, and cannot be so treated. Whatever affects the agents severally may affect them simultaneously. The Chest in Expression. In treating of the attitudes of the chest, we understand it includes the whole trunk, and shares the shoulder movements. The attitudes of the chest are : First, Conditional, which shows condition of chest in itself. Second, Relative attitude, relating chest to an object. The Conditional Attitudes. "First, Expansion. It shows different degrees of excitement, courage, or power in the will. Second, Contraction. It shows different degrees of timidity, effort, pain, or convulsion in the will. CRITERIA FOR PRACTICE. I2/ Third, Relaxation. It shows different degrees of surrender, indolence, intoxication, prostration, or insensibility cf will. Relative Attitudes. i. Chest leaning directly to object shows vital or objective attraction ; obliquely, moral or subjective attraction. 2. Chest leaning directly from object, vital or objective repulsion ; obliquely, subjective or moral repulsion. Movements. The body and shoulders lifted, shows exalta- tion, power, domination over object. Movement forward to object shows love or affection. Movement backward from object shows aversion. Attitudes. i. In repose the chest is erect and normal. 2. In reflection the chest bends forward. 3. In sublimity the chest is broadened and lifted. 4. In attack^ or vehemence, it is expanded, broadened, and brought forward. 5. /;/ despair it is flattened. 6. Leaning directly before an object indicates deference. 7. Leaning obliquely to object indicates reverence. 8. The body leaning back shows pride. 9. Leaning sidewise is the attitude of wickedness ; it is fox-like. Positions. In physical and moral weakness the gravity of the earth beneath draws the body down. The gestures are made on a lower plane. In spiritual or moral exaltation the body is lifted, and gesture is made on a higher plane. 128 ACTION -LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. CHAPTER IV. THE LIMBS IN EXPRESSION. THE FEET AND LEGS. A GENERAL principle called' the Law of Force applies to position. Conscious weakness assumes strong positions, as in the case of the aged, infirm, and children learning to walk, placing their feet far apart. Conscious strength assumes weak positions, as in the case of athletes, and of men of mental and physical vigor, placing their feet nearer together. Mental and emotional conditions correspond to the physical states, and assume similar attitudes. Gravities. Three centres of gravity are to be considered. The weight upon the heel indicates the subjective state of mind ; the weight upon the toe, or ball of the foot, indicates that the object dominates the man ; the weight upon the centre indicates balance of mind. Primary attitude. In this attitude the weight is on both feet, separated by the width of one of the feet, and the toes turned out at an angle of seventy-five degrees. This is a weak attitude. It characterizes respect, also infancy. If the feet be far separated, the expression is physical weakness, insolence, familiar ease, vulgar repose, intoxication. Second attitude. "In this attitude the strong leg is back- ward, the free one forward. This is the attitude of reflection, of concentration, of the strong man. It indicates the absence of passions. It has something of intelligence. It is neither the position of the child, nor of the uncultured man. It indi- cates calmness, strength, independence, which are signs of intelligence. " Third attitude. " Here the strong leg is forward, the free THE LIMBS IN EXPRESSION. 129 leg backward. This is the attitude of vehemence and of heroism. The orator who would appear passive, that is, as experiencing some emotion, or submitting to some action, must have a backward pose, as in the second attitude. " If, on the contrary, he would communicate to his audience the expression of his will or of his own thought, he must have a forward pose, as in the third attitude." Fourth attitude. " Here the strong leg is behind, as in the second attitude, but far more apart from the other, and more inflected (bent at the knee). This is a sign of weakness which follows vehemence and terror." Fifth attitude. " This is necessitated by the inclination of the torso to one side or the other. It is a third to one side. It is a passive attitude, preparatory to all oblique steps. It is passing or transitive, and ends all the angles formed by walking. It is in frequent use combined with the second." Sixth attitude. This is the second, with limbs farther apart. It is the alternative attitude. The body faces one of the two legs. In this, the weight upon both feet indicates hesi- tation. Seventh attitude. ' This is a stiff second attitude, in which the strong leg and also the free one are equally rigid. The body in this attitude bends backward; it is the sign of dis- trust, of scorn, of defiance." The Hand. "By representing the hands disposed in conformity with the attitude of the figures, the old masters have been able to express every different kind of sentiment in their compositions. Who, for example, has not been sen- sible to the expression of reverence in the hands of the Magdalens by Guido, to the eloquence of those in the car- toons of Raphael, or the significant force in those of the Last Supper, by Da Vinci. In these great works may be seen all that Quintillian says the hand is capable of express- ing : ' For other parts of the body assist the speaker, but these, I may say, speak themselves. By them we ask, we 9 I3O ACTION -LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. promise, we invoke, we dismiss, we threaten, we entreat, we deprecate, we express fear, joy, grief, our doubts, our assent, our penitence ; we show moderation, profusion ; \ve mark number and time.'"* The hand completes and interprets the expression of the face. It is the last of the two agents to act. Attitude. i. The normal position of the hand requires the fingers to be differential, the first finger quite straight and most separated, the second and third but little separated, and more bent, the fourth more separated from the third, and more straight. Straighten the thumb, and separate from the first finger. Avoid woodenness, which results from keeping the fingers close together and straightened out. Avoid spreading the hand, and also all convulsive attitudes of it. Leave them entirely alone while speaking. This attitude should be mastered as the habitual one. It expresses calm repose. 2. The fist, thumb outside on index finger This expresses conflict, firmness, strength, concentration of force. 3. Bend the first joint of the fingers, somewhat apart. This expresses the convulsive state. 4. The hand lifeless, thumb falling into the middle. This attitude expresses prostration, lack of energy in the mind, imbecility. I have frequently seen this position of the hand. The necessity of avoiding it is evident. 5. All the fingers and thumb thrown open, and separated slightly. This expresses exaltation, earnestness, animated attention. 6. This same carried still further, stiffening the fingers straight, and separating to the utmost. This expresses exas- peration. The part of the hand next to the auditor is the expressive part. The back of the hand is mystical in expression. To * The Hand," by Sir Charles Bell, K. G. II., etc. THE LIMBS IN EXPRESSION. 13! the auditor it expresses secrecy, indefiniteness, indistinctness, doubt and darkness. The side or edge of the hand is definitive in expression. Turned to the auditor, or when most actively employed, it clearly limits or defines the facts. If I show the length of a stick, I separate the hands with the edge of each to the auditor. The palm of the hand is revelatory in expression. The speaker throwing his hands apart, and showing the palms, opens up the subject to the plain sight of the audience. Functions. The hand defines, holds, surrenders, inquires, caresses, assails, affirms, denies, conceals, reveals, accepts, regrets, supports, protects. Affirmations, i. The teacher's affirmation defines. In this the index finger is prominent, the other fingers folded. 2. Champion's affirmation supports ; palm up. 3. Conservative's affirmation limits ; edge of the open hand leading in the action. 4. The tyrant's affirmation puts down ; arms thrown down with palms to the floor. Inflections. i. Impatient negation. In this the hand is tossed from the side. 2. Distribution, "scattering seeds of kindness "; palms up, tossed from side to side. 3. Grasping, assailment. In this the hands are suddenly closed, and drawn to the body. 4. Exposition. The hands thrown open, the palms out. The Arms. I think the feet and arm actions are more under the control of the will than other agents of expression, and more available in public effort. In the arms we distinguish the articulations ; the shoulder, the elbow, the wrist, and also the hand and fingers. The shoulder is a valuable agent of the orator. By a simple movement of the shoulder a vast deal may be expressed, 132 ACTION -LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. and it always makes a strong impression. The shoulders are a thermometer of passion. (a.) Normal condition indicates calm repose. (/>.) Shoulders elevated indicate passion. (V.) Shoulders depressed indicate feebleness. (//.) Shoulders brought forward indicate pain. " Liars do not elevate the shoulders to the required height." The elbows are a thermometer of affection, self-will, self- esteem, self-consciousness. The positions are distinguished : 1. The normal position at the side. 2. The elbows turned out slightly. This indicates tender- ness, and may be carried on to force and activity, self-asser- tion, conceit, strength, arrogance. 3. The elbows turned in. This indicates self-suppression, poverty of spirit, weakness, inferiority, self-consciousness, im- potence, humility, subordination, fear. The wrist is a thermometer of vital energy of mind. The wrist turned back up indicates normal repose. The wrist turned edge up indicates preparation. The wrist turned front or face up indicates action. The orator needs great suppleness of wrist to give freedom to the play of the hand. Inflections of the Arms. i. Calm repose. This is the natural, easy position, with arms quietly by the side. 2. Resigned appeal to heaven. In this action the arm without lifting is turned face out, the hand is turned palm slightly up ; the face is turned in opposition, and uplifted to heaven. 3. Accusation. In accusation, the arm is stiffened at the side ; the eye first accuses and centres upon the object, then the stiffened arm and hand are lifted till the eye sees the object down the arm. 4. Imprecation. The arm is elevated overhead. The THE LIMBS IN EXPRESSION. 133 hand is formed into a claw, ready as a bird of prey to pounce upon its victim. 5. Remorse. In remorse the hand is made to grasp the back of the head, the forearm pressing against the face. 6. Grief or shame. The face, in this emotion, is hid by the hand spread over it. 7. Tender reproach. To express this, the hand is slightly closed, and drawn across the chest, away from the object, while the face is turned upon it in reproach. 8. Pathetic repulsion. To express this emotion, the hand moves toward the object from the seventh position, while the head moves in the opposite direction. 9. Benediction. In benediction, the hands are lifted, the backs up. The above series, with one or two exceptions, is better adapted to dramatic expression ; but as a practice for ora- toric, it presents the feature of variety. The following series is more oratoric in character. 1. Repulsion. In repulsion, the hand is lifted, palm out, thumb near the ear. It is then shoved out straight in front, while the head moves back in opposition. 2. Attraction is the opposite of repulsion. 3. Supplication. In supplication, the arm is lifted to heaven, the hand open and held half horizontal. Do not hold the arm immediately in front. 4. Appellation. In appellation, the forearm is lifted per- pendicular, the palm of the hand out. 5. Affirmation. In this gesture the hand is thrown down in front, the palm out. 6. Salutation. The hand is raised gracefully, the head inclining to meet it ; after they have approached near each other, the hand is thrown gently forward, the head moving in opposition. The hand is lifted in proportion to the amount of deference or respect expressed. Common salutation of 134 ACTION -LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. men who are equals is frequently made by a wafture of the hand from the region of the stomach. 7. Negation. The arm is thrown across the space in front of the student toward the back, the palm down. 8. Declaration. This is the same movement, with the palm of the hand half up. 9. Rejection. This is the same as negation, with the thumb edge of the hand down. It sweeps all out of the w f ay. The following angles exhibit the different degrees of eleva- tion in affirmation. ANGLES OF AFFIRMATION AND NEGATION. The angle indicates the position of the arm at the close of the gesture. Absolute truth is directly overhead. Affirma- tion, with moderate assertion, is at right angles to our per- pendicular. In asserting impossibility, the arm makes the angle back of the perpendicular of the body. The following medallion of inflection conveniently exhibits THE LIMBS IN EXPRESSION. 135 to the eye the angles, arcs, and direction the hands and arms take in expression. The lower part of the circle corresponds to the feet. MEDALLION OF INFLECTIONS. Universality, amplitude, these are expressed by the hands forming part of a circle with outstretched arms. The opposite is a fine gesture, and less used. The arrows indicate the direction of the hand and arm. In this the hand is overhead. The hand circling from front back, indicates glorification or victory achieved ; the opposite, exhortation or victory ahead. The straight lines interpret themselves. 136 ACTION- LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. CHAPTP:R v. THE FACE AND HEAD IN EXPRESSION. " THE face is the mirror of the soul " because it is the most impressive agent, less under the control of the will, and consequently the most faithful agent in rendering the states of the soul. Not only momentary emotions may be read in the face, but the conformation of the features of the face reveals the aptitude of the individual, his temperament and character, always, of course, allowing for the freedom of man to will and live above his natural appetences. But every emotion of the soul writes itself upon the counte- nance, and persistency will fix it there. We have characteristically sad, joyful, thoughtful, stupid, vicious faces. We have seen the same face undergo marked and some- times remarkable changes, as the individual has changed his life. The face gives the hand more significance in gesture. The Eyes. The eyes and ears are called the organs of the spiritual sense. The other organs of sense must come in contact with the object, in order to know of its qualities or character. With the ear we can hear sounds produced afar off, and with the eye we can see the object that impresses us, though many leagues in the distance. The eye then is the highest as an agent of expression. It has long been characterized as the "window of the soul." The eye is an intellectual agent, denoting the various states of the mind. THE FACE AND HEAD IN EXPRESSION. 137 In the normal eye the upper lid just touches the iris. A small eye indicates strength ; a large eye indicates languor. The eye opens only in the first emotion, then it becomes calm. The eyebrow lifted and the voice lowered indicates a desire to create surprise, and a lack of mental depth. The lowered brow signifies retention, repulsion, like a closed door. The elevated brow is like the open door. The eyebrow is the door of intelligence. The inflections are in accord with the eyebrows. When the brow is raised, the voice is raised. This is the normal move- ment of the voice in relation to the eyebrow. Sometimes the eyebrow and voice are in contradiction. Then there is always an ellipse ; it is a thought unexpressed. In expressing the word " indeed," if the brow and voice are lowered, the case is grave ; if the brow and voice are elevated, the case is mild, amiable ; if the voice is raised and the brow lowered, the case is doubtful, suspicious. 1. In calm repose, the eye is normal. 2. In firmness, the eye partially closes itself. 3. In stupor, the eyelid hangs. 4. In astonishment, the lids are dilated, the brow raised. 5. In disdain, the brow is held normal, the lid is dilated. 6. In perplexity, the brow and lids contract. The Head. Besides the habitual bearings of this agent of expression which are quite permanent, we have, 1. The movements of attitude which are temporarily per- manent. 2. The movements of inflection, or fugitive movements. The head has nine primary attitudes from which the others proceed. In the normal attitude the head is neither high nor low. In the concentric, the head is lowered ; in the eccentric, the head is elevated. There are some general facts to be observed as to position of the head. 138 ACTION -LANGUAGE CULTURE AND EXPRESSION. 1. The head suppressed upon itself (bent forward) indi- cates suppression of self. 2. Head thrown up indicates assertion of self. 3. Dropping the head upon the breast indicates shame, remorse. Fugitive Movements of the Head Inflection. i. Forward movement ending in upright one, elevated chin, in- dicates interrogation, hope, appellation, desire. "Will you go?" 2. The same, chin lowered, doubt, resignation. "I am resigned to it, wise or unwise." 3. Nod of the head, forward movement, confirmation, "Yes, all well." 4. Brusque movement forward, menace of a resolute man. " Send us the prisoners, or you shall hear from us." 5. Head back, exaltation. 6. Brusque movement backward, menace of a weak man. " Now, if you don't do it, I will make you pay for it." 7. Rotative movement from shoulder to shoulder, impa- tience, regret. " I regret it very much." 8. Rotating head, perpendicular, negative, " No." If the movement ends toward the interlocutor, simple nega- 1 tive, " No, sir." If the movement ends opposite to him, nega- tive with distrust. 9. The rotative, then forward movement, exaltation. When the head has a serious part to play, it communicates an inflective movement to the hand which renders it terrible. Menace. In the fugitive movement we have indicated the menace of (a) weakness, (b} resolution. This can be trans- ferred to the hand. " You will have a quarrel to settle with me." " A man who menaces with his head is not sure of his aim, but one who menaces with his hand is sure of striking right. In order to do this, the eye must be firmly fixed, as the eye necessarily loses its power and accuracy by a movement of THE FACE AND HEAD IN EXPRESSION. 139 the head. There is great power in the menace communicated by the hand- The head menace is more physical, the hand menace more intellectual. " When the speaker does not wish to express his opinion, and has the fear of compromising himself with his eye, he turns aside his glance, and the menace is communicated to the shoulder. This has less strength, because it is rendered by one of the sensitive agents." ATTITUDES OF THE HEAD. SENTIMENTS. EXPRESSION. 1. Calm repose, strategem . . . { Head easily erect. 2. Cunning, envy, hate, suspicion, \ IIead inclined from object sidewise ( to self. 3. Sensualism j The head inclined from object, eye ( to corner next to object. 4. Pride, arrogance , J Head turned away from object and ( thrown back. 5. Contemplation \ Head inclined before the object. 6. Vehemence, exaltation, aban- j donment of self .... 1 Head thrown back ' Lifting the whole body with the head, exaltation of self over object ; expresses arrogance. 7. Veneration, reverence ....-{ Head inclined obliquely to object. 8. Tenderness, affection ....-{ Head inclined laterally to object. 9. Nonchalance, confidence . . . \ Head inclined away from object. The student should cultivate consciousness in the crown of the head. PART III. EXPRESSION, EXPRESSION. The Speaker before the Audience. When as speaker you appear before an audience, in the pulpit, at the bar, or on the platform, you are supposed to be informed as to your sub- ject, and to have arranged the matter for the easiest and most effective presentation. You must be thoroughly possessed by the subject and forget self, and in a measure the audience. Think not how to appear great, nor to win the applause of the audience. Your purpose now is to give the truth that stirs your own soul. All tricks and artifices are vain. Have a purpose ; aim to accomplish it. Now leave all practice ; execution is called for. Nothing so " makes the judicious grieve " as a speaker practising before his audience. The speaker's bearing should be strong and confident, yet deferential. Stand free, but do not lounge. Very plainly the speaker should face the audience. Do not turn the back upon the audience even when addressing the past ; any posi- tion that does not show part of the face to the audience is not admissible. Keep your eye upon the audience, for this gives controlling influence over them. Every change of attitude should be controlled by a purpose, and be made only as a preparation for the delivery of a new idea, or before a paragraph or other division of the discourse. Thought should be taken to keep the lungs well supplied and the chest lifted. Just before speaking the first sentence, slowly fill the lungs by breathing through the nostrils, in the mean while looking upon the audience to challenge their at- tention. In beginning do not mumble the sounds. It is safe to say that eight out of every ten speakers begin in such 144 EXPRESSION. a low and weak voice, that one half of an audience of aver- age size do not hear the first part of the discourse. On the other hand, caution must be exercised not to begin by shout- ing. Begin on the conversational level. Direct the voice to the farthest person in the room, and with clearness and force lift the voice to this auditor, and be sure he hears. In execution, your first effort should be to make yourself UNDERSTOOD; therefore clearly or distinctly speak the words, giving every syllable its due time in pronunciation, not pret- tily, but with force and smoothness. In the second place, you must make yourself FELT. "Elo- quence consists in feeling a truth yourself, and in making those who hear you feel it." Do not seek to produce an " effect." This is an abomination. In expression, while pre- serving the unity, you must seek variety. Avoid being borne along by one emotion. Let thought and emotion have full play ; let voice and action, untrammelled, do their part in re- sponding. Whisper, plead, storm, persuade, in keeping with the thought and emotion. Lead the audience up step by step, seeking the legitimate conviction, " The truth, we will defend it, we will live it ! " The closing words should be adapted to compose the emo- tions and leave the thought of the effort upon the mind. Prof. Monroe gave his pupils the appropriate motto, " Have something to say ; say it ; stop." As a reader you should be familiar with what you are to read. Avoid bending over to the page. If holding the book, lift it about as high as the shoulder, in the left hand, little finger and thumb keeping the book open, the remaining fingers supporting it. In representing two characters, for one, read to the right ; for the other, to the left. Less action is required in reading than in speaking, except in strong fo- rensic declamation or in dramatic delineation. Think the thought, recall the scenes of the subject ; give it to the audience. EXPRESSION. , 145 Analysis of Written Language. Speech expresses thought and emotion by the varied use of emphasis, time, force, pitch, quality of voice, etc., as previously discussed. Written language should be carefully analyzed to find out the sense of the author, the various sentiments, the strength of passion involved, in order to determine what parts require prominence, what are to be cast into the ,shade, what parts are separated in the sentence, though related in thought, that emphasis, pitch, inflection, rate, etc., may be intelligently ap- plied. Every piece of composition has its own peculiar atmos- phere, and the speaker should find it and let it permeate his mind. With the selections for practice will be given the principal points in the analysis of the pieces. I will give first the style of delivery ; second, the emotional attitude of the speaker ; and indicate other points in analysis by the me- chanics of expression. Proper emphasis, slurring and pauses, are the leading features in the mechanics of expression, and these are indicated in some of the selections given here for practice.* Small capitals indicate the words that take the leading emphasis ; italics, the words in the deepest shade (read on lower pitch and faster), the "0," a pause. Every measure, as in music, is to occupy the same time, to be consumed in pronunciation or pauses. Long quantity, though unaccented, may fill a measure. Be free in action, afterward criticise ac- cording to the principles of action-language. The finer shades of expression must be wrought out by the student in the light of the instruction already given, as an at- tempt to give a complete analysis in book instruction would be laborious and confusing, if not impossible. * Other selections are given for the students to analy/.e. 10 146 EXPRESSION. I. THE ELDER BROTHER. MONROE'S READER. Simple Conversational. Observe the inquiring mood of the elder brother, the easy-going mood of the landlord. Medium pitch, slow rate, simple inflections. A | gentleman | of England | had | two SONS ; | | the ELDER of | whom, | eager for \ adventure, \ a?id \ weary of | the restraints \ of home, \ | obtained his | father's per- mission | tO gO | ABROAD. | | | Ten | years | later, | a | TRAVELLER, | | prema- turely | old, | covered \ with rags \ and dust, | stopped at | an inn | near the | paternal | estate. | | Nobody | KNEW him, | al- \ though, | by his \ conversa- \ tion, | he ap- peared | to have had | some | previous | AC- | QUAINT- ANCE | with the | neighborhood. | | Among | other | questions, | he asked | concerning | the fa- | ther of | the TWO | SONS. | | | "Oh, | he's DEAD," | said the \ landlord; | | "been dead | these five | YEARS ; | poor | old | man ! | | dead and | forgot- | ten | LONG | ago ! " | | | " And | his SONS ? " | said the \ traveller, \ after \ a pause; \ " I | believe | he had | TWO." | | " Yes, | he | had. | THOMAS | and JAMES. | | Tom | was the | HEIR. | But | he was | UNSTEADY; | had | a ROVING | disposition ; | gave | his | father | no end | of trou- | ble. | Poor | old man ! | | poor | old man !" | | And the | landlord, | shaking \ his head \ sorrow- \ fully, | drained a | good tank- j ard of | his own | ale, | by way of | solace | to his | melan- | choly | reflec- | tions. | | | The trav- | eller | passed a | trembling | hand | over | his own | pale brow | and rough | beard, | and said | again, | | " But | James, | the SEC- | OND son, | HE is alive > " I I I EXPRESSION. 147 " You would I THINK | so," | said the \ landlord, | smacking | his lips. | | "Things | have hap- | penecl WELL | for him. | | The old | man dead ; | his broth- | er dead | too " " His | brother | DEAD ? " | said the \ travel- \ ler, with \ a start. | | " Dead, | or as | GOOD as | dead. | | He went | off on | his trav- | els ten | YEARS | ago, | and has | never | been heard | of since. | | So JAMES | has come | into | the es- | tate, | and | a BRAVE | estate | it is, | and | a gay | GENTLEMAN | is James | 00 | What! GOING, | sir?" |00| "I beg | your par- | don," | said the \ travel- \ ler, ris- \ ing. | "I | I | have | BUSINESS | with this | James." IT. THE CHEERFUL LOCKSMITH. CHARLES DICKENS. Animated Narrative. To express the cheerfulness of this selection, read on quite a high pitch, making wide intervals when required, to the lower pitches. Long quantity, pure tone. Give "tink" a metallic sound. From the workshop of the Golden Key there issued forth a TINKLING sound, so merry and good-humored, that it sug- gested the idea of some one working BLITHELY, and made quite pleasant music. Tink, tink, tink, clear as a silver BKLL, and audible at every pause of the streets' HARSHER noises, as though it said, " I don't care ; nothing puts ME out. I am RESOLVED to be happy." Women SCOLDED, children SQUALLED, heavy CARTS went rumbling by, horrible cries proceeded from the lungs of HAWKERS ; still it struck in again, no higher, no lower, no louder, no softer ; not thrusting itself en people's notice a BIT the more for having been outdone by LOUDER sounds, tink, tink, tink, tink, tink. It was a perfect EMBODIMENT of the still small voice, free 148 EXPRESSION. from all cold, hoarseness, huskiness, or unhealthiness of ANY kind. Foot passengers slackened their pace, and were dis- posed to LINGER near it ; neighbors who had got up sple- netic that morning, felt GOOD-HUMOR stealing on them as they heard it, and by degrees became quite sprightly. Mothers danced their BABIES to its ringing. Still the same magical tink, tink, tink, came gayly from the workshop of the Golden Key. Who but the locksmith could have MADE such music ? A gleam of SUN shining through the unsashcd window and check- ering the dark workshop with a broad patch of light, fell full UPON him, as though attracted by his sunny heart. There he STOOD working at his anvil, his face radiant with exer- cise and gladness, his sleeves turned up, his wig pushed off his shining forehead, the EASIEST, FREEST, HAPPIEST man in all the world. III. LOCHINVAR. SIR WALTER SCOTT. Lively Narrative. Observe that the author is in sympathy with Lochinvar. Observe, also, the haughty attitude of the father, the defer- ential-indifferent attitude of Lochinvar. High pitch, quick rate, medium stress, frequent wide intervals. 1. O young Lochinvar has come out of the West, Through all the wide border his steed was the best ! And save his good broadsword, he weapon had none, He rode all unarmed, and he rode all alone. So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war, There never was knight like the young Lochinvar. 2. He stayed not for brake, and he stopped not for stone, He swam the Eske River where ford there was none ; But ere he alighted at Netherby gate, The bride had consented, the gallant came late : For a laggard in love, and a dastard in war, Was to wed the fair Ellen of young Lochinvar. EXPRESSION. 149 So boldly he entered the Netherby hall, 'Mong bridesmen, and kinsmen, and brothers, and all: Then spoke the bride's father, his hand on his sword (For the poor craven bridegroom said never a word), " O come ye in peace here, or come ye in war, Or to dance at our bridal, young Lord Lochinvar ? " So stately his form, and so lovely her face, That never a hall such a galliard did grace ; While her mother did fret, and her father did fume, And the bridegroom stood dangling his bonnet and plume ; And the bridemaidens whispered, " 'T were better, by far, To have matched our fair cousin with young Lochinvar." One touch to her hand, and one word in her ear, When they reached the hall-door, and the charger stood near ; So light to the croupe the fair lady he swung, So light to the saddle before her he sprung; " She is won ! we are gone ! over bank, bush, and scar, They '11 have fleet steeds that follow," quoth young Lochinvar. IV. TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE. WENDELL PHILLIPS. Oratoric. Conversational basis. Observe the easy hut vivid and incisive style in this short extract from a speech of this prince of American orators. Medium pitch, slow rate, radical stress, downward slides. Mounting his horse, and riding to the eastern end of the island, Toussaint looked out on a sight such as no native had ever seen before. Sixty ships of the line, crowded by the best soldiers of Europe, rounded the point. They were soldiers who had never yet met an equal, whose tread, like Caesar's, had shaken Europe, soldiers who had scaled the pyramids and planted the French banners on the walls of Rome. He looked a moment, counted the flotilla, let the reins fall on the neck of his horse, and turning to Cristophe, exclaimed, " All France is come to Hayti ; they can only 150 EXPRESSION. come to make us slaves ; and we are lost ! " He then recog- nized the only mistake of his life, his confidence in Bona- parte, which had led him to disband his army. Returning to the hills, he issued the only proclamation which bears his name and breathes vengeance : " My children, France comes to make us slaves. God gave us liberty ; France has no right to take it away. Burn the cities, destroy the harvests, tear up the roads with cannon, poison the wells, show the white man the hell he comes to make." And he was obeyed. When the great William of Orange saw Louis XIV. cover Holland with troops, he said, " Break down the dikes, give Holland back to the ocean"; and Europe said, "Sublime!" When Alexander saw the armies of France descend upon Russia, he said, "Burn Moscow, starve back the invaders"; and Europe said, " Sublime ! " This black saw all Europe marshalled to crush him, and gave to his people the same heroic example of defiance. It is true, the scene grows bloodier as we proceed. But, remember, the white man fitly accompanied his infamous attempt to reduce freemen to slavery with every bloody and cruel device that bitter and shameless hate could invent. Aristocracy is always cruel. The black man met the attempt, as every such attempt should be met, with war to the hilt. In his first struggle to gain his freedom, he had been gener- ous and merciful, saved lives and pardoned enemies, as the people in every age and clime have always clone when rising against aristocrats. Now, to save his liberty, the negro exhausted every means, seized every weapon, - and turned back the hateful invaders with a vengeance as terrible as their own, though even now he refused to be cruel. Leclerc landed. Cristophe took two thousand white men, women, and children and carried them to the mountain for safety, then with his own hands set fire to the splendid palace which French architects had just finished for him, and in forty EXPRESSION. 151 hours the place was in ashes. The battle was fought in its streets, and the French driven back to their boats. Wherever they went they were met with fire and sword. Once resisting an attack, the blacks, Frenchmen born, shouted the Marseilles hymn, and the French stood still ; they could not fight the Marseillaise. And it was not till their officers sabred them on that they advanced, and then they were beaten. He then sent word to Leclerc, " I will submit. I could continue the struggle for years, could prevent a single Frenchman from safely quitting your camp. But I hate blood- shed. I have fought only for the liberty of my race. Guar- antee that, I will submit and come in." He took the oath to be a faithful citizen, and on the same crucifix Leclerc swore that he should be faithfully protected, and that the island should be free. As the French general glanced along the line of his splen- didly equipped troops, and saw opposite Toussaint's ragged, ill-armed followers, he said to him, " L'Ouverture, had you continued the war, where could you have got arms ? " " I would have taken yours," was the Spartan reply. He went down to his house in peace ; it was summer. Le- clerc remembered that the fever months were coming, when his army would be in hospitals, and when one motion of that royal hand would sweep his troops into the sea. He was too dangerous to be left at large. So they summoned him to at- tend a council ; he went, and the moment he entered the room the officers drew their swords and told him he was a prisoner. He was sent to the castle of St. Joux, to a dungeon twelve feet by twenty, built wholly of stone, with a narrow window, high up on one side, looking out on the snows of Switzerland. In this living tomb the child of the sunny tropics was left to z*** [WIT IB . OJT 1$2 EXPRESSION. V. SPEECH ON AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE. PATRICK HENRY. Oratoric. Observe the strong, bold attitude of the author. Medium pitch ; slow rate ; radical stress. Observe the opportunity for climax. Mr. | President, | | it is | natural to | man | to in- | dulge in the il- | lusions of | hope. | .0 | | We are | apt to | shut our | eyes | a- | gainst a | painful | truth, | | and | listen to the | song of that | syren, ] | till she trans- | forms us | into | beasts. | | | Is | this the | part of | wise | men, | en- | gaged in a | great and | arduous | struggle | for | liberty? | | | Are we dis- | posed | to | be of the j number of | those | who | hav- ing | eyes, | see not, | and | having | ears, | hear not the | things | which so | nearly con- | cern our | temporal sal- | vation ? | | | For | my | part, | what- | ever | an- guish of | spirit ] it may | cost, | | I am | willing to | know the | whole | truth ; | | to | know the | worst, | | and to pro- | vide for it. | | | They | tell us, | sir, | that we are | weak, | un- | able to | cope with so | formidable an | adversary. | | | But | when shall we be | stronger ? | | | Will it be the | next | week, | or the | next | year ? | | | Will it | be | when we are | totally dis- | armed, | and | when a j British | guard | shall be | stationed in | every | house ? | | | Shall we | gather | strength | by | irreso- | lution, | and in- | action ? | | | Shall we ac- | quire the | means of ef- | fectual re- | sistance, | by | lying su- | pinely | on our | backs, | and | hugging the de- | lusive j phantom of | hope, | un- I til our | enemies | shall have j bound us | hand and | foot ? | | | Sir, | we are j not | weak, | Oifwe | make a | proper | use of | those | means | which the | God of | nature | hath | placed in our | power. | | | Three | millions of | people | | armed in the | holy | cause of | liberty, | and in | such a | country | EXPRESSION. 153 as I that which | we pos- | sess, | are in- | vincible | by | any | force | which our | enemy | can | send a- | gainst us. | | | Be- | sides, sir, | we shall | not | fight our | battles a- | lone. | \ | There is a | just | God | who pre- | sides | over the | destinies of | nations ; | | and | who will | raise up | friends j to | fight our | battles | for us. | | | The | battle, | sir, | is | not to the | strong a- | lone, | | it | is to the | vigilant, | the | active, | the | brave. | | | Be- | sides, sir, | we have | no e- | lection. | | | If we were | base enough | to de- | sire it, | it is | now | too | late | to re- | tire from the | contest. | | | There is | no re- | treat, | | but in sub- | mission | and | slavery. | | | Our | chains are | forged. | | | Their | clanking | may be | heard j on the | plains of | Boston. | | | The | war | is in- | evitable, | | and | let it | come ! | | | I re- | peat it, sir, | | let it | come ! | | | It is in | vain, sir, | to ex- | tenuate the | matter. | | I | know not | what | course | others may | take ; | | but | as for | me, | | give me | liberty ; | j or | give me | death ! | | | VI. CASSIUS TO BRUTUS. SHAKESPEARE. Dramatic. Notice the shrewd, argumentative method of Cassias. High pitch; " mental " tone ; many circumflexes ; moderate rate; radical stress ; quotations in italics. Well, honor is the subject of my story. I cannot tell what you and other men Think of this life, but, for my single self, I had as lief not be as live to be In awe of such a thing as I myself, I was born free as Caesar ; so were you : We both have fed as well ; and we can both Endure the winter's cold as well as he : For once, upon a raw and gusty day, The troubled Tyber chafing with her shores, 154 EXPRESSION. Caesar said to me, Dar'sl tkon, Cassias, now Leap in with vie into this angry flood, And swim to yonder point? Upon the word, Accoutred as I was, I plunged in, And bade him follow: so indeed he did. The torent roared, and we did buffet it With lusty sinews, throwing it aside And stemming it with hearts of controversy ; But, ere we could arrive the point propos'd, Caesar cried, Help me, Cassius, or I sink! I, as yEneas, our great ancestor, Did from the flames cf Troy upon his shoulder The old Anchises bear, so from the waves of Tybcr Did I the tired Caesar : and this man Is now become a god; and Cassius is A wretched creature, and must bend his body, If Caesar carelessly but nod on him. He had a fever when he was in Spain ; And when the fit was on him I did mark How he did shake ; 'tis true, this god did shake : His coward lips did from their color fly ; And that same eye, whose bend cloth awe the world, Did lose his lustre. I did hear him groan : Ay, and that tongue of his, that bade the Romans Mark him, and write his speeches in their books, Alas, it cried, Give me some drink, Titinins, As a sick girl. Ye gods, it doth amaze me, A man of such a feeble temper should So get the start of the majestic world, And bear the palm alone. Brutus and Ccesar: what should be in that Ccesar? Why should that name be sounded more than yours ? Write them together, yours is as fair a name ; Sound them, it doth become the mouth as well ; Weigh them, it is as heavy; conjure with them, Brutus will start a spirit as soon as Ccesar. Now, in the names of all the gods at once, Upon what meat doth this our Caesar feed, That he is grown so great? Age, thou art sham'd! EXPRESSION. 155 Rome, Ihoti hast lost the breed of noble bloods ! When went there by an age, since the great Hood, But it was famM with more than with one man ? When could they say, till now, that talk'd cf Rome, That her wide walls encompass'd but one man ? Now is it Rome indeed, and room enough, When there is in it but one only man. O, you and I have heard our fathers say There was a Brutus once that would have brookM Th' eternal Devil to keep his state in Rome, As easily as a king ! VII. LANGUAGE. RUSKIN. f):dci-c'ic conversational. Medium pitch inclining to high ; slow rate ; downward slides ; inclining to pure tone. With regard to the art of all men, that of language, the chief vices of education have arisen from the one great fallacy of supposing that noble language is a communicable trick of grammar and accent, instead of the careful expression of right thought. All the virtues of language are, in their roots, moral ; it becomes accurate if the speaker desires to be true ; clear, if he speaks with sympathy and a desire to be intelligible ; powerful, if he has earnestness ; pleasant, if he has sense of rhythm and order. There are no other virtues of language producible by art than these ; but let me mark more deeply for an instant the significance of one of them. Language, I said, is only clear when it is sympathetic. You can r in truth, understand a man's word only by understanding his temper. Your own word is also as of an unknown tongue to him unless he understands O yours. And it is this which makes the art of language, if any one is to be chosen separately from the rest, that which is fittest for the instrument of a gentleman's education. To teach the meaning of a word thoroughly, is to teach the nature of the spirit that coined it ; the secret of language is the secret of sympathy, and its full charm is possible only to 156 EXPRESSION. the gentle. And thus the principles of beautiful speech have all been fixed by sincere and kindly speech. On the laws which have been determined by sincerity, false speech, apparently beautiful, may afterward be constructed ; but all such utterance, whether in oration or poetry, is not only without permanent power, but it is destructive of the prin- ciples it has usurped. So long as no words are uttered but in faithfulness, so long the art of language goes on exalting itself ; but the moment it is shaped and chiselled on external principles, it falls into frivolity and perishes. No noble nor right style was ever yet founded but out of a sincere heart. No man is worth studying to form your style who docs not mean what he says; nor was any great style ever invented but by some man who meant what he said. And of yet greater importance is it deeply to know that every beauty possessed by the language of a nation is signifi- cant of the innermost laws of its being. Keep the temper of the people stern and manly; make their associations cour- teous, grave, and for worthy objects ; occupy them in just deeds, and their tongue must needs be a grand one. Nor is it pos- sible, therefore, that any tongue should be a noble one, of which the words are not so many trumpet calls to action. All great languages invariably utter great things and command them ; they cannot be mimicked but by obedience ; the breath of them is inspiration because it is not only vocal but vital ; and you can only learn to speak as these men spoke, by be- coming what these men were. VIII. BUNKER HILL MONUMENT. WEBSTER. Oratoric. Observe the thoughtful, solid utterances. Slow time, medium to low pitch, full voice, downward slides (Webster's delivery was noted for the abundance of strong, downward slides), radical stress. We know, indeed, that the record of illustrious actions is most safely deposited in the universal remembrance of man- EXPRESSION. 157 kind. We know, that if we could cause this structure to as- cend, not only till it reached the skies, but till it pierced them, its broad surfaces could still contain but a part of that which, in an age of knowledge, has already been spread over the earth, and which history charges itself with making known to all future times. We know that no inscription, no entab- latures less broad than the earth itself, can carry information of the events we commemorate where it has not already gone ; and that no structure which shall not outlive the duration of letters and knowledge among men, can prolong the memorial. But our object is, by this edifice to show our deep sense of the value and importance of the achieve- ments of our ancestors ; and, by presenting this work of gratitude to the eye, to keep alive similar sentiments, and to foster a constant regard for the principles of the Revolu- tion. Human beings are composed, not of reason only, but of imagination also, and sentiment ; and that is neither wasted nor misapplied, which is appropriated to the purpose of giving right direction to sentiments, and of opening proper springs of feeling in the heart. Let it not be supposed that our object is to perpetuate national hostility, or even to cherish a mere military spirit. It is higher, purer, nobler. We consecrate our work to the spirit of national independence ; and we wish that the light of peace may rest upon it forever. We rear a memorial cf our conviction of that unmeasured benefit which has been conferred on our land, and of the happy influences which have been produced, by the same events, on the general interests of mankind. We come, as Americans, to mark a spot which must forever be dear to us and our posterity. We wish that whosoever, in all coming time, shall turn his eye hither, may behold that the place is not undistinguished where the first great battle of the Revolution was fought. We wish that this structure may proclaim the magnitude and importance of that event, to every class and every age. 158 EXPRESSION. We wish that infancy may learn the purpose of its erection from maternal lips ; and that wearied and withered age may behold it and be solaced by the recollections which it sug- gests. We wish that labor may look up here and be proud in the midst of its toilr We wish that, in those clays of dis- aster which, as they come on all nations, may be expected to come on us also, desponding patriotism may turn its eyes hitherward, and be assured that the foundations of our national power still stand strong. We wish that this column, rising towards heaven among the pointed spires of so many temples dedicated to God, may contribute also to produce, in all minds, a pious feeling of dependence and gratitude. We wish, finally, that the last object on the sight of him who leaves his native shore, and the first to gladden his heart who revisits it, may be something which shall remind him of the liberty and the glory of his country. Let it rise till it meets the sun in his coming, let the earliest light of the morning gild it, and parting day linger and play on its summit. IX. PSALM CXXXIX. KING DAVID. Solemn Address. Subjective and reverential attitude, low pitch, long quantity, inclined to monotone, full tone, slow rate, thorough, inclined to intermittent stress. O | Lord, | thou hast | searched me, | and | known me. | | | Thou | knowest my | down- | sitting | and mine | up- | rising, | thou | under- | standest my | thoughts I a- | far | off. | | | Thou | compassest my | path, | and my | lying | down, | and art ac- | quainted with | all my | ways. | | For there is | not a | word in my | tongue, | but j lo, | O | Lord, | thou | knowest it | alto- | gether. I | | Thou hast be- | set me | be- j hind and be- j fore, j and | laid thine | hand up- | on me. | | ( Such | knowledge is | too | wonderful for | me : | j it is | high, | I | cannot at- | tain unto it. | I I Whither shall i EXPRESSION. 159 | go | from thy ! spirit? | | or | whither shall I | flee from thy | presence ? | | | If I as- | cend [ up into | heaven, | | thou art | there : | | if I | make my | bed in | hell | be- | hold, | thou art | there. | | | If I | take the | wings of the | morning | and | dwell in the | utter- most | parts of the | sea : | | Even | there | shall thy | hand | lead me, | and thy | right 1 hand shall | hold me. | | | If I | say, | Surely the | darkness shall | cover me : | | even the | night | shall be | light a- | bout me : 1 | Yea, | the darkness | hideth not from | thee ; I | but the | night | shineth as the | day : | | the | darkness i and the | light | are | both a- | like | to | thee. | |00| X. CHAPTER IX. ST. JOHN. Thoughtful A T amtive. Observe the dignified and thoughtful attitude of Jesus, the haughty bearing of the Pharisees, the cautious manner of the parents, the joyful manner of the man with restored sight, and finally his twitting of the Pharisees. Medium rate, middle pitch, long quantity, median stress, dramatic representation of the various speakers. And as | Jesus | passed | by, [ he | saw a | man which was | blind from his | BIRTH. J | | And his dis- \ ciples | asked him, | saying, | Master, | who did | SIN, | this | man | or his [ parents, | that he was | born | blind ? | I ] Jesus | answered, | Neither hath this | MAN | sinned | NOR his | parents : | | but that the | works of | Gocl j should be | made | MANIFEST in him. I | | I must | work the | works of | him that | sent me, I while it is | day; | | the | NIGHT | cometh | when | no | man | can | work. | I | As | long | as | I am in the | world, | I | am the | LIGHT | of the | world. | | | When he had thus | spoken, | he | spat on the | GROUND, | and | made | CLAY | of the | spittle, | and he A- | NOINTED the | eyes | of the | blind | man | with the | clay, | and | said unto him, | Go, | wash in the | pool of | Siloam, | | (which is, by in- 160 EXPRESSION. | terpre-\ tation, \ Sent.) | | He | went his | WAY, | therefore, \ and | WASHED, | and | came | seeing. | 1 00 | The | NEIGHBORS I therefore, 1 and\ they which be- \fore had | seen him, \ that he was \ blind, | | said, | Is not | this | he that | SAT and I BEGGED ? | | | Some | said, | This | is | HE; | | others | said, | He is | LIKE him : | | but | HE | said, | I | AM | he. ] | | Therefore | said they unto him, | | How | were thine J eyes | OPENED ? | | | He | answered and | said, | A | man | that is | called | JESUS | made | clay, [ and a- | nointed mine | eyes, | and | said unto me, | Go to the | pool of | Siloam, | and | wash : | | U and I | WENT and | WASHED, | and I re- | ceived | SIGHT- | | | Then I said they unto him, | | Where | is he ? | | He | said, | I | know not. | |00| They | brought to the | PHARISEES | him that a- I foretime | was 1 blind, | | Audit was the \ Sabbath \ day | when | Jesus | made the \ clay, \ and \ opened his \ eyes. | | | Then a- | gain the | Pharisees | ALSO | asked him | how he had re- | ceived his 1 sight. | | He | said unto | them, | He | put | CLAY | upon mine | eyes, | and I | WASHED | and do | SEE. I I I Therefore said \ some of the \ Pharisees, \ THIS | man is | not of | God, | be- | cause | he | keepeth not the | SABBATH | day. | | Others | said, | How can a | man that is a | sinner, | do such | MIRACLES ? | | And there was | a di- | vision a- | mong them. | | | They say | unto the | blind | man a- | gain, | | What | sayest | THOU of him ? | that he hath j opened thine | eyes ? | I He said, | He is a | PROPHET. | | | But the | Jews | did not BE- | LIEVE con- | cerning him \ that he \ had been \ blind, \ and re- \ ceived his \ sight, \ un- I til they ] called the | PARENTS of | him that had re- | ceived his | sight. I | And they 1 asked THEM, | saying, | | Is | this your | son, | who ye | say | was | born | blind ? | | EXPRESSION. * l6l how | then | doth he | now | SEE ? | | | His | parents | answered them | and | said, | | We | know | that | this is our | SON, | and that he was | born | BLIND : | | But by | what | means | he | now | seeth, | we j know | NOT ; | or I WHO hath | opened his | eyes, | we | know not : | | he is of | AGE, | ask | HIM, | he shall | speak for him- | self. | | These I words | spake his | parents, | be- | cause they | FEARED the | Jews : | | for the | Jews had agreed al | ready, | that if | any man | did | confess | that he was | CHRIST, | he should be | put | out of the | synagogue. [ | | Therefore | said his parents, | he is of | AGE, | ask | HIM. | | | Then A- | GAIN | called they the | man that was | blind, | and | said, | Give | GOD the | praise : [ we | know that | this | MAN | is a | sinner, i | | He answered and [ said, | Whether he | be a | SINNER or | no, | I | know not ; | | one | thing I | KNOW, | that where- | as I | was | blind | | now | I | see. | | | Then | said they | to him a- | gain, | What DID he to thee ? | | How I opened he thine | eyes ? | | | He answered them, | I have | told you AL- I READY, | and ye | did not | HEAR : | | wherefore | would ye | hear it a- | gain ? | | Will | YE | also | be his dis- ciples ? | | | Then they RE- | VILED him, | and | said, | THOU art | HIS dis- | ciple ; | but | WE are | MOSES' dis- | ciples. | | | We | KNOW that God | spake unto | MOSES : | | as for | this | FELLOW, | we | know not from | WHENCE he | is. | | | The | man | answered and | said unto them, I | Why, | herein | is a | MARVELLOUS | thing, | that YE | know not from | whence he | is, | and \ yet he hath \ opened mine \ eyes. | | | Now we | know that | God | heareth not | SIN- NERS : | | but if | any man | be a | WORSHIPPER of | God, | and | doeth his | WILL, | him he | heareth. | | | Since the | world be- | gan | it was not | heard, | that | any ii l62 EXPRESSION. MAN | opened the | eyes of | one that was | born | blind. | | If | this | man were | not of | GOD, | he could | do | NOTHING. | | | They | answered and | said unto him, | | Thou wast | alto- | gether | BORN in | sins, | and dost | thou | teach | us ? | | And they | cast him | OUT. | | 00| Jesus | HEARD that they had | cast him | out ; | and | when he had | FOUND him, | he | said unto him, I | Dost thou be- | lieve on the | Son of | God ? | | | He | answered and | said, | Who | is he, | Lord? | | that I | MIGHT be- | lieve on him ? | | | And | Jesus | said unto him, | | Thou hast both | SEEN him, | | and it is | he that | TALKETH with thee. | | | And he | said, | Lord, | I BE- | LIEVE. | | And he | WORSHIPPED him. | XI. THE SURE REWARD. J. G. WHITTIER. Emotional Narrative. Moderate rate ; middle pitch ; median stress ; long quantity. 1. It may not be our lot to wield The sickle in the ripened field ; Nor ours to hear on summer eves The reaper's song among the sheaves. 2. Yet where our duty's task is wrought In unison with God's great thought, The near and future blend in one, And whatsoe'er is willed, is done. 3. And ours the grateful service whence Comes, day by day, the recompense ; The hope, the trust, the purpose stayed, The fountain, and the noonday shade, 4. And were this life the utmost span, The only end and aim of man, Better the toil of fields like these, Than \vaking dream and slothful ease. EXPRESSION. 163 5. But life, though falling like our grain, Like that revives and springs again ; And, early called, how blest are they Who wait in heaven their harvest day. XTI. FULNESS OF LOVE. CHARLES WESLEY. Emotional Narrative. Middle pitch, moderate rate; full tone; me- dian stress ; long quantity. 1. O | Love Di- | vine, | how | sweet | thou art ! | | When | shall I | find my | willing | heart | All ta- | ken up | by thee ? | | I thirst, | | I faint, j | I die | to | prove The | greatness | of redeem- | ing love, | The | love of j Christ | to me. | | | 2. Stronger ] his love | than death | or hell; | | Its rich- | es | are un- | searcha- | ble ; | | The first- | born | sons of | light j Desire | in vain | its depths | to see ; | | | | They can- | not reach | the mys- | tery, | The length, | | the breadth, | | the height. | | | 3. O | that I | could for- | ever sit | With Mary | at | the Mas- | ter's feet! | | Be this | my | happy | choice ; | | My on- | ly care, | | delight, | | and bliss, | | My joy, | | my hea- | ven on ' earth, | be this, | To j hear the | Bride- | groom's | voice. | | | 4. O | that I | could, | with fa- | vored John, Re- | cline my | weary | head | upon The | dear Re- | deemer's | breast ! | | From care. | | and sin, | | and sor- | row free, | Give me, | O | Lord, | to | find | in thee | My ever- | lasting | rest. | THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST BATE STAMPED BELOW AN INITIAL FINE OF 25 CENTS WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY WILL INCREASE TO SO CENTS ON THE FOURTH DAY AND TO $1.OO ON THE SEVENTH DAY OVERDUE. 30 1932 DEC 20 1935 NOV 27 193'' ' 23 1938 YB 01983 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY