our; and now will he lie ten nights awake, carving the fashion of a new doublet. He was wont to speak plain and to the purpose, like an honest man and a soldier: and now he is turned orthographer; his words are a very fantastical banquet, just so many strange dishes. May I be so converted, and see with these eyes? I cannot tell; I think not: I will not be sworn, but love may transform me to an oyster; but I'll take my oath on it, till he have made an oyster of me, he shall never make me such a fool. One woman is fair,-yet I am well: another is wise,-yet I am well; another virtuous,— yet I am well: but till all graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace. Rich shall she be that's certain; wise, or I'll none: virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her; fair, or I'll never look at her; mild, or come not near me; noble, or not I for an angel; of good discourse, an excellent musician, and her hair shall be of what colour it please God. Shakespeare.

From Gisippus. Act 111.

Pheax. Oh, Gisippus!

Gis. What is the matter? Give your wonder words. Pheax. You are my friend. Oh, I have a tale for you; Gisippus, if you take my counsel,

You'll not remain in Athens.

Pheax. That you have given Sophronia to the Roman.
Gis. Oh! they know it? I am glad of it. They know

That I have given her to her ancient love,

And my first friend.

What do their wisdoms say?

Upon this novel guilt? If it be a crime

To give my heart, life, soul, away—

For thou to me wert all, Sophronia-- if it be crime

To tear up my own comfort by the roots,

To make a garland for another's head,

Then I have sinned most deeply, and my reason
Shall venerate their censure.

Pheax. Oh, Gisippus! you are in peril!

They have spoken loudly of your wants, my friend.— And Fulvius' wealth. You start? Ay, that's the charge! They trump it to the state that you have had

Mean views in this. But it has struck you deep

You do not speak? You do not answer me?

Gis. I cannot speak my thought! I'm wonder! rage And wonder all! (Pauses)

The furies tear their hearts-lash them with worse
Than the fell stings they've cast on mine! Gods! what!
Make venal that I gave my peace to purchase:

And to my friend!-give me the slanderer's name
That I may tear the lying tongue from our

Hi jaws, and trample on t1

I cannot find a voice to curse one.

Gerald Griffin.

CHAPTER IX.

QUALITY.

The voice is nature's medium of expression. The human voice is the vehicle of thought and feeling, the agent of the soul, the bond of union betwixt man and man. It may be trained to convey

"All thoughts, all passions, all delights
Whatever stirs this mortal frame."

It is re

The voice, being commonly in harmony with the nature of its possessor, reveals much character. garded by some as an unfailing index. "A gruff, disagreeable voice," say they, "makes known a like nature; and a sweet, soft, kind voice tells the story of corresponding inner traits of character." Naturalists that have studiously observed dogs, inform us, that each dog has a distinct or peculiar bark, which invariably agrees with its well-known disposition and characteristics. The owl and raven are universally regarded as birds of evil omen; their voices almost justify the view. The moderate observation of each one will furnish like examples from nature. None will fail to detect the

mild character of the dove in its plaintive cooing, and the loathsome character of the venomous serpent from its malignant hiss. No one hesitates to pronounce the character of a lamb from its bleating, and a mastiff from his bay.

The same tell-tales of character may be found in "the paragon of animals." There are voices that enchain attention, quell opposition, reach and win the heart; there are others that estrange, provoke, and a most make

"Each particular hair to stand on end,
Like quills upon the fretful porcupine."

The attribute which enables us to distinguish the different voices is called Quality, Character, or Timbre of voice.

"The voice is a living æolian harp. The vocal chords are situated in the upper part of the larynx, where the air from the lungs, called breath, passes through, and brings to phonation the tones conceived in the brain."

It is susceptible of much cultivation. True, all may not attain the same mellowness, fullness, strength, and flexibility of vocal power, but all can improve by judicious vocal exercise. The voice is exposed to "the thousand natural shocks, that flesh is heir to," and, hence, must be employed with discretion.

Perfect organs are little more to the speaker than perfect tools to the mechanic-both must practice to become skilful in their use. The golden rule of economy, never let the expenditure exceed the supply, is especially applicable to the voice. The supply essential to every speaker is a supply of breath. Hence, correct vocal culture resolves itself into the art of

correct inspiration and expiration, the difficult art of breathing.

The great value and necessity of a good voice, ali admit. The sermons with which a Bernard or a Bossuet kindled devotion in the hearts of thousands wou d seem insipid, if delivered in leaden tones by a hueless voice. SHAKESPEARE knew the value of a cultured voice when he said,

In law what plea so tainted and corrupt,
But, being season'd with a gracious voice,
Obscures the show of Evil?

The voice is the interpreter of the emotions. Each emotion has its distinctive quality. If we would give adequate expression to these innumerable emotions, we must be able to govern with

"giddy cunning

The melting voice through mazes running,
Untwisting all the chains that tie

The hidden soul of harmony."

The

The Qualities of Voice are seven: Pure, Orotund, Aspirate. Guttural, Pectoral, Falsetto, and Nasal. first three of these have the three forms of Force, Effusive, Expulsive, Explosive.

The Guttural, owing to its nature. has no Fffusive Form.

Form.

The Pectoral, for a like reason, lacks Explosive The Falsetto sometimes uses the Expulsive and Explosive Forms.

The Nasal scarcely enters the province of elevated expression. But when we find an unfortunate that strains