If the reader has understood rightly the description of the functions of the voice, the pages of the historian and the poet, will suggest to him the occasions for their application. The ways of simple narrative, the places and modes of stress and of intonation, have been exemplified, in reference to the sense and sentiment of discourse. If the scheme is sufficiently clear, the reader may trace the general outline of speech and if his mind is large and liberal enough to let in other thoughts than those of interest and daily fame, he may herein possess and enjoy, at least the picture of a simple and beautiful system of nature, if he can not by practical means offer it for sale or applause.

The possession of a good ear, together with a resolute practice, will be necessary for the precise recognition, and skilful employment of the enumerated elements. But a full understanding of the mere theory of speech, as laid down in this essay, without an accomplished practical execution of its rules, will enable one to overlook the exercises of others, with the decisive commendation or censure of an intelligent criticism: to carry the steady arm of principles, against the self-conflicting councils, and changeful orders of authority: to hold out against error with the real defences of opinion; and to associate the delightful but passing perceptions of the ear, with the continued and busy pleasures of mental discrimination.

When the ingenuous reader reviews the preceding history, I must beg him to bear in mind its object. The purpose was to analyze the functions of speech, without a strict limitation of the search to those points which might be readily cognizable in ordinary utterance, or practically important in oratorical instruction. I have recorded no phenomenon, the discovery of which has not been the result of patient observation and experiment. There are many parts of the detail that will at once be recognized by the competent critic: others will be afterwards received into the growing familiarity of his inquiry: whilst some of the descriptions, even if admitted to be true, will still be considered as niceties of disputable application, and beyond the assigning power of rule. As a physiologist, I conceive I have done no more than my duty in this record, however presently' useless some of its minutia may be. Much of the accumulated wealth of science is not at interest; but the

borrowers may one day come. I am ready to admit, that some distinctions in this history, may be practically disregarded. Thus I have described the several forms of stress as palpably differing functions; and they are absolutely so made in speech: yet I have not ventured to insist on the importance of the dif ference in all cases. So in the discrimination of the intervals of the scale, I have endeavoured to give the true physiological account of these functions: but I have not taken upon me to exclude the fourth, sixth and seventh from the speaking voice. Nor would I wish it to be thought that some of the intervals of intonation, may not on occasions, be used as substitutes for each other, without affecting the force or precision of speech. I was also far from ascribing particular expressions to the numerous possible forms of the wave.

In thus opening the way for a change of elocution from an imitative art, with its inherent defects, to a science with all its constituent usefulness and beauty, it was necessary to set forth every existing function: that the materials might thereby be furnished towards the future establishment of a system of instruction, for those who have the rare aim in scholarship of seeking high accomplishment, through the abundant encompassing of principles, and the condensing economy of systematic means. That the inquiry into this subject has produced. much that will be imperceptible to the first scrutinies of the general ear, I must be convinced from the past history of human improvement. The work of vocal mystery, has been at all times so despairingly abandoned, as beyond the reach of analytic perception, that this supposed impossibility alone will form a heavier argument against its admission, than the real but surmountable difficulty of encountering nature in new fields of sensation. Many who in fine organization of ear, and a capability of delicate analysis, possess the means of successful investigation will, too probably, shrink from the labours of experiment, and seek to justify infirmity of resolution, by defensively assuming the hopelessness of trial.

SECTION XLVI.

Of the Drift of the Voice.

He who listens to a good reader, may perceive that his voice is not only adapted to the varying indications of the sentiments which lie in individual words, but that there is a style. in the movement which runs through the parts or the whole of a discourse; is accommodated to its reigning sentiment or spirit; is identical during the prevalence of that spirit, and changes with its variations. Every one recognizes this difference in manner between a facetious description, and solemn invocation from the pulpit; between the vehement stress of anger, and the well known whining of complaint. It is to this continuation of the same style, whatever the repeated element or elements may be, that I apply the term Drift of the voice.

On this subject I have no new modes of utterance to describe: the preceding history furnishes all the elements that respectively join to make the various drifts of discourse. I am only about to enumerate these drifts and refer them to the heads of their several constituent elements; that in this essential part of elocution the scholar may have a definite perception of his duty, and a knowledge of all the means by which it is to be accomplished. This subject is not unnecessarily specified by a name; nor is it uselessly offered to the studious attention of the reader for if a particular drift is required throughout a portion of discourse, or the whole of it, any interruption of the assumed tenor, will offend the ear; or at least will be a failure of the aims of elocution. Thus, when the sentiment is plaintive and consequently demands the semitonic intonation, the introduction of a tone or second will be no less disagreeable, than an offence against time and tune in music.

The real existence and effective operation of drift being admitted, the question before us is-Upon what functions of the voice it is founded; and how many different forms may it employ?

I have described all the functions of the voice which are known to me; the nature of drift must, therefore, in my view, be resolvable into the enumerated elements of speech. These elements have been considered under the modes of their individual construction, their expressive meaning, and their application in the limited sphere of emphasis. Our present view of them regards their distinguishing effect when continued in a current melody.

The question,- How many different styles the drift may assume, is to be answered by ascertaining which of the elements can be heard in succession on any indefinite number of syllables, without offending the ear by monotony for there are some which can not be repeated without producing this disagreeable effect. As a general proposition, it may be asserted that most of the specific forms of time, stress and intonation, may, as occasion requires, be applied in continuation without violating propriety or taste. There are again, some elements. which we dare employ only on a few or on solitary syllables, and which can not therefore make a drift in discourse.

On the subject of this successive use of the elements, it is necessary to remark, that though the peculiar character of the drift may be sustained throughout a whole sentence, yet the function which produces it, can in some cases, be executed only on certain syllables. Thus, in the expression of dignity. by means of long quantities, the unaccented syllables can not bear a protracted time: still the character of dignity will prevail, even with this limited application.

Let us enumerate the various kinds of drift.

The Diatonic DRIFT. The diatonic melody was said to be that mode of utterance which is used for simple narrative or description; being destitute of the marked expression that respectively belongs to question, argument and passion. The style of this melody is produced by the concrete rise of a tone, and by a change of radical pitch through the same interval. The employment of any other element in discourse of this kind, would be disagreeable. Suppose, for instance, an advertisement in a gazette to be read with the solemn drift of a protracted quantity, or in the plaintive style of the semitone; no one would be in doubt concerning this improper application of time and intonation.

In the usual course of the diatonic melody, perhaps the upward concretes predominate: the downward vanish of the second, being occasionally introduced for variety; but when required by the gravity of the subject it may without monotony constitute a drift.

The DRIFT of the Semitone. I said enough formerly on the subject of the chromatic melody; it exemplifies the present head. This style is spread throughout discourse of a plaintive, tender, and supplicating character. It was proved in its proper place, that every interval is practicable on every kind of quantity. The semitone, therefore, in its drift is heard on every syllable however short: and even though unaccented.

The DRIFT of the Downward Vanish. It was said the falling second is sometimes used as a drift. The downward third and even the fifth are occasionally heard in continuation. Their currents express surprise and confidence, and when enforced by stress, a warmth of conviction and temper. The following indignant argument from the pleading of Volumnia in Coriolanus bears the downward third throughout.

Come let us go:

This fellow had a Volcian to his mother;

His wife is in Corioli, and this child

Like him by chance:

A continuation of the downward intervals, forms, as we have seen, the drift of exclamatory sentences.

The DRIFT of the Wave of the Second. This element is used in continuation on long quantities, for occasions of solemn, deliberate, and dignified speech. I do not say this wave may not be passed through on syllables of moderately protracted time, and even on those which we have called mutable but it is on long-drawn or indefinite quantities that the effects ascribed to it as a drift, become conspicuous.

The DRIFT of the Wave of the Semitone. This is the most common form of the semitonic style; since the sentiments associated with the chromatic melody generally call for slow time and long quantities. Upon the subject of this and of the preceding head, we must bear in mind that both the direct and inverted modes of these waves are used interchangeably in their respective melodies.