Of Faults in the Wave. The reader must bear in mind that the wave of the second, both in its direct and inverted form, is dignified but plain in its character, and therefore admissible into the diatonic melody as a drift. But it is not so with the waves of higher intervals. They have their proper occasions as solitary emphasis; whereas the continued repetition of them becomes to the ear of good taste a disgusting fault. The form of the wave which is commonly affected by a certain puling class of readers, is that of the invertedunequal, the voice descending through the second, and rising through the third or fifth. This fault is most remarkable in the reading of metrical composition; and it is probable that the bad habit with some, may have arisen from associations with tune which is generally united with verse. Persons who read in this way give a set melody to their lines ; certain parts of each line, as far as the emphatic words will permit, having a prominent intonation of the wave.

There is much of every form of the wave in conversation: and the general spirit of daily dialogue often makes it appropriate there. But I have heard the colloquial twirl even exaggerated by an Actress of great temporary reputation. Her style consisted of a continual recurrence of identical sections of melody, composed principally of the wider forms of the equal and unequal wave: which showed indeed a vocal pertness, and a sort of vivid familiarity, that some called spirit, but which wanted the brilliant dignity of execution, that a performer of High Comedy owes to the author.

Some actors are prone to the use of the double wave. They make it the emphasis of every feeling, not with the intention indeed, but certainly with the event, to denote that they themselves have none. It is an impressive element, and is therefore often thoughtlessly introduced to give prominent effect and variety to melody. It has however, restrictively, its proper duty and place: and it should be remembered that there is a sneering petulance in its character, totally inconsistent with dignity.

There is nothing better calculated to show the importance of the plain ground of the diatonic melody in speech, than this abuse of the wave. It includes the effects of faults in the third and fifth, and consequently gives to discourse the most florid

and impressive character. But when such striking intonation is set on every important syllable,-how shall we mark emphatic words except by the utmost excesses in quality or time of force?

Of Faults in the Melody of the Pause. In the section on Pause, it was shown what phrases of melody were proper for connecting and for separating the ideas of discourse. Those who may hereafter look into this subject, will see the fitness of the allotment there made; and will moreover be struck with the violations of sense and variety so commonly heard among readers some of whom set a rising third or fifth at most of the sub-pauses, and even at the period. A want of nicety too, in varying the kinds of cadence according to the fulness of the close is a very general fault: for there is great clearness given to style, by that delicacy of perception which leads a reader to put the feeble cadence at doubtful periods, and the prepared cadence at the end of a paragraph or chapter.

Of Faults in Drift. The variety and true spirit of reading are effected, by a delicate regard to the correspondence between sentiment and vocal expression, in individual words; and to the Drift or continuation of a given elemental character through one or more sentences: whereas a neglect of this adjustment, will, according to its degree, weaken the impression of utterance, or shock the ear and taste of an auditor. Some readers continue one style of voice through every change of thought and passion: others vary the character of the utterance without adapting it to the demands of sentiment.

Under the last head, we spoke of the power of the prepared cadence to indicate the termination of a paragraph or subject. Now certain changes in the structure of melody, which were formerly described, may be employed to warn an audience of the beginning of a paragraph or subject. The deficiency of a speaker on this point is a flagrant fault.

The object most worthy of remark in this place, is the sudden transition from one style of utterance to another without a corresponding change in the subject. I remember to have heard an actor set the house into a hum of laughter by making that answer of Jaffier to the conspirators

Nay-by Heaven I'll do this,

in the curling quaintness of the wave. The sentiments of Jaffier, the solemnity of the juncture, the purpose of his entrance among the conspirators, are all at variance with the levity of the sneer, conveyed by this intonation. Severity of resolution, is Jaffier's sentiment; and this calls for some of the energies of stress, and the positiveness of the downward emphasis. I have tried in vain to make a term to designate those outrageous transitions, sometimes heard on the stage. They belong to the head of the faults of Drift: but we must speak of them as deeds without a name.' What I mean is,those abrupt changes from high to low ;-from a roar to a whisper;from quick to slow;-harsh to soft;from the diatonic melody to the chromatic;from the gravity of long quantity to the levity of sneer, the quick stress of anger and mirth, or the rapid mutterings of a madman.

There are two different defences may be set up for a particular mode of Elocution. The one, that it is a copy from nature the other, that it does artificially best answer the ends of speech. I can not derive an apology for such flagitious transitions, from either of these sources. I have seen persons un der the highest excitement of passion, and changing from one degree and kind of feeling to another; but I have never heard any thing like the harlequin-transformations of voice, which are sometimes played off upon the stage, except in a paroxysm of hysteria. On the other hand, suppose the practice to be an artificial system, (to which I would make no objection, provided it fulfilled all wise and fair ends)-what recommendation on the score of order can that plan boast, which annuls all the beauty and frugality of rule, which destroys by its anomaly and abruptness all the pleasures of anticipation, and takes from the fine arts, the delight in boundless association, which arises from the busy exercise of well-established knowledge.

The truth is, that where this fault does not arise from ignorance, it is purposely assumed with the view to produce what the small vocabulary of dramatic criticism, calls Effect.' The actor finding himself deficient in variety, and in that complete finish of expression, which drowns scrutiny in approbation, tries to remedy his poverty by breaking through the even tenor of the part, with some rousing stimulus or unexpected collapse. We must however do some actors the justice to be

lieve that they have too true an estimate both of nature and art, to approve of such things. But how shall we absolve them from the charge of submitting to what they know to be ill-judged applause; and of being willing to deceive the people because they will be deceived,'—the easy art and resource of weakness, and the wretched apology of knavery and ambition. It is the part of elevated intellect to undeceive the world even by unwelcome truths; to make all men at last bow down; and to be the master, instead of the slave of opinion.

We need not specify the faults which fall within the subject of grouping. Errors in the connexion or separation of ideas in discourse belong rather to the mind than to the voice.

Of Monotony of Voice. This is an old term in elocution: but it is here used with a more extensive signification than formerly. It means, in general, the undue continuation of any function of the voice.

The investigation of this subject may furnish some support to the doctrine of expression laid down in this essay. For since I have asserted that correct and varied speech is effected by a certain composition of the vocal elements, it will afford no little countenance to this proposed system, if it be found that the transgression of its rules, as far as regards the limited use of these elements, is productive of the palling impression of monotony.

One can scarcely point out an occasion, on which the simple rise of the second, or the diatonic wave has this effect: for according to our system these are properly the most frequent movements in discourse. The employment of the second in place of other functions, may sometimes produce an error in expression, but we do not call it monotony. The chromatic melody, though a continuation of the impressive interval of the semitone, is not monotonous, if the sentiment is suited to its plaintiveness: but many of the other elements when spread over discourse offend by this fault. Thus a repeated succession of the same phrases in the current melody; the same kind of cadence, particularly if it frequently occurs; the successive use of the downward second in melody; a melody formed on the third or fifth; a restriction of emphasis to the third or fifth or octave; a constant use of the accent and emphasis of the radical stress; the vanishing stress; the tremor; the down

ward wider intervals; too free a use of distant skips in the radical change, both in the current and in the cadence; the higher waves; and the protracted notes of song may each become the basis of monotony. In short it may be worth repeating in this place, that all those elements which nature has allotted to the rare occasions of emphasis seem to be protected against abuse, by the occurrence of monotony whenever their purpose is perverted by an undue repetition.

Of Ranting in Speech. This fault consists in the excess of certain elements. These are loudness; violence in the radical and vanishing stresses; and in general, an overdoing of the expression of any sentiments, when united with force.

Of Affectation in Speech. This consists simply in a misapplication of the functions of the voice, whatever may be the system assumed as the standard of purity and excellence in the art.

Of Mouthing in Speech. This belongs properly to the head of the faults of articulation, or deviations from standard pronunciation; of which it is not my intention to speak particularly.

Mouthing consists in the improper employment of the lips in utterance.

Some of the tonic elements, and one of the subtonics are made by the assistance of the lips. They are 'o-we,' ' oo-ze,' 'ou-r,' and 'm.' When these abound in speech it is apt to lead to this Omega-ism; if mouthing, may be so called, from the letter which usually exhibits it. All the other subtonics may be, to a degree, infected with this fault. It slightly infuses the sound of the 'o-we' or 'oo-ze' into their vocality: for the protrusion of the lips, gives something of this character even to a lingual element. Mouthing may be called a mode of affectation.

I might here give a particular description of the voices of Childhood and of Age: for these may be looked upon as faults, when compared with the full-formed, vigorous and varied utterance of intermediate periods. The analysis which has been given will enable an observant reader to discover their characteristics. He will find the voice of childhood to be high in pitch, monotonous in melody, defective in cadence, the intonation often chromatic, and highly colored by the wider