for emphases. As the expressive power of each of these varieties of pitch, cannot be described and illustrated within the limits of this essay, the reader is respectfully referred to my forthcoming work on the human voice, and its expression in speech. Loudness of voice is another vast fund of material for emphases; for any deviation from the general current of loudness will confer it. Quality of voice is another material of emphases. Duration is another. Besides these, a change in the rate of utterance, and the occurrence of rests or periods of silence, are additional means of emphases, at the command of those who will study their expressive powers in speech. The human voice then is the material of emphases, as indeed it is of all speech. It will be perceived, that the degrees and their combinations of vocal sound under the generic heads of pitch, loudness, quality, and duration, will produce an almost inexhaustible variety in the means of expression and emphases. And when it is considered that each of the almost infinite number of mental states can be manifested by the voice, it is obvious that the vocal means of expression must be coequal with the number of mental states. These cursory remarks are intended to shew, that the analytic study of the speech-voice discovers its separate elements to consist of varieties under the musical genera Pitch, Loudness, Quality, and Duration. The study of the special functions of these elements of vocal sound in discourse, discovers their expressive powers. These two studies reveal the science of expression in speech. Analysis leads to Synthesis; in other words, science conducts us to art. Having observed the separate elements and their special functions in our department of nature, which is Speaking, let us attempt their combination to produce our imitative art, which is Reading. The sculptor, painter, and musician, proceed in this way; they each analytically observe their own department of nature in order to discover the separate elements and their special functions, that they may re-combine them and produce statues, paintings, and music. If, like other artists, we collect positive and exact knowledge of the science on which our art is based, we shall give to the art of reading a precision and certainty which will entitle it to the consideration of thinking men-we shall enable its beauties and defects to be accurately described as well as better felt-we shall have the sense and sentiment of our best writers brought home to our minds by the sole commentary of an expressive reading-in tuition the meagre rules which are pieced out by the instinctive efforts of mimicry, will be exchanged for extensive means and comprehensive principles in their application to produce a known result and finally, our public worship will more befit the reasonable service of intelligent creatures, assembled for the purpose of manifesting by their voice the mental states of confession, prayer, and praise. |