Sanders' Union Fourth Reader Part 11

EXAMPLE.

Silence, how dead! darkness, how profound!

Nor eye, nor list'ning ear, an object finds; Creation sleeps. 'Tis as the general pulse Of life stood still, and Nature made a pause.-- An awful pause! prophetic of her end.

YOUNG.

2. THE MIDDLE PITCH is that usually employed in common conversation, and in expressing _unimpa.s.sioned thought_ and _moderate emotion_.

EXAMPLES.

1. It was early in a summer morning, when the air was cool, the earth moist, the whole face of the creation fresh and gay, that I lately walked in a beautiful flower garden, and, at once, regaled the senses and indulged the fancy. HERVEY.

2.

"_I love to live_," said a prattling boy, As he gayly played with his new-bought toy, And a merry laugh went echoing forth, From a bosom filled with joyous mirth.

3. THE HIGH PITCH is that which rises above the usual speaking key, and is used in expressing _joyous_ and _elevated feelings_.

EXAMPLE.

Higher, _higher_, EVER HIGHER,-- Let the watchword be "ASPIRE!"

n.o.ble Christian youth; Whatsoe'er be G.o.d's behest, Try to do that duty best, In the strength of Truth.

M.F. TUPPER.

QUANt.i.tY.

QUANt.i.tY is two-fold;--consisting in FULLNESS or VOLUME of sound, as _soft_ or _loud_; and in TIME, as _slow_ or _quick_. The former has reference to STRESS; the latter, to MOVEMENT.

The degrees of variation in quant.i.ty are numerous, varying from a slight, soft whisper to a vehement shout. But for all practical purposes, they may be considered as _three_, the same as in pitch;--the _soft_, the _middle_, and the _loud_.

For exercise in quant.i.ty, let the pupil read any sentence, as,

"Beauty is a fading flower,"

first in a slight, soft tone, and then repeat it, gradually increasing in quant.i.ty to the full extent of the voice. Also, let him read it first very slowly, and then repeat it, gradually increasing the movement. In doing this, he should be careful not to vary the pitch.

In like manner, let him repeat any vowel sound, or all of them, and also inversely. Thus:

[Ill.u.s.tration]

[Transcriber's Note: The ill.u.s.tration is a row of the letter "O,"

increasing in size across the page, followed by a row of the letter "O"

decreasing in size. The presumed intent is to convey loudness.]

REMARK.--Quant.i.ty is often mistaken for Pitch. But it should be borne in mind that quant.i.ty has reference to _loudness_ or _volume_ of sound, and pitch to the _elevation_ or _depression_ of a tone. The difference may be distinguished by the slight and heavy strokes on a bell;--both of which produce sounds alike in _pitch_; but they differ in _quant.i.ty_ or _loudness_, in proportion as the strokes are light or heavy.

RULES FOR QUANt.i.tY.

1. SOFT, OR SUBDUED TONES, are those which range from a whisper to a complete vocality, and are used to express _fear_, _caution_, _secrecy_, _solemnity_, and all _tender emotions_.

EXAMPLES.

1.

We watched her breathing through the night, Her breathing soft and low, As in her breast the wave of life Kept heaving to and fro. HOOD.

2.

Softly, peacefully, Lay her to rest; Place the turf lightly, On her young breast. D.E. GOODMAN.

3.

The loud wind dwindled to a whisper low, And sighed for pity as it answered,--"No."

2. A MIDDLE TONE, or medium loudness of voice, is employed in reading _narrative_, _descriptive_, or _didactic sentences_.

EXAMPLE.

I love my country's pine-clad hills, Her thousand bright and gus.h.i.+ng rills, Her suns.h.i.+ne and her storms; Her rough and rugged rocks that rear Their h.o.a.ry heads high in the air, In wild fantastic forms.

3. A LOUD TONE, or fullness and stress of voice, is used in expressing _violent pa.s.sions_ and _vehement emotions_.

EXAMPLES.

1.

STAND! _the ground's your own_, my braves,-- Will ye give it up to _slaves_?

Will ye look for _greener graves_?

Hope ye mercy still?

What's the mercy _despots_ feel?

Hear it in that _battle-peal_,-- Read it on yon bristling steel, Ask it--_ye who will!_ PIERPONT.

2.

"HOLD!" Tyranny cries; but their resolute breath Sends back the reply: "INDEPENDENCE or DEATH!"

QUALITY.

QUALITY has reference to _the kind of sound_ uttered.

Two sounds may be alike in quant.i.ty and pitch, yet differ in quality.

The sounds produced on the clarinet and flute may agree in pitch and quant.i.ty, yet be unlike in quality. The same is true in regard to the tones of the voice of two individuals. This difference is occasioned mainly by the different positions of the vocal organs.

The qualities of voice mostly used in reading or speaking, and which should receive the highest degree of culture, are the _Pure Tone_, the _Orotund_, the _Aspirated_, and the _Guttural_.

RULES FOR QUALITY.

1. THE PURE TONE is a clear, smooth, sonorous flow of sound, usually accompanied with the middle pitch of voice, and is adapted to express emotions of _joy, cheerfulness, love_, and _tranquillity_.

EXAMPLE.

Hail! beauteous stranger of the wood, Attendant on the spring, Now heaven repairs thy vernal seat, And woods thy welcome sing.