Sanders' Union Fourth Reader Part 12

2. THE OROTUND is a full, deep, round, and pure tone of voice, peculiarly adapted in expressing _sublime_ and _pathetic emotions_.

EXAMPLE.

It thunders! Sons of dust, in reverence bow!

Ancient of Days! Thou speakest from above: Almighty! trembling, like a timid child, I hear thy awful voice. Alarmed--afraid-- I see the flashes of thy lightning wild, And in the very grave would hide my head.

3. THE ASPIRATED TONE of voice is not a pure, vocal sound, but rather a forcible breathing utterance, and is used to express _amazement, fear, terror, anger, revenge, remorse_, and _fervent emotions_.

EXAMPLE.

Oh, coward conscience, how dost thou affright me!

The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight; Cold, fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.

4. THE GUTTURAL QUALITY is a deep, aspirated tone of voice, used to express _aversion, hatred, loathing_, and _contempt_.

EXAMPLE.

Tell me I _hate_ the bowl?

HATE is a feeble word: I _loathe_, ABHOR, my very soul With strong disgust is stirred, Whene'er I see, or hear, or tell, Of the dark beverage of h.e.l.l.

NOTATION IN MODULATION.

(o) high.

(oo) high and loud.

([o]) low.

([oo]) low and loud.

(=) quick.

(_''_) short and quick.

(_sl_.) slow.

(_p_.) soft.

(_pp_.) very soft.

(_f_.) loud.

(_ff_.) very loud.

(_pl_.) plaintive.

(<)>

(>) decrease.

EXAMPLES FOR EXERCISE IN MODULATION.

(_p_.) Soft is the strain when zephyr gently blows, And the smooth stream in smoother numbers flows; (_f_.) But when loud surges lash the sounding sh.o.r.e, The hoa.r.s.e rough verse should like the torrent roar.

(_sl_.) When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw, The line, too, labors, and the words move slow: (=) Not so, when swift Camilla scours the plain, Flies o'er the unbending corn, and skims along the main. POPE.

(o=) Go ring the bells and fire the guns, And fling the starry banner out; (_ff_.) Shout "FREEDOM" till your lisping ones Give back the cradle shout. WHITTIER.

(_pl_.) "And now, farewell! 'Tis hard to give thee up, With death so like a gentle slumber on thee!-- And thy dark sin!--oh! I could drink the cup If from this woe its bitterness had won thee.

May G.o.d have called thee, like a wanderer, home, My lost boy, Absalom!" WILLIS.

(_sl_.) The sun hath set in folded clouds,-- Its twilight rays are gone, (o) And, gathered in the shades of night, The storm is rolling on.

(_pl_.) Alas! how ill that bursting storm (>) The fainting spirit braves, (_p_.) When they,--the lovely and the lost,-- (_pl_.) Are gone to early graves!

(o) On! onward still! o'er the land he sweeps, (>) With wreck, and ruin, and rush, and roar, Nor stops to look back On his dreary track (_''_) But speeds to the spoils before. MISS J.H. LEWIS.

From every battle-field of the revolution--from Lexington and Bunker Hill--from Saratoga and Yorktown--from the fields of Entaw--from the cane-brakes that sheltered the men of Marion--the repeated, long-prolonged echoes came up--(_f_.) "THE UNION: IT MUST BE PRESERVED"

(<) from="" every="" valley="" in="" our="" land--from="" every="" cabin="" on="" the="" pleasant="" mountain="" sides--from="" the="" s.h.i.+ps="" at="" our="" wharves--from="" the="" tents="" of="" the="" hunter="" in="" our="" westernmost="" prairies--from="" the="" living="" minds="" of="" the="" living="" millions="" of="" american="" freemen--from="" the="" thickly="" coming="" glories="" of="" futurity--the="" shout="" went="" up,="" like="" the="" sound="" of="" many="" waters,="" (_ff._)="" "the="" union:="" it="" must="" be="" preserved."="">

(_p_.) Hark!

(_sl_.) Along the vales and mountains of the earth ([o]) There is a deep, portentous murmuring, (=) Like the swift rush of subterranean streams, Or like the mingled sounds of earth and air, When the fierce tempest, with sonorous wing, Heaves his deep folds upon the rus.h.i.+ng winds, (<) and="" hurries="" onward,="" with="" his="" night="" of="" clouds,="" against="" the="" eternal="" mountains.="" 'tis="" the="" voice="" of="" infant="" freedom,--and="" her="" stirring="" call="" is="" heard="" and="" answered="" in="" a="" thousand="" tones=""><) from="" every="" hill-top="" of="" her="" western="" home;="" and="" lo!="" it="" breaks="" across="" old="" ocean's="" flood,--="" (oo)="" and="" "freedom!="" freedom!"="" is="" the="" answering="" shout="" of="" nations,="" starting="" from="" the="" spell="" of="" years.="" g.d.="">

(<) the="" thunders="" hushed,--="" the="" trembling="" lightning="" fled="" away="" in="" fear,--="" (_p._)="" the="" foam-capt="" surges="" sunk="" to="" quiet="" rest,--="" the="" raging="" winds="" grew="" still,--="" (_pp_.)="" there="" was="" a="">

(o,o,) "Quick! Man the boat!" (=) Away they spring The stranger s.h.i.+p to aid, (_f_.) And loud their hailing voices ring, As rapid speed they made.

(p) Hus.h.!.+ lightly tread! still tranquilly she sleeps; I've watched, suspending e'en my breath, in fear To break the heavenly spell. (_pp_.) Move silently.

Can it be?

Matter immortal? and shall spirit die?

Above the n.o.bler, shall less n.o.bler rise?

(<) shall="" man="" alone,="" for="" whom="" all="" else="" revives,="" no="" resurrection="" know?=""><) shall="" man="" alone,="" imperial="" man!="" be="" sown="" in="" barren="" ground,="" less="" privileged="" than="" grain,="" on="" which="" he="" feeds?="">

(=) Away! away to the mountain's brow, Where the trees are gently waving; (_''_) Away! away to the vale below, Where the streams are gently laving.

An hour pa.s.sed on;--the Turk awoke;-- That bright dream was his last;-- He woke--to hear his sentry's shriek, (oo) "To ARMS! they come! (_ff_.) THE GREEK! THE GREEK!"

(_pl_.) He woke to die, midst flame and smoke, And shout, and groan, and sabre stroke, And death shots falling thick and fast As lightnings from the mountain cloud; And heard, with voice as trumpet loud, Bozzaris cheer his band;-- (oo) "_Strike_--till the last armed foe expires!

_Strike_--for your altars and your fires!

_Strike_--for the green graves of your sires!

G.o.d, and your native land!" HALLECK.

He said, and on the rampart hights arrayed His trusty warriors, few, but undismayed; (_sl_) Firm paced and slow, a horrid front they form, (_pp_) Still as the breeze, ([oo]) but dreadful as the storm!

(_p_.) Low, murmuring sounds along their banners fly, (_ff_.) REVENGE, or DEATH!--the watchword and reply; (oo) Then pealed the notes, omnipotent to charm, (_f_.) And the loud tocsin tolled their last alarm! CAMPBELL.

([o]') His speech was at first low toned and slow. Sometimes his voice would deepen, ([oo]) like the sound of distant thunder; and anon, (_''_) his flashes of wit and enthusiasm would light up the anxious faces of his hearers, (<) like="" the="" far-off="" lightning="" of="" a="" coming="">

(>) Receding now, the dying numbers ring (_p_.) Fainter and fainter, down the rugged dell: (_pp_.) And now 'tis silent all--enchantress, fare thee well.