SPEECH AND SONG. 243 



toniical Gradgrind would shrink appalled from the attempt to 

 measure the capacity and trace the shape of the various resonance 

 chambers chest, throat, mouth, and nose, with the many intricate 

 little passages and cave-like spaces communicating with the lat- 

 ter yet the slightest difference in the form, size, or material 

 structure of any of these parts must have its effect in modifying 

 the voice to some extent. 



It is a curious fact that singers, who are often rather unwilling 

 to believe that the voice is formed solely in the larynx, are yet 

 generally surprised to be told that the true nature of the voice can 

 not be certainly determined by examination of that organ. From 

 what has been said as to the extraordinary number of the compo- 

 nent parts of the vocal machine, it will be evident that it would 

 be almost as rash to pronounce on the nature of the voice from 

 the appearance of the larynx as it would be to take the shape of 

 the nose as an index of moral character. It can only be said in a 

 general way that, other things (notably, the resonance chambers) 

 being equal, one expects a large, roomy larynx, with thick, pow- 

 erful cords, to yield a deep, massive voice, and a small organ, with 

 slender cords, to send forth a shrill, high-pitched voice. These 

 two types represent the male and female voice respectively ; that 

 of the child belongs to the latter category. It must be understood 

 that the difference in size between the largest larynx and the 

 smallest is, after all, very trifling in itself. For instance, the vocal 

 cords in women are but a fraction of an inch shorter than in men, 

 and the other dimensions vary in much the same proportion. A 

 like difference prevails throughout the resonant apparatus, the re- 

 enforcing chambers being larger in men, and their walls (which 

 are built up of bone, gristle, and muscle) denser and more solid. 



The voice varies in compass no less than in quality. A priori 

 long vocal cords should indicate great range of tone, but so much 

 depends on the management of these vibrating reeds that com- 

 paratively little significance can be attached to mere length. The 

 average compass of the singing voice is from two to three octaves, 

 the latter limit being seldom exceeded. The artistic effect pro- 

 duced with this small stock of available notes is as wonderful 

 in its way as the marvelous results that can be got out of the 

 twenty-six letters of the alphabet. In singing up the scale, the 

 vocalist feels that at a certain point he has to alter his method of 

 production in order to reach the higher notes. This point marks 

 the breaks between the so-called " chest " and " head " registers, or 

 what I may call the lower and upper stories of the voice. 



The subject of the registers has been much debated by the 

 learned, and still more perhaps by the unlearned ; it is the " East- 

 ern question " of vocal physiology. Quite a considerable litera- 

 ture has gathered round it ; philosophers have lost their tempers 



