Mechanism of the Larynx. 3 2 5 



Now, if this arrangement be artificially imitated by combining 

 together pipes and cavities with bellows in a similar order, and 

 substituting for the Larynx any elastic lamina capable of pro- 

 ducing musica i notes when vJbrated by the stream of a . r ^ ^ 



found that by changing the form of the cavity above it, the various 

 quaht,es which distinguish the continued notes of the human voice 

 m speech, may be so nearly imparted to the sound which the 

 nn,tat,ve Larynx is producing, as plainly to shew that there is no 

 necess.ty for seeking any power of altering the quality of the notes 

 in the Larynx itself. This then may be considered as merely an 

 mstrument for producing certain musical notes, which are after- 

 wards to be converted into vowels, liquids, &c. by the proper 

 changes of form in the superior cavity. 



We may here remark an essential difference between the vocal 

 mechan.sm and our ordinary musical wind instruments, which are 

 generally made up of some vibratory mouth-piece to generate the 

 note, and an attached cavity, or pipe, to govern and augment its 

 tone, each instrument having its peculiar quality ; whereas the 

 attached cavity in the vocal machine is capable not only of govern- 

 ing and improving the musical quality of the note, but also of 

 impartmg to it all manner of various qualities, the numerous 

 vowels and liquids of speech, and also the perfect mimicry of the 

 pecubar sounds of nearly all animals and musical instruments. 



Of this cavity it is not my present purpose to speak In- 

 deed I doubt whether the science of Acoustics is sufficiently ad- 

 vanced to enable us completely to understand its mechanism I 

 shall m this memoir confine myself to the Larynx. 



The precise form of the Laryngeal cavity, and the parts i,„- 

 med^tely connected with it, is shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 Fig 2 

 is a section made by a plane passing through the nose, mouth" 



T T 2 



