232 London Philosophical Society. 



no further in analysation than his lectures manifest, when 

 he admitted not the existence of inflexion, or that termina- 

 tion to which all speaking sounds may be resolved. But in- 

 dependently of inflexion, the ideai.of Mr. Sht'ridan on tone 

 are insufficient. When speaking of the Chinese lancuage 

 *' being chiefly made up of tones," and when proceeding 

 further in exemplification, observing that the same indivi- 

 dual word has " sixty dift'erent meanings," according to~~the 

 different tones ia which it is pronounced ; he appears to 

 jumble together qualities total! v heterogcneal, — rsuch as 

 tune and tone, tune and accent, sound and articulation. 

 Now tune refers to variety, harmony, and cadence ; tone 

 to quality of sound, whether high or low, the natural or 

 feigned voice. The lady sings chastely {i. e. scientifically 

 and in tune), but she wants voice (/". e. tone and compass.) 

 Accent implies stress variously delivered, i. c. either in an 

 upward or downward slide of voice ; or, after the term 

 accent of the Greeks, we may distinguidi it by the names 

 of acute, grave, or circumflex. That gentleman has either 

 the Scotch or Irish accent in his pronunciation, /. e. cir- 

 cumflex. Articulation is sound modified by the various or- 

 gans of speech. The whole alphabet may be pronounced 

 or articulated in one note of music, or, in other words, one 

 musical sound ; and vice versa, the whole compass of the 

 voice may be exemplified in one articulation ; so that we 

 can perceive, when Mr. Sheridan speaks of tone and ihe 

 tone of passion, he leaves the word just as he found it, and 

 very gravely inlbrms the student, that tone is — tone. In 

 the analysation of speaking sounds Mr. Walker proceeded 

 further than the other gentleman, and we feel the more re- 

 gret that he did not adapt his inflexions to the expression 

 of passion and the progress and conipleiion of sense. 



Mr. W. then advanced a great number of arguments, 

 tending to prove, in the most direct manner, that Nature 

 has eiidowed man with an intuitive power of conveying 

 feelings of love or hatred, by signs of consonance or dis- 

 sonance ; which concluded the lecture. 



The fourth and last lecture consisted chiefly of illustra- 

 tions of the diflferenr passions, mostly selected from our im- 

 mortal bard, and which were admirably delivered by the 

 ina'enious lecturer, producing their proper effect : and also 

 of a vindication of Aaron Hill's Treatise on Expression, 

 as founded upon one general principle of reason and philo- 

 sophy. We agree with Mr. W. in imagining, that great 

 advantage might possibly arise from a well regulated theory 

 of the passions, shoifld every admirer of the science apply 

 himself to that branch of eloquence with unremitted ob- 

 servation 



