322 <f fl'helher Music is necessary to the brator,^- 



^ Being thus siiiliciently prepared for my intended scrutiny, I 

 directed my endeavours towards the obtaining of a suitable 

 speaker: — and with all due deference to the several provincial ha- 

 bits of our English, Scotch, and Irish countrymen, the intonation 

 of the well-educated London gentleman habituated from infancy 

 to the higher circles, has always appeared, in mv estimation, so 

 decidediy superior — that he, and he only, who in his delivery ap- 

 proximated most closely to that character, could interest my at- 

 tention. 



I succeeded. A gentleman just suited to my purpose — whose 

 articulation was extremely distinct — whose' modulation was 

 agreeable, — and yet, who neither could sing in tune, nor play 

 upon any instrument, entered fully into my views; and consented 

 not only to the examination of his ordinary language, but also to 

 become the subject of any course of experiments that I should 

 deem it necessary to pursue. 



Examination of his ordinary Language, 



OF SOUND. 



Observation 1. Two species of sounds or syllables were ma- 

 nifest — the sonorous and obtuse ; the latter, in ratio to the for- 

 mer, as perhaps about one to four. The sonorous syllables were 

 obviously of the musical class, and could be sufficiently estimated 

 to form a competent idea of their situation on the scale : — on the 

 contrary, the obtuse syllables were altogether immeasurable, until 

 persevering practice overcame the obstacle. 



Remarks. The whole of our particles, viz. a, the, of, to, &:e. 

 were almost at all times (in the flow of conversation) of the ob- 

 tuse or non-sonorous order; as also, rather frequently, a consi- 

 derable number of more independent monosyllables, viz. at, hut, 

 get, met, &c., together with a variety of commencing, interme- 

 diate, and terminating syllables of dissyllables, trisyllables, and 

 polysyllables, as ob in obtain, suf'm sufficient, per in perfection, 

 der in consider, con in convenienty col in recollect, lerable in to- 

 lerable, &c. &c. J 



It may indeed be alleged, without hesitation, that every syl- 

 lable whose vowel is indistinctly uttered, opposes a decided ob- 

 stacle to mensuration. Hence the necessity, in graceful and 

 melodious delivery, of expressing those vocal elements with all 

 the clearness and euphony of which, consistently with the de- 

 corous usages of speech, our language is susceptible ; a practice 

 highly estolled by iMilton in his letter to Hartlib, ou Education. 



OF TONE. 



Observation 3. The musical iatonations or uotes ^verc almost 



wholly 



