the Physiology of the Huvian Voice. 271 



vocal organs vibrate very slowly, simply by their relaxation *, 

 a subject which M. Savart has very successfully demonstrated'. 



'J lie fundamental pitch of the voice will vary as the leno-th 

 of the vocal ligaments, and the power of adjustment in the 

 vocal tube to vibrate in unison with the glottis. This is the 

 cause of infants having acute voices, which gradually become of 

 a graver pitch until they arrive at the age of puberty, when 

 the voice of males assumes an altered character; the pitch 

 suddenly becoming a fifth or an octave graver, attended with 

 hoarseness, and a temporary inability to control and regulate 

 the tones f. During that period, whilst speaking, in the same 

 sentence the voice sometimes becomes suddenly elevated a 

 fifth or an octave; but at the expiration of from eight to twelve 

 months its character becomes finally settled %• Eunuchs do 

 not undergo any change of this kind. 



In the female also, at the age of puberty, the larynx un- 

 dergoes a change, differing however in kind and less extensive 

 in effect. In the male the whole larynx is enlarged, whilst in 

 the female it chiefly increases in breadth; the junction of 

 the wings of the thyroid anteriorly is at a more obtuse ano-le 

 and the prominence of \he pomum Adami is less conspicuous 

 The voice at this period acquires a fuller and rounder charac- 

 ter, with a greater intensity of tone. 



The natural key or pitch of the vocal organs may be found 

 by sounding the voice without elevating or depressino- the 

 larynx; the grave octave of that note will be the fundani'ental 

 pitch of the voice §. I have frequently tried this experiment on 

 singers, and have always found this hypothesis verified by the 

 result. The pitch of the vocal organs being thus on the con- 

 fines of the lowest tone of the acute, and the highest of the grave 

 succeeding octaves, occupies a middle or central position, af- 

 fording a great facility to their actions in varying the tone 



In illustration of the advantages of this position, let us sun- 

 pose the pitch of the voice, in a state of rest, to have been 



* Both temperature and moisture have also very sensible effects on thp 

 vibrations of elastic membranes, 



t Bennati is of opinion that the voice should not be exercised by singine 

 during this period. The cases of Donzelli and Donizetti UUcherch slrt 

 Mcc. dela f'oix Hum.) admit of a very different construction. It 'is well 

 breTki'n ^'""'""' "'''^"''"'' "' '^''" "*' '"''^ ^ ^°°'^ '^"''''''^ of voice after its 



: The voice of a person possessing a grave, loud, and reedy character of 

 one will sometimes yield three or four harmonics of the fundamental note • 

 this was first observed by M. Knecht. of Leipsic. Jt is sin^rular that bJ 

 closing the ips lightly, and making them vibrate with the voice, thev will si 

 miiltancously yield vibrations in harmony with the glottis, but two or three 

 octaves graver in pitch. "ncc 



§ The tone which may possibly be produced of a graver pitch loses both 

 ts quality and intensity, and cannot be considered as belonging to the na- 

 tural compass of the voice. & o '" "'i- 'ui 



