310 THE VOICE 



4. The Organ of the Voice. The essential organ of the voice 

 is the Larynx. This has been previously alluded to in its 

 relation to the function of respiration ; and, in the chapter on 

 that subject, are figured the front view of that organ (Fig. 48), 

 and its connection with the trachea, tongue, and other neigh- 

 boring parts (Fig. 51). It is situated at the upper part of the 

 neck, at the top of the trachea, or tube by which air passes 

 into and out of the lungs. The framework of the larynx is 

 composed of four cartilages, which render it at once very 

 strong and sufficiently flexible to enable it to move according 

 to the requirements of the voice. 



5. The names of the cartilages are (1) the thyroid, which is 

 a broad, thin plate, bent in the middle and placed in the 

 central line of the front part of the neck, where it is known 

 as the pomum Adami, or Adam's apple (Fig. 73, B), and where 

 it may be felt moving up and down with each act of swallow- 

 ing ; (2) the cricoid, which is shaped like a seal ring, with the 



tinguishes them from those of singing. This is proved by the fact that if 

 we prolong the intonation of a syllable, or utter it like a note, the musical 

 sound becomes evident. And if we pronounce all the syllables of a phrase 

 in the same tone, the speaking voice closely resembles psalm-singing. 

 Every one must have noticed this in hearing school-boys recite or read in 

 a monotone, and the analogy is complete when the last two or three 

 syllables are pronounced in a different tone. Spoken voice is moreover 

 always a chant more or less marked, according to the individual and the 

 sentiment expressed. ' The accentuation peculiar to certain languages also 

 gives the speech the character of a chant ; to a French ear an Italian 

 preacher seems always to sing. A chant also is caused by those inflec- 

 tions of the voice, which express our emotions and our passions. They 

 extend from the feeble murmur, which the ear scarcely perceives, to the 

 piercing cry of pain. Affectionate, sympathetic, imperious, or hostile, 

 they sometimes charm, sometimes irritate, and always move us. It 

 is related of Gretry, that he amused himself by noting as exactly as 

 possible the ' Bonjour, monsieur ! ' of the persons who visited him ; and 

 these words expressed by their intonation, in fact, the most opposite 

 sentiments, although literally the same. Baron, the comedian, moved 

 his audience to tears by his recitation of the stanzas of the song, ' Si Ic 

 roi m'avait donne Paris sa grancPville ' 'If the king had given me Paris 

 his great city.' " Le Pileur on Wonders of the Human Body. 



4. Organ of the voice ? Where situated ? Of what is its framework compoMd ? 



5. NJB*I, formation, and situation of the cartilages ? 



