THE VOICE AND SPEECH. 4:45 



form of the resounding walls, which in the male larynx are much more 

 extensive, and form a more acute angle anteriorly. The different quali- 

 ties of the tenor and bass, and of the alto and soprano voices, probably 

 depend on some peculiarities of the ligaments, and the membranous and 

 cartilaginous varieties of the laryngeal cavity, which are not at present 

 understood, but of which we may form some idea, by recollecting that 

 musical instruments made of different materials, e.g., metallic and gut- 

 strings, may be tuned to the same note, but that each will give it with a 

 peculiar tone of " timbre." 



The larynx of boys resembles the female larynx; their vocal cords 

 before puberty are not two-thirds the length of the adult cords; and the 

 angle of their thyroid cartilage is as little prominent as in the female 

 larynx. Boys' voices are alto and soprano, resembling in pitch those of 

 women, but louder, and differing somewhat from them in tone. But, 

 after the larynx has undergone the change produced during the period 

 of development at puberty, the boy's voice becomes bass or tenor. 

 While the change of form is taking place, the voice is said to " crack;" 

 it becomes imperfect, frequently hoarse and crowing, and is unfitted for 

 singing until the new tones are brought under command by practice. In 

 eunuchs, who have been deprived of the testes before puberty, the voice 

 does not undergo this change. The voice of most old people is deficient 

 in tone, unsteady, and more restricted in extent: the first defect is owing 

 to the ossification of the cartilages of the larynx and the altered condi- 

 tion of the vocal cords; the want of steadiness arises from the loss of 

 nervous power and command over the muscles; the result of which is 

 here, as in other parts, a tremulous movement. These two causes 

 combined render the voices of old people void of tone, unsteady, bleat- 

 ing, and weak. 



In any class of persons arranged, as in an orchestra, according to the 

 character of voices, each would possess, with the general characteristics 

 of a bass, or tenor, or any other kind of voice, some peculiar character 

 by which his voice would be recognized from all the rest. The condi- 

 tions that determine these distinctions are, however, quite unknown. 

 They are probably inherent in the tissues of the larynx, and are as in- 

 discernible as the minute differences that characterize men's features; 

 one often observes, in like manner, hereditary and family peculiarities of 

 voice, as well marked as those of the limbs or face. 



Most persons, particularly men, have the power, if at all capable of 

 singing, of modulating their voices through a double series of notes of 

 different character: namely, the notes of the natural voice, or chest- 

 notes, and the falsetto notes. The natural voice, which alone has been 

 hitherto considered, is fuller, and excites a distinct sensation of much 

 stronger vibration and resonance than the falsetto voice, which has more 

 .a flute-like character. The deeper notes of the male voice can be pro- 



