216 THE OEIGIN AND FdNCTION OF MUSIC. 



diiced only by a certain muscular effort additional to that 

 ordinarily needed. If after uttering a word in his speak- 

 ing voice, the reader, without changing the pitch or the 

 loudness, will si7ig this word, he will perceive that before 

 he can sing it, he has to alter the adjustment of the vocal 

 organs ; to do which a certain force must be used ; and by 

 putting his fingers on that external j^rominence marking 

 the top of the larynx, he will have further evidence that to 

 produce a sonorous tone the organs must be drawn out of 

 their usual position. Thus, then, the fact that the tones of 

 excited feeling are more vibratory than those of common 

 conversation, is another instance of the connexion between 

 mental excitement and muscular excitement. The speak- 

 ing voice, the recitative voice, and the singing voice, sev- 

 erally exemplify one general principle. 



That the pitch of the voice varies according to the ac- 

 tion of the vocal muscles, scarcely needs saying. All know 

 that the middle notes, in which they converse, are made 

 without any appreciable effort ; and all know that to make 

 either very high or very low notes requires a considerable 

 effort. In either ascending or descending from the pitch 

 of ordinary speech, we are conscious of an mcreasing mus- 

 cular strain, which, at both extremes of the register, be- 

 comes positively painful. Hence it follows from our gen- 

 eral principle, that while indifference or calmness will use 

 the medium tones, the tones used during excitement will 

 be either above or below them ; and will rise higher and 

 higher, or fall lower and lower, as the feelings grow 

 stronger. This physiological deduction we also find to be 

 in harmony with familiar facts. The habitual sufferer ut- 

 ters his complaints in a voice raised considerably above the 

 natural key ; and agonizing pain vents itself in either 

 shrieks or groans — in very high or very low notes. Begin- 

 ning at his talking pitch, the cry of the disappointed urchin 

 grows more shrill as it grows louder. The " Oh I " of as- 



