IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONAL LANGUAGE. 235 



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tliat, confined almost exclusively as they have hitherto 

 been to their national airs, which have a marked family 

 likeness, and therefore accustomed to but a limited range 

 of musical expression, the Scotch are unusually monotonous 

 in the intervals and modulations of their speech ? And 

 again, do we not find among difierent classes of the same 

 nation, dificrences that have like implications ? The gen- 

 tleman and the clown stand in very decided contrast with 

 respect to variety of intonation. Listen to the conversa- 

 tion of a servant-girl, and then to that of a refined, accom- 

 plished lady, and the more delicate and complex changes 

 of voice used by the latter will be conspicuous. Now, 

 without going so far as to say that out of all the differences 

 of culture to which the upper and lower classes are sub- 

 jected, difi^erence of musical culture is that to which alone 

 this difierence of speech is ascribable ; yet we may fairly 

 say that there seems a much more obvious connexion of 

 cause and effect between these than between any others. 

 Thus, while the inductive evidence to which we can appeal 

 is but scanty and vague, yet what there is favours our posi- 

 tion. 



Probably most will think that the function here assigned 

 to music is one of very little moment. But further reflec- 

 tion may lead them to a contrary conviction. In its bear- 

 ings upon human happiness, we believe that this emotional 

 language which musical culture developes and refines, is 

 only second in importance to the language of the intellect ; 

 perhaps not even second to it. For these modifications 

 of voice produced' by feelings, are the means of exciting 

 like feehngs in others. Joined with gestures and expres- 

 sions of face, they give life to the otherwise dead words in 

 which the intellect utters its ideas ; and so enable the 

 hearer not only to understand the state of mind they ac- 

 company, but to partake of that state. In short, they are 



