THE VOICE. 315 



to them. It is therefore by no means strange that vocal 

 sound cannot be made by forcing air through the larynx of 

 a dead animal. 



13. It has often been disputed whether the larynx was a 

 wind or stringed instrument. Most physiologists at the pre- 

 sent time, regard it as a wind instrument of the reed kind, 

 such as the clarionet, hautboy, &c., and they differ chiefly 

 in explaining the various modifications of the tone and qua- 

 lity of the voice) There is, however, great reason to believe 

 that it partakes of the character of both. 



14. ^The strength of the voice depends on the extent of the 

 vibrations, of course on the size of the larynx, and partly 

 also on the force with which the air is sent from the lungs) 

 Thus the voice of men is much stronger than that of wo- 

 men and children ; and that of a well person stronger than 

 that of a feeble individual. The change of voice at the pe. 

 riod of manhood, is owing \o the increase in size of the la- 



15.1 The tone of the voice can be almost infinitely varied : 

 indeecf, nothing can exceed the human organ of voice in va- 

 riety and execution. We may perhaps safely calculate the 

 number of changes that can be produced in the organ, at 

 least to*be equal to the number of muscles employed, togeth- 

 er with all the combinations of which they are capable.^ 

 Now, the muscles immediately concerned in the function of 

 voice su'^seven pair. Besides these, however, there are fif- 

 teen other pair, which are connected with the larynx, and 

 have more or less to do in regulating the motions of the car- 

 tilages, keeping them steady or moving them in different di- 

 rections] 



16. Now, if there were only seven pair of muscles con- 

 cerned, the different movements which their varied action 

 would produce, will amount to more than sixteen thousand. 

 Taking the whole number of muscles into account, the dif- 

 ferent combinations will be more thanQww thousand million^ 

 But besides these, there are the midriff^ or diaphragm, the ab- 



