VOICE. 



fuccefs depends. For this purpofe it will be right to ob- 

 ferve, in general, what nature does, when free and uncon- 

 ftrained. As perfons are differently affefted when they 

 fpeak, fo they naturally alter the tone of their voice : it 

 rifes, finks, and has various inflexions given it, according 

 to the prefent ftate and difpofition of the mind. When the 

 mind is calm and fedate, the voice is moderate and even ; 

 when the former is dejeCled with forrow, the latter is lan- 

 guid ; and when that is inflamed by paffion, this is raifed 

 and elevated. It is the orator's bufinefs, therefore, to 

 follow nature, and to endeavour that the tone of his voice 

 appear natural and unafFeftcd : and for this end, he niull 

 take care to fuit it to the nature of the fubjeft ; but ftill fo 

 as to be always grave and decent. 



The principal affeftions or properties of the voice may be 

 referred either to quantity or quality. The quantity of the 

 voice confifts in its highnefs or lowncfs, fwiftnefs or flow- 

 ncfs, and the intermediate degrees between them. Every 

 perfon who fpeaks in public ihould endeavour, if he can, to 

 till the place where he fpeaks, without exceeding the natural 

 key of his voice ; in wliich cafe it will be either harfh and 

 rough, or too fhrill and fqueaking ; nor will he be able to 

 give every fyllable its full and diftinft found, and to inflefl 

 i: properly. He fliould alfo take care, that it does not 

 fink too low, which will give him pain to raife it again to 

 its proper pitch, and be no lefs offenfive to the hearers. 

 The lall word of a fentence ought, in a particular manner, 

 to be exprefied diflinftly, becaufe the meaning of the whole 

 fentence often depends upon it. The medium between thefe 

 two is a moderate and even voice, which every perfon mull 

 regulate by the natural key of his own voice. But this 

 equality of voice muft be accompanied wifh a variety of in- 

 flexions and changes within the fame pitch ; and the grada- 

 tions, whether higher or lower, mull be gentle and regular ; 

 the voice moving from one key to another, fo as rather to 

 glide like a gentle fl;ream than pour down like a rapid tor- 

 rent ; and the degree of thefe itiflexions and various tones 

 of voice fliould differ according to the nature of the fubjeft, 

 and defign of the fpeaker. 



The next property of the voice is fwiftnefs ; and with 

 regard to this, care (hould be taken to avoid the two ex- 

 tremes of hurrying precipitately without paufing, which 

 deftroys not only the necelfary diftindlion between fentence 

 and fentence, but likewife between the feveral words of the 

 fame fentence ; and of fpeaking fo flowly, as to argue a 

 heavinefs in the fpeaker, and to render the difcourfe flat and 

 lifelcfs. 



In order to avoid both thefe extremes, the voice ought 

 to be fedate and diRinft ; for w!;ich purpofe it is ncccffary, 

 not only that each word and fyllable fhould have its full and 

 juft four.d, both as to time and accent, but likev\>ife that 

 every fentence, and part of a fentence, fhould be feparated 

 by its proper paufe and interval. See Pause. 



Thofe properties of the voice, that refpedl its qualities., 

 are chiefly llrength or weaknefs, clearnels or obfturcncfs, 

 fuUnefs or fmallnefs, fmoolhnefs or roughnefs. Temperance 

 13 a great prcfervative of the voice in all thefe rcfpefts, and 

 all excefs is highly prejudicial to it. A llrong voice is very 

 ferviceable to the orator, becaufe, if lie wants fome other 

 advantages, he is however able to make himfelf heard ; and 

 if he IS forced to flrain it, he is lefs in danger of its falling 

 him, before he has finifhed his difcourfe. But he who has 

 a weak voice Ihould be careful not to llrai<i it, efpecially at 

 firfl : he ought to begin low, and rife gradually to fuch a 

 pitch, as the key of his voice will carry him, without being 

 obliged to fink again afterwards. Frequent inflexions of 

 the voice will hkcwifc relieve him ; and he fhould fpeak de- 



liberately, and eafe his voice, by allowing due time for 

 refpiration at all the proper paufcs. 



A voice is faid to be clear, when the organs of fpeech arc 

 fuited to give every fingle letter, and all the combinations 

 of them in fyllables and words, their proper and dilUnft 

 found. Such a voice is agreeable {o the hearers, and ad- 

 vantageous to the fpcaket- ; as by fpeaking moderately, he 

 may be diflinftly heard, and thus be able to modulate his 

 voice at pleafure. 



An obfcure and confufed voice is fometimes owing to 

 a deficiency in the organ, but often it is the effeft of bad 

 habit, acquired either by mifplacing the accent, confounding 

 the found of the letters, or huddling the fyllables one upon 

 another, fo as to render what is faid unintelligible. When 

 this confufed voice aiifes from a natural defcft, it may be 

 remedied, as well as weaknefs of voice, in the manner pur- 

 fued by Demofthenes. See Pkonunciation. 



But the mofl; likely way of mending faults proceeding 

 trom bad habit, is to fpeak deliberately. 



A full voice is not the fame as a ftrong or a loud voice ; 

 it fills the ear, but it is often not pleafant ; and, therefore, 

 to render it fo, as well as audible, it Ihould be frequently 

 varied. Thofe who have the misfortune of a very fmall 

 voice, fliould be cautious of raifing it to too high a pitch, 

 efpecially at once ; becaufe the fudden compren"ure of the 

 organ is apt to occafion a fqueaking and very difagreeable 

 found. A foft and fmooth voice is of all the moil mufical, 

 efpecially if it be flexible ; and, on the contrary, nothing is 

 lefs harmonious than a voice that is harfli and rough. 



Upon the whole, we may conclude that voice to be the 

 bell or fittefl for an orator, which is moderate, diflinft, firm, 

 clear, and fmooth, and alfo eafily flexible to the feveral 

 degrees and variations of found, which every part of the 

 difcourfe may require. The different parts of a difcourfe 

 require correfponding modulations of the voice. The 

 orator fliould fpeak low at firfl, becaufe this has the appear- 

 ance of modefty, engages attention, and is beil for the 

 voice. In the narration, the voice ought to be raifed to 

 fomewhat a higher pitch. The propofition, or fubjed of 

 the difcourfe, fhould be delivered with a very clear and 

 audible voice. The confirmation admits of great variety, 

 both of the voice and geftures : in reafoning, the voice is 

 quick and pungent, and fhould be enforced with fuitable 

 aftions ; and in dcfcriptioiis, whilll the orator is pointing 

 out the images of things, he Ihould fo endeavour to adapt 

 both his voice, and the motions of his body, particularly the 

 turn of his eyes, and aftion of his hands, as may bell help 

 the imagination of his hearers. Where he introduces ano- 

 ther perfon fpeaking, or addreflcs an abfent perfon, it fliould 

 be with fome degree of imitation ; and in dialogue, the voice 

 fliould alter with the parts. When he diverts from his 

 fubjeft by any digreflTion, his voice fhould be lively and 

 cheerful ; fiiice that is rather defigncd for entertainment 

 than iiillruftion. In confutation, the arguments of the 

 adverfe party ought firll to be repeated in a plain and dif- 

 tinft manner, unlefs they appear unworthy of a firious 

 anfwer ; and then a facetious manner, both of expreflion and 

 gellurc, may be the moll proper way to confute them. In 

 the conclufion, both the voice and gellure fliould be brifk 

 and fprightly. 



There are fometimes certain words, which require an 

 emphafis and diftinttion of the voice : fuch are often pro- 

 nouns, as this is tht man ; and many words that denote the 

 ciicumllancea and qualities of a thing, fom? of which 

 heightening or magnifying the idea of the thing to whi^ 

 they arc joined, elevate the voice, and others dcbafing or lef- 

 fcning it, dcprcfs the voice, or at Kafl protraft the tone. 

 3 1 z Some 



