Page images
PDF
EPUB

His air was terrific, he uttered no sound;

He spoke not, he moved not, he looked not around,
But earnestly gazed on the bride.

4. Now, fair Hypolita, our nuptial hour

Draws on apace, four happy days bring in
Another moon; but oh! methinks, how slow
This old moon wanes! She lingers my desires,
Like to a step-dame, or a dowager,

Long-withering out a young man's revenue.

5. Alas! I am afraid they have awaked,

And 'tis not done; the attempt, and not the deed,
Confounds us— -Hark! I laid the daggers ready,
He could not miss them. Had he not resembled
My father as he slept, I had done it.

TERROR, HORROR.

When danger becomes imminent, fear bursts through all restraints, and the state of mind ensues which is called Terror; and this is expressed by great Force of voice combined with the Downward Inflection and a strongly marked Aspiration. The voice of Terror sometimes breaks on the ear in the scream of the Falsette.

Horror combines Force of voice and the Aspiration with the Guttural Harshness, which as an element of speech is never properly used but to give expression to the highest emotions of the mind.

INTERROGATION.

In Section V, of Chap. I, we deduced the principle that the Rising Slide is the prime element in Interrogation; and though this is the universal symbol of doubt and uncertainty, yet that the Thorough Interrogative Intonation is given only in the case of the Direct Question.

We are now to show how this Thorough form of Into

nation is modified by the conditions under which it is employed.

The Unimpassioned Interrogation should employ the Concrete Third and the Radical Stress.

The more earnest question carries the voice through the
Fifth, and may employ the Vanishing Stress; as in the
following example :-
What! shall one of us,

That struck the foremost man of all this world
But for supporting robbers; shall we now
Contaminate our fingers with base bribes ?
And sell the mighty space of our large honors,
For so much trash, as may be grasped thus ?-
I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon,

Than such a Roman.

Dignity or Solemnity of expression will never allow the use of a wider interval than the Fifth; and where the question is characterized by these, Long Quantity and the Median Stress should prevail, and the Inverted Wave may take the place of the simple concrete.-Example:

Are these the pompous tidings ye proclaim,
Lights of the world, and demi-gods of Fame?
Is this your triumph-this your proud applause,
Children of Truth, and champions of her cause?
For this hath science searched, on weary wing,
By shore and sea-each mute and living thing?
Launched with Iberia's pilot from the steep,
To worlds unknown, and isles beyond the deep?
Or round the cope her living chariot driven,

And wheeled in triumph through the signs of Heaven?
Oh! star-eyed science, hast thou wandered there,

To waft us home the message of despair?

Vaunting or Mirthful Interrogation carries the voice through an Octave; and the Vanishing Stress increases the intensity of the inquiry, as in the following:

Moneys is your suit.

What should I say to you? Should I not say,

Hath a dog money? Is it possible

A cur can lend three thousand ducats?

Derision and Exultation are heightened by the combination of the Tremor with these symbols.

The inquiry of Apprehension or Suspicion is characterized by the Aspiration. Examples:

1. Horatio. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight.

[blocks in formation]

Is not your father grown incapable

Of reasonable affairs? Is he not stupid

With age and altering rheums? Can he speak, hear,
Know man from man, dispute his own estate?

Lies he not bed-rid, and again does nothing

But what he did being childish?

Angry or Authoritative Inquiry employs Loudness of voice, and the Radical or Compound Emphasis, according to the degree of emotion and the quantity of the emphatic syllable. Example:

'Zounds, show me what thou'lt do?

Woul't weep ? woul't fight? woul't fast? woul't tear thyself?
Woul't drink up Esil? eat a crocodile ?
I'll do't.-Dost thou come here to whine?
To outface me by leaping in her grave?
Be buried quick with her, and so will I.

Contempt and Surprise, add to the Compound Stress the Aspiration; and Scorn, if strongly expressed, combines with these the Guttural quality of voice.

Example of Surprise :

Gone to be married, gone to swear a peace!

False blood to false blood joined! Gone to be friends'

Shall Lewis have Blanch? and Blanch those provinces ?
It is not so: Thou hast mis-spoke, mis-heard;

Be well advised, tell o'er thy tale again.

Plaintive Interrogation is the exact opposite of plaintive Exclamation, and calls for the use of the Inverted instead of the Direct Wave;-the first constituent being a Semitone and the last a Rising Third, Fifth, or Eighth.

IRRESOLUTION, MODESTY, &c.

There is a class of emotions, not very closely allied to each other in their nature, yet which are expressed by nearly the same natural symbols. They have to be distinguished by the artificial language to which the voice gives utterance.

Irresolution, Doubt, Caution, Apathy, Humility, Modesty, Shame, Tranquillity, Fatigue, Drowsiness, and Weakness, though usually expressed in the Diatonic Melody, yet are characterized by Feebleness of voice, Slow Time, and occasionally by the Wave of the Second. Weakness indeed

often employs the Broken Melody, and sometimes the Wave of the Semitone.

EXAMPLES.

1. Adam. Dear master, I can go no farther: Oh, I die for food! Here lie I down and measure out my grave. Farewell, kind master. Duke. Welcome: set down your venerable burden,

Orla.

And let him feed.

I thank you most for him.

Adam. So had you need;

I scarce can speak to thank you for myself.

2. And wherefore should this good news make me sick?

I should rejoice now at this happy news,

And now my sight fails, and my brain is giddy:

O me! come near me, now I am much ill.

I pray you take up and bear me hence

Into some other chamber; softly, pray

Let there be no noise made, my gentle friends,
Unless some dull and favorable hand,

Will whisper music to my weary spirit.

For further practice in Expression, judicious selections from dialogues and dramatic pieces are specially recommended.

SECTION VI.

OF TRANSITION.

By Transition is meant those changes of style which may occur in the same discourse, and which depend entirely on the changes of sentiment which take place. And here is called into effective use every various element of melody. There is no capability of the human voice which may not be brought into requisition, for the expression of the varying sentiments of a single discourse. Here also may be brought near together the most opposite varieties of intonation. Few are aware how much depends on an agreeable variety in the melodies as well as in the intonation of the voice. And it may with great propriety be remarked in passing, that the varying sentiment of what is uttered furnishes a basis of modulation, which, from the very nature of the case, excludes monotony and every species of mechanical variety. Indeed variety in irtonation, depending on any other principle than this, becomes not less disagreeable than the most inflexible monotony; and in fact, usually degenerates into a species of monotony, arising from the repetition of the same succession of sounds; thus constituting a sort of regular tune. The more violent transitions are confined to the stage. In

« PreviousContinue »