RECITATION FOURTEENTH.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE VOICE.

DR. RUSH has described a kind of voice which, from its preeminent qualities, he denominates the OROTUND. In its highest condition, it is deep, full, strong, smooth, sonorous, and has a highly resonant or ringing character, like the sound of musical instruments. The person possessing it appears to labor under a slight hoarseness. This voice is highly agreeable to the ear, and is more musical than the common voice. It is possessed by actors of eminence and is peculiarly adapted to set forth the beauties of epic and tragic composition. It is heard in its greatest perfection on the vowel sounds.

I believe the quality of the voice is greatly dependent on management and cultivation. Experiments have convinced me that more depends upon the former, than on natural peculiarity. Indeed I am disposed to think that by attention to certain methods of forming sounds in the mouth, which I shall presently explain, voices may be rendered very much alike in their quality; and that by forcible efforts properly and perseveringly made, in combination with such methods, most voices may be rendered strong. Now quality and strength are the two circumstances in which voices differ most from each other.

The parts of the mouth, posterior to the palate, bounded below by the root of the tongue, above by the commencement of the palate, behind by the most posterior of the throat, and on the sides by the angles of the jaw, are

the seat of the deep voice I have described. If the tongue is retracted and depressed, and the mouth is opened, in such a manner as to favor the enlargement of the cavity described as much as possible, and any of the vowel sounds are then uttered with force and abruptness, and without calling other parts of the mouth into vibration, in their passage through it, the orotund voice will be immediately exhibited, in a very high degree, and unmixed in its quality.

By practice in exploding the vowel elements, in the manner formerly described, it may be made to acquire increasing clearness and strength; and may be varied in pitch like the common voice. But orotund voices are often husky and indistinct: that is to say, there is a want of brilliancy in some of the sounds, and consequently of distinct audibility in the elements. Under these circumstances, many of the words spoken on the stage and elsewhere, under this modification of voice, are lost to the ear. More than this; experiments will show that if the vibrations are confined to the parts described, and the anterior parts of the mouth, (the roof especially,) are made a mere passage for the orotund, force and sonorous clearness are very apt to be deficient. The voice will be deep, grave and dignified, but often, inaudible. There will be more or less of aspiration and huskiness. But, if in the condition of organs set forth above, the vowel elements are uttered, as before described, and are made, in the way to the external air, to vibrate against the centre of the bony arch of the palate, stretching, an extensive and reverberating vaulted cavity immediately over the passage of sound, the voice will at once be heard clear, full, and sonorous. The properties of clearness and musical resonance will be in proportion to the force

of vibration made against the palatial part of the mouth. The resisting part of the palate is, I believe, the peculiar seat of the musical properties of the voice, by which I mean that clear resonance which is heard on well made musical instruments. Forcible compression of the air against the superior and hard parts of the mouth,as if it were to be driven through the centre of the head in its passage, increases the resonance, and therefore the approximation of the jaws, and tension of the tongue and cheeks, by increasing that compression, contribute to the result.

For practice in the pure orotund, unmixed with the palatial, the directions may be condensed thus. Let each of the vowel elements be expelled from the most posterior part of the throat with as much opening force and abruptness as possible, and the long ones with extended quantity, with the condition of the organs first described, and let the effort be so made as to exhaust as much as posssible the air contained in the chest upon each element. Endeavor to make the sounds as grave and hollow as possible. This method of sounding the elements will be apt to produce giddiness and hoarseness at first, and must therefore be prosecuted with care. By practice these inconveniences will cease, and as soon as they do, the elements should be daily sounded for some time in the manner described.

Next let the elements be made as clear and sonorous as possible, by sounding them from the back part of the throat with the condition of parts first described, but ringing them in their passage against the palate as subsequently pointed out.

A peculiar nasal twang can be communicated to the elements by ringing them in the posterior nostrils; and

they can be snuffled in the anterior by directing the vibrations to the lower parts and edges of the anterior nostrils. The more all kind of nasality however, is avoided, the more clear, sonorous, and satisfactory to the ear the voice will become.

When the elements can be sounded, subject to the directions above given, let the attempt be made to sound words in this voice. As soon as single words can be uttered, of a pure orotund character, let attempts be made to sound sentences, and by degrees this voice will be heard upon successive syllables. At first, it will be monotonous, but practice will enable the student to vary his pitch with the orotund, as easily as with the natural voice.

Now, though we do not recommend attempts to use this voice in speaking or reading, until long practice has placed it at entire command, yet we can assure the student, that the elementary exercises here enjoined, will improve his natural voice. Their direct tendency is to impart depth, tone, strength, fulness, and smoothness. We ought here to insert a restricting clause, and say that this voice is not the voice employed in common and familiar subjects. It is more especially, the appropriate symbol of the dignified parts of epic and tragic poetry, and the more solemn portions of the scriptures. But a person cannot have an impressive delivery in public speaking, without the depth, force, and clearness of tone, which the practice necessary to attain the orotund, is the most effective method of acquiring. Some persons have a natural orotund. Those who have not, may certainly acquire it, except in some rare instances.

Loud vociferation.

Frequent exercise of the voice, in declaiming aloud, with the utmost degree of force, of which it is susceptible, is another sure mean of improving it. Persons in general, have no adequate notion of the degree to which the voice may be improved, by the daily habit of loud vociferation. As soon as this strong action of the voice can be employed without hoarseness, it ought to be maintained for a considerable length of time, at once, (say half an hour,) and if the exercise is united with a perfect observation of measure, it will be beneficial, rather than injurious to health, and especially if prosecuted in the open air. There is a grave fulness of quality in all voices thus habitually exercised, which is at once grateful to the ear, and adequate to the purposes of public speaking. No person should attempt to address large public assemblies, whose voice has not been submitted to the gymnastic training here recommended, for some time. I have known a voice got up in a fortnight, by this practice, from comparative feebleness, into a well marked strength and fulness.

Explosion, both of the vowels and consonants, as described, under the head of articulation, with the utmost degree of rending force and abruptness, should accompany the above mentioned exercises.

Compass of the voice as to pitch.

Let the following sentence be begun with great loudness, in a very low pitch, and let the voice gradually rise, till it attains to its highest note, then let it descend again gradually, to the point at which it set out, terminate with its lowest note, maintaining great force throughout.