" and forces into faults, as the sinking of the pitch, and breaking "the tenor of the delivery; it obliges the speaker to have 66 recourse to a disgusting cant, in order to relieve the hoarseness "of the throat, and the fatigue of the lungs. But we speak now "of such a person only, for whom precept is not useless." That a voice decidedly imperfect can by any art be so improved as to answer every effort of oratory, is altogether hopeless. In such a case, the person who is devoted to the study of eloquence, had better turn all his talents to writing. But of whatever description the powers or qualities of the voice may be, provided it be moderately good, and that the ear be not wholly depraved, they may be improved to great advantage by due cultivation. The ancient Greek orators and tragedians, carried their attention to the cultivation of their voice to such extremes, that Cicero condemns their practice as indicating more the drudgery of the theatre, than suiting the liberal study of the public speaker. "What is so necessary to an orator, (says "he,) as the voice? Yet would I never advise those who study public speaking to labour at their voice like the Greeks and the "tragedians, who during several years practise to declaim in a 66 66 sitting posture, and every day, before they speak in public, "lie down and gradually elevate their voice, and after they "have spoken, seat themselves and recover, and collect it in "some manner, bringing it down from the highest tones to the 9 Bona enim firmaque ut volumus uti licet; mala vel imbecilla et inhibet multa, ut inBurgere, exclamare : et aliqua cogit, ut summittere, deflectere et rasas fauces ac latus fatigatum deformi cantico reficere. Sed nos de eo nunc loquimur, cui non frustra præcipitur. Quint. lib. xi. c. 3. 66 deepest. Should we proceed in this manner, our clients would "be cast before we could practise our Pean and our Munio as "often as the rules of art might require." 19 10 And a little after he says; "to carry this labour to such "extremes would rather tend to deter than to encourage. You "desire that each of us in our way should become a Roscius, and you have said that we do not afford as much pleasure when "we succeed, as we excite disgust when we fail. But I do not "think we are heard so fastidiously as the players. For I have "often observed our speakers listened to most attentively, even "when very hoarse: for the subject and the cause take sufficient “hold of the hearer. Yet I have known Æsopus to have been "hissed because he happened to be a little hoarse. The reason "is that we expect from players nothing but the gratification of our ears, and if we are deprived of any part of this pleasure, we do not easily forgive them. But in eloquence many circumstances interest us, and if the greater part be excellent, though all should not reach perfection, such as does, must of necessity appear admirable." " 66 66 10 Quid est oratori tam necessarium, quam vox? tamen me auctore nemo dicendi studiosus, Græcorum more, et tragœdorum voci serviet, qui et annos complures sedentes declamitant, et quotidie, antequam pronuntient, vocem cubantes sensim excitant, eandemque, cum egerunt, sedentes ab acutissimo sono usque ad gravissimum sonum recipiunt et quasi quodammodo colligunt. Hoc nos si facere velimus, ante condemnentur ii, quorum causas receperimus, quam toties, quoties præscribitur Pæanem aut Munionem citaremus. Cic. de Orat. lib. i. c. 59. " Illud vero fuit horribile, quod mehercule vereor ne majorem vim ad deterrendum habuerit, quam ad cohortandum. Voluisti enim in suo genere unumquemque nostrum quasi Pæan-cantio quæ clara, exultanti, contentaque voce canitur. Olivet. Though there are some methods by which the nature of the voice itself may be improved, yet it is to the management of the voice, such as it may be, which he possesses, that the orator should chiefly direct his attention. By due exertions in this way, though he may not absolutely improve the natural qualities of his voice, he will give them the highest effect of which they are capable. With certain management, few voices are so bad, as not to be rendered capable of discharging tolerably the functions of public speaking in our assemblies; and few perhaps are to be found so perfect as not to require some attention; or which may not derive benefit from the observation of some of the general rules for the proper management of that organ. These rules in the order of their importance, may be considered under the following heads: 1. Articulation. 2. Pronunciation and accent. 3. Emphasis. 4. Pauses. 5. Pitch. 6. Quantity.. 7. Modulation and variety. 8. Tones. ARTICULATION. Articulation is obviously the first point in the management of the voice, and that of the most indispensable necessity; because any imperfection in this respect would obscure every other talent in quendam esse Roscium; dixistique, non tam ea, quæ recta essent, probari, quam, quæ prava sunt, fastidiis adhærescere; quod ego non tam fastidiosè in nobis, quam in histrionibus, spectari puto. Itaque nos raucos sæpe attentissimè audiri video; tenet enim res ipsa atque causa; at Æsopum, si paullum irrauserit, explodi. A quibus enim nihil præter voluptatem aurium quæritur, in iis offenditur, simul atque imminuitur aliquid de voluptate. In eloquentia autem multa sunt, quæ teneant; quæ si omnia summa non sunt (et pleraque tamen magna sunt,) necesse est ea ipsa, quæ sunt, mirabilia videri. Cic. de Orat, lib. i. c. 16, 66 a public speaker." It is thus defined in the Lectures on Elocution, by Mr. Sheridan, one of the best writers on the subject of public speaking, and one of the earliest who has successfully laboured at its reformation. "A good articulation consists in giving every letter in a syllable its due proportion of sound, according to the most approved custom of pronouncing it; and "in making such a distinction between the syllables, of which "words are composed, that the ear shall, without difficulty, ac"knowledge their number, and perceive at once to which syllable " each letter belongs. Where these points are not observed the "articulation is proportionally defective." Correct articulation is the most important exercise of the voice and of the organs of speech. A public speaker, possessed of only a moderate voice, if he articulate correctly, will be better understood and heard with greater pleasure than one who vociferates without judgment. The voice of the latter may indeed extend to a considerable distance, but the sound is dissipated in confusion; of the former voice not the smallest vibration is wasted, every stroke is perceived at the utmost distance to which it reaches; and hence it has often the appearance of penetrating even farther than one which is loud, but badly articulated." 12 In primis vitia, si qua sint oris emendet: ut expressa sint verba; ut suis quæque literæ sonis enuncientur: quarumdam enim vel exilitate, vel pinguedine nimia laboramus; quasdam velut acriores parum efflamus et aliis non dissimilibus sed quasi hebetioribus permutamus. Quint, lib. i. c. 11. 3 Est enim quædam (vox scil.) ad auditum accommodata, non magnitudine, sed proprietate, ad hoc velut tractabilis, utique habens omnes in se, qui desiderantur sonos, intentionesque, et toto (ut aiunt) organo instructa: cui aderit lateris firmitas, spiritus cum spatio pertinax, tum labori non facile cessurus. Quint. lib. xi. c. 3. In just articulation, the words are not to be hurried over, nor precipitated syllable over syllable; nor as it were melted together into a mass of confusion: they should be neither abridged, nor prolonged; nor swallowed, nor forced, and, if I may so express myself, shot from the mouth; they should not be trailed nor drawled, nor let to slip out carelessly, so as to drop unfinished. They are to be delivered out from the lips, as beautiful coins newly issued from the mint, deeply and accurately impressed, perfectly finished, neatly struck by the proper organs, distinct, sharp, in due succession, and of due weight." Cicero considers good articulation not only to be conducive to the improvement of the voice in clearness, or strength and sweetness; but also seems to imply that it is the true criterion of the speaker's knowledge of his language. "Our organ of speech is "the voice, in which two qualities are required, that it be 66 strong, and that it be sweet: but we must allow that nature "alone can effectually bestow them both. Yet practice will 66 66 improve the one, and the imitation of those who speak distinctly and deliberately will improve the other. It was this "last circumstance alone, which obtained for the Catuli such high literary reputation; they were indeed men of letters, but "not more so than others, and yet they were esteemed to be the "best speakers of the Latin language. Their tones were sweet; "their syllables, neither too strongly marked, nor smothered, 14 Dilucida vero erit pronunciatio, primum, si verba tota exegerit, quorum pars devorari, pars destitui solet, plerisque extremas syllabas non proferentibus, dum priorum sono indulgent. Quint. lib. xi. c. 3. |