Let the elements in the following table be sounded as often as is necessary to acquire a full command over the use of the voice above described.

of

The following consonants will display the property the voice we have described, though not so perfectly as

OF THE SLIDES OF SPEECH.

We stated that the letter I if sounded in a natural manner in the sentence, "I acknowledge him as my friend," rises a tone or second during its pronunciation. This may be proved by the use of the musical scale, thus. Let the letter be sounded with extended quantity, and let force be applied at its extremity so as to make the sound of the ee, (otherwise obscure,) very conspicuous, maintaining in all other respects the pronunciation the element had in the above mentioned sentence. If its two extremes be now compared, it will be seen that the end is a second higher than the beginning of the sound. The existence of a rising third,* fifth, and octave, and of the same falling concrete intervals, may be demonstrated in a similar manner upon the element I.

The following is a scale shewing the intervals of the different slides.

* Though the sounds of the natural or diatonic scale are discrete and are produced by omitting the mewing sound formerly described as issuing from the string of the violin, yet the term concrete interval may be properly enough employed to mark the distance between the commencement and the termination of the slides of speech when they strike those points of the scale at which the discrete sounds are heard: and a concrete movement, with a full recollection of its nature may be hereafter denominated a concrete interval of a second, third, fifth, and octave, or a semitone: and the slides through these intervals may be called notes of speech.

REFL

Let the lines in this scale, and the spaces between them be the places occupied by the notes. When measuring the intervals of these notes let these lines and spaces be counted in succession, thus, line 1 space 2, line 3 space 4, and so on, whether we are counting upwards or downwards. The first figure of the scale commencing on line 1, and reaching into space 2, represents a rising slide of a second, the second figure a rising third, the third a rising fifth, the fourth a rising octave. The remaining figures represent in the order in which they appear on the scale a falling second, third, fifth and octave. The intervals here enumerated are the only ones (with the exception of the semitones,) requiring attention in the science of speech; the slides of a fourth, sixth, and seventh, will therefore not be regarded in this grammar.

The slide of a second upwards and downwards may be called the simplest slide of speech, while the others increase in intensity in proportion to the extent of the interval.

Popular methods of determining the pitch of the slides of the voice, by the meaning or expression they convey.

1. RISING SLIDE.

It is not absolutely necessary to be acquainted with music in order to determine the nature of the slides used in speech or to be able to apply them correctly in discourse. Let the following sentence be uttered in a very deliberate manner, and with a perfectly distinct enunciation. "As soon as I arrived, he conducted me to his house." Let particular attention be given to the

sound of the 'I'. Then let that part of the sentence ending with 'I' and including it, be uttered without the remaining portion, the voice breaking off after uttering that word, with the intonation a person would naturally employ, who was going to speak the whole sentence, but who was suddenly interrupted at the moment he had completed the described section, "As soon as I:"-the ‘I' will in this case be found to have the rising slide of a second. Let the 'I' be next pronounced alone with the same slide it had in the superscribed section of the sentence; and the rising second cannot be mistaken afterwards. It is to be noticed that the intonation is such as to leave the ear in a state of suspense, and, (though the voice actually ceases,) to apprise the mind that all has not been said that was to be expected. Let it be farther remarked, that the 'I' conveys no expression of emphasis, of emotion, or of interrogation, nothing more than the simple notion inseparable from the sound.

More intensive slide of a third. Let the following sentence next be uttered as it would naturally be if the answer yes or no were expected to it; all earnestness or emotion being excluded. "Did he say it was I that did it?" If the question be so spoken as to convey merely the idea of simple enquiry, such as would require the answer "yes or no," or "he said it was you," the 'I' will have the rising slide of a third.

Intense slide of a fifth. But if the question be asked with some surprise, and with strong emphasis on the 'I' that syllable will have the rising slide of a fifth. he say it was 1?"

"Did

More intense slide of an octave. Let the emphasis be rendered still stronger upon the 'I,' and let the interrogation be rendered still more piercing and expressive of excessive surprise, and the slide will reach through the rising octave. Children and females whose emotions are particularly lively, frequently ask a question with the intense piercing slide of the octave.

2. FALLING SLIDE.

Simple falling slide. If the imaginary sentence, "Good evening Mr. I." be uttered with the natural fall which the voice always assumes at the end of a common sentence, and without the least emphasis on the 'I' conveying an expression of antithesis, that word will display the falling slide of a second.

If the sentence' He said it was I' be uttered with just such a degree of emphasis as will place the 'I' in antithesis with you (understood,) it will exhibit the falling slide of a third.

Intense downward slide upon the I. Let the emphasis be made so strong as to express a considerable degree of positiveness upon that word, and the slide will fall through a concrete fifth.

He said it was 'I' [not you.]

Most intense downward slide. Let the highest degree of dictatorial positiveness and energy be now given to the 'I' and it may be made to reach the downward octave during its pronunciation.

If a syllable be uttered with a plaintive expression it will have the slide of the semitone. In solfaing on the