ON

PUBLIC READING.

To acquire a good delivery, whether in reading or speaking, we must analytically study the voice of speech during its successful efforts, in order to know its elements. Then we must study the

principles of synthesis to elements into one whole.

recompose the analysed And the best means of

pursuing such a course of practical study is to imitate that which is employed in the Musical Academy. In this Discourse Speech will be considered as a branch of music, the principles of which may probably suggest the importance of Speech-music becoming a part of English education, as it was part of the Grecian.

It is well known that music consists only of sounds, variously arranged with greater or less pauses of intermission, or silence, between them. The varieties of what we hear in musical sound are classed

under the general terms Pitch, Loudness, Quality, and Duration.

PITCH. The distinctions under this term familiarly named high and low. The octave is a scale of eight sounds, arranged according to their pitch distinctions in a certain order, and which hold certain mutual relationships. These relationships, and the phenomena which arise from them, are described in musical grammars. The nomenclature of pitch is precise, and its degrees are accurately written on the musical staff.

LOUDNESS. The distinctions under this term are familiarly named loud and soft. The nomenclature of loudness is less precise than that of pitch; it has no tablature on the staff, and the directions for its management in performance are vague and unsatisfactory.

QUALITY. The distinctions under this term are familiar by such names as harsh, soft, flute-like, pure-tone, falsetto, reedy, silvery, &c. The nomenclature of quality is vague, and it has no notation.

DURATION. The distinctions under this term are familiarly named long and short. These distinctions being in a ratio to each other, the nomenclature and notation of duration are precise and accurate.

Each musical sound then is of some pitch, of some loudness, of some quality, and of some duration. And music is composed of an assemblage of such sounds. Thus a succession of single musical sounds duly ordered in respect of their pitchdistinctions, forms Melody or Song. Two or more musical sounds differing by proper intervals of pitch heard at the same time, form a Chord; and a proper succession of chords forms a Harmony. The sounds of a melody, chord, and harmony, may individually be of a greater or less degree of loudness, which degree may be uniform throughout its duration, or it may increase or diminish its loudness in the various forms of swell. And the sounds may each successively become louder or fainter. The sounds of a melody, chord, and harmony, may be harsh, or smooth, or reedy, or silvery. They may be produced by flutes, violins, voices, &c. In the human voice of song the terms Natural, Pure tone, and Falsetto, are employed to designate three species, of which there are many varieties described in the vocal school. The sounds of a melody, chord, and harmony, may be of a greater or less duration The musical system of duration is one of proportion, continually as 2 to 1-thus two minims are

equal in duration to one semibreve-two crotchets are equal to one minim-two quavers to one crotchet, and so on. But there is an expedient of producing another ratio, viz. that of 3 to 1; as when a note is dotted. Thus a dotted semibreve is equal in duration to three minims-a dotted minim is equal to three crotchets a dotted crotchet is equal to three quavers.

In order to preserve the proportionate duration of the successive sounds, every piece of music is divided into equal portions of time, called Measures, which are shewn by perpendicular lines drawn through the staff, called bars. And according to the duration-value of the measure the time of the music is named-thus when the multiple is 2 the time is Common, when the multiple is 3 the time is Triple. And these times have varieties according as a semibreve, a minim, a crotchet, or a quaver, is the integer.

In a succession of musical sounds, as in an air, some are accented while others remain without an accent. The term accent does not mean greater loudness, but it is a certain stress which periodically returns and marks the measure of the music, to the ear even of those who are unacquainted with mu

sical science. To indicate the sounds which are to be accented the composer adjusts the bars. Thus he places a bar immediately before the strong part of the movement, so that the bars serve a double purpose, they divide the music into equal measures, and they indicate the accented notes. And the measure and the accent together constitute musical rhythmus. This twofold purpose which the bars serve, occasions most music to begin and end with imperfect measures the former with the unaccented, and the latter with the accented parts.

This outline of the elements and rhythmus of music will probably lead to the perception of similar elements and rhythmus in the music of reading and speaking. Thus the varieties of what we hear in the speech-voice, like that of song, are classed under the general terms Pitch, Loudness, Quality, and Duration.

PITCH. The distinctions under this term are similar though much greater than those of song. The octave and its intervals still exist, and a speech-note may be placed on each of its degrees, as in song. The additional pitch-distinctions entirely arise from the peculiar structure of the speech-note. A song-note