stress now under consideration, sets forth the intensity of the voice, in a form of greater dignity than all the other modes. The radical stress having an abrupt opening, and the vanishing, as I shall say presently, having a sudden termination, there is a sharp earnestness in their manner which is not conveyed by the median the aim and power of which in the very torrent of expression,' is to beget a temperance which may give it smoothness.'

Here pardon me, reader, when I pass from instruction to eulogy.

If she could now be heard, I would point in illustration, to Britain's great Mistress of the voice. Since that can not be, let those who have not forgotten the stately dignity of Mrs. Siddons, bear witness to the effect of the graceful vanish of her concrete, and of that swelling energy by which she richly enforced the expression of joy, and surprise, and indignation. But why should I be so sparing in praise, as to select her eminent exemplification of the single subject before us; when it seems to my recollection that a whole volume of elocution might be taught by her instances.

It is apparently a partial rule of criticism, but when drawn from delicate perceptions, made wise by cultivation, it is the best-to measure the merit of actors, by their ability to give with audible conformity, that same expression of the poet, which the soul of the hearer is whispering to itself. Such is the rule, which, in my early days of ignorance, but not of insensibility, set up this great Woman's voice as the mirror of poetic feeling; in which one might recognize himself, and love the equal picture as his own. All that is smooth, and flexible, and various in intonation; all that is impressive in force, and in long-drawn time; all that is apt upon the countenance, and consonant in gesture, gave their united energy, and gracefulness and grandeur, to this one great model of ideal elocution. Hers was that height of excellence, which, defying mimickry, can be made imaginable only by being equalled.

Such was my enthusiastic opinion, before a scrutiny into speech had developed a boundless scheme of criticism; which while it admits that nature may hold some unrevealed power of producing occasional instances of rare accomplishment of voice; yet assures us that nothing but the influence of some

system of principles, arising out of well observed instinct, can ever produce multiplied examples of excellence, or give to any one the perfection of art. There is a power in science which searches, discovers, amplifies, and completes; and which all the strength of spontaneous effort can never reach. I do not wish to be asked, how this most noble mother of the world,** with only those unwritten rules of genius, that still allowed her to incur the dangers of the scanty doctrines of her artwould be accounted by the side of another Siddons making her selections of sentiment and taste, from the familiar rudiments and measurable functions of the voice; and able by the authority of an unindulgent discipline to be a rational critic over herself. Though I rely on the surpassing efficacy of scientific principles, still in the contentment of recollection, I would not wish to answer this question.

The vision of the Great Actress is before me! If I am beset by an illusion which another hearing might dispel, I rejoice to think I can never hear her again.

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SECTION XXXVI.

Of the Vanishing Stress.

OUR description of the concrete of speech represented it as formed by an initial fulness, and its gradual decrease. It may already have occurred to the reader, that the construction indicated by the term Vanishing Stress, annuls, in this case, the

* I refer here, to the salutation of Coriolanus to Volumnia: for it is in this character Mrs. Siddons always comes upon my memory; embodying the pathos, the matron dignity and the indignation, together with the other moral solemnities of the scene of intercession in the Volscian camp.

general law of the concrete. It is true it does. But I thought, the adopted term, even with this verbal contrariety, would be more immediately intelligible, if not more exactly significative of the function, than any other newly invented nomenclature. The vanishing stress does indeed exhibit a reversed progression of force, by a gradual increase from the radical, to the extreme of the vanish. This mode of production must necessarily give something like an abrupt termination, with a fulness of sound, at the extremity of the concrete: for the description of the case affirms its gradual enlargement to the end.

The peculiar vocal effect of the vanishing stress may be illustrated by the natural function of Hiccough. I choose this mode of making the reader familiar with the perception, because the function has received, in this instance, but without attention to its construction, a conventional name, and because it may be readily imitated for the purpose of experiment. The hiccough, then, is produced by the gradual increase of the guttural sound, until it is suddenly obstructed by an occluded catch, somewhat resembling the element k,' or 'g.' If this mode of sound be compared with a single act of coughing, the difference between the vanishing and the radical stress will be conspicuous. The hiccough, however, does not resemble the proper vanishing stress of speech in all points; for this last function does not necessarily end like the hiccough, except the syllable which bears it is terminated by an abrupt element. The hiccough may be made on all intervals of the scale. In ordinary cases, it assumes that of the second: but when it is attended with great distress, as sometimes happens in disease, it is heard through the interval of the semitone.

The effect of the vanishing stress may be perceived in the speech of the natives of Ireland; many of whom employ it, in the form of the simple rise or fall, or wave, on all the principal words of a sentence. It is this function which produces that quick and peculiar run of syllables, heard in the earnest pronunciation of the lower orders of that people.

The vanishing stress is practicable on each of the rising and falling intervals of the scale. When used on the wave, it must be understood as occurring on the last constituent.

This stress being one of the modes of force, its operation consists in giving to the characteristics of the several intervals, a

more attractive power over the ear, than belongs to their natural concretes. Thus in the second, which has no peculiar expression, it only adds that Irish jerk which deforms without enforcing speech. On the third, and fifth, and octave, it gives intensity to the spirit of interrogation. On the downward course of these intervals, it enhances the degree of surprise and positiveness; and on the wave, adds power to the expressions which belong to its various constructions.

The effect of the vanishing stress on a semitone, may be heard in the act of Sobbing. This is made on a guttural sound gradually increasing in force and terminated in some cases by an occluded catch. Now when the vanishing stress on the semitone is used in discourse, it is, as it were, a sobbing upon words; and serves to mark intensively, the distressful character of the simple concrete. The expression of pain or grief may require enforcement, when uttered with that quickness of time which does not admit of the doubled influence of the semitone produced by the wave of this interval. This increased effect may be given to the simple movement in quick time, by the vanishing stress; which brings out in high relief the dimensions of the interval, and the mournful display of its expression.

Upon this subject it may be remarked in relation to all the intervals, that the nature of discourse occasionally requires so quick a time that only the simple rise or fall can be employed : and yet, it may be highly necessary, to designate a given interval strongly and clearly. This can be accomplished by the vanishing stress. For a hasty utterance of complaint and interrogation, which has time for flight only in one direction, will, for the purpose of marking its several symbols on the ear, apply this terminative force to the simple rise or fall of the semitone, third, fifth, and octave.

It was stated that the radical stress is effective, principally in distinguishing short quantities. On these the vanishing stress is not cognizable. It requires a longer time; and its application thereon, gives an equal degree of force with the median stress but it has much less dignity and grace than the gradual swell of this last named element.

SECTION XXXVII.

Of the Compound Stress.

BESIDES the perceptible function of stress, when laid exclusively on the beginning or middle, or end of the concrete, it is within the power of the cultivated and attentive ear, to recognize the abrupt opening of the radical, and the full termination of the vanishing stress, when used in succession on the same syllable. The best reference I can make in illustration of this element, is to the vocal grace called a Shake: for I shall endeavor to show hereafter that the characteristic action of this grace consists in a rapid iteration of the concrete when impressed with both the radical and vanishing stresses.

This compound stress, when applied to syllables of long quantity, may be used on the narrow intervals of the scale; but it is more definitely audible on the wider spaces of the fifth and octave. It may likewise be executed on the various forms of the wave; in which case the final stress is laid on the last constituent.

After what has been said of the radical and the vanishing stress, of which this under consideration is but a compound, it is scarcely necessary to remark, that it affords means for adding force to the representation of the sentiments indicated by its constituents when used singly on a syllable. And though the effect of the alternate radical and vanishing stress is beautifully exemplified in the shake of song, and may be made. manifest in the speaking voice; yet this compound function can not, on a short quantity, be distinguished from the simple radical abruptness: nor indeed is there, in this case, time for its existence.

Let us suppose that a syllable of long quantity conveys the sentiment of angry or authoritative inquiry; and that the fifth, with protracted intonation, is the interval chosen for this interrogative. The sharpness of effort required here as the sym